Volume 1: Chapter 18 Summary

Elizabeth's hopes are dashed when she arrives at the ball to find that Mr. Wickham is not in attendance. Lamenting Mr. Collins' hopelessness as a dance partner, Elizabeth is just sitting down to vent her sorrows to Charlotte Lucas when Mr. Darcy surprises her by asking her to dance. She is so startled by the request that she accepts before she realizes what she has done. They begin to dance, and before long, Mr. Darcy, noticing her excessive coolness, brings up Mr. Wickham. He remarks coolly that while Mr. Wickham is blessed with the ability to make friends easily, he does not have the same luck keeping them. Elizabeth replies archly that he had certainly had the misfortune to lose Mr. Darcy's friendship. Mr. Darcy understands that Mr. Wickham has told Elizabeth many things about him, and they part company after...