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was preparing to see him with a degree of composure which

astonished her husband and daughters.

Mr. Collins was punctual to his time, and was received with

great politeness by the whole family. Mr. Bennet indeed said

little; but the ladies were ready enough to talk, and Mr.

Collins seemed neither in need of encouragement, nor inclined

to be silent himself. He was a tall, heavy-looking young man

of five-and-twenty. His air was grave and stately, and his

manners were very formal. He had not been long seated

before he complimented Mrs. Bennet on having so fine a

family of daughters, said he had heard much of their beauty,

but that, in this instance, fame had fallen short of the truth;

and added, that he did not doubt her seeing them all in due

time well disposed of in marriage. This gallantry was not

much to the taste of some of his hearers; but Mrs. Bennet,

who quarrelled with no compliments, answered most

readily,--

'You are very kind, sir, I am sure; and I wish with all my

heart it may prove so; for else they will be destitute enough.

Things are settled so oddly.'

'You allude, perhaps, to the entail of this estate.'

'Ah, sir, I do indeed. It is a grievous affair to my poor

girls, you must confess. Not that I mean to find fault with

_you,_ for such things I know are all chance in this world.

There is no knowing how estates will go when once they

come to be entailed.'

'I am very sensible, madam, of the hardship to my fair

cousins, and could say much on the subject, but that I am

cautious of appearing forward and precipitate. But I can

assure the young ladies that I come prepared to admire them.

At present I will not say more, but, perhaps, when we are

better acquainted--'

He was interrupted by a summons to dinner; and the girls

smiled on each other. They were not the only objects of Mr.

Collins's admiration. The hall, the dining-room, and all its

furniture, were examined and praised; and his commendation

of everything would have touched Mrs. Bennet's heart, but

for the mortifying supposition of his viewing it all as his own

future property. The dinner, too, in its turn, was highly ad-

mired; and he begged to know to which of his fair cousins

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