Yes, it is as if all the characters are getting a last hurrah in this chapter. Sir Walter and Elizabeth are at their most loathsome and suthable. (Elizabeth also criticizes LR's dress and her way of sitting! Is there there nothing that escapes the ways of fashion?)

Charles is at his funniest sport-crazed best with his "famous set-to" at the rats with Benwick and his opinion that Charles Hayter is too cool on sporting and won't appreciate the new hunting grounds he may get into at his new living.

Anne is exhausted by a full day of being self-sacrificing accomodation to everyone's whims and Wentworth even shows up behaves enigmatically, just when we thought we had a grip on what he would do next we are faced with the big question: Will he or won't he come to the card party?