therefore make the most of every half hour in which she can command his

attention. When she is secure of him, there will be leisure for falling

in love as much as she chooses.{29}”
“Your plan is a good one,” replied Elizabeth, “where nothing is in

question but the desire of being well married; and if I were determined

to get a rich husband, or any husband, I dare say I should adopt it. But

these are not Jane’s feelings; she is not acting by design. As yet she

cannot even be certain of the degree of her own regard, nor of its

reasonableness. She has known him only a fortnight. She danced four

dances with him at Meryton; she saw him one morning at his own house,

and has since dined in company with him four times. This is not quite

enough to make her understand his character.”
“Not as you represent it. Had she merely dined with him, she might

only have discovered whether he had a good appetite; but you must

remember that four evenings have been also spent together—and four

evenings may do a great deal.”
“Yes: these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they both

like Vingt-un better than Commerce, but with respect to any other

leading characteristic, I do not imagine that much has been unfolded.”
“Well,” said Charlotte, “I wish Jane success with all my heart; and if

she were married to him to-morrow, I should think she had as good a

chance of happiness as if she were to be studying his character for a

twelvemonth. 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.{30}”
“You make me laugh, Charlotte; but it is not sound. You know it is not