Plot Summary
Chapter 32 of Pride and Prejudice opens with Elizabeth Bennet sitting alone at the Hunsford parsonage, writing a letter to Jane, while Mrs. Collins and Maria have gone into the village. A ring at the door startles her, and instead of the expected Lady Catherine, Mr. Darcy enters the room alone. He is equally surprised to find Elizabeth by herself, explaining that he had understood all the ladies would be at home. The awkward encounter sets the stage for one of the novel's most quietly revealing exchanges.
An Awkward Conversation
After a few polite inquiries about the residents of Rosings, the two seem in danger of sinking into total silence. Elizabeth breaks the impasse by mentioning Darcy's sudden departure from Netherfield the previous November and asks whether Bingley intends to return. Darcy's brief, evasive answers suggest that Bingley may never settle there again, a response that frustrates Elizabeth. The conversation then shifts to Charlotte's marriage and the Hunsford parsonage, with Darcy praising Mr. Collins's "fortunate" choice of wife. Elizabeth offers a characteristically sharp reply, noting that Charlotte is "one of the very few sensible women who would have accepted him."
The Distance Debate
A lively disagreement arises over whether Hunsford is conveniently close to Hertfordshire. Darcy calls fifty miles "a very easy distance," while Elizabeth protests that Mrs. Collins can hardly be considered settled near her family. Darcy observes that Elizabeth must be strongly attached to Longbourn, and when he draws his chair closer and says, "You cannot have been always at Longbourn," Elizabeth looks surprised. Darcy suddenly retreats, picks up a newspaper, and asks in a colder voice whether she likes Kent. The brief, charged moment reveals Darcy's growing attraction and his struggle to reconcile his feelings with his sense of social propriety.
Charlotte's Suspicions and the Pattern of Visits
Charlotte and Maria return, ending the tete-a-tete. Charlotte immediately suspects Darcy must be in love with Elizabeth, though Elizabeth's account of his silence makes this seem unlikely. From this point on, Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam visit the parsonage almost daily. While Colonel Fitzwilliam's motives are transparent, finding genuine pleasure in the ladies' company and reminding Elizabeth of her former favorite Wickham, Darcy's behavior is puzzling. He sits for long stretches without speaking, and when he does talk, it seems forced. Charlotte watches him carefully, noting his earnest gaze at Elizabeth, but cannot determine whether it reflects admiration or mere absence of mind. In her private schemes, Charlotte even considers matching Elizabeth with Colonel Fitzwilliam, but recognizes that Darcy's patronage in the church gives him a practical advantage that his cousin lacks.