Chapter 15

Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by
education or society; the greatest part of his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and miserly
father; and though he belonged to one of the universities, he had merely kept the necessary terms, without forming at it
any useful acquaintance. The subjection in which his father had brought him up had given him originally great humility of
manner; but it was now a good deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in retirement, and the
consequential feelings of early and unexpected prosperity. A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de
Bourgh when the living of Hunsford was vacant; and the respect which he felt for her high rank, and his veneration for
her as his patroness, mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a clergyman, and his right as a
rector, made him altogether a mixture of pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.

Having now a good house and a very sufficient income, he intended to marry; and in seeking a reconciliation with the
Longbourn family he had a wife in view, as he meant to choose one of the daughters, if he found them as handsome and
amiable as they were represented by common report. This was his plan of amends — of atonement — for inheriting their
father’s estate; and he thought it an excellent one, full of eligibility and suitableness, and excessively generous and
disinterested on his own part.

His plan did not vary on seeing them. Miss Bennet’s lovely face confirmed his views, and established all his strictest
notions of what was due to seniority; and for the first evening she was his settled choice. The morning,
however, made an alteration; for in a quarter of an hour’s tete-a-tete with Mrs. Bennet before breakfast, a conversation
beginning with his parsonage-house, and leading naturally to the avowal of his hopes, that a mistress might be found for
it at Longbourn, produced from her, amid very complaisant smiles and general encouragement, a caution against the very
Jane he had fixed on. “As to her younger daughters, she could not take upon her to say — she could not
positively answer — but she did not know of any prepossession; her eldest daughter, she must just
mention — she felt it incumbent on her to hint, was likely to be very soon engaged.”

Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth — and it was soon done — done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the
fire. Elizabeth, equally to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded her of course.

Mrs. Bennet treasured up the hint, and trusted that she might soon have two daughters married; and the man whom she
could not bear to speak of the day before was now high in her good graces.

Lydia’s intention of walking to Meryton was not forgotten; every sister except Mary agreed to go with her; and Mr.
Collins was to attend them, at the request of Mr. Bennet, who was most anxious to get rid of him, and have his library to
himself; for thither Mr. Collins had followed him after breakfast; and there he would continue, nominally engaged with
one of the largest folios in the collection, but really talking to Mr. Bennet, with little cessation, of his house and
garden at Hunsford. Such doings discomposed Mr. Bennet exceedingly. In his library he had been always sure of leisure and
tranquillity; and though prepared, as he told Elizabeth, to meet with folly and conceit in every other room of the house,
he was used to be free from them there; his civility, therefore, was most prompt in inviting Mr. Collins to join his
daughters in their walk; and Mr. Collins, being in fact much better fitted for a walker than a reader, was extremely
pleased to close his large book, and go.

In pompous nothings on his side, and civil assents on that of his cousins, their time passed till they entered
Meryton. The attention of the younger ones was then no longer to be gained by him. Their eyes were immediately wandering
up in the street in quest of the officers, and nothing less than a very smart bonnet indeed, or a really new muslin in a
shop window, could recall them.

But the attention of every lady was soon caught by a young man, whom they had never seen before, of most gentlemanlike
appearance, walking with another officer on the other side of the way. The officer was the very Mr. Denny concerning
whose return from London Lydia came to inquire, and he bowed as they passed. All were struck with the stranger’s air, all
wondered who he could be; and Kitty and Lydia, determined if possible to find out, led the way across the street, under
pretense of wanting something in an opposite shop, and fortunately had just gained the pavement when the two gentlemen,
turning back, had reached the same spot. Mr. Denny addressed them directly, and entreated permission to introduce his
friend, Mr. Wickham, who had returned with him the day before from town, and he was happy to say had accepted a
commission in their corps. This was exactly as it should be; for the young man wanted only regimentals to make him
completely charming. His appearance was greatly in his favour; he had all the best part of beauty, a fine countenance, a
good figure, and very pleasing address. The introduction was followed up on his side by a happy readiness of conversation
— a readiness at the same time perfectly correct and unassuming; and the whole party were still standing and talking
together very agreeably, when the sound of horses drew their notice, and Darcy and Bingley were seen riding down the
street. On distinguishing the ladies of the group, the two gentlemen came directly towards them, and began the usual
civilities. Bingley was the principal spokesman, and Miss Bennet the principal object. He was then, he said, on his way
to Longbourn on purpose to inquire after her. Mr. Darcy corroborated it with a bow, and was beginning to determine not to
fix his eyes on Elizabeth, when they were suddenly arrested by the sight of the stranger, and Elizabeth happening to see
the countenance of both as they looked at each other, was all astonishment at the effect of the meeting. Both changed
colour, one looked white, the other red. Mr. Wickham, after a few moments, touched his hat — a salutation which Mr. Darcy
just deigned to return. What could be the meaning of it? It was impossible to imagine; it was impossible not to long to
know.

Mr. Denny entreated permission to introduce his friend, Mr. Wickham
 

In another minute, Mr. Bingley, but without seeming to have noticed what passed, took leave and rode on with his
friend.

Mr. Denny and Mr. Wickham walked with the young ladies to the door of Mr. Phillip’s house, and then made their bows,
in spite of Miss Lydia’s pressing entreaties that they should come in, and even in spite of Mrs. Phillips’s throwing up
the parlour window and loudly seconding the invitation.

Mrs. Phillips was always glad to see her nieces; and the two eldest, from their recent absence, were particularly
welcome, and she was eagerly expressing her surprise at their sudden return home, which, as their own carriage had not
fetched them, she should have known nothing about, if she had not happened to see Mr. Jones’s shop-boy in the street, who
had told her that they were not to send any more draughts to Netherfield because the Miss Bennets were come away, when
her civility was claimed towards Mr. Collins by Jane’s introduction of him. She received him with her very best
politeness, which he returned with as much more, apologising for his intrusion, without any previous acquaintance with
her, which he could not help flattering himself, however, might be justified by his relationship to the young ladies who
introduced him to her notice. Mrs. Phillips was quite awed by such an excess of good breeding; but her contemplation of
one stranger was soon put to an end by exclamations and inquiries about the other; of whom, however, she could only tell
her nieces what they already knew, that Mr. Denny had brought him from London, and that he was to have a lieutenant’s
commission in the —— shire. She had been watching him the last hour, she said, as he walked up and down the street, and
had Mr. Wickham appeared, Kitty and Lydia would certainly have continued the occupation, but unluckily no one passed
windows now except a few of the officers, who, in comparison with the stranger, were become “stupid, disagreeable
fellows.” Some of them were to dine with the Phillipses the day, and their aunt promised to make her husband call on
Mr. Wickham, and give him an invitation also, if the family from Longbourn would come in the evening. This was agreed to,
and Mrs. Phillips protested that they would have a nice comfortable noisy game of lottery tickets, and a little bit of
hot supper afterwards. The prospect of such delights was very cheering, and they parted in mutual good spirits. Mr.
Collins repeated his apologies in quitting the room, and was assured with unwearying civility that they were perfectly
needless.

As they walked home, Elizabeth related to Jane what she had seen pass between the two gentlemen; but though Jane would
have defended either or both, had they appeared to be in the wrong, she could no more explain such behaviour than her
sister.

Mr. Collins on his return highly gratified Mrs. Bennet by admiring Mrs. Phillips’s manners and politeness. He
protested that, except Lady Catherine and her daughter, he had never seen a more elegant woman; for she had not only
received him with the utmost civility, but even pointedly included him in her invitation for the evening, although
utterly unknown to her before. Something, he supposed, might be attributed to his connection with them, but yet he had
never met with so much attention in the whole course of his life.