Darcy is all politeness,”39 said Elizabeth, smiling.

“He is indeed —but considering the inducement, my dear Miss Eliza, we cannot wonder at his complaisance;40 for who would object to such a partner?”

Elizabeth looked archly,41 and turned away. Her resistance had not injured her with the gentleman, and he was thinking of her with some complacency,42 when thus accosted by Miss Bingley,

“I can guess the subject of your reverie.”

“I should imagine not.”

“You are considering how insupportable it would be to pass many evenings in this manner —in such society; and indeed I am quite of your opinion. I was never more annoyed! The insipidity and yet the noise; the nothingness and yet the self-importance of all these people!43—What would I give to hear your strictures on them!”44

“Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow.”

Miss Bingley immediately fixed her eyes on his face,45 and desired he would tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring such reflections. Mr. Darcy replied with great intrepidity,

“Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

“Miss Elizabeth Bennet!” repeated Miss Bingley. “I am all astonishment. How long has she been such a favourite? —and pray when am I to wish you joy?”46

“That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask. A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment. I knew you would be wishing me joy.”

“Nay, if you are so serious about it, I shall consider the matter as absolutely settled. You will have a charming mother-in-law, indeed, and of course she will be always at Pemberley with you.”47

He listened to her with perfect indifference, while she chose to entertain herself in this manner, and as his composure convinced her that all was safe, her wit flowed long.

1. waited on: visited (often in a formal way).

2. Such reciprocal visiting was part of the standard etiquette of the day. Visiting represented an important function of the ladies of the genteel classes.

3. In fact, it is when Bingley's sisters become convinced that he really is in love with Jane that they work to separate the two. Thus Elizabeth's judgment here is a little off. This chapter presents the first examples of some errors on Elizabeth's part; the ones here are mostly minor errors, but they foreshadow more significant mistakes later.

4. the impertinent: the intrusive or presumptuous; those inclined to meddle with what does not pertain to them. The idea is that Elizabeth does not want such people to gossip about Jane or poke their noses into her affairs.

5. The following exchange between Elizabeth and Charlotte Lucas parallels in some respects that between Elizabeth and Jane of two chapters ago. In both cases, someone who is close to Elizabeth, and who shares her general intelligence and goodness, differs from Elizabeth in critical ways that help illuminate the latter's character.

6. fixing him: securing his affections.

7. attachment: condition of affection between people.

8. This sober and realistic analysis of love and its development corresponds to how Jane Austen often presents love. In some of her youthful sketches she ridicules the common literary convention in which lovers always swoon for each other at first sight. In Northanger Abbey she says, regarding how the hero fell in love with the heroine, “I must confess that his affection originated in nothing better than gratitude, or, in other words, that a persuasion of her partiality for him had been the only cause of giving her a serious thought. It is a new circumstance in romance, I acknowledge, and dreadfully derogatory of an heroine's dignity; but if it be as new in common life, the credit of a wild imagination will at least be all my own.” It is obvious that Jane Austen did not in fact believe such a circumstance to be unknown in common (i.e., ordinary) life, and since it is that type of life that she portrays, she often shows love developing in such prosaic and incremental ways.

9. Elizabeth's point is presumably that Bingley, since he is the one in close contact with Jane and the object of her regard, should notice it better than anyone. But, as Charlotte points out, Bingley's lack of familiarity with Jane can make it hard for him to perceive her true feelings; it certainly is unreasonable of Elizabeth to say that only a simpleton in such a situation would fail in perception.

10. is secure of him: has secured him as her husband. The idea of a woman trying to secure a man, often by whatever means are necessary, is standard in this society. It reflects, among other things, the precarious economic position of women.

11. Elizabeth and Charlotte's difference of opinion on how much a woman's actions should be directed toward getting a husband, especially a rich one, is a difference that will later appear in their respective actions regarding marriage proposals.

12. Thus in two weeks there have been at least five social gatherings for dancing or dinner (all of these have probably involved a number of families). This indicates the high level of socializing in this society, especially when newcomers enter the neighborhood. Bingley has not seen Jane at her house because, as stated at the start of the chapter, only the ladies of Netherfield returned the visit of the Bennet ladies.

13. ascertain: make certain, become convinced.

14. Vingt-un … Commerce: two popular card games of the time. Vingt-un is Twenty-one, or Blackjack (“Vingt-et-un” means twenty-one in French; why the “et” is ungrammatically omitted for the card game is unclear). Commerce is a game in which players exchange cards in an attempt to obtain a hand with better combinations. Both are good social games, as they usually involve betting, do not demand complex strategy or great skill, and work best with a large number of players. In her letters Jane Austen often writes of playing them, especially Commerce.

15. dispositions: characters. Disposition then referred more to the whole character, including inner moral qualities, than it does now.

16. Elizabeth refuses to think that Charlotte could be serious in her cynical opinion of marriage, even though this opinion is consistent with Charlotte's general outlook.