CBSE Class 10 Answered

The character of Mrs. Packletide shows the qualities of jealousy and being materialistic. She is an envious and vain woman used by the author to stereotype women from the upper class society who show off. Mrs Packeltide takes her hatred for another upper class woman named Loona Bimberton too far so much so that she becomes the subject of mockery. Loona’s recent travel in an aeroplane with an Algerian Aviator makes Mrs. Packletide lose all her sense of reason. She decides to kill a tiger just to satisfy her vanity and for that she offers a thousand rupees to the villagers to arrange the shooting of a tiger where less risk or exertion is arranged. The villagers readily agreed to help her. The night arrived when the killing was to be done. 

However, things go terribly wrong and the tiger dies of natural causes instead of being shot. Worse, Mrs Packeltide tries to hide the truth, which becomes a blackmailing tool for Miss Mebbin. Having realised that she had to do something so that Miss Mebbin didn't give her away. She buys her a weekend cottage at Darking. She faces financial losses and in the end gives up hunting as 'incidental expenses' were too heavy. It was only her pride to show others her superiority that led to financial loss. Thus, the statement 'pride goes before a fall' is justified.