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Summary: A few days later Mr. Bingley calls unaccompanied. Darcy has gone to London for ten days. Mr. Bingley accepts Mr. Bennet’s dinner invitation for the next day. Mrs. Bennet contrives to leave Bingley and Jane alone together but, though Bingley is very charming, he does not propose to Jane. The following day, however, Bingley goes shooting with Bennet, who brings him back to dinner. Later in the evening Elizabeth comes upon Bingley and Jane standing alone in the drawing-room and their faces tell her everything. Bingley obtains Mr. Bennet’s consent to the marriage. Mrs. Bennet is highly delighted and Jane is in great favour with her. Bingley becomes a daily visitor at Longbourn, often coming before breakfast and remaining until after supper. Bingley tells Jane that he was totally ignorant of her being in London last spring. Jane admits that this must have been his sister’s doing. Bingley assures Jane that when he went to London he really loved her. Elizabeth is pleased to hear that Bingley did not betray the interference of his friend Darcy. She knows that this was bound to prejudice Jane against the latter. Jane is extremely happy and the Bennets are speedily pronounced to be the luckiest family in the world, Lydia’s escapade being forgotten.
Critical Analysis: An important line of the sub-plot is here concluded as Bingley proposes to Jane and is accepted. The Jane-Bingley marriage is an example of a good marriage. Mr. Bennet echoes Jane Austen’s opinion when he says that the marriage of Jane and Bingley will probably be successful because of their similar personalities. However, being too “complying”, “easy” and “generous” they lack the wisdom and discrimination of Darcy and Elizabeth.
From Bingley’s explanation it is clear that Caroline Bingley had prevented Bingley from learning of Jane’s presence in London.