date for marriage, belying what will occur, and Darcy believes that Elizabeth is ready to fall any second to his charms, which is precisely the opposite of the truth. However, at the heart of their misperceptions there remains the Romantic concern for love and marriage.
In general, the characters in Austen's novel care about little but money, self-image (what others think of them), and marriage. These selfish concerns are alleviated by Austen's sly irony and playfulness:
The evening was spent chiefly in talking over Hertfordshire news, and telling again what had already been written; and when it closed, Elizabeth in the solitude of her chamber had to meditate upon Charlotte's degree of contentment . . . and to acknowledge that it was all done very well. She also had to anticipate how her visit would pass, the quiet tenor of their usual employments, the vexatious interruptions of Mr. Col
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