[B-happy]

The morning after the Netherfield ball, Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth. He outlines his motivation for proposing and promises never to bring up the fact that she brings so little money to the marriage. Torn between discomfort and the desire to laugh at his officious manner, Elizabeth politely refuses him. Mr. Collins, however, thinks that Elizabeth is being coy in refusing him and lists the reasons why it is unthinkable for her to refuse him — namely his own worthiness, his association to the De Bourgh family, and Elizabeth's own potential poverty. Mrs. Bennet, who is anxious for Elizabeth to accept Mr. Collins, reacts badly to the news of her daughter's resistance and threatens never to see Elizabeth again if she doesn't marry him. When Mrs. Bennet appeals to Mr. Bennet for support, though, he states that he would never want to see Elizabeth again if she did marry Mr. Collins. Mr. Collins finally realizes that his suit is hopeless and he withdraws his offer.
In the midst of the uproar over the proposal, Charlotte Lucas visits the Bennets and learns of Elizabeth's refusal of Mr. Collins. After Mr. Collins withdraws his offer, Charlotte begins spending more time with him, and within a few days, he proposes to her. Charlotte accepts, not for love but for security, and news of their engagement outrages Mrs. Bennet and shocks Elizabeth, who cannot believe her friend would marry where no love exists.
Meanwhile, Bingley leaves for what is supposed to be a temporary visit to London, but Jane receives a letter from Caroline Bingley stating that the whole party has left for London and will not return all winter. Caroline tells Jane that they are spending a great deal of time with Georgiana Darcy and hints that she would like Miss Darcy to marry her brother. Jane is dismayed by the news, but believes that Caroline's letter is written in friendship and goodwill. Elizabeth, on the other hand, is suspicious of the role Darcy and Bingley's sisters may be playing in keeping him and Jane apart.

Jane receives another letter from Caroline Bingley and unhappily reads that the Bingleys have no plans of ever returning to Netherfield. The news leaves Jane depressed and makes Elizabeth angry. She blames Darcy and Bingley's sisters for interfering with her sister's happiness, and resents Bingley for how easily he has been manipulated by those close to him. Elizabeth's mood is lifted somewhat by frequent visits from Wickham, who continues to be attentive to Elizabeth.
Mrs. Bennet's brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, come to Longbourn to spend Christmas with the Bennet family. Unlike Mrs. Bennet's other relatives, the Gardiners are well-mannered and intelligent, and Jane and Elizabeth feel especially close to them. Mrs. Gardiner cautions Elizabeth against encouraging Wickham, telling her that the lack of fortune on either side makes the hope of a match between the two of them impractical and irresponsible. Mrs. Gardiner also observes Jane's melancholy and invites her to return to London with them. Jane happily accepts and anticipates being able to see Caroline Bingley while she is there. However, after Jane is in London, a chilly reception from Miss Bingley makes her realize that Elizabeth was correct in her assessment of Bingley's sister as being a false friend to Jane.
Meanwhile, Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas marry and depart for Mr. Collins' parsonage in Hunsford, Kent. Before she leaves, Charlotte asks Elizabeth to visit her soon and Elizabeth reluctantly agrees. In March, Elizabeth accompanies Charlotte's father and younger sister, Maria, to visit Charlotte, whom Elizabeth has begun to miss. On their way to Hunsford, the group stops in London overnight to stay with the Gardiners. While there, Elizabeth and her aunt discuss Wickham's recent courtship of Miss King, an heiress. Mrs. Gardiner views his actions as mercenary, but Elizabeth defends his right to pursue a wealthy bride. Before Elizabeth leaves London, her aunt and uncle invite her to accompany them on a trip to northern England in the summer, and Elizabeth agrees.

The next day, Elizabeth, Sir William, and Maria leave London for Hunsford. When they arrive at the parsonage, Charlotte and Mr. Collins greet them enthusiastically and give them a tour of the house and garden. As they settle in, Maria is excited by the brief visit from Miss De Bourgh, but Elizabeth in unimpressed.
The group is invited to dine at Lady Catherine De Bourgh's residence, Rosings, soon after they arrive. Mr. Collins' dramatic descriptions of Lady Catherine and her home make Sir William and Maria nervous, but Elizabeth approaches the visit with curiosity rather than fright. As Elizabeth observes Lady Catherine, she notices that her ladyship displays tireless interests in the smallest details of life at the parsonage and in the village and never hesitates to offer her opinion or advice. Lady Catherine also turns her attention to Elizabeth and begins querying her about her family and education, and Elizabeth shocks her by initially refusing to disclose her age.
After a week passes, Sir William returns home. Elizabeth spends much of her time walking outdoors, and the group dines at Rosings twice a week. The news that Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam will be visiting Lady Catherine, soon generates some excitement, especially after the two gentlemen call on the parsonage the morning after their arrival. Colonel Fitzwilliam impresses Elizabeth with his gentlemanlike manner, while Darcy remains as aloof as ever.

About a week after Darcy and Fitzwilliam arrive at Rosings, the residents of the parsonage are again invited to dinner. Lady Catherine focuses much of her attention on Darcy, while Colonel Fitzwilliam seems taken with Elizabeth. The colonel asks Elizabeth to play the piano for him, and she complies. Darcy soon joins them at the piano and it is not long before Elizabeth and Darcy become engaged in a spirited conversation about Darcy's reserved behavior among strangers. Elizabeth reproaches him for not trying harder, while Darcy states that he simply isn't able to easily converse with people he doesn't know well.
The next morning, Darcy visits the parsonage and is surprised to find Elizabeth alone. Their conversation begins in a stilted and awkward manner, but soon Elizabeth cannot resist questioning him about whether Bingley plans on returning to Netherfield. Discussion turns to Charlotte's marriage to Mr. Collins, leading to a brief debate over what is an "easy distance" for a woman to be separated from her family after she marries. Charlotte comes home and Darcy soon leaves. Surprised by his presence, Charlotte wonders if Darcy is in love with Elizabeth and closely observes him in his subsequent visits.

Elizabeth keeps encountering Darcy during her walks through the park and is bothered when, rather than leaving her alone, he continues to join her. One day, she meets Colonel Fitzwilliam as she's walking and they begin discussing Darcy's character. When Fitzwilliam relates the story of "a most imprudent marriage" that Darcy saved Bingley from, Elizabeth infers that he is speaking of Jane and reflects upon Darcy's actions with anger and tears when she returns to her room. Feeling unfit to see Lady Catherine and especially wanting to avoid Darcy, Elizabeth decides not to go to Rosings that night for dinner, telling Charlotte that she has a headache.
After everyone has left for Rosings, Elizabeth is startled by the arrival of Darcy, who inquires about her health. After a few minutes of silence, Darcy shocks Elizabeth with a declaration of love for her and a proposal of marriage. Initially flattered by his regard, Elizabeth's feelings turn to outrage as Darcy catalogs all of the reasons why he has resisted his feelings for her — namely how her inferior social class would degrade his own standing and the problem of her family. Elizabeth in turn stuns Darcy by refusing his proposal, stating, "I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry." She condemns him for separating Jane and Bingley, for treating Wickham poorly, and for his arrogance and selfishness. He accepts these accusations without apology, even with contempt. However, he flinches when she accuses him of not behaving like a gentleman and when Elizabeth finishes her denunciation of him, Darcy angrily departs. Overwhelmed with emotion, Elizabeth cries for a half hour afterward and retreats to her room when everyone returns home.
As Elizabeth is walking the next morning, Darcy approaches her, gives her a letter, and leaves her alone to read it. In the letter, Darcy does not renew his marriage proposal, but instead addresses Elizabeth's two main objections to him: his involvement in Jane and Bingley's breakup and his treatment of Wickham. Regarding Jane and Bingley, Darcy states that he believed that Jane did not love Bingley, and he consequently persuaded Bingley that it was so, as well. He admits that he wanted to save Bingley from an imprudent marriage, but he stresses that he felt that Jane's feelings were not deeply involved because her calm nature never displayed any indication of her strong attachment. Darcy adds that Jane's mother, her three younger sisters, and even her father act improperly in public and create a spectacle of themselves.

As for Wickham, Darcy states that he is a pleasant but unprincipled man who is greedy and vengeful. Contrary to Wickham's account, Darcy asserts that he did not deprive Wickham of the clergyman position without compensation. Instead, as Wickham's request, Darcy gave him 3,000 pounds to use to study law. Wickham squandered the money, tried to get more from Darcy, and when that failed, tried to elope with Darcy's sister. Darcy directs Elizabeth to ask Colonel Fitzwilliam for confirmation of anything she questions in his letter.
At first, Elizabeth refuses to believe the letter, but after rereading it and thinking back on the circumstances Darcy recounts, she soon realizes, with a great deal of shock and chagrin, that it is completely true. Reflecting upon her former behavior and views, she is horrified and ashamed and exclaims, "I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this moment, I never knew myself." Depressed and ashamed, she finally returns to the parsonage, and learns that both Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam had visited and gone.

continues....