Mrs Bennet was really in a most pitiable state.The very mention of any thing concerning the match threw her into an agony of ill humour,and wherever she went she was sure of hearing it talked of.The sight of Miss Lucas was odious to her.As her successor in that house,she regarded her with jealous abhorrence.Whenever Charlotte came to see them she concluded her to be anticipating the hour of possession;and whenever she spoke in a low voice to Mr Collins,was convinced that they were talking of the Longbourn estate,and resolving to turn herself and her daughters out of the house as soon as Mr Bennet were dead.She complained bitterly of all this to her husband.
‘Indeed,Mr Bennet,’said she,‘it is very hard to think that Charlotte Lucas should ever be mistress of this house,that I should be forced to make way for her,and live to see her take my place in it!’
‘My dear,do not give way to such gloomy thoughts.Let us hope for better things.Let us flatter ourselves that I may be the survivor.’
This was not very consoling to Mrs Bennet,and,therefore,instead of making any answer,she went on as before.
‘I cannot bear to think that they should have all this estate.If it was not for the entail I should not mind it.’
‘What should not you mind?’
‘I should not mind any thing at all.’
‘Let us be thankful that you are preserved from a state of such insensibility.’
‘I never can be thankful,Mr Bennet,for any thing about the entail.How any one could have the conscience to entail away an estate from one's own daughters I cannot understand;and all for the sake of Mr Collins too!-Why should he have it more than anybody else?’
‘I leave it to yourself to determine,’said Mr Bennet.
Chapter 24
Miss Bingley's letter arrived,and put an end to doubt.The very first sentence conveyed the assurance of their being all settled in London for the winter,and concluded with her brother's regret at not having had time to pay his respects to his friends in Hertfordshire before he left the country.
Hope was over,entirely over;and when Jane could attend to the rest of the letter,she found little,except the professed affection of the writer,that could give her any comfort.Miss Darcy's praise occupied the chief of it.Her many attractions were again dwelt on,and Caroline boasted joyfully of their increasing intimacy,and ventured to predict the accomplishment of the wishes which had been unfolded in her former letter.She wrote also with great pleasure of her brother's being an inmate of Mr Darcy's house,and mentioned with raptures some plans of the latter with regard to new furniture.Elizabeth,to whom Jane very soon communicated the chief of all this,heard it in silent indignation.Her heart was divided between concern for her sister,and resentment against all the others.To Caroline's assertion of her brother's being partial to Miss Darcy she paid no credit.That he was really fond of Jane,she doubted no more than she had ever done;and much as she had always been disposed to like him,she could not think without anger,hardly without contempt,on that easiness of temper,that want of proper resolution which now made him the slave of his designing friends,and led him to sacrifice his own happiness to the caprice of their inclinations.Had his own happiness,however,been the only sacrifice,he might have been allowed to sport with it in what ever manner he thought best;but her sister's was involved in it,as,she thought，he must be sensible himself.It was a subject,in short,on which reflection would be long indulged,and must be unavailing.She could think of nothing else;and yet whether Bingley's regard had really died away,or were suppressed by his friends'interference;whether he had been aware of Jane's attachment,or whether it had escaped his observation;whichever were the case,though her opinion of him must be materially affected by the difference,her sister's situation remained the same,her peace equally wounded.
A day or two passed before Jane had courage to speak of her feelings to Elizabeth;but at last on Mrs Bennet's leaving them together,after a longer irritation than usual about Netherfield and its master,she could not help saying,
‘Oh!that my dear mother had more command over herself;she can have no idea of the pain she gives me by her continual reflections on him.But I will not repine.It cannot last long.He will be forgot,and we shall all be as we were before.’
Elizabeth looked at her sister with incredulous solicitude,but said nothing.
‘You doubt me,’cried Jane,slightly colouring;‘indeed you have no reason.He may live in my memory as the most amiable man of my acquaintance,but that is all.I have nothing either to hope or fear,and nothing to reproach him with.Thank God!I have not that pain.A little time therefore.-I shall certainly try to get the better-’
With a stronger voice she soon added,‘I have this comfort immediately,that it has not been more than an error of fancy on my side,and that it has done no harm to any one but myself.’
‘My dear Jane!’exclaimed Elizabeth,‘you are too good.Your sweetness and disinterestedness are really angelic;I do not know what to say to you.I feel as if I had never done you justice,or loved you as you deserve.’
Miss Bennet eagerly disclaimed all extraordinary merit,and threw back the praise on her sister's warm affection.