Pride and Prejudice, a play founded on Jane Austen's novel

May not I have one, as my reward, Miss Bennet?

Elizabeth

Is not accomplishment its own reward?

Colonel Fitzwilliam

And is not the power to be generous the highest reward that can be given to any accomplishment?

Elizabeth

Oh, surely! And so you would have to be generous and get me some more roses: then we should each of us have to invent new speeches, and so we should never be done till we were ready to print a phrase book. However, you have certainly won your rose. [She gives it to him.]

Colonel Fitzwilliam

Thank you! That phrase-book is a capital idea, Miss Bennet. Nothing could please me better than just such an occupation. It would really be a charity, for Darcy is such a dull fellow these days that I really don't know what to do with myself.

Elizabeth

But we should hardly have the time for such a project. You say that you and Mr. Darcy are to leave Lady Catherine on Saturday.

Colonel Fitzwilliam

Yes, if Darcy doesn't put it off again. He has already paid our aunt a much longer visit than ever before. I am at his disposal, you know. He arranges the business just as he pleases.

Elizabeth

I do not know anybody who seems more to enjoy the power of doing what he pleases than Mr. Darcy.

Colonel Fitzwilliam

He likes to have his own way very well, but so do we all. It is only that he has better means of having it than many others. [Looking at his watch.] I suppose I ought to go and look for him now. I expected to find him here, [With a meaning smile.] as not unfrequently happens. But since he is not, he probably expects me to meet him at the Crossroads.

Elizabeth

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.

Colonel Fitzwilliam

No – that is an advantage which he must share with me. I am joined with him in the guardianship of Miss Darcy.

Elizabeth

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.

[Colonel Fitzwilliam looks at Elizabeth very suspiciously as she makes this last remark.]

Colonel Fitzwilliam

Why – what? – Why do you suppose Miss Darcy is likely to give us any uneasiness, Miss Bennet?

Elizabeth

[Carelessly.] Oh, nothing at all! You need not be frightened! I never heard any harm of her; she is a great favourite with a lady of my acquaintance – Miss Bingley. I think I have heard you say that you knew Miss Bingley.

Colonel Fitzwilliam

I know her a little. Her brother is a pleasant, gentlemanlike man. He is a great friend of Darcy's.

Elizabeth

Oh, yes. Mr. Darcy is uncommonly kind to Mr. Bingley and takes a prodigious deal of care of him.

Colonel Fitzwilliam

Care of him? Yes, I really believe Darcy does take care of him. From something he has told me, I have reason to think Bingley very much indebted to him. [Stopping.] But I ought to beg his pardon, for I have no right to suppose that Bingley was the person meant.

Elizabeth

[Curiously, and with ill-concealed anxiety.] What is it you mean?

Colonel Fitzwilliam

It is a circumstance which, of course, Darcy could not wish to be generally known, because if it were to get round to the lady's family it would be an unpleasant thing.

Elizabeth

You may depend upon my not mentioning it.

Colonel Fitzwilliam

And, remember, that I haven't much reason for supposing it to be Bingley. What he told me was merely this: that he congratulated himself on having lately saved a friend from the inconveniences of a most imprudent marriage, but without names or any other particulars, and I only suspected it to be Bingley from believing him to be the kind of young man to get into a scrape of that sort.

Elizabeth

[Trying to suppress her feeling.] Did Mr. Darcy give you his reasons for this interference?

Colonel Fitzwilliam

I understood that there were some very strong objections against the lady.

Elizabeth

Indeed! [Trying to speak calmly.] And what arts did he use to separate them?

Colonel Fitzwilliam

[Smiling.] He did not talk to me of his own arts. He only told me, what I have now told you.