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Chapter XXI

The discussion of Mr. Collins's offer was now nearly at

an end, and Elizabeth had only to suffer from the un-

comfortable feelings necessarily attending it, and oc-

casionally from some peevish allusion of her mother. As

for the gentleman himself, _his_ feelings were chiefly expressed,

not by embarrassment or dejection, or by trying to avoid

her, but by stiffness of manner and resentful silence. He

scarcely ever spoke to her; and the assiduous attentions which

he had been so sensible of himself were transferred for the

rest of the day to Miss Lucas, whose civility in listening to

him was a seasonable relief to them all, and especially to her

friend.

The morrow produced no abatement of Mrs. Bennet's ill-~

humour or ill-health. Mr. Collins was also in the same state

of angry pride. Elizabeth had hoped that his resentment

might shorten his visit, but his plan did not appear in the

least affected by it. He was always to have gone on Saturday,

and to Saturday he still meant to stay.

After breakfast the girls walked to Meryton, to inquire if

Mr. Wickham were returned, and to lament over his absence

from the Netherfield ball. He joined them on their entering

the town, and attended them to their aunt's, where his regret

and vexation and the concern of everybody were well talked

over. To Elizabeth, however, he voluntarily acknowledged

that the necessity of his absence _had_ been self-imposed.

'I found,' said he, 'as the time drew near, that I had bet-

ter not meet Mr. Darcy; -- that to be in the same room, the

same party with him for so many hours together, might be

more than I could bear, and that scenes might arise unpleasant

to more than myself.'

She highly approved his forbearance; and they had leisure

for a full discussion of it, and for all the commendations

which they civilly bestowed on each other, as Wickham and

another officer walked back with them to Longbourn, and

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