{{prxprp062.jpg}} || 62 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

for it might be found at Longbourn, produced from her, amid

very complaisant smiles and general encouragement, a caution

against the very Jane he had fixed on. -- 'As to her younger

daughters she could not take upon her to say -- she could not

positively answer -- but she did not know of any prepossession; --

her eldest daughter, she must just mention -- she felt it incumbent

on her to hint, was likely to be very soon engaged.'

Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth -- and

it was soon done -- done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire.

Elizabeth, equally next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded

her of course.

Mrs. Bennet treasured up the hint, and trusted that she might

soon have two daughters married; and the man whom she could

not bear to speak of the day before, was now high in her good graces.

Lydia's intention of walking to Meryton was not forgotten;

every sister except Mary agreed to go with her; and Mr. Collins

was to attend them, at the request of Mr. Bennet, who was most

anxious to get rid of him, and have his library to himself; for

thither Mr. Collins had followed him after breakfast, and there

he would continue, nominally engaged with one of the largest

fob'os in the collection, but really talking to Mr. Bennet, with

little cessation, of his house and garden at Hunsford. Such

doings discomposed Mr. Bennet exceedingly. In his library he

had been always sure of leisure and tranquillity; and though

prepared, as he told Elizabeth, to meet with folly and conceit

in every other room in the house, he was used to be free from them

there; his civility, therefore, was most prompt in inviting Mr.

Collins to join his daughters in their walk; and Mr. Collins,

being in fact much better fitted for a walker than a reader, was

extremely well pleased to close his large book, and go.

In pompous nothings on his side, and civil assents on that of

his cousins, their time passed till they entered Meryton. The

attention of the younger ones was then no longer to be gained by

him. Their eyes were immediately wandering up in the street

in quest of the officers, and nothing less than a very smart bonnet

indeed, or a really new muslin in a shop window, could

recall them.

 [[062]]