Pride and Prejudice

When the Collins party next dines at Rosings, Elizabeth and Colonel Fitzwilliam interact “with so much spirit and flow as to draw the attention of Lady Catherine herself, as well as of Mr. Darcy” (164). Lady Catherine asks what they’re talking about; Colonel Fitzwilliam tells her they’re discussing music. Lady Catherine says she enjoys music more than anyone in England. She asks Darcy if his sister is a good musician; he says she is, and Lady Catherine insists he tell her she must practice. Darcy replies that “she does not need such advice” (165). Lady Catherine goes on to say that she’s told Elizabeth she can practice on her piano any time and that she won’t be a bother in that part of the house. Darcy “look[s] a little ashamed of his aunt’s ill breeding, and [makes] no answer” (165).

After dinner, Colonel Fitzwilliam asks Elizabeth to play the piano. Lady Catherine begins speaking to Darcy, who walks away and stands by the piano where Elizabeth can clearly see him. Elizabeth, smiling, says she knows he’s trying to scare her and that her “stubbornness” prevents her from being intimidated. Darcy replies that she doesn’t truly believe he wants to scare her and that he knows she finds “great enjoyment in occasionally professing opinions which, in fact, are not your own” (166). Laughing, Elizabeth says it’s unwise of him to try to “expose my real character,” for she may “retaliate” by saying things that “will shock your relations to hear” (166).

Darcy, also smiling, tells her he’s “not afraid” of her, and Colonel Fitzwilliam begs her to elaborate. Elizabeth playfully tells him that at the Meryton ball, Darcy danced only four dances. When Darcy says he didn’t know anyone, Elizabeth jokes that of course “nobody can ever be introduced in a ball room” (167). Darcy says he is “ill qualified to recommend myself to strangers” and can’t speak “easily with those I have not seen before” (167). Elizabeth counters that she isn’t the best piano player, but it’s her own fault because she doesn’t practice. Darcy tells her no one listening could find fault with her playing and that “[w]e neither of us perform to strangers” (167).

Lady Catherine interrupts, saying her daughter would have been excellent on the piano had her health allowed it. She criticizes Elizabeth until the carriage takes them home.

The next day, when Charlotte and Maria are out, Elizabeth is surprised by a visit from Darcy. After exchanging pleasantries, they sit in silence. Out of desperation, Elizabeth says Bingley left Netherfield quickly and that he must be glad Darcy and his sisters joined him. She adds she has heard that Bingley intends never to return; Darcy says he wouldn’t be surprised. Elizabeth says if that’s true, he should give up the house. Darcy suspects he will.

They fall into silence again, and Elizabeth says nothing, forcing him to open another conversation. Darcy comments that the house seems comfortable and that Lady Catherine fixed it up for Mr. Collins; Elizabeth says Lady Catherine “could not have bestowed her kindness on a more grateful object” (169). At Darcy’s comment that Mr. Collins “appears very fortunate in his choice of a wife” (169), Elizabeth replies that Charlotte is “one of the very few sensible women who would have accepted him” (170).Elizabeth doesn’t believe Charlotte marrying Mr. Collins is “the wisest thing she ever did,” but Charlotte is “perfectly happy” and the marriage is good “in a prudential light” (170).

Charlotte and Maria return and are surprised to find Darcy there. After he leaves, Charlotte says Darcy must be in love with Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s description of the awkward silences makes Charlotte change her mind, and they agree he must have had nothing else to do.

Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam visit frequently. While it’s clear Colonel Fitzwilliam comes because he enjoys their company, nobody knows why Darcy visits, for he rarely speaks, and when he does, “it seem[s] the effect of necessity rather than of choice” (171).

Charlotte believes Darcy has feelings for Elizabeth, but Elizabeth laughs at her suggestion. Charlotte says no more about it because she doesn’t want to disappoint her if it isn’t true. However, she believes Elizabeth’s “dislike would vanish, if she could suppose him to be in her power” (172). Sometimes she imagines Elizabeth marrying Colonel Fitzwilliam, who is friendlier; however, Darcy is by far the wealthier, more powerful man.

Elizabeth frequently meets Darcy on her walks in the park. In order to avoid this awkwardness, she tells him it’s her favorite place to walk and finds it “very odd” that it continues to happen. She wonders if it’s “willful ill-nature” or “voluntary penance” (173) that makes him walk with her. Though much of their time together is spent in silence, he asks her questions and, at one point, seems to suggest that next time she is in Kent, she will stay at Rosings. Elizabeth wonders if he expects her to marry Colonel Fitzwilliam.

One day she encounters Colonel Fitzwilliam on her walk. After a brief discussion in which he tells her he and Darcy are leaving Saturday, Colonel Fitzwilliam mentions that he and Darcy share custody of Miss Darcy. Elizabeth asks if Miss Darcy gives them “much trouble,” for if she’s anything like her brother, “she may like to have her own way” (175). At Colonel Fitzwilliam’s puzzled look, Elizabeth assures him she’s never heard anything negative about Miss Darcy, who is well-liked by Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst.

Colonel Fitzwilliam reveals that Darcy told him that he recently “saved a friend from the inconveniences of a most imprudent marriage” (175-76) and that he took the friend to be Bingley. Elizabeth asks the reason; Colonel Fitzwilliam replies that “there were some very strong objections against the lady” (176). Elizabeth, furious, asks “what right Mr. Darcy [has] to decide on the propriety of his friend’s inclination” (176) but then calms herself and changes the subject.

Back in her room, she can think of nothing but the fact that Darcy has caused “all that Jane had suffered, and still continue[s] to suffer” (177), that he dashed the hopes of “the most affectionate, generous heart in the world” (177). She believes Darcy could have no objections to Jane and concludes that he was motivated partly by her family’s circumstances and partly by his desire for his sister to marry Bingley. Her crying brings on a headache, and she doesn’t join the Collinses at Rosings.

Elizabeth rereads Jane’s letters. Finding Jane’s tone tinged with disappointment, she is glad Darcy is leaving Rosings the day after next and that she’ll soon be with Jane.

Her thoughts are interrupted by a visit from Darcy, who tells her that despite his efforts, his “feelings will not be repressed” (179). He states, “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you” (179). Stunned, Elizabeth listens as he talks of “the family obstacles” with just as much “warmth” as he talks of his love for her (179). He laments her “inferiority” and how being in love with her is “a degradation” (179). Elizabeth can’t help but feel flattered by his affection and would have felt “sorry for the pain he was to receive” (179); however, her sympathy vanishes as he talks of his love growing “in spite of all his endeavours [sic]” (179). She is even more indignant when she sees he has no doubt she will accept his marriage proposal.

Elizabeth tells him she has “never desired your good opinion,” which he has clearly related “most unwillingly,” and that she expects that his reservations about her family will help dissipate the pain of rejection (180). With “forced calmness,” Darcy demands to know why he is rejected without even an “endeavour [sic] at civility” (180).

Elizabeth responds that he was uncivil by telling her he has tried not to love her and that she could never be with the man who ruined her sister’s happiness. She is angered when Darcy seems “wholly unmoved by any feeling of remorse” (181) and admits he did “every thing in my power” (181) to keep Jane and Bingley apart. When Elizabeth chastises him for his treatment of Wickham, Darcy expresses outrage that this is her opinion of him. He suggests that perhaps if he hadn’t wounded her pride—if he had “flattered” her by telling her his feelings were “unqualified”—she would have “suppressed” these “bitter accusations.” He tells her dishonesty is his “abhorrence” and that his concerns about her inferior “connections” are natural (182).

Furious, Elizabeth assures him his presentation prevented her only from feeling guilty for hurting him, that from their first meeting she believed him selfish and insensitive. Darcy replies that he “perfectly comprehend[s]” and that he is “ashamed” of his feelings (183). After he leaves, Elizabeth cries for a half hour, then rushes to her room when the Collinses return.