Pride and Prejudice Volume 1, Chapter 17

Bingley and his sisters come to Longbourn to announce that they are having a ball at Netherfield, just as Bingley promised he would. All the Bennet girls are excited, and Elizabeth looks forward to dancing with Wickham all night. In her excitement, she asks Collins if he's going, and he announces that he looks forward to dancing with her during the first two dances. Elizabeth agrees out of politeness, but she is really disappointed because she wanted to save those dances for Wickham. Then it dawns on her that Collins might be considering her to be his wife, and she finds the idea repulsive.