[ James's behavior really gets me going and I don't intend to let him off the hook.:=)

As someone with five brothers let me say that I don't find James' behavior that strange. We must take into account his mind addling passion for Isabella which naturally lwt him to temporarily ignore the nicieties due Catherine (and probably anyone else).

As for James' continued relatonship with Thorpe I think it's often the case where the perfidy of one sibling does not carry over in the mind of the injured party onto another sibling particularly when that sibling is a particular friend. If you ask me John Thorpe eventually threw off James out of jealousy. But then who knows what goes on in that strange little mind. : )