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The Proposal
The Reverend William
Collins of Hunsford paced the grounds of Longbourn in the early
hours of the day. He was a tall, heavy looking young man of five
and twenty. His air was grave and stately, and his manners were
very formal. Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and this deficiency
of nature had been but little assisted by education or society;
the greatest part of his life having been spent under the guidance
of an illiterate and miserly father; and though he belonged to
one of the universities, he had merely kept the necessary terms,
without forming at it any useful acquaintance. The subjection
in which his father had brought him up had given him originally
great humility of manner, but it was now a good deal counteracted
by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in retirement, and
the consequential feelings of early and unexpected prosperity.
A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de Bourgh
when the living of Hunsford was vacant; and the respect which
he felt for her high rank and his veneration for her as his patroness,
mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority
as a clergyman, and his rights as a rector, made him altogether
a mixture of pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.
Having now a good
house and very sufficient income, he intended to marry; and in
seeking a reconciliation with the Longbourn family he had a wife
in view, as he meant to chose one of the daughters, if he found
them as handsome and amiable as they were represented by common
report. This was his plan of amends - of atonement - for inheriting
their father's estate; and he thought it an excellent one, full
of eligibility and suitableness, and excessively generous and
disinterested on his own part.
His plan did not
vary on seeing them. Miss Bennet's lovely face confirmed his
views, and established all his strictest notions of what was
due to seniority; and for the first evening she was his settled
choice. The next morning, however, made an alteration; for in
a quarter of an hour's tête-à-tête with Mrs.
Bennet before breakfast, a conversation beginning with his parsonage-house,
and leading naturally to the avowal of his hopes that a mistress
for it might be found at Longbourn, produced from her, amid very
complaisant smiles and general encouragement, a caution against
the very Jane he had fixed on. As to her younger daughters she
could not take upon herself to say - she could not positively
answer - but she did not know of 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
- while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire. Elizabeth, equally
next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded her of course.
Now, after his marvelous
success at the ball at Netherfield - where he had made the acquaintance
of the nephew of his most esteemed patroness - he was steeling
himself to make his declaration in form. There was no time to
waste - his leave of absence extended only to the following Saturday.
As was his want, he was practicing his suit: "'My dear Cousin
Elizabeth…' Is that too flowerily? No… 'My dear Cousin
Elizabeth, almost as soon as I entered the house I singled you
out as the…companion of my future life.' Yes, yes…that
is well. 'But before I am…I am…' Hmm… '…run
away with by my feelings…' Yes! '…on this subject,
perhaps it will be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying
- and moreover for coming into Hertfordshire with the design
of selecting a wife, as I certainly did.' Yes - I should make
clear to her my reasons for marring, as well as how my choice
must most agreeably settle the concerns of the Bennet family."
It was not true
that Mr. Collins did not have some small misgivings on the prospect
of matrimony. Not for himself - he prided himself on the quality
of his abode in Hunsford, so improved by the attentions of his
most exalted patroness. Surly no lady could not but be overjoyed
at the prospect of such a household! However, Lady Catherine
had advised him to choose properly - choose a gentlewoman for
her sake; and for his own, let her be an active, useful sort
of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income
go a good way. He was not impressed with the manner that Mrs.
Bennet kept house, though it was a pleasant surprise that they
did have servants.
Elizabeth Bennet
was a very lovely woman, with sparkling eyes, an agreeable smile
and quite the lush form - Stop it! Beauty is only skin deep,
and I should not be temped by the ways of the flesh! But
her mode of expressing herself was worrisome. Her wit and
vivacity I think must be acceptable to Lady Catherine, especially
when tempered with the silence and respect which her rank will
inevitably excite. Yes, Cousin Elizabeth must know that rank
is important…
His musings were
interrupted by a movement out the small bit of wilderness near
the house.
~~~~}+{~~~~
Mary Frances Bennet
was walking from the bit of wood near Longbourn, reading her
copy of Fordyce's Sermons. She was trying to keep her
mind off the apparent romantic successes of her two eldest sisters.
While Mary was no expert in the ways of the heart, no-one with
two eyes could mistake the admiration Mr. Bingley held for Jane.
And it was becoming certain that Mr. Collins would settle on
Lizzy.
To say that Mary
Bennet was conflicted would be an understatement. Her life-long
study of matters spiritual had only partly offset the fact she
was Fanny Bennet's daughter. She longed for the attentions of
a man - a good, righteous man, of course - as much as any of
her sisters. But who could compete with the beauty of Jane or
the wit of Lizzy? Mary might as well as have been wallpaper.
So she lost herself in music and reading, waiting for the day
God would reward His servant.
Today was that day
- but God works in mysterious ways.
So engrossed in
her book, Mary never saw the tree root - but her foot did not
miss it. The only fortunate result of her subsequent fall into
a mud puddle was that her book remained undamaged. Carefully
rising from the muck, Mary quickly made her way to the rear of
the house, where Mrs. Hill was hanging the laundry.
"Oh, Miss Mary!
Look at your dress! You poor dear! And breakfast is just served!"
Mary hated being
late for breakfast - her mother was quietest early in the day.
"Oh, Hill, I must quickly go change…"
The housekeeper
stopped her with a smile. "Oh, Miss, that is not necessary.
Do I not have a nice clean gown for you here? Come - no-one is
about - out of your things."
"Hill! Outside
- do I dare?"
"Enough of
that! Let me help you…"
~~~~}+{~~~~
Mr. Collins pulled
himself back behind the tree, holding his hands over his eyes.
Surely he would burn for spying on his cousin! He silently berated
himself as he waited for the ladies to return to the house. Minutes
later, he peeked around the tree to find he was quite alone.
A very abashed clergyman made his way into house. Tried as he
might, however, he could not get the image out of his mind -
Cousin Mary, standing in just her shift, waiting for the maid
to exchange her dress.
The Bennet family
was relived that it was an unusually quiet Mr. Collins that joined
them for breakfast. Mrs. Bennet went on and on about how fine
Jane would be as Mistress of Netherfield. Jane sat embarrassed
and Elizabeth was mortified for her. Kitty and Lydia were giggling
at their latest plans for meeting officers. Only Mary noticed
that Mr. Collins seemed out of sorts.
As the toast was
passed to Collins his eyes caught those of his young cousin.
Turning red with remembrance - who knew what a fine full figure
she hid under those dresses of hers! - Collins contemplated
his intentions. He glanced at Elizabeth. Yes, she is lovely
- almost as beautiful as the eldest. But she would she make Lady
Catherine happy? He had, in his brief time at Longbourn,
wished that Elizabeth had shown the piety exhibited by her younger
sister. But Collins was a man, and would prefer a pretty face
over one that was not. But his misadventure that morning had
given him pause. He had to admit to himself that Miss Mary was
agreeable - yes, very agreeable indeed. It would not
do the declare myself to Miss Elizabeth until I know Miss Mary
better, he decided.
As breakfast ended,
Collins turned to the young lady. "Miss Mary, might I enquire
if you would be agreeable to a discussion of some of the views
of Mr. Fordyce?"
Mary blinked. He
was talking to her? "That…that would be delightful,
Mr. Collins."
~~~~}+{~~~~
The next day he
successfully proposed, and so begins our story…
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