{{prxprp115.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 115 ||

could not prevent its frequently recurring. The united efforts of

his two unfeeling sisters and of his overpowering friend, assisted

by the attractions of Miss Darcy and the amusements of London,

might be too much, she feared, for the strength of his attachment.

As for Jane, her anxiety under this suspense was, of course,

more painful than Elizabeth's; but whatever she felt she was

desirous of concealing, and between herself and Elizabeth,

therefore, the subject was never alluded to. But as no such

delicacy restrained her mother, an hour seldom passed in which

she did not talk of Bingley, express her impatience for his arrival,

or even require Jane to confess that if he did not come back, she

should think herself very ill used. It needed all Jane's steady

mildness to bear these attacks with tolerable tranquillity.

Mr. Collins returned most punctually on the Monday fortnight,

but his reception at Longbourn was not quite so gracious as it

had been on his first introduction. He was too happy, however,

to need much attention; and luckily for the others, the business

of love-making relieved them from a great deal of his company.

The chief of every day was spent by him at Lucas Lodge, and he

sometimes returned to Longbourn only in time to make an

apology for his absence before the family went to bed.

Mrs. Bennet was really in a most pitiable state. The very

mention of anything concerning the match threw her into an

agony of iLUhumour, and wherever she went she was sure of

hearing it talked of. The sight of Miss Lucas was odious to her.

As her successor in that house, she regarded her with jealous

abhorrence. Whenever Charlotte came to see them she con^

eluded her to be anticipating the hour of possession; and whenever

she spoke in a low voice to Mr. Collins, was convinced that they

were talking of the Longbourn estate, and resolving to turn

herself and her daughters out of the house, as soon as Mr. Bennet

were dead. She complained bitterly of all this to her husband.

'Indeed, Mr. Bennet,' said she, 'it is very hard to think that

Charlotte Lucas should ever be mistress of this house, that I

should be forced to make way for her, and live to see her take

my place in it!'

'My dear, do not give way to such gloomy thoughts. Let us

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