Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 25

After a week spent in professions of love and schemes of felicity,

Mr. Collins was called from his amiable Charlotte by the arrival

of Saturday. The pain of separation, however, might be

alleviated on his side, by preparations for the reception of his

bride; as he had reason to hope, that shortly after his return into

Hertfordshire, the day would be fixed that was to make him the

happiest of men. He took leave of his relations at Longbourn

with as much solemnity as before; wished his fair cousins health

and happiness again, and promised their father another letter of

thanks.

On the following Monday, Mrs. Bennet had the pleasure of

receiving her brother and his wife, who came as usual to spend

the Christmas at Longbourn. Mr. Gardiner was a sensible,

gentlemanlike man, greatly superior to his sister, as well by

nature as education. The Netherfield ladies would have had

difficulty in believing that a man who lived by trade, and within

view of his own warehouses, could have been so well-bred and

agreeable. Mrs. Gardiner, who was several years younger than

Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips, was an amiable, intelligent,

elegant woman, and a great favourite with all her Longbourn

nieces. Between the two eldest and herself especially, there

subsisted a particular regard. They had frequently been staying

with her in town.

The first part of Mrs. Gardiner's business on her arrival was to

distribute her presents and describe the newest fashions. When

this was done she had a less active part to play. It became her

turn to listen. Mrs. Bennet had many grievances to relate, and

much to complain of. They had all been very ill-used since she

last saw her sister. Two of her girls had been upon the point of

marriage, and after all there was nothing in it.

"I do not blame Jane," she continued, "for Jane would have got

Mr. Bingley if she could. But Lizzy! Oh, sister! It is very hard

to think that she might have been Mr. Collins's wife by this time,

had it not been for her own perverseness. He made her an offer

in this very room, and she refused him. The consequence of it is,

that Lady Lucas will have a daughter married before I have, and

that the Longbourn estate is just as much entailed as ever. The

Lucases are very artful people indeed, sister. They are all for

what they can get. I am sorry to say it of them, but so it is.

It makes me very nervous and poorly, to be thwarted so in my own