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 prospect of a connection between the houses, he unfolded the matter, -- to an audience not merely wondering, but incredulous; for Mrs. Bennet, with more perseverance than politeness, protested he must be entirely mistaken, and Lydia, always unguarded and often uncivil, boisterously 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 complaisance 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 courtesy.
Elizabeth, feeling it incumbent 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 exclamations 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 vent. In the first place, she persisted in disbelieving the whole of the matter; secondly, 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, however, were plainly deduced from the whole; one, that Elizabeth was the real cause of all the mischief; 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 appease her. -- Nor did that day wear out her resentment. 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 tranquil 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 astonishment than of her earnest desire for their happiness; nor could Elizabeth persuade her to consider it as improbable. Kitty and Lydia were far from envying Miss Lucas, for Mr. Collins was only a clergyman; and it affected 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 subsist between them again. Her disappointment in Charlotte made her turn with fonder regard to her sister, of whose rectitude and delicacy 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.
Jane had sent Caroline an early answer to her letter, and was counting the days till she might reasonably hope to hear again. The promised letter of thanks from Mr. Collins arrived on Tuesday, addressed to their father, and written with all the solemnity of gratitude which a twelvemonth's abode in the family might have prompted. After discharging his conscience on that head, he proceeded to inform them, with many rapturous expressions, of his happiness in having obtained the affection of their amiable neighbour, Miss Lucas, and then explained that it was merely with the view of enjoying her society that he had been so ready to close with their kind wish of seeing him again at Longbourn, whither he hoped to be able to return on Monday fortnight; for Lady Catherine, he added, so heartily approved his marriage, that she wished it to take place as soon as possible, which he trusted would be an unanswerable argument with his amiable Charlotte to name an early day for making him the happiest of men.
Mr. Collins's return into Hertfordshire was no longer a matter of pleasure to Mrs. Bennet. On the contrary, she was as much disposed to complain of it as her husband. -- It was very strange that he should come to Longbourn instead of to Lucas Lodge; it was also very inconvenient and exceedingly troublesome. -- She hated having visitors in the house while her health was so indifferent, and lovers were of all people the most disagreeable. Such were the gentle murmurs of Mrs. Bennet, and they gave way only to the greater distress of Mr. Bingley's continued absence.
Neither Jane nor Elizabeth were comfortable on this subject. Day after day passed away without bringing any other tidings of him than the report which shortly prevailed in Meryton of his coming no more to Netherfield the whole winter; a report which highly incensed Mrs. Bennet, and which she never failed to contradict as a most scandalous falsehood.
Even Elizabeth began to fear -- not that Bingley was indifferent -- but that his sisters would be successful in keeping him away. Unwilling as she was to admit an idea so destructive of Jane's happiness, and so dishonourable to the stability of her lover, she could not prevent its frequently recurring. The united efforts of his two unfeeling sisters and of his overpowering friend, assisted by the attractions of Miss Darcy and the amusements of London, might be too much, she feared, for the strength of his attachment.
As for Jane, her anxiety under this suspence was, of course, more painful than Elizabeth's; but whatever she felt she was desirous of concealing, and between herself and Elizabeth, therefore, the subject was never alluded to. But as no such delicacy restrained her mother, an hour seldom passed in which she did not talk of Bingley, express her impatience for his arrival, or even require Jane to confess that if he did not come back, she should think herself very ill used. It needed all Jane's steady mildness to bear these attacks with tolerable tranquillity.
Mr. Collins returned most punctually on the Monday fortnight, but his reception at Longbourn was not quite so gracious as it had been on his first introduction. He was too happy, however, to need much attention; and luckily for the others, the business of love-making relieved them from a great deal of his company. The chief of every day was spent by him at Lucas Lodge, and he sometimes returned to Longbourn only in time to make an apology for his absence before the family went to bed.
Mrs. Bennet was really in a most pitiable state. The very mention of any thing concerning the match threw her into an agony of ill humour, and wherever she went she was sure of hearing it talked of. The sight of Miss Lucas was odious to her. As her successor in that house, she regarded her with jealous abhorrence. Whenever Charlotte came to see them she concluded her to be anticipating the hour of possession; and whenever she spoke in a low voice to Mr. Collins, was convinced that they were talking of the Longbourn estate, and resolving to turn herself and her daughters out of the house as soon as Mr. Bennet were dead. She complained bitterly of all this to her husband.
"Indeed, Mr. Bennet," said she, "it is very hard to think that Charlotte Lucas should ever be mistress of this house, that I should be forced to make way for her, and live to see her take my place in it!"
"My dear, do not give way to such gloomy thoughts. Let us hope for better things. Let us flatter ourselves that I may be the survivor."
This was not very consoling to Mrs. Bennet, and, therefore, instead of making any answer, she went on as before,
"I cannot bear to think that they should have all this estate, If it was not for the entail I should not mind it."
"What should not you mind?"
"I should not mind any thing at all."
"Let us be thankful that you are preserved from a state of such insensibility."
"I never can be thankful, Mr. Bennet, for any thing about the entail. How any one could have the conscience to entail away an estate from one's own daughters I cannot understand; and all for the sake of Mr. Collins too! -- Why should he have it more than anybody else?"
"I leave it to yourself to determine," said Mr. Bennet.
--正文
伊丽莎白跟一大家子坐在一起，想着刚才听到的事情，犹豫着能不能跟大家说这事。正犹豫着呢，威廉姆.卢卡斯先生突然拜访，原来他是被闺女给派来宣布跟柯林斯订婚的消息，以后大家就是一家人了。大家自然是纷纷道贺，威廉姆先生自己也是祝贺两家关系更进一步。在本内特一家的好奇，而且怀疑的态度中，威廉姆先生把整个事情缓缓道来....本内特太太听了十分着急，也顾不上礼貌，就直接说这肯定是搞错了。而莉迪亚，一如既往的粗鲁没脑子，大声叫嚷：“哎呀！威廉姆先生，你说得这是啥事啊？你不知道柯林斯先生想娶的是伊丽嘛？”
除了服从的朝臣，无人能受此礼遇而不怒。但是威廉姆先生教养良好，这才没有发作。尽管威廉姆爵士再三请求她们相信，订婚一事属实，但是他还是只能耐心听着她们无礼地质疑。
伊丽莎白不想威廉姆先生受此礼遇，就站了出来提到夏洛特小姐之前跟她说得事情，证实了威廉姆先生的话。然后她又十分诚恳得祝贺威廉姆先生，想借此让老娘和妹妹们不再大惊小怪。简也高兴得参与进来，夸这两人成一对肯定是幸福美满，柯林斯先生性格又好，夯斯屯和伦敦往来也方便。
本内特太太在威廉姆先生还在了，忍住了没有说很多。但是威廉姆一走，她就像是水库开了闸，滔滔不绝。一开始，她就说怎么也不会相信这件事。然后，她又说柯林斯肯定是被骗了。再之后，她又说他们俩在一起肯定不会幸福得。最后，又说就算在一起说不定哪天就离了。她从整件事上得到了两个结论：首先这肯定是伊丽莎白背后搞的鬼，其次是伊丽莎白被他们残忍地利用了。然后她这一天就想着这事生闷气，怎么都高兴不起来，而且一整天过去了她也没消气。一周过去了，这一周她见到伊丽莎白就要责骂几句，一个月过去了，这个月她都不跟威廉姆先生和卢卡斯小姐好好说话，又是几个月过去了，她也一点没原谅她得女儿。
本内特老爷的反应就平和多了，他说这事可真是让他舒服多了。因为他很满意的发现，原来以为挺聪明的夏洛特.卢卡斯，结果跟他老婆一样笨，到底没有自家闺女聪明。
简也承认这两人凑一对，确实让自己很惊讶，但相比嚼舌头，她更多的还是祝福他们幸福快乐。伊丽莎白说他们幸福是不可能的，简也不愿相信。凯蒂和莉迪亚则一点也不嫉妒卢卡斯小姐，因为柯林斯只是个牧师。这事除了被她们当新闻在迈瑞屯到处说之外，对她们也没什么影响。
卢卡斯太太平时被本内特太太反复炫耀，这回女儿嫁了个好人家，自然是控制不住，得意洋洋得找回场子。她开始频繁地拜访蘑菇屯，尽管本内特太太像恰了柠檬，一脸酸相，说话阴阳怪气的，但是这妨碍不了卢卡斯太太表达自己很开心。
伊丽莎白和夏洛特两人都保持克制，没有再提起过订婚的话题。伊丽莎白相信两人之间应该是不会再互相信任了。她对卢卡斯很失望，于是转而更加关心姐姐，她相信自己对于姐姐的诚实温柔是不会看走眼的。她对于姐姐的幸福也开始焦虑起来，宾利已经走了一周，还没人听说他要回来。
简早早就给卡罗琳回了信，然后就数着日子等回信。柯林斯之前说好写的感谢信在周二收到了，信是写给她们父亲的，信写得过度用力，又是郑重感谢，又是之乎者也的，说的好像在这边住了一年似的。道完了谢之后，柯林斯才开始告诉他们，自己十分高兴最近获得他们可爱邻居——卢卡斯小姐的芳心。然后他又解释说自己只不过是想回去看看卢卡斯，顺道去蘑菇屯拜访他们，他希望两周后的周一到访。然后他又提到，卡瑟林夫人十分热心的同意了他的婚约，而且希望越早办婚礼越好。他相信这会让可爱的卢卡斯尽快定下婚期。
柯林斯再回赫特福德，没法再让本内特太太像之前那样开心了。恰恰相反，她跟本内特老爷一样，忍不住要抱怨：他不去卢卡斯家，倒是来我这蘑菇屯，这是什么道理。来让我又不方便，又给我惹麻烦。健康状况不好的时候，卢卡斯太太不喜欢家里来客人，而在这里面，恋人又是最不受欢迎的。对于柯林斯，本内特太太抱怨的大体上就是这些，但是这些都没有宾利一直不归让她压力更大。
简和伊丽莎白在这件事上，也很心烦。一天又一天，除了说他这个冬天再也不回耐热屯的消息短暂地在迈瑞屯流传以外，再也没有别的消息了。但这个消息让本内特太太勃然大怒，她一直反驳说这只不过是谁有意造的谣。
甚至伊丽莎白都有些担心了。她倒不是担心宾利会如此凉薄，她是担心宾利的几个姐姐真把他留住了不给走。尽管她不乐意承认，但是这种想法会对简造成很大的打击，对于简心上人的忠贞，也是一种羞辱，但是伊丽莎白就是控制不住这么想。她担心，他那无情无义的姐姐，和有权有势的朋友达西同心协力，不让他回，又有达西小姐的诱惑，加上伦敦的声色犬马，恐怕宾利真的忘掉对简的爱意。
对于简来说，这种猜测里的焦虑，对她造成的痛苦比伊丽莎白要多得多。但是不论是什么情绪，她总想隐瞒起来。而姐妹俩之间，从没有明着暗着得说过这个话题。但是她老娘可不管闺女的这些心思，她过不了一小时，就要说到宾利怎么还不来，等得都急死了。她甚至还跟简说：宾利要是不回来，你就是被人家利用了。简用尽全力才忍受了这些流言蜚语，明面上还保持了镇定。
两周后的周一，柯林斯先生准时回到了蘑菇屯，但是他这次没有像上次那样，被礼貌招待。但是他心情很好，不需要别人过分礼遇。幸运的是，他求婚成功后不再需要别人前后陪着了。他基本上每天都待在卢卡斯家，他有时候只是在大家睡觉前才回一趟蘑菇屯，抱歉说白天没能相陪。
本内特太太已经让人觉得可怜了。只要谁提到了柯林斯和卢卡斯，她立刻就要发火。不论她去哪，她都确定听到别人说了这事。她看到卢卡斯小姐就犯恶心，想着她有天就要住在自己这房子里（翻译官：本内特一家五女，无法继承财产，将来都是柯林斯的，所以这么说），就嫉妒地狂吃柠檬。不管啥时候夏洛特过来拜访，她都以为卢卡斯是来看房子了。不管啥时候她跟柯林斯说些悄悄话，她都以为他们在说蘑菇屯的地产，在盘算着本内特老爷一去世就把她和几个闺女都赶出去。她把这些苦水都抱怨给她丈夫听。
“确实是很难，本内特老爷，”她说，“很难想象到头来是夏洛特.卢卡斯将来做了这房子的女主人。我得给她让路，还得活着看着她占了我的位置。”
“亲爱的，可别有这种阴暗的想法。让我们往好处想。说不定最后是我活得长，我们就这么安慰自己吧。”
这话没有给本内特太太很多安慰。所以她不做回答，接着诉苦说，
“想到他们占了这全部的地，我就受不了。要不是因为这个继承的法律，我也不会在意了。”
“你不会在意啥啊？”
“我啥都不在意！”
“让我们感谢上帝，你还没有头脑糊涂到这种地步。”
“关于继承的事请，我怎么都不会心怀感激的，本内特老爷。谁会这么没有良心，自己家的地产不让自己闺女继承？我无法理解。而且给别人也就罢了，偏偏就给了柯林斯？怎么就偏偏是他得了这份财产？”
“我让你自己去想把。”柯林斯老爷说道。