At Longbourn the next day,soon after breakfast,Mr Collins asked Mrs Bennet for permission to speak pri- vately to Elizabeth Mrs Bennet was delighted,and hurried the other girls out of the room,so that Elizabeth and Mr Collins were left alone together.Elizabeth did not want to stay,and got up to leave,but after a moment's thought,sat down again quietly,determined to listen and reply politely.
‘My dear Miss Elizabeth,said Mr Collins seriously,‘this little unwillingness to hear me,this modesty of yours,can only add to your other charms.You can hardly doubt the purpose of my speech.Almost as soon as I entered the house,I chose you as the companion of my future life.But before I am carried away by my feelings,I think I should state my reasons for marrying.
Elizabeth was trying so hard not to laugh at the idea of Mr Collins being carried away by his feelings that she was unable to reply.
‘First,’he continued,‘it is right for a priest to marry,as an example to other people Secondly,I'm sure marriage will add greatly to my happiness,and thirdly,which perhaps I should have mentioned earlier,my generous patron has advised me to marry.“Find an active,useful sort of person,”she told me,“a woman who can make a small income go a long way.Bring her to Hunsford as your wife,and I’ll visit her.”So I decided to choose a wife from among my Bennet cousins,to lessen the loss to the family when the sad event of your father's death takes place.I flatter myself that you will appreciate my motives.And now,nothing remains but to convince you of the violence of my affection.I am quite indifferent to the fact that you bring little money with you into our marringe,and promise you that I shall make no ungenerous reference to this after we are married.’
It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now.