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Chapter　XIV　of　Volume　II　（Chap。　37）
　THE　two　gentlemen　left　Rosings　the　next　morning；　and　Mr。　Collins　having　been　in　waiting　near　the　lodges；　to　make　them　his　parting　obeisance；　was　able　to　bring　home　the　pleasing　intelligence　of　their　appearing　in　very　good　health；　and　in　as　tolerable　spirits　as　could　be　expected；　after　the　melancholy　scene　so　lately　gone　through　at　Rosings。　To　Rosings　he　then　hastened　to　console　Lady　Catherine　and　her　daughter；　and　on　his　return　brought　back；　with　great　satisfaction；　a　message　from　her　ladyship；　importing　that　she　felt　herself　so　dull　as　to　make　her　very　desirous　of　having　them　all　to　dine　with　her。
Elizabeth　could　not　see　Lady　Catherine　without　recollecting　that；　had　she　chosen　it；　she　might　by　this　time　have　been　presented　to　her　as　her　future　niece；　nor　could　she　think；　without　a　smile；　of　what　her　ladyship's　indignation　would　have　been。　‘‘What　would　she　have　said？　　how　would　she　have　behaved？''　were　questions　with　which　she　amused　herself。
Their　first　subject　was　the　diminution　of　the　Rosings　party。　　‘‘I　assure　you；　I　feel　it　exceedingly；''　said　Lady　Catherine；　‘‘I　believe　nobody　feels　the　loss　of　friends　so　much　as　I　do。　But　I　am　particularly　attached　to　these　young　men；　and　know　them　to　be　so　much　attached　to　me！　　They　were　excessively　sorry　to　go！　But　so　they　always　are。　The　dear　colonel　rallied　his　spirits　tolerably　till　just　at　last；　but　Darcy　seemed　to　feel　it　most　acutely；　more　I　think　than　last　year。　His　attachment　to　Rosings；　certainly　increases。''
Mr。　Collins　had　a　compliment；　and　an　allusion　to　throw　in　here；　which　were　kindly　smiled　on　by　the　mother　and　daughter。
Lady　Catherine　observed；　after　dinner；　that　Miss　Bennet　seemed　out　of　spirits；　and　immediately　accounting　for　it　herself；　by　supposing　that　she　did　not　like　to　go　home　again　so　soon；　she　added；
‘‘But　if　that　is　the　case；　you　must　write　to　your　mother　to　beg　that　you　may　stay　a　little　longer。　Mrs。　Collins　will　be　very　glad　of　your　company；　I　am　sure。''
‘‘I　am　much　obliged　to　your　ladyship　for　your　kind　invitation；''　replied　Elizabeth；　‘‘but　it　is　not　in　my　power　to　accept　it。　　I　must　be　in　town　next　Saturday。''
‘‘Why；　at　that　rate；　you　will　have　been　here　only　six　weeks。　I　expected　you　to　stay　two　months。　I　told　Mrs。　Collins　so　before　you　came。　There　can　be　no　occasion　for　your　going　so　soon。　Mrs。　Bennet　could　certainly　spare　you　for　another　fortnight。''
‘‘But　my　father　cannot。　　He　wrote　last　week　to　hurry　my　return。''
‘‘Oh！　your　father　of　course　may　spare　you；　if　your　mother　can。　　Daughters　are　never　of　so　much　consequence　to　a　father。　And　if　you　will　stay　another　month　complete；　it　will　be　in　my　power　to　take　one　of　you　as　far　as　London；　for　I　am　going　there　early　in　June；　for　a　week；　and　as　Dawson　does　not　object　to　the　Barouche　box；　there　will　be　very　good　room　for　one　of　you　　and　indeed；　if　the　weather　should　happen　to　be　cool；　I　should　not　object　to　taking　you　both；　as　you　are　neither　of　you　large。''
‘‘You　are　all　kindness；　Madam；　but　I　believe　we　must　abide　by　our　original　plan。''
Lady　Catherine　seemed　resigned。
‘‘Mrs。　Collins；　you　must　send　a　servant　with　them。　You　know　I　always　speak　my　mind；　and　I　cannot　bear　the　idea　of　two　young　women　travelling　post　by　themselves。　It　is　highly　improper。　You　must　contrive　to　send　somebody。　I　have　the　greatest　dislike　in　the　world　to　that　sort　of　thing。　　Young　women　should　always　be　properly　guarded　and　attended；　according　to　their　situation　in　life。　When　my　niece　Georgiana　went　to　Ramsgate　last　summer；　I　made　a　point　of　her　having　two　men　servants　go　with　her。　　Miss　Darcy；　the　daughter　of　Mr。　Darcy　of　Pemberley；　and　Lady　Anne；　could　not　have　appeared　with　propriety　in　a　different　manner。　　I　am　excessively　attentive　to　all　those　things。　You　must　send　John　with　the　young　ladies；　Mrs。　Collins。　I　am　glad　it　occurred　to　me　to　mention　it；　for　it　would　really　be　discreditable　to　you　to　let　them　go　alone。''
‘‘My　uncle　is　to　send　a　servant　for　us。''
‘‘Oh！　　Your　uncle！　　He　keeps　a　man…servant；　does　he？　　I　am　very　glad　you　have　somebody　who　thinks　of　those　things。　Where　shall　you　change　horses？　　Oh！　Bromley；　of　course。　　If　you　mention　my　name　at　the　Bell；　you　will　be　attended　to。''
Lady　Catherine　had　many　other　questions　to　ask　respecting　their　journey；　and　as　she　did　not　answer　them　all　herself；　attention　was　necessary；　which　Elizabeth　believed　to　be　lucky　for　her；　or；　with　a　mind　so　occupied；　she　might　have　forgotten　where　she　was。　Reflection　must　be　reserved　for　solitary　hours；　whenever　she　was　alone；　she　gave　way　to　it　as　the　greatest　relief；　and　not　a　day　went　by　without　a　solitary　walk；　in　which　she　might　indulge　in　all　the　delight　of　unpleasant　recollections。
Mr。　Darcy's　letter；　she　was　in　a　fair　way　of　soon　knowing　by　heart。　She　studied　every　sentence：　and　her　feelings　towards　its　writer　were　at　times　widely　different。　When　she　remembered　the　style　of　his　address；　she　was　still　full　of　indignation；　but　when　she　considered　how　unjustly　she　had　condemned　and　upbraided　him；　her　anger　was　turned　against　herself；　and　his　disappointed　feelings　became　the　object　of　compassion。　His　attachment　excited　gratitude；　his　general　character　respect；　but　she　could　not　approve　him；　nor　could　she　for　a　moment　repent　her　refusal；　or　feel　the　slightest　inclination　ever　to　see　him　again。　In　her　own　past　behaviour；　there　was　a　constant　source　of　vexation　and　regret；　and　in　the　unhappy　defects　of　her　family　a　subject　of　yet　heavier　chagrin。　They　were　hopeless　of　remedy。　Her　father；　contented　with　laughing　at　them；　would　never　exert　himself　to　restrain　the　wild　giddiness　of　his　youngest　daughters；　and　her　mother；　with　manners　so　far　from　right　herself；　was　entirely　insensible　of　the　evil。　Elizabeth　had　frequently　united　with　Jane　in　an　endeavour　to　check　the　imprudence　of　Catherine　and　Lydia；　but　while　they　were　supported　by　their　mother's　indulgence；　what　chance　could　there　be　of　improvement？　Catherine；　weak…spirited；　irritable；　and　completely　under　Lydia's　guidance；　had　been　always　affronted　by　their　advice；　and　Lydia；　self…willed　and　careless；　would　scarcely　give　them　a　hearing。　They　were　ignorant；　idle；　and　vain。　While　there　was　an　officer　in　Meryton；　they　would　flirt　with　him；　and　while　Meryton　was　within　a　walk　of　Longbourn；　they　would　be　going　there　for　ever。
Anxiety　on　Jane's　behalf　was　another　prevailing　concern；　and　Mr。　Darcy's　explanation；　by　restoring　Bingley　to　all　her　former　good　opinion；　heightened　the　sense　of　what　Jane　had　lost。　His　affection　was　proved　to　have　been　sincere；　and　his　conduct　cleared　of　all　blame；　unless　any　could　attach　to　the　implicitness　of　his　confidence　in　his　friend。　How　grievous　then　was　the　thought　that；　of　a　situation　so　desirable　in　every　respect；　so　replete　with　advantage；　so　promising　for　happiness；　Jane　had　been　deprived；　by　the　folly　and　indecorum　of　her　own　family！
When　to　these　recollections　was　added　the　developement　of　Wickham's　character；　it　may　be　easily　believed　that　the　happy　spirits　which　had　seldom　been　depressed　before；　were　now　so　much　affected　as　to　make　it　almost　impossible　for　her　to　appear　tolerably　cheerful。
Their　engagements　at　Rosings　were　as　frequent　during　the　last　week　of　her　stay　as　they　had　been　at　first。　The　very　last　evening　was　spent　there；　and　her　Ladyship　again　enquired　minutely　into　the　particulars　of　their　journey；　gave　them　directions　as　to　the　best　method　of　packing；　and　was　so　urgent　on　the　necessity　of　placing　gowns　in　the　only　right　way；　that　Maria　thought　herself　obliged；　on　her　return；　to　undo　all　the　work　of　the　morning；　and　pack　her　trunk　afresh。
When　they　parted；　Lady　Catherine；　with　great　condescension；　wished　them　a　good　journey；　and　invited　them　to　come　to　Hunsford　again　next　year；　and　Miss　De　Bourgh　exerted　herself　so　far　as　to　curtsey　and　hold　out　her　hand　to　both。那两位先生第二天早上就离开了罗新斯；柯林斯先生在门房附近等着给他们送行，送行　以后，他带了一个好消息回家来，说是这两位贵客虽然刚刚在罗新斯满怀离愁，身体却很健　康，精神也很饱满。然后他又赶到罗新斯去安慰珈苔琳夫人母女；回家去的时候，他又得意　非凡地把咖苔琳夫人的口信带回来──说夫人觉得非常沉闷，极希望他们全家去同他一块吃　饭。
伊丽莎白看到咖苔琳夫人，就不禁想起：要是自己愿意跟达西要好，现在已经成了夫人　的没有过门的侄媳妇了；而且她想到夫人那时将会怎样气愤，就不禁好笑。她不断地想出这　样一些话来跟自己打趣：“她将会说些什么话呢？她将会有些什么举动呢？”
他们一开头就谈到罗新斯佳宾星散的问题。咖苔琳夫人说：“告诉你，我真十分难受。　我相信，谁也不会象我一样，为亲友的离别而伤心得这么厉害。我特别喜欢这两个年轻人，　我知道他们也非常喜欢我。他们临去的时候真舍不得走。他们一向都是那样。那位可爱的上　校到最后才算打起了精神；达西看上去最难过，我看他比去年还要难受，他对罗新斯的感情　真是一年比一年来得深。”
说到这里，柯林斯先生插进了一句恭维话，又举了个例子，母女俩听了，都粲然一笑。
吃过中饭以后，咖苔琳夫人看到班纳特小姐好象不大高兴的样子；她想，班小姐一定是　不愿意马上就回家去，于是说道：
“你要是不愿意回去的话，就得写封信给你妈妈，请求她让你在这儿多待些时候。我相　信柯林斯太太一定非常乐意跟你在一起的。”
伊丽莎白回答道：“多谢你好心的挽留，可惜我不能领受盛情。我下星期六一定要进城　去。”
“哎哟，这么说来，你在这儿只能住六个星期啦。我本来指望你待上两个月的。你没有　来以前，我就这样跟柯林斯太太说过。你用不着这么急于要走。班纳特太太一定会让你再待　两个星期的。”