Making a mess of it
Posted by Ann on December 06, 1997 at 01:14:08:
In response to Did he though?, written by Mark on December 05, 1997 at 14:13:57
] So I really don't think he meant to propose, at least not on the surface level. If he was planning on it, I doubt he would have made such a mess of it.
] Mark
While I agree he was still torn between walking away and proposing to her that night, I don't agree that he would have thought that he was "making a mess of it". He was perfectly earnest in his proposal, and I believe chose his words carefully. His sense on honesty, honor, and propriety made him tell her of the scruples he had with regard to his proposal. He could not have proposed in good conscience without telling her of his misgivings, and therefore did so.
But he was hampered by his nearly cronic inability to see things from another's perspective--conceit and selfish disdain for the feelings of others. It was not until Elizabeth opened his eyes, that he was capable of seeing that his words were hurtful and misguided. At the time of the proposal he would have seen nothing wrong with them, whether he had planned his speach in advance or not.
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