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"I am not." Elizabeth raised her voice. "I am saying this because it is true. The answer is no. Will always be no. Is currently no. Will be no tomorrow. Will be no if you ask me a hundred times!"

There was a long pause. Then Mr. Collins drew himself up with wounded dignity. "I see that young ladies do sometimes refuse the addresses of gentlemen they mean to accept. But when you have had time to reflect⁠—"

"I have reflected!" Elizabeth practically shouted. "For weeks I have known this was coming! I have done nothing but reflect! The answer is no!"

The narrative gave a little hiccup, like she'd actually startled it with her vehemence. Mr. Collins backed toward the door. "I... I shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long⁠—"

"You will not."

"Your mother shall speak with you about⁠—"

"She already knows my answer will be no."

"But surely when you have had time⁠—"

"Mr. Collins." Elizabeth waited until he stopped speaking. "There is no answer after this one. No."

He fled. The moment the door closed, Elizabeth's knees gave out and she sat down hard on the chair.

Well, she thought, slightly dizzy from the confrontation. That was... different.

Progress.

Footsteps approached. Heavy, purposeful footsteps.

The door burst open.

"Lizzy!" Mrs. Bennet's voice could have shattered glass. "What is this I hear? You have refused Mr. Collins?"

"Yes, Mamma."

"But you must marry him! He is to inherit this estate! We shall all be turned out when your father dies!"

"I cannot marry a man I do not respect, Mamma."

"Respect? What has respect to do with marriage? Mr. Collins is a perfectly good match! He has a living! He is young and healthy! He talks a great deal, but one may get used to that!"

Elizabeth watched her mother perform theatrical anguish without answering. She'd seen this scene too, in her awakened state. Knew every beat. But this time, she was too tired to play along.

"I will not marry him, Mamma. And nothing you say will change my mind."

"Mr. Bennet!" her mother shrieked toward the library. "Mr. Bennet! You must come speak to Lizzy at once! She refuses to marry Mr. Collins and will not listen to reason!"

Her father appeared in the doorway, looking vastly entertained.

"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth," he said with barely contained laughter. "From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do."

He had protected her refusal, and was evidently enjoying himself. She wished his protection did not come with quite so much amusement.

"Thank you, Papa," she said quietly.

He winked and retreated back to his library, leaving Elizabeth to weather the storm of Mrs. Bennet's nerves.

Final Assessment:

She had been unable to leave. She had nevertheless made him hear her refusal, and he had been the one to go.

It was not much, but it was more than she had managed at the assembly. Mrs. Bennet's theatrics continued for approximately three hours.