Chapter 60: Much Ado About Payoff
Most of this chapter is comprised of pure, unabrupt conversation between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy as the former teases the latter by demanding to know the moment he realized he was crushing on her. After he hems and haws a bit, she determines she got to him because she was the only woman to ever sass him all the time and gave him trouble. He confirms this; because of his high station, everybody else would be subdued and cater to him all the time, so he enjoyed being put in his place. If he hadn't met Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy probably would have eventually enjoyed the services of a dominatrix.
Anyway, even though Elizabeth does most of the talking and Mr. Darcy only gives short replies, you can tell that they're both having so much fun picking on each other. I can't express how goddamn cute this is, I love it, it's so worth reading this book just for this moment.
The chapter wraps up with some good old letter-writing to share the news with folks. Darcy has to break it to Lady Catherine, and Elizabeth has to inform her aunt and uncle. But the best letter is written by Mr. Bennet and addressed to Mr. Collins, which says, verbatim and in full:
"I must trouble you once more for congratulations. Elizabeth will soon be the wife of Mr. Darcy. Console Lady Catherine as well as you can. But, if I were you, I would stand by the nephew. He has more to give."