Jane Austen
In vain did she entreat him to
stand up with somebody else, and offer 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.
She was at least free from the offense of Mr. Darcy's further notice; though often
standing within a very short distance of her, quite disengaged, he never came near enough
to speak. She felt it to be the probable consequence of her allusions to Mr. Wickham, and
rejoiced in it.
The Longbourn party were the last of all the company to depart, and, by a manoeuvre of
Mrs
annaabi.ee 
