to quote someone else, "There's a double meaning in that!"
Posted by RachelE on November 20, 1997 at 23:51:33:
In response to "Mr. Darcy is all politeness,", written by Rachel on November 20, 1997 at 22:36:44
] Chapter 6, pg 22 (World's Classics; Oxford Edition)
] " 'You excel so much in the dance, Miss Eliza, that it is cruel to deny me the happiness of seeing you; and though the gentleman dislikes the amusement in general, he can have no objection, I am sure, to oblige us for one half hour,'
] 'Mr. Darcy is all politeness,' said Elizabeth, smiling."
] I have always taken this particular line to be a inward joke, a poke at Darcy to herself. I've always felt she was thinking of the Meryton Assembly and his rude comments about herself, and laughing at Darcy inwardly. What do you all think of this?
Mr. Darcy so far has been proud and disdainful, and though he is beginning to be interested in Elizabeth, is trying to guard against it. Dancing with her would be the last thing he'd want to do, but in this situation, he would be forced to do it unless he wanted to appear ungentlemanly and downright rude. Up to this point it doesn't seem that he's actually done anything positively rude to anyone, he's just been very distant with everyone. So anyway, yes I agree with you that she's laughing at him, because he's being "forced" to be polite to her.
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