Jane Austen; Seth Grahame Smith Pr

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Pride And Prejudice And Zombies
CHAPTER 19
THE NEXT DAY opened a new scene at Longbourn. Mr. Collins made his declaration in form. On finding Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, and one of the younger girls together, soon after breakfast, he
addressed the mother in these words:
May I hope, madam, for your interest with your fair daughter Elizabeth, when I solicit for the honour of a private audience with her in the course of this morning?
Before Elizabeth had time for anything but a blush of surprise, Mrs.
Bennet answered instantly, Oh dear! Yes-certainly. I am sure Lizzy will be very happy-I am sure she can have no objection. Come, Kitty, I want you upstairs. And, gathering her work together, she
was hastening away, when Elizabeth called out:
Dear madam, do not go. I beg you will not go. Mr. Collins must excuse me. He can have nothing to say to me that anybody need not hear. I am going away myself.
No, no, nonsense, Lizzy. 1 desire you to stay where you are. And upon Elizabeth s seeming really, with vexed and embarrassed looks, about to escape, she added: Lizzy, I insist upon your
staying and hearing Mr. Collins.
Mrs. Bennet and Kitty walked off, and as soon as they were gone, Mr. Collins began.
Believe me, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that your modesty adds to your other perfections.You would have been less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness; but allow me to
assure you, that I have your respected mother s permission for this address. You can hardly doubt the purport of my discourse, for however preoccupied you might be with hastening the Devil s
retreat-for which I earnestly applaud you-my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken. Almost as soon as I entered the house, I singled you out as the companion of my future life. But before I
am run away with by my feelings on this subject, perhaps it would 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.
The idea of Mr. Collins, with all his solemn composure, being run away with by his feelings, made Elizabeth so near laughing, that she could not use the short pause he allowed in any attempt to
stop him further, and he continued:
My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman to set the example of matrimony in his parish. Secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my
happiness;
and thirdly, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness. It was but the very Saturday night before I left Hunsford that she
said, Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. Choose properly, choose a gentlewoman for my sake; and for your 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. This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will visit her. Allow me, by the way, to observe, my fair
cousin, that I do not reckon the notice and kindness of Lady Catherine de Bourgh as among the least of the advantages in my power to offer. You will find her powers of combat beyond anything I can
describe; and your own talents in slaying the stricken, I think, must be acceptable to her, though naturally, I will require you to retire them as part of your marital submission.
It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now.
You are too hasty, sir, she cried. You forget that I have made no answer. Let me do it without further loss of time. Accept my thanks for the compliment you are paying me. I am very sensible of
the honour of your proposals, but it is impossible for me to do otherwise than to decline them.
I am not now to learn, replied Mr. Collins, that it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept, when he first applies for their favour; and that
sometimes the refusal is repeated a second, or even a third time. I am therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just said, and shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long.
You forget, sir, that I am a student of Shaolin! Master of the seven-starred fist! I am perfectly serious in my refusal.You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in
the world who could make you so. Nay, were your friend Lady Catherine to know me, I am persuaded she would find me in every respect ill qualified for the situation, for I am a warrior, sir, and shall be
until my last breath is
offered to God. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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