Mr. Collins Shifts His Attention to Elizabeth

Mrs. Bennet, hoping to secure a match, hints to Mr. Collins that Jane is likely to be soon engaged. Mr. Collins, who had initially fixed on Jane, promptly shifts his attention to Elizabeth, the next eldest. Mrs. Bennet is delighted at the prospect of having two daughters married. This maneuver sets the stage for Mr. Collins's subsequent proposal to Elizabeth, which she will famously reject.