ThediscomposureofspiritswhichthisextraordinaryvisitthrewElizabethinto,couldnotbeeasilyovercome;norcouldshe,formanyhours,learntothinkofitlessthanincessantly。LadyCatherine,itappeared,hadactuallytakenthetroubleofthisjourneyfromRosings,forthesolepurposeofbreakingoffhersupposedengagementwithMr。Darcy。Itwasarationalscheme,tobesure!butfromwhatthereportoftheirengagementcouldoriginate,Elizabethwasatalosstoimagine;tillsherecollectedthathisbeingtheintimatefriendofBingley,andherbeingthesisterofJane,wasenough,atatimewhentheexpectationofoneweddingmadeeverybodyeagerforanother,tosupplytheidea。Shehadnotherselfforgottentofeelthatthemarriageofhersistermustbringthemmorefrequentlytogether。AndherneighboursatLucasLodge,therefore(forthroughtheircommunicationwiththeCollinses,thereport,sheconcluded,hadreachedLadyCatherine),hadonlysetthatdownasalmostcertainandimmediate,whichshehadlookedforwardtoaspossibleatsomefuturetime。
InrevolvingLadyCatherinesexpressions,however,shecouldnothelpfeelingsomeuneasinessastothepossibleconsequenceofherpersistinginthisinterference。Fromwhatshehadsaidofherresolutiontopreventtheirmarriage,itoccurredtoElizabeththatshemustmeditateanapplicationtohernephew;andhowhemighttakeasimilarrepresentationoftheevilsattachedtoaconnectionwithher,shedarednotpronounce。Sheknewnottheexactdegreeofhisaffectionforhisaunt,orhisdependenceonherjudgment,butitwasnaturaltosupposethathethoughtmuchhigherofherladyshipthanshecoulddo;anditwascertainthat,inenumeratingthemiseriesofamarriagewithone,whoseimmediateconnectionsweresounequaltohisown,hisauntwouldaddresshimonhisweakestside。Withhisnotionsofdignity,hewouldprobablyfeelthatthearguments,whichtoElizabethhadappearedweakandridiculous,containedmuchgoodsenseandsolidreasoning。
Ifhehadbeenwaveringbeforeastowhatheshoulddo,whichhadoftenseemedlikely,theadviceandentreatyofsoneararelationmightsettleeverydoubt,anddeterminehimatoncetobeashappyasdignityunblemishedcouldmakehim。Inthatcasehewouldreturnnomore。LadyCatherinemightseehiminherwaythroughtown;andhisengagementtoBingleyofcomingagaintoNetherfieldmustgiveway。
“If,therefore,anexcusefornotkeepinghispromiseshouldcometohisfriendwithinafewdays,”sheadded,“Ishallknowhowtounderstandit。Ishallthengiveovereveryexpectation,everywishofhisconstancy。Ifheissatisfiedwithonlyregrettingme,whenhemighthaveobtainedmyaffectionsandhand,Ishallsoonceasetoregrethimatall。”
Thesurpriseoftherestofthefamily,onhearingwhotheirvisitorhadbeen,wasverygreat;buttheyobliginglysatisfiedit,withthesamekindofsuppositionwhichhadappeasedMrs。Bennetscuriosity;andElizabethwassparedfrommuchteasingonthesubject。
Thenextmorning,asshewasgoingdownstairs,shewasmetbyherfather,whocameoutofhislibrarywithaletterinhishand。
“Lizzy,”saidhe,“Iwasgoingtolookforyou;comeintomyroom。”
Shefollowedhimthither;andhercuriositytoknowwhathehadtotellherwasheightenedbythesuppositionofitsbeinginsomemannerconnectedwiththeletterheheld。ItsuddenlystruckherthatitmightbefromLadyCatherine;andsheanticipatedwithdismayalltheconsequentexplanations。
Shefollowedherfathertothefireplace,andtheybothsatdown。Hethensaid,
“Ihavereceivedaletterthismorningthathasastonishedmeexceedingly。Asitprincipallyconcernsyourself,yououghttoknowitscontents。Ididnotknowbefore,thatIhadtwodaughtersonthebrinkofmatrimony。Letmecongratulateyouonaveryimportantconquest。”
ThecolournowrushedintoElizabethscheeksintheinstantaneousconvictionofitsbeingaletterfromthenephew,insteadoftheaunt;andshewasundeterminedwhethermosttobepleasedthatheexplainedhimselfatall,oroffendedthathisletterwasnotratheraddressedtoherself;whenherfathercontinued:
“Youlookconscious。Youngladieshavegreatpenetrationinsuchmattersasthese;butIthinkImaydefyevenyoursagacity,todiscoverthenameofyouradmirer。ThisletterisfromMr。Collins。”
“FromMr。Collins!andwhatcanhehavetosay?”