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it is very hard to think that she might have been Mr. Collins's

wife by this time, had not it been for her own perverseness.

He made her an offer in this very room, and she refused him.

The consequence of it is, that Lady Lucas will have a

daughter married before I have, and that Longbourn estate

is just as much entailed as ever. The Lucases are very

artful people, indeed, sister. They are all for what they can

get. I am sorry to say it of them, but it is. It makes me

very nervous and poorly, to be thwarted so in my own family,

and to have neighbours who think of themselves before any-

body else. However, your coming just at this time is the

greatest of comforts, and I am very glad to hear what you

tell us of long sleeves.'

Mrs. Gardiner, to whom the chief of this news had been

given before, in the course of Jane and Elizabeth's corre-

spondence with her, made her sister a slight answer, and, in

compassion to her nieces, turned the conversation.

When alone with Elizabeth afterwards, she spoke more on

the subject. 'It seems likely to have been a desirable match

for Jane,' said she. 'I am sorry it went off. But these things

happen so often! A young man, such as you describe Mr.

Bingley, so easily falls in love with a pretty girl for a few

weeks, and, when accident separates them, so easily forgets

her, that these sort of inconstancies are very frequent.'

'An excellent consolation in its way,' said Elizabeth; 'but it

will not do for _us._ We do not suffer by accident. It does not

often happen that the interference of friends will persuade a

young man of independent fortune to think no more of

a girl whom he was violently in love with only a few days

before.'

'But that expression of "violently in love" is so hackneyed,

so doubtful, so indefinite, that it gives me very little idea. It

is as often applied to feelings which arise only from a half-~

hour's acquaintance, as to a real, strong attachment. Pray,

how _violent_ _was_ Mr. Bingley's love?'

'I never saw a more promising inclination; he was grow-

ing quite inattentive to other people, and wholly engrossed by

her. Every time they met, it was more decided and remark-

able. At his own ball he offended two or three young ladies

by not asking them to dance; and I spoke to him twice myself

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