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CHAPTER XXIII . 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 .
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