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happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness,

I never can have your happiness. No, no, let me shift for myself;

and perhaps, if I have very good luck, I may meet with another

Mr. Collins in time.'

The situation of affairs in the Longbourn family could not be

long a secret. Mrs. Bennet was privileged to whisper it to

Mrs. Philips, and she ventured, without any permission, to do

the same by all her neighbours in Meryton.

The Bennets were speedily pronounced to be the luckiest

family in the world, though only a few weeks before, when

Lydia had first run away, they had been generally proved to be

marked out for misfortune.

Chapter LVI

One morning, about a week after Bingley's engagement with

Jane had been formed, as he and the females of the family were

sitting together in the dining-room, their attention was suddenly

drawn to the window by the sound of a carriage; and they

perceived a chaise and four driving up the lawn. It was too

early in the morning for visitors, and besides, the equipage did

not answer to that of any of their neighbours. The horses were

post; and neither the carriage, nor the livery of the servant who

preceded it, were familiar to them. As it was certain, however,

that somebody was coming, Bingley instantly prevailed on Miss

Bennet to avoid the confinement of such an intrusion, and walk

away with him into the shrubbery. They both set off, and the

conjectures of the remaining three continued, though with little

satisfaction, till the door was thrown open, and their visitor

entered. It was Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

They were of course all intending to be surprized; but their

astonishment was beyond their expectation; and on the part of

Mrs. Bennet and Kitty, though she was perfectly unknown to

them, even inferior to what Elizabeth felt.

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