Pride & Prejudice post 12

When Mr. Bennet learns of yet another impertinent and nosy letter from mr. Collins regarding the marital fate of one of his daughters, he responds with humor, as is expected of his character. When Elizabeth explains to her father the nature of the letter, he responds by saying that "Mr. Darcy never look[s] at any woman but to see a blemish, and probably never looked at [Elizabeth] in his life!" (309). Clearly, Elizabeth and Darcy's un-affair had a convincing non-romantic pretense. Either that, or Mr. Bennet is incredibly unobservant, which, from the outcome of Lydia's story, isn't a guess that seems too far off the mark. However, if taken in that direction, this can be taken as another iniquity on Mr. Bennet's parenting. It seems as though everyone in their area knows of Darcy and Elizabeth's unconvential relationship. With the amount of times Darcy has shown up to the Bennet household, often unannounced, it is astonishing that Mr. Bennet could have absolutely no knowledge of their encounters.