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Sir William and Lady Lucas were speedily applied to for their

consent; and it was bestowed with a most joyful alacrity. Mr.

Collins's present circumstances made it a most eligible match for

their daughter, to whom they could give little fortune; and his

prospects of future wealth were exceedingly fair. Lady Lucas

began directly to calculate, with more interest than the matter

had ever

]

excited before, how many years longer Mr. Bennet was likely to

live; and Sir William gave it as his decided opinion, that

whenever Mr. Collins should be in possession of the Longbourn

estate, it would be highly expedient that both he and his wife

should make their appearance at St. James's. The whole family in

short were properly overjoyed on the occasion. The younger girls

formed hopes of coming out a year or two sooner than they might

otherwise have done; and the boys were relieved from their

apprehension of Charlotte's dying an old maid. Charlotte herself

was tolerably composed. She had gained her point, and had time to

consider of it. Her reflections were in general satisfactory. Mr.

Collins, to be sure, was neither sensible nor agreeable: his

society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be imaginary.

But still he would be her husband.