Pride and Prejudice

Elizabeth confides in Jane about Darcy’s proposal but leaves out the parts about Bingley’s feelings. Jane feels that “admiration of Elizabeth” (209-10) is “perfectly natural” (210). Jane regrets that Darcy’s presentation was poorly-suited to inspiring Elizabeth to accept, and though she acknowledges that he shouldn’t have assumed he’d be accepted, she also is sorry for his pain.

When Elizabeth tells her about what she learned of Wickham, Jane is stunned, as she “would willingly have gone through the world without believing that so much sickness existed in the whole race of mankind as was here collected in one individual” (210). She tries to “clear one, without involving the other” (210), but Elizabeth tells her she’ll never “be able to make both of them good for any thing” (210) and that she “must be satisfied with only one” (210). She adds that she feels sorry for Darcy but that Jane feels sorry enough for them both.

Jane expresses shock that Wickham has “such an openness and gentleness in his manner” (211). Elizabeth says one man “has got all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it” (211). Jane never thought Darcy was “so deficient in appearance” (211); Elizabeth says she thought she was “uncommonly clever in taking so decided a dislike to him” because “to have a dislike of that kind” is “such an opening for wit” (211). They discuss whether Elizabeth should reveal to the town what Wickham has done and determine that she should not: Elizabeth says Darcy hasn’t authorized it and that Wickham will soon be gone, and Jane says he’s probably sorry for it anyway.

In the days that follow, Elizabeth sees that Jane still pines for Bingley. Mrs. Bennet “shall always say that he used my daughter extremely ill,” and her “comfort is” that “Jane will die of a broken heart, and then he will be sorry for what he has done” (213). Mrs. Bennet sneers that the Collinses will never hurt for money, that they surely talk about having Longbourn, and that she herself would be “ashamed” to have an estate “that was only entailed on me” (214).

The last week of the soldiers’ stay in Meryton, Lydia and Kitty are distraught. Mrs. Bennet sympathizes, for she experienced a similar disappointment when she was a girl. They complain constantly, and Elizabeth “[feels] anew the justice of Mr. Darcy’s objections” (215).

Colonel and Mrs. Forster, the militia regiment leader and his wife, invite Lydia to go with them to Brighton. Ecstatic, she flaunts her invitation regardless of Kitty’s feelings. Elizabeth feels it will be the “death-warrant of all possibility of common sense” (216) for Lydia and begs her father to forbid it. She reminds him of Lydia’s “improprieties” and says she will be “yet more imprudent” in Brighton (216). Mr. Bennet responds that Lydia won’t cease her behavior until she’s embarrassed herself and that “we can never expect her to do it with so little expense or inconvenience to her family as under the present circumstances” (216). Elizabeth warns that if he doesn’t stop Lydia now, “she will soon be beyond the reach of amendment” (216). She adds that Kitty is easily influenced by Lydia. Mr. Bennet fears there will be “no peace at Longbourn if Lydia does not go to Brighton” (217). He assures her that Colonel Forster will prevent Lydia from getting into trouble and that she is too poor “to be an object of prey to any body” (217).

Meanwhile, Lydia sees herself as “the object of attention to tens and to scores” (217) of officers, “flirting with at least six officers at once” (218).

Wickham has begun paying Elizabeth attention again; Elizabeth resents being “the object of such idle and frivolous gallantry” (218). On his last day in Meryton, he asks her about her time away, and she mentions she’s seen Darcy, who “improves on acquaintance” (219). Flustered, Wickham asks if Darcy has “improved in essentials” (219). Elizabeth responds that “[i]n essentials, I believe, he is very much what he ever was” (219). She clarifies that she means not that he himself has improved “but that from knowing him better, his disposition was better understood” (219). Wickham says he’s glad Darcy is now able to appear amiable and that he hopes pride will prevent Darcy from hurting others the way he’s hurt him. Their interactions are tense until they finally part.

Lydia stays with the Forsters so she can go to Brighton with them the next day. Mrs. Bennet tells her to have a good time, “advice which there [is] every reason to believe [will] be attended to” (220).

Mr. Bennet, “captivated by youth and beauty […] had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affect for her” (221). However, he acknowledges that this “disappointment” had been “brought on” by “his own imprudence” and takes comfort in his books, and also in finding “amusement” in “her ignorance and folly” (221). Though not ideal, he “derive[s] benefit” from the situation where he can (221). Elizabeth has always seen her father’s weaknesses but dismissed them because he’s so kind to her. However, she now notices “the disadvantages which must attend the children of so unsuitable a marriage” (221).

Mrs. Bennet and Kitty constantly complain of boredom. Lydia does not write often, and her short letters focus on visits to the officers and her new parasols or gowns. Soon, Kitty can “enter Meryton without tears” (223), making Elizabeth hope that she’ll be “tolerably reasonable” (223) by Christmas. She looks forward to her upcoming trip to the Lakes with the Gardiners.

Shortly before she is to leave for the tour, Elizabeth learns Mr. Gardiner needs to postpone the trip a couple of weeks and has to be back sooner than expected; therefore, they won’t have time to go all the way to the Lakes. Instead, they settle on Derbyshire, where Mrs. Gardiner has personal attachments. Elizabeth is disappointed, but as it is “her temper to be happy” (224), she accepts the change of plans. She thinks of how Pemberley is in Derbyshire and hopes she won’t run into Darcy.

Finally they depart for their trip. Elizabeth and the Gardiners sincerely enjoy one another’s company. They stay in Lambton, where Mrs. Gardiner has acquaintances. Pemberley is merely five miles away; Mrs. Gardiner asks if Elizabeth would like to see the place she’s heard so much about. Elizabeth, terrified of meeting Darcy, tries to decline; she considers confessing the truth but decides against it. She tactfully asks a chambermaid if the family is at Pemberley; at hearing they are not, Elizabeth is “at leisure to feel a great deal of curiosity to see the house herself” (225).