Chapter 17 89
" While I can have my mornings to myself ," said she , " it is enough--I think it is no sacrifice to join occasionally in evening engagements . Society has claims on us all ; and I profess myself one of those who consider intervals of recreation and amusement as desirable for everybody ."
Elizabeth ' s spirits were so high on this occasion , that though she did not often speak unnecessarily to Mr . Collins , she could not help asking him whether he intended to accept Mr . Bingley ' s invitation , and if he did , whether he would think it proper to join in the evening ' s amusement ; and she was rather surprised to find that he entertained no scruple whatever on that head , and was very far from dreading a rebuke either from the Archbishop , or Lady Catherine de Bourgh , by venturing to dance .
" I am by no means of the opinion , I assure you ," said he , " that a ball of this kind , given by a young man of character , to respectable people , can have any evil tendency ; and I am so far from objecting to dancing myself , that I shall hope to be honoured with the hands of all my fair cousins in the course of the evening ; and I take this opportunity of soliciting yours , Miss Elizabeth , for the two first dances especially , a preference which I trust my cousin Jane will attribute to the right cause , and not to any disrespect for her ."
Elizabeth felt herself completely taken in . She had fully proposed being engaged by Mr . Wickham for those very dances ; and to have Mr . Collins instead ! her liveliness had never been worse timed . There was no help for it , however . Mr . Wickham ' s happiness and her own were perforce delayed a little longer , and Mr . Collins ' s proposal accepted with as good a grace as she could . She was not the better pleased with his gallantry from the idea it suggested of something more . It now first struck her , that she was selected from among her sisters as worthy of being mistress of Hunsford Parsonage , and of assisting to form a quadrille table at Rosings , in the absence of more eligible visitors . The idea soon reached to conviction , as she observed his increasing civilities toward herself , and heard his frequent attempt at a compliment on her wit and vivacity ; and though more astonished than gratified herself by this effect of her charms , it was not long before her mother gave her to understand that the probability of their marriage was