#at the same time the passage is wonderfully pure shippiness

[anghraine]

Thinking of P&P moments I have ~feelings about, and:

Elizabeth, who was by this time tolerably well acquainted with her own feelings, was perfectly aware that, had she known nothing of Darcy, she could have borne the dread of Lydia's infamy somewhat better. It would have spared her, she thought, one sleepless night out of two.

1. I love how understated “by this time tolerably well acquainted” is. There are so many ways that Austen could have said that at this point, Elizabeth has more or less realized she loves Darcy. But this escalates from her earlier thought that she could have loved him in a subtle way that can sneak right past if you’re not paying attention.

2. To break that down further, I think “by this time” in particular suggests that she was not well-acquainted with them previously. And this quote comes from after Lydia’s elopement but before it’s resolved/Elizabeth knows anything about Darcy’s involvement. It’s not that Elizabeth knows anything more about Darcy at this point than she did when they parted at Lambton. The suggestion here is not that Elizabeth’s feelings have changed, but that she better understands them now.

3. I see the occasional suggestion that Elizabeth never really loves Darcy, or that she does but not romantically, or that it’s romantic love in a sense but basically dispassionate.

... nah.

But seriously, I do find it striking that even in the midst of the Lydia situation, with so many other things to worry about, Darcy is still taking up that much of her mental space. OTPPPPPP

#4. i also feel really sorry for her here! even knowing everything's going to be fine and she's going to have a great life #the image here is just ... aww :( #the worst point in her life is even worse for her than the others AND she can't tell anyone about it #at the same time the passage is wonderfully pure shippiness #and i love it for that #otp of otps #elizabeth bennet #austen blogging #anghraine babbles #pride and prejudice #jane austen