MISS BINGLY
Caroline Bingley, the younger sister of Charles, seems to be a reversion
to the trading stock from which she sprang, concealing her vulgarity beneath
the varnish of wealth and fashion. She possessed a fortune of twenty
thousand pounds and an elegant figure and bearing, but in disposition she
was haughty, supercilious shallow, spiteful, jealous, and double-dealing.
She schemed to win Darcy for herself and Darcy's sister Georgiana for her
brother, but her methods were so apparent and shameless that we can attribute
Darcy's patience only to his good breeding. She early recognized
in Elizabeth her superiority of mind and a possible rival and disliked
her, but she professed great affection for Jane until she feared Bingley'
s falling in love with her. Then she followed him to London to prevent
his return to Netherfield, and when Jane spent a few moths at her aunt's
in the city, she used every contrivance and falsehood to keep them apart.
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