“My dear,” Mr. Bennet said to his wife at breakfast the next morning, “I hope you have ordered a good dinner today. I am expecting a guest.”
“Who is it?” asked Mrs. Bennet. “Is it Charlotte Lucas? I hope my dinners are good enough for her.”
“The person I am speaking of is a gentleman and a stranger,” Mr. Bennet replied.
Mrs. Bennet’s eyes brightened. “A stranger! It must be Mr. Bingley! Jane, you didn’t tell me! But oh, how unlucky! There is no fish at the market today. Lydia, ring the bell, I must speak to the cook immediately.”
“It is not Mr. Bingley,” said her husband. “It is a person I have never met in my life.”
The whole family was surprised. They all started asking questions at once. After enjoying their curiosity for a while, Mr. Bennet explained.
“A month ago, I received a letter from my cousin, Mr. Collins. As you know, when I die, he is the man who will inherit this house. He can turn you all out of this home as soon as he pleases.”
“Oh, please do not talk about that awful man!” cried his wife. “It is so unfair that your property goes to him instead of your own children.”
Jane and Elizabeth tried to explain the legal reasons for this, but Mrs. Bennet refused to listen. She hated the idea of a stranger inheriting their home.
“It is a very unfair situation,” Mr. Bennet agreed. “But if you listen to his letter, you might feel a little better about him.”
He then read the letter aloud. In it, Mr. Collins explained that he wanted to "heal the disagreement" between their families. He had recently become a clergyman. He also mentioned that he had a very rich and important patron, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. He said he felt it was his duty to bring peace to all families. Because he would one day inherit Longbourn, he wanted to visit and "make amends" to the daughters.
“He will arrive at four o’clock,” said Mr. Bennet. “He seems to be a very polite and serious young man.”
“There is some sense in what he says about the girls,” Mrs. Bennet said. Her anger was fading. “If he wants to help them, I will not stand in his way.”
“It’s hard to know how he plans to help us,” Jane said, “but it is kind of him to try.”
Elizabeth, however, was not impressed. “He sounds very strange,” she said. “He is so focused on Lady Catherine. And why is he apologizing for inheriting the house? He can’t change the law. Is he a sensible man, Father?”
“No, my dear. I think he is the opposite,” Mr. Bennet replied with a smile. “He seems like a mix of someone who is too humble and too proud at the same time. I can’t wait to meet him.”
Mr. Collins arrived exactly on time. He was a tall, heavy-looking young man of twenty-five. He was very serious and spoke in a very formal way. Soon after sitting down, he complimented Mrs. Bennet on her beautiful daughters. He said he was sure they would all be married soon. Mrs. Bennet liked the compliment, though some of the girls found it awkward.
“You are very kind, sir,” she said. “I hope so, because otherwise, they will have nothing. Life is very difficult for them.”
“You are talking about the inheritance, I think?” asked Mr. Collins.
“Yes, sir! It is a terrible thing for my poor girls.”
“I understand,” said Mr. Collins. “I have much to say about that. But for now, I will only say that I have come here prepared to admire these young ladies. Perhaps when we know each other better—”
He was interrupted by the call for dinner. The girls smiled at each other; they could tell he was a very odd man.
At dinner, Mr. Collins praised everything—the house, the furniture, and the food. He even asked which of the daughters had cooked the meal. Mrs. Bennet was a bit offended. She told him sharply that they were rich enough to have a good cook and that her daughters never worked in the kitchen. Mr. Collins apologized for fifteen minutes, hoping he hadn't made her angry.