As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following manner:―
Elizabeth now expected that she would produce a letter for her from Charlotte, as it seemed the only probable motive for her calling.But no letter appeared,and she was completely puzzled. Mrs. Bennet, with great civility, begged her ladyship to take some refreshment; but Lady Catherine very resolutely, and not very politely,declined eating anything;and then,rising up,said to Elizabeth,
“If you believed it impossible to be true,”said Elizabeth, colouring with astonishment and disdain,“I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far.What could your ladyship propose by it?”
Elizabeth looked with unaffected astonishment.
“I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer.”
“May I take the liberty of asking your ladyship whether you left Mr.and Mrs.Collins well.”
“If!Do you then pretend to be ignorant of it?Has it not been industriously circulated by yourselves?Do you not know that such a report is spread abroad?”
They were of course all intending to be surprised;but their astonishment was beyond their expectation;and on the part of Mrs. Bennet and Kitty, though she was perfectly unknown to them, even inferior to what Elizabeth felt.