Theirpersuasionthatthegeneralwould,uponthisgroundalone,independentoftheobjectionthatmightberaisedagainsthercharacter,opposetheconnection,turnedherfeelingsmoreoverwithsomealarmtowardsherself.
Shewasasinsignificant,andperhapsasportionless,asIsabella;andiftheheiroftheTilneypropertyhadnotgrandeurandwealthenoughinhimself,atwhatpointofinterestwerethedemandsofhisyoungerbrothertorest?
Theverypainfulreflectionstowhichthisthoughtledcouldonlybedispersedbyadependenceontheeffectofthatparticularpartiality,which,asshewasgiventounderstandbyhiswordsaswellashisactions,shehadfromthefirstbeensofortunateastoexciteinthegeneral;andbyarecollectionofsomemostgenerousanddisinterestedsentimentsonthesubjectofmoney,whichshehadmorethanonceheardhimutter,andwhichtemptedhertothinkhisdispositioninsuchmattersmisunderstoodbyhischildren.
Theyweresofullyconvinced,however,thattheirbrotherwouldnothavethecouragetoapplyinpersonforhisfather’sconsent,andsorepeatedlyassuredherthathehadneverinhislifebeenlesslikelytocometoNorthangerthanatthepresenttime,thatshesufferedhermindtobeateaseastothenecessityofanysuddenremovalofherown.
ButasitwasnottobesupposedthatCaptainTilney,wheneverhemadehisapplication,wouldgivehisfatheranyjustideaofIsabella’sconduct,itoccurredtoherashighlyexpedientthatHenryshouldlaythewholebusinessbeforehimasitreallywas,enablingthegeneralbythatmeanstoformacoolandimpartialopinion,andpreparehisobjectionsonafairergroundthaninequalityofsituations.
“No,”saidhe,“myfather’shandsneednotbestrengthened,andFrederick’sconfessionoffollyneednotbeforestalled.Hemusttellhisownstory.”
Sometimesitappearedtothemasifhissilencewouldbethenaturalresultofthesuspectedengagement,andatothersthatitwaswhollyincompatiblewithit.
Thegeneral,meanwhile,thoughoffendedeverymorningbyFrederick’sremissnessinwriting,wasfreefromanyrealanxietyabouthim,andhadnomorepressingsolicitudethanthatofmakingMissMorland’stimeatNorthangerpasspleasantly.
Heoftenexpressedhisuneasinessonthishead,fearedthesamenessofeveryday’ssocietyandemploymentswoulddisgustherwiththeplace,wishedtheLadyFrasershadbeeninthecountry,talkedeverynowandthenofhavingalargepartytodinner,andonceortwicebeganeventocalculatethenumberofyoungdancingpeopleintheneighbourhood.
Anditallended,atlast,inhistellingHenryonemorningthatwhenhenextwenttoWoodston,theywouldtakehimbysurprisetheresomedayorother,andeattheirmuttonwithhim.
IexpectmysurveyorfromBrockhamwithhisreportinthemorning;andafterwardsIcannotindecencyfailattendingtheclub.
IreallycouldnotfacemyacquaintanceifIstayedawaynow;for,asIamknowntobeinthecountry,itwouldbetakenexceedinglyamiss;anditisarulewithme,MissMorland,nevertogiveoffencetoanyofmyneighbours,ifasmallsacrificeoftimeandattentioncanpreventit.Theyareasetofveryworthymen.
TwohoursandthreequarterswillcarryustoWoodston,Isuppose;weshallbeinthecarriagebyten;so,aboutaquarterbeforeoneonWednesday,youmaylookforus.”
AballitselfcouldnothavebeenmorewelcometoCatherinethanthislittleexcursion,sostrongwasherdesiretobeacquaintedwithWoodston;andherheartwasstillboundingwithjoywhenHenry,aboutanhourafterwards,camebootedandgreatcoatedintotheroomwheresheandEleanorweresitting,andsaid,“Iamcome,youngladies,inaverymoralizingstrain,toobservethatourpleasuresinthisworldarealwaystobepaidfor,andthatweoftenpurchasethematagreatdisadvantage,givingready–moniedactualhappinessforadraftonthefuture,thatmaynotbehonoured.
BecauseIamtohopeforthesatisfactionofseeingyouatWoodstononWednesday,whichbadweather,ortwentyothercauses,mayprevent,Imustgoawaydirectly,twodaysbeforeIintendedit.”
“Why!Howcanyouaskthequestion?Becausenotimeistobelostinfrighteningmyoldhousekeeperoutofherwits,becauseImustgoandprepareadinnerforyou,tobesure.”
“Buthowcanyouthinkofsuchathing,afterwhatthegeneralsaid?Whenhesoparticularlydesiredyounottogiveyourselfanytrouble,becauseanythingwoulddo.”
Youmustknowittobeso;andthegeneralmadesuchapointofyourprovidingnothingextraordinary:besides,ifhehadnotsaidhalfsomuchashedid,hehasalwayssuchanexcellentdinnerathome,thatsittingdowntoamiddlingoneforonedaycouldnotsignify.”
Hewent;and,itbeingatanytimeamuchsimpleroperationtoCatherinetodoubtherownjudgmentthanHenry’s,shewasverysoonobligedtogivehimcreditforbeingright,howeverdisagreeabletoherhisgoing.
Thathewasveryparticularinhiseating,shehad,byherownunassistedobservation,alreadydiscovered;butwhyheshouldsayonethingsopositively,andmeananotherallthewhile,wasmostunaccountable!
Thiswasthesadfinaleofeveryreflection:andCaptainTilney’sletterwouldcertainlycomeinhisabsence;andWednesdayshewasverysurewouldbewet.
Shewastiredofthewoodsandtheshrubberies—alwayssosmoothandsodry;andtheabbeyinitselfwasnomoretohernowthananyotherhouse.
Thepainfulremembranceofthefollyithadhelpedtonourishandperfectwastheonlyemotionwhichcouldspringfromaconsiderationofthebuilding.Whatarevolutioninherideas!
Now,therewasnothingsocharmingtoherimaginationastheunpretendingcomfortofawell–connectedparsonage,somethinglikeFullerton,butbetter:Fullertonhaditsfaults,butWoodstonprobablyhadnone.IfWednesdayshouldevercome!
Byteno’clock,thechaiseandfourconveyedthetwofromtheabbey;and,afteranagreeabledriveofalmosttwentymiles,theyenteredWoodston,alargeandpopulousvillage,inasituationnotunpleasant.
Catherinewasashamedtosayhowprettyshethoughtit,asthegeneralseemedtothinkanapologynecessaryfortheflatnessofthecountry,andthesizeofthevillage;butinherheartshepreferredittoanyplaceshehadeverbeenat,andlookedwithgreatadmirationateveryneathouseabovetherankofacottage,andatallthelittlechandler’sshopswhichtheypassed.
Atthefurtherendofthevillage,andtolerablydisengagedfromtherestofit,stoodtheparsonage,anew–builtsubstantialstonehouse,withitssemicircularsweepandgreengates;and,astheydroveuptothedoor,Henry,withthefriendsofhissolitude,alargeNewfoundlandpuppyandtwoorthreeterriers,wasreadytoreceiveandmakemuchofthem.
Catherine’smindwastoofull,assheenteredthehouse,forhereithertoobserveortosayagreatdeal;and,tillcalledonbythegeneralforheropinionofit,shehadverylittleideaoftheroominwhichshewassitting.
Uponlookingrounditthen,sheperceivedinamomentthatitwasthemostcomfortableroomintheworld;butshewastooguardedtosayso,andthecoldnessofherpraisedisappointedhim.
“WearenotcomparingitwithFullertonandNorthanger—weareconsideringitasamereparsonage,smallandconfined,weallow,butdecent,perhaps,andhabitable;andaltogethernotinferiortothegenerality;or,inotherwords,IbelievetherearefewcountryparsonagesinEnglandhalfsogood.Itmayadmitofimprovement,however.
Farbeitfrommetosayotherwise;andanythinginreason—abowthrownout,perhaps—though,betweenourselves,ifthereisonethingmorethananothermyaversion,itisapatched–onbow.”
Catherinedidnothearenoughofthisspeechtounderstandorbepainedbyit;andothersubjectsbeingstudiouslybroughtforwardandsupportedbyHenry,atthesametimethatatrayfullofrefreshmentswasintroducedbyhisservant,thegeneralwasshortlyrestoredtohiscomplacency,andCatherinetoallherusualeaseofspirits.
Theroominquestionwasofacommodious,well–proportionedsize,andhandsomelyfittedupasadining–parlour;andontheirquittingittowalkroundthegrounds,shewasshown,firstintoasmallerapartment,belongingpeculiarlytothemasterofthehouse,andmadeunusuallytidyontheoccasion;andafterwardsintowhatwastobethedrawing–room,withtheappearanceofwhich,thoughunfurnished,Catherinewasdelightedenougheventosatisfythegeneral.
Itwasaprettilyshapedroom,thewindowsreachingtotheground,andtheviewfromthempleasant,thoughonlyovergreenmeadows;andsheexpressedheradmirationatthemomentwithallthehonestsimplicitywithwhichshefeltit.“Oh!
“Itrust,”saidthegeneral,withamostsatisfiedsmile,“thatitwillveryspeedilybefurnished:itwaitsonlyforalady’staste!”
“Well,ifitwasmyhouse,Ishouldneversitanywhereelse.Oh!Whatasweetlittlecottagethereisamongthetrees—appletrees,too!Itistheprettiestcottage!”
“Youlikeit—youapproveitasanobject—itisenough.Henry,rememberthatRobinsonisspokentoaboutit.Thecottageremains.”
SuchacomplimentrecalledallCatherine’sconsciousness,andsilencedherdirectly;and,thoughpointedlyappliedtobythegeneralforherchoiceoftheprevailingcolourofthepaperandhangings,nothinglikeanopiniononthesubjectcouldbedrawnfromher.
Theinfluenceoffreshobjectsandfreshair,however,wasofgreatuseindissipatingtheseembarrassingassociations;and,havingreachedtheornamentalpartofthepremises,consistingofawalkroundtwosidesofameadow,onwhichHenry’sgeniushadbeguntoactabouthalfayearago,shewassufficientlyrecoveredtothinkitprettierthananypleasure–groundshehadeverbeeninbefore,thoughtherewasnotashrubinithigherthanthegreenbenchinthecorner.
Asaunterintoothermeadows,andthroughpartofthevillage,withavisittothestablestoexaminesomeimprovements,andacharminggameofplaywithalitterofpuppiesjustabletorollabout,broughtthemtofouro’clock,whenCatherinescarcelythoughtitcouldbethree.
Shecouldnotbutobservethattheabundanceofthedinnerdidnotseemtocreatethesmallestastonishmentinthegeneral;nay,thathewasevenlookingattheside–tableforcoldmeatwhichwasnotthere.
Theyhadseldomseenhimeatsoheartilyatanytablebuthisown,andneverbeforeknownhimsolittledisconcertedbythemeltedbutter’sbeingoiled.
Atsixo’clock,thegeneralhavingtakenhiscoffee,thecarriageagainreceivedthem;andsogratifyinghadbeenthetenorofhisconductthroughoutthewholevisit,sowellassuredwashermindonthesubjectofhisexpectations,that,couldshehavefeltequallyconfidentofthewishesofhisson,CatherinewouldhavequittedWoodstonwithlittleanxietyastotheHowortheWhenshemightreturntoit.
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