Chapter 21

           ThediscussionofMr.Collins’sofferwasnownearlyatanend,andElizabethhadonlytosufferfromtheuncomfortablefeelingsnecessarilyattendingit,andoccasionallyfromsomepeevishallusionsofhermother. Asforthegentlemanhimself,hisfeelingswerechieflyexpressed,notbyembarrassmentordejection,orbytryingtoavoidher,butbystiffnessofmannerandresentfulsilence. Hescarcelyeverspoketoher,andtheassiduousattentionswhichhehadbeensosensibleofhimselfweretransferredfortherestofthedaytoMissLucas,whosecivilityinlisteningtohimwasaseasonablerelieftothemall,andespeciallytoherfriend. 

           ThemorrowproducednoabatementofMrs.Bennet’sill-humourorillhealth. Mr.Collinswasalsointhesamestateofangrypride. Elizabethhadhopedthathisresentmentmightshortenhisvisit,buthisplandidnotappearintheleastaffectedbyit. HewasalwaystohavegoneonSaturday,andtoSaturdayhemeanttostay. 

           Afterbreakfast,thegirlswalkedtoMerytontoinquireifMr.Wickhamwerereturned,andtolamentoverhisabsencefromtheNetherfieldball. Hejoinedthemontheirenteringthetown,andattendedthemtotheiraunt’swherehisregretandvexation,andtheconcernofeverybody,waswelltalkedover. ToElizabeth,however,hevoluntarilyacknowledgedthatthenecessityofhisabsencehadbeenself-imposed. 

           "Ifound,"saidhe,"asthetimedrewnearthatIhadbetternotmeetMr.Darcy; thattobeinthesameroom,thesamepartywithhimforsomanyhourstogether,mightbemorethanIcouldbear,andthatscenesmightariseunpleasanttomorethanmyself."