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How much did Denny need to know?   Written by Adrian (6/1/2007 12:22 p.m.) in consequence of the missive, A mistake?, penned by Carolyn
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Denny was with Wickham when he and the Bennets saw Mr. Darcy ride up with Bingley, so there is every reason to suppose that Denny, like Lizzy, saw the reaction of the two men.



Mr. Denny addressed them directly, and entreated permission to introduce his friend, Mr. Wickham, who had returned with him the day before from town, and he was happy to say had accepted a commission in their corps.
(Ch. 15)

But Denny is a gentleman (we may assume) and, no more than Lizzy, would presume to query Wickham about the reasons.

Mr. Wickham was therefore at leisure to talk to Elizabeth, and she was very willing to hear him, though what she chiefly wished to hear she could not hope to be told -- the history of his acquaintance with Mr. Darcy. She dared not even mention that gentleman. Her curiosity, however, was unexpectedly relieved. Mr. Wickham began the subject himself.
...
Elizabeth found the interest of the subject increase, and listened with all her heart; but the delicacy of it prevented farther inquiry.
(Ch. 16)

So most likely Wickham offered (unasked) some sort of explanation to Denny. Surely it was self-serving, but it may have been only that he and Darcy did not get on. That would be enough for Denny to sense the animosity and say what he did to Lizzy at the Netherfield ball; so she truly may have been the only one in the neighborhood that knew Wickham's story, or she might have assumed (correctly or not) that Wickham had shared his full story only with her and that Denny knew far less.


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