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Mr. Bennet s emotions were much more tranquil on the occasion; tor it gratified him, he said, to discover that Charlotte Lucas, whom he had been used to think tolerably sensible, was as foolish
as his wife, and more foolish than his daughter!
As for Elizabeth, she could hardly think on the matter without coming to tears, for she alone knew the sorrowful truth. She thought often of striking Charlotte down-of donning her Tabbi boots and
slipping into her bedchamber under cover of darkness, where she would mercifully end her friend s misery with the Panthers Kiss. But she had given her word, and her word was sacred. She would
not interfere with Charlotte s transformation.
Her grief for Charlotte made her turn with fonder regard to her sister, for whose happiness she grew daily more anxious, as Bingley had now been gone a week and nothing more was heard of
his return.
Jane had sent Caroline an early answer to her letter, and was counting the days till she might reasonably hope to hear again. The promised letter of thanks from Mr. Collins (whose journey had
been, against Elizabeth s hopes, unencumbered by zombies) arrived on Tuesday, addressed to their father, and written with all the solemnity of gratitude which a twelvemonth s abode in the family
might have prompted. After discharging his conscience on that head, he proceeded to inform them of his happiness in having obtained the affection of their amiable neighbour, Miss Lucas, and then
explained that it was merely with the view of enjoying her society that he had been so ready to close with their kind wish of seeing him again at Longbourn, whither he hoped to be able to return on
Monday fortnight; for Lady Catherine, he added, so heartily approved his marriage, that she wished it to take place as soon as possible, which he trusted would be an unanswerable argument with his
amiable Charlotte to name an early day for making him the happiest of men. Elizabeth could not help but feel for the poor fat fool; he had no idea what misery awaited.
Mr. Collins s return into Hertfordshire was no longer a matter of
pleasure to Mrs. Bennct. On the contrary, she was as much disposed to complain of it as her husband. It was very strange that he should come to Longbourn instead of to Lucas Lodge; it was
also very inconvenient and exceedingly troublesome. She hated having visitors in the house while her health was so indifferent, and lovers were of all people the most disagreeable. Such were the
gentle murmurs of Mrs. Bennet, and they gave way only to the greater distress of Mr. Bingley s continued absence. An hour seldom passed in which she did not talk of Bingley, express her impatience
for his arrival, or even require Jane to confess that if he did not come back she would think herself very ill used. It needed all Jane s training under Master Liu to bear these attacks with tolerable
tranquillity.
Mr. Collins returned most punctually on Monday fortnight, but his reception at Longbourn was not quite so gracious as it had been on his first introduction. He was too happy, however, to need
much attention; and luckily for the others, the business of love-making relieved them from a great deal of his company. The chief of every day was spent by him at Lucas Lodge, and he sometimes
returned to Longbourn only in time to make an apology for his absence before the family went to bed.
Mrs. Bennet was really in a most pitiable state. The very mention of anything concerning the match threw her into an agony of ill-humour, and wherever she went she was sure of hearing it talked
of. The sight of Miss Lucas was odious to her. As her successor in that house, she regarded her with jealous abhorrence. Whenever Charlotte came to see them, she concluded her to be anticipating
the hour of possession; and whenever she spoke in a low voice to Mr. Collins, was convinced that they were talking of the Longbourn estate, and resolving to turn herself and her daughters out of the
house, as soon as Mr. Bennet were dead. She complained bitterly of all this to her husband.
 Indeed, Mr. Bennet, said she,  it is very hard to think that Charlotte Lucas should ever be mistress of this house, that I should be forced to make way for her, and live to see her take her place in
it!
 My dear, do not give way to such gloomy thoughts. Let us hope lor better things. Let us flatter ourselves that Mr. Collins, who seems always eager to talk of Heaven, may be dispatched there by a
horde of zombies before I am dead.
Pride And Prejudice And Zombies
CHAPTER 24
MISS BINGLEY S LETTER ARRIVED, and put an end to doubt. The very first sentence conveyed the assurance of their being all settled in London for the winter, and concluded with her brother s [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]