Chapter 19

The next day, something new happened at Longbourn. Mr. Collins made his feelings known in a formal way. His visit would end the following Saturday. He decided not to waste any time. He was not the kind of man who felt shy at such a moment. So he followed every step that he believed such an occasion required, in a very orderly way. Soon after breakfast, he saw Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, and one young daughter together, and he spoke to the mother.

"Madam, could you give me the chance to speak with your lovely daughter Miss Elizabeth alone this morning?"

Elizabeth blushed with surprise. Before she could react in any other way, Mrs. Bennet answered at once.

"Oh! Of course. Lizzy will be very happy about it. I am sure she will not mind at all. Now, Kitty. You have something to do upstairs." Mrs. Bennet gathered up her sewing and tried to hurry out of the room. Just then Elizabeth cried out.

"Mother, do not go. Please, do not go. Mr. Collins must excuse me. I am sure I have nothing to say that others cannot hear. I will leave instead."

"No, no. Do not say such nonsense, Lizzy. You will stay right there." When Elizabeth, looking embarrassed, truly tried to run away, her mother added, "Lizzy, I order you to stay and listen to what Mr. Collins has to say."

Elizabeth could not disobey such a strict order. After a moment's thought, she decided it was wisest to finish this as quickly and quietly as possible. She sat down again. She kept moving her hands, trying to hide feelings that wavered between distress and amusement. Mrs. Bennet and Kitty left the room. As soon as they were gone, Mr. Collins began to speak.

"Dear Miss Elizabeth, your modesty is not a fault at all. In fact, it makes your other perfect qualities shine even more. If you had shown no hesitation at all, you would seem less lovely to me now. But please be at ease, for I already have permission from your honored mother to say this. Even if your natural shyness makes you pretend not to understand, you can hardly doubt what I mean. My attentions have been too clear to be mistaken. I decided, not long after I entered this house, that you would be my future companion in life. But before I let my feelings carry me away on this matter, let me first tell you my reasons for marrying. I will also tell you why I came to Hertfordshire meaning to choose a wife. In fact, that is exactly why I came."

At the thought of Mr. Collins being carried away by feeling, when he looked so solemn and calm, Elizabeth nearly laughed. Even in his brief pause, she could not find a chance to stop him. Mr. Collins went on speaking.

"I have three reasons for wanting to marry. First, I believe that a clergyman in comfortable circumstances, like myself, should set an example of marriage to the people of his parish. Second, I am sure that marriage will add greatly to my own happiness. Third, and perhaps I should have mentioned this first, it is the special advice and wish of a very great lady whom I have the honor of calling my patroness. She has been kind enough to give me her opinion on this matter twice, though I never even asked! It was on the Saturday night just before I left Hunsford. While Mrs. Jenkinson was arranging Miss de Bourgh's footstool, we had just finished a game of Quadrille. Before we began the next game, she said to me, 'Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. Choose properly. Choose a gentlewoman for my sake as well as your own. She must be active and useful, not brought up in luxury, and able to make good use of a small income. This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as you can, and bring her to Hunsford. Then I will come and call on her.' My fair cousin, I should also say that the attention and kindness Lady Catherine de Bourgh will show you is no small advantage among those I can offer. Her manner is so excellent that I cannot fully describe it, however hard I try. Your wit and liveliness will surely please her, of course softened a little by the silence and respect that her high rank deserves. That should be enough to explain my general reasons for wanting to marry. Now I need only explain one more thing. There are many pleasant young women where I live, so why did I turn my eyes to Longbourn instead? The truth is, I am the one who will inherit this estate after my honored father passes away. Of course, I hope my father will live many more years. But I felt that when that sad event comes, I could not be at ease unless I had already chosen one of his daughters as my wife, to lessen the loss to the family a little. As I have already said, that day may still be many years away. My fair cousin, these are my reasons. I dare to hope you will not think less of me because of them. Now I need only tell you, in the warmest words I can find, how strong my affection is. I care nothing at all for money. I will make no such demand of your father, for I know very well it could not be granted. The one thousand pounds in four percent government bonds, which will only become yours after your mother's death, is likely all you will ever receive. So I will never, at any time, speak of that matter again. You may trust that after we are married, no ungenerous word about money will ever pass my lips."

Now she truly had to interrupt him.

"You are being too hasty." Elizabeth cried. "You forget that I have not yet given any answer at all. Please let me speak without any more delay. I thank you for thinking well of me. I know very well what an honor this proposal is. But I have no choice except to refuse it."

"It is common for young ladies to refuse a man the first time he courts them. Even when they truly mean to accept him in the end." Mr. Collins answered, waving his hand with great formality. "This is nothing new to me at this point in my life. Sometimes a lady refuses a second time, or even a third. So your words just now do not discourage me in the least. I hope to lead you to the altar before very long."

"I am truly surprised that you still have such hope, after I have spoken so plainly." Elizabeth cried. "Even if there are bold ladies who would risk their happiness on the chance of a second proposal, I assure you I am not one of them. My refusal is completely sincere. You could not make me happy. And I am sure that I am the woman least likely in the whole world to make you happy. No — if your friend Lady Catherine came to know me, I am sure she would judge me unsuitable in every way."

"If it were certain that Lady Catherine would think so." Mr. Collins said very solemnly. "But I cannot imagine for a moment that she would disapprove of you. You may be sure that when I have the honor of calling on her again, I will praise your modesty, your thrift, and all your other lovely qualities most warmly."

"I really mean it, Mr. Collins. I need no praise from you at all. Please let me judge for myself. And please show me the courtesy of believing what I say. I want you to be very happy and very rich. That is exactly why I am refusing your proposal. By refusing, I am doing everything I can to prevent you from becoming otherwise. Since you have proposed to me, you may now feel that any guilt you had toward our family is fully settled. When the time comes for you to take possession of the Longbourn estate, you need not blame yourself at all. So please consider this matter completely finished." Elizabeth said this and rose to her feet. She meant to leave the room. But Mr. Collins spoke to her again.

"I hope that when I speak of this matter again, I will receive a kinder answer than I have today. Of course, I have no thought at all of calling you cruel right now. I know it is a custom among you ladies to refuse a man the first time he courts you. Perhaps what you have just said was even meant, within the limits that womanly shyness allows, to encourage my courtship as much as you could."

"Really, Mr. Collins." Elizabeth cried, a little heated. "You are confusing me terribly. If everything I have said so far can sound like encouragement, I do not know how I could ever refuse you in a way you would believe was sincere."

"My dear cousin, please allow me to believe that your refusal is only a matter of form. Let me tell you my reasons briefly. I do not believe that the marriage I am offering you is anything less than acceptable. Nor do I believe that the home I could provide is anything less than most desirable. My social position, my connection with the de Bourgh family, and my relation to your own family are all greatly in my favor. And you must also consider more carefully that, however charming you are, it is by no means certain you will ever receive another proposal. Sadly, your dowry is so small that it will very likely undo all the advantages of your beauty and your lovely qualities. So I can only conclude that your refusal is not truly meant. I will believe, as refined ladies often do, that you mean to keep me waiting in order to make my love grow deeper."

"I assure you I have not the least wish to torment a respectable man by playing such refined games. I would much rather receive the courtesy of your believing my sincerity. I thank you again and again for the honor your proposal has done me. But accepting it is simply impossible. My feelings, in every way, do not allow it. Could I possibly say it more plainly than this? Please think of me now not as a refined woman trying to torment you, but as a rational person telling you the plain truth."

"You are charming without fail!" he cried, with an awkward attempt at gallantry. "I believe that once your excellent parents give their clear approval, you will gladly accept my proposal."

Elizabeth did not answer a man who deceived himself so stubbornly. She left the room at once, quietly. And she made up her mind. If he took her repeated refusals as sweet encouragement even now, she would turn to her father for help. Her father could refuse him in a way that would settle the matter for good. At least his manner could never be mistaken for the pretense or coyness of a refined lady.