“My beauty you had early withstood,and as for my manners―my behaviour to you was at least always bordering on the uncivil,and I never spoke to you without rather wishing to give you pain than not.Now be sincere;did you admire me for my impertinence?”
Mr. Darcy's letter to Lady Catherine was in a different style;and still different from either was what Mr.Bennet sent to Mr. Collins,in reply to his last.
“I cannot fix on the hour,or the spot,or the look,or the words, which laid the foundation.It is too long ago.I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”
“Dearest Jane! who could have done less for her? But make a virtue of it by all means. My good qualities are under your protection,and you are to exaggerate them as much as possible;and,in return,it belongs to me to find occasions for teasing and quarrelling with you as often as may be;and I shall begin directly by asking you what made you so unwilling to come to the point at last?What made you so shy of me,when you first called,and afterwards dined here?Why,especially,when you called,did you look as if you did not care about me?”