ELIZABETH was sitting with her mother and sisters, reflecting on what she had heard, and doubting whether she were authorised 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 prospect¹ of a connection between the houses, he unfolded the matter, -- to an audience not merely wondering, but incredulous（怀疑的） ; for Mrs. Bennet, with more perseverance² than politeness, protested he must be entirely³ mistaken, and Lydia, always unguarded and often uncivil, boisterously⁴（吵闹地） 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 complaisance⁵ 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（宽容的） courtesy.

Elizabeth, feeling it incumbent⁶ 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 exclamations⁷（感叹，惊叫） 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 vent⁸. In the first place, she persisted in disbelieving the whole of the matter; secondly⁹, 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（推断） , however, were plainly deduced from the whole; one, that Elizabeth was the real cause of all the mischief¹⁰; 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 appease¹¹ her. -- Nor did that day wear out her resentment¹². 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 tranquil¹³（安静的） 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 astonishment¹⁴ than of her earnest desire for their happiness; nor could Elizabeth persuade her to consider it as improbable（不大可能的） . Kitty and Lydia were far from envying Miss Lucas, for Mr. Collins was only a clergyman; and it affected¹⁵ them in no other way than as a piece of news to spread at Meryton.

Lady Lucas could not be insensible of triumph on being able to retort on Mrs. Bennet the comfort of having a daughter well married; and she called at Longbourn rather oftener than usual to say how happy she was, though Mrs. Bennet's sour looks and ill-natured remarks might have been enough to drive happiness away.

Between Elizabeth and Charlotte there was a restraint which kept them mutually silent on the subject; and Elizabeth felt persuaded that no real confidence could ever subsist¹⁶ between them again. Her disappointment in Charlotte made her turn with fonder regard to her sister, of whose rectitude（公正，诚实） and delicacy¹⁷ she was sure her opinion could never be shaken, and for whose happiness she grew daily more anxious, as Bingley had now been gone a week, and nothing was heard of his return.