When Microsoft first made overtures towards Yahoo, it rather seems that the dotcom company turned its nose up.

Sure, it made noises about how it was willing to talk. And sure, the Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer is not known for taking prisoners when he is negotiating. But it does seem the first rejection came from Yahoo.

Back in May, Microsoft offered $33 a share. Yahoo’s boss Jerry Yang said thanks, but no thanks. And Microsoft walked away.

Since then, it’s all been go. Yahoo and Google worked together on a joint advertising deal, until, that is, regulators said that was anti-competitive.

And since then, Google has seen profits rise some more, while Yahoo saw profits shrink.

And since then, something else happened – what was it now – oh yes, the global economy went into meltdown.

And so it is that Yahoo has discovered the yin to its yang.

Earlier this week, Jerry Yang was talking at the Web 2.0 conference. “To this day the best thing for Microsoft to do is buy Yahoo,” he said.

“I don’t think that is a bad idea at all, at the right price whatever that price is. We’re willing to sell the company,” he said.

When Microsoft had its initial bid for Yahoo rejected, it could perhaps have borrowed a phrase from Jane Austen’s Mr Collins and said: “In spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made you.”

Well, poor old Yahoo. “At the end of the day, they withdrew and they have since been clear about not wanting to buy the company,” said a disconsolate Yang. Through tears, he added: “As far as a search deal goes, we are open-minded about it. The last time we felt the deal was not a good one for the company but that doesn’t mean we won’t do one.”

You see, for Yahoo, there only ever were two potential suitors. But on this occasion, the Mr Darcy of the scene is Google and it is not allowed to take part.

Maybe it is best to leave it in the words of Mr Collins: “If therefore she actually persists in rejecting my suit, perhaps it were better not to force her into accepting me, because if liable to such defects of temper, she could not contribute much to my felicity.”

PS Yang wasn’t really crying.