Chapter 13 66
" He must be an oddity , I think ," said she . " I cannot make him out . --There is something very pompous in his style . --And what can he mean by apologising for being next in the entail ? --We cannot suppose he would help it if he could . --Could he be a sensible man , sir ?"
" No , my dear , I think not . I have great hopes of finding him quite the reverse . There is a mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter , which promises well . I am impatient to see him ."
" In point of composition ," said Mary , " the letter does not seem defective . The idea of the olive-branch perhaps is not wholly new , yet I think it is well expressed ."
To Catherine and Lydia , neither the letter nor its writer were in any degree interesting . It was next to impossible that their cousin should come in a scarlet coat , and it was now some weeks since they had received pleasure from the society of a man in any other colour . As for their mother , Mr . Collins ' s letter had done away much of her ill-will , and she was preparing to see him with a degree of composure which astonished her husband and daughters .
Mr . Collins was punctual to his time , and was received with great politeness by the whole family . Mr . Bennet indeed said little ; but the ladies were ready enough to talk , and Mr . Collins seemed neither in need of encouragement , nor inclined to be silent himself . He was a tall , heavy-looking young man of five-and-twenty . His air was grave and stately , and his manners were very formal . He had not been long seated before he complimented Mrs . Bennet on having so fine a family of daughters ; said he had heard much of their beauty , but that in this instance fame had fallen short of the truth ; and added , that he did not doubt her seeing them all in due time disposed of in marriage . This gallantry was not much to the taste of some of his hearers ; but Mrs . Bennet , who quarreled with no compliments , answered most readily .
" You are very kind , I am sure ; and I wish with all my heart it may prove so , for else they will be destitute enough . Things are settled so oddly ."