Pagina 211 de 817

The rest of the evening brought her little amusement. She was

teased by Mr. Collins, who continued most perseveringly by her

side; and though he could not prevail with her to dance with him

again, put it out of her power to dance with others. In vain did

she entreat him to stand up with somebody else, and offered to

introduce him to any young lady in the room. He assured her that,

as to dancing, he was perfectly indifferent to it; that his chief

object was, by delicate attentions, to recommend himself to her;

and that he should therefore make a point of remaining close to

her the whole evening. There was no arguing upon such a project.

She owed her greatest relief to her friend Miss Lucas, who often

joined them, and good-naturedly engaged Mr. Collins's

conversation to herself.