It only seems appropriate to pull out The Complete Works of Jane Austen at the same time that I get to enjoy wearing flip-flops and springy skirts.  Why these 3 things go hand-in-hand is beyond me...maybe it's because I feel ultra-girly when I am able to paint my toes and wear a cute skirt...?  For whatever reason, when the skirts and flip-flops come out...so does Miss Austen.

Soooo last Thursday, I broke out the huge, 1274 page book and began with my favorite -- Pride and Prejudice.  For a moment, I considered reading Northanger Abbey but that was fleeting when I considered my love of Fitzwilliam.  Mr. Darcy.  Dashing, dapper gentleman that makes my heart go pitter-patter with every eloquent word he utters...(sigh...the kind of sigh a 7th grade girl utters when she notices a particular boy in her speech class...you know, the "mature" sigh...)

I think this might be my third or fourth time reading Pride and Prejudice and everytime I wonder if Elizabeth will see through Mr. Darcy's pride and realize that he's not really prideful...or if she will allow his vexation of her soul to win her affections.

There is a particular exchange between Elizabeth and Charlotte that I enjoy reading...it takes place in Chapter 6. 

Charlotte:  "...but there are few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement.  In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better shew more affection than she feels. Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly; but he may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on."

A few lines later, Elizabeth says, "But if a woman is partial to a man, and does not endeavour to conceal it, he must find it out."

Charlotte concludes, "Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.  If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other, or ever so similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least.  They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life."

I absolutely, positively adore each of the characters in this story.  Charlotte with her realistic and somewhat pessimistic view of love, life, etc.  Jane with her head-in-the-clouds love of Bingley.  Elizabeth and her...well, her no-nonsense-no-need of a man at the risk of falling for the wrong man. 

~ Angie