{{prxprp090.jpg}} || 90 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

his speech, which had been spoken so loud as to be heard by

half the room. -- Many stared -- Many smiled; but no one looked

more amused than Mr. Bennet himself, while his wife seriously

commended Mr. Collins for having spoken so sensibly, and

observed in a half-whisper to Lady Lucas, that he was a

remarkably clever, good kind of young man.

To Elizabeth it appeared, that had her family made an agrees

ment to expose themselves as much as they could during the

evening, it would have been impossible for them to play their

parts with more spirit, or finer success; and happy did she

think it for Bingley and her sister that some of the exhibition had

escaped his notice, and that his feelings were not of a sort to be

much distressed by the folly which he must have witnessed.

That his two sisters and Mr. Darcy, however, should have such

an opportunity of ridiculing her relations was bad enough, and

she could not determine whether the silent contempt of the

gentleman, or the insolent smiles of the ladies, were more

intolerable.

The rest of the evening brought her little amusement. She

was teased by Mr. Collins, who continued most perseveringly

by her side, and though he could not prevail with her to dance

with him again, put it out of her power to dance with others.

In vain did she entreat him to stand up with somebody else,

and offer to introduce him to any young lady in the room. He

assured her that as to dancing, he was perfectly indifferent to

it; that his chief object was by delicate attentions to recommend

himself to her, and that he should therefore make a point of

remaining close to her the whole evening. There was no arguing

upon such a project. She owed her greatest relief to her friend

Miss Lucas, who often joined them, and goodnaturcdly engaged

Mr. Collins's conversation to herself

She was at least free from the offence of Mr. Darcy 's further

notice; though often standing within a very short distance of

her, quite disengaged, he never came near enough to speak.

She felt it to be the probable consequence of her allusions to

Mr. Wickham, and rejoiced in it.

The Longbourn party were the last of all the company to

 [[090]]