Chapter 18 100
lips the words " apology ," " Hunsford ," and " Lady Catherine de Bourgh ." It vexed her to see him expose himself to such a man . Mr . Darcy was eyeing him with unrestrained wonder , and when at last Mr . Collins allowed him time to speak , replied with an air of distant civility . Mr . Collins , however , was not discouraged from speaking again , and Mr . Darcy ' s contempt seemed abundantly increasing with the length of his second speech , and at the end of it he only made him a slight bow , and moved another way . Mr . Collins then returned to Elizabeth .
" I have no reason , I assure you ," said he , " to be dissatisfied with my reception . Mr . Darcy seemed much pleased with the attention . He answered me with the utmost civility , and even paid me the compliment of saying that he was so well convinced of Lady Catherine ' s discernment as to be certain she could never bestow a favour unworthily . It was really a very handsome thought . Upon the whole , I am much pleased with him ."
As Elizabeth had no longer any interest of her own to pursue , she turned her attention almost entirely on her sister and Mr . Bingley ; and the train of agreeable reflections which her observations gave birth to , made her perhaps almost as happy as Jane . She saw her in idea settled in that very house , in all the felicity which a marriage of true affection could bestow ; and she felt capable , under such circumstances , of endeavouring even to like Bingley ' s two sisters . Her mother ' s thoughts she plainly saw were bent the same way , and she determined not to venture near her , lest she might hear too much . When they sat down to supper , therefore , she considered it a most unlucky perverseness which placed them within one of each other ; and deeply was she vexed to find that her mother was talking to that one person ( Lady Lucas ) freely , openly , and of nothing else but her expectation that Jane would soon be married to Mr . Bingley . It was an animating subject , and Mrs . Bennet seemed incapable of fatigue while enumerating the advantages of the match . His being such a charming young man , and so rich , and living but three miles from them , were the first points of self-gratulation ; and then it was such a comfort to think how fond the two sisters were of Jane , and to be certain that they must desire the connection as much as she could do . It was , moreover , such a promising thing for her younger daughters , as Jane ' s marrying so greatly must throw them in the