English
Whenthehourofdeparturedrewnear,thematernalanxietyofMrs.Morlandwillbenaturallysupposedtobemostsevere.
AthousandalarmingpresentimentsofeviltoherbelovedCatherinefromthisterrificseparationmustoppressherheartwithsadness,anddrownherintearsforthelastdayortwooftheirbeingtogether;andadviceofthemostimportantandapplicablenaturemustofcourseflowfromherwiselipsintheirpartingconferenceinhercloset.
Cautionsagainsttheviolenceofsuchnoblemenandbaronetsasdelightinforcingyoungladiesawaytosomeremotefarm–house,must,atsuchamoment,relievethefulnessofherheart.Whowouldnotthinkso?
ButMrs.Morlandknewsolittleoflordsandbaronets,thatsheentertainednonotionoftheirgeneralmischievousness,andwaswhollyunsuspiciousofdangertoherdaughterfromtheirmachinations.
Hercautionswereconfinedtothefollowingpoints.
“Ibeg,Catherine,youwillalwayswrapyourselfupverywarmaboutthethroat,whenyoucomefromtheroomsatnight;andIwishyouwouldtrytokeepsomeaccountofthemoneyyouspend;Iwillgiveyouthislittlebookonpurpose.”
Sally,orratherSarah(forwhatyoungladyofcommongentilitywillreachtheageofsixteenwithoutalteringhernameasfarasshecan?)
,mustfromsituationbeatthistimetheintimatefriendandconfidanteofhersister.
Itisremarkable,however,thatsheneitherinsistedonCatherine’swritingbyeverypost,norexactedherpromiseoftransmittingthecharacterofeverynewacquaintance,noradetailofeveryinterestingconversationthatBathmightproduce.
Everythingindeedrelativetothisimportantjourneywasdone,onthepartoftheMorlands,withadegreeofmoderationandcomposure,whichseemedratherconsistentwiththecommonfeelingsofcommonlife,thanwiththerefinedsusceptibilities,thetenderemotionswhichthefirstseparationofaheroinefromherfamilyoughtalwaystoexcite.
Herfather,insteadofgivingheranunlimitedorderonhisbanker,orevenputtinganhundredpoundsbank–billintoherhands,gaveheronlytenguineas,andpromisedhermorewhenshewantedit.
Undertheseunpromisingauspices,thepartingtookplace,andthejourneybegan.
Itwasperformedwithsuitablequietnessanduneventfulsafety.
Neitherrobbersnortempestsbefriendedthem,noroneluckyoverturntointroducethemtothehero.
Nothingmorealarmingoccurredthanafear,onMrs.Allen’sside,ofhavingonceleftherclogsbehindherataninn,andthatfortunatelyprovedtobegroundless.
TheyarrivedatBath.Catherinewasalleagerdelight—hereyeswerehere,there,everywhere,astheyapproacheditsfineandstrikingenvirons,andafterwardsdrovethroughthosestreetswhichconductedthemtothehotel.
Shewascometobehappy,andshefelthappyalready.
TheyweresoonsettledincomfortablelodgingsinPulteneyStreet.
ItisnowexpedienttogivesomedescriptionofMrs.Allen,thatthereadermaybeabletojudgeinwhatmannerheractionswillhereaftertendtopromotethegeneraldistressofthework,andhowshewill,probably,contributetoreducepoorCatherinetoallthedesperatewretchednessofwhichalastvolumeiscapable—whetherbyherimprudence,vulgarity,orjealousy—whetherbyinterceptingherletters,ruininghercharacter,orturningheroutofdoors.
Mrs.Allenwasoneofthatnumerousclassoffemales,whosesocietycanraisenootheremotionthansurpriseattherebeinganymenintheworldwhocouldlikethemwellenoughtomarrythem.
Shehadneitherbeauty,genius,accomplishment,normanner.
Theairofagentlewoman,agreatdealofquiet,inactivegoodtemper,andatriflingturnofmindwereallthatcouldaccountforherbeingthechoiceofasensible,intelligentmanlikeMr.Allen.
Inonerespectshewasadmirablyfittedtointroduceayoungladyintopublic,beingasfondofgoingeverywhereandseeingeverythingherselfasanyyoungladycouldbe.Dresswasherpassion.
Shehadamostharmlessdelightinbeingfine;andourheroine’sentreeintolifecouldnottakeplacetillafterthreeorfourdayshadbeenspentinlearningwhatwasmostlyworn,andherchaperonewasprovidedwithadressofthenewestfashion.
Catherinetoomadesomepurchasesherself,andwhenallthesematterswerearranged,theimportanteveningcamewhichwastousherherintotheUpperRooms.
Herhairwascutanddressedbythebesthand,herclothesputonwithcare,andbothMrs.Allenandhermaiddeclaredshelookedquiteassheshoulddo.
Withsuchencouragement,Catherinehopedatleasttopassuncensuredthroughthecrowd.
Asforadmiration,itwasalwaysverywelcomewhenitcame,butshedidnotdependonit.
Mrs.Allenwassolongindressingthattheydidnotentertheballroomtilllate.
Theseasonwasfull,theroomcrowded,andthetwoladiessqueezedinaswellastheycould.
AsforMr.Allen,herepaireddirectlytothecard–room,andleftthemtoenjoyamobbythemselves.
Withmorecareforthesafetyofhernewgownthanforthecomfortofherprotegee,Mrs.Allenmadeherwaythroughthethrongofmenbythedoor,asswiftlyasthenecessarycautionwouldallow;Catherine,however,keptcloseatherside,andlinkedherarmtoofirmlywithinherfriend’stobetornasunderbyanycommoneffortofastrugglingassembly.
Buttoherutteramazementshefoundthattoproceedalongtheroomwasbynomeansthewaytodisengagethemselvesfromthecrowd;itseemedrathertoincreaseastheywenton,whereasshehadimaginedthatwhenoncefairlywithinthedoor,theyshouldeasilyfindseatsandbeabletowatchthedanceswithperfectconvenience.
Butthiswasfarfrombeingthecase,andthoughbyunwearieddiligencetheygainedeventhetopoftheroom,theirsituationwasjustthesame;theysawnothingofthedancersbutthehighfeathersofsomeoftheladies.
Stilltheymovedon—somethingbetterwasyetinview;andbyacontinuedexertionofstrengthandingenuitytheyfoundthemselvesatlastinthepassagebehindthehighestbench.
Heretherewassomethinglessofcrowdthanbelow;andhenceMissMorlandhadacomprehensiveviewofallthecompanybeneathher,andofallthedangersofherlatepassagethroughthem.
Itwasasplendidsight,andshebegan,forthefirsttimethatevening,tofeelherselfataball:shelongedtodance,butshehadnotanacquaintanceintheroom.
Mrs.Allendidallthatshecoulddoinsuchacasebysayingveryplacidly,everynowandthen,“Iwishyoucoulddance,mydear—Iwishyoucouldgetapartner.”
Forsometimeheryoungfriendfeltobligedtoherforthesewishes;buttheywererepeatedsooften,andprovedsototallyineffectual,thatCatherinegrewtiredatlast,andwouldthankhernomore.
Theywerenotlongable,however,toenjoythereposeoftheeminencetheyhadsolaboriouslygained.
Everybodywasshortlyinmotionfortea,andtheymustsqueezeoutliketherest.
Catherinebegantofeelsomethingofdisappointment—shewastiredofbeingcontinuallypressedagainstbypeople,thegeneralityofwhosefacespossessednothingtointerest,andwithallofwhomshewassowhollyunacquaintedthatshecouldnotrelievetheirksomenessofimprisonmentbytheexchangeofasyllablewithanyofherfellowcaptives;andwhenatlastarrivedinthetea–room,shefeltyetmoretheawkwardnessofhavingnopartytojoin,noacquaintancetoclaim,nogentlemantoassistthem.
TheysawnothingofMr.Allen;andafterlookingabouttheminvainforamoreeligiblesituation,wereobligedtositdownattheendofatable,atwhichalargepartywerealreadyplaced,withouthavinganythingtodothere,oranybodytospeakto,excepteachother.
Mrs.Allencongratulatedherself,assoonastheywereseated,onhavingpreservedhergownfrominjury.
“Itwouldhavebeenveryshockingtohaveittorn,”saidshe,“wouldnotit?Itissuchadelicatemuslin.
FormypartIhavenotseenanythingIlikesowellinthewholeroom,Iassureyou.”
“Howuncomfortableitis,”whisperedCatherine,“nottohaveasingleacquaintancehere!”
“Yes,mydear,”repliedMrs.Allen,withperfectserenity,“itisveryuncomfortableindeed.”
“Whatshallwedo?Thegentlemenandladiesatthistablelookasiftheywonderedwhywecamehere—weseemforcingourselvesintotheirparty.”
“Aye,sowedo.Thatisverydisagreeable.Iwishwehadalargeacquaintancehere.”
“Iwishwehadany—itwouldbesomebodytogoto.”
“Verytrue,mydear;andifweknewanybodywewouldjointhemdirectly.TheSkinnerswereherelastyear—Iwishtheywereherenow.”
“Hadnotwebettergoawayasitis?Herearenotea–thingsforus,yousee.”
“Nomorethereare,indeed.Howveryprovoking!
ButIthinkwehadbettersitstill,foronegetssotumbledinsuchacrowd!Howismyhead,mydear?
Somebodygavemeapushthathashurtit,Iamafraid.”
“No,indeed,itlooksverynice.But,dearMrs.Allen,areyousurethereisnobodyyouknowinallthismultitudeofpeople?Ithinkyoumustknowsomebody.”
“Idon’t,uponmyword—IwishIdid.IwishIhadalargeacquaintanceherewithallmyheart,andthenIshouldgetyouapartner.Ishouldbesogladtohaveyoudance.Theregoesastrange–lookingwoman!Whatanoddgownshehasgoton!Howold–fashioneditis!Lookattheback.”
Aftersometimetheyreceivedanofferofteafromoneoftheirneighbours;itwasthankfullyaccepted,andthisintroducedalightconversationwiththegentlemanwhoofferedit,whichwastheonlytimethatanybodyspoketothemduringtheevening,tilltheywerediscoveredandjoinedbyMr.Allenwhenthedancewasover.
“Well,MissMorland,”saidhe,directly,“Ihopeyouhavehadanagreeableball.”
“Veryagreeableindeed,”shereplied,vainlyendeavouringtohideagreatyawn.
“Iwishshehadbeenabletodance,”saidhiswife;“Iwishwecouldhavegotapartnerforher.
IhavebeensayinghowgladIshouldbeiftheSkinnerswereherethiswinterinsteadoflast;oriftheParryshadcome,astheytalkedofonce,shemighthavedancedwithGeorgeParry.
Iamsosorryshehasnothadapartner!”
“WeshalldobetteranothereveningIhope,”wasMr.Allen’sconsolation.
Thecompanybegantodispersewhenthedancingwasover—enoughtoleavespacefortheremaindertowalkaboutinsomecomfort;andnowwasthetimeforaheroine,whohadnotyetplayedaverydistinguishedpartintheeventsoftheevening,tobenoticedandadmired.
Everyfiveminutes,byremovingsomeofthecrowd,gavegreateropeningsforhercharms.
Shewasnowseenbymanyyoungmenwhohadnotbeennearherbefore.
Notone,however,startedwithrapturouswonderonbeholdingher,nowhisperofeagerinquiryranroundtheroom,norwassheoncecalledadivinitybyanybody.
YetCatherinewasinverygoodlooks,andhadthecompanyonlyseenherthreeyearsbefore,theywouldnowhavethoughtherexceedinglyhandsome.
Shewaslookedat,however,andwithsomeadmiration;for,inherownhearing,twogentlemenpronouncedhertobeaprettygirl.
Suchwordshadtheirdueeffect;sheimmediatelythoughttheeveningpleasanterthanshehadfounditbefore—herhumblevanitywascontented—shefeltmoreobligedtothetwoyoungmenforthissimplepraisethanatrue–qualityheroinewouldhavebeenforfifteensonnetsincelebrationofhercharms,andwenttoherchairingoodhumourwitheverybody,andperfectlysatisfiedwithhershareofpublicattention.
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