Pride and Prejudice

Mrs. Bennet is sad to lose Lydia and tells her to write; Lydia says “married women have never much time for writing” (306-07) but that her sisters can write to her because “[t]hey will have nothing else to do” (307). Wickham is charming as ever upon leaving. Mr. Bennet, snidely noting his flattering manner, says he is “prodigiously proud of him” and that even Sir William can’t “produce a more valuable son-in-law” (307).

News that Bingley is to return to Netherfield brightens Mrs. Bennet’s “spiritless condition” (307). Jane claims to have no interest in him and that he’s welcome at Netherfield if he wants to go. She assures Elizabeth that she only feels self-conscious because she knows people are thinking of her, but Elizabeth doesn’t believe her. Elizabeth feels Bingley has come down alone because he still loves Jane and that Darcy has given his blessing.

Mrs. Bennet once again asks her husband to visit Bingley. Mr. Bennet says he will not, that last time she asked him to visit Bingley he’d been promised he would marry one of his daughters. He says Bingley can visit if he wants to, that “[h]e knows where we live” (309).