Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 26 quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. What is Mrs. Gardiner's primary concern when she speaks privately to Elizabeth at the start of Chapter 26?

   • That Elizabeth has been rude to Mr. Darcy and needs to apologize for the sake of Jane's prospects
   • That Elizabeth is growing cynical about love and needs encouragement to open her heart to suitors
   • That Elizabeth has been spending too much time with officers and neglecting her responsibilities at home
   • Correct answer: That Elizabeth may fall in love with Wickham, whose lack of fortune makes any attachment imprudent

   Mrs. Gardiner warns Elizabeth not to "involve yourself or endeavour to involve him in an affection which the want of fortune would make so very imprudent," acknowledging Wickham's charm but stressing financial reality.

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2. 2

   Question 2. How does Elizabeth respond to her aunt's warning about Wickham?

   • She angrily declares that love matters more than money and storms out of the room in frustration
   • She agrees completely and promises to avoid Wickham's company from this point forward in Hertfordshire
   • Correct answer: She promises not to be in a hurry to believe herself his first object, but cannot guarantee full wisdom
   • She bursts into tears and confesses that she is already deeply in love with Wickham beyond recovery

   Elizabeth says "All that I can promise you, therefore, is not to be in a hurry. I will not be in a hurry to believe myself his first object," offering partial compliance with characteristic wit.

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3. 3

   Question 3. What practical suggestion does Mrs. Gardiner make to limit Elizabeth's contact with Wickham?

   • She proposes that Elizabeth accompany her back to London to put physical distance between them
   • Correct answer: She suggests Elizabeth should not remind her mother to invite Wickham so frequently to Longbourn
   • She advises Elizabeth to publicly show interest in another gentleman to discourage Wickham's attentions
   • She recommends that Elizabeth write Wickham a letter explaining why they cannot continue their friendship

   "Perhaps it will be as well if you discourage his coming here so very often. At least, you should not remind your mother of inviting him."

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4. 4

   Question 4. What favor does Charlotte Lucas ask of Elizabeth before the wedding?

   • Correct answer: She asks Elizabeth to write to her frequently and to promise to visit her at Hunsford in Kent
   • She asks Elizabeth to intercede with Mrs. Bennet and smooth over any lingering resentment about Collins
   • She asks Elizabeth to look after her younger sisters while Charlotte is away establishing her new home
   • She asks Elizabeth to be her bridesmaid and stand beside her during the ceremony at the church

   Charlotte asks Elizabeth to depend on hearing from her often and to "come and see me" at Hunsford, adding that Sir William and Maria will visit in March and Elizabeth should join them.

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5. 5

   Question 5. How does Mrs. Bennet react to Charlotte and Mr. Collins's approaching marriage?

   • Correct answer: She is grudgingly resigned, repeatedly saying in an ill-natured tone that she wished they might be happy
   • She refuses to attend the wedding and forbids her daughters from having any contact with the couple
   • She weeps constantly and declares that Charlotte has stolen the inheritance meant for her own daughters
   • She is delighted and hosts a lavish pre-wedding dinner to celebrate the union of the two families

   Mrs. Bennet "was at length so far resigned as to think it inevitable, and even repeatedly to say, in an ill-natured tone, that she wished they might be happy."

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6. 6

   Question 6. How does Elizabeth describe Charlotte's letters from Hunsford?

   • As wildly enthusiastic and genuinely joyful, convincing Elizabeth that Charlotte truly loves her new life
   • As deeply unhappy and full of regret about marrying Collins, begging Elizabeth to rescue her
   • Correct answer: As Mr. Collins's picture of Hunsford and Rosings "rationally softened," praising everything without complaint
   • As cold and formal, suggesting Charlotte has adopted Lady Catherine's haughty manner and forgotten her friends

   Charlotte "wrote cheerfully, seemed surrounded with comforts, and mentioned nothing which she could not praise. It was Mr. Collins's picture of Hunsford and Rosings rationally softened."

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7. 7

   Question 7. How long does Jane wait in London before she hears from Caroline Bingley?

   • Three days, after which Caroline sends a brief and apologetic note explaining her busy social calendar
   • Correct answer: A full week without either seeing or hearing from Caroline, which Jane excuses as a lost letter
   • Two weeks, during which Jane writes multiple letters that all go unanswered by the Bingley household
   • Only one day, but Caroline's response is so cold that Jane immediately suspects something is wrong

   "Jane had been a week in town without either seeing or hearing from Caroline. She accounted for it, however, by supposing that her last letter to her friend from Longbourn had by some accident been lost."

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8. 8

   Question 8. What excuse does Caroline Bingley give for her brother's absence when Jane visits?

   • That Bingley is unwell and has been confined to his rooms for several weeks with a persistent illness
   • That Bingley has gone abroad on business and will not return to London for several more months
   • That Bingley has traveled to the countryside to inspect a new estate he is considering purchasing
   • Correct answer: That Bingley is so much engaged with Mr. Darcy that the sisters scarcely ever see him themselves

   Caroline says Bingley "was well, but so much engaged with Mr. Darcy that they scarcely ever saw him," effectively explaining away his absence while keeping him separated from Jane.

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9. 9

   Question 9. What conclusion does Elizabeth draw after reading Jane's account of visiting Caroline?

   • That Bingley has fallen in love with Miss Darcy and will never return to Hertfordshire or to Jane
   • That Jane should write directly to Bingley himself rather than relying on his sisters as intermediaries
   • That Caroline is genuinely busy with social obligations and Jane should be more patient and understanding
   • Correct answer: That accident only could discover to Mr. Bingley that Jane is in town, because Caroline is hiding it

   "Elizabeth shook her head over this letter. It convinced her that accident only could discover to Mr. Bingley her sister's being in town."

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10. 10

    Question 10. How does Caroline Bingley behave when she finally returns Jane's visit after four weeks?

    • She cancels at the last minute and sends a servant with a card, further insulting Jane with her absence
    • She is warm and apologetic, bringing gifts and promising to arrange a dinner with Bingley very soon
    • Correct answer: She stays briefly, makes a slight formal apology, says nothing of seeing Jane again, and is wholly altered
    • She brings Mrs. Hurst along and they both lavish Jane with compliments while avoiding any mention of Bingley

    Caroline "made a slight, formal apology, for not calling before, said not a word of wishing to see me again, and was in every respect so altered a creature."

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11. 11

    Question 11. What does Jane admit about Caroline in her letter to Elizabeth, despite her forgiving nature?

    • Correct answer: That there is "a strong appearance of duplicity in all this," though she stops short of harsh condemnation
    • That Caroline has always been a false friend and Jane regrets ever having trusted her with personal feelings
    • That Caroline is acting on direct orders from Mr. Darcy to prevent a Bennet-Bingley marriage alliance
    • That Caroline is genuinely kind but simply too busy with London society to maintain their friendship

    Jane writes: "If I were not afraid of judging harshly, I should be almost tempted to say that there is a strong appearance of duplicity in all this." Even this mild accusation is remarkable from the ever-charitable Jane.

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12. 12

    Question 12. What does Elizabeth hope for Bingley as "punishment" after reading Jane's letter about the Bingleys' behavior?

    • That he will lose his fortune and experience the same financial hardship that separated him from Jane
    • Correct answer: That he will really marry Mr. Darcy's sister, who by Wickham's account would make him regret what he lost
    • That Jane will marry someone far wealthier and more distinguished so Bingley can see what he missed
    • That Mr. Darcy will betray Bingley's trust just as Bingley's sisters betrayed Jane's trust in them

    "As a punishment for him, as well as a possible advantage to Jane, she seriously hoped he might really soon marry Mr. Darcy's sister, as by Wickham's account, she would make him abundantly regret what he had thrown away."

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13. 13

    Question 13. Why does Wickham turn his attentions away from Elizabeth to Miss King?

    • Correct answer: Because Miss King has recently inherited ten thousand pounds, which Austen calls her most remarkable charm
    • Because Elizabeth publicly rejected Wickham at a ball, embarrassing him in front of the Meryton community
    • Because Mr. Bennet warned Wickham away from Elizabeth, threatening to expose his debts to the regiment
    • Because Miss King is younger and more beautiful than Elizabeth, attracting Wickham's shallow admiration

    "The sudden acquisition of ten thousand pounds was the most remarkable charm of the young lady to whom he was now rendering himself agreeable." Austen's irony highlights Wickham's mercenary motives.

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14. 14

    Question 14. How does Elizabeth describe her feelings about Wickham's defection to Mrs. Gardiner?

    • She claims complete indifference while her letters reveal bitterness and resentment toward both Wickham and Miss King
    • She expresses relief because she had grown tired of his constant complaints about Mr. Darcy's treatment of him
    • She admits she is devastated but asks her aunt to keep the depth of her heartbreak a secret from others
    • Correct answer: She declares she was never much in love because she does not detest his name or hate Miss King at all

    Elizabeth writes: "I am now convinced, my dear aunt, that I have never been much in love; for had I really experienced that pure and elevating passion, I should at present detest his very name, and wish him all manner of evil."

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15. 15

    Question 15. What does Elizabeth mean when she tells Mrs. Gardiner that "Importance may sometimes be purchased too dearly"?

    • That gaining Lady Catherine's favor through flattery would cost Elizabeth her integrity and self-respect entirely
    • That wealthy marriages like Charlotte's come at the cost of personal happiness and intellectual companionship
    • Correct answer: That being distractedly in love would make her more interesting socially, but the emotional cost is too high
    • That pursuing Wickham's affection would require compromising her principles and deceiving her family members

    Elizabeth acknowledges she "should be a more interesting object to all my acquaintances were I distractedly in love with him" but concludes that such social significance is not worth the pain of heartbreak.

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