Chapter 15

Mr. Collins was not a sensible man. His natural lack of sense had not been much helped by education or by knowing other people. He had spent most of his life under an uneducated and miserly father. He had gone to college, but he stayed only the required time, and made no useful friends there. Because his father had kept him down, his manner at first was very humble. But it was the humility of a dull mind that had grown proud while living in a quiet, out-of-the-way place. To this was added the pride of a sudden and unexpected rise in the world. He now felt that he had become an important person, and this feeling pushed his humility aside a great deal. When the living at Hunsford fell vacant, a lucky chance brought him to the notice of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. His respect for her high rank, and his devotion to her as his patroness, mixed together with a great opinion of himself, his authority as a clergyman, and his rights as a rector. The result was a man who was proud and yet fond of flattering others, a man of self-importance and humility both at once.

Now that he had a good house and a comfortable income, he meant to marry. In trying to make peace with the Longbourn family, he already had a wife in mind. If the daughters were as pretty and pleasant as people said, he meant to choose one of them. This was the way he planned to make up for inheriting their father's estate. He even thought of it as a plan of making amends. He believed the plan was excellent, full of advantages, and very fitting. On his own part, he thought it was generous and unselfish almost to a fault.

Seeing the daughters in person did not change his plan. Miss Bennet's lovely face only made him more certain. It also suited his firm belief that the eldest should be chosen first. So on the first evening, he settled on Jane as his wife. But by the next morning, his mind had changed. This was because of a fifteen-minute talk alone with Mrs. Bennet before breakfast. The talk began about the parsonage, and then turned naturally into his hope of finding a mistress for it at Longbourn. Mrs. Bennet smiled with great favor and encouraged him in general. But she warned him away from Jane, the very one he had chosen. "I cannot say anything about my younger daughters. I cannot give you any promise. As far as I know, none of them has given her heart to anyone yet. But I must speak of my eldest daughter. I feel it is my duty to give you a hint. She is very likely to be engaged soon."

Mr. Collins had only to change Jane for Elizabeth. This was done while Mrs. Bennet stirred the fire. Elizabeth, who came next to Jane in age and beauty, naturally took her place.

Mrs. Bennet treasured this hint in her heart. She hoped soon to see two of her daughters married. The man she had disliked even to speak of only the day before was now entirely to her liking.

Lydia's plan to walk to Meryton was not forgotten. All the sisters except Mary agreed to go together. Mr. Collins was asked by Mr. Bennet to go along too. Mr. Bennet was very eager to send him out and have the library to himself, for Mr. Collins had followed him there after breakfast. He pretended to read the largest book in the collection, but in fact he talked almost without stopping about his house and garden at Hunsford. Mr. Bennet was greatly troubled by this. He had always believed that the library, of all rooms, gave him ease and peace. He was ready to meet foolishness and self-importance in every other room of the house, but he had once told Elizabeth that here, at least, he was always free of them. So he very politely and quickly urged Mr. Collins to join his daughters on their walk. Mr. Collins was much better suited to walking than to reading, and he was very glad to close the large book and go out.

Mr. Collins talked in grand but empty words, and his young cousins agreed with him out of politeness. In this way the party entered Meryton. From that point on, he could no longer hold the attention of the younger girls. Their eyes turned at once to the street, searching for officers, and nothing could draw them back except a very fine bonnet or some new muslin in a shop window.

But soon the ladies' attention was caught by a strange young man walking on the other side of the street with an officer. They had never seen him before. His appearance was thoroughly gentlemanlike. The officer walking with him was the very Mr. Denny that Lydia had wanted to ask about, to find out when he was coming back from London. He bowed as he passed the party. Everyone admired the stranger's looks and wondered who he could be. Kitty and Lydia, determined to find out somehow, led the way across the street, pretending they had business at the shop opposite. Luckily, just as they stepped onto the pavement, the two gentlemen, who had turned back, arrived at the same spot. Mr. Denny spoke to them at once. He asked whether he might introduce his friend, Mr. Wickham, who had come back with him from London the day before, and who, he was happy to say, had accepted an officer's place in their regiment. Everything about this was just as it should be, for the young man needed nothing but a uniform to make him perfectly charming. His appearance, too, was greatly in his favor. He had all the best points of a handsome man — a fine face, a good figure, and very pleasing manners. Once the introduction was made, he showed a natural talent for easy conversation, while remaining thoroughly polite and modest. The whole party stood talking happily together. Then the sound of horses' hooves drew everyone's attention. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley were riding down the street. The two gentlemen recognized the ladies in the party and rode up at once, greeting them as usual. Mr. Bingley did most of the talking, and Miss Bennet received most of his attention. He said he was on his way to Longbourn on purpose to ask after her. Mr. Darcy backed this up with a bow. He had just been resolving not to fix his eyes on Elizabeth, when the sight of the stranger caught them instead. Elizabeth happened to see both their faces at the moment they looked at each other, and she was startled by the change the meeting caused. Both men's color changed. One turned pale, the other red. A moment later Mr. Wickham touched his hat in greeting. Mr. Darcy returned it only reluctantly. What could it possibly mean? There was no way to guess, and Elizabeth could not hold back her wish to know.

In another moment, Mr. Bingley said goodbye, seeming not to have noticed what had just happened, and rode off with his friend.

Mr. Denny and Mr. Wickham walked with the young ladies as far as Mr. Philips's door, then bowed and took their leave. Lydia begged them earnestly to come in. Mrs. Philips even threw open the parlor window and called out loudly in support. But it was no use.

Mrs. Philips was always glad to see her nieces, and she was especially glad to see the two eldest, who had been away from home for several days. She said again and again how surprised she was that they had come home so suddenly. Since the family carriage had not gone to fetch them, she would have known nothing about it at all if she had not happened to meet Mr. Jones's shop boy in the street. The boy had told her that no more medicine needed to be sent to Netherfield, because the Miss Bennets had gone home. At that moment Jane introduced Mr. Collins. Mrs. Philips had to turn her attention to being polite to him, and she received him very courteously. Mr. Collins answered with even greater politeness still. He apologized for arriving so suddenly, without any notice beforehand, but ventured to believe that such a visit might be excused, since he was related to the young ladies who had introduced him. Mrs. Philips was quite overwhelmed by such excessive good manners. But her interest in one stranger soon gave way to cries and questions about the other. All the nieces could tell her about him was what they already knew themselves — that Mr. Denny had brought him from London, and that he was to have a lieutenant's place in the militia. Mrs. Philips said she had been watching him walk up and down the street for the whole past hour. Had Mr. Wickham appeared again, Kitty and Lydia would certainly have kept doing the same. But as it happened, only a few officers now passed the window, and next to the stranger, they had become "dull, disagreeable men." Some of these officers were to dine with the Philipses the next day, and Mrs. Philips promised that if the Longbourn family would come in the evening, she would have her husband call on Mr. Wickham and invite him too. Everyone agreed this was a fine plan. Mrs. Philips promised a lively, cheerful game of lottery tickets, followed by a small, warm supper. The thought of such pleasures put everyone in high spirits, and the two parties parted on the best of terms. Mr. Collins apologized once more as he left the room, and Mrs. Philips, with tireless kindness, kept assuring him that no apology at all was needed.

On the walk home, Elizabeth told Jane about what had passed between the two gentlemen. Even Jane, who would have defended one or both of them if either had seemed at fault, could do no better than her sister at explaining what it meant.

When he returned, Mr. Collins praised Mrs. Philips's manners and politeness, and Mrs. Bennet was greatly pleased. He declared that, apart from Lady Catherine and her daughter, he had never met a more elegant woman. Mrs. Philips had not only received him with the utmost courtesy, but had gone out of her way to include him in the next evening's invitation, even though she had never known him before. He supposed that being related to her nieces had something to do with it. Still, he had never in his life received such attention.