English
Thenextdayaffordednoopportunityfortheproposedexaminationofthemysteriousapartments.
ItwasSunday,andthewholetimebetweenmorningandafternoonservicewasrequiredbythegeneralinexerciseabroadoreatingcoldmeatathome;andgreataswasCatherine’scuriosity,hercouragewasnotequaltoawishofexploringthemafterdinner,eitherbythefadinglightoftheskybetweensixandseveno’clock,orbytheyetmorepartialthoughstrongerilluminationofatreacherouslamp.
ThedaywasunmarkedthereforebyanythingtointerestherimaginationbeyondthesightofaveryelegantmonumenttothememoryofMrs.Tilney,whichimmediatelyfrontedthefamilypew.
Bythathereyewasinstantlycaughtandlongretained;andtheperusalofthehighlystrainedepitaph,inwhicheveryvirtuewasascribedtoherbytheinconsolablehusband,whomusthavebeeninsomewayorotherherdestroyer,affectedhereventotears.
Thatthegeneral,havingerectedsuchamonument,shouldbeabletofaceit,wasnotperhapsverystrange,andyetthathecouldsitsoboldlycollectedwithinitsview,maintainsoelevatedanair,looksofearlesslyaround,nay,thatheshouldevenenterthechurch,seemedwonderfultoCatherine.
Not,however,thatmanyinstancesofbeingsequallyhardenedinguiltmightnotbeproduced.
Shecouldrememberdozenswhohadperseveredineverypossiblevice,goingonfromcrimetocrime,murderingwhomsoevertheychose,withoutanyfeelingofhumanityorremorse;tillaviolentdeathorareligiousretirementclosedtheirblackcareer.
TheerectionofthemonumentitselfcouldnotinthesmallestdegreeaffectherdoubtsofMrs.Tilney’sactualdecease.
Weresheeventodescendintothefamilyvaultwhereherashesweresupposedtoslumber,wereshetobeholdthecoffininwhichtheyweresaidtobeenclosed—whatcoulditavailinsuchacase?
Catherinehadreadtoomuchnottobeperfectlyawareoftheeasewithwhichawaxenfiguremightbeintroduced,andasupposititiousfuneralcarriedon.
Thesucceedingmorningpromisedsomethingbetter.
Thegeneral’searlywalk,ill–timedasitwasineveryotherview,wasfavourablehere;andwhensheknewhimtobeoutofthehouse,shedirectlyproposedtoMissTilneytheaccomplishmentofherpromise.
Eleanorwasreadytoobligeher;andCatherineremindingherastheywentofanotherpromise,theirfirstvisitinconsequencewastotheportraitinherbed–chamber.
Itrepresentedaverylovelywoman,withamildandpensivecountenance,justifying,sofar,theexpectationsofitsnewobserver;buttheywerenotineveryrespectanswered,forCatherinehaddependeduponmeetingwithfeatures,hair,complexion,thatshouldbetheverycounterpart,theveryimage,ifnotofHenry’s,ofEleanor’s—theonlyportraitsofwhichshehadbeeninthehabitofthinking,bearingalwaysanequalresemblanceofmotherandchild.
Afaceoncetakenwastakenforgenerations.
Buthereshewasobligedtolookandconsiderandstudyforalikeness.
Shecontemplatedit,however,inspiteofthisdrawback,withmuchemotion,and,butforayetstrongerinterest,wouldhaveleftitunwillingly.
Heragitationastheyenteredthegreatgallerywastoomuchforanyendeavouratdiscourse;shecouldonlylookathercompanion.
Eleanor’scountenancewasdejected,yetsedate;anditscomposurespokeherinuredtoallthegloomyobjectstowhichtheywereadvancing.
Againshepassedthroughthefoldingdoors,againherhandwasupontheimportantlock,andCatherine,hardlyabletobreathe,wasturningtoclosetheformerwithfearfulcaution,whenthefigure,thedreadedfigureofthegeneralhimselfatthefurtherendofthegallery,stoodbeforeher!
Thenameof“Eleanor”atthesamemoment,inhisloudesttone,resoundedthroughthebuilding,givingtohisdaughterthefirstintimationofhispresence,andtoCatherineterroruponterror.
Anattemptatconcealmenthadbeenherfirstinstinctivemovementonperceivinghim,yetshecouldscarcelyhopetohaveescapedhiseye;andwhenherfriend,whowithanapologizinglookdartedhastilybyher,hadjoinedanddisappearedwithhim,sheranforsafetytoherownroom,and,lockingherselfin,believedthatsheshouldneverhavecouragetogodownagain.
Sheremainedthereatleastanhour,inthegreatestagitation,deeplycommiseratingthestateofherpoorfriend,andexpectingasummonsherselffromtheangrygeneraltoattendhiminhisownapartment.
Nosummons,however,arrived;andatlast,onseeingacarriagedriveuptotheabbey,shewasemboldenedtodescendandmeethimundertheprotectionofvisitors.
Thebreakfast–roomwasgaywithcompany;andshewasnamedtothembythegeneralasthefriendofhisdaughter,inacomplimentarystyle,whichsowellconcealedhisresentfulire,astomakeherfeelsecureatleastoflifeforthepresent.
AndEleanor,withacommandofcountenancewhichdidhonourtoherconcernforhischaracter,takinganearlyoccasionofsayingtoher,“Myfatheronlywantedmetoansweranote,”shebegantohopethatshehadeitherbeenunseenbythegeneral,orthatfromsomeconsiderationofpolicysheshouldbeallowedtosupposeherselfso.
Uponthistrustshedaredstilltoremaininhispresence,afterthecompanyleftthem,andnothingoccurredtodisturbit.
Inthecourseofthismorning’sreflections,shecametoaresolutionofmakinghernextattemptontheforbiddendooralone.
ItwouldbemuchbetterineveryrespectthatEleanorshouldknownothingofthematter.
Toinvolveherinthedangerofaseconddetection,tocourtherintoanapartmentwhichmustwringherheart,couldnotbetheofficeofafriend.
Thegeneral’sutmostangercouldnotbetoherselfwhatitmightbetoadaughter;and,besides,shethoughttheexaminationitselfwouldbemoresatisfactoryifmadewithoutanycompanion.
ItwouldbeimpossibletoexplaintoEleanorthesuspicions,fromwhichtheotherhad,inalllikelihood,beenhithertohappilyexempt;norcouldshetherefore,inherpresence,searchforthoseproofsofthegeneral’scruelty,whichhowevertheymightyethaveescapeddiscovery,shefeltconfidentofsomewheredrawingforth,intheshapeofsomefragmentedjournal,continuedtothelastgasp.
Ofthewaytotheapartmentshewasnowperfectlymistress;andasshewishedtogetitoverbeforeHenry’sreturn,whowasexpectedonthemorrow,therewasnotimetobelost.
Thedaywasbright,hercouragehigh;atfouro’clock,thesunwasnowtwohoursabovethehorizon,anditwouldbeonlyherretiringtodresshalfanhourearlierthanusual.
Itwasdone;andCatherinefoundherselfaloneinthegallerybeforetheclockshadceasedtostrike.
Itwasnotimeforthought;shehurriedon,slippedwiththeleastpossiblenoisethroughthefoldingdoors,andwithoutstoppingtolookorbreathe,rushedforwardtotheoneinquestion.
Thelockyieldedtoherhand,and,luckily,withnosullensoundthatcouldalarmahumanbeing.
Ontiptoesheentered;theroomwasbeforeher;butitwassomeminutesbeforeshecouldadvanceanotherstep.
Shebeheldwhatfixedhertothespotandagitatedeveryfeature.
Shesawalarge,well–proportionedapartment,anhandsomedimitybed,arrangedasunoccupiedwithanhousemaid’scare,abrightBathstove,mahoganywardrobes,andneatlypaintedchairs,onwhichthewarmbeamsofawesternsungailypouredthroughtwosashwindows!
Catherinehadexpectedtohaveherfeelingsworked,andworkedtheywere.
Astonishmentanddoubtfirstseizedthem;andashortlysucceedingrayofcommonsenseaddedsomebitteremotionsofshame.
Shecouldnotbemistakenastotheroom;buthowgrosslymistakenineverythingelse!
—inMissTilney’smeaning,inherowncalculation!
Thisapartment,towhichshehadgivenadatesoancient,apositionsoawful,provedtobeoneendofwhatthegeneral’sfatherhadbuilt.
Thereweretwootherdoorsinthechamber,leadingprobablyintodressing–closets;butshehadnoinclinationtoopeneither.
WouldtheveilinwhichMrs.Tilneyhadlastwalked,orthevolumeinwhichshehadlastread,remaintotellwhatnothingelsewasallowedtowhisper?
No:whatevermighthavebeenthegeneral’scrimes,hehadcertainlytoomuchwittoletthemsuefordetection.
Shewassickofexploring,anddesiredbuttobesafeinherownroom,withherownheartonlyprivytoitsfolly;andshewasonthepointofretreatingassoftlyasshehadentered,whenthesoundoffootsteps,shecouldhardlytellwhere,madeherpauseandtremble.
Tobefoundthere,evenbyaservant,wouldbeunpleasant;butbythegeneral(andheseemedalwaysathandwhenleastwanted),muchworse!
Shelistened—thesoundhadceased;andresolvingnottoloseamoment,shepassedthroughandclosedthedoor.
Atthatinstantadoorunderneathwashastilyopened;someoneseemedwithswiftstepstoascendthestairs,bytheheadofwhichshehadyettopassbeforeshecouldgainthegallery.Shehadnopowertomove.
Withafeelingofterrornotverydefinable,shefixedhereyesonthestaircase,andinafewmomentsitgaveHenrytoherview.“Mr.Tilney!”
sheexclaimedinavoiceofmorethancommonastonishment.Helookedastonishedtoo.“GoodGod!”
shecontinued,notattendingtohisaddress.“Howcameyouhere?Howcameyouupthatstaircase?”
“HowcameIupthatstaircase!”hereplied,greatlysurprised.“Becauseitismynearestwayfromthestable–yardtomyownchamber;andwhyshouldInotcomeupit?”
Catherinerecollectedherself,blusheddeeply,andcouldsaynomore.
Heseemedtobelookinginhercountenanceforthatexplanationwhichherlipsdidnotafford.Shemovedontowardsthegallery.
“AndmayInot,inmyturn,”saidhe,ashepushedbackthefoldingdoors,“askhowyoucamehere?
Thispassageisatleastasextraordinaryaroadfromthebreakfast–parlourtoyourapartment,asthatstaircasecanbefromthestablestomine.”
“Ihavebeen,”saidCatherine,lookingdown,“toseeyourmother’sroom.”
“Mymother’sroom!Isthereanythingextraordinarytobeseenthere?”
“No,nothingatall.Ithoughtyoudidnotmeantocomebacktilltomorrow.”
“Ididnotexpecttobeabletoreturnsooner,whenIwentaway;butthreehoursagoIhadthepleasureoffindingnothingtodetainme.Youlookpale.
IamafraidIalarmedyoubyrunningsofastupthosestairs.
Perhapsyoudidnotknow—youwerenotawareoftheirleadingfromtheofficesincommonuse?”
“No,Iwasnot.Youhavehadaveryfinedayforyourride.”
“Very;anddoesEleanorleaveyoutofindyourwayintoalltheroomsinthehousebyyourself?”
“Oh!No;sheshowedmeoverthegreatestpartonSaturday—andwewerecomingheretotheserooms—butonly”—droppinghervoice—“yourfatherwaswithus.”
“Andthatpreventedyou,”saidHenry,earnestlyregardingher.“Haveyoulookedintoalltheroomsinthatpassage?”
“No,Ionlywantedtosee—Isnotitverylate?Imustgoanddress.”
“Itisonlyaquarterpastfour”showinghiswatch—“andyouarenotnowinBath.Notheatre,noroomstopreparefor.HalfanhouratNorthangermustbeenough.”
Shecouldnotcontradictit,andthereforesufferedherselftobedetained,thoughherdreadoffurtherquestionsmadeher,forthefirsttimeintheiracquaintance,wishtoleavehim.Theywalkedslowlyupthegallery.
“HaveyouhadanyletterfromBathsinceIsawyou?”
“No,andIamverymuchsurprised.Isabellapromisedsofaithfullytowritedirectly.”
“Promisedsofaithfully!Afaithfulpromise!Thatpuzzlesme.Ihaveheardofafaithfulperformance.
Butafaithfulpromise—thefidelityofpromising!
Itisapowerlittleworthknowing,however,sinceitcandeceiveandpainyou.
Mymother’sroomisverycommodious,isitnot?
Largeandcheerful–looking,andthedressing–closetssowelldisposed!
Italwaysstrikesmeasthemostcomfortableapartmentinthehouse,andIratherwonderthatEleanorshouldnottakeitforherown.Shesentyoutolookatit,Isuppose?”
“No.”
“Ithasbeenyourowndoingentirely?”Catherinesaidnothing.
Afterashortsilence,duringwhichhehadcloselyobservedher,headded,“Asthereisnothingintheroominitselftoraisecuriosity,thismusthaveproceededfromasentimentofrespectformymother’scharacter,asdescribedbyEleanor,whichdoeshonourtohermemory.
Theworld,Ibelieve,neversawabetterwoman.
Butitisnotoftenthatvirtuecanboastaninterestsuchasthis.
Thedomestic,unpretendingmeritsofapersonneverknowndonotoftencreatethatkindoffervent,veneratingtendernesswhichwouldpromptavisitlikeyours.
Eleanor,Isuppose,hastalkedofheragreatdeal?”
“Yes,agreatdeal.Thatis—no,notmuch,butwhatshedidsaywasveryinteresting.
Herdyingsosuddenly”(slowly,andwithhesitationitwasspoken),“andyou—noneofyoubeingathome—andyourfather,Ithought—perhapshadnotbeenveryfondofher.”
“Andfromthesecircumstances,”hereplied(hisquickeyefixedonhers),“youinferperhapstheprobabilityofsomenegligence—some”—(involuntarilysheshookherhead)—“oritmaybe—ofsomethingstilllesspardonable.”
Sheraisedhereyestowardshimmorefullythanshehadeverdonebefore.
“Mymother’sillness,”hecontinued,“theseizurewhichendedinherdeath,wassudden.
Themaladyitself,onefromwhichshehadoftensuffered,abiliousfever—itscausethereforeconstitutional.
Onthethirdday,inshort,assoonasshecouldbeprevailedon,aphysicianattendedher,averyrespectableman,andoneinwhomshehadalwaysplacedgreatconfidence.
Uponhisopinionofherdanger,twootherswerecalledinthenextday,andremainedinalmostconstantattendanceforfourandtwentyhours.Onthefifthdayshedied.
Duringtheprogressofherdisorder,FrederickandI(wewerebothathome)sawherrepeatedly;andfromourownobservationcanbearwitnesstoherhavingreceivedeverypossibleattentionwhichcouldspringfromtheaffectionofthoseabouther,orwhichhersituationinlifecouldcommand.
PoorEleanorwasabsent,andatsuchadistanceastoreturnonlytoseehermotherinhercoffin.”
“Butyourfather,”saidCatherine,“washeafflicted?”
“Foratime,greatlyso.Youhaveerredinsupposinghimnotattachedtoher.
Helovedher,Iampersuaded,aswellasitwaspossibleforhimto—wehavenotall,youknow,thesametendernessofdisposition—andIwillnotpretendtosaythatwhileshelived,shemightnotoftenhavehadmuchtobear,butthoughhistemperinjuredher,hisjudgmentneverdid.
Hisvalueofherwassincere;and,ifnotpermanently,hewastrulyafflictedbyherdeath.”
“Iamverygladofit,”saidCatherine;“itwouldhavebeenveryshocking!”
“IfIunderstandyourightly,youhadformedasurmiseofsuchhorrorasIhavehardlywordsto—DearMissMorland,considerthedreadfulnatureofthesuspicionsyouhaveentertained.Whathaveyoubeenjudgingfrom?
Rememberthecountryandtheageinwhichwelive.
RememberthatweareEnglish,thatweareChristians.
Consultyourownunderstanding,yourownsenseoftheprobable,yourownobservationofwhatispassingaroundyou.
Doesoureducationprepareusforsuchatrocities?Doourlawsconniveatthem?
Couldtheybeperpetratedwithoutbeingknown,inacountrylikethis,wheresocialandliteraryintercourseisonsuchafooting,whereeverymanissurroundedbyaneighbourhoodofvoluntaryspies,andwhereroadsandnewspaperslayeverythingopen?
DearestMissMorland,whatideashaveyoubeenadmitting?”
Theyhadreachedtheendofthegallery,andwithtearsofshamesheranofftoherownroom.
Share this article to
FINISH