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seemed neat and comfortable, she was not able to gratify

him by any sigh of repentance; and rather looked with won-

der at her friend, that she could have so cheerful an air

with such a companion. When Mr. Collins said anything of

which his wife might reasonably be ashamed, which certainly

was not seldom, she involuntarily turned her eye on Char-

lotte. Once or twice she could discern a faint blush; but in

general Charlotte wisely did not hear. After sitting long

enough to admire every article of furniture in the room, from

the sideboard to the fender, to give an account of their

journey, and of all that had happened in London, Mr. Collins

invited them to take a stroll in the garden, which was large

and well laid out, and to the cultivation of which he attended

himself. To work in his garden was one of his most re-

spectable pleasures; and Elizabeth admired the command of

countenance with which Charlotte talked of the healthful-

ness of the exercise, and owned she encouraged it as much

as possible. Here, leading the way through every walk and

cross walk, and scarcely allowing them an interval to utter

the praises he asked for, every view was pointed out with

a minuteness which left beauty entirely behind. He could

number the fields in every direction, and could tell how many

trees there were in the most distant clump. But of all the

views which his garden, or which the country or the king-

dom could boast, none were to be compared with the pros-

pect of Rosings, afforded by an opening in the trees that

bordered the park nearly opposite the front of his house. It

was a handsome modern building, well situated on rising

ground.

From his garden, Mr. Collins would have led them round

his two meadows; but the ladies, not having shoes to en-

counter the remains of a white frost, turned back; and while

Sir William accompanied him, Charlotte took her sister and

friend over the house, extremely well pleased, probably, to

have the opportunity of showing it without her husband's

help. It was rather small, but well built and convenient; and

everything was fitted up and arranged with a neatness and

consistency of which Elizabeth gave Charlotte all the credit.

When Mr. Collins could be forgotten, there was really a

great air of comfort throughout, and by Charlotte's evident

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