English
TheAllens,Thorpes,andMorlandsallmetintheeveningatthetheatre;and,asCatherineandIsabellasattogether,therewasthenanopportunityforthelattertouttersomefewofthemanythousandthingswhichhadbeencollectingwithinherforcommunicationintheimmeasurablelengthoftimewhichhaddividedthem.“Oh,heavens!
MybelovedCatherine,haveIgotyouatlast?”
washeraddressonCatherine’senteringtheboxandsittingbyher.
“Now,Mr.Morland,”forhewasclosetoherontheotherside,“Ishallnotspeakanotherwordtoyoualltherestoftheevening;soIchargeyounottoexpectit.
MysweetestCatherine,howhaveyoubeenthislongage?
ButIneednotaskyou,foryoulookdelightfully.
Youreallyhavedoneyourhairinamoreheavenlystylethanever;youmischievouscreature,doyouwanttoattracteverybody?
Iassureyou,mybrotherisquiteinlovewithyoualready;andasforMr.Tilney—butthatisasettledthing—evenyourmodestycannotdoubthisattachmentnow;hiscomingbacktoBathmakesittooplain.Oh!WhatwouldnotIgivetoseehim!Ireallyamquitewildwithimpatience.
Mymothersaysheisthemostdelightfulyoungmanintheworld;shesawhimthismorning,youknow;youmustintroducehimtome.Isheinthehousenow?Lookabout,forheaven’ssake!
Iassureyou,IcanhardlyexisttillIseehim.”
“No,”saidCatherine,“heisnothere;Icannotseehimanywhere.”
“Oh,horrid!AmInevertobeacquaintedwithhim?Howdoyoulikemygown?
Ithinkitdoesnotlookamiss;thesleeveswereentirelymyownthought.
Doyouknow,IgetsoimmoderatelysickofBath;yourbrotherandIwereagreeingthismorningthat,thoughitisvastlywelltobehereforafewweeks,wewouldnotlivehereformillions.
Wesoonfoundoutthatourtasteswereexactlyalikeinpreferringthecountrytoeveryotherplace;really,ouropinionsweresoexactlythesame,itwasquiteridiculous!
Therewasnotasinglepointinwhichwediffered;Iwouldnothavehadyoubyfortheworld;youaresuchaslything,Iamsureyouwouldhavemadesomedrollremarkorotheraboutit.”
“No,indeedIshouldnot.”
“Oh,yesyouwouldindeed;Iknowyoubetterthanyouknowyourself.
Youwouldhavetoldusthatweseemedbornforeachother,orsomenonsenseofthatkind,whichwouldhavedistressedmebeyondconception;mycheekswouldhavebeenasredasyourroses;Iwouldnothavehadyoubyfortheworld.”
“Indeedyoudomeinjustice;Iwouldnothavemadesoimproperaremarkuponanyaccount;andbesides,Iamsureitwouldneverhaveenteredmyhead.”
IsabellasmiledincredulouslyandtalkedtherestoftheeveningtoJames.
Catherine’sresolutionofendeavouringtomeetMissTilneyagaincontinuedinfullforcethenextmorning;andtilltheusualmomentofgoingtothepump–room,shefeltsomealarmfromthedreadofasecondprevention.
Butnothingofthatkindoccurred,novisitorsappearedtodelaythem,andtheyallthreesetoffingoodtimeforthepump–room,wheretheordinarycourseofeventsandconversationtookplace;Mr.Allen,afterdrinkinghisglassofwater,joinedsomegentlementotalkoverthepoliticsofthedayandcomparetheaccountsoftheirnewspapers;andtheladieswalkedabouttogether,noticingeverynewface,andalmosteverynewbonnetintheroom.
ThefemalepartoftheThorpefamily,attendedbyJamesMorland,appearedamongthecrowdinlessthanaquarterofanhour,andCatherineimmediatelytookherusualplacebythesideofherfriend.
James,whowasnowinconstantattendance,maintainedasimilarposition,andseparatingthemselvesfromtherestoftheirparty,theywalkedinthatmannerforsometime,tillCatherinebegantodoubtthehappinessofasituationwhich,confiningherentirelytoherfriendandbrother,gaveherverylittleshareinthenoticeofeither.
Theywerealwaysengagedinsomesentimentaldiscussionorlivelydispute,buttheirsentimentwasconveyedinsuchwhisperingvoices,andtheirvivacityattendedwithsomuchlaughter,thatthoughCatherine’ssupportingopinionwasnotunfrequentlycalledforbyoneortheother,shewasneverabletogiveany,fromnothavingheardawordofthesubject.
Atlengthhowevershewasempoweredtodisengageherselffromherfriend,bytheavowednecessityofspeakingtoMissTilney,whomshemostjoyfullysawjustenteringtheroomwithMrs.Hughes,andwhomsheinstantlyjoined,withafirmerdeterminationtobeacquainted,thanshemighthavehadcouragetocommand,hadshenotbeenurgedbythedisappointmentofthedaybefore.
MissTilneymetherwithgreatcivility,returnedheradvanceswithequalgoodwill,andtheycontinuedtalkingtogetheraslongasbothpartiesremainedintheroom;andthoughinallprobabilitynotanobservationwasmade,noranexpressionusedbyeitherwhichhadnotbeenmadeandusedsomethousandsoftimesbefore,underthatroof,ineveryBathseason,yetthemeritoftheirbeingspokenwithsimplicityandtruth,andwithoutpersonalconceit,mightbesomethinguncommon.
“Howwellyourbrotherdances!”wasanartlessexclamationofCatherine’stowardsthecloseoftheirconversation,whichatoncesurprisedandamusedhercompanion.
“Henry!”sherepliedwithasmile.“Yes,hedoesdanceverywell.”
“HemusthavethoughtitveryoddtohearmesayIwasengagedtheotherevening,whenhesawmesittingdown.
ButIreallyhadbeenengagedthewholedaytoMr.Thorpe.”MissTilneycouldonlybow.
“Youcannotthink,”addedCatherineafteramoment’ssilence,“howsurprisedIwastoseehimagain.
Ifeltsosureofhisbeingquitegoneaway.”
“WhenHenryhadthepleasureofseeingyoubefore,hewasinBathbutforacoupleofdays.Hecameonlytoengagelodgingsforus.”
“Thatneveroccurredtome;andofcourse,notseeinghimanywhere,Ithoughthemustbegone.WasnottheyoungladyhedancedwithonMondayaMissSmith?”
“Yes,anacquaintanceofMrs.Hughes.”
“Idaresayshewasverygladtodance.Doyouthinkherpretty?”
“Notvery.”
“Henevercomestothepump–room,Isuppose?”
“Yes,sometimes;buthehasridoutthismorningwithmyfather.”
Mrs.Hughesnowjoinedthem,andaskedMissTilneyifshewasreadytogo.“IhopeIshallhavethepleasureofseeingyouagainsoon,”saidCatherine.“Shallyoubeatthecotillionballtomorrow?”
“Perhapswe—Yes,Ithinkwecertainlyshall.”
“Iamgladofit,forweshallallbethere.”
Thiscivilitywasdulyreturned;andtheyparted—onMissTilney’ssidewithsomeknowledgeofhernewacquaintance’sfeelings,andonCatherine’s,withoutthesmallestconsciousnessofhavingexplainedthem.
Shewenthomeveryhappy.Themorninghadansweredallherhopes,andtheeveningofthefollowingdaywasnowtheobjectofexpectation,thefuturegood.
Whatgownandwhathead–dresssheshouldwearontheoccasionbecameherchiefconcern.Shecannotbejustifiedinit.
Dressisatalltimesafrivolousdistinction,andexcessivesolicitudeaboutitoftendestroysitsownaim.
Catherineknewallthisverywell;hergreataunthadreadheralectureonthesubjectonlytheChristmasbefore;andyetshelayawaketenminutesonWednesdaynightdebatingbetweenherspottedandhertambouredmuslin,andnothingbuttheshortnessofthetimepreventedherbuyinganewonefortheevening.
Thiswouldhavebeenanerrorinjudgment,greatthoughnotuncommon,fromwhichoneoftheothersexratherthanherown,abrotherratherthanagreataunt,mighthavewarnedher,formanonlycanbeawareoftheinsensibilityofmantowardsanewgown.
Itwouldbemortifyingtothefeelingsofmanyladies,couldtheybemadetounderstandhowlittletheheartofmanisaffectedbywhatiscostlyornewintheirattire;howlittleitisbiasedbythetextureoftheirmuslin,andhowunsusceptibleofpeculiartendernesstowardsthespotted,thesprigged,themull,orthejackonet.
Womanisfineforherownsatisfactionalone.
Nomanwilladmireherthemore,nowomanwilllikeherthebetterforit.
Neatnessandfashionareenoughfortheformer,andasomethingofshabbinessorimproprietywillbemostendearingtothelatter.
ButnotoneofthesegravereflectionstroubledthetranquillityofCatherine.
SheenteredtheroomsonThursdayeveningwithfeelingsverydifferentfromwhathadattendedherthithertheMondaybefore.
ShehadthenbeenexultinginherengagementtoThorpe,andwasnowchieflyanxioustoavoidhissight,lestheshouldengageheragain;forthoughshecouldnot,darednotexpectthatMr.Tilneyshouldaskherathirdtimetodance,herwishes,hopes,andplansallcentredinnothingless.
Everyyoungladymayfeelformyheroineinthiscriticalmoment,foreveryyoungladyhasatsometimeorotherknownthesameagitation.
Allhavebeen,oratleastallhavebelievedthemselvestobe,indangerfromthepursuitofsomeonewhomtheywishedtoavoid;andallhavebeenanxiousfortheattentionsofsomeonewhomtheywishedtoplease.
AssoonastheywerejoinedbytheThorpes,Catherine’sagonybegan;shefidgetedaboutifJohnThorpecametowardsher,hidherselfasmuchaspossiblefromhisview,andwhenhespoketoherpretendednottohearhim.
Thecotillionswereover,thecountry–dancingbeginning,andshesawnothingoftheTilneys.
“Donotbefrightened,mydearCatherine,”whisperedIsabella,“butIamreallygoingtodancewithyourbrotheragain.
Ideclarepositivelyitisquiteshocking.
Itellhimheoughttobeashamedofhimself,butyouandJohnmustkeepusincountenance.
Makehaste,mydearcreature,andcometous.
Johnisjustwalkedoff,buthewillbebackinamoment.”
Catherinehadneithertimenorinclinationtoanswer.
Theotherswalkedaway,JohnThorpewasstillinview,andshegaveherselfupforlost.
Thatshemightnotappear,however,toobserveorexpecthim,shekepthereyesintentlyfixedonherfan;andaself–condemnationforherfolly,insupposingthatamongsuchacrowdtheyshouldevenmeetwiththeTilneysinanyreasonabletime,hadjustpassedthroughhermind,whenshesuddenlyfoundherselfaddressedandagainsolicitedtodance,byMr.Tilneyhimself.
Withwhatsparklingeyesandreadymotionshegrantedhisrequest,andwithhowpleasingaflutterofheartshewentwithhimtotheset,maybeeasilyimagined.
Toescape,and,asshebelieved,sonarrowlyescapeJohnThorpe,andtobeasked,soimmediatelyonhisjoiningher,askedbyMr.Tilney,asifhehadsoughtheronpurpose!
—itdidnotappeartoherthatlifecouldsupplyanygreaterfelicity.
Scarcelyhadtheyworkedthemselvesintothequietpossessionofaplace,however,whenherattentionwasclaimedbyJohnThorpe,whostoodbehindher.“Heyday,MissMorland!”saidhe.“Whatisthemeaningofthis?
IthoughtyouandIweretodancetogether.”
“Iwonderyoushouldthinkso,foryouneveraskedme.”
“Thatisagoodone,byJove!IaskedyouassoonasIcameintotheroom,andIwasjustgoingtoaskyouagain,butwhenIturnedround,youweregone!Thisisacursedshabbytrick!
Ionlycameforthesakeofdancingwithyou,andIfirmlybelieveyouwereengagedtomeeversinceMonday.
Yes;Iremember,Iaskedyouwhileyouwerewaitinginthelobbyforyourcloak.
AndherehaveIbeentellingallmyacquaintancethatIwasgoingtodancewiththeprettiestgirlintheroom;andwhentheyseeyoustandingupwithsomebodyelse,theywillquizmefamously.”
“Oh,no;theywillneverthinkofme,aftersuchadescriptionasthat.”
“Byheavens,iftheydonot,Iwillkickthemoutoftheroomforblockheads.Whatchaphaveyouthere?”Catherinesatisfiedhiscuriosity.“Tilney,”herepeated.“Hum—Idonotknowhim.
Agoodfigureofaman;wellputtogether.Doeshewantahorse?
Hereisafriendofmine,SamFletcher,hasgotonetosellthatwouldsuitanybody.
Afamouscleveranimalfortheroad—onlyfortyguineas.
Ihadfiftymindstobuyitmyself,foritisoneofmymaximsalwaystobuyagoodhorsewhenImeetwithone;butitwouldnotanswermypurpose,itwouldnotdoforthefield.
Iwouldgiveanymoneyforarealgoodhunter.
Ihavethreenow,thebestthateverwerebacked.
Iwouldnottakeeighthundredguineasforthem.
FletcherandImeantogetahouseinLeicestershire,againstthenextseason.
Itissod—uncomfortable,livingataninn.”
ThiswasthelastsentencebywhichhecouldwearyCatherine’sattention,forhewasjustthenborneoffbytheresistlesspressureofalongstringofpassingladies.
Herpartnernowdrewnear,andsaid,“Thatgentlemanwouldhaveputmeoutofpatience,hadhestayedwithyouhalfaminutelonger.
Hehasnobusinesstowithdrawtheattentionofmypartnerfromme.
Wehaveenteredintoacontractofmutualagreeablenessforthespaceofanevening,andallouragreeablenessbelongssolelytoeachotherforthattime.
Nobodycanfastenthemselvesonthenoticeofone,withoutinjuringtherightsoftheother.
Iconsideracountry–danceasanemblemofmarriage.
Fidelityandcomplaisancearetheprincipaldutiesofboth;andthosemenwhodonotchoosetodanceormarrythemselves,havenobusinesswiththepartnersorwivesoftheirneighbours.”
“Buttheyaresuchverydifferentthings!”
“—Thatyouthinktheycannotbecomparedtogether.”
“Tobesurenot.Peoplethatmarrycanneverpart,butmustgoandkeephousetogether.Peoplethatdanceonlystandoppositeeachotherinalongroomforhalfanhour.”
“Andsuchisyourdefinitionofmatrimonyanddancing.
Takeninthatlightcertainly,theirresemblanceisnotstriking;butIthinkIcouldplacetheminsuchaview.
Youwillallow,thatinboth,manhastheadvantageofchoice,womanonlythepowerofrefusal;thatinboth,itisanengagementbetweenmanandwoman,formedfortheadvantageofeach;andthatwhenonceenteredinto,theybelongexclusivelytoeachothertillthemomentofitsdissolution;thatitistheirduty,eachtoendeavourtogivetheothernocauseforwishingthatheorshehadbestowedthemselveselsewhere,andtheirbestinteresttokeeptheirownimaginationsfromwanderingtowardstheperfectionsoftheirneighbours,orfancyingthattheyshouldhavebeenbetteroffwithanyoneelse.
Youwillallowallthis?”
“Yes,tobesure,asyoustateit,allthissoundsverywell;butstilltheyaresoverydifferent.Icannotlookuponthematallinthesamelight,northinkthesamedutiesbelongtothem.”
“Inonerespect,therecertainlyisadifference.
Inmarriage,themanissupposedtoprovideforthesupportofthewoman,thewomantomakethehomeagreeabletotheman;heistopurvey,andsheistosmile.
Butindancing,theirdutiesareexactlychanged;theagreeableness,thecomplianceareexpectedfromhim,whileshefurnishesthefanandthelavenderwater.
That,Isuppose,wasthedifferenceofdutieswhichstruckyou,asrenderingtheconditionsincapableofcomparison.”
“No,indeed,Ineverthoughtofthat.”
“ThenIamquiteataloss.Onething,however,Imustobserve.
Thisdispositiononyoursideisratheralarming.
Youtotallydisallowanysimilarityintheobligations;andmayInotthenceinferthatyournotionsofthedutiesofthedancingstatearenotsostrictasyourpartnermightwish?
HaveInotreasontofearthatifthegentlemanwhospoketoyoujustnowweretoreturn,orifanyothergentlemanweretoaddressyou,therewouldbenothingtorestrainyoufromconversingwithhimaslongasyouchose?”
“Mr.Thorpeissuchaveryparticularfriendofmybrother’s,thatifhetalkstome,Imusttalktohimagain;buttherearehardlythreeyoungmenintheroombesideshimthatIhaveanyacquaintancewith.”
“Andisthattobemyonlysecurity?Alas,alas!”
“Nay,Iamsureyoucannothaveabetter;forifIdonotknowanybody,itisimpossibleformetotalktothem;and,besides,Idonotwanttotalktoanybody.”
“Nowyouhavegivenmeasecurityworthhaving;andIshallproceedwithcourage.DoyoufindBathasagreeableaswhenIhadthehonourofmakingtheinquirybefore?”
“Yes,quite—moreso,indeed.”
“Moreso!Takecare,oryouwillforgettobetiredofitatthepropertime.Yououghttobetiredattheendofsixweeks.”
“IdonotthinkIshouldbetired,ifIweretostayheresixmonths.”
“Bath,comparedwithLondon,haslittlevariety,andsoeverybodyfindsouteveryyear.
‘Forsixweeks,IallowBathispleasantenough;butbeyondthat,itisthemosttiresomeplaceintheworld.’
Youwouldbetoldsobypeopleofalldescriptions,whocomeregularlyeverywinter,lengthentheirsixweeksintotenortwelve,andgoawayatlastbecausetheycanaffordtostaynolonger.”
“Well,otherpeoplemustjudgeforthemselves,andthosewhogotoLondonmaythinknothingofBath.
ButI,wholiveinasmallretiredvillageinthecountry,canneverfindgreatersamenessinsuchaplaceasthisthaninmyownhome;forhereareavarietyofamusements,avarietyofthingstobeseenanddonealldaylong,whichIcanknownothingofthere.”
“Youarenotfondofthecountry.”
“Yes,Iam.Ihavealwayslivedthere,andalwaysbeenveryhappy.ButcertainlythereismuchmoresamenessinacountrylifethaninaBathlife.Onedayinthecountryisexactlylikeanother.”
“Butthenyouspendyourtimesomuchmorerationallyinthecountry.”
“DoI?”
“Doyounot?”
“Idonotbelievethereismuchdifference.”
“Hereyouareinpursuitonlyofamusementalldaylong.”
“AndsoIamathome—onlyIdonotfindsomuchofit.Iwalkabouthere,andsoIdothere;buthereIseeavarietyofpeopleineverystreet,andthereIcanonlygoandcallonMrs.Allen.”
Mr.Tilneywasverymuchamused.
“OnlygoandcallonMrs.Allen!”herepeated.
“Whatapictureofintellectualpoverty!
However,whenyousinkintothisabyssagain,youwillhavemoretosay.
YouwillbeabletotalkofBath,andofallthatyoudidhere.”
“Oh!Yes.
IshallneverbeinwantofsomethingtotalkofagaintoMrs.Allen,oranybodyelse.
IreallybelieveIshallalwaysbetalkingofBath,whenIamathomeagain—Idolikeitsoverymuch.
IfIcouldbuthavePapaandMamma,andtherestofthemhere,IsupposeIshouldbetoohappy!
James’scoming(myeldestbrother)isquitedelightful—andespeciallyasitturnsoutthattheveryfamilywearejustgotsointimatewitharehisintimatefriendsalready.Oh!WhocaneverbetiredofBath?”
“Notthosewhobringsuchfreshfeelingsofeverysorttoitasyoudo.
Butpapasandmammas,andbrothers,andintimatefriendsareagooddealgoneby,tomostofthefrequentersofBath—andthehonestrelishofballsandplays,andeverydaysights,ispastwiththem.”
Heretheirconversationclosed,thedemandsofthedancebecomingnowtooimportunateforadividedattention.
Soonaftertheirreachingthebottomoftheset,Catherineperceivedherselftobeearnestlyregardedbyagentlemanwhostoodamongthelookers–on,immediatelybehindherpartner.
Hewasaveryhandsomeman,ofacommandingaspect,pastthebloom,butnotpastthevigouroflife;andwithhiseyestilldirectedtowardsher,shesawhimpresentlyaddressMr.Tilneyinafamiliarwhisper.
Confusedbyhisnotice,andblushingfromthefearofitsbeingexcitedbysomethingwronginherappearance,sheturnedawayherhead.
Butwhileshedidso,thegentlemanretreated,andherpartner,comingnearer,said,“IseethatyouguesswhatIhavejustbeenasked.
Thatgentlemanknowsyourname,andyouhavearighttoknowhis.ItisGeneralTilney,myfather.”
Catherine’sanswerwasonly“Oh!”—butitwasan“Oh!”
expressingeverythingneedful:attentiontohiswords,andperfectrelianceontheirtruth.
Withrealinterestandstrongadmirationdidhereyenowfollowthegeneral,ashemovedthroughthecrowd,and“Howhandsomeafamilytheyare!”washersecretremark.
InchattingwithMissTilneybeforetheeveningconcluded,anewsourceoffelicityarosetoher.
ShehadnevertakenacountrywalksinceherarrivalinBath.
MissTilney,towhomallthecommonlyfrequentedenvironswerefamiliar,spokeofthemintermswhichmadeheralleagernesstoknowthemtoo;andonheropenlyfearingthatshemightfindnobodytogowithher,itwasproposedbythebrotherandsisterthattheyshouldjoininawalk,somemorningorother.
“Ishalllikeit,”shecried,“beyondanythingintheworld;anddonotletusputitoff—letusgotomorrow.”
Thiswasreadilyagreedto,withonlyaprovisoofMissTilney’s,thatitdidnotrain,whichCatherinewassureitwouldnot.
Attwelveo’clock,theyweretocallforherinPulteneyStreet;and“Remember—twelveo’clock,”washerpartingspeechtohernewfriend.
Ofherother,herolder,hermoreestablishedfriend,Isabella,ofwhosefidelityandworthshehadenjoyedafortnight’sexperience,shescarcelysawanythingduringtheevening.
Yet,thoughlongingtomakeheracquaintedwithherhappiness,shecheerfullysubmittedtothewishofMr.Allen,whichtookthemratherearlyaway,andherspiritsdancedwithinher,asshedancedinherchairallthewayhome.
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