"I didn't!" said Elizabeth. "I never thought of such a thing as meeting you."
"Nevertheless, in the regular chain and sequence of events, you went there to meet me — if you hadn't gone you wouldn't have met me."
"O, if you put it in that way," said Elizabeth, — "there's no harm in that."
"There is no harm in it at all. Quite the contrary."
"I think it was the prettiest walk I ever took in my life," said Elizabeth, — "before that, I mean," she added blushing.
"My experience would say, after it," said Winthrop, in an amused tone.
"It was rather a confused walk after that," said Elizabeth. "I never was quite so much surprised."
"You see I had not that disadvantage. I was only — gratified."
"Why," said Elizabeth, her jealous fear instantly starting again, "you didn't know what my answer would be before you asked me?"
She waited for Winthrop's answer, but none came. Elizabeth could not bear it.