So engrossed were the whole company in their armchair journey, that Kitty temporarily lapsed in her self-appointed duty of vigilance over her father’s dinner-plate, failing to notice it had been heaped with a second portion of venison and pheasant, the food being despatched by Mr. Bennet with evident pleasure. A momentary pause in the Alps allowed his younger daughter to glance in her father’s direction, and the horror-stricken look he received, as her eyes seized upon his plate, could not pass unnoticed by the rest of the table. Darcy, with a quickness of mind that marked his good-breeding, asked whether the produce of Pemberley Woods had not met with Mr. Bennet’s approbation. Before her father was able to answer beyond a splutter, Kitty jumped in with formidable emphasis:

“Mr. Darcy, I daresay your venison is delightful beyond comparison, but our family have made some salutary changes of late in consequence of Papa’s misery with the gout. A book, which I have taken to carrying about with me, finding it extraordinarily useful for constant reference throughout the day—perhaps you would like to peruse it yourself?—has rather changed our table, has it not, father?” (producing the volume On Food from her pocket) “Here it is! It is as useful a book as ever I saw. Once I had read it, I vowed that our life was to change. There would be no more strong drink and no more eating of meat at the parsonage, for the evils of an high table, I have discovered by way of this book, cannot be underestimated. It has been not a fortnight since we changed our habits, and yet already our dear Papa feels better, is that not true? We would not go back to meat and strong spirits, not for all the world!”

Georgiana and Darcy looked meaningfully at the plates of Mr. Bennet and the parson, upon which were piled substantial portions of venison and pheasant, and tried to avoid one another’s eye. Kitty, mistaking the fragile silence of the room to be the sign of a captive and convertible audience, continued, “You see, to my ready approbation, I find meat and spirits hazards to the health, and most especially to the constitution of a valetudinarian, as is dear Papa. You could not believe your eyes if you read all the delectable recipes for dining well without meat. Here, look at this one—it uses mushroom forcemeat instead of gammon and partridge. I own Cook was rather put out at first, but she is quite reconciled upon finding how vastly improved my father’s leg becomes as a result of a plain diet.”