Page 324 of 817

At length the Parsonage was discernible. The garden sloping to

the road, the house standing in it, the green pales and the

laurel hedge, everything declared they were arriving. Mr. Collins

and Charlotte appeared at the door, and the carriage stopped at

the small gate, which led by a short gravel walk to the house,

amidst the nods and smiles of the whole party. In a moment they

were all out of the chaise, rejoicing at the sight of each other.

Mrs. Collins welcomed her friend with the liveliest pleasure, and

Elizabeth was more and more satisfied with coming, when she found

herself so affectionately received. She saw instantly that her

cousin's manners were not altered by his marriage: his formal

civility was just what it had been; and he detained her some

minutes at the gate to hear and satisfy his inquiries after all

her family.