第51章

After sitting a few minutes，they were all sent to one of the windows，to admire the view，Mr. Collins attending them to point out its beauties，and Lady Catherine kindly informing them that it was much better worth looking at in the summer.

The dinner was exceedingly handsome，and there were all the servants，and all the articles of plate which Mr. Collins had promised；and，as he had likewise foretold，he took his seat at the bottom of the table，by her ladyship's desire，and looked as if he felt that life could furnish nothing greater.—He carved，and ate，and praised with delighted alacrity；and every dish was commended，first by him，and then by Sir William，who was now enough recovered to echo whatever his son in law said，in a manner which Elizabeth wondered Lady Catherine could bear.But Lady Catherine seemed gratified by their excessive admiration，and gave most gracious smiles，especially when any dish on the table proved a novelty to them.The party did not supply much conversation.Elizabeth was ready to speak whenever there was an opening，but she was seated between Charlotte and Miss De Bourgh—the former of whom was engaged in listening to Lady Catherine，and the latter said not a word to her all dinner time.Mrs.Jenkinson was chiefly employed in watching how little Miss De Bourgh ate，pressing her to try someother dish，and fearing she were indisposed.Maria thought speaking out of the question，and the gentlemen did nothing but eat and admire.

When the ladies returned to the drawing room，there was little to be done but to hear Lady Catherine talk，which she did without any intermission till coffee came in，delivering her opinion on every subject in so decisive a manner as proved that she was not used to have her judgment controverted. She enquired into Charlotte's domestic concerns familiarly and minutely，and gave her a great deal of advice，as to the management of them all；told her how every thing ought to be regulated in so small a family as her's，and instructed her as to the care of her cows and her poultry.Elizabeth found that nothing was beneath this great Lady's attention，which could furnish her with an occasion of dictating to others.In the intervals of her discourse with Mrs.Collins，she addressed a variety of questions to Maria and Elizabeth，but especially to the latter，of whose connections she knew the least，and who she observed to Mrs.Collins，was a very genteel，pretty kind of girl.She asked her at different times，how many sisters she had，whether they were older or younger than herself，whether any of them were likely to be married，whether they were handsome，where they had been educated，what carriage her father kept，and what had been her mother's maiden name？—Elizabeth felt all the impertinence of her questions，but answered them very composedly.—Lady Catherine then observed，

'Your father's estate is entailed on Mr. Collins，I think.For your sake，'turning to Charlotte，'I am glad of it；but otherwise I see no occasion for entailing estates from the female line.—It was not thought necessary in Sir Lewis de Bourgh's family.—Do you playand sing，Miss Bennet？'

'A little.'

'Oh！Then—some time or other we shall be happy to hear you. Our instrument is a capital one，probably superior to—You shall try it some day.—Do your sisters play and sing？'

'One of them does.'

'Why did not you all learn？—You ought all to have learned. The Miss Webbs all play，and their father has not so good an income as your's.—Do you draw？'

'No，not at all.'

'What，none of you？'

'Not one.'

'That is very strange. But I suppose you had no opportunity.Your mother should have taken you to town every spring for the benefit of masters.'

'My mother would have had no objection，but my father hates London.'

'Has your governess left you？'

'We never had any governess.'

'No governess！How was that possible？Five daughters brought up at home without a governess！—I never heard of such a thing. Your mother must have been quite a slave to your education.'

Elizabeth could hardly help smiling，as she assured her that had not been the case.

'Then，who taught you？who attended to you？Without a governess you must have been neglected.'

'Compared with some families，I believe we were；but such of us as wished to learn，never wanted the means. We were always encouraged to read，and had all the masters that were necessary.Those who chose to be idle，certainly might.'

'Aye，no doubt；but that is what a governess will prevent，and if I had known your mother，I should have advised her most strenuously to engage one. I always say that nothing is to be done in education without steady and regular instruction，and nobody but a governess can give it.It is wonderful how many families I have been the means of supplying in that way.I am always glad to get a young person well placed out.Four nieces of Mrs.Jenkinson are most delightfully situated through my means；and it was but the other day，that I recommended another young person，who was merely accidentally mentioned to me，and the family are quite delighted with her.Mrs.Collins，did I tell you of Lady Metcalfe's calling yesterday to thank me？She finds Miss Pope a treasure.“Lady Catherine，”said she，“you have given me a treasure.”Are any of your younger sisters out，Miss Bennet？'

'Yes，Ma'am，all.'

'All！—What，all five out at once？Very odd！—And you only the second.—The younger ones out before the elder are married！—Your younger sisters must be very young？'

'Yes，my youngest is not sixteen. Perhaps she is full young to be much in company.But really，Ma'am，I think it would be very hard upon younger sisters，that they should not have their share of society and amusement because the elder may not have the means or inclination to marry early.—The last born has as good a right to the pleasures of youth，as the first.And to be kept back on such a motive！—I think it would not be very likely to promote sisterly affection or delicacy of mind.'