{{prxprp137.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 137 ||

to her, as if wishing to make her feel what she had lost in refusing

him. But though everything seemed neat and comfortable, she

was not able to gratify him by any sigh of repentance; and rather

looked with wonder at her friend that she could have so cheerful

an air, with such a companion. -- When Mr. Collins said any thing

of which his wife might reasonably be ashamed, which certainly

was not unseldom, she involuntarily turned her eye on Charlotte.

Once or twice she could discern a faint blush; but in general

Charlotte wisely did not hear. After sitting long enough to

admire every article of furniture in the room, from the sideboard

to the fender, to give an account of their journey and of all that

had happened in London, Mr. Collins invited them to take a

stroll in the garden, which was large and well laid out, and to

the cultivation of which he attended himself. To work in his

garden was one of his most respectable pleasures; and Elizabeth

admired the command of countenance with which Charlotte

talked of the healthfulness of the exercise, and owned she en'

couraged it as much as possible. Here, leading the way through

every walk and cross walk, and scarcely allowing them an

interval to utter the praises he asked for, every view was pointed

out with a minuteness which left beauty entirely behind. He

could number the fields in every direction, and could tell how

many trees there were in the most distant clump. But of all the

views which his garden, or which the country, or the kingdom

could boast, none were to be compared with the prospect of

Rosings, afforded by an opening in the trees that bordered the

park nearly opposite the front of his house. It was a handsome

modern building, well situated on rising ground.

From his garden, Mr. Collins would have led them round his

two meadows; but the ladies, not having shoes to encounter the

remains of a white frost, turned back; and while Sir William

accompanied him, Charlotte took her sister and friend over the

house, extremely well pleased, probably, to have the opportunity

of shewing it without her husband's help. It was rather small,

but well built and convenient; and everything was fitted up and

arranged with a neatness and consistency, of which Elizabeth gave

Charlotte all the credit. When Mr. Collins could be forgotten,

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