morethanoncedidelizabethinherramblewithinthepark,unexpectedlymeetmr.darcy.—shefeltalltheperversenessofthemischancethatshouldbringhimwherenooneelsewasbrought;andtopreventitseverhappeningagain,tookcaretoinformhimatfirstthatitwasafavouritehauntofhers.—howitcouldoccurasecondtime,therefore,wasveryodd!—yetitdid,andevenathird.itseemedlikewilfulill-nature,oravoluntarypenance,forontheseoccasionsitwasnotmerelyafewformalenquiriesandanawkwardpauseandthenaway,butheactuallythoughtitnecessarytoturnbackandwalkwithher.heneversaidagreatdeal,nordidshegiveherselfthetroubleoftalkingoroflisteningmuch;butitstruckherinthecourseoftheirthirdrencontrethathewasaskingsomeoddunconnectedquestions—aboutherpleasureinbeingathunsford,herloveofsolitarywalks,andheropinionofmr.andmrs.collins'shappiness;andthatinspeakingofrosings,andhernotperfectlyunderstandingthehouse,heseemedtoexpectthatwhenevershecameintokentagainshewouldbestayingtheretoo.hiswordsseemedtoimplyit.couldhehavecolonelfitzwilliaminhisthoughts?shesupposed,ifhemeantanything,hemustmeananallusiontowhatmightariseinthatquarter.itdistressedheralittle,andshewasquitegladtofindherselfatthegateinthepalesoppositetheparsonage.

shewasengagedoneday,asshewalked,inreperusingjane'slastletter,anddwellingonsomepassageswhichprovedthatjanehadnotwritteninspirits,when,insteadofbeingagainsurprisedbymr.darcy,shesawonlookingup,thatcolonelfitzwilliamwasmeetingher.puttingawaytheletterimmediatelyandforcingasmile,shesaid,"ididnotknowbeforethatyoueverwalkedthisway."

"ihavebeenmakingthetourofthepark,"hereplied,"asigenerallydoeveryyear,andintendtocloseitwithacallattheparsonage.areyougoingmuchfarther?"

"no,ishouldhaveturnedinamoment."

andaccordinglyshedidturn,andtheywalkedtowardstheparsonagetogether.

"doyoucertainlyleavekentonsaturday?"saidshe.

"yes—ifdarcydoesnotputitoffagain.butiamathisdisposal.hearrangesthebusinessjustashepleases."

"andifnotabletopleasehimselfinthearrangement,hehasatleastgreatpleasureinthepowerofchoice.idonotknowanybodywhoseemsmoretoenjoythepowerofdoingwhathelikesthanmr.darcy."

"helikestohavehisownwayverywell,"repliedcolonelfitzwilliam."butsowealldo.itisonlythathehasbettermeansofhavingitthanmanyothers,becauseheisrich,andmanyothersarepoor.ispeakfeelingly.ayoungerson,youknow,mustbeinuredtoself-denialanddependence."

"inmyopinion,theyoungersonofanearlcanknowverylittleofeither.now,seriously,whathaveyoueverknownofself-denialanddependence?whenhaveyoubeenpreventedbywantofmoneyfromgoingwhereveryouchose,orprocuringanythingyouhadafancyfor?"

"thesearehomequestions—andperhapsicannotsaythatihaveexperiencedmanyhardshipsofthatnature.butinmattersofgreaterweight,imaysufferfromthewantofmoney.youngersonscannotmarrywheretheylike."

"unlesswheretheylikewomenoffortune,whichithinktheyveryoftendo."

"ourhabitsofexpencemakeustoodependant,andtherearenotmanyinmyrankoflifewhocanaffordtomarrywithoutsomeattentiontomoney."

"isthis,"thoughtelizabeth,"meantforme?"andshecolouredattheidea;but,recoveringherself,saidinalivelytone,"andpray,whatistheusualpriceofanearl'syoungerson?unlesstheelderbrotherisverysickly,isupposeyouwouldnotaskabovefiftythousandpounds."

heansweredherinthesamestyle,andthesubjectdropped.tointerruptasilencewhichmightmakehimfancyheraffectedwithwhathadpassed,shesoonafterwardssaid,"iimagineyourcousinbroughtyoudownwithhimchieflyforthesakeofhavingsomebodyathisdisposal.iwonderhedoesnotmarry,tosecurealastingconvenienceofthatkind.but,perhapshissisterdoesaswellforthepresent,and,assheisunderhissolecare,hemaydowhathelikeswithher."

"no,"saidcolonelfitzwilliam,"thatisanadvantagewhichhemustpidewithme.iamjoinedwithhimintheguardianshipofmissdarcy."

"areyou,indeed?andpraywhatsortofguardiansdoyoumake?doesyourchargegiveyoumuchtrouble?youngladiesofheragearesometimesalittledifficulttomanage,andifshehasthetruedarcyspirit,shemayliketohaveherownway."

asshespoke,sheobservedhimlookingatherearnestly,andthemannerinwhichheimmediatelyaskedherwhyshesupposedmissdarcylikelytogivethemanyuneasiness,convincedherthatshehadsomehoworothergotprettynearthetruth.shedirectlyreplied,"youneednotbefrightened.ineverheardanyharmofher;andidaresaysheisoneofthemosttractablecreaturesintheworld.sheisaverygreatfavouritewithsomeladiesofmyacquaintance,mrs.hurstandmissbingley.ithinkihaveheardyousaythatyouknowthem."

"iknowthemalittle.theirbrotherisapleasantgentlemanlikeman—heisagreatfriendofdarcy's."