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But as Elizabeth could not receive comfort from any such

expectation she made no answer.

'Well, Lizzy,' continued her mother, soon afterwards, 'and

so the Collinses live very comfortable, do they? Well, well,

I only hope it will last. And what sort of table do they keep?

Charlotte is an excellent manager, I daresay. If she is half

as sharp as her mother, she is saving enough. There is noth-

ing extravagant in _their_ housekeeping, I daresay.'

'No, nothing at all.'

'A great deal of good management, depend upon it. Yes,

yes. _They_ will take care not to outrun their income. _They_

will never be distressed for money. Well, much good may

it do them! And so, I suppose, they often talk of having

Longbourn when your father is dead. They look upon it

quite as their own, I daresay, whenever that happens.'

'It was a subject which they could not mention before me.'

'No; it would have been strange if they had. But I make

no doubt they often talk of it between themselves. Well, if

they can be easy with an estate that is not lawfully their own,

so much the better. _I_ should be ashamed of having one that

was only entailed on me.'

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