ThenextmorningbroughtthefollowingveryunexpectedletterfromIsabella: MydearestCatherine,Ireceivedyourtwokindletterswiththegreatestdelight,andhaveathousandapologiestomakefornotansweringthemsooner. Ireallyamquiteashamedofmyidleness;butinthishorridplaceonecanfindtimefornothing. IhavehadmypeninmyhandtobeginalettertoyoualmosteverydaysinceyouleftBath,buthavealwaysbeenpreventedbysomesillytriflerorother. Praywritetomesoon,anddirecttomyownhome. ThankGod,weleavethisvileplacetomorrow. Sinceyouwentaway,Ihavehadnopleasureinit—thedustisbeyondanything;andeverybodyonecaresforisgone. IbelieveifIcouldseeyouIshouldnotmindtherest,foryouaredearertomethananybodycanconceive. Iamquiteuneasyaboutyourdearbrother,nothavingheardfromhimsincehewenttoOxford;andamfearfulofsomemisunderstanding. Yourkindofficeswillsetallright:heistheonlymanIeverdidorcouldlove,andItrustyouwillconvincehimofit. Thespringfashionsarepartlydown;andthehatsthemostfrightfulyoucanimagine. Ihopeyouspendyourtimepleasantly,butamafraidyouneverthinkofme. IwillnotsayallthatIcouldofthefamilyyouarewith,becauseIwouldnotbeungenerous,orsetyouagainstthoseyouesteem;butitisverydifficulttoknowwhomtotrust,andyoungmenneverknowtheirmindstwodaystogether. Irejoicetosaythattheyoungmanwhom,ofallothers,Iparticularlyabhor,hasleftBath. Youwillknow,fromthisdescription,ImustmeanCaptainTilney,who,asyoumayremember,wasamazinglydisposedtofollowandteaseme,beforeyouwentaway. Afterwardshegotworse,andbecamequitemyshadow. Manygirlsmighthavebeentakenin,forneverweresuchattentions;butIknewtheficklesextoowell. Hewentawaytohisregimenttwodaysago,andItrustIshallneverbeplaguedwithhimagain. HeisthegreatestcoxcombIeversaw,andamazinglydisagreeable. ThelasttwodayshewasalwaysbythesideofCharlotteDavis:Ipitiedhistaste,buttooknonoticeofhim. ThelasttimewemetwasinBathStreet,andIturneddirectlyintoashopthathemightnotspeaktome;Iwouldnotevenlookathim. Hewentintothepump–roomafterwards;butIwouldnothavefollowedhimforalltheworld. Suchacontrastbetweenhimandyourbrother! Praysendmesomenewsofthelatter—Iamquiteunhappyabouthim;heseemedsouncomfortablewhenhewentaway,withacold,orsomethingthataffectedhisspirits. Iwouldwritetohimmyself,buthavemislaidhisdirection;and,asIhintedabove,amafraidhetooksomethinginmyconductamiss. Prayexplaineverythingtohissatisfaction;or,ifhestillharboursanydoubt,alinefromhimselftome,oracallatPutneywhennextintown,mightsetalltorights. Ihavenotbeentotheroomsthisage,nortotheplay,exceptgoinginlastnightwiththeHodges,forafrolic,athalfprice:theyteasedmeintoit;andIwasdeterminedtheyshouldnotsayIshutmyselfupbecauseTilneywasgone. WehappenedtositbytheMitchells,andtheypretendedtobequitesurprisedtoseemeout. Iknewtheirspite:atonetimetheycouldnotbeciviltome,butnowtheyareallfriendship;butIamnotsuchafoolastobetakeninbythem. YouknowIhaveaprettygoodspiritofmyown. AnneMitchellhadtriedtoputonaturbanlikemine,asIworeittheweekbeforeattheconcert,butmadewretchedworkofit—ithappenedtobecomemyoddface,Ibelieve,atleastTilneytoldmesoatthetime,andsaideveryeyewasuponme;butheisthelastmanwhosewordIwouldtake. Iwearnothingbutpurplenow:IknowIlookhideousinit,butnomatter—itisyourdearbrother’sfavouritecolour. Losenotime,mydearest,sweetestCatherine,inwritingtohimandtome,Whoeveram,etc. SuchastrainofshallowartificecouldnotimposeevenuponCatherine. Itsinconsistencies,contradictions,andfalsehoodstruckherfromtheveryfirst. ShewasashamedofIsabella,andashamedofhavingeverlovedher. Herprofessionsofattachmentwerenowasdisgustingasherexcuseswereempty,andherdemandsimpudent.“WritetoJamesonherbehalf! No,JamesshouldneverhearIsabella’snamementionedbyheragain.” OnHenry’sarrivalfromWoodston,shemadeknowntohimandEleanortheirbrother’ssafety,congratulatingthemwithsincerityonit,andreadingaloudthemostmaterialpassagesofherletterwithstrongindignation. Whenshehadfinishedit—“SomuchforIsabella,”shecried,“andforallourintimacy! Shemustthinkmeanidiot,orshecouldnothavewrittenso;butperhapsthishasservedtomakehercharacterbetterknowntomethanmineistoher.Iseewhatshehasbeenabout. Sheisavaincoquette,andhertrickshavenotanswered. IdonotbelieveshehadeveranyregardeitherforJamesorforme,andIwishIhadneverknownher.” “Itwillsoonbeasifyouneverhad,”saidHenry. “ThereisbutonethingthatIcannotunderstand. IseethatshehashaddesignsonCaptainTilney,whichhavenotsucceeded;butIdonotunderstandwhatCaptainTilneyhasbeenaboutallthistime. Whyshouldhepayhersuchattentionsastomakeherquarrelwithmybrother,andthenflyoffhimself?” “IhaveverylittletosayforFrederick’smotives,suchasIbelievethemtohavebeen. HehashisvanitiesaswellasMissThorpe,andthechiefdifferenceis,that,havingastrongerhead,theyhavenotyetinjuredhimself. Iftheeffectofhisbehaviourdoesnotjustifyhimwithyou,wehadbetternotseekafterthecause.” “Thenyoudonotsupposeheeverreallycaredabouther?” “Iampersuadedthatheneverdid.” “Andonlymadebelievetodosoformischief’ssake?” “Well,then,ImustsaythatIdonotlikehimatall. Thoughithasturnedoutsowellforus,Idonotlikehimatall. Asithappens,thereisnogreatharmdone,becauseIdonotthinkIsabellahasanyhearttolose. But,supposehehadmadeherverymuchinlovewithhim?” “ButwemustfirstsupposeIsabellatohavehadahearttolose—consequentlytohavebeenaverydifferentcreature;and,inthatcase,shewouldhavemetwithverydifferenttreatment.” “Itisveryrightthatyoushouldstandbyyourbrother.” “Andifyouwouldstandbyyours,youwouldnotbemuchdistressedbythedisappointmentofMissThorpe. Butyourmindiswarpedbyaninnateprincipleofgeneralintegrity,andthereforenotaccessibletothecoolreasoningsoffamilypartiality,oradesireofrevenge.” Catherinewascomplimentedoutoffurtherbitterness. Frederickcouldnotbeunpardonablyguilty,whileHenrymadehimselfsoagreeable. SheresolvedonnotansweringIsabella’sletter,andtriedtothinknomoreofit. 
