伊丽莎白正和母亲、姐妹坐在一起，回想刚才听到的话，犹豫自己是否有权说出来，这时威廉·卢卡斯爵士亲自来了，是他女儿派来向全家宣布订婚消息的。他向她们说了许多恭维话，又对两家人结成亲戚大为自得，然后才把事情说明白——听的人不仅惊讶，简直不肯相信；贝内特太太虽然礼貌欠周，固执劲儿却十足，一口咬定他必定完全弄错了；而莉迪亚向来口无遮拦，常常还失礼，这会儿竟大嗓门叫道：
“天哪！威廉爵士，您怎么能编出这种话来？您难道不知道柯林斯先生要娶莉齐吗？”
若不是朝臣般温顺的涵养，这样的对待岂能不恼？可威廉爵士的好教养帮他撑了过来；他虽请准自己认定消息无误，却以极能容人的客气听着她们所有无礼的话。
伊丽莎白觉得有责任替他解围，便挺身证实他的话，说夏洛特本人早先已告诉过她。她竭力用向威廉爵士诚恳道喜（简也马上跟着她）来止住母亲和姐妹的叫嚷，又左一句右一句地说这门亲事可望如何美满、柯林斯先生人品如何好、亨斯福德离伦敦又如何近便。
其实威廉爵士在的时候，贝内特太太给压得说不出多少话；他一走，她的情绪立刻找到了出口。第一，她坚称整件事都不可信；第二，她十分肯定柯林斯先生上了当；第三，她断定他们绝不会幸福；第四，她盼着亲事吹掉。不过，从整件事里分明得出两条推论：一是伊丽莎白惹了所有祸根；二是她自己叫他们全家人粗暴对待；这一天剩下的时光，她主要就唠叨这两点。什么也安慰不了她，什么也平不了她的气。那天也没消掉她的怨。过一个星期，她见伊丽莎白才不骂；过一个月，她对威廉爵士或卢卡斯太太说话才不失礼；好几个月过去，她才勉强原谅他们的女儿。
贝内特先生这回情绪平静得多，他这点感受，自称是再痛快没有的；因为他说，发现向来以为还明白的夏洛特·卢卡斯，竟和他太太一样蠢，比他女儿还蠢，真叫他开心！
简承认对这门亲事有点意外，但比起惊讶，她说得更多的是衷心祝他们幸福；伊丽莎白也说不动她认为这事不可能。基蒂和莉迪亚一点不羡慕卢卡斯小姐，因为柯林斯先生不过是个牧师；这事对她们，无非是桩可去梅里顿传的闲话。
卢卡斯太太见能反过来安慰贝内特太太：有个女儿好歹嫁得好，自是得意；她来朗伯恩比往常勤了些，来说自己多高兴，尽管贝内特太太的酸脸和刻薄话，本足够把高兴赶跑。
伊丽莎白和夏洛特之间有了拘束，两人都不再提这事；伊丽莎白深信，她们之间再不会有真正的推心置腹。她对夏洛特的失望，叫她更亲厚地转向妹妹，妹妹的正直和细致她确信永不动摇，而妹妹的幸福她一天比一天焦虑，因为宾利走已一星期，没半点他回来的音信。
简早回了卡罗琳的信，正一天天数着，盼能再收到回音。柯林斯先生许下的谢信周二到了，写给她们父亲，满纸都是住了一年才该有的郑重感激。良心交待完毕，他便狂喜地告诉他们，得了一位可亲邻居卢卡斯小姐的芳心，何等幸福；再说明，他所以爽快答应再来朗伯恩的好意，无非为亲近她，盼两礼拜后周一能回来；因为（他补说）凯瑟琳夫人十分赞他的婚事，愿愈快愈好，他信这足以叫可亲的夏洛特定个早日使他最幸福的日子。
柯林斯先生回赫特福德郡，贝内特太太再不觉得可喜。相反，她倒和她丈夫一样爱抱怨。真怪，他竟来朗伯恩，不来卢卡斯 Lodge；又不便，又麻烦。她身子正不爽，最恨家里来客，而情人偏是最讨嫌的客。贝内特太太就这么柔声嘟囔，只等宾利先生老不回来，才让位给更大的烦恼。
简和伊丽莎白对这事都不安心。一天天过去，除梅里顿不久传开说他一冬不来尼德菲尔德，再无他信；这传言叫贝内特太太大怒，她总驳作最无耻的谎话。
连伊丽莎白也开始怕了——不是怕宾利无情——是怕他姐妹真能拦住他。她本不肯认这念头，既毁简的幸福，又辱恋人的坚定，却禁不住常浮上来。他那两个无情的姐妹，加上压人的朋友，再有达西小姐的吸引、伦敦的玩乐帮衬，她怕，只怕胜不过他情分的坚。
至于简，这悬望中的焦心自然比伊丽莎白更苦；但她不论感受都愿藏着；因此和伊丽莎白之间，从不提这事。可她母亲没这细心，少有一刻不谈宾利、不显盼他来，甚至逼简认：他若不来，她便觉得自己太委屈。全靠简一贯的温和，才勉强安静受这些攻讦。
柯林斯先生两礼拜后周一极准时回来，但在朗伯恩的迎接，却不比初来时客气。他却太高兴，不需多顾；别人也走运，他谈情说爱，省下许多陪他的工夫。他每天大半天在卢卡斯 Lodge，有时回朗伯恩，刚赶在全家安歇前赔句失陪。
[插图：
“_每当她低声说话_”
]
贝内特太太真在极可怜的境地。一提亲事任何事，她便坏脾气发作；无论去哪，准听人谈。卢卡斯小姐的影儿她见了就厌。当作这家的接替人，她带妒嫌恶。夏洛特一来，她便断定在盼接手；她每和柯林斯先生低语，便信在谈朗伯恩产业，盘算贝内特先生一死就赶她母女出门。她苦诉丈夫。
“说真的，贝内特先生，”她说，“一想夏洛特·卢卡斯要做这家的主妇，_我_得给她让位，活见她占我的地方，太难受！”
“亲爱的，别这么灰。盼好些吧。宽慰自己，_我_或许活得久。”
这话贝内特太太不宽心；因此不答，只管说下去。
“我不能受他们得这全部产业。若不是限嗣，我倒不介意。”
“什么你不介意？”
“我什么都不介意。”
“谢天谢地，你没到这么没心没肺。”
“我永谢不了，贝内特先生，限嗣的什么。谁狠心把产业从亲女儿手里限走，我不懂；还全为柯林斯先生！凭什么_他_比谁都该得？”
“你自己定吧。”贝内特先生说。
Elizabeth was sitting with her mother and sisters, reflecting on what
she had heard, and doubting whether she was authorized to mention it,
when Sir William Lucas himself appeared, sent by his daughter to
announce her engagement to the family. With many compliments to them,
and much self-gratulation on the prospect of a connection between the
houses, he unfolded the matter,--to an audience not merely wondering,
but incredulous; for Mrs. Bennet, with more perseverance than
politeness, protested he must be entirely mistaken; and Lydia, always
unguarded and often uncivil, boisterously exclaimed,--
“Good Lord! Sir William, how can you tell such a story? Do not you know
that Mr. Collins wants to marry Lizzy?”
Nothing less than the complaisance of a courtier could have borne
without anger such treatment: but Sir William’s good-breeding carried
him through it all; and though he begged leave to be positive as to the
truth of his information, he listened to all their impertinence with the
most forbearing courtesy.
Elizabeth, feeling it incumbent on her to relieve him from so unpleasant
a situation, now put herself forward to confirm his account, by
mentioning her prior knowledge of it from Charlotte herself; and
endeavoured to put a stop to the exclamations of her mother and sisters,
by the earnestness of her congratulations to Sir William, in which she
was readily joined by Jane, and by making a variety of remarks on the
happiness that might be expected from the match, the excellent character
of Mr. Collins, and the convenient distance of Hunsford from London.
Mrs. Bennet was, in fact, too much overpowered to say a great deal while
Sir William remained; but no sooner had he left them than her feelings
found a rapid vent. In the first place, she persisted in disbelieving
the whole of the matter; secondly, she was very sure that Mr. Collins
had been taken in; thirdly, she trusted that they would never be happy
together; and, fourthly, that the match might be broken off. Two
inferences, however, were plainly deduced from the whole: one, that
Elizabeth was the real cause of all the mischief; and the other, that
she herself had been barbarously used by them all; and on these two
points she principally dwelt during the rest of the day. Nothing could
console and nothing appease her. Nor did that day wear out her
resentment. A week elapsed before she could see Elizabeth without
scolding her: a month passed away before she could speak to Sir William
or Lady Lucas without being rude; and many months were gone before she
could at all forgive their daughter.
Mr. Bennet’s emotions were much more tranquil on the occasion, and such
as he did experience he pronounced to be of a most agreeable sort; for
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!
Jane confessed herself a little surprised at the match: but she said
less of her astonishment than of her earnest desire for their happiness;
nor could Elizabeth persuade her to consider it as improbable. Kitty and
Lydia were far from envying Miss Lucas, for Mr. Collins was only a
clergyman; and it affected them in no other way than as a piece of news
to spread at Meryton.
