Chapter 3 10
soon followed that Mr . Bingley was to bring twelve ladies and seven gentlemen with him to the assembly . The girls grieved over such a number of ladies , but were comforted the day before the ball by hearing , that instead of twelve he brought only six with him from London--his five sisters and a cousin . And when the party entered the assembly room it consisted of only five altogether--Mr . Bingley , his two sisters , the husband of the eldest , and another young man .
Mr . Bingley was good-looking and gentlemanlike ; he had a pleasant countenance , and easy , unaffected manners . His sisters were fine women , with an air of decided fashion . His brother-in-law , Mr . Hurst , merely looked the gentleman ; but his friend Mr . Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine , tall person , handsome features , noble mien , and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance , of his having ten thousand a year . The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man , the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr . Bingley , and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening , till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity ; for he was discovered to be proud ; to be above his company , and above being pleased ; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding , disagreeable countenance , and being unworthy to be compared with his friend .
Mr . Bingley had soon made himself acquainted with all the principal people in the room ; he was lively and unreserved , danced every dance , was angry that the ball closed so early , and talked of giving one himself at Netherfield . Such amiable qualities must speak for themselves . What a contrast between him and his friend ! Mr . Darcy danced only once with Mrs . Hurst and once with Miss Bingley , declined being introduced to any other lady , and spent the rest of the evening in walking about the room , speaking occasionally to one of his own party . His character was decided . He was the proudest , most disagreeable man in the world , and everybody hoped that he would never come there again . Amongst the most violent against him was Mrs . Bennet , whose dislike of his general behaviour was sharpened into particular resentment by his having slighted one of her daughters .