Mrs. Bennet was waiting in the hallway. When she saw Elizabeth hurry upstairs, she went into the room to congratulate Mr. Collins. He told her about the conversation but said he wasn't worried. He was sure Elizabeth was just being a "modest young lady."
This worried Mrs. Bennet. She knew her daughter better than he did. "Depend on it, Mr. Collins," she said, "Lizzy will be brought to reason. She is a headstrong, foolish girl, but I will make her change her mind."
Mr. Collins looked concerned. "If she is really headstrong and foolish, perhaps she wouldn't be a good wife for a clergyman after all."
"Oh, no! You misunderstand me," Mrs. Bennet cried. "She is only like this about marriage. In everything else, she is very good-natured. I will go talk to Mr. Bennet right now."
She ran to the library. "Oh, Mr. Bennet! You must come immediately. You must make Lizzy marry Mr. Collins. She says she won't have him, and if you don't hurry, Mr. Collins will change his mind!"
Mr. Bennet looked up from his book, completely calm. "I do not understand. What are you talking about?"
"Lizzy and Mr. Collins! She won't marry him."
"And what should I do?"
"Tell her that she must marry him!"
Mr. Bennet agreed to see Elizabeth. When she arrived in the library, he said, "Come here, child. I understand that Mr. Collins has asked you to marry him. Is that true?"
"Yes, sir," Elizabeth replied.
"And you have refused him?"
"I have."
"Very well. Now, your mother insists that you accept him. Isn't that right, Mrs. Bennet?"
"Yes!" cried Mrs. Bennet. "Or I will never see her again!"
"Elizabeth," her father said seriously, "you have a difficult choice. From this day on, 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."
Elizabeth smiled, but Mrs. Bennet was extremely disappointed. She had expected her husband to help her. She spent the rest of the morning complaining and trying to persuade Elizabeth to change her mind. She even asked Jane to help, but Jane refused to get involved.
While the family was in chaos, Charlotte Lucas arrived. She found the house full of excitement. Lydia whispered the news to her: "Mr. Collins asked Lizzy to marry him, and she said no!"
Mrs. Bennet continued to complain about her "poor nerves." She told Elizabeth, "If you keep refusing husbands, you will never get married at all! I don't know who will look after you when your father is dead. I won't be able to keep you."
When Mr. Collins entered the room, he looked more formal and stiff than usual. He asked the girls to leave so he could speak with Mrs. Bennet alone. Elizabeth and her sisters left, though Charlotte stayed by the window, pretending not to listen.
"My dear madam," Mr. Collins said, "let us never speak of this again. I am resigned to my disappointment. Perhaps it is for the best. If your daughter is as headstrong as you say, she might not have made me happy. I apologize if I have caused any trouble to your family."
Mr. Collins was hurt, but he was too proud to show it. He decided to withdraw his offer. Mrs. Bennet was devastated, but Elizabeth felt a huge sense of relief. The danger was finally over.