Chapter 28

The next day, everything Elizabeth saw along the road was new and interesting to her. Her heart was full of joy. Her sister looked so healthy that all her worry about her was gone. And the thought of the trip to the north kept making her happy.

When they left the main road and turned onto the narrow lane to Hunsford, everyone began to look for the parsonage. At every turn, they expected the house to appear ahead of them. On one side, the fence of Rosings Park ran along the road. Elizabeth smiled as she thought about the people who lived there.

At last, the parsonage came into view. She saw the garden sloping toward the road, the house standing inside it, the green fence, and the laurel hedge. All of it was a sign that they had arrived. Mr. Collins and Charlotte appeared at the door. While they nodded and smiled at each other, the carriage stopped at the small gate at the end of the short gravel path. Everyone got out of the carriage quickly and shared the joy of meeting again. Mrs. Collins welcomed her friend with great delight. Receiving such a warm welcome made Elizabeth feel even more glad that she had come. She quickly saw that her cousin had not changed at all since his marriage. His formal politeness was just the same as before. He kept her at the door for several minutes, asking after her family and listening to her answers. Then he said a word about how neat the entrance was, and soon led them into the house. As soon as they entered the sitting room, he became very formal. He welcomed them once again to his humble home. And whatever refreshments his wife offered, he repeated the offer word for word.

Elizabeth already knew that he would show off as much as he could. When he pointed out the fine proportions of the room, its aspect, and the furniture, he seemed to be speaking especially to her. He seemed to want her to realize what she had missed by refusing his proposal. But although the room looked neat and comfortable, Elizabeth would not please him with a sigh of regret. Instead, she looked at Charlotte with wonder, amazed that she could look so cheerful with such a man beside her. Of course, it was not rare for Mr. Collins to say things his wife should have been ashamed of. Every time it happened, Elizabeth could not help looking at Charlotte. Once or twice she saw Charlotte's face turn a little pink. But most of the time, Charlotte wisely did not seem to hear. They admired every piece of furniture in the room, from the cabinet to the fire screen. They also talked about the journey and about London. After they had sat long enough, Mr. Collins asked them to walk in the garden. It was large and well kept, and he tended it himself. Working in the garden was one of his greatest pleasures. Charlotte said, with a calm face, that the exercise was good for his health. She admitted that she encouraged him to do as much of it as he could. Elizabeth admired how well she kept her expression under control. Mr. Collins led the way along every path and every side path in the garden. He hardly gave them a chance to say a word of praise. He described every view in such detail that there was no time left to feel its beauty. He could count how many fields lay on each side. He could even tell how many trees stood in the farthest clump of woods. But not his garden, not the county, not even the whole kingdom, could compare to the view of Rosings. That view could be seen through a gap in the trees along the edge of the park, almost across from the front of the house. Rosings was a fine, modern building, standing in a good spot on a gently rising hill.

Mr. Collins wanted to take them all the way around his two meadows as well. But the ladies were not wearing shoes fit for walking on the half-melted frost. So they turned back. While Sir William went with him, Charlotte showed her sister and her friend around the house. She seemed very pleased to have the chance to show it without her husband's help. The house was a little small, but it was well built and convenient. Everything in it was arranged neatly and in good order. Elizabeth gave Charlotte all the credit for it. If she could only forget Mr. Collins, the house was truly very comfortable. Charlotte so clearly enjoyed her home that Elizabeth thought she must often forget her husband was even there.

They had already heard that Lady Catherine was still in the area. When the subject came up again at dinner, Mr. Collins broke in and said,

"Yes, indeed, Miss Elizabeth. This coming Sunday, you will have the honor of seeing Lady Catherine de Bourgh at church. I hardly need say that you will be charmed by her. She is a lady of the greatest kindness, and she watches over us with such gracious care. I have no doubt at all that after the service, she will do you the honor of showing you some attention as well. While you are staying here, I can almost promise that she will invite both you and my sister-in-law Maria to every gathering she is gracious enough to hold for us. Her manner toward my dear Charlotte is also most excellent. We dine at Rosings twice a week. She never once allows us to walk home. Lady Catherine's carriage is always ready for us — or rather, I should say one of her carriages, for she has several."

"Lady Catherine is truly a respectable and sensible woman," Charlotte added. "She takes very careful care of her neighbors."

"That is exactly right, my dear. Just what I always say. She could never be admired too much, however great our respect for her."

That evening, they mostly talked about news from Hertfordshire. They spent the time going over things that had already been shared in letters. When the day ended and she was alone in her room, Elizabeth thought carefully about how content Charlotte seemed with her life. She thought about Charlotte's skill in guiding her husband, and the calm patience with which she put up with him. She had to admit that Charlotte was managing everything very well. She also pictured how this visit would likely go. Their days would pass quietly. There would be times when Mr. Collins broke in and caused some annoyance. And there would be the pleasure of spending time with the people at Rosings. Her lively imagination soon had it all planned out.

The next day, around midday, Elizabeth was in her room getting ready for a walk. Suddenly, a noise broke out downstairs. The whole house seemed to be in an uproar. When she listened for a moment, she heard someone running up the stairs in a great hurry, calling her name loudly. She opened the door and met Maria on the landing. Maria was out of breath with excitement and cried out,

"Oh, dear Eliza! Come to the dining room quickly. There is something wonderful to see! I won't tell you what it is. Come, come down right now."

It was no use for Elizabeth to ask questions. Maria would say no more. The two of them ran to the dining room, which looked out over the narrow lane, to see this wonderful thing. At the garden gate stood two ladies in a low four-wheeled carriage.

"Is that all?" Elizabeth cried. "I thought at least some pigs had gotten into the garden. It is only Lady Catherine and her daughter!"

"Oh, my dear." Maria was quite shocked at this mistake. "That is not Lady Catherine. That older lady is Mrs. Jenkinson, who lives with them. The other one is Miss de Bourgh. Just look at her. She is such a tiny little thing. Who would have guessed she was so thin and small!"

"It is very rude of them to keep Charlotte standing outside in this wind. Why don't they come in?"

"Oh, Charlotte says they almost never do. It is the greatest honor if Miss de Bourgh ever comes into the house."

"I like her looks," said Elizabeth, a new thought coming to her mind. "She looks sickly and ill-tempered. Yes, she will suit him very well. She will make him just the right kind of wife."

Mr. Collins and Charlotte stood at the door, talking with the ladies. Sir William took his place at the gate in a way that greatly amused Elizabeth. He gazed with great seriousness at the great lady before him, and bowed again and again every time Miss de Bourgh looked his way.

At last there was nothing more to say. The ladies drove off in their carriage, and the rest of the party went back inside. As soon as he saw the two young ladies, Mr. Collins began congratulating them on their good fortune. Charlotte explained that the whole party had been invited to dine at Rosings the next day. Only then did they understand what Mr. Collins had meant.