English
“Mrs.Allen,”saidCatherinethenextmorning,“willtherebeanyharminmycallingonMissTilneytoday?IshallnotbeeasytillIhaveexplainedeverything.”
“Go,byallmeans,mydear;onlyputonawhitegown;MissTilneyalwayswearswhite.”
Catherinecheerfullycomplied,andbeingproperlyequipped,wasmoreimpatientthanevertobeatthepump–room,thatshemightinformherselfofGeneralTilneyslodgings,forthoughshebelievedtheywereinMilsomStreet,shewasnotcertainofthehouse,andMrs.Allen’swaveringconvictionsonlymadeitmoredoubtful.
ToMilsomStreetshewasdirected,andhavingmadeherselfperfectinthenumber,hastenedawaywitheagerstepsandabeatinghearttopayhervisit,explainherconduct,andbeforgiven;trippinglightlythroughthechurch–yard,andresolutelyturningawayhereyes,thatshemightnotbeobligedtoseeherbelovedIsabellaandherdearfamily,who,shehadreasontobelieve,wereinashophardby.
Shereachedthehousewithoutanyimpediment,lookedatthenumber,knockedatthedoor,andinquiredforMissTilney.
ThemanbelievedMissTilneytobeathome,butwasnotquitecertain.
Wouldshebepleasedtosenduphername?Shegavehercard.
Inafewminutestheservantreturned,andwithalookwhichdidnotquiteconfirmhiswords,saidhehadbeenmistaken,forthatMissTilneywaswalkedout.
Catherine,withablushofmortification,leftthehouse.
ShefeltalmostpersuadedthatMissTilneywasathome,andtoomuchoffendedtoadmither;andassheretireddownthestreet,couldnotwithholdoneglanceatthedrawing–roomwindows,inexpectationofseeingherthere,butnooneappearedatthem.
Atthebottomofthestreet,however,shelookedbackagain,andthen,notatawindow,butissuingfromthedoor,shesawMissTilneyherself.
Shewasfollowedbyagentleman,whomCatherinebelievedtobeherfather,andtheyturneduptowardsEdgar’sBuildings.
Catherine,indeepmortification,proceededonherway.
Shecouldalmostbeangryherselfatsuchangryincivility;butshecheckedtheresentfulsensation;sherememberedherownignorance.
Sheknewnothowsuchanoffenceashersmightbeclassedbythelawsofworldlypoliteness,towhatadegreeofunforgivingnessitmightwithproprietylead,nortowhatrigoursofrudenessinreturnitmightjustlymakeheramenable.
Dejectedandhumbled,shehadevensomethoughtsofnotgoingwiththeotherstothetheatrethatnight;butitmustbeconfessedthattheywerenotoflongcontinuance,forshesoonrecollected,inthefirstplace,thatshewaswithoutanyexcuseforstayingathome;and,inthesecond,thatitwasaplayshewantedverymuchtosee.
Tothetheatreaccordinglytheyallwent;noTilneysappearedtoplagueorpleaseher;shefearedthat,amongstthemanyperfectionsofthefamily,afondnessforplayswasnottoberanked;butperhapsitwasbecausetheywerehabituatedtothefinerperformancesoftheLondonstage,whichsheknew,onIsabella’sauthority,renderedeverythingelseofthekind“quitehorrid.”
Shewasnotdeceivedinherownexpectationofpleasure;thecomedysowellsuspendedhercarethatnoone,observingherduringthefirstfouracts,wouldhavesupposedshehadanywretchednessabouther.
Onthebeginningofthefifth,however,thesuddenviewofMr.HenryTilneyandhisfather,joiningapartyintheoppositebox,recalledhertoanxietyanddistress.
Thestagecouldnolongerexcitegenuinemerriment—nolongerkeepherwholeattention.
Everyotherlookuponanaveragewasdirectedtowardstheoppositebox;and,forthespaceoftwoentirescenes,didshethuswatchHenryTilney,withoutbeingonceabletocatchhiseye.
Nolongercouldhebesuspectedofindifferenceforaplay;hisnoticewasneverwithdrawnfromthestageduringtwowholescenes.
Atlength,however,hedidlooktowardsher,andhebowed—butsuchabow!
Nosmile,nocontinuedobservanceattendedit;hiseyeswereimmediatelyreturnedtotheirformerdirection.
Catherinewasrestlesslymiserable;shecouldalmosthaverunroundtotheboxinwhichhesatandforcedhimtohearherexplanation.
Feelingsrathernaturalthanheroicpossessedher;insteadofconsideringherowndignityinjuredbythisreadycondemnation—insteadofproudlyresolving,inconsciousinnocence,toshowherresentmenttowardshimwhocouldharbouradoubtofit,toleavetohimallthetroubleofseekinganexplanation,andtoenlightenhimonthepastonlybyavoidinghissight,orflirtingwithsomebodyelse—shetooktoherselfalltheshameofmisconduct,oratleastofitsappearance,andwasonlyeagerforanopportunityofexplainingitscause.
Theplayconcluded—thecurtainfell—HenryTilneywasnolongertobeseenwherehehadhithertosat,buthisfatherremained,andperhapshemightbenowcomingroundtotheirbox.
Shewasright;inafewminutesheappeared,and,makinghiswaythroughthethenthinningrows,spokewithlikecalmpolitenesstoMrs.Allenandherfriend.
Notwithsuchcalmnesswasheansweredbythelatter:“Oh!
Mr.Tilney,Ihavebeenquitewildtospeaktoyou,andmakemyapologies.
Youmusthavethoughtmesorude;butindeeditwasnotmyownfault,wasit,Mrs.Allen?
DidnottheytellmethatMr.Tilneyandhissisterweregoneoutinaphaetontogether?AndthenwhatcouldIdo?
ButIhadtenthousandtimesratherhavebeenwithyou;nowhadnotI,Mrs.Allen?”
“Mydear,youtumblemygown,”wasMrs.Allen’sreply.
Herassurance,however,standingsoleasitdid,wasnotthrownaway;itbroughtamorecordial,morenaturalsmileintohiscountenance,andherepliedinatonewhichretainedonlyalittleaffectedreserve:“WeweremuchobligedtoyouatanyrateforwishingusapleasantwalkafterourpassingyouinArgyleStreet:youweresokindastolookbackonpurpose.”
“ButindeedIdidnotwishyouapleasantwalk;Ineverthoughtofsuchathing;butIbeggedMr.Thorpesoearnestlytostop;IcalledouttohimassoonaseverIsawyou;now,Mrs.Allen,didnot—Oh!
Youwerenotthere;butindeedIdid;and,ifMr.Thorpewouldonlyhavestopped,Iwouldhavejumpedoutandrunafteryou.”
IsthereaHenryintheworldwhocouldbeinsensibletosuchadeclaration?HenryTilneyatleastwasnot.
Withayetsweetersmile,hesaideverythingthatneedbesaidofhissister’sconcern,regret,anddependenceonCatherine’shonour.“Oh!
DonotsayMissTilneywasnotangry,”criedCatherine,“becauseIknowshewas;forshewouldnotseemethismorningwhenIcalled;Isawherwalkoutofthehousethenextminuteaftermyleavingit;Iwashurt,butIwasnotaffronted.
PerhapsyoudidnotknowIhadbeenthere.”
“Iwasnotwithinatthetime;butIheardofitfromEleanor,andshehasbeenwishingeversincetoseeyou,toexplainthereasonofsuchincivility;butperhapsIcandoitaswell.
Itwasnothingmorethanthatmyfather—theywerejustpreparingtowalkout,andhebeinghurriedfortime,andnotcaringtohaveitputoff—madeapointofherbeingdenied.Thatwasall,Idoassureyou.
Shewasverymuchvexed,andmeanttomakeherapologyassoonaspossible.”
Catherine’smindwasgreatlyeasedbythisinformation,yetasomethingofsolicituderemained,fromwhichsprangthefollowingquestion,thoroughlyartlessinitself,thoughratherdistressingtothegentleman:“But,Mr.Tilney,whywereyoulessgenerousthanyoursister?
Ifshefeltsuchconfidenceinmygoodintentions,andcouldsupposeittobeonlyamistake,whyshouldyoubesoreadytotakeoffence?”
“Me!Itakeoffence!”
“Nay,Iamsurebyyourlook,whenyoucameintothebox,youwereangry.”
“Iangry!Icouldhavenoright.”
“Well,nobodywouldhavethoughtyouhadnorightwhosawyourface.”Herepliedbyaskinghertomakeroomforhim,andtalkingoftheplay.
Heremainedwiththemsometime,andwasonlytooagreeableforCatherinetobecontentedwhenhewentaway.
Beforetheyparted,however,itwasagreedthattheprojectedwalkshouldbetakenassoonaspossible;and,settingasidethemiseryofhisquittingtheirbox,shewas,uponthewhole,leftoneofthehappiestcreaturesintheworld.
Whiletalkingtoeachother,shehadobservedwithsomesurprisethatJohnThorpe,whowasneverinthesamepartofthehousefortenminutestogether,wasengagedinconversationwithGeneralTilney;andshefeltsomethingmorethansurprisewhenshethoughtshecouldperceiveherselftheobjectoftheirattentionanddiscourse.Whatcouldtheyhavetosayofher?
ShefearedGeneralTilneydidnotlikeherappearance:shefounditwasimpliedinhispreventingheradmittancetohisdaughter,ratherthanpostponehisownwalkafewminutes.
“HowcameMr.Thorpetoknowyourfather?”
washeranxiousinquiry,asshepointedthemouttohercompanion.
Heknewnothingaboutit;buthisfather,likeeverymilitaryman,hadaverylargeacquaintance.
Whentheentertainmentwasover,Thorpecametoassistthemingettingout.
Catherinewastheimmediateobjectofhisgallantry;and,whiletheywaitedinthelobbyforachair,hepreventedtheinquirywhichhadtravelledfromherheartalmosttothetipofhertongue,byasking,inaconsequentialmanner,whethershehadseenhimtalkingwithGeneralTilney:“Heisafineoldfellow,uponmysoul!
Stout,active—looksasyoungashisson.
Ihaveagreatregardforhim,Iassureyou:agentleman–like,goodsortoffellowaseverlived.”
“Buthowcameyoutoknowhim?”
“Knowhim!TherearefewpeoplemuchabouttownthatIdonotknow.
IhavemethimforeverattheBedford;andIknewhisfaceagaintodaythemomenthecameintothebilliard–room.
Oneofthebestplayerswehave,bytheby;andwehadalittletouchtogether,thoughIwasalmostafraidofhimatfirst:theoddswerefivetofouragainstme;and,ifIhadnotmadeoneofthecleaneststrokesthatperhapseverwasmadeinthisworld—Itookhisballexactly—butIcouldnotmakeyouunderstanditwithoutatable;however,Ididbeathim.Averyfinefellow;asrichasaJew.
Ishouldliketodinewithhim;Idaresayhegivesfamousdinners.
Butwhatdoyouthinkwehavebeentalkingof?You.Yes,byheavens!
AndthegeneralthinksyouthefinestgirlinBath.”
“Oh!Nonsense!Howcanyousayso?”
“AndwhatdoyouthinkIsaid?”—loweringhisvoice—“welldone,general,saidI;Iamquiteofyourmind.”
HereCatherine,whowasmuchlessgratifiedbyhisadmirationthanbyGeneralTilney’s,wasnotsorrytobecalledawaybyMr.Allen.
Thorpe,however,wouldseehertoherchair,and,tillsheenteredit,continuedthesamekindofdelicateflattery,inspiteofherentreatinghimtohavedone.
ThatGeneralTilney,insteadofdisliking,shouldadmireher,wasverydelightful;andshejoyfullythoughtthattherewasnotoneofthefamilywhomsheneednowfeartomeet.
Theeveninghaddonemore,muchmore,forherthancouldhavebeenexpected.
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