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"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, .

15th 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 by my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful

to 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 left 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 apologise 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 18th, by four o'clock, and

shall probably trespass on your hospitality till the Saturday se'nnight

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 stile. -- 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 and 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 such 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 turn, was highly admired;

and he begged to know to which of his fair cousins, the excellence of

its cookery was owing. But here he was set left 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. .

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