Chapter 33 179
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 likes than Mr. Darcy."
" He likes to have his own way very well," replied Colonel Fitzwilliam. " But so we all do. It is only that he has better means of having it than many others, because he is rich, and many others are poor. I speak feelingly. A younger son, you know, must be inured to self-denial and dependence."
" In my opinion, the younger son of an earl can know very little of either. Now seriously, what have you ever known of self-denial and dependence? When have you been prevented by want of money from going wherever you chose, or procuring anything you had a fancy for?"
" These are home questions--and perhaps I cannot say that I have experienced many hardships of that nature. But in matters of greater weight, I may suffer from want of money. Younger sons cannot marry where they like."
" Unless where they like women of fortune, which I think they very often do."
" Our habits of expense make us too dependent, and there are not many in my rank of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money."
" Is this," thought Elizabeth, " meant for me?" and she coloured at the idea; but, recovering herself, said in a lively tone, " And pray, what is the usual price of an earl ' s younger son? Unless the elder brother is very sickly, I