said, thanking her for
every fish he won, and apologising if he thought he won too many. Sir William
did not say much. He was storing his memory with anecdotes and noble names.
    When Lady Catherine and her daughter had played as long as they chose, the
tables were broke up, the carriage was offered to Mrs. Collins, gratefully
accepted, and immediately ordered. The party then gathered round the fire to
hear Lady Catherine determine what weather they were to have on the morrow. From
these instructions they were summoned by the arrival of the coach, and with many
speeches of thankfulness on Mr. Collins's side, and as many bows on Sir
William's, they departed. As soon as they had driven from the door, Elizabeth
was called on by her cousin, to give her opinion of all that she had seen at
Rosings, which, for Charlotte's sake, she made more favourable than it really
was. But her commendation, though costing her some trouble, could by no means
satisfy Mr. Collins, and he was very soon obliged to take her Ladyship's praise
into his own hands.
 

                                  Chapter VII

Sir William staid only a week at Hunsford; but his visit was long enough to
convince him of his daughter's being most comfortably settled, and of her
possessing such a husband and such a neighbour as were not often met with. While
Sir William was with them, Mr. Collins devoted his mornings to driving him out
in his gig, and shewing him the country; but when he went away, the whole family
returned to their usual employments, and Elizabeth was thankful to find that
they did not see more of her cousin by the alteration, for the chief of the time
between breakfast and dinner was now passed by him either at work in the garden,
or in reading and writing, and looking out of window in his own book room, which
fronted the road. The room in which the ladies sat was backwards. Elizabeth at
first had rather wondered that Charlotte should not prefer the dining parlour
for common use; it was a better sized room, and had a pleasanter aspect; but she
soon saw that her friend had an excellent reason for what she did, for Mr.
Collins would undoubtedly have been much less in his own apartment, had they sat
in one equally lively; and she gave Charlotte credit for the arrangement.
    From the drawing room they could distinguish nothing in the lane, and were
indebted to Mr. Collins for the knowledge of what carriages went along, and how
often especially Miss De Bourgh drove by