The possibility of Mr. Collins's fancying himself in love with her friend had once occurred to Elizabeth within the last day or two; but that Charlotte could encourage him seemed almost as far from possibility as she could encourage him herself, and her astonishment was consequently so great as to overcome at first the bounds of decorum, and she could not help crying out:
Collins se crut épris de son amie, l’idée en était déja venue a Elizabeth au cours des deux journées précédentes, mais que Charlotte eut pu l’encourager, la chose lui paraissait inconcevable. Elle fut tellement abasourdie, qu’oubliant toute politesse elle s’écria :