Mr. Collins was seriously displeased when he learned that he must wait until Kitty returned home from Netherfield to make his affections known to her. He met the Bingley carriage carrying Kitty at Longbourn's gates, walking beside it and berating her for the lack of manners that she displayed by remaining at Netherfield so long into the day.
Upon her exit from the carriage, he led her to the back garden. Elizabeth and Jane tried to follow but their mother prevented them from doing so. A moment's consideration making her also sensible that it would be wisest to get it over as soon and as quietly as possible, Kitty sat down on the garden bench and tried to conceal— by incessant employment— the feelings which were divided between distress and diversion. Mr. Collins began his addresses:
"Believe me, my dear Miss Catherine, that your modesty, so far from doing you any disservice, rather adds to your other perfections. You would have been less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness; but allow me to assure you, that I have your respected mother's permission for this address. You can hardly doubt the purport of my discourse, however your natural delicacy may lead you to dissemble; my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken. Almost as soon as I entered the house, I singled you out as the companion of my future life. But before I am run away with by my feelings on this subject, perhaps it would be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying—and, moreover, for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did."
Kitty nearly laughed at the notion of Mr. Collins' feelings running away with him. She went to reply that he must cease for she could not accept him, but he had begun speaking once again.
"My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish; secondly, that I am convinced that it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly—which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness. Twice has she condescended to give me her opinion (unasked too!) on this subject; and it was but the very Saturday night before I left Hunsford—between our pools at quadrille, whilst Mrs. Younge was arranging Miss de Bourgh's footstool, that she said, 'Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. Choose properly, choose a gentlewoman for my sake; and for your own, let her be an active, useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income go a good way. This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will visit her.' Allow me, by the way, to observe, my fair cousin, that I do not reckon the notice and kindness of Lady Catherine de Bourgh as amongst the least of the advantages in my power to offer. You will find her manners beyond anything I can describe; and your wit and vivacity, I think, must be acceptable to her, especially when tempered with the silence and respect which her rank will inevitably excite. Thus much for my general intention in favour of matrimony; it remains to be told why my views were directed towards Longbourn instead of my own neighbourhood, where I can assure you there are many amiable young women. But the fact is, that being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father (who, however, may live many years longer), I could not satisfy myself without resolving to choose a wife from amongst his daughters, that the loss to them might be as little as possible, when the melancholy event takes place—which, however, as I have already said, may not be for several years. This has been my motive, my fair cousin, and I flatter myself it will not sink me in your esteem. And now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection. Your connections are not equal to mine, but a word of censure on that topic shall never cross my lips once we are married."
"You are too hasty, sir. You forget that I have made no answer." Kitty interrupted, "Accept my thanks for the compliment that you are paying me with your proposals, but it is quite impossible for me to do otherwise than to reject your offer of marriage."
"I am not now to learn," replied Mr. Collins, with a formal wave of the hand, "that it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept, when he first applies for their favour; and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second, or even a third time. I am therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just said, and shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long."
"I am astonished! I assure you that I am not a lady that would reject an offer of marriage in the hopes of being addressed a second time. I reject your offer of marriage as I cannot do otherwise. Every feeling and logical thought forbids my joining myself with you in marriage."
"Such modesty becomes you, Miss Catherine. I cannot imagine that her ladyship would at all disapprove of you. And you may be certain when I have the honour of seeing her again, I shall speak in the very highest terms of your modesty, economy, and other amiable qualification."
"Please, sir, pay me the compliment of believing my words when I say that I would not make you happy and you most certainly could not make me happy. Were your friend Lady Catherine to know me, I am persuaded she would find me in every respect ill qualified for the situation. I am done speaking with you on this subject."
"You must give me leave to flatter myself, my dear cousin, that your refusal of my addresses is merely words of course. My reasons for believing it are briefly these: It does not appear to me that my hand is unworthy of your acceptance, or that the establishment I can offer would be any other than highly desirable. My situation in life, my connections with the family of de Bourgh, and my relationship to your own, are circumstances highly in my favour; and you should take it into further consideration, that in spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made you. Your fortune and connections, although not so pitiable as they were only a fortnight ago, are not so great as to ensure you can pick and choose your mate from a wide range of gentlemen. As I must therefore conclude that you are not serious in your rejection of me, I shall choose to attribute it to your wish of increasing my love by suspense, according to the usual practice of elegant females."
"I do assure you, sir, that I have no pretensions whatever to that kind of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man. I would rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere. I thank you again and again for the honour you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female, intending to plague you, but as a rational creature, speaking the truth from her heart."
"You are uniformly charming!" cried he, with an air of awkward gallantry; "and I am persuaded that when sanctioned by the express authority of both your excellent parents, my proposals will not fail of being acceptable."
With this, Kitty walked inside and went to her father, hoping that if she were to apply to him, his refusals would be accepted by Mr. Collins as he would not believe hers.
Mrs. Bennet rushed towards her offering her congratulations, to which Kitty replied that such congratulations were unneeded and unwanted. Elizabeth rushed to Kitty's side, and they went into their father's library together. They heard their mother crying out and yelling that Kitty must accept Mr. Collins or else they would be thrown in the hedgerows when Mr. Bennet dies.
"She seems to forget that Jane will be Mrs. Bingley soon. I would much rather live at Netherfield than have you married to such a man as Mr. Collins." Elizabeth whispered to her. Their mother rushed past them, preceding them to the library.
"Oh! Mr. Bennet, you are wanted immediately; we are all in an uproar. You must come and make Kitty marry Mr. Collins, for she vows she will not have him!"
"And what am I to do on the occasion? It seems a hopeless business."
"Speak to Kitty about it yourself. Tell her that you insist upon her marrying him."
"Let her be called down. She shall hear my opinion."
"We are already here, Papa." Elizabeth called out, entering the room with Kitty.
"Come here, child," beckoned her father as Kitty stepped into view "I have sent for you on an affair of importance. I understand that Mr. Collins has made you an offer of marriage. Is it true?" Kitty replied that it was. "Very well—and this offer of marriage you have refused?"
"I have, sir."
"Very well. We now come to the point. Your mother insists upon your accepting it. Is it not so, Mrs. Bennet?"
"Yes, or I will never see her again."
"An unhappy alternative is before you, Kitty. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr Collins, and I will never see you again if you do."
Kitty and Elizabeth could not but smile at such a conclusion of such a beginning, but Mrs Bennet, who had persuaded herself that her husband regarded the affair as she wished, was excessively disappointed.
Their mother railed against their father and Elizabeth ushered her sister out of the room and declared that they should go to see how Mary did.