{{prxprp110.jpg}} || 110 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

to you for this friendly caution, and you may depend upon my

not taking so material a step without her ladyship's concurrence.'

'You cannot be too much on your guard. Risk any thing rather

than her displeasure; and if you find it likely to be raised by your

coming to us again, which I should think exceedingly probable,

stay quietly at home, and be satisfied that we shall take no

offence.'

'Believe me, my dear sir, my gratitude is warmly excited by

such affectionate attention; and depend upon it, you will speedily

receive from me a letter of thanks for this, as for every other mark

of your regard during my stay in Hertfordshire. As for my fair

cousins, though my absence may not be long enough to render

it necessary, I shall now take the liberty of wishing them health

and happiness, not excepting my cousin Elizabeth.'

With proper civilities the ladies then withdrew; all of them

equally surprized to find that he meditated a quick return.

Mrs. Bennet wished to understand by it that he thought of paying

his addresses to one of her younger girls, and Mary might have

been prevailed on to accept him. She rated his abilities much

higher than any of the others; there was a solidity in his reflections

which often struck her, and though by no means so clever as

herself, she thought that if encouraged to read and improve hinv

self by such an example as her's, he might become a very agreeable

companion. But on the following morning, every hope of this

kind was done away. Miss Lucas called soon after breakfast,

and in a private conference with Elizabeth related the event of

the day before.

The possibility of Mr. Collins's fancying himself in love with

her friend had once occurred to Elizabeth within the last day or

two; but that Charlotte could encourage him, seemed almost as

far from possibility as she could encourage him herself, and her

astonishment was consequently so great as to overcome at first

the bounds of decorum, and she could not help crying out:

'Engaged to Mr. Collins! my dear Charlotte -- impossible!'

The steady countenance which Miss Lucas had commanded

in telling her story, gave way to a momentary confusion here on

receiving so direct a reproach; though, as it was no more than

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