Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 286 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 286

JANE AUSTEN

fault with the arrangement of the furniture; or detected

the housemaid in negligence; and if she accepted any

refreshment, seemed to do it only for the sake of finding

out that Mrs. Collins’s joints of meat were too large for

her family.

Elizabeth soon perceived, that though this great

lady was not in the commission of the peace for the

county, she was a most active magistrate in her own

parish, the minutest concerns of which were carried to

her by Mr. Collins; and whenever any of the cottagers

were disposed to be quarrelsome, discontented, or too

poor, she sallied forth into the village to settle their

differences, silence their complaints, and scold them

into harmony and plenty.

The entertainment of dining at Rosings was repeated

about twice a week; and, allowing for the loss of

Sir William, and there being only one card-table in the

evening, every such entertainment was the counterpart

of the first. Their other engagements were few, as the

style of living in the neighbourhood in general was

beyond Mr. Collins’s reach.

This, however, was no evil to Elizabeth, and upon

the whole she spent her time comfortably enough;

there were half-hours of pleasant conversation with

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