Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 33

More than once did Elizabeth, in her ramble within the park,

unexpectedly meet Mr. Darcy. She felt all the perverseness of

the mischance that should bring him where no one else was brought,

and, to prevent its ever happening again, took care to inform him

at first that it was a favourite haunt of hers. How it could occur

a second time, therefore, was very odd! Yet it did, and even a

third. It seemed like wilful ill-nature, or a voluntary penance,

for on these occasions it was not merely a few formal inquiries

and an awkward pause and then away, but he actually thought it

necessary to turn back and walk with her. He never said a great

deal, nor did she give herself the trouble of talking or of

listening much; but it struck her in the course of their third

rencontre that he was asking some odd unconnected questions--about

her pleasure in being at Hunsford, her love of solitary walks, and

her opinion of Mr. and Mrs. Collins's happiness; and that in

speaking of Rosings and her not perfectly understanding the house,

he seemed to expect that whenever she came into Kent again she

would be staying _there_ too. His words seemed to imply it. Could

he have Colonel Fitzwilliam in his thoughts? She supposed, if he

meant anything, he must mean an allusion to what might arise in

that quarter. It distressed her a little, and she was quite glad

to find herself at the gate in the pales opposite the Parsonage.

She was engaged one day as she walked, in perusing Jane's last

letter, and dwelling on some passages which proved that Jane

had not written in spirits, when, instead of being again surprised

by Mr. Darcy, she saw on looking up that Colonel Fitzwilliam

was meeting her. Putting away the letter immediately and

forcing 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 I

generally do every year, and intend to close it with a call at the

Parsonage. Are you going much farther?"

"No, I should have turned in a moment."

And accordingly she did turn, and they walked towards the

Parsonage together.

"Do you certainly leave Kent on Saturday?" said she.

"Yes--if Darcy does not put it off again. But I am at his

disposal. He arranges the business just as he pleases."

"And if not able to please himself in the arrangement, he has

at least pleasure in the great power of choice. I do not know

anybody who seems more to enjoy the power of doing what he