Pride and Prejudice

At dinner, Elizabeth realizes how little Bingley’s sisters care about Jane’s welfare, and her newfound warmth disappears. Bingley is genuinely concerned for Jane, and he makes Elizabeth feel welcome.

After Elizabeth returns to Jane, Bingley’s sisters insult her, saying she has “no conversation, no style, no taste, no beauty,” and mock her “wild” appearance that morning (35). They can’t understand why she would walk so far just because her sister has a cold. Miss Bingley adds that it shows “an abominable sort of conceited independence” (36); Bingley counters that she “looked remarkably well” (35) and that “[i]t shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing” (36).

When Miss Bingley asks Darcy if Elizabeth’s “adventure” detracts from his “admiration of her fine eyes,” he says they “were brightened by the exercise” (36). Mrs. Hurst says Jane “is really a very sweet girl” but that, considering her “low connections,” a match could never take place (36). She and Miss Bingley laugh over the fact that Jane and Elizabeth’s uncles make their livings in trade. Bingley states their relations don’t matter; Darcy responds that their connections “lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world” (36). Bingley’s sisters continue laughing “at the expense of their dear friend’s vulgar relations,” then visit her in her room “[w]ith a renewal of tenderness” (36).

After Jane falls asleep, Elizabeth reads in the drawing room. Miss Bingley says Elizabeth “is a great reader, and has no pleasure in any thing else,” appalling Elizabeth, who says she “deserve[s] neither such praise nor such censure” (37).

Bingley, Miss Bingley, and Darcy discuss the merits of Darcy’s estate Pemberley; Darcy derides those who neglect their family libraries. Miss Bingley inquires after Darcy’s sister, commenting on how accomplished she is. Bingley expresses admiration for how accomplished young women are; Darcy proclaims he knows few women who are truly accomplished. Miss Bingley offers a list of skills a woman must possess to be considered accomplished. Darcy says a woman must possess all these skills and also “must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading” (39). When Elizabeth expresses doubt that any woman could meet all these requirements, Miss Bingley exclaims they know many such women.

Later, Elizabeth informs them that Jane’s condition is worse, and they decide to send for the doctor in the morning. Bingley is genuinely distraught. His sisters express their misery, then entertain themselves by singing duets.

The next morning, Elizabeth sends a note to Longbourn requesting that her mother come to Netherfield to assess Jane’s health. Mrs. Bennet arrives with Kitty and Lydia. On finding Jane’s condition not serious, she declares Jane too ill to leave Netherfield. Bingley is shocked that they’d consider removing her; Miss Bingley coldly assures Mrs. Bennet Jane will receive good care. Mrs. Bennet expresses gratitude, telling them Jane’s sweet disposition gives her patience to suffer through her illness and that she often tells her other daughters “they are nothing to her” (41).

Mrs. Bennet tells Bingley she hopes he will stay at Netherfield for a while. Bingley responds that he plans to stay but that as he does everything in a hurry, if he were to leave, he “should probably be off in five minutes” (42). After Elizabeth says she isn’t surprised, Bingley comments that she is “a studier of character” (42). Darcy interjects that the country has less varied society and fewer opportunities to study character, and Mrs. Bennet, offended, emphatically disagrees, saying London has “no great advantage over the country” (43). Bingley states that both the city and the country have advantages. Mrs. Bennet comments that he has the right disposition, as opposed to Darcy, who “seem[s] to think the country [is] nothing at all” (43). Embarrassed, Elizabeth assures her mother that Darcy meant only that there are more people in the city. Mrs. Bennet asserts she dines with many people in her neighborhood. Miss Bingley casts Darcy “a very expressive smile” (43).

In an attempt to change the subject, Elizabeth asks her mother about Charlotte Lucas. Mrs. Bennet raves about Sir William’s manners, saying he is “so genteel and so easy,” which is her “idea of good-breeding,” as opposed to those “who fancy themselves very important and never open their mouths” (43). She adds that while Charlotte is considered plain, Jane is considered beautiful by everyone. Elizabeth and Darcy exchange a short, witty volley about poetry, eliciting a smile from Darcy.

Lydia, “a favorite with her mother” (45) for her “fine complexion and good humored countenance (44-45), reminds Bingley that he’d promised to give a ball. Bingley agrees to keep his promise as soon as Jane is well. When the Bennets leave and Elizabeth returns to Jane, Bingley’s sisters mock them again. Darcy does not join in, even when Miss Bingley teases him about Elizabeth’s fine eyes.

That night in the drawing room, Miss Bingley fawns over Darcy as he writes to his sister, complimenting him on “his hand-writing, or on the evenness of his lines, or on the length of his letter” (46). She doesn’t notice his indifference.

Bingley’s comment that his own letters contain errors because his “ideas flow so rapidly” (47) prompts a boisterous conversation in which Darcy claims Bingley is complimenting himself in a roundabout way, just as he was earlier when he claimed he’d leave Netherfield in five minutes. He states that as quickly as Bingley would leave Netherfield, he’d stay if a friend asked him to. Elizabeth says Darcy has proven Bingley’s point; she also asks if “the rashness” of Bingley’s hypothetical decision to leave would be “atoned for” by his “obstinacy in adhering to it” (48). Darcy replies that the hypothetical friend has offered no argument to prove the worth of his request and suggests they determine the degree of intimacy between the two friends. Bingley declares that “if Darcy were not such a great tall fellow,” he “should not pay him half so much deference” (49). Though Darcy smiles, Elizabeth perceives he’s offended and refrains from laughing.

Darcy finishes his letter and asks that Elizabeth and Miss Bingley play the piano. Darcy watches Elizabeth play, and she assumes he’s finding ways to criticize her. When Miss Bingley plays, Darcy asks Elizabeth if she’d like to dance. She replies that he’s only asking so he “might have the pleasure of despising my taste” and that she “always delight[s] in overthrowing those kinds of schemes” (50). When she says he can despise her if he dares, he surprises her by replying, “Indeed I do not dare” (50). Darcy, noting the “mixture of sweetness and archness in her manner” (50), has “never been so bewitched by any woman” (51). Had it not been for “the inferiority of her connections, he should be in some danger” (51).

Miss Bingley notices and is jealous. The next day, in the garden, she teases Darcy about Elizabeth. Her suggestions to teach his mother-in-law to keep quiet and to discourage the girls from chasing officers meet with sarcasm, which goes over her head. When Mrs. Hurst and Elizabeth approach, Mrs. Hurst joins them, leaving Elizabeth to herself; when Darcy suggests walking a path that can fit all of them, Elizabeth declines, running “gaily off” (52).