Pagina 200 van 817

Darcy, whose reception of his advances she eagerly watched, and

whose astonishment at being so addressed was very evident. Her

cousin prefaced his speech with a solemn bow, and though she

could not hear a word of it, she felt as if hearing it all, and

saw in the motion of his lips the words "apology," "Hunsford,"

and "Lady Catherine de Bourgh." It vexed her to see him expose

himself to such a man. Mr. Darcy was eyeing him with unrestrained

wonder; and when at last Mr. Collins allowed him to speak,

replied with an air of distant civility. Mr. Collins, however,

was not discouraged from speaking again, and Mr. Darcy's contempt

seemed abundantly increasing with the length of his second

speech; and at the end of it he only made him a slight bow, and

moved another way: Mr. Collins then returned to Elizabeth.