Chapter 17: Much Ado About Balls
Elizabeth shares with Jane the information she learned from Mr. Wickham the previous evening. Jane, however, is predisposed to see the good nature in everybody, and can't believe Darcy would stoop so low, so she just shrugs and says maybe the whole thing is all a big misunderstanding.
Elizabeth just snorts.
They are interrupted by a visit from Mr. Bingley and his sisters, who have come to invite the Bennets to the ball that Lydia kinda twisted his arm into throwing. This is exciting news for every daughter; Jane, of course, intends to dance with Mr. Bingley; Elizabeth fancies herself dancing with Mr. Wickham; and Kitty and Lydia, who would also like to dance with Wickham, really don't actually care what handsome boy they dance with just so long as they are dancing with a handsome boy. Even Buzzkill Mary admits that she can't criticize enjoying a ball once in a while.
Mr. Collins
Elizabeth's daydreams of sharing the first of the evening's dances with Wickham are shot down, however, when Mr. Collins asks if he might have the honor of sharing the first dances with her instead. She agrees out of politeness, but this immediately clues her in that, oh, this idiot thinks he's going to marry me; and she soon realizes that her mother wholeheartedly endorses it.
But in the meantime, there's no guarantee he'll even ever pop the question, so there's no point in doing anything about it now other than ignoring him the best she can and hoping he takes a hint.