Lady Lucas began directly to calculate, with more interest than the matter had ever excited before, how many years longer Mr.Bennet was likely to live; and Sir William gave it as his decided opinion, that whenever Mr.Collins should be in possession of the Longbourn estate, it would be highly expedient that both he and his wife should make their appearance at St.James's.

The whole family, in short, were properly overjoyed on the occasion.

The younger girls formed hopes of _coming out_ a year or two sooner than they might otherwise have done; and the boys were relieved from their apprehension of Charlotte's dying an old maid.

Charlotte herself was tolerably composed.

She had gained her point, and had time to consider of it.