“But,”he added,“you will of course wish to have your humble respects delivered to them, with your grateful thanks for their kindness to you while you have been here.”
Elizabeth added privately,“And how much I shall have to conceal!”
“Good gracious!”cried Maria, after a few minutes' silence,“it seems but a day or two since we first came! and yet how many things have happened!”
“You may, in fact, carry a very favourable report of us into Hertfordshire,my dear cousin.I flatter myself at least that you will be able to do so. Lady Catherine's great attentions to Mrs. Collins you have been a daily witness of;and altogether I trust it does not appear that your friend has drawn an unfortunate―but on this point it will be as well to be silent.Only let me assure you, my dear Miss Elizabeth,that I can from my heart most cordially wish you equal felicity in marriage.My dear Charlotte and I have but one mind and one way of thinking.There is in everything a most remarkable resemblance of character and ideas between us. We seem to have been designed for each other.”
“It gives me great pleasure to hear that you have passed your time not disagreeably. We have certainly done our best; and most fortunately having it in our power to introduce you to very superior society, and, from our connection with Rosings, the frequent means of varying the humble home scene, I think we may flatter ourselves that your Hunsford visit cannot have been entirely irksome.Our situation with regard to Lady Catherine's family is indeed the sort of extraordinary advantage and blessing which few can boast.You see on what a footing we are.You see how continually we are engaged there. In truth I must acknowledge that, with all the disadvantages of this humble parsonage, I should not think anyone abiding in it an object of compassion,while they are sharers of our intimacy at Rosings.”