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Adelaide
Does this fall into the category of things people say as they trip down the River (de) Nile? Elizabeth knew how her father could be but she would not, at this point in the novel, concede to Darcy, unless absolutely forced. Her father was a gentleman and a notably intelligent man, as smart as the clever Mr. Darcy. But even in her excuse making, she could not find enough to exaggerate to make her mother into more enough. No wonder her confidence gave way a little.
She knew how her father could be? How was that, human? A man with some peculiarities but a man who loved her as his favourite daughter? I'm not quite sure why, against a man she still at that point heartily disliked, Lizzie caved in so quickly against her own family? This man who, lest we forget, upset the Meryton lynch mob with his manners, was accused of slighting her, claiming her not handsome enough to tempt him to dance with, at times ignored her, showed coldness towards her, claimed she was beneath him and he was going against his better judgements, standards and family in asking her to marry him. His reasons for saving his friend from a fate worse than death by courting her own sister, he told her unashamedly, were that her family were in want of propriety (read; needed lessons in how to behave in public) At that point, Lydia hadn't yet gone beyond the pale and was just her silly young sister, and Jane was still grieving her lost romance with Bingley, yet Lizzie started mentally agreeing with him from then on? In admitting to herself that her mother was not exactly a soul of tact or intelligence, I'm not quite sure where any excuse-making for her father comes in?
