English
Halfaminuteconductedthemthroughthepump–yardtothearchway,oppositeUnionPassage;butheretheywerestopped.
EverybodyacquaintedwithBathmayrememberthedifficultiesofcrossingCheapStreetatthispoint;itisindeedastreetofsoimpertinentanature,sounfortunatelyconnectedwiththegreatLondonandOxfordroads,andtheprincipalinnofthecity,thatadayneverpassesinwhichpartiesofladies,howeverimportanttheirbusiness,whetherinquestofpastry,millinery,oreven(asinthepresentcase)ofyoungmen,arenotdetainedononesideorotherbycarriages,horsemen,orcarts.
Thisevilhadbeenfeltandlamented,atleastthreetimesaday,byIsabellasinceherresidenceinBath;andshewasnowfatedtofeelandlamentitoncemore,forattheverymomentofcomingoppositetoUnionPassage,andwithinviewofthetwogentlemenwhowereproceedingthroughthecrowds,andthreadingtheguttersofthatinterestingalley,theywerepreventedcrossingbytheapproachofagig,drivenalongonbadpavementbyamostknowing–lookingcoachmanwithallthevehemencethatcouldmostfitlyendangerthelivesofhimself,hiscompanion,andhishorse.
“Oh,theseodiousgigs!”saidIsabella,lookingup.“HowIdetestthem.”
Butthisdetestation,thoughsojust,wasofshortduration,forshelookedagainandexclaimed,“Delightful!Mr.Morlandandmybrother!”
“Goodheaven!‘TisJames!”
wasutteredatthesamemomentbyCatherine;and,oncatchingtheyoungmen’seyes,thehorsewasimmediatelycheckedwithaviolencewhichalmostthrewhimonhishaunches,andtheservanthavingnowscamperedup,thegentlemenjumpedout,andtheequipagewasdeliveredtohiscare.
Catherine,bywhomthismeetingwaswhollyunexpected,receivedherbrotherwiththeliveliestpleasure;andhe,beingofaveryamiabledisposition,andsincerelyattachedtoher,gaveeveryproofonhissideofequalsatisfaction,whichhecouldhaveleisuretodo,whilethebrighteyesofMissThorpewereincessantlychallenginghisnotice;andtoherhisdevoirswerespeedilypaid,withamixtureofjoyandembarrassmentwhichmighthaveinformedCatherine,hadshebeenmoreexpertinthedevelopmentofotherpeople’sfeelings,andlesssimplyengrossedbyherown,thatherbrotherthoughtherfriendquiteasprettyasshecoulddoherself.
JohnThorpe,whointhemeantimehadbeengivingordersaboutthehorses,soonjoinedthem,andfromhimshedirectlyreceivedtheamendswhichwereherdue;forwhileheslightlyandcarelesslytouchedthehandofIsabella,onherhebestowedawholescrapeandhalfashortbow.
Hewasastoutyoungmanofmiddlingheight,who,withaplainfaceandungracefulform,seemedfearfulofbeingtoohandsomeunlessheworethedressofagroom,andtoomuchlikeagentlemanunlesshewereeasywhereheoughttobecivil,andimpudentwherehemightbeallowedtobeeasy.
Hetookouthiswatch:“HowlongdoyouthinkwehavebeenrunningitfromTetbury,MissMorland?”
“Idonotknowthedistance.”Herbrothertoldherthatitwastwenty–threemiles.
“Threeandtwenty!”criedThorpe.“Fiveandtwentyifitisaninch.”
Morlandremonstrated,pleadedtheauthorityofroad–books,innkeepers,andmilestones;buthisfrienddisregardedthemall;hehadasurertestofdistance.
“Iknowitmustbefiveandtwenty,”saidhe,“bythetimewehavebeendoingit.
Itisnowhalfafterone;wedroveoutoftheinn–yardatTetburyasthetownclockstruckeleven;andIdefyanymaninEnglandtomakemyhorsegolessthantenmilesanhourinharness;thatmakesitexactlytwenty–five.”
“Youhavelostanhour,”saidMorland;“itwasonlyteno’clockwhenwecamefromTetbury.”
“Teno’clock!Itwaseleven,uponmysoul!Icountedeverystroke.
Thisbrotherofyourswouldpersuademeoutofmysenses,MissMorland;dobutlookatmyhorse;didyoueverseeananimalsomadeforspeedinyourlife?”
(Theservanthadjustmountedthecarriageandwasdrivingoff.)“Suchtrueblood!
Threehoursandandahalfindeedcomingonlythreeandtwentymiles!
Lookatthatcreature,andsupposeitpossibleifyoucan.”
“Hedoeslookveryhot,tobesure.”
“Hot!HehadnotturnedahairtillwecametoWalcotChurch;butlookathisforehand;lookathisloins;onlyseehowhemoves;thathorsecannotgolessthantenmilesanhour:tiehislegsandhewillgeton.
Whatdoyouthinkofmygig,MissMorland?Aneatone,isnotit?
Wellhung;town–built;Ihavenothaditamonth.
ItwasbuiltforaChristchurchman,afriendofmine,averygoodsortoffellow;heranitafewweeks,till,Ibelieve,itwasconvenienttohavedonewithit.
Ihappenedjustthentobelookingoutforsomelightthingofthekind,thoughIhadprettywelldeterminedonacurricletoo;butIchancedtomeethimonMagdalenBridge,ashewasdrivingintoOxford,lastterm:‘Ah!
Thorpe,’saidhe,‘doyouhappentowantsuchalittlethingasthis?
Itisacapitaloneofthekind,butIamcursedtiredofit.’‘Oh!
D—,’saidI;‘Iamyourman;whatdoyouask?’
Andhowmuchdoyouthinkhedid,MissMorland?”
“IamsureIcannotguessatall.”
“Curricle–hung,yousee;seat,trunk,sword–case,splashing–board,lamps,silvermoulding,allyouseecomplete;theiron–workasgoodasnew,orbetter.
Heaskedfiftyguineas;Iclosedwithhimdirectly,threwdownthemoney,andthecarriagewasmine.”
“AndIamsure,”saidCatherine,“IknowsolittleofsuchthingsthatIcannotjudgewhetheritwascheapordear.”
“Neitheronenort’other;Imighthavegotitforless,Idaresay;butIhatehaggling,andpoorFreemanwantedcash.”
“Thatwasverygood–naturedofyou,”saidCatherine,quitepleased.
“Oh!D—it,whenonehasthemeansofdoingakindthingbyafriend,Ihatetobepitiful.”
Aninquirynowtookplaceintotheintendedmovementsoftheyoungladies;and,onfindingwhithertheyweregoing,itwasdecidedthatthegentlemenshouldaccompanythemtoEdgar’sBuildings,andpaytheirrespectstoMrs.Thorpe.
JamesandIsabellaledtheway;andsowellsatisfiedwasthelatterwithherlot,socontentedlywassheendeavouringtoensureapleasantwalktohimwhobroughtthedoublerecommendationofbeingherbrother’sfriend,andherfriend’sbrother,sopureanduncoquettishwereherfeelings,that,thoughtheyovertookandpassedthetwooffendingyoungmeninMilsomStreet,shewassofarfromseekingtoattracttheirnotice,thatshelookedbackatthemonlythreetimes.
JohnThorpekeptofcoursewithCatherine,and,afterafewminutes’silence,renewedtheconversationabouthisgig.
“Youwillfind,however,MissMorland,itwouldbereckonedacheapthingbysomepeople,forImighthavesolditfortenguineasmorethenextday;Jackson,ofOriel,bidmesixtyatonce;Morlandwaswithmeatthetime.”
“Yes,”saidMorland,whooverheardthis;“butyouforgetthatyourhorsewasincluded.”
“Myhorse!Oh,d—it!Iwouldnotsellmyhorseforahundred.Areyoufondofanopencarriage,MissMorland?”
“Yes,very;Ihavehardlyeveranopportunityofbeinginone;butIamparticularlyfondofit.”
“Iamgladofit;Iwilldriveyououtinmineeveryday.”
“Thankyou,”saidCatherine,insomedistress,fromadoubtoftheproprietyofacceptingsuchanoffer.
“IwilldriveyouupLansdownHilltomorrow.”
“Thankyou;butwillnotyourhorsewantrest?”
“Rest!Hehasonlycomethreeandtwentymilestoday;allnonsense;nothingruinshorsessomuchasrest;nothingknocksthemupsosoon.
No,no;IshallexercisemineattheaverageoffourhourseverydaywhileIamhere.”
“Shallyouindeed!”saidCatherineveryseriously.“Thatwillbefortymilesaday.”
“Forty!Aye,fifty,forwhatIcare.Well,IwilldriveyouupLansdowntomorrow;mind,Iamengaged.”
“Howdelightfulthatwillbe!”criedIsabella,turninground.“MydearestCatherine,Iquiteenvyyou;butIamafraid,brother,youwillnothaveroomforathird.”
“Athirdindeed!No,no;IdidnotcometoBathtodrivemysistersabout;thatwouldbeagoodjoke,faith!Morlandmusttakecareofyou.”
Thisbroughtonadialogueofcivilitiesbetweentheothertwo;butCatherineheardneithertheparticularsnortheresult.
Hercompanion’sdiscoursenowsunkfromitshithertoanimatedpitchtonothingmorethanashortdecisivesentenceofpraiseorcondemnationonthefaceofeverywomantheymet;andCatherine,afterlisteningandagreeingaslongasshecould,withallthecivilityanddeferenceoftheyouthfulfemalemind,fearfulofhazardinganopinionofitsowninoppositiontothatofaself–assuredman,especiallywherethebeautyofherownsexisconcerned,venturedatlengthtovarythesubjectbyaquestionwhichhadbeenlonguppermostinherthoughts;itwas,“HaveyoueverreadUdolpho,Mr.Thorpe?”
“Udolpho!Oh,Lord!NotI;Ineverreadnovels;Ihavesomethingelsetodo.”
Catherine,humbledandashamed,wasgoingtoapologizeforherquestion,buthepreventedherbysaying,“Novelsareallsofullofnonsenseandstuff;therehasnotbeenatolerablydecentonecomeoutsinceTomJones,exceptTheMonk;Ireadthatt’otherday;butasforalltheothers,theyarethestupidestthingsincreation.”
“IthinkyoumustlikeUdolpho,ifyouweretoreadit;itissoveryinteresting.”
“NotI,faith!No,ifIreadany,itshallbeMrs.Radcliffe’s;hernovelsareamusingenough;theyareworthreading;somefunandnatureinthem.”
“UdolphowaswrittenbyMrs.Radcliffe,”saidCatherine,withsomehesitation,fromthefearofmortifyinghim.
“Nosure;wasit?Aye,Iremember,soitwas;Iwasthinkingofthatotherstupidbook,writtenbythatwomantheymakesuchafussabout,shewhomarriedtheFrenchemigrant.”
“IsupposeyoumeanCamilla?”
“Yes,that’sthebook;suchunnaturalstuff!
Anoldmanplayingatsee–saw,Itookupthefirstvolumeonceandlookeditover,butIsoonfounditwouldnotdo;indeedIguessedwhatsortofstuffitmustbebeforeIsawit:assoonasIheardshehadmarriedanemigrant,IwassureIshouldneverbeabletogetthroughit.”
“Ihaveneverreadit.”
“Youhadnoloss,Iassureyou;itisthehorridestnonsenseyoucanimagine;thereisnothingintheworldinitbutanoldman’splayingatsee–sawandlearningLatin;uponmysoulthereisnot.”
Thiscritique,thejustnessofwhichwasunfortunatelylostonpoorCatherine,broughtthemtothedoorofMrs.Thorpe’slodgings,andthefeelingsofthediscerningandunprejudicedreaderofCamillagavewaytothefeelingsofthedutifulandaffectionateson,astheymetMrs.Thorpe,whohaddescriedthemfromabove,inthepassage.“Ah,Mother!Howdoyoudo?”
saidhe,givingheraheartyshakeofthehand.“Wheredidyougetthatquizofahat?Itmakesyoulooklikeanoldwitch.
HereisMorlandandIcometostayafewdayswithyou,soyoumustlookoutforacoupleofgoodbedssomewherenear.”
Andthisaddressseemedtosatisfyallthefondestwishesofthemother’sheart,forshereceivedhimwiththemostdelightedandexultingaffection.
Onhistwoyoungersistershethenbestowedanequalportionofhisfraternaltenderness,forheaskedeachofthemhowtheydid,andobservedthattheybothlookedveryugly.
ThesemannersdidnotpleaseCatherine;buthewasJames’sfriendandIsabella’sbrother;andherjudgmentwasfurtherboughtoffbyIsabella’sassuringher,whentheywithdrewtoseethenewhat,thatJohnthoughtherthemostcharminggirlintheworld,andbyJohn’sengagingherbeforetheypartedtodancewithhimthatevening.
Hadshebeenolderorvainer,suchattacksmighthavedonelittle;but,whereyouthanddiffidenceareunited,itrequiresuncommonsteadinessofreasontoresisttheattractionofbeingcalledthemostcharminggirlintheworld,andofbeingsoveryearlyengagedasapartner;andtheconsequencewasthat,whenthetwoMorlands,aftersittinganhourwiththeThorpes,setofftowalktogethertoMr.Allen’s,andJames,asthedoorwasclosedonthem,said,“Well,Catherine,howdoyoulikemyfriendThorpe?”
insteadofanswering,assheprobablywouldhavedone,hadtherebeennofriendshipandnoflatteryinthecase,“Idonotlikehimatall,”shedirectlyreplied,“Ilikehimverymuch;heseemsveryagreeable.”
“Heisasgood–naturedafellowaseverlived;alittleofarattle;butthatwillrecommendhimtoyoursex,Ibelieve:andhowdoyouliketherestofthefamily?”
“Very,verymuchindeed:Isabellaparticularly.”
“Iamverygladtohearyousayso;sheisjustthekindofyoungwomanIcouldwishtoseeyouattachedto;shehassomuchgoodsense,andissothoroughlyunaffectedandamiable;Ialwayswantedyoutoknowher;andsheseemsveryfondofyou.
Shesaidthehighestthingsinyourpraisethatcouldpossiblybe;andthepraiseofsuchagirlasMissThorpeevenyou,Catherine,”takingherhandwithaffection,“maybeproudof.”
“IndeedIam,”shereplied;“Iloveherexceedingly,andamdelightedtofindthatyoulikehertoo.Youhardlymentionedanythingofherwhenyouwrotetomeafteryourvisitthere.”
“BecauseIthoughtIshouldsoonseeyoumyself.
IhopeyouwillbeagreatdealtogetherwhileyouareinBath.
Sheisamostamiablegirl;suchasuperiorunderstanding!
Howfondallthefamilyareofher;sheisevidentlythegeneralfavourite;andhowmuchshemustbeadmiredinsuchaplaceasthis—isnotshe?”
“Yes,verymuchindeed,Ifancy;Mr.AllenthinkshertheprettiestgirlinBath.”
“Idaresayhedoes;andIdonotknowanymanwhoisabetterjudgeofbeautythanMr.Allen.
Ineednotaskyouwhetheryouarehappyhere,mydearCatherine;withsuchacompanionandfriendasIsabellaThorpe,itwouldbeimpossibleforyoutobeotherwise;andtheAllens,Iamsure,areverykindtoyou?”
“Yes,verykind;Ineverwassohappybefore;andnowyouarecomeitwillbemoredelightfulthanever;howgooditisofyoutocomesofaronpurposetoseeme.”
Jamesacceptedthistributeofgratitude,andqualifiedhisconscienceforacceptingittoo,bysayingwithperfectsincerity,“Indeed,Catherine,Iloveyoudearly.”
Inquiriesandcommunicationsconcerningbrothersandsisters,thesituationofsome,thegrowthoftherest,andotherfamilymattersnowpassedbetweenthem,andcontinued,withonlyonesmalldigressiononJames’spart,inpraiseofMissThorpe,tilltheyreachedPulteneyStreet,wherehewaswelcomedwithgreatkindnessbyMr.andMrs.Allen,invitedbytheformertodinewiththem,andsummonedbythelattertoguessthepriceandweighthemeritsofanewmuffandtippet.
Apre–engagementinEdgar’sBuildingspreventedhisacceptingtheinvitationofonefriend,andobligedhimtohurryawayassoonashehadsatisfiedthedemandsoftheother.
ThetimeofthetwopartiesunitingintheOctagonRoombeingcorrectlyadjusted,Catherinewasthenlefttotheluxuryofaraised,restless,andfrightenedimaginationoverthepagesofUdolpho,lostfromallworldlyconcernsofdressinganddinner,incapableofsoothingMrs.Allen’sfearsonthedelayofanexpecteddressmaker,andhavingonlyoneminuteinsixtytobestowevenonthereflectionofherownfelicity,inbeingalreadyengagedfortheevening.
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