Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley

When Elizabeth goes to Pemberley to see Mr. Darcy, Georgiana Darcy, and the Bingleys, Miss Bingley proceeds to make allusions to past incidents that Elizabeth, Georgiana, and Mr. Darcy do not appreciate but that have the unintended effect of causing Darcy to like Elizabeth more. After Elizabeth leaves, Miss Bingley says something that upsets Darcy and forces him to finally say something that hurts Miss Bingley to get her to stop gossiping about Elizabeth. Miss Bingley is describing Elizabeth’s looks in a negative light and then says, “I believe you thought her rather pretty at one time” (176) as if Mr. Darcy would agree with her that Elizabeth was ugly. Mr. Darcy says, “I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance” (176); this statement finally proves to Miss Bingley that he is interested in Elizabeth and there is nothing that she can do to change this. Her attentions have been for nothing and she has harmed herself by trying to convince Mr. Darcy that Elizabeth is not the woman he wants to marry.