Гордість і упередження

           Thestupiditywithwhichhewasfavouredbynaturemustguardhiscourtshipfromanycharmthatcouldmakeawomanwishforitscontinuance; andMissLucas,whoacceptedhimsolelyfromthepureanddisinteresteddesireofanestablishment,carednothowsoonthatestablishmentweregained. 

           SirWilliamandLadyLucaswerespeedilyappliedtofortheirconsent;anditwasbestowedwithamostjoyfulalacrity. Mr.Collins’spresentcircumstancesmadeitamosteligiblematchfortheirdaughter,towhomtheycouldgivelittlefortune;andhisprospectsoffuturewealthwereexceedinglyfair. LadyLucasbegandirectlytocalculate,withmoreinterestthanthematterhadeverexcitedbefore,howmanyyearslongerMr.Bennetwaslikelytolive;andSirWilliamgaveitashisdecidedopinion,thatwheneverMr.CollinsshouldbeinpossessionoftheLongbournestate,itwouldbehighlyexpedientthatbothheandhiswifeshouldmaketheirappearanceatSt.James’s. Thewholefamily,inshort,wereproperlyoverjoyedontheoccasion. Theyoungergirlsformedhopesofcomingoutayearortwosoonerthantheymightotherwisehavedone;andtheboyswererelievedfromtheirapprehensionofCharlotte’sdyinganoldmaid. Charlotteherselfwastolerablycomposed. Shehadgainedherpoint,andhadtimetoconsiderofit. Herreflectionswereingeneralsatisfactory. Mr.Collins,tobesure,wasneithersensiblenoragreeable;hissocietywasirksome,andhisattachmenttohermustbeimaginary. Butstillhewouldbeherhusband. Withoutthinkinghighlyeitherofmenormatrimony,marriagehadalwaysbeenherobject;itwastheonlyprovisionforwell-educatedyoungwomenofsmallfortune,andhoweveruncertainofgivinghappiness,mustbetheirpleasantestpreservativefromwant. Thispreservativeshehadnowobtained;andattheageoftwenty-seven,withouthavingeverbeenhandsome,shefeltallthegoodluckofit. TheleastagreeablecircumstanceinthebusinesswasthesurpriseitmustoccasiontoElizabethBennet,whosefriendshipshevaluedbeyondthatofanyotherperson.