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Chapter XXX

Sir William staid only a week at Hunsford; but his visit was

long enough to convince him of his daughter's being most

comfortably settled, and of her possessing such a husband and

such a neighbour as were not often met with. While Sir William

was with them, Mr. Collins devoted his mornings to driving him

out in his gig, and shewing him the country; but when he went

away, the whole family returned to their usual employments, and

Elizabeth was thankful to find that they did not see more of Lcr

cousin by the alteration, for the chief of the time between breakfast

and dinner was now passed by him either at work in the garden,

or in reading and writing, and looking out of the window in his

own book room, which fronted the road. The room in which

the ladies sat was backwards. Elizabeth at first had rather

wondered that Charlotte should not prefer the dining parlour for

common use; it was a better sized room, and had a pleasanter

aspect; but she soon saw that her friend had an excellent reason

for what she did, for Mr. Collins would undoubtedly have been

much less in his own apartment had they sat in one equally

lively; and she gave Charlotte credit for the arrangement.

From the drawing room they could distinguish nothing in

the lane, and were indebted to Mr. Collins for the knowledge of

what carriages went along, and how often especially Miss de

Bourgh drove by in her phaeton, which he never failed coming

to inform them of, though it happened almost every day. She

not unfrequently stopped at the Parsonage, and had a few minutes'

conversation with Charlotte, but was scarcely ever prevailed on

to get out.

Very few days passed in which Mr. Collins did not walk to

Rosings, and not many in which his wife did not think it necessary

to go likewise; and till Elizabeth recollected that there might be

other family livings to be disposed of, she could not understand

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