very strenuously have opposed it. You ought certainly to forgive them as

a Christian, but never to admit them{447} in your sight, or allow their

names to be mentioned in your hearing.’ That is his notion of

Christian forgiveness! The rest of his letter is only about his dear

Charlotte’s situation, and his expectation of a young olive-branch. But,

Lizzy, you look as if you did not enjoy it. You are not going to be

missish, I hope, and pretend to be affronted at an idle report. For

what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them

in our turn?”
“Oh,” cried Elizabeth, “I am exceedingly diverted. But it is so

strange!”
“Yes, that is what makes it amusing. Had they fixed on any other man

it would have been nothing; but his perfect indifference and your

pointed dislike make it so delightfully absurd! Much as I abominate

writing, I would not give up Mr. Collins’s correspondence for any

consideration. Nay, when I read a letter of his, I cannot help giving

him the preference even over Wickham, much as I value the impudence and

hypocrisy of my son-in-law. And pray, Lizzy, what said Lady Catherine

about this report? Did she call to refuse her consent?”
To this question his daughter replied only with a laugh; and as it had

been asked without the least suspicion, she was not distressed by his

repeating it. Elizabeth had never been more at a loss to make her

feelings appear what they were not. It was necessary to laugh when she

would rather have cried. Her father had most cruelly mortified her by

what he said of Mr. Darcy’s indifference; and she could do nothing but

wonder at such a want of penetration, or fear that, perhaps, instead of

his seeing too little, she might have fancied too much.{448}

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“The efforts of his aunt.”


CHAPTER LVIII.

INSTEAD of receiving any such letter of excuse from his friend, as

Elizabeth half expected Mr. Bingley to do, he was able to bring Darcy