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 suppose you would not ask above fifty thousand pounds.”
He answered her in the same style, and the subject dropped. To interrupt

a silence which might make him fancy her affected with what had passed,

she soon afterwards said,{231}—
“I imagine your cousin brought you down with him chiefly for the sake of

having somebody at his disposal. I wonder he does not marry, to secure a

lasting convenience of that kind. But, perhaps, his sister does as well

for the present; and, as she is under his sole care, he may do what he

likes with her.”
“No,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam, “that is an advantage which he must

divide with me. I am joined with him in the guardianship of Miss Darcy.”
“Are you, indeed? And pray what sort of a guardian do you make? Does

your charge give you much trouble? Young ladies of her age are sometimes

a little difficult to manage; and if she has the true Darcy spirit, she

may like to have her own way.”
As she spoke, she observed him looking at her earnestly; and the manner

in which he immediately asked her why she supposed Miss Darcy likely to

give them any uneasiness, convinced her that she had somehow or other

got pretty near the truth. She directly replied,—
“You need not be frightened. I never heard any harm of her; and I dare

say she is one of the most tractable creatures in the world. She is a

very great favourite with some ladies of my acquaintance, Mrs. Hurst and

Miss Bingley. I think I have heard you say that you know them.”
“I know them a little. Their brother is a pleasant, gentlemanlike

man—he is a great friend of Darcy’s.”
“Oh yes,” said Elizabeth drily—“Mr. Darcy is uncommonly kind to Mr.

Bingley, and takes a prodigious deal of care of him.”
“Care of him! Yes, I really believe Darcy does take care of him in