第142章[第1页/共4页]

Happy for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Mrs. Bennet got rid of her two most deserving daughters.With what delighted pride she afterwards visited Mrs. Bingley, and talked of Mrs.Darcy,may be guessed.I wish I could say,for the sake of her family,that the accomplishment of her earnest desire in the establishment of so many of her children produced so happy an effect as to make her a sensible,amiable,well-informed woman for the rest of her life;though perhaps it was lucky for her husband, who might not have relished domestic felicity in so unusual a form,that she still was occasionally nervous and invariably silly.

Before any answer could arrive from Mr. Collins, or any congratulations to Elizabeth from his wife, the Longbourn family heard that the Collinses were come themselves to Lucas Lodge.The reason of this sudden removal was soon evident. Lady Catherine had been rendered so exceedingly angry by the contents of her nephew's letter, that Charlotte, really rejoicing in the match,was anxious to get away till the storm was blown over.At such a moment, the arrival of her friend was a sincere pleasure to Elizabeth,though in the course of their meetings she must sometimes think the pleasure dearly bought,when she saw Mr. Darcy exposed to all the parading and obsequious civility of her husband. He bore it, however, with admirable calmness. He could even listen to Sir William Lucas, when he complimented him on carrying away the brightest jewel of the country, and expressed his hopes of their all meeting frequently at St. James's, with very decent composure. If he did shrug his shoulders, it was not till Sir William was out of sight.