Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 28

Every object in the next day's journey was new and interesting

to Elizabeth; and her spirits were in a state of enjoyment; for

she had seen her sister looking so well as to banish all fear for

her health, and the prospect of her northern tour was a constant

source of delight.

When they left the high road for the lane to Hunsford, every eye

was in search of the Parsonage, and every turning expected to

bring it in view. The palings of Rosings Park was their boundary

on one side. Elizabeth smiled at the recollection of all that she

had heard of its inhabitants.

At length the Parsonage was discernible. The garden sloping to

the road, the house standing in it, the green pales, and the laurel

hedge, everything declared they were arriving. Mr. Collins and

Charlotte appeared at the door, and the carriage stopped at the

small gate which led by a short gravel walk to the house, amidst

the nods and smiles of the whole party. In a moment they were

all out of the chaise, rejoicing at the sight of each other.

Mrs. Collins welcomed her friend with the liveliest pleasure,

and Elizabeth was more and more satisfied with coming when she

found herself so affectionately received. She saw instantly that

her cousin's manners were not altered by his marriage; his formal

civility was just what it had been, and he detained her some

minutes at the gate to hear and satisfy his inquiries after

all her family. They were then, with no other delay than his

pointing out the neatness of the entrance, taken into the house;

and as soon as they were in the parlour, he welcomed them a

second time, with ostentatious formality to his humble abode,

and punctually repeated all his wife's offers of refreshment.

Elizabeth was prepared to see him in his glory; and she could

not help in fancying that in displaying the good proportion of

the room, its aspect and its furniture, he addressed himself

particularly to her, as if wishing to make her feel what she

had lost in refusing him. But though everything seemed neat

and comfortable, she was not able to gratify him by any sigh of

repentance, and rather looked with wonder at her friend that

she could have so cheerful an air with such a companion. When

Mr. Collins said anything of which his wife might reasonably be

ashamed, which certainly was not unseldom, she involuntarily

turned her eye on Charlotte. Once or twice she could discern

a faint blush; but in general Charlotte wisely did not hear.