Chapter 15 73
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 forgotten ; 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 always sure of leisure and tranquillity ; and though prepared , as he told Elizabeth , to meet with folly and conceit in every other room of the house , he was used to be free from them there ; his civility , therefore , was most prompt in inviting Mr . Collins to join his daughters in their walk ; and Mr . Collins , being in fact much better fitted for a walker than a reader , was extremely pleased to close his large book , and go .
In pompous nothings on his side , and civil assents on that of his cousins , their time passed till they entered Meryton . The attention of the younger ones was then no longer to be gained by him . Their eyes were immediately wandering up in the street in quest of the officers , and nothing less than a very smart bonnet indeed , or a really new muslin in a shop window , could recall them .
But the attention of every lady was soon caught by a young man , whom they had never seen before , of most gentlemanlike appearance , walking with another officer on the other side of the way . The officer was the very