Austen Said:

“That will do extremely well, child. You have delighted us long enough. Let the other young ladies have time to exhibit.”

having spoken so sensibly,

he was a remarkably clever, good kind of young man.

of seeing the whole family soon at Longbourn,

how happy he would make them by eating a family dinner with them at any time, without the ceremony of a formal invitation.

“Oh dear! — yes — certainly. I am sure Lizzy will be very happy — I am sure she can have no objection. Come, Kitty, I want you up stairs.”

“No, no, nonsense, Lizzy. I desire you to stay where you are.”

“Lizzy, I insist upon your staying and hearing Mr. Collins.”

on the happy prospect of their nearer connection.

“But, depend upon it, Mr. Collins,”

“that Lizzy shall be brought to reason. I will speak to her about it myself directly. She is a very headstrong, foolish girl, and does not know her own interest but I will make her know it.”

“Sir, you quite misunderstand me,”

“Lizzy is only headstrong in such matters as these. In everything else she is as good-natured a girl as ever lived. I will go directly to Mr. Bennet, and we shall very soon settle it with her, I am sure.”

“Oh! Mr. Bennet, you are wanted immediately; we are all in an uproar. You must come and make Lizzy marry Mr. Collins, for she vows she will not have him, and if you do not make haste he will change his mind and not have her.”

“I have not the pleasure of understanding you,”

“Of what are you talking?”

“Of Mr. Collins and Lizzy. Lizzy declares she will not have Mr. Collins, and Mr. Collins begins to say that he will not have Lizzy.”

“And what am I to do on the occasion? It seems an hopeless business.”

“Speak to Lizzy about it yourself. Tell her that you insist upon her marrying him.”

“Let her be called down. She shall hear my opinion.”

“Come here, child,”

“I have sent for you on an affair of importance. I understand that Mr. Collins has made you an offer of marriage. Is it true?”

“Very well — and this offer of marriage you have refused?”

“Very well. We now come to the point. Your mother insists upon your accepting it. Is it not so, Mrs. Bennet?”

“Yes, or I will never see her again.”

“An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.”

“What do you mean, Mr. Bennet, in talking in this way? You promised me to insist upon her marrying him.”

“My dear,”

“I have two small favours to request. First, that you will allow me the free use of my understanding on the present occasion; and secondly, of my room. I shall be glad to have the library to myself as soon as may be.”

to persuade her friend Lizzy to comply with the wishes of all her family.

“Pray do, my dear Miss Lucas,”

“for nobody is on my side, nobody takes part with me. I am cruelly used, nobody feels for my poor nerves.”

“Aye, there she comes,”

“looking as unconcerned as may be, and caring no more for us than if we were at York, provided she can have her own way. But I tell you, Miss Lizzy — if you take it into your head to go on refusing every offer of marriage in this way, you will never get a husband at all — and I am sure I do not know who is to maintain you when your father is dead. I shall not be able to keep you — and so I warn you. I have done with you from this very day. I told you in the library, you know, that I should never speak to you again, and you will find me as good as my word. I have no pleasure in talking to undutiful children. Not that I have much pleasure, indeed, in talking to anybody. People who suffer as I do from nervous complaints can have no great inclination for talking. Nobody can tell what I suffer! — But it is always so. Those who do not complain are never pitied.”

“Now, I do insist upon it, that you, all of you, hold your tongues, and let me and Mr. Collins have a little conversation together.”

“Oh! Mr. Collins!”

the ladies should happen to go away just as they were all getting so intimate together.

Mr. Bingley would be soon down again and soon dining at Longbourn,

though he had been invited only to a family dinner, she would take care to have two full courses.

whenever Mr. Collins should be in possession of the Longbourn estate, it would be highly expedient that both he and his wife should make their appearance at St. James's.

how happy they should be to see him at Longbourn again, whenever his other engagements might allow him to visit them.

“But is there not danger of Lady Catherine's disapprobation here, my good sir? You had better neglect your relations than run the risk of offending your patroness.”

“You cannot be too much upon your guard. Risk anything rather than her displeasure; and if you find it likely to be raised by your coming to us again, which I should think exceedingly probable, stay quietly at home, and be satisfied that we shall take no offence.”

he must be entirely mistaken;

begged leave to be positive as to the truth of his information,

In the first place,

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.

Elizabeth was the real cause of all the mischief;

she herself had been barbarously misused by them all;

it gratified him,