English
Afewdayspassedaway,andCatherine,thoughnotallowingherselftosuspectherfriend,couldnothelpwatchingherclosely.
Theresultofherobservationswasnotagreeable.Isabellaseemedanalteredcreature.
Whenshesawher,indeed,surroundedonlybytheirimmediatefriendsinEdgar’sBuildingsorPulteneyStreet,herchangeofmannerswassotriflingthat,haditgonenofarther,itmighthavepassedunnoticed.
Asomethingoflanguidindifference,orofthatboastedabsenceofmindwhichCatherinehadneverheardofbefore,wouldoccasionallycomeacrossher;buthadnothingworseappeared,thatmightonlyhavespreadanewgraceandinspiredawarmerinterest.
ButwhenCatherinesawherinpublic,admittingCaptainTilney’sattentionsasreadilyastheywereoffered,andallowinghimalmostanequalsharewithJamesinhernoticeandsmiles,thealterationbecametoopositivetobepassedover.
Whatcouldbemeantbysuchunsteadyconduct,whatherfriendcouldbeat,wasbeyondhercomprehension.
Isabellacouldnotbeawareofthepainshewasinflicting;butitwasadegreeofwilfulthoughtlessnesswhichCatherinecouldnotbutresent.Jameswasthesufferer.
Shesawhimgraveanduneasy;andhowevercarelessofhispresentcomfortthewomanmightbewhohadgivenhimherheart,toheritwasalwaysanobject.
ForpoorCaptainTilneytooshewasgreatlyconcerned.
Thoughhislooksdidnotpleaseher,hisnamewasapassporttohergoodwill,andshethoughtwithsincerecompassionofhisapproachingdisappointment;for,inspiteofwhatshehadbelievedherselftooverhearinthepump–room,hisbehaviourwassoincompatiblewithaknowledgeofIsabella’sengagementthatshecouldnot,uponreflection,imaginehimawareofit.
Hemightbejealousofherbrotherasarival,butifmorehadseemedimplied,thefaultmusthavebeeninhermisapprehension.
Shewished,byagentleremonstrance,toremindIsabellaofhersituation,andmakeherawareofthisdoubleunkindness;butforremonstrance,eitheropportunityorcomprehensionwasalwaysagainsther.
Ifabletosuggestahint,Isabellacouldneverunderstandit.
Inthisdistress,theintendeddepartureoftheTilneyfamilybecameherchiefconsolation;theirjourneyintoGloucestershirewastotakeplacewithinafewdays,andCaptainTilney’sremovalwouldatleastrestorepeacetoeveryheartbuthisown.
ButCaptainTilneyhadatpresentnointentionofremoving;hewasnottobeofthepartytoNorthanger;hewastocontinueatBath.
WhenCatherineknewthis,herresolutionwasdirectlymade.
ShespoketoHenryTilneyonthesubject,regrettinghisbrother’sevidentpartialityforMissThorpe,andentreatinghimtomakeknownherpriorengagement.
“Mybrotherdoesknowit,”wasHenry’sanswer.
“Doeshe?Thenwhydoeshestayhere?”
Hemadenoreply,andwasbeginningtotalkofsomethingelse;butsheeagerlycontinued,“Whydonotyoupersuadehimtogoaway?
Thelongerhestays,theworseitwillbeforhimatlast.
Prayadvisehimforhisownsake,andforeverybody’ssake,toleaveBathdirectly.
Absencewillintimemakehimcomfortableagain;buthecanhavenohopehere,anditisonlystayingtobemiserable.”
Henrysmiledandsaid,“Iamsuremybrotherwouldnotwishtodothat.”
“Thenyouwillpersuadehimtogoaway?”
“Persuasionisnotatcommand;butpardonme,ifIcannotevenendeavourtopersuadehim.IhavemyselftoldhimthatMissThorpeisengaged.Heknowswhatheisabout,andmustbehisownmaster.”
“No,hedoesnotknowwhatheisabout,”criedCatherine;“hedoesnotknowthepainheisgivingmybrother.NotthatJameshasevertoldmeso,butIamsureheisveryuncomfortable.”
“Andareyousureitismybrother’sdoing?”
“Yes,verysure.”
“Isitmybrother’sattentionstoMissThorpe,orMissThorpe’sadmissionofthem,thatgivesthepain?”
“Isnotitthesamething?”
“IthinkMr.Morlandwouldacknowledgeadifference.Nomanisoffendedbyanotherman’sadmirationofthewomanheloves;itisthewomanonlywhocanmakeitatorment.”
Catherineblushedforherfriend,andsaid,“Isabellaiswrong.
ButIamsureshecannotmeantotorment,forsheisverymuchattachedtomybrother.
Shehasbeeninlovewithhimeversincetheyfirstmet,andwhilemyfather’sconsentwasuncertain,shefrettedherselfalmostintoafever.Youknowshemustbeattachedtohim.”
“Iunderstand:sheisinlovewithJames,andflirtswithFrederick.”
“Oh!no,notflirts.Awomaninlovewithonemancannotflirtwithanother.”
“Itisprobablethatshewillneitherlovesowell,norflirtsowell,asshemightdoeithersingly.Thegentlemenmusteachgiveupalittle.”
Afterashortpause,Catherineresumedwith,“ThenyoudonotbelieveIsabellasoverymuchattachedtomybrother?”
“Icanhavenoopiniononthatsubject.”
“Butwhatcanyourbrothermean?Ifheknowsherengagement,whatcanhemeanbyhisbehaviour?”
“Youareaveryclosequestioner.”
“AmI?IonlyaskwhatIwanttobetold.”
“ButdoyouonlyaskwhatIcanbeexpectedtotell?”
“Yes,Ithinkso;foryoumustknowyourbrother’sheart.”
“Mybrother’sheart,asyoutermit,onthepresentoccasion,IassureyouIcanonlyguessat.”
“Well?”
“Well!Nay,ifitistobeguesswork,letusallguessforourselves.
Tobeguidedbysecond–handconjectureispitiful.Thepremisesarebeforeyou.
Mybrotherisalivelyandperhapssometimesathoughtlessyoungman;hehashadaboutaweek’sacquaintancewithyourfriend,andhehasknownherengagementalmostaslongashehasknownher.”
“Well,”saidCatherine,aftersomemoments’consideration,“youmaybeabletoguessatyourbrother’sintentionsfromallthis;butIamsureIcannot.
Butisnotyourfatheruncomfortableaboutit?
DoesnothewantCaptainTilneytogoaway?
Sure,ifyourfatherweretospeaktohim,hewouldgo.”
“MydearMissMorland,”saidHenry,“inthisamiablesolicitudeforyourbrother’scomfort,mayyounotbealittlemistaken?Areyounotcarriedalittletoofar?
Wouldhethankyou,eitheronhisownaccountorMissThorpe’s,forsupposingthatheraffection,oratleasthergoodbehaviour,isonlytobesecuredbyherseeingnothingofCaptainTilney?Ishesafeonlyinsolitude?
Orisherheartconstanttohimonlywhenunsolicitedbyanyoneelse?
Hecannotthinkthis—andyoumaybesurethathewouldnothaveyouthinkit.
Iwillnotsay,‘Donotbeuneasy,’becauseIknowthatyouareso,atthismoment;butbeaslittleuneasyasyoucan.
Youhavenodoubtofthemutualattachmentofyourbrotherandyourfriend;dependuponit,therefore,thatrealjealousynevercanexistbetweenthem;dependuponitthatnodisagreementbetweenthemcanbeofanyduration.
Theirheartsareopentoeachother,asneitherheartcanbetoyou;theyknowexactlywhatisrequiredandwhatcanbeborne;andyoumaybecertainthatonewillneverteasetheotherbeyondwhatisknowntobepleasant.”
Perceivingherstilltolookdoubtfulandgrave,headded,“ThoughFrederickdoesnotleaveBathwithus,hewillprobablyremainbutaveryshorttime,perhapsonlyafewdaysbehindus.
Hisleaveofabsencewillsoonexpire,andhemustreturntohisregiment.
Andwhatwillthenbetheiracquaintance?
Themess–roomwilldrinkIsabellaThorpeforafortnight,andshewilllaughwithyourbrotheroverpoorTilney’spassionforamonth.”
Catherinewouldcontendnolongeragainstcomfort.
Shehadresisteditsapproachesduringthewholelengthofaspeech,butitnowcarriedhercaptive.HenryTilneymustknowbest.
Sheblamedherselffortheextentofherfears,andresolvednevertothinksoseriouslyonthesubjectagain.
HerresolutionwassupportedbyIsabella’sbehaviourintheirpartinginterview.
TheThorpesspentthelasteveningofCatherine’sstayinPulteneyStreet,andnothingpassedbetweentheloverstoexciteheruneasiness,ormakeherquittheminapprehension.
Jameswasinexcellentspirits,andIsabellamostengaginglyplacid.
Hertendernessforherfriendseemedratherthefirstfeelingofherheart;butthatatsuchamomentwasallowable;andonceshegaveherloveraflatcontradiction,andonceshedrewbackherhand;butCatherinerememberedHenry’sinstructions,andplaceditalltojudiciousaffection.
Theembraces,tears,andpromisesofthepartingfaironesmaybefancied.
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