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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 play
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and 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。
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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。’
‘Upon my word；’ said her Ladyship； ‘you give your opinion very
decidedly for so young a person。—Pray； what is your age？’
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‘With three younger sisters grown up；’ replied Elizabeth
smiling； ‘your Ladyship can hardly expect me to own it。’
Lady Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a
direct answer； and Elizabeth suspected herself to be the first
creature who had ever dared to trifle with so much dignified
impertinence！
‘You cannot be more than twenty； I am sure；—therefore you
need not conceal your age。’
‘I am not one and twenty。’
When the gentlemen had joined them； and tea was over； the
card tables were placed。 Lady Catherine； Sir William； and Mr。 and
Mrs。 Collins sat down to quadrille； and as Miss De Bourgh chose
to play at cassino； the two girls had the honour of assisting Mrs。
Jenkinson to make up her party。 Their table was superlatively
stupid。 Scarcely a syllable was uttered that did not relate to the
game； except when Mrs。 Jenkinson expressed her fears of Miss De
Bourgh’s being too hot or too cold； or having too much or too little
light。 A great deal more passed at the other table。 Lady Catherine
was generally speaking—stating the mistakes of the three others；
or relating some anecdote of herself。 Mr。 Collins was employed in
agreeing to every thing her Ladyship said； thanking her for every
fish he won； and apologising if he thought he won too many。 Sir
William did not say much。 He was storing his memory with
anecdotes and noble names。
When Lady Catherine and her daughter had played as long as
they chose； the tables were broke up； the carriage was offered to
Mrs。 Collins； gratefully accepted； and immediately ordered。 The
party then gathered round the fire to hear Lady Catherine
determine what weather they were to have on the morrow。 From
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these instructions they were summoned by the arrival of the
coach； and with many speeches of thankfulness on Mr。 Collins’s
side； and as many bows on Sir William’s； they departed。 As soon as
they had driven from the door； Elizabeth was called on by her
cousin； to give her opinion of all that she had seen at Rosings；
which； for Charlotte’s sake； she made more favourable than it
really was。 But her commendation； though costing her some
trouble； could by no means satisfy Mr。 Collins； and he was very
soon obliged to take her Ladyship’s praise into his own hands。
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CHAPTER VII
ir William staid only a week at Hunsford； but his visit was
long enough to convince him of his daughter’s being most
S
comfortably settled； and of her possessing such a husband
and such a neighbour as were not often met with。 While Sir
William was with them； Mr。 Collins devoted his mornings to
driving him out in his gig； and shewing him the country but when
he went away； the whole family returned to their usual
employments； and Elizabeth was thankful to find that they did not
see more of her cousin by the alteration； for the chief of the time
between breakfast and dinner was now passed by him either at
work in the garden； or in reading and writing； and looking out of
window in his own book room； which fronted the road。 The room
in which the ladies sat was backwards。 Elizabeth at first had
rather wondered that Charlotte should not prefer the dining
parlour for common use； it was a better sized room； and had a
pleasanter aspect； but she soon saw that her friend had an
excellent reason for what she did； for Mr。 Collins would
undoubtedly have been much l