EverycreatureinBath,excepthimself,wastobeseenintheroomatdifferentperiodsofthefashionablehours;crowdsofpeoplewereeverymomentpassinginandout,upthestepsanddown;peoplewhomnobodycaredabout,andnobodywantedtosee;andheonlywasabsent.
“WhatadelightfulplaceBathis,”saidMrs.Allenastheysatdownnearthegreatclock,afterparadingtheroomtilltheyweretired;“andhowpleasantitwouldbeifwehadanyacquaintancehere.”
ThissentimenthadbeenutteredsoofteninvainthatMrs.Allenhadnoparticularreasontohopeitwouldbefollowedwithmoreadvantagenow;butwearetoldto“despairofnothingwewouldattain,”as“unwearieddiligenceourpointwouldgain”;andtheunwearieddiligencewithwhichshehadeverydaywishedforthesamethingwasatlengthtohaveitsjustreward,forhardlyhadshebeenseatedtenminutesbeforealadyofaboutherownage,whowassittingbyher,andhadbeenlookingatherattentivelyforseveralminutes,addressedherwithgreatcomplaisanceinthesewords:“Ithink,madam,Icannotbemistaken;itisalongtimesinceIhadthepleasureofseeingyou,butisnotyournameAllen?”
Thisquestionanswered,asitreadilywas,thestrangerpronouncedherstobeThorpe;andMrs.Allenimmediatelyrecognizedthefeaturesofaformerschoolfellowandintimate,whomshehadseenonlyoncesincetheirrespectivemarriages,andthatmanyyearsago.
Theirjoyonthismeetingwasverygreat,aswellitmight,sincetheyhadbeencontentedtoknownothingofeachotherforthelastfifteenyears.
Complimentsongoodlooksnowpassed;and,afterobservinghowtimehadslippedawaysincetheywerelasttogether,howlittletheyhadthoughtofmeetinginBath,andwhatapleasureitwastoseeanoldfriend,theyproceededtomakeinquiriesandgiveintelligenceastotheirfamilies,sisters,andcousins,talkingbothtogether,farmorereadytogivethantoreceiveinformation,andeachhearingverylittleofwhattheothersaid.
Mrs.Thorpe,however,hadonegreatadvantageasatalker,overMrs.Allen,inafamilyofchildren;andwhensheexpatiatedonthetalentsofhersons,andthebeautyofherdaughters,whensherelatedtheirdifferentsituationsandviews—thatJohnwasatOxford,EdwardatMerchantTaylors’,andWilliamatsea—andallofthemmorebelovedandrespectedintheirdifferentstationthananyotherthreebeingseverwere,Mrs.Allenhadnosimilarinformationtogive,nosimilartriumphstopressontheunwillingandunbelievingearofherfriend,andwasforcedtositandappeartolistentoallthesematernaleffusions,consolingherself,however,withthediscovery,whichherkeeneyesoonmade,thatthelaceonMrs.Thorpe’spelissewasnothalfsohandsomeasthatonherown.
“Herecomemydeargirls,”criedMrs.Thorpe,pointingatthreesmart–lookingfemaleswho,arminarm,werethenmovingtowardsher.
“MydearMrs.Allen,Ilongtointroducethem;theywillbesodelightedtoseeyou:thetallestisIsabella,myeldest;isnotsheafineyoungwoman?
Thenameseemedtostrikethemall;and,afterspeakingtoherwithgreatcivility,theeldestyoungladyobservedaloudtotherest,“HowexcessivelylikeherbrotherMissMorlandis!”
ForamomentCatherinewassurprised;butMrs.ThorpeandherdaughtershadscarcelybegunthehistoryoftheiracquaintancewithMr.JamesMorland,beforesherememberedthathereldestbrotherhadlatelyformedanintimacywithayoungmanofhisowncollege,ofthenameofThorpe;andthathehadspentthelastweekoftheChristmasvacationwithhisfamily,nearLondon.
Thewholebeingexplained,manyobligingthingsweresaidbytheMissThorpesoftheirwishofbeingbetteracquaintedwithher;ofbeingconsideredasalreadyfriends,throughthefriendshipoftheirbrothers,etc.,whichCatherineheardwithpleasure,andansweredwithalltheprettyexpressionsshecouldcommand;and,asthefirstproofofamity,shewassooninvitedtoacceptanarmoftheeldestMissThorpe,andtakeaturnwithherabouttheroom.
CatherinewasdelightedwiththisextensionofherBathacquaintance,andalmostforgotMr.TilneywhileshetalkedtoMissThorpe.
Theirconversationturneduponthosesubjects,ofwhichthefreediscussionhasgenerallymuchtodoinperfectingasuddenintimacybetweentwoyoungladies:suchasdress,balls,flirtations,andquizzes.
MissThorpe,however,beingfouryearsolderthanMissMorland,andatleastfouryearsbetterinformed,hadaverydecidedadvantageindiscussingsuchpoints;shecouldcomparetheballsofBathwiththoseofTunbridge,itsfashionswiththefashionsofLondon;couldrectifytheopinionsofhernewfriendinmanyarticlesoftastefulattire;coulddiscoveraflirtationbetweenanygentlemanandladywhoonlysmiledoneachother;andpointoutaquizthroughthethicknessofacrowd.
ThesepowersreceiveddueadmirationfromCatherine,towhomtheywereentirelynew;andtherespectwhichtheynaturallyinspiredmighthavebeentoogreatforfamiliarity,hadnottheeasygaietyofMissThorpe’smanners,andherfrequentexpressionsofdelightonthisacquaintancewithher,softeneddowneveryfeelingofawe,andleftnothingbuttenderaffection.
Theirincreasingattachmentwasnottobesatisfiedwithhalfadozenturnsinthepump–room,butrequired,whentheyallquittedittogether,thatMissThorpeshouldaccompanyMissMorlandtotheverydoorofMr.Allen’shouse;andthattheyshouldtherepartwithamostaffectionateandlengthenedshakeofhands,afterlearning,totheirmutualrelief,thattheyshouldseeeachotheracrossthetheatreatnight,andsaytheirprayersinthesamechapelthenextmorning.
Catherinethenrandirectlyupstairs,andwatchedMissThorpe’sprogressdownthestreetfromthedrawing–roomwindow;admiredthegracefulspiritofherwalk,thefashionableairofherfigureanddress;andfeltgrateful,aswellshemight,forthechancewhichhadprocuredhersuchafriend.
Mrs.Thorpewasawidow,andnotaveryrichone;shewasagood–humoured,well–meaningwoman,andaveryindulgentmother.
Hereldestdaughterhadgreatpersonalbeauty,andtheyoungerones,bypretendingtobeashandsomeastheirsister,imitatingherair,anddressinginthesamestyle,didverywell.
ThisbriefaccountofthefamilyisintendedtosupersedethenecessityofalongandminutedetailfromMrs.Thorpeherself,ofherpastadventuresandsufferings,whichmightotherwisebeexpectedtooccupythethreeorfourfollowingchapters;inwhichtheworthlessnessoflordsandattorniesmightbesetforth,andconversations,whichhadpassedtwentyyearsbefore,beminutelyrepeated.
Share this article to
FINISH