Volume II, Chapter VI

CHAPTER VI

Mrs. Lucas's triumph in consequence of this invitation was complete. The power of displaying the grandeur of her patroness to her wondering visitors, and of letting them see Lady Catherine's civility towards herself and her husband, was exactly what she had wished for; and that an opportunity of doing it should be given so soon, was such an instance of her ladyship's condescension as she knew not how to admire enough.

'I confess,' said she, 'that I should not have been at all surprised by her Ladyship's asking us on Sunday to drink tea and spend the evening at Rosings. I rather expected, from my knowledge of her affability, that it would happen. But who could have foreseen such an attention as this? Who could have imagined that we should receive an invitation to dine there (an invitation moreover including the whole party) so immediately after your arrival!'

'I am the less surprised at what has happened,' replied Sir William, 'from that knowledge of what the manners of the great really are, which my situation in life has allowed me to acquire. About the Court, such instances of elegant breeding are not uncommon.'

Scarcely any thing was talked of the whole day or next morning but their visit to Rosings. Mrs. Lucas was carefully instructing them in what they were to expect, that the sight of such rooms, so many servants, and so splendid a dinner might not wholly overpower them.

When the ladies were separating for the toilette, she said to Maria Lucas,

'Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear sister, about your apparel. Lady Catherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us, which becomes herself and daughter. I would advise you merely to put on whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest, there is no occasion for any thing more. Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rank preserved.'

While they were all dressing, she came two or three times to their different doors, to recommend their being quick, as Lady Catherine very much objected to be kept waiting for her dinner.—Such formidable accounts of her Ladyship, and her manner of living, quite frightened Maria, who had been little used to company, and she looked forward to her introduction at Rosings, with as much apprehension, as her father had done to his presentation at St. James's.

As the weather was fine, they had a pleasant walk of about half a mile across the park.—Every park has its beauty and its prospects; and Edward saw much to be pleased with, though he could not be in such raptures as Mrs. Lucas expected the scene to inspire, and was but slightly affected by her enumeration of the windows in front of the house, and her relation of what the glazing altogether had originally cost Sir Lewis de Bourgh.

When they ascended the steps to the hall, Maria's alarm was every moment increasing, and even Sir William did not look perfectly calm.—Edward's courage did not fail him. He had heard nothing of Lady Catherine that spoke her awful from any extraordinary talents or miraculous virtue, and the mere stateliness of money or rank, he thought he could witness without trepidation.

From the entrance hall, of which Mrs. Lucas pointed out, with a rapturous air, the fine proportion and the finished ornaments, they followed the servants through an ante-chamber, to the room where Lady Catherine, her daughter, and Mrs. Jenkinson were sitting.—Her Ladyship, with great condescension, arose to receive them; and as Charles Lucas had settled it with his wife that the office of introduction should be his, it was performed in a proper manner, without any of those apologies and thanks which she would have thought necessary.

In spite of having been at St. James's, Sir William was so completely awed, by the grandeur surrounding him, that he had but just courage enough to make a very low bow, and take his seat without saying a word; and his daughter, frightened almost out of her senses, sat on the edge of her chair, not knowing which way to look. Edward found himself quite equal to the scene, and could observe the three ladies before him composedly.—Lady Catherine was a tall, large woman, with strongly-marked features, which might once have been handsome. Her air was not conciliating, nor was her manner of receiving them, such as to make her visitors forget their inferior rank. She was not rendered formidable by silence; but whatever she said, was spoken in so authoritative a tone, as marked her self-importance, and brought Mr. Wickham immediately to Edward's mind; and from the observation of the day altogether, he believed Lady Catherine to be exactly what he had represented.

When, after examining the mother, in whose countenance and deportment he soon found some resemblance of Mr. Darcy, he turned his eyes on the daughter, he could almost have joined in Maria's astonishment, at her being so thin, and so small. There was neither in figure nor face, any likeness between the ladies. Miss de Bourgh was pale and sickly; her features, though not plain, were insignificant; and she spoke very little, except in a low voice, to Mrs. Jenkinson, in whose appearance there was nothing remarkable, and who was entirely engaged in listening to what she said, and placing a screen in the proper direction before her eyes.

After sitting a few minutes, they were all sent to one of the windows, to admire the view, Mrs. Lucas attending them to point out its beauties, and Lady Catherine kindly informing them that it was much better worth looking at in the summer.

The dinner was exceedingly handsome, and there were all the servants, and all the articles of plate which Mrs. Lucas had promised; and, as she took her seat at the table, she looked as if she felt that life could furnish nothing greater.—She ate and praised with delighted alacrity; and every dish was commended, first by her, and then by Sir William, who was now enough recovered to echo whatever his daughter-in-law said, in a manner which Edward wondered Lady Catherine could bear. But Lady Catherine seemed gratified by their excessive admiration, and gave most gracious smiles, especially when any dish on the table proved a novelty to them. The party did not supply much conversation. Edward was ready to speak whenever there was an opening, but he was seated between Charles and Miss de Bourgh—the former of whom was engaged in listening to Lady Catherine, and the latter said not a word to him all dinner time. Mrs. Jenkinson was chiefly employed in watching how little Miss de Bourgh ate, pressing her to try some other dish, and fearing she was indisposed. Maria thought speaking out of the question, and her father, like Mrs. Lucas, did nothing but eat and admire.

When they had all returned to the drawing room, there was little to be done but to hear Lady Catherine talk, which she did without any intermission till coffee came in, delivering her opinion on every subject in so decisive a manner, as proved that she was not used to have her judgment controverted. She inquired into the domestic concerns of Mrs. Lucas and her brother familiarly and minutely, and gave her a great deal of advice, as to the management of them all; told her how every thing ought to be regulated in so small a family as her's, and instructed her as to the care of the cows and the poultry attaching to the Parsonage. Edward found that nothing was beneath this great Lady's attention, which could furnish her with an occasion of dictating to others. In the intervals of her discourse with Mrs. Lucas, she addressed a variety of questions to Maria and Sir William, but especially to Edward, of whose connections she knew the least, and who she observed to Mrs. Lucas was a genteel, handsome kind of young man. She asked him at different times, how many sisters he had, whether they were older or younger than himself, whether any of them were likely to be married, whether they were very pretty, where they had been educated, what carriage Mr. Bennet kept, and what had been Mrs. Bennet's maiden name?—Edward felt all the impertinence of her questions but answered them very composedly.—Lady Catherine then observed,

'Your father's estate is entailed on Mr. Collins, I think, due to the circumstances of your own birth?'

'Yes, Ma'am.'

'For your brother's sake,' continued her ladyship, turning to Mrs. Lucas, 'I am glad of it; but otherwise I see no occasion for entailing estates from the female line.—It was not thought necessary in Sir Lewis de Bourgh's family.—Do you play and sing, Miss Lucas?'

For a moment Maria was silent, startled at being so suddenly addressed. At length she replied, 'A little, Ma'am.'

'Oh! then—some time or other we shall be happy to hear you. Our instrument is a capital one, probably superior to— You shall try it some day.—Do your sisters play and sing, Mr. Bennet?'

'One of them does, Ma'am.'

'Why did not they all learn?—They ought all to have learned. The Miss Webbs all play, and their father has not so good an income as your's.—Do they draw?'

'No, not at all.'

'What, none of them?'

'Not one.'

'That is very strange. But I suppose they had no opportunity. Your mother should have taken them to town every spring for the benefit of masters.'

'My mother would have had no objection, but my father hates London.'

'Has your governess left you?'

'We never had any governess.'

'No governess! How was that possible? A son and four daughters brought up at home without a governess!—I never heard of such a thing. Your mother must have been quite a slave to your education.'

Edward could hardly help smiling, as he assured her that had not been the case.

'Then, who taught you? who attended to you? Without a governess you must have been neglected.'

'Compared with some families, I believe we were; but such of us as wished to learn, never wanted the means. We were always encouraged to read, and had all the masters that were necessary. Those who chose to be idle, certainly might.'

'Aye, no doubt; but that is what a governess will prevent, and if I had known your mother, I should have advised her most strenuously to engage one. I always say that nothing is to be done in education without steady and regular instruction, and nobody but a governess can give it. It is wonderful how many families I have been the means of supplying in that way. I am always glad to get a young person well placed out. Four nieces of Mrs. Jenkinson are most delightfully situated through my means; and it was but the other day that I recommended another young person, who was merely accidentally mentioned to me, and the family are quite delighted with her. Mrs. Lucas, did I tell you of Lady Metcalfe's calling yesterday to thank me? She finds Miss Pope a treasure. “Lady Catherine,” said she, “you have given me a treasure.”—Are any of your younger sisters out, Mr. Bennet?'

'Yes, Ma'am, all.'

'All!—What, all four out at once? Very odd!—The younger ones out before the elder are married!—Your younger sisters must be very young?'

'Yes, my youngest is not sixteen. Perhaps she is full young to be much in company. But really, Ma'am, I think it would be very hard upon younger sisters, that they should not have their share of society and amusement because the elder may not have the means or inclination to marry early.—The last born has as good a right to the pleasures of youth, at the first. And to be kept back on such a motive!—I think it would not be very likely to promote sisterly affection or delicacy of mind.'

'Upon my word,' said her Ladyship, 'you give your opinion very decidedly for so young a person.—Pray, what is your age?'

'I am not one and twenty.'

'You intend, I understand, to become an apothecary?'

'I do.'

'And what is to be the means of securing your education?'

'Sensible of my father's income as your Ladyship appears to be,' replied Edward, smiling, 'I can hardly be expected to own it.'

Lady Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a direct answer; and Edward suspected himself to be the first creature who had ever dared to trifle with so much dignified impertinence!

'Your father can little afford it, I am sure,—therefore who is to support you?'

'My uncle, Mr. Gardiner, has very kindly offered to assist me in my studies. He is based in London.'

'Is he indeed!' cried her Ladyship. 'In which part of that great city does he reside?'

'He has a house in Cheapside, Ma'am.'

Lady Catherine said nothing, and conversation was thereby at an end.

When tea was over, the card tables were placed. Lady Catherine, Sir William, and Mr. and Mrs. Lucas sat down to quadrille; and as Miss de Bourgh chose to play at cassino, Edward and Maria had the honour of assisting Mrs. Jenkinson to make up her party. Their table was superlatively stupid. Scarcely a syllable was uttered that did not relate to the game, except when Mrs. Jenkinson expressed her fears of Miss de Bourgh's being too hot or too cold, or having too much or too little light. A great deal more passed at the other table. Lady Catherine was generally speaking—stating the mistakes of the three others, or relating some anecdote of herself. Mrs. Lucas was employed in agreeing to every thing her Ladyship said, thanking her for every fish she won, and apologising if she thought she won too many. Sir William did not say much. He was storing his memory with anecdotes and noble names.

When Lady Catherine and her daughter had played as long as they chose, the tables were broke up, the carriage was offered to Mrs. Lucas, gratefully accepted and immediately ordered. The party then gathered round the fire to hear Lady Catherine determine what weather they were to have on the morrow. From these instructions they were summoned by the arrival of the coach; and with many speeches of thankfulness on Mrs. Lucas's side, and as many bows on Sir William's, they departed. As soon as they had driven from the door, Edward was called on by his cousin, to give his opinion of all that he had seen at Rosings, which, for Charles's sake, he made more favourable than it really was. But his commendation, though costing him some trouble, could by no means satisfy Mrs. Lucas, and she was very soon obliged to take her Ladyship's praise into her own hands.