ThetwogentlemenleftRosingsthenextmorning,andMr。Collinshavingbeeninwaitingnearthelodges,tomakethemhispartingobeisance,wasabletobringhomethepleasingintelligence,oftheirappearinginverygoodhealth,andinastolerablespiritsascouldbeexpected,afterthemelancholyscenesolatelygonethroughatRosings。ToRosingshethenhastened,toconsoleLadyCatherineandherdaughter;andonhisreturnbroughtback,withgreatsatisfaction,amessagefromherladyship,importingthatshefeltherselfsodullastomakeherverydesirousofhavingthemalltodinewithher。
ElizabethcouldnotseeLadyCatherinewithoutrecollectingthat,hadshechosenit,shemightbythistimehavebeenpresentedtoherasherfutureniece;norcouldshethink,withoutasmile,ofwhatherladyshipsindignationwouldhavebeen。“Whatwouldshehavesaid?howwouldshehavebehaved?”werequestionswithwhichsheamusedherself。
TheirfirstsubjectwasthediminutionoftheRosingsparty。“Iassureyou,Ifeelitexceedingly,”saidLadyCatherine;“IbelievenoonefeelsthelossoffriendssomuchasIdo。ButIamparticularlyattachedtotheseyoungmen,andknowthemtobesomuchattachedtome!Theywereexcessivelysorrytogo!Butsotheyalwaysare。ThedearColonelralliedhisspiritstolerablytilljustatlast;butDarcyseemedtofeelitmostacutely,more,Ithink,thanlastyear。HisattachmenttoRosingscertainlyincreases。”
Mr。Collinshadacompliment,andanallusiontothrowinhere,whichwerekindlysmiledonbythemotheranddaughter。
LadyCatherineobserved,afterdinner,thatMissBennetseemedoutofspirits,andimmediatelyaccountingforitbyherself,bysupposingthatshedidnotliketogohomeagainsosoon,sheadded:
“Butifthatisthecase,youmustwritetoyourmotherandbegthatyoumaystayalittlelonger。Mrs。Collinswillbeverygladofyourcompany,Iamsure。”
“Iammuchobligedtoyourladyshipforyourkindinvitation,”repliedElizabeth,“butitisnotinmypowertoacceptit。ImustbeintownnextSaturday。”
“Why,atthatrate,youwillhavebeenhereonlysixweeks。Iexpectedyoutostaytwomonths。ItoldMrs。Collinssobeforeyoucame。Therecanbenooccasionforyourgoingsosoon。Mrs。Bennetcouldcertainlyspareyouforanotherfortnight。”
“Butmyfathercannot。Hewrotelastweektohurrymyreturn。”
“Oh!yourfatherofcoursemayspareyou,ifyourmothercan。Daughtersareneverofsomuchconsequencetoafather。Andifyouwillstayanothermonthcomplete,itwillbeinmypowertotakeoneofyouasfarasLondon,forIamgoingthereearlyinJune,foraweek;andasDawsondoesnotobjecttothebarouche-box,therewillbeverygoodroomforoneofyou—andindeed,iftheweathershouldhappentobecool,Ishouldnotobjecttotakingyouboth,asyouareneitherofyoularge。”
“Youareallkindness,madam;butIbelievewemustabidebyouroriginalplan。”
LadyCatherineseemedresigned。“Mrs。Collins,youmustsendaservantwiththem。YouknowIalwaysspeakmymind,andIcannotbeartheideaoftwoyoungwomentravellingpostbythemselves。Itishighlyimproper。Youmustcontrivetosendsomebody。Ihavethegreatestdislikeintheworldtothatsortofthing。Youngwomenshouldalwaysbeproperlyguardedandattended,accordingtotheirsituationinlife。WhenmynieceGeorgianawenttoRamsgatelastsummer,Imadeapointofherhavingtwomen-servantsgowithher。MissDarcy,thedaughterofMr。Darcy,ofPemberley,andLadyAnne,couldnothaveappearedwithproprietyinadifferentmanner。Iamexcessivelyattentivetoallthosethings。YoumustsendJohnwiththeyoungladies,Mrs。Collins。Iamgladitoccurredtometomentionit;foritwouldreallybediscreditabletoyoutoletthemgoalone。”
“Myuncleistosendaservantforus。”