Chapter 30

Sir William stayed at Hunsford for only a week. But that was enough time for him to see that his daughter was very comfortably settled, and that she had a husband and neighbors not easy to find every day. While Sir William was there, Mr. Collins drove him around the area each morning in a small carriage to see the countryside. But once he left, the whole family went back to its usual routine. Elizabeth was glad that this change did not mean she had to see her cousin more often than before. Mr. Collins now spent most of the time between breakfast and dinner working in the garden. Or else he sat in his own study, which faced the road, reading, writing, or looking out the window. The room where the ladies sat was at the back of the house. At first Elizabeth thought it a little strange that Charlotte did not prefer the dining room as her usual sitting room. It was larger, and it had a better view. But she soon saw that her friend had a very good reason for this. If the two of them had sat in such a pleasant room, Mr. Collins would surely have spent far less time in his own. Elizabeth admired Charlotte for arranging things this way.

From the sitting room, it was impossible to see what passed along the narrow lane. Mr. Collins had to tell them which carriages came and went. He was especially sure to report how many times Miss de Bourgh drove past in her four-wheeled carriage. This happened almost every day, but he never once failed to come and tell them. Miss de Bourgh often stopped at the parsonage gate and talked with Charlotte for a few minutes. But she could rarely be persuaded to get down from the carriage.

Mr. Collins hardly ever missed a day of walking to Rosings. And he rarely thought it unnecessary for his wife to go with him. For a while, Elizabeth could not understand why he gave so much of his time to it. Then she thought that Lady Catherine might someday give him another living. Now and then, Lady Catherine did them the honor of calling in person. Whenever she came, nothing that happened in the room escaped her notice. She looked over what people were doing, examined their needlework, and told them to do it differently. She found fault with how the furniture was arranged, and noticed when the maid had been lazy. If she accepted refreshments, she seemed to eat mainly to find out that Mrs. Collins bought too large a joint of meat for her family.

Elizabeth soon learned something else. This great lady had not been made a magistrate for the area, but in her own parish she was the busiest judge of all. Mr. Collins brought her even the smallest matters of the parish. Whenever anyone in a cottage quarreled, complained, or grew too poor, Lady Catherine went out to the village herself. She settled the quarrel and quieted the complaint. Then she scolded everyone into living together peacefully and comfortably.

The pleasure of dining at Rosings happened about twice a week. The only difference was that Sir William was no longer there, and only one card table was set up in the evening. Apart from that, every visit was just like the first. There were hardly any other engagements. This was because most of the neighbors lived at a level the Collinses could not match. But this was no hardship for Elizabeth. On the whole, she passed her time quite comfortably. There was a good half hour of pleasant talk with Charlotte. And the weather was so fine for the season that she often enjoyed herself greatly out of doors. When the others went to visit Lady Catherine, Elizabeth liked to go walking. Her favorite spot was an open grove along one edge of the park. There was a fine, sheltered path there. But no one but Elizabeth seemed to know its worth. Walking there, she felt she was somewhere Lady Catherine's curiosity could not reach.

In such quiet days, the first two weeks of the visit soon passed. Easter was coming, and the week just before it, the party at Rosings was to grow larger. In such a small social circle, this was bound to be a great event. Soon after her arrival, Elizabeth had heard that Mr. Darcy was expected at Rosings within a few weeks. There were many people she would rather see, but his coming would give the Rosings party something new to watch. Elizabeth wanted to see how Darcy behaved toward the cousin Lady Catherine had chosen for him to marry. Then she could enjoy seeing how hopeless Miss Bingley's plans really were. Lady Catherine was greatly pleased at the news that Darcy was coming and praised him without end. She seemed almost angry to learn that Miss Lucas and Elizabeth had already seen a great deal of Darcy.

News that Mr. Darcy had arrived soon reached the parsonage too. This was because Mr. Collins, eager to be the first to know for certain, had spent the whole morning walking where he could see the gatehouse of Rosings on the road to Hunsford. When the carriage turned into the park, he bowed low. Then he hurried home with his great news. The next morning, Mr. Collins hurried to Rosings to pay his respects. He had to greet Lady Catherine's two nephews. Mr. Darcy had brought with him Colonel Fitzwilliam, the younger son of some earl who was his uncle. Everyone was quite surprised. For the two gentlemen came back with Mr. Collins when he returned. From her husband's room, Charlotte saw the two of them crossing the road. She ran at once to the other room to tell the two young ladies of the honor coming to them, and added,

"Eliza, I must say this politeness is thanks to you. Mr. Darcy would surely not have come to call on me so soon."

Elizabeth had no time to say she deserved no such compliment. The doorbell rang to announce their arrival. Soon three gentlemen came into the room. Colonel Fitzwilliam, who came in first, was about thirty years old. He was not very handsome, but in looks and manner he was every bit a true gentleman. Mr. Darcy looked just as he always had in Hertfordshire. He greeted Mrs. Collins with his usual few words. Whatever he felt about her friend, he met Elizabeth with a very calm face. Elizabeth said nothing at all, and only made a curtsy.

Colonel Fitzwilliam soon began talking, with the easy, unaffected manner of a well-bred gentleman. He spoke very pleasantly too. But his cousin, after saying a few words to Mrs. Collins about the house and the garden, sat for some time without speaking to anyone. At last he showed a little more politeness and asked Elizabeth after her family's health. She answered him as she usually did. After a short pause, she added,

"My eldest sister has been in London for the last three months. Have you never happened to meet her there?"

Elizabeth knew very well that he had never met Jane. But she wanted to see whether he showed any sign of knowing what had happened between Jane and the Bingleys. Darcy answered that he had not had the good fortune to meet Miss Bennet. Elizabeth thought he looked a little embarrassed. The subject was not carried any further. The gentlemen soon left.