Read Along: Pride & Prejudice - Chapter 12

Chapter 12 

In consequence of an agreement between the sisters, Elizabeth wrote the next morning to their mother, to beg that the carriage might be sent for them in the course of the day. But Mrs. Bennet, who had calculated on her daughters remaining at Netherfield till the following Tuesday, which would exactly finish Jane's week, could not bring herself to receive them with pleasure before. Her answer, therefore, was not propitious, at least not to Elizabeth's wishes, for she was impatient to get home. Mrs. Bennet sent them word that they could not possibly have the carriage before Tuesday; and in her postscript it was added, that if Mr. Bingley and his sister pressed them to stay longer, she could spare them very well. Against staying longer, however, Elizabeth was positively resolved—nor did she much expect it would be asked; and fearful, on the contrary, as being considered as intruding themselves needlessly long, she urged Jane to borrow Mr. Bingley's carriage immediately, and at length it was settled that their original design of leaving Netherfield that morning should be mentioned, and the request made. 

The communication excited many professions of concern; and enough was said of wishing them to stay at least till the following day to work on Jane; and till the morrow their going was deferred. Miss Bingley was then sorry that she had proposed the delay, for her jealousy and dislike of one sister much exceeded her affection for the other. 

So I guess Miss Bingley does like Jane at least a bit? She's been there a while... I had some super close friends stay with me for a week and that was super exhausting even though they are some of my favourite people ever. I suppose my house is probably smaller than Netherfield though.

• Tuesday: Jane visits to "dine" with Miss Bennet and Mrs Hurst - stays the night as it is raining
• Wednesday: Jane wakes up ill, sends for Elizabeth. Has dinner, reads while the others play cards. Discussion about ladies accomplishments.
• Thursday: Mrs Bennet and Lydia visit, Darcy writes a letter to his sister and Darcy, Lizzy and Bingley argue about the merits of being easily persuaded.
• Friday: Caroline teases Mr Darcy about his 'future uncle and aunt', Jane comes down for the evening. Miss Bingley pretends to read a book, Elizabeth teases Mr Darcy about his faults.
• Saturday: Elizabeth asks to be taken home, Caroline offers the carriage but suggests they stay an additional day.
• Sunday: They leave

The master of the house heard with real sorrow that they were to go so soon, and repeatedly tried to persuade Miss Bennet that it would not be safe for her—that she was not enough recovered; but Jane was firm where she felt herself to be right. 

Interesting - so Jane can stand up for herself where she feels herself to be right. I guess she didn't feel right about insisting on using the carriage to get over here in the first place?

To Mr. Darcy it was welcome intelligence—Elizabeth had been at Netherfield long enough. She attracted him more than he liked—and Miss Bingley was uncivil to her, and more teasing than usual to himself. He wisely resolved to be particularly careful that no sign of admiration should now escape him, nothing that could elevate her with the hope of influencing his felicity; sensible that if such an idea had been suggested, his behaviour during the last day must have material weight in confirming or crushing it. Steady to his purpose, he scarcely spoke ten words to her through the whole of Saturday, and though they were at one time left by themselves for half-an-hour, he adhered most conscientiously to his book, and would not even look at her. 

I find this very interesting and something similar was said in the last chapter ("He began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention"). Mr Darcy believes that Elizabeth may well be aware of his crush on her - so he treats her poorly so that she won't get the wrong idea and think that they could be together. I find this interesting because he's treating her worse than he normally would (maybe?). And I think it's worth pointing out that Elizabeth isn't unaware of his treatment of her because he's super subtle or because she's oblivious: it's an obvious explanation of the way he treats her and the way he looks at her which she has discarded because she thinks it impossible that he would care about her.

On Sunday, after morning service, the separation, so agreeable to almost all, took place. Miss Bingley's civility to Elizabeth increased at last very rapidly, as well as her affection for Jane; and when they parted, after assuring the latter of the pleasure it would always give her to see her either at Longbourn or Netherfield, and embracing her most tenderly, she even shook hands with the former. Elizabeth took leave of the whole party in the liveliest of spirits. 

They were not welcomed home very cordially by their mother. Mrs. Bennet wondered at their coming, and thought them very wrong to give so much trouble, and was sure Jane would have caught cold again. But their father, though very laconic in his expressions of pleasure, was really glad to see them; he had felt their importance in the family circle. The evening conversation, when they were all assembled, had lost much of its animation, and almost all its sense by the absence of Jane and Elizabeth. 

They found Mary, as usual, deep in the study of thorough-bass and human nature; and had some extracts to admire, and some new observations of threadbare morality to listen to. Catherine and Lydia had information for them of a different sort. Much had been done and much had been said in the regiment since the preceding Wednesday; several of the officers had dined lately with their uncle, a private had been flogged, and it had actually been hinted that Colonel Forster was going to be married.

It's taken us a while but we've now reached the end of Episode 1 of the 1995 BBC adaption of Pride & Prejudice.

Also! Happy New Year to all my rad readers.

Did you celebrate NYE? If so, what did you do? My husband and I went to Garden Island and watched the fireworks on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was pretty spectacular.