Chapter 33

by Jane Austen

　　More than once did Elizabeth, in her ramble within the park,unexpectedly meet Mr. Darcy. She felt all the perverseness ofthe mischance that should bring him where no one else wasbrought, and, to prevent its ever happening again, took care toinform him at first that it was a favourite haunt of hers. How itcould occur a second time, therefore, was very odd! Yet it did,and even a third. It seemed like wilful ill-nature, or a voluntarypenance, for on these occasions it was not merely a few formalinquiries and an awkward pause and then away, but he actuallythought it necessary to turn back and walk with her. He neversaid a great deal, nor did she give herself the trouble of talkingor of listening much; but it struck her in the course of their thirdrencontre that he was asking some odd unconnected questions--about her pleasure in being at Hunsford, her love of solitarywalks, and her opinion of Mr. and Mrs. Collins's happiness; andthat in speaking of Rosings and her not perfectly understandingthe house, he seemed to expect that whenever she came intoKent again she would be staying there too. His wordsseemed to imply it. Could he have Colonel Fitzwilliam in histhoughts? She supposed, if he meant anything, he must meanand allusion to what might arise in that quarter. It distressedher a little, and she was quite glad to find herself at the gate inthe pales opposite the Parsonage.She was engaged one day as she walked in perusing Jane's lastletter, and dwelling on some passages which proved that Janehad not written in spirits, when, instead of being again surprisedby Mr. Darcy, she saw on looking up that Colonel Fitzwilliamwas meeting her. Putting away the letter immediately andforcing a smile, she said:"I did not know before that you ever walked this way.""I have been making the tour of the park," he replied, "as Igenerally do every year, and intend to close it with a call at theParsonage. Are you going much farther?""No, I should have turned in a moment."And accordingly she did turn, and they walked towards theParsonage together."Do you certainly leave Kent on Saturday?" said she."Yes-- if Darcy does not put it off again. But I am at hisdisposal. He arranges the business just as he pleases.""And if not able to please himself in the arrangement, he has atleast pleasure in the great power of choice. I do not knowanybody who seems more to enjoy the power of doing what helikes than Mr. Darcy.""He likes to have his own way very well," replied ColonelFitzwilliam. "But so we all do. It is only that he has bettermeans of having it than many others, because he is rich, andmany others are poor. I speak feelingly. A younger son, youknow, must be inured to self-denial and dependence.""In my opinion, the younger son of an earl can know very littleof either. Now seriously, what have you ever known ofself-denial and dependence? When have you been prevented bywant of money from going wherever you chose, or procuringanything you had a fancy for?""These are home questions-- and perhaps I cannot say that Ihave experienced many hardships of that nature. But in mattersof greater weight, I may suffer from want of money. Youngersons cannot marry where they like.""Unless where they like women of fortune, which I think theyvery often do."Our habits of expense make us too dependent, and there are toomany in my rank of life who can afford to marry without someattention to money.""Is this," thought Elizabeth, "meant for me?" and she colouredat the idea; but, recovering herself, said in a lively tone, "Andpray, what is the usual price of an earl's younger son? Unlessthe elder brother is very sickly, I suppose you would not askabove fifty thousand pounds."He answered her in the same style, and the subject dropped. Tointerrupt a silence which might make him fancy her affected withwhat had passed, she soon afterwards said:"I imagine your cousin brought you down with him chiefly forthe sake of having someone at his disposal. I wonder he doesnot marry, to secure a lasting convenience of that kind. But,perhaps, his sister does as well for the present, and, as she isunder his sole care, he may do what he likes with her.""No," said Colonel Fitzwilliam, "that is an advantage which hemust divide with me. I am joined with him in the guardianshipof Miss Darcy.""Are you indeed? And pray what sort of guardians do youmake? Does your charge give you much trouble? Young ladiesof her age are sometimes a little difficult to manage, and if shehas the true Darcy spirit, she may like to have her own way."As she spoke she observed him looking at her earnestly; and themanner in which he immediately asked her why she supposedMiss Darcy likely to give them any uneasiness, convinced herthat she had somehow or other got pretty near the truth. Shedirectly replied:"You need not be frightened. I never heard any harm of her; andI dare say she is one of the most tractable creatures in the world.She is a very great favourite with some ladies of myacquaintance, Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley. I think I have heardyou say that you know them.""I know them a little. Their brother is a pleasant gentlemanlikeman-- he is a great friend of Darcy's.""Oh! yes," said Elizabeth drily; "Mr. Darcy is uncommonly kindto Mr. Bingley, and takes a prodigious deal of care of him.""Care of him! Yes, I really believe Darcy does take care ofhim in those points where he most wants care. From somethingthat he told me in our journey hither, I have reason to thinkBingley very much indebted to him. But I ought to beg hispardon, for I have no right to suppose that Bingley was theperson meant. It was all conjecture.""What is it you mean?""It is a circumstance which Darcy could not wish to be generallyknown, because if it were to get round to the lady's family, itwould be an unpleasant thing.""You may depend upon my not mentioning it.""And remember that I have not much reason for supposing it tobe Bingley. What he told me was merely this: that hecongratulated himself on having lately saved a friend from theinconveniences of a most imprudent marriage, but withoutmentioning names or any other particulars, and I only suspectedit to be Bingley from believing him the kind of young man to getinto a scrape of that sort, and from knowing them to have beentogether the whole of last summer.""Did Mr. Darcy give you reasons for this interference?""I understood that there were some very strong objectionsagainst the lady.""And what arts did he use to separate them?""He did not talk to me of his own arts," said Fitzwilliam, smiling."He only told me what I have now told you."Elizabeth made no answer, and walked on, her heart swellingwith indignation. After watching her a little, Fitzwilliam askedher why she was so thoughtful."I am thinking of what you have been telling me," said she."Your cousin's conduct does not suit my feelings. Why was heto be the judge?""You are rather disposed to call his interference officious?""I do not see what right Mr. Darcy had to decide on thepropriety of his friend's inclination, or why, upon his ownjudgement alone, he was to determine and direct in what mannerhis friend was to be happy. But," she continued, recollectingherself, "as we know none of the particulars, it is not fair tocondemn him. It is not to be supposed that there was muchaffection in the case.""That is not an unnatural surmise," said Fitzwilliam, "but it is alessening of the honour of my cousin's triumph very sadly."This was spoken jestingly; but it appeared to her so just a pictureof Mr. Darcy, that she would not trust herself with an answer,and therefore, abruptly changing the conversation talked onindifferent matters until they reached the Parsonage. There, shutinto her own room, as soon as their visitor left them, she couldthink without interruption of all that she had heard. It was notto be supposed that any other people could be meant than thosewith whom she was connected. There could not exist in theworld two men over whom Mr. Darcy could have suchboundless influence. That he had been concerned in themeasures taken to separate Bingley and Jane she had neverdoubted; but she had always attributed to Miss Bingley theprincipal design and arrangement of them. If his own vanity,however, did not mislead him, he was the cause, his pride andcaprice were the cause, of all that Jane had suffered, and stillcontinued to suffer. He had ruined for a while every hope ofhappiness for the most affectionate, generous heart in the world;and no one could say how lasting an evil he might have inflicted."There were some very strong objections against the lady," wereColonel Fitzwilliam's words; and those strong objectionsprobably were, her having one uncle who was a countryattorney, and another who was in business in London."To Jane herself," she exclaimed, "there could be no possibilityof objection; all loveliness and goodness as she is!-- herunderstanding excellent, her mind improved, and her mannerscaptivating. Neither could anything be urged against my father,who, though with some peculiarities, has abilities Mr. Darcyhimself need not disdain, and respectability which he willprobably never each." When she thought of her mother, herconfidence gave way a little; but she would not allow that anyobjections there had material weight with Mr. Darcy, whosepride, she was convinced, would receive a deeper wound fromthe want of importance in his friend's connections, than fromtheir want of sense; and she was quite decided, at last, that hehad been partly governed by this worst kind of pride, and partlyby the wish of retaining Mr. Bingley for his sister.The agitation and tears which the subject occasioned, brought ona headache; and it grew so much worse towards the evening,that, added to her unwillingness to see Mr. Darcy, it determinedher not to attend her cousins to Rosings, where they wereengaged to drink tea. Mrs. Collins, seeing that she was reallyunwell, did not press her to go and as much as possibleprevented her husband from pressing her; but Mr. Collins couldnot conceal his apprehension of Lady Catherine's being ratherdispleased by her staying at home.