Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 278 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 278

JANE AUSTEN

to have her judgement controverted. She inquired into

Charlotte’s domestic concerns familiarly and minutely,

gave her a great deal of advice as to the management

of them all; told her how everything ought to be

regulated in so small a family as hers, and instructed

her as to the care of her cows and her poultry. Elizabeth

found that nothing was beneath this great lady’s

attention, which could furnish her with an occasion

of dictating to others. In the intervals of her discourse

with Mrs. Collins, she addressed a variety of questions

to Maria and Elizabeth, but especially to the latter, of

whose connections she knew the least, and who she

observed to Mrs. Collins was a very genteel, pretty kind

of girl. She asked her, at different times, how many

sisters she had, whether they were older or younger

than herself, whether any of them were likely to be

married, whether they were handsome, where they

had been educated, what carriage her father kept, and

what had been her mother’s maiden name? Elizabeth

felt all the impertinence of her questions but answered

them very composedly. Lady Catherine then observed,

“Your father’s estate is entailed on Mr. Collins, I think.

For your sake,” turning to Charlotte, “I am glad of it;

but otherwise I see no occasion for entailing estates

from the female line. It was not thought necessary in

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