Nothing less than the complaisance of a courtier could have borne

without anger such treatment: but Sir William’s good-breeding carried

him through it all; and though he begged leave to be positive as to the

truth of his information, he listened to all their impertinence with the

most forbearing courtesy.
Elizabeth, feeling it incumbent on her to relieve him from so unpleasant

a situation, now put herself forward to confirm his account, by

mentioning her prior knowledge of it from Charlotte herself; and

endeavoured to put a stop to the exclamations of her mother and sisters,

by the earnestness of her congratulations to Sir William, in which she

was readily joined by Jane, and by making a variety of remarks on the

happiness that might be expected from the match, the excellent character

of Mr. Collins, and the convenient distance of Hunsford from London.
Mrs. Bennet was, in fact, too much overpowered to say a great deal while

Sir William remained; but no sooner had he left them than her feelings

found a rapid vent. In the first place, she persisted in disbelieving

the whole of the matter; secondly, she was very sure that Mr. Collins

had been taken in; thirdly, she trusted that they would never be happy

together; and, fourthly, that the match might be broken off. Two

inferences, however,{163} were plainly deduced from the whole: one, that

Elizabeth was the real cause of all the mischief; and the other, that

she herself had been barbarously used by them all; and on these two

points she principally dwelt during the rest of the day. Nothing could

console and nothing appease her. Nor did that day wear out her

resentment. A week elapsed before she could see Elizabeth without

scolding her: a month passed away before she could speak to Sir William

or Lady Lucas without being rude; and many months were gone before she

could at all forgive their daughter.
Mr. Bennet’s emotions were much more tranquil on the occasion, and such