第56章

A short dialogue on the subject of the country ensued，on either side calm and concise—and soon put an end to by the entrance of Charlotte and her sister，just returned from their walk. The tête-à-tête surprised them.Mr.Darcy related the mistake which had occasioned his intruding on Miss Bennet，and after sitting a few minutes longer without saying much to any body，went away.

'What can be the meaning of this！'said Charlotte，as soon as he was gone.'My dear Eliza he must be in love with you，or he would never have called on us in this familiar way.'

But when Elizabeth told of his silence，it did not seem very likely，even to Charlotte's wishes，to be the case；and after various conjectures，they could at last only suppose his visit to proceed from the difficulty of finding any thing to do，which was the more probable from the time of year. All field sports were over.Within doors there was Lady Catherine，books，and a billiard table，but gentlemen cannot be always within doors；and in the nearness of the Parsonage，or the pleasantness of the walk to it，or of the people who lived in it，the two cousins found a temptation from this period of walking thither almost every day.They called at various times of the morning，sometimes separately，sometimes together，and now and then accompanied by their aunt.It was plain to them all that Colonel Fitzwilliam came because he had pleasure in their society，a persuasion which of course recommended him still more；and Elizabeth was reminded by her own satisfaction in being with him，as well as by his evident admiration of her，of her former favourite George Wickham；and though，in comparing them，she saw there was less captivatingsoftness in Colonel Fitzwilliam's manners，she believed he might have the best informed mind.

But why Mr. Darcy came so often to the Parsonage，it was more difficult to understand.It could not be for society，as he frequently sat there ten minutes together without opening his lips；and when he did speak，it seemed the effect of necessity rather than of choice—a sacrifice to propriety，not a pleasure to himself.He seldom appeared really animated.Mrs.Collins knew not what to make of him.Colonel Fitzwilliam's occasionally laughing at his stupidity，proved that he was generally different，which her own knowledge of him could not have told her；and as she would have liked to believe this change the effect of love，and the object of that love，her friend Eliza，she sat herself seriously to work to find it out.—She watched him whenever they were at Rosings，and whenever he came to Hunsford；but without much success.He certainly looked at her friend a great deal，but the expression of that look was disputable.It was an earnest，steadfast gaze，but she often doubted whether there were much admiration in it，and sometimes it seemed nothing but absence of mind.

She had once or twice suggested to Elizabeth the possibility of his being partial to her，but Elizabeth always laughed at the idea；and Mrs. Collins did not think it right to press the subject，from the danger of raising expectations which might only end in disappointment；for in her opinion it admitted not of a doubt，that all her friend's dislike would vanish，if she could suppose him to be in her power.

In her kind schemes for Elizabeth，she sometimes planned her marrying Colonel Fitzwilliam. He was beyond comparison the pleasantest man；he certainly admired her，and his situation in lifewas most eligible；but，to counterbalance these advantages，Mr.Darcy had considerable patronage in the church，and his cousin could have none at all.

X

M ore 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 enquiries 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 any thing，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 re-perusing Jane's last letter，and dwelling on some passages which proved that Janehad 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.'