6 Elizabeth visits Mr. and Mrs. Collins （6-2）
DAY 20
The day of Mr. Collins’ wedding soon arrived, and Mrs. Bennet had to watch Charlotte Lucas become Mrs. Collins. Before the bride (新娘) left Longbourn for Hunsford, however, she asked Elizabeth to come and visit her in her new home as soon as possible. Elizabeth could not refuse, although she did not imagine it would be an enjoyable visit. It was arranged that Elizabeth would accompany Sir William Lucas and Maria, one of his other daughters, on their intended visit to Hunsford in March．
A week after Jane's departure, Elizabeth received a letter from her sister, saying that she had seen Miss Bingley, and hoped to continue their friendship. Elizabeth shook her head （摇摇头）over this. She was not surprised to hear from Jane a few weeks later that Caroline Bingley had made no further attempts to communicate with her former dear friend. Elizabeth was saddened to read of Jane's disappointment, but felt more cheerful when she told herself that Jane would no longer be deceived, by the sister at least. All expectation from the brother was now absolutely over. As a punishment for him, she seriously hoped he would soon marry Mr. Darcy's sister, who, according to Wickham, would make him quickly regret what he had thrown away．
At about this time, Elizabeth also received a letter from Mrs. Gardiner, asking about Wickham, and she was able to reply quite honestly that there was no danger of her marrying him. He had transferred his affections (移情别恋) to a Miss King, who had recently inherited (继承) ten thousand pounds. Elizabeth saw exactly what was happening, but her heart had only been slightly touched, and she was able to convince herself that it was quite natural for such an agreeable young man to wish for fortune and independence．
January and February passed, and the time for Elizabeth's visit to Mr. and Mrs. Collins approached. She had improved the plan, by arranging to spend a night in London at her uncle and aunt's house, before continuing the journey into Kent. She was very much looking forward to seeing Jane, who was still staying with the Gardiners．
The journey seemed long to Elizabeth, because Sir William and Maria had nothing to say worth hearing. But when the coach arrived at the Gardiners house’ at lunch-time, Elizabeth was delighted to see that her sister looked as healthy and lovely as before. In a private conversation with her aunt later, however, Elizabeth discovered that Jane had been suffering from periods of depression, although she always tried bravely to appear cheerful．
The afternoon and evening passed only too quickly, and the next day Elizabeth and the other travellers set off again. When the coach arrived in Hunsford, they were all quite excited to see, on one side of the road, Lady Catherine's great park, which they had heard so much about. At last, on the other side, they came to the Rectory, where they were warmly welcomed by Mr. Collins and Charlotte．
Elizabeth was more and more pleased she had come, when she found herself so affectionately received. She saw instantly that marriage had not changed her cousin's manners. He insisted on greeting them all with formal politeness and long speeches, and showed them round the house, explaining its many good points in exhausting detail．Elizabeth could not help thinking that perhaps he was speaking particularly to her, as if wishing to make her feel what she had lost in refusing him. But although everything seemed neat and comfortable, she was unable to please him with a sigh of regret. In fact, she wondered how Charlotte could look so cheerful, with such a companion. But whenever Mr. Collins said anything of which his wife might be ashamed, which was quite often, Charlotte wisely did not appear to be listening. And when Mr. Collins showed them proudly round his garden, in which he himself enjoyed working, Elizabeth admired the serious way in which Charlotte praised gardening as a most healthy exercise, and admitted encouraging her husband to work outdoors as much as possible．
Elizabeth had to confess to herself that, surprisingly, Charlotte really appeared to be happy. When Mr. Collins could be forgotten, the house seemed very pleasant and comfortable, and from Charlotte's evident enjoyment of her home, Elizabeth supposed he must often be forgotten．
The visitors had only been in the house for a day when a message came form Lady Catherine, inviting them all to dinner at Rosings Park the next day. Mr. Collins was delighted, and congratulated his guests on their good luck. ‘I confess that I might have expected her ladyship to invite us all to drink tea at Rosings on Sunday,’ he said. ‘But to invite the whole party to dinner! So soon after your arrival, too! What a generous and considerate lady she is!’
