“My dear Jane.” Elizabeth had not forgotten how her sister had sobbed when she’d pushed her to see herself as not content. Not again. “The whole here is very snug.”
“No, no. I am wholly content. And I do enjoy being a clergyman’s wife. There are so many opportunities to do good, to proffer advice, and to be kind.”
Elizabeth smiled. “That speech is very like you. To particularly see an advantage coming from the chance to do good for others.”
“I am content!” Jane exclaimed. “I saw how you looked at Mr. Collins. How you despise him. He is very much not to your taste, I know.”
“My dear Jane, I know you are content.”
“You want me to be discontent!” Jane exclaimed. She grabbed Elizabeth’s hand. “I beg you, I beg you from the heart to stop.”
“Jane, I do not wish you to be discontented. I truly do not.”
Jane sighed. “I often feel judged by you.”
“I would have no right. I did not always see that, but I do now.”
“I do accept… accept that this is the life which I live. I am not someone who is special… who is blessed in the way you wish I was. I am married to Mr. Collins, not… not the handsome, friendly and generous gentleman you imagine me with, who has twice his income, and whose virtues and conversation match me precisely. I can rail against fate, or I can seek to admire my husband in so far as I can, I can seek to take joy in my duties, and I can look forward eagerly for my child. I choose the happy path and to walk the path I am placed on, without thinking that I ought to be upon a different path.”
What was there to say to that?
Two days after their arrival at Hunsford, the great fortune was bestowed upon Elizabeth and Mary to attend dinner at Rosings Park, the abode of Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
They walked across the park to dine, and during the crossing of the grand lawn, Mr. Collins described at great lengththe greatness of Lady Catherine, the greatness of the windows, the great number of the windows, the great size of the park, the greatness of Lady Catherine, the great expense with which all of the rooms had been decorated, the great number of apartments, and, of course, the greatness of Lady Catherine.
The servility of Mr. Collins was surprising in a way to Elizabeth.
He was a gentleman with an independent income, and while conflict with the great house might cause discomforts and difficulties to arise in his position as the rector, it was not an appointment that his benefactor could withdraw.
As Mr. Collins continued his endless discourse upon the infinite virtues of Lady Catherine, Elizabeth concluded that the simple fact was that Lady Catherine had chosen her devoted slave well.
Upon reaching the entrance hall, Mr. Collins rapturously pointed about, and explained how well-proportioned the room was and how fine and expensive the ornaments were.
Upon being greeted by the grey-headed butler, they were conducted to the drawing room where Lady Catherine sat alone in state.
Her Ladyship rose to greet them, and Mr. Collins made a deep bow.
At the first seeing of her, Elizabeth felt a shock of recognition. The family similarity with those who she missed was clear. She was the grandmother of Emily, and the aunt of Mr. Darcy. It was impossible for Elizabeth to not study the face with the aim of seeing if she could trace every similarity to Mr. Darcy or Emily. Her face was rather more similar to the young girl’s than to Darcy’s, but the nose and chin was very like Mr. Darcy’s as well.
The eyes were wholly different.
When greeting them Lady Catherine spoke in the authoritative tone which Elizabeth had expected from her. A demand was made of her to explain the situation of her London relations in particular detail, and to see if that matched with what Lady Catherine had learned from Jane.
When Elizabeth finished that explanation, Lady Catherine spoke of the importance of every person remembering their situation in life, and the necessity of acting in accordance with the dictates of that station. She inquired how frequently Elizabeth attended church, upon her talents at languages and music, and upon whether she drew and sewed.
Elizabeth’s answers proved to be highly satisfactory to the lady. Her notion that she may one day be obliged to seek employment as a governess had not been forgotten, and Elizabeth had spent several hours most days improving upon her skills in the common accomplishments which a governess was expected to be able to teach to her pupils.
After these questions Lady Catherine sighed. “I have the most excellent taste in music, and had I deigned to develop a talent, I would have been proficient.”
It was impossible for Elizabeth to not smile inside in response to such a claim. “I am certain that had you made the effort,” she replied, “that your talent would have been far superior to my own.”
There was a flash of something in Lady Catherine’s face that convinced Elizabeth that she could not freely say things to her that had an insulting interpretation. The woman had enough cleverness to be reasonably likely to understand what she did.
“You have met my nephew and my daughter’s child, have you not, Miss Bennet? I was told by Mr. Collins that you were on intimate terms with them when they visited that friend of theirs, the one whose father had been in trade.”
“Yes, Ma’am. We spoke frequently.”
“Is not my granddaughter an exceptional child? Beyond ordinary?”
