Pride and Prejudice Chapter 17

• Jane and Elizabeth discuss the Darcy-Wickham affair the next day.
• Apparently, Lizzy can keep a secret, but not from Jane.
• Jane decides it must have been a misunderstanding, but Elizabeth thinks that Mr. Bingley must not know what Mr. Darcy's really like.
• Mr. Wickham wouldn't lie to her, obvs.
• And now for some more exciting news: there's going to be a ball at Netherfield!
• This is big news. Everyone gets to dress up, and Elizabeth is looking forward to seeing Mr. Wickham—and to seeing Mr. Darcy expose himself by being a jerk.
• She's so excited that she even asks Mr. Collins if he's planning to come.
• Okay, she's really just needling him a little, since some people thought that clergymen shouldn't dance.
• But not our Mr. Collins. Not only does he plan to dance, he plans to ask Elizabeth for the first two dances—the two dances that she was planning on getting herself asked by Mr. Wickham for.
• Oops. That backfired.
• Elizabeth is starting to suspect that Mr. Collins has designs on her.

(Click the summary infographic to download.)