I look forward to your posts, they are so well-thought-out and researched, moving us through the text each time. Thank you for doing this!

Again, I feel that any response I have will not do your original justice, but I did find some differences from your views.

I posted my opinions of this earlier, but I do not think Darcy was completely off-track in saying Elizabeth 'willfully misunderstood' people, or 'delights in professing opinions that are not her own.' Elizabeth often dances on the thin edge of rationalization, in order to express wit, or show her enjoyment of a subject by continuing it. He must doubt that she REALLY thinks poetry drives away love, or that Mr. Bingley's easy temper has no drawbacks.

I think Charlotte is not thinking that Elizabeth would accede to a proposal for material reasons. She is considering the very human response of liking someone because they liked you FIRST. If Elizabeth thought that Darcy preferred her, Charlotte believes her own dislike would fade or be reasoned away.

I do not think Elizabeth would have visibly 'accepted' any inference about her and the Colonel having a future. They are not at that stage themselves, and she is relieved to find herself at the Parsonage palings in order to end these distressing questions and comments. If Darcy reads her expression as accepting any implication he makes, it is self-deception.

I do not think it is very understandable that Darcy expects a favourable answer to his addressses, except as a bow to humanity's wishful thinking. After all, Elizabeth talks more often and more freely with the Colonel than with him. She does not give herself the trouble of speaking much when he interrupts her walks. She never seeks out his company. The slivers of hope he forms his expectations around are more based on his past experience with OTHER women, than with any observation of Elizabeth.

Is it not ironic that Darcy is proud of the honesty inherent in his insulting addresses, but thinks that Elizabeth should have suppressed her own misgivings, distaste, and litany of sins against him?