importing that she felt herself so dull as to make her very desirous of

having them all to dine with her.{262}
Elizabeth could not see Lady Catherine without recollecting that, had

she chosen it, she might by this time have been presented to her as her

future niece; nor could she think, without a smile, of what her

Ladyship’s indignation would have been. “What would she have said? how

would she have behaved?” were the questions with which she amused

herself.
Their first subject was the diminution of the Rosings’ party. “I assure

you, I feel it exceedingly,” said Lady Catherine; “I believe nobody

feels the loss of friends so much as I do. But I am particularly

attached to these young men; and know them to be so much attached to me!

They were excessively sorry to go! But so they always are. The dear

Colonel rallied his spirits tolerably till just at last; but Darcy

seemed to feel it most acutely—more, I think, than last year. His

attachment to Rosings certainly increases.”
Mr. Collins had a compliment and an allusion to throw in here, which

were kindly smiled on by the mother and daughter.
Lady Catherine observed, after dinner, that Miss Bennet seemed out of

spirits; and immediately accounting for it herself, by supposing that

she did not like to go home again so soon, she added,—
“But if that is the case, you must write to your mother to beg that you

may stay a little longer. Mrs. Collins will be very glad of your

company, I am sure.”
“I am much obliged to your Ladyship for your kind invitation,” replied

Elizabeth; “but it is not in my power to accept it. I must be in town

next Saturday.”
“Why, at that rate, you will have been here only six weeks. I expected

you to stay two months. I told Mrs. Collins so before you came. There

can be no occasion for{263} your going so soon. Mrs. Bennet could certainly

spare you for another fortnight.”
“But my father cannot. He wrote last week to hurry my return.”

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“Dawson”