“High praise indeed,” Bennet said. “I am happy to know I still top the list.”
“I think not, Papa,” Mary replied. “Uncle Gardiner is themostintelligent man we know.”
Bennet’s face fell, but Elizabeth hopefully added, “You make 3rdor 4th, if that helps.”
“Why this talk of Mr Darcy?” Kitty asked.
“I believe Jane is testing the theory that Mr Bingley might act as asensibleman would,” Mary said. “Since Mr Darcy is his adviser, it may be sufficient if Mr Darcy has the sagacity Mr Bingley lacks.”
“Exactly my thinking,” Jane agreed. “Without delving into the particulars of who does the analysis, let us measure the state of affairs. Uncle Gardiner says to evaluate any proposition with a clear-eyed look at the positives and negatives. Since we treatmarriage much like business arrangements, let us see what we have to bargain with.”
Jane took out the paper as if it offended her.
“First we need to make lists of positives and negatives, then try to assign an overall evaluation.”
She made headings and started writing, explaining as she went. “On the positive side, I am gently born, raised on an estate, and according to the current fashion, fairly beautiful. I have an agreeable disposition.”
“That says it all,” Mrs Bennet snapped, “though why you refuse to write down that you are the most beautiful girl in the county is beyond me. Who could ask for more?”
“Indeed, who could? Let us explore that topic.”
Jane added another heading labelledREASONABLE EXPECTATIONS, while Elizabeth watched her mother to see if she was likely to faint.
“Let us begin with fortune. Dowries are notquiteas vulgar as they sound. At first blush, they sound like a gentleman buying livestock; but in truth, a dowry brings something from the woman’s family to pass on to her heirs, so they have a portion of their maternal family’s fortune. It is a way for parents to passtheir fortune to all their children—male and female. It is odd and inefficient, but it is how it is done, correct?”
She looked around, daring anyone to contradict her.
“Miss Bingley’s dowry is £20,000, or about 4 years’ income for her guardian. Miss Darcy’s is £30,000—about three years’ worth. Miss de Bourgh’s is also about three years’ worth of Rosings’ income. Mama’s dowry of £5,000 would have been at least 5 years of Grandfather Gardiner’s, though most of it came from our great-grandmother. None of these guardians will make any bones about paying out that amount, and Uncle Gardiner says such sums are typical in their circles.”
She paused to ensure everyone followed. Bennet sat in detached amusement, while Mrs Bennet grew confused and cross.
“All this means that Mr Bingley couldreasonably expecta bride to bring 2-4 years of her father’s income. He could seek the daughter of a country squire, like us, or a woman from trade. Any family higher in the gentry is probably beyond his reach because of his current social status. Someone like Miss Darcy would be out of the question. That suggests Mr Bingleycouldexpect a bride to bring £5-20,000.”
Mr and Mrs Bennet looked distinctly uncomfortable, but Jane added it to her list and carried on relentlessly.
“He wants to leave trade and become a landed gentleman, so he could also expect some reasonable connections. They might not be very important, but he could reasonably expect them.”
She added that to the list.
“Suppose he comes into the neighbourhood and meets a lady. He cannot ask what her dowry or connections are, so he assumes they are typical. Perhaps they are not quite whathecould expect, but at least what might be expected from an estate such as this.”
Surprising everyone, Jane pulled out Lizzy’s calculations, made with Mary before the great mud-bath incident, and spread them out.
“Lizzy showed me how dreadfully easy it would have been to save £4-8,000 for each of us with just a bit of economy and diligence on our parents’ part. Charlotte and Maria have at least something. Even the Long nieces have £1,000.
Jane held the paper up so everyone could see.
“Had we that dowry and a decorous family, it would be short of what the mancouldget, but adequate. If he really esteemed the woman and liked the family, it could work.”
Jane stared at each person in turn.“Here is what he actually found.”
She added a new heading to balance the positives, with the headingNEGATIVES, and a line beneath it: -No dowry at all.
“Let us add a mercenary mother who spent the entire evening of his ballboastingabout how her daughtercapturedhim, how she would be the next mistress, how handsome his £5,000 a year was, how he would be expected to find husbands for her sisters, and on and on and on; all within hearing of his much more sensible friend—despiteher second daughter’sgreatestefforts to teach her some decorum, or at the very least, stop her self-sabotage.”
She held her mother's gaze and continued relentlessly.
“Let me repeat a few of your exact words, if I may.‘What is Mr Darcy to me, pray, that I should be afraid of him? I am sure we owe him no such particular civility as to be obliged to say nothing he may not like to hear.’”
