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Pride & Prejudice – page 445

Pride and Prejudice

which have sometimes been called so fine, I could never

see anything extraordinary in them. They have a sharp,

shrewish look, which I do not like at all; and in her air

altogether there is a self-sufficiency without fashion,

which is intolerable.”

Persuaded as Miss Bingley was that Darcy admired

Elizabeth, this was not the best method of recommend-

ing herself; but angry people are not always wise; and

in seeing him at last look somewhat nettled, she had

all the success she expected. He was resolutely silent,

however, and, from a determination of making him

speak, she continued:

“I remember, when we first knew her in

Hertfordshire, how amazed we all were to find that

she was a reputed beauty; and I particularly recollect

your saying one night, after they had been dining at

Netherfield, ‘She a beauty!I should as soon call her

mother a wit.’ But afterwards she seemed to improve

on you, and I believe you thought her rather pretty at

one time.”

“Yes,” replied Darcy, who could contain himself no

longer, “but that was only when I first saw her, for it is

many months since I have considered her as one of the

handsomest women of my acquaintance.”

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