Chapter 16

           Asnoobjectionwasmadetotheyoungpeople’sengagementwiththeiraunt,andallMr.Collins’sscruplesofleavingMr.andMrs.Bennetforasingleeveningduringhisvisitweremoststeadilyresisted,thecoachconveyedhimandhisfivecousinsatasuitablehourtoMeryton; andthegirlshadthepleasureofhearing,astheyenteredthedrawing-room,thatMr.Wickhamhadacceptedtheiruncle’sinvitation,andwastheninthehouse. 

           Whenthisinformationwasgiven,andtheyhadalltakentheirseats,Mr.Collinswasatleisuretolookaroundhimandadmire, andhewassomuchstruckwiththesizeandfurnitureoftheapartment,thathedeclaredhemightalmosthavesupposedhimselfinthesmallsummerbreakfastparlouratRosings; acomparisonthatdidnotatfirstconveymuchgratification; butwhenMrs.PhillipsunderstoodfromhimwhatRosingswas,andwhowasitsproprietor—whenshehadlistenedtothedescriptionofonlyoneofLadyCatherine’sdrawing-rooms,andfoundthatthechimney-piecealonehadcosteighthundredpounds,shefeltalltheforceofthecompliment,andwouldhardlyhaveresentedacomparisonwiththehousekeeper’sroom. 

           IndescribingtoherallthegrandeurofLadyCatherineandhermansion,withoccasionaldigressionsinpraiseofhisownhumbleabode,andtheimprovementsitwasreceiving,hewashappilyemployeduntilthegentlemenjoinedthem; andhefoundinMrs.Phillipsaveryattentivelistener,whoseopinionofhisconsequenceincreasedwithwhatsheheard,andwhowasresolvingtoretailitallamongherneighboursassoonasshecould. Tothegirls,whocouldnotlistentotheircousin,andwhohadnothingtodobuttowishforaninstrument,andexaminetheirownindifferentimitationsofchinaonthemantelpiece,theintervalofwaitingappearedverylong.