Austen Said:

apologised

by letting her know that

They then sat down, and when her inquiries after Rosings were made, seemed in danger of sinking into total silence. It was absolutely necessary, therefore, to think of something, and in this emergence recollecting when she had seen him last in Hertfordshire, and feeling curious to know what he would say on the subject of their hasty departure, she observed:

She found that she was to receive no other answer, and, after a short pause added:

said Darcy,

Elizabeth made no answer. She was afraid of talking longer of his friend; and, having nothing else to say, was now determined to leave the trouble of finding a subject to him.

He took the hint, and soon began with,

As he spoke there was a sort of smile

which Elizabeth fancied she understood;

and she blushed as she answered:

Mr. Darcy drew his chair a little towards her, and said,

Elizabeth looked surprised. The gentleman experienced some change of feeling; he drew back his chair, took a newspaper from the table, and glancing over it, said, in a colder voice:

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 her 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 anybody, went away.

said Charlotte, as soon as he was gone.

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 anything 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 always be 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

she believed

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 have believed this change the effect of love, and the object of that love her friend Eliza, she set 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.

but she often doubted

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

that

In her kind schemes for Elizabeth, she sometimes planned her marrying Colonel Fitzwilliam.

More than once did Elizabeth, in her ramble within the park, unexpectedly meet Mr. Darcy.

She felt

and, to prevent its ever happening again,

took care to inform him at first that

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

and

that in speaking

She supposed,

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:

he replied,

And accordingly she did turn, and they walked towards the Parsonage together.

said she.

replied Colonel Fitzwilliam.

thought Elizabeth,

and she coloured at the idea; but, recovering herself, said in a lively tone,

He answered her in the same style, and the subject dropped.

she soon afterwards said:

said Colonel Fitzwilliam,

As she spoke she observed him looking at her earnestly; and the manner in which

he immediately asked her

convinced her that

She directly replied:

said Elizabeth drily;