Chapter 13

"I HOPE my dear," said Mr. Bennet to his wife as they were
at breakfast the next morning, "that you have ordered a good
dinner to-day, because I have reason to expect an addition to
our family party."
"Who do you mean, my dear?  I know of nobody that is
coming I am sure, unless Charlotte Lucas should happen to
call in, and I hope my dinners are good enough for her.  I do
not believe she often sees such at home."
"The person of whom I speak, is a gentleman and a stranger."
Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled. -- "A gentleman and a stranger!
It is Mr. Bingley I am sure.  Why Jane -- you never dropt a
word of this; you sly thing!  Well, I am sure I shall be extremely
glad to see Mr. Bingley. -- But -- good lord!  how unlucky!
there is not a bit of fish to be got to-day.  Lydia, my love, ring
the bell.  I must speak to Hill, this moment."
"It is not Mr. Bingley," said her husband; "it is a person
whom I never saw in the whole course of my life."
This roused a general astonishment; and he had the pleasure
of being eagerly questioned by his wife and five daughters
at once.
After amusing himself some time with their curiosity, he
thus explained.  "About a month ago I received this letter, and
about a fortnight ago I answered it, for I thought it a case of
some delicacy, and requiring early attention.  It is from my
cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn you all
out of this house as soon as he pleases."
"Oh!  my dear," cried his wife, "I cannot bear to hear that
mentioned.  Pray do not talk of that odious man.  I do think it
is the hardest thing in the world, that your estate should be
entailed away from your own children; and I am sure if I had
been you, I should have tried long ago to do something or
other about it."
Jane and Elizabeth attempted to explain to her the nature
of an entail.  They had often attempted it before, but it was a
subject on which Mrs. Bennet was beyond the reach of reason;
and she continued to rail bitterly against the cruelty of settling
an estate away from a family of five daughters, in favour of a
man whom nobody cared anything about.
"It certainly is a most iniquitous affair," said Mr. Bennet,
"and nothing can clear Mr. Collins from the guilt of inheriting Longbourn.  But if you will listen to his letter, you
may perhaps be a little softened by his manner of expressing
himself."
"No, that I am sure I shall not; and I think it was very
impertinent of him to write to you at all, and very hypocritical.
I hate such false friends.  Why could not he keep on quarrelling
with you, as his father did before him?"
"Why, indeed, he does seem to have had some filial scruples
on that head, as you will hear."
Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent,
I5th October.
DEAR SIR,
THE disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late
honoured father, always gave me much uneasiness, and since
I have had the misfortune to lose him I have frequently
wished to heal the breach; but for some time I was kept back
his memory for me to be on good terms with any one, with
whom it had always pleased him to be at variance. -- "There,
Mrs. Bennet." -- My mind however is now made up on the
subject, for having received ordination at Easter, I have been
so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the
Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir
Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred 
me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall
be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful
respect towards her Ladyship, and be ever ready to perform
those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church
of England.  As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to
promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families
within the reach of my influence; and on these grounds I flatter
myself that my present overtures of good-will are highly
commendable, and that the circumstance of my being next
in the entail of Longbourn estate, will be kindly overlooked
on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive
branch.  I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the
means of injuring your amiable daughters, and beg leave to
pologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to
make them every possible amends, -- but of this hereafter.
if you should have no objection to receive me into your
house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you
and your family, Monday, November i{8th, by four o'clock,
and shall probably trespass on your hospitality till the
Saturday se'night following, which I can do without any
inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to
my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some
other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day.  I
remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady
and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,
WILLIAM COLLINS.
"At four o'clock, therefore, we may expect this peacemaking gentleman," said Mr. Bennet, as he folded up the
letter.  "He seems to be a most conscientious and polite young
man, upon my word; and I doubt not will prove a valuable
acquaintance, especially if Lady Catherine should be so
indulgent as to let him come to us again."
"There is some sense in what he says about the girls however; 
and if he is disposed to make them any amends, I shall
not be the person to discourage him."
"Though it is difficult," said Jane, "to guess in what way
he can mean to make us the atonement he thinks our due, the
wish is certainly to his credit."
Elizabeth was chiefly struck with his extraordinary deference 
for Lady Catherine, and his kind intention of christening, 
marrying, and burying his parishioners whenever it were
required.
"He must be an oddity, I think," said she.  "I cannot make
him out. -- There is something very pompous in his style. --
And what can he mean by apologizing for being next in the
entail? -- We cannot suppose he would help it, if he could. --
Can he be a sensible man, sir?"
"No, my dear; I think not.  I have great hopes of finding
him quite the reverse.  There is a mixture of servility and self-
importance in his letter, which promises well.  I am impatient
to see him."
"In point of composition," said Mary, "his letter does not
seem defective.  The idea of the olive branch perhaps is not
wholly new, yet I think it is well expressed."
To Catherine and Lydia, neither the letter nor its writer
were in any degree interesting.  It was next to impossible that
their cousin should come in a scarlet coat, and it was now some
weeks since they had received pleasure from the society of a
man in any other colour.  As for their mother, Mr. Collins's
letter had done away much of her ill-will, and she was preparing 
to see him with a degree of composure, which astonished
her husband a daughters.
Mr. Collins was punctual to his time, and was received with
great politeness by the whole family.  Mr. Bennet indeed said
little; but the ladies were ready enough to talk and Mr. 
Collins seemed neither in need of encouragement, nor
inclined to be silent himself.  He was a tall, heavy looking young
man of five and twenty.  His air was grave and stately, and his
manners were very formal.  He had not been long seated
before he complimented Mrs. Bennet on having so fine a
family of daughters, said he had heard much of their beauty,
but that, in this instance, fame had fallen short of the truth;
and added, that he did not doubt her seeing them all in due
time well disposed of in marriage.  This gallantry was not
much to the taste of some of his hearers, but Mrs. Bennet
who quarrelled with no compliments, answered most readily,
"You are very kind, sir, I am sure; and I wish with all my
heart it may prove so; for else they will be destitute enough.
things are settled so oddly."
"You allude perhaps to the entail of this estate."
"Ah!  sir, I do indeed.  It is a grievous affair to my poor girls
you must confess.  Not that I mean to find fault with you, for
much things I know are all chance in this world.  There is no
knowing how estates will go when once they come to be
entailed."
"I am very sensible, madam, of the hardship to my fair
cousins, -- and could say much on the subject, but that I am
cautious of appearing forward and precipitate.  But I can
assure the young ladies that I come prepared to admire them.
At present I will not say more, but perhaps when we are
better acquainted -- "
He was interrupted by a summons to dinner; and the girls
smiled on each other.  They were not the only objects of Mr. 
collins's admiration.  The hall, the dining-room, and all its
furniture were examined and praised; and his commendation
of every thing would have touched Mrs. Bennet's heart, but
for the mortifying supposition of his viewing it all as his own
future property.  The dinner too in its tum was highly
admired; and he begged to know to which of his fair cousins,
the excellence ofits cookery was owing.  But here he was set
right by Mrs. Bennet, who assured him with some asperity
that they were very well able to keep a good cook, and that
her daughters had nothing to do in the kitchen.  He begged
pardon for having displeased her.  In a softened tone she
declared herself not at all offended; but he continued to
apologise for about a quarter of an hour.