I Could Cut the TENSION Between Darcy and Elizabeth With a SPOON...

[00:00:00]Okay, I have to say I'm really starting to appreciate how Jane Austin writes her characters. They're not heroes. They're not villains. They're just people. And every time I think I've got someone figured out, she shows me another side of them. Now, Charlotte is a perfect example. A few chapters ago, I was having a really hard time understanding her decision at all. Now, I still wouldn't make the same choice, but I now understand her. And I think that's a sign of great great writing. Then there's Darcy. And I don't even know what to say anymore. This man is somehow both the quietest man in the room and the one I spent the most time thinking about once I'm done with a chapter. It's honestly impressive. And at this point, I've stopped trying to force an opinion of him. I'm just letting Jane Austin kind of introduce him to me all over again as the chapters progress. and I think that it's just a much more enjoyable way to uh go about this book.

[00:01:00]All right, so without further ado, let's get on back to Rosings and see what the crew is up to. All right, so chapter 32 here we are. We are still at Rosings probably with Darcy finally making an appearance back to Rosings with Elizabeth. What is going to happen?

[00:01:19]Let's find out. So we're starting off with Elizabeth. Elizabeth [clears throat] was sitting by herself the next morning and writing to Jane.

[00:01:29]Oh, while Mrs. Collins and Mariah were gone on business into the village when she was startled by a ring at the door, the certain signal of a visitor. Uh-oh, the doorbell rang. Dingdong. I wonder who it could be. Well, it's either got to be two people. Lady Catherine or Darcy or I guess Fitz William, but probably Catherine or Darcy, but I don't be I don't think Lady Catherine Well, she might be ringing the doorbell, but we'll see. But I love here that Elizabeth is writing to Jane because she truly does miss her. She wants to make sure that she's still in healthful spirits. And I love that Charlotte took her sister Mariah into business into the village. So this is Mariah is like, "Thank goodness she finally got out of the house. Now she could finally breathe for a split second before she comes back whenever they're done with business." But let's see who is the visitor at the door.

[00:02:33]As she had heard, no carriage. So you know, it's probably not Lady Catherine.

[00:02:38]There's no carriage. So it's not Mr. Berg. It's not Mrs. Jenson. It's probably not Lady Catherine. Only a couple of people like to be a walk-in out here on these streets.

[00:02:48]So, as she had heard no carriage, she thought it not unlikely to be Lady Catherine. Now, interesting because not unlikely that would be likely. So, maybe it is likely that since there was no carriage that it could be Lady Katherine. I mean, they do live next door to each other, but I would think that if there was a carriage involved, maybe Lady Catherine was kind of like on her way somewhere cuz she's she's in the carriages, right? But they do live next door to each other, so maybe she just kind of walked on over. Doesn't really seem like her, but you know, it is Lady Catherine. But according to Elizabeth, because she had heard no carriage, it could be Lady Catherine. Okay. And under that apprehension was putting away her half finishedish leisure. She's like, "Oh no, Lady Katherine's coming. I don't want her to critique my writing because she's gonna she might be looking over."

[00:03:44]So she's not she's not like Mr. Collins who might not have looked at the letter.

[00:03:48]Lady Katherine would have been uh all up in that letter checking the penmanship, checking how far the indentation is on the letter. Yeah. So, she's putting that letter away that she might escape all impertinent questions. Yeah, she does not want any rude questions coming at her. And when the door opened and to her very great surprise, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Darcy alone entered the room. Okay, so no Fitz William, just Darcy, no Lady Catherine. So, she might be she it does say that she was surprised. I would be probably I mean she would probably not feel as much apprehension because it's not Lady Catherine. But she's now kind of shocked to see Darcy just coming on over, right? Why would he be coming on over? He wants to see her.

[00:04:42]He wants to see her. Let's see. Oh, and look at this this cute little picture. I mean, he came in right into the room that she was writing down. So, there's there's our little Lizzy writing down a letter to Jane. Look at all those papers there. Cute. And guys, is this a picture of Lady Catherine on the wall? I can only imagine that it would be in Huntsford, right? She's got the hat and everything. But there's Darcy with his boots again. I love the jacket, the hat, and the kind of the walking stick. Cute.

[00:05:12]All right, so let's see.

[00:05:14]He seemed astonished too on finding her alone and apologized for his intrusion.

[00:05:20]Civilities. good breeding by letting her know that he had understood all the ladies to be within. So maybe he was looking for Charlotte to ask for something. Maybe he was looking for Mariah. Probably not. Maybe Charlotte, right? But he apologized. You know, I don't mean to intrude. That's kind of him, I would think. Good looks for Darcy right now. Then they sat down and when her inquiries after Rosings were made, you know, basically how's Rosings? How's your day?

[00:05:53]Civilities, right?

[00:05:56]So, after those inquiries, after Rossings were made, seemed in danger of sinking into total silence, right?

[00:06:03]Because that's usually what's what's going on. Either Darcy is going to be talking or he's basically silent. And he doesn't mind. He doesn't mind no conversation. And Elizabeth, I could see her kind of too. Just kind of no conversation. That's fine with me.

[00:06:19]It was absolutely necessary, therefore, to think of something because now there's going to be two people in a room. Silence is going to be upon them.

[00:06:31]I guess because of the awkwardness, one of them has to say something, right? One of them has to say something. Even though Darcy is completely fine with silence, but maybe there are rules and etiquets in the Regency era that, you know, you got to keep the conversation flowing if you're near someone. But we've seen we've seen otherwise. But let's continue.

[00:06:55]and in this emergency recollecting when she had seen him last in Hertfordshire and feeling curious to know what he would say on the subject of their hasty departure. Yeah, she observed.

[00:07:10]So, she's going to ask about the hasty departure, the quickness of why the whole party at Hartford left, right? Why did you guys leave so soon? [snorts] and she's going to be asking the question.

[00:07:25]She kind of knows some of the answer right from Jane because Bingley left on business. It was supposed to be about 3 or 4 days, I believe, but then Carolyn said that it was going to be much longer. So, the whole party had to get up and leave, right?

[00:07:41]So, she's going to ask the question to Darcy. And while he's answering, you know that she's going to be observing everything. his face, his countenance.

[00:07:51]Is he blushing? Does he show any curiosity or emotion? Or maybe some lying between his teeth? I don't know. We'll see. Right.

[00:08:03]Uh-oh. So, Elizabeth comes right out and says, "How maybe suddenly you all quitted Netherfield last November, Mr. Darcy? It must have been a most agreeable surprise to Mr. Bingley to see you all after him so soon, right?

[00:08:18]because he was only supposed to be there for I I believe 3 or 4 days. And now all of a sudden 3 or 4 days, poof, they left. So it was a very quick getaway from Nether.

[00:08:31]And that's what she's coming at him with, right? He must have been meaning Bingley. He must have been so surprised to you. He left you guys and then boom, now you guys are at London in your house specifically.

[00:08:44]So let's continue. Four. This is Elizabeth. Keep going. If I recollect right, he went but the day before. He and his sisters were well. I hope when you left London. M Yeah, cuz everything happened so quickly. So she's trying to remember. He went the day before you guys left. So he he said he was gone to London. He needed 3 or 4 days. And after the first day, it seems that Carolyn was like, "Nope, we're getting up. We're getting back up and we're all heading to London.

[00:09:19]So now she's kind of seeing what's going on. How is Mr. Bingley doing? How's Carolyn doing? Hopes all's well when you left London to come to Kent. Yeah.

[00:09:29]And Mr. Bingley says perfectly so. I thank you. Very short.

[00:09:36]Cool comic collected. Very short. Uh not going to give too much there. H doesn't give [clears throat] anything away.

[00:09:43]especially if Elizabeth is looking for some information. But let's continue on.

[00:09:48]She found that she was to receive no other answer. Yeah. I mean, he's he's very good friends with Bingley. It's not his business. Maybe for civility and good breeding in that era. He's not going to be running his mouth about his best friend's business, right? So maybe that's what it is just as a respect to Bingley that there was no other answer.

[00:10:11]and after a short pause added. So let's see who is so she found that she was to receive no other answer and okay so she's going to be talking now so he just kind of didn't answer her she's going to keep it going so she says I think I have understood that Mr. Bingley has not much idea of ever returning to Netherfield again.

[00:10:34]According to Carolyn, he's not coming back.

[00:10:39]Is he coming back, guys? Some of you know, obviously.

[00:10:43]I hope he is. He's got to We got to have another ball.

[00:10:49]But let's say Mr. Darcy says, "Oh jeez. Oh jeez." Okay. I have never heard him say so.

[00:11:00]So, Carolyn, what do you got to tell me?

[00:11:02]Huh? What does Carolyn run in her mouth about maybe some things that aren't true? Let's see. I have never heard him say so, but it is probable that he may spend very little of his time there in future. Okay, so it's maybe highly likely. Why? He has many friends and he is at a time of life when friends and engagements are continually increasing.

[00:11:28]Has he found someone else? Has he found someone else? He has many friends and he is at a time of life when friends and engagements are increasing. So if it's if it's from a male perspective, friends being men, that he's he just has a lot of acquaintances in London. Why keep going back to Netherfield Park, back to London, back to Netherfield Park, back to London if he's got most of his unit in Londonish era area, right? Same thing if I feel like if it was the ladies, maybe he found someone. I don't know. But I guess Darcy is kind of just saying, "Yeah, might be probable because he's got a lot going on in London." All right, let's see what Elizabeth says about that.

[00:12:18]Well, if he means to be but little at Netherfield, it would be better for the neighborhood that he should give up the place entirely. For then, we might possibly get a settled family there.

[00:12:29]Yeah. I mean, it it is it is a beautiful place and a family would definitely want to live there. So instead of nobody being there, right, and you have maybe servants that are there still working, working the grounds, got to keep the upkeep of the place, it it it is better to kind of just let it to somebody else because he was renting, right? It's not that he's it's not that he's uh owns Netherfield. He he was renting. So just give up whenever the lease is over. Just give it up and have somebody else come in. Okay. Another family. But uh perhaps Mr. Bingley did not take the house so much for the convenience of the neighborhood as for his own and we must expect him to keep or quit it on the same principle. H so maybe he got so she's kind of kind of indirectly as asking why did he get this in the first place? If he's constantly in London with acquaintances, friends, business, why then? Why in the first place did he want to get this place in the first place? I think that's what she might be indirectly asking Bing um Darcy for that if he didn't if he didn't do it for the convenience of the neighborhood why did he do it and Darcy's going to come in and say I should not be surprised said Darcy if he were to give it up as soon as any eligible purchase offers. So he's kind of like well you know if if a good if a good offer comes along he'd give it up. He doesn't really have that type of relationship, not really a relationship, but any type of feeling that's tying him to the place because he was there for such a short period of time that he doesn't have any personal except for Jane [laughter] um attachments to the place. So Darcy is kind of just saying because remember he's the golden retriever that if something comes along, he's he's gone, right? just finding another tennis ball, guys. So, that's what Darcy's basically saying that if there's an an eligible p purchase that's coming around, Bingley would would take it or, you know, give up the place. Let's see what does Elizabeth say. Yeah, she don't like that, guys. She does not like that.

[00:14:52]Elizabeth made no answer. She was afraid of talking longer of his friend and having nothing else to say was now determined to leave the trouble of finding a subject to him. So now she doesn't really want to talk about Bingley anymore because of the personal relationship that she has with Jane who was tied with Bingley. So if you can't talk about Bingley now Elizabeth's like, "Oh shoot, now I have to find a subject to talk to Darcy about that's not Bingley."

[00:15:23]So she was determined to leave the trouble of finding a subject to him. Let's see.

[00:15:30]But he took the hint and soon began.

[00:15:35]So he soon began with uh this seems a very comfortable house.

[00:15:43]Lady Katherine, I believe, did a great deal to it when Mr. Collins first came to Huntsford. Okay. So he's he's just trying to make common ground. We're in a house. We're in Huntsford. Let's talk about Huntsford. So, it's a very comfortable house. It's a humble abode, guys. Remember, it's a humble abode.

[00:16:03]And of course, Lady Catherine had everything to do with it. She did a great deal to it when Mr. Collins came to Huntsford. Yes. Because the curtains had to be to her standard. The furniture had to be to her standard. But Elizabeth says, "I believe she did, and I am sure she could not have bestowed her kindness on a more grateful object." Guys, you got to love it that she's calling out how basically there's no other person that would be as grateful as Mr. Collins for what Lady Catherine did. That she believes that or as she's sure, she could not have bestowed her kindness on a more grateful object. We know Mr. Collins and I've been talking to you guys in the comments that you know probably Mr. Collins didn't have a really good upbringing. We know that he wasn't really he didn't really benefit from education and his father unfortunately that that relationship over there and Lady Catherine saw him and knew that he was the person for her.

[00:17:10]So she took it upon herself, gave him the clergyman position, and the rest is history, guys. So Mr. Collins is perfect for Lady Catherine. But let's keep it going.

[00:17:23]And Darcy comes and says, "Mr. Collins appears very fortunate in his choice of a wife."

[00:17:32]Yeah.

[00:17:34]Yes. Now, does Darcy know that Collins went for Elizabeth?

[00:17:41]H I don't think so.

[00:17:44]Not that I can recall.

[00:17:47]No, cuz I don't think he was No, I don't think it was. It was at the ball that they danced, right? It was at the Netherfield ball that they danced, but Collins asked the next day and Darcy, I don't think was there. So maybe Darcy does doesn't even know, but maybe through, you know, through the grapevine, but I would say he probably doesn't know. But he says, you know, Mr. Collins is very fortunate to have Charlotte. That's cute. I mean, Charlotte has been doing what she needs to do to make her life work, and because of that, Collins is loving it.

[00:18:27]Right.

[00:18:28]But anyway, um Elizabeth comes back and says, "Yes, indeed. His friends may well rejoice in his having met with one of the very few sensible women who would have accepted him or have made him happy if they had so she's kind of calling not calling herself out but Charlotte is one of the very few sensible women who would have accepted him because if you didn't accept him or if you should if you did accept him chances are you were insensible cuz that's how insufferable Mr. Collins is.

[00:19:08]But she's saying that Charlotte is one of the very few sensible women to actually have accepted him. Okay, I mean that's a great compliment to Charlotte or had or have made him happy if they had. Okay. And she keeps going. My friend has an excellent understanding though I am not certain that I consider her marrying Mr. Collins as the wisest thing she ever did. Yeah. I mean, she's she's coming around, Elizabeth. She's still not really kind of getting it, but she's coming around. She has an excellent understanding that maybe she's getting around that this is what Charlotte had to do for her future, to set up her future.

[00:19:55]But she still thinks that that wasn't the wisest choice. But to Charlotte, it's a pretty good choice. It's a really good choice. That's the choice that she made. She's got to go with it. [snorts] She seems perfectly happy. However, she's making it work. She's making it work. Charlotte is making it work. And Elizabeth is coming around and and now she's I mean, the wording that she's using, she's not really talking down upon Charlotte. She's not really saying like I have I can't. But she's she's trying to make make way here. That's just that's just how I'm viewing it. But let's keep going. So she seems perfectly happy.

[00:20:37]However, and in a credential light, it is certainly a very good match for her.

[00:20:43]Okay. I think she's coming around that, you know, thinking about it, being wise about it, uh, careful planning, thinking about it, that it was a good match for her. Lizzy, I mean, she's been thinking about this for a while. She's been taking nights, been thinking about it, and it seems like she's coming around.

[00:21:06]She's working on those prejudices, but let's see.

[00:21:10]So Darcy comes back and says it must be very agreeable to her to be settled within so easy a distance of her own family and friends. A I mean it seems like he's being very sincere.

[00:21:22]He he hasn't been really demoralizing in this whole conversation. He's been pretty very civil, very good breeding, very cordial, but it seems like he's playing a genuine part here that, you know, it's it's good for her that she's close to the Lucas Lodge that they can travel. Aka, that's why Mariah's here.

[00:21:46]Sir William came.

[00:21:48]And and um Elizabeth says an easy distance, do you call it? It is merely 50 miles. [gasps] H okay.

[00:22:01]I guess the difference between having the access of a carriage and being able to go wherever you want. I mean he just came from London to Kent, right? And he's traveling here. He was at Netherfield Park. He's going to London. So, it seems like he doesn't really view, maybe this is coming from his type of prejudice here, that if he was truthful, right, that he he does think that they're super close. And Elizabeth to having to walk to Netherfield Park, they don't really have access to a carriage that um she's like, "Walk?

[00:22:41]It's 50 miles. What? What are you talking about? That's not easy. That's not close. But Darcy comes back and says, "And what is 50 mi of good road?

[00:22:51]Little more than half a day journey."

[00:22:54]Yes. I call it a very easy distance.

[00:22:58]He will travel far for people that he wants to see. Maybe if that's what that's talking about. H this is interesting. Now that I just said that, this kind of goes back to maybe they're indirectly talking about Bingley and Jane.

[00:23:14]how now you know Bingley is now farther away and seems like because of that they're not going to see each other. It's kind of cut off, right? But now Darcy on the other hand is like 50 mi on a good road that's a that's an easy distance. I could I could I could take the long distance. H interesting. But Elizabeth views it as 50 miles. That's way long.

[00:23:42]That is way long. Mm- [clears throat] Let's keep it going. Elizabeth says, "I should never have considered the distance as one of the advantages of the match," cried Elizabeth. "I should never have said Mrs. Collins was settled near her family."

[00:24:00]M maybe maybe that's where he was getting it from that he took that word and kind of was wanted to converse about it from what Elizabeth said. So now she's kind of saying my bad [laughter] my bad I shouldn't never said in year sorry.

[00:24:22]Um, but Darcy comes back and says, "It is a proof of your own attachment to Hutfordshire. Anything beyond the very neighborhood of Longorn, I suppose, would appear far, right? I mean, may maybe now he's challenging as to how she hasn't really gone out of town. I mean, the only one in in Longornesque uh house here is the only one that's been out is they go in Maritan, which is very uh short distance and Jane went to London, went to Cheapside, but nobody else has really been going, nobody's been to London, none of that. So maybe because they haven't really gone out of their own countryside in Hertfordshire that they assume that maybe everything outside would be too far like this like this trip how she had to go to London then to go to Kent and it was just very very very long but mainly because Sir William was just chatting away and she would much rather just be with the gravel road.

[00:25:31]But yes, so he's calling her out and saying, you know, you just haven't you just haven't seen the places.

[00:25:39]But let's see. As he spoke, there was a sort of smile which Elizabeth fancied she understood.

[00:25:48]H interesting. He must be supposing her to be thinking of Jane and Netherfield.

[00:25:56]And she blusted as she answered. So, kind of like what we were just saying, guys, how maybe they're indirectly talking about the distance between Netherfield and Longorn and where Bingley is now, and how to Darcy, no distance is too far if it came to courtship, love, marriage. Maybe maybe I'm I'm thinking too far ahead here, but I don't know. But there there's got to be it's Jane Austin, right? So, she's uh she's supposing he must be supposing her to be thinking of Jane and Netherfield.

[00:26:36]Are we right? Let's see. She blushed as she answered. Here we go. Uh-oh. She says, "I do not mean to say that a woman may not be settled too near her family."

[00:26:49]Yeah. Okay. So, she she's not trying to say that a woman shouldn't be close to her family.

[00:26:55]The far and the near must be relative and depend on many varying circumstances.

[00:27:01]Where there is fortune to make the expense of traveling unimportant, distance becomes no evil. Yes, this was this is the I guess the prejudicess of Darcy how she how he was like oh 50 mi that's fine because he has easy access to the carriages and Elizabeth doesn't.

[00:27:25]So that's what she's saying that where there's money to make how much it costs to actually travel then distance has no evil then it's unimportant.

[00:27:38]But that is not the case here. Mr. and Mrs. Collins have a comfortable income, but not such a one as will allow on frequent journeys, and I am persuaded my friend would not call herself near her family under less than half the present distance.

[00:27:56]So, she's kind of trying to bring Darcy back to reality as per because he, you know, he's higher up. I mean, he's very very very very wealthy.

[00:28:08]So, that's that's the thing there. And the Lucases and what Mr. Collins have going on isn't they don't have as much fortune as Darcy does. So, she's just trying to bring him back down to, you know, everyone's level to basically say, you know, it's it's fine for you that you could just use the carriage whenever you want, but for some people, uh, it's not really close. It's not really close.

[00:28:33]It costs money and you know it's it's hours a lot of miles and it costs money.

[00:28:41]Okay, I see that. I see that Elizabeth.

[00:28:44]Let's see.

[00:28:46]So Mr. Darcy drew his chair a little towards her and said you cannot have a right to such very strong local attachment. You cannot have been always a longorn. H wait a second.

[00:29:03]So you cannot have a right to such very strong local attachment.

[00:29:10]You haven't been always at Longorn. So they moved. Maybe you cannot have been always at Longorn. So h I wonder when they move to Longorn.

[00:29:22]Maybe we'll see it down the road, but let's see. But that's that's what Darcy's coming at now. Is it true or not? We don't know, but let's continue on. So, Elizabeth looked surprised. The gentleman experienced some change of feeling. He drew back his chair, took a newspaper from the table, and glancing over it, said in a colder voice, "H I guess we're just we're moving on conversation, right? We're we're done with that type of conversation. Let's move on. I don't want to talk about indirectly my friend anymore. Let's let's uh let's move on. So he takes the newspaper because he loves to read and glancing over it. So he's reading and he's glancing over it and says are you pleased with Kent?

[00:30:11]So do you even like um Huntsford? Right.

[00:30:16]Rosings. What's going on here? and Elizabeth. Oh, Elizabeth doesn't say anything specifically, but a short dialogue on the subject of the country ensued. So, they're just kind of small talking it up, chat, chat, chat.

[00:30:31]On either side, calm and concise and soon put an end to by the entrance of Charlotte and her sister. They're back from business from the village. Just returned from their walk. Cute. Mariah now is now the brain shut down again.

[00:30:48]She's back. The Tetat Tet surprised them. Aka the personal intimate conversation between Elizabeth and Darcy. I mean, can you only imagine?

[00:30:59]They're just coming home maybe with bags or whatever they got going on. All of a sudden, boom, they open the door. Here's Elizabeth and Darcy in a room together.

[00:31:10]Mr. Darcy related the mistake which had occasioned his intruding on Miss Bennett and after sitting a few minutes longer without saying much to anybody went away. Maybe this was not this was not uh shouldn't have been done in the Regency era, especially if you weren't engaged.

[00:31:28]Maybe a male and a female couldn't be in the same room together alone. I don't know. Maybe that's a thing in that era.

[00:31:36]You guys will tell me if it is. and thank you so so much. Um, but so I'm only saying that because Mr. Darcy related the mistake. So maybe this was not the proper etiquette.

[00:31:51]And after a few minutes longer, he just he just went bye-bye. He he left. Okay.

[00:31:57]So after that, Mr. Darcy left. Charlotte comes in and says, "What can be the meaning of this?" said Charlotte as soon as he was gone. What's going on? Tell me. Tell me. Give me the details. Give your girl the details. My dear Eliza, he must be in love with you or he would never have called on us in this familiar way.

[00:32:18]Charlotte's seeing stuff. Charlotte's seeing what she's got to see. Remember, she plans. She's way smart. She's She can She sees. She's also kind of like an observer and she plans. So, she's seeing things that Elizabeth just ain't seeing. So, he must be in love with you. Can't we get the hint? He's just trying to talk to you.

[00:32:42]He's just trying to talk to you and say that, "Hey, for me, it doesn't matter how far away we are."

[00:32:50]But Elizabeth is is is thinking of she's thinking that he's not being as direct.

[00:32:55]She's like trying to read in between the lines when basically he might just be trying to say like, "We could make it work long distance." I don't know. We'll see.

[00:33:05]But when Elizabeth told of his silence, it did not seem very likely even to Charlotte's wishes to be the case.

[00:33:15]His silence he's coming over and just well, he might have thought that he was trying to talk to somebody else, but then he stayed.

[00:33:23]Right? If you didn't want to talk to somebody and you open the door and you see that it was just Elizabeth, you would have said, "Oh, sorry. Bye." But no, he stayed to have a full-on conversation with Elizabeth.

[00:33:34]So, but Elizabeth just ain't seeing it.

[00:33:36]It's It's very unlikely.

[00:33:40]Let's continue. And after various conjectures, they could at last only suppose his visit to proceed from the difficulty of finding anything to do, which was the more probable from the time of year. All field sports were over. Was this dude really that bored? I I I'm not buying it. I'm not buying it.

[00:34:04][snorts] There's a There's a book room.

[00:34:06]There's a book room for goodness sake that and we know that big and we know that Darcy loves to read. So he could just much easily just get a book and read. I mean towards the end he grabbed a newspaper and just started reading it.

[00:34:21]I don't know. But uh I I'm not buying it. But they're conjecturing. They're making those hypotheses and uh it seems like Elizabeth is just trying to talk Charlotte out of it.

[00:34:34]Elizabeth does not want to hear any of this. Even though Charlotte's I mean she's pretty spot on. But let's see.

[00:34:40]Let's keep it going.

[00:34:43]Within doors there was Lady Catherine.

[00:34:46]Oh gosh. So Lady Catherine books and a billiard table. But gentlemen cannot be always within doors. Hm. All right. And in the nearest of the parsonage or the pleasantness of the walk to it or of the people who lived in it, the two cousins found a temptation from this period of walking thither almost every day. Okay.

[00:35:12]So, we're getting more context about maybe what gentlemen do during this time. There's no field sports, right?

[00:35:19]So, can't really play outside. So it says within doors there's Lady Catherine, which that's no, they they not doing this. So it might be this is them conjecturing that, you know, with indoors there's Lady Catherine, there's books and a billyard table. Why can't we just be reading books and playing billiards, right? You could play billiards by yourself. You could do that little practicing that Lady Catherine always wants everybody to be doing.

[00:35:45]Practice, practice, practice. But gentlemen can't always be indoors. they got to go outside. So now it's just talking about near the parsonage, nears Hunsford or the pleasantness of the walk because we know that it's a beautiful English countryside. We got pea gravel, right?

[00:36:05]Um or of the people who lived in it. The two cousins found a temptation to walk there almost every day, meaning the parsonage. So they just want to be outside. Okay. And they called at various times of the morning, sometimes separately, sometimes together, and now and then accompanied by their aunt. So they're just they're just walking along like, "Hey, let's just walk." Okay, now I'll walk. Well, let's both walk. And sometimes accompanied by their aunt to the parsonage. Yesesh. But let's continue on. Oh, so this is them calling to the parsonage. So, I'm assuming they're just going to Huntsford. So cute. I love the door knocker. Come on, guys. Come on, guys. I I should get a door knocker like that. Cute. And the little like envelope thing. It's not in this picture, but that envelope shoot so cute. I love love love this. And I love Looks like there's ivy growing. Guys, I'm such a shucker for for especially English architecture. I love it. So cute. And look at them. Ah, but look at look at her.

[00:37:24]She even even even waiting outside.

[00:37:26]She's like, "Why am I why am I waiting outside?"

[00:37:31]Anyway, let's keep it going.

[00:37:34]So, it was plain to them all that Colonel Fitz William came because he had pleasure in their society, right?

[00:37:41]Because why why are we introducing this guy, right? We haven't heard from him.

[00:37:46]Why is suddenly he's now coming in to the to the to the book here. So he's just coming in because he's just he just has pleasure of the society of just talking, mingling, gossiping. Okay, I see you, Fitz William. A persuasion which of course recommended him still more. And Elizabeth was reminded by her own satisfaction in being with him. Ah, so goodbye Wickham. Hello, Fitz William.

[00:38:15]H. Okay. I see I see this little triangle thing kind of going on here.

[00:38:21]So, she liked being around him. He's very uh personable. He loves to communicate, talk. He seems like not the life of the party, that's Bingley, but very very well bred. We'll put it that way. Um, and then let's see. Okay, so she Yes. by her own satisfaction in being with him as well as by his evident admiration of her former favorite George Wickim.

[00:38:53]Ooh.

[00:38:54]So they buddy buddies. He knows George Wickham. He knows George Wickim and he has admiration for him. And I love how it's of her former favorite favorite dude. former maybe uh Fitz William is number number one now guys right and though in comparing them she saw there was less captivating softness in Colonel Fitz Williams manners she believed he might have the best informed mind so she's comparing them and Colonel Fitz William is not as soft because remember George Wickham was like the suave guy. I mean, he could talk his way out of a paper bag. Everybody was wrapped around his finger except for, you know, the the Bingley company, the Darcy company, but everybody else in Meritan Longorn, they're all like Wickham is great. Other than Mrs. Gardner, who had that whole thing, how she had a heart-to-he heart conversation with Elizabeth about the money uh that unfortunately George Wickham doesn't have. But let's continue on. So she's just comparing them.

[00:40:07]Elizabeth is. But she believed that Fitz William had the best mind. Good to talk to him. Good to talk to him. Let's keep it going.

[00:40:19]But why Mr. Darcy came so often to the parsonage? It was more difficult to understand, right? Why is this dude constantly coming and going? He could just stay at at Rosings.

[00:40:31]Why, Elizabeth? Why? You tell me.

[00:40:35]It could not be for society as he frequently sat there 10 minutes together without opening his lips. Aka he he ain't coming for talking, gossiping, doing communication stuff because he's sitting when he comes over sometimes he's sitting there for 10 minutes without without talking. So it can't be for society. And when he did speak, it seemed the effect of necessity rather than a choice. So he's it's not for talking, guys. It's not for talking. He ain't coming over there for pleasant he, you know, for pleasantries. He'll talk to you cordially, but you know, he's not given any extra information than he has to. A sacrifice to propriety, not a pleasure to himself. Okay. He seldom appeared really animated. Why are we coming to the parsonage, Darcy? H Mrs. Collins knew not what to make of him.

[00:41:34]It's Elizabeth.

[00:41:36]Especially after she's been outside walking. We know that she's been loving the outside walks by herself around Huntsford. And Darcy is looking and he's like, I'mma just sit there in the full view and watch my girl's face get red. I see you, Darcy. I see you. Let's keep it going. So, Colonel Fitz Williams occasionally laughing at his stupidity proved that he was generally different, which her own knowledge of him could not have told her. Now, this is interesting because while this is going on, right, it seems that there I mean they're cousins Fitz William and Darcy, so they must know each other on a more intimate level. And apparently now Fitz William is laughing at his stupidity. So I'm assuming it's Darcy's stupidity. He's acting stupid. He's acting silly. I guess maybe different.

[00:42:38]Um, so that's like that's like a red not a red flag, but that's something that Elizabeth is clocking in here because it says that it proved that he was generally different different from how he usually is, I'm guessing.

[00:42:53]And it says which her own knowledge of him could not have told her. [snorts] So she wouldn't have known that he was any different unless she's observing now somebody else reacting to Darcy while he's in this type of situation. This is a This is very complex behaviorism going on here, guys. I'm trying.

[00:43:14]But let's keep it going. So, where were we? Ah, yes. And as she would have liked to believe this change, the effect of love and the object of that love, her friend Eliza, she set herself seriously to work to find it out. Charlotte.

[00:43:35]Charlotte is getting down to business, guys. She's like, "Listen, if Elizabeth is not going to believe me, I'm going to do my work to make sure that she believes me now. She's she's going undercover." So, Charlotte seems like she's seeing the interactions between Darcy and Elizabeth.

[00:43:58]So the effect of love because keep in mind remember Darcy has been having trouble before and we [snorts] know that Elizabeth is making it very hard for him from his perspective when we got what back in the beginning guys.

[00:44:16]So now Charlotte's out. She is out and she's going to seriously work to find this out. She watched him whenever they were at Rosings and whenever he came to Huntsford, but oh, but without much success because he's probably like internally saying Darcy Fitz William.

[00:44:38]Well, well, it's actually interesting.

[00:44:39]Wait a minute. Hold on. I just made that. So, there's Colonel Fitz William and then Fitz William is Darcy's first name. Okay, interesting. But anyway, Darcy is basically saying every time he's around Elizabeth, it's William, dude, just just don't don't give it away. Don't give away. Hold your breath, dude. Okay, you got this. [laughter] But let's continue.

[00:45:06]Now, he certainly looked at her friend.

[00:45:09]So, this is talking about Elizabeth. He certainly looked at her friend a great deal, but the expression of that look was disputable. Couldn't really say for sure. [snorts] It was an earnest, steadfast gaze, guys. Gaze is all you got to tell me. Okay. If somebody really likes you and you catch them gazing.

[00:45:31]Yeah.

[00:45:33]Yeah. Okay. But she often doubted whether there were much admiration in it. Okay. And sometimes it seemed nothing but absence of mind. So she's she she sees that he's looking at her, but is he a lykan? Charlotte doesn't know. Charlotte does not know. Let's continue on.

[00:45:54]She had once or twice suggested to Elizabeth the possibility of his being partial to her. Just like before, she said it openly to Elizabeth. Elizabeth is going to shut her down. But she's openly said it to Elizabeth like this could be it. This could be it, Eliza. He loves you. He likes you. He's partial to you. But yes, but Elizabeth always laughed at the idea.

[00:46:20]Definitely not. Definitely not. And Mrs. Collins did not think it right to press the subject from the danger of raising expectations, which might only end in disappointment, right? Because she doesn't want to push something that she's not 110% certain on. She's pretty good, though. she's pretty good, but she's also a good friend that she's not going to push any further.

[00:46:46]For in her opinion, it admitted not of a doubt that all her friends dislike would vanish if she could suppose him to be in her power. But now we're getting some context about maybe who Elizabeth really is as a as from coming from Charlotte because they're besties. That Charlotte said that uh for in her opinion, it admitted not of a doubt that all of her friends dislike for Darcy would vanish if she supposed him to be in her power. Aka, yeah, she's in she's in control. She's So he's in love with her. So Charlotte is thinking that if Elizabeth really truly thought that Darcy liked her or was in love with her at this point that she would not dislike him. Mm-m. It would be it would be like the complete opposite. That's according to Charlotte.

[00:47:44]Is that the case? H I don't know. I mean, I think I think Lizzie has her own thoughts and she already put it into her mind about who Darcy is. So, we'll we'll see.

[00:47:59]We shall see.

[00:48:02]Now, in her kind schemes for Elizabeth, so a plan, just a plan, she sometimes planned her marrying Colonel Fitz William. Ooh, okay.

[00:48:15]He was beyond comparison the pleasantest man from you know if it couldn't be Wickcham now enter Fitz William Colonel Fitz William that is so and he's a gentleman we know that he's a gentleman so and he's 30 you know not as handsome but still a gentleman so he has land he's got the money which is what Wickcham didn't have so seems like a better match for Lizzy He certainly admired her. I mean, it's clear. It's clear. And his situation in life was most eligible. That's exactly what we said. He is in the gentry. So, he is a gentleman. So, he owns land. He can give Elizabeth the life that she is or that she should be accustomed to as per, you know, how she is now. But to counterbalance these advantages, there's always got to be a butt, guys. Mr. Darcy had considerable patronage in the church and his cousin could have none at all.

[00:49:19]So, this is something that this is definitely a Regency thing. So, let's let's see. Um, Mr. Darcy definitely has an upper edge.

[00:49:29]Had considerable partage in the church.

[00:49:32]So they're they're both part of the gentry, but um maybe because of Darcy's father who also was able to appoint um other people for clergymen, maybe Darcy has the same power to do so and Fitz William doesn't because and his cousin could have none at all. So it seems like even even in the [clears throat] gentry there is hierarchies in that and it seems like Mr. Darcy is higher up than Colonel Fitz William. [snorts] So I mean he is a colonel so maybe he's in some type of ranking in the army or something like that. So it just seems like from this Darcy still has much more power, much more wealth in uh the gentury than Colonel Fitz William does. And because of that and because of the reasons that Charlotte married for future basically and one of her things, one of Charlotte's big reasons was to just make sure that she can afford the life that she wanted, you know, down the road.

[00:50:45]And from that aspect, that's why Darcy has the upper hand because he clearly is much more wealthy than Fitz William.

[00:50:56]That's how I'm taking it as. But if it's any different, I would love to know.

[00:51:00]Thank you so much. Okay. I don't think the mystery is whether Darcy likes Elizabeth anymore. I think he does, or at least that's where I'm at right now.

[00:51:09]The mystery is what is he doing about it? because his strategy seems to be >> let's walk to the parsonage. Let's sit in awkward silence and let's stare at Elizabeth, then let's leave and then we'll repeat.

[00:51:23]>> Sir, I don't know if this is considered flirting in the Regency era, but I have questions. And poor Elizabeth. From her perspective, I completely understand why she's so confused. She knows he wasn't her biggest fan when they first met. Now he's constantly showing up. Sometimes he talks, sometimes he barely says a word.

[00:51:44]And if I were Elizabeth, that'd be a scratch in my head, too. All right, current standings. Elizabeth is thoroughly confused. Darcy is uh still trying to use his words. Colonel Fitz William is still passing that vibe check. Lady Catherine is still running everyone's business. And me just trying to figure out what on earth is Darcy's plan. All right, you know the drill by now. Let's get some water in. Let's hydrate up. And when you are ready, I shall see you for chapter 33. Let's go.

[00:52:18]Kiki out.