Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed in love a little now and then. It is something to think of, and gives her a sort of distinction among her companions.
– Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 24. While Mrs. Bennet is anxious and worried, Mr. Bennet finds it a source of amusement that Jane’s hopes of getting married anytime soon diminish as Charles Bingley appears to abandon her and move from the area. The humorous and more relaxed Mr. Bennet is the perfect foil to the emotional Mrs. Bennet. But what Mr. Bennet says here to Elizabeth is ironic, as no girl likes being disappointed in love and it’s not a laughing matter for his eldest daughters.