Jane Austen
de Bourgh drove by in her phaeton, which he never failed coming to inform them of, though
it happened almost every day. She not unfrequently stopped at the Parsonage, and had a few
minutes' conversation with Charlotte, but was scarcely ever prevailed upon to get out.
Very few days passed in which Mr. Collins did not walk to Rosings, and not many in
which his wife did not think it necessary to go likewise; and till Elizabeth recollected that
there might be other family livings to be disposed of, she could not understand the sacrifice
of so many hours. Now and then they were honoured with a call from her ladyship, and
nothing escaped her observation that was passing in the room during these visits. She
examined into their employments, looked at their work, and advised them to do it
differently; found fault with the arrangement of the furniture; or detected the housemaid in
negligence; and if she accepted any refreshment, seemed to do it only for the sake of finding
annaabi.ee 
