suitableness, and excessively generous and disinterested on his own

part.
His plan did not vary on seeing them. Miss Bennet’s lovely face

confirmed his views, and established all his strictest notions of what

was due to seniority; and for the first evening she was his settled

choice. The next morning, however, made an alteration; for in a quarter

of an hour’s tête-à-tête with Mrs. Bennet before breakfast, a

conversation beginning with his parsonage-house, and leading naturally

to the avowal of his hopes, that a mistress for it might be found at

Longbourn, produced from her, amid very complaisant smiles and general

encouragement, a caution against the very Jane he had fixed on. “As to

her younger daughters, she could not take upon her to say—she could

not positively answer—but she did not know of any prepossession;—her

eldest daughter she must just mention—she felt it incumbent on her to

hint, was likely to be very soon engaged.”
Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth—and it was soon

done—done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire. Elizabeth, equally

next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded her of course.
Mrs. Bennet treasured up the hint, and trusted that she might soon have

two daughters married; and the man whom she could not bear to speak of

the day before, was now high in her good graces.
Lydia’s intention of walking to Meryton was not for{91}gotten: every sister

except Mary agreed to go with her; and Mr. Collins was to attend them,

at the request of Mr. Bennet, who was most anxious to get rid of him,

and have his library to himself; for thither Mr. Collins had followed

him after breakfast, and there he would continue, nominally engaged with

one of the largest folios in the collection, but really talking to Mr.

Bennet, with little cessation, of his house and garden at Hunsford. Such

doings discomposed Mr. Bennet exceedingly. In his library he had been