第133章[第2页/共4页]

“Lizzy,”said he,“I was going to look for you; come into my room.”

The next morning,as she was going downstairs,she was met by her father,who came out of his library with a letter in his hand.

“From Mr.Collins!and what can he have to say?”

The surprise of the rest of the family,on hearing who their visitor had been, was very great; but they obligingly satisfied it, with the same kind of supposition which had appeased Mrs.Bennet's curiosity; and Elizabeth was spared from much teasing on the subject.

The colour now rushed into Elizabeth's cheeks in the instantaneous conviction of its being a letter from the nephew,instead of the aunt;and she was undetermined whether most to be pleased that he explained himself at all, or offended that his letter was not rather addressed to herself;when her father continued:

She followed her father to the fire place, and they both sat down.He then said,

If he had been wavering before as to what he should do,which had often seemed likely, the advice and entreaty of so near a relation might settle every doubt, and determine him at once to be as happy as dignity unblemished could make him.In that case he would return no more.Lady Catherine might see him in her way through town;and his engagement to Bingley of coming again to Netherfield must give way.