Shecouldneithersitstillnoremployherselffortenminutestogether,walkingroundthegardenandorchardagainandagain,asifnothingbutmotionwasvoluntary;anditseemedasifshecouldevenwalkaboutthehouseratherthanremainfixedforanytimeintheparlour.
Inherramblingandheridlenessshemightonlybeacaricatureofherself;butinhersilenceandsadnessshewastheveryreverseofallthatshehadbeenbefore.
FortwodaysMrs.Morlandallowedittopassevenwithoutahint;butwhenathirdnight’sresthadneitherrestoredhercheerfulness,improvedherinusefulactivity,norgivenheragreaterinclinationforneedlework,shecouldnolongerrefrainfromthegentlereproofof,“MydearCatherine,Iamafraidyouaregrowingquiteafinelady.
“ThenyouarefrettingaboutGeneralTilney,andthatisverysimpleofyou;fortentoonewhetheryoueverseehimagain.Youshouldneverfretabouttrifles.”
Afterashortsilence—“Ihope,myCatherine,youarenotgettingoutofhumourwithhomebecauseitisnotsograndasNorthanger.
Whereveryouareyoushouldalwaysbecontented,butespeciallyathome,becausethereyoumustspendthemostofyourtime.
“Thereisaverycleveressayinoneofthebooksupstairsuponmuchsuchasubject,aboutyounggirlsthathavebeenspoiltforhomebygreatacquaintance—TheMirror,Ithink.
Catherinesaidnomore,and,withanendeavourtodoright,appliedtoherwork;but,afterafewminutes,sunkagain,withoutknowingitherself,intolanguorandlistlessness,movingherselfinherchair,fromtheirritationofweariness,muchoftenerthanshemovedherneedle.
Mrs.Morlandwatchedtheprogressofthisrelapse;andseeing,inherdaughter’sabsentanddissatisfiedlook,thefullproofofthatrepiningspirittowhichshehadnowbeguntoattributeherwantofcheerfulness,hastilylefttheroomtofetchthebookinquestion,anxioustolosenotimeinattackingsodreadfulamalady.
Itwassometimebeforeshecouldfindwhatshelookedfor;andotherfamilymattersoccurringtodetainher,aquarterofanhourhadelapsedereshereturneddownstairswiththevolumefromwhichsomuchwashoped.
Heravocationsabovehavingshutoutallnoisebutwhatshecreatedherself,sheknewnotthatavisitorhadarrivedwithinthelastfewminutes,till,onenteringtheroom,thefirstobjectshebeheldwasayoungmanwhomshehadneverseenbefore.
Withalookofmuchrespect,heimmediatelyrose,andbeingintroducedtoherbyherconsciousdaughteras“Mr.HenryTilney,”withtheembarrassmentofrealsensibilitybegantoapologizeforhisappearancethere,acknowledgingthatafterwhathadpassedhehadlittlerighttoexpectawelcomeatFullerton,andstatinghisimpatiencetobeassuredofMissMorland’shavingreachedherhomeinsafety,asthecauseofhisintrusion.
Farfromcomprehendinghimorhissisterintheirfather’smisconduct,Mrs.Morlandhadbeenalwayskindlydisposedtowardseach,andinstantly,pleasedbyhisappearance,receivedhimwiththesimpleprofessionsofunaffectedbenevolence;thankinghimforsuchanattentiontoherdaughter,assuringhimthatthefriendsofherchildrenwerealwayswelcomethere,andentreatinghimtosaynotanotherwordofthepast.
Hewasnotill–inclinedtoobeythisrequest,for,thoughhisheartwasgreatlyrelievedbysuchunlooked–formildness,itwasnotjustatthatmomentinhispowertosayanythingtothepurpose.
Returninginsilencetohisseat,therefore,heremainedforsomeminutesmostcivillyansweringallMrs.Morland’scommonremarksabouttheweatherandroads.
Catherinemeanwhile—theanxious,agitated,happy,feverishCatherine—saidnotaword;butherglowingcheekandbrightenedeyemadehermothertrustthatthisgood–naturedvisitwouldatleastsetherheartateaseforatime,andgladlythereforedidshelayasidethefirstvolumeofTheMirrorforafuturehour.
DesirousofMr.Morland’sassistance,aswellingivingencouragement,asinfindingconversationforherguest,whoseembarrassmentonhisfather’saccountsheearnestlypitied,Mrs.Morlandhadveryearlydispatchedoneofthechildrentosummonhim;butMr.Morlandwasfromhome—andbeingthuswithoutanysupport,attheendofaquarterofanhourshehadnothingtosay.
Afteracoupleofminutes’unbrokensilence,Henry,turningtoCatherineforthefirsttimesincehermother’sentrance,askedher,withsuddenalacrity,ifMr.andMrs.AllenwerenowatFullerton?
Andondeveloping,fromamidstallherperplexityofwordsinreply,themeaning,whichoneshortsyllablewouldhavegiven,immediatelyexpressedhisintentionofpayinghisrespectstothem,and,witharisingcolour,askedherifshewouldhavethegoodnesstoshowhimtheway.
“Youmayseethehousefromthiswindow,sir,”wasinformationonSarah’sside,whichproducedonlyabowofacknowledgmentfromthegentleman,andasilencingnodfromhermother;forMrs.Morland,thinkingitprobable,asasecondaryconsiderationinhiswishofwaitingontheirworthyneighbours,thathemighthavesomeexplanationtogiveofhisfather’sbehaviour,whichitmustbemorepleasantforhimtocommunicateonlytoCatherine,wouldnotonanyaccountpreventheraccompanyinghim.
Someexplanationonhisfather’saccounthehadtogive;buthisfirstpurposewastoexplainhimself,andbeforetheyreachedMr.Allen’sgroundshehaddoneitsowellthatCatherinedidnotthinkitcouldeverberepeatedtoooften.
Shewasassuredofhisaffection;andthatheartinreturnwassolicited,which,perhaps,theyprettyequallyknewwasalreadyentirelyhisown;for,thoughHenrywasnowsincerelyattachedtoher,thoughhefeltanddelightedinalltheexcellenciesofhercharacterandtrulylovedhersociety,Imustconfessthathisaffectionoriginatedinnothingbetterthangratitude,or,inotherwords,thatapersuasionofherpartialityforhimhadbeentheonlycauseofgivingheraseriousthought.
Itisanewcircumstanceinromance,Iacknowledge,anddreadfullyderogatoryofanheroine’sdignity;butifitbeasnewincommonlife,thecreditofawildimaginationwillatleastbeallmyown.
AveryshortvisittoMrs.Allen,inwhichHenrytalkedatrandom,withoutsenseorconnection,andCatherine,raptinthecontemplationofherownunutterablehappiness,scarcelyopenedherlips,dismissedthemtotheecstasiesofanothertete–a–tete;andbeforeitwassufferedtoclose,shewasenabledtojudgehowfarhewassanctionedbyparentalauthorityinhispresentapplication.
OnhisreturnfromWoodston,twodaysbefore,hehadbeenmetneartheabbeybyhisimpatientfather,hastilyinformedinangrytermsofMissMorland’sdeparture,andorderedtothinkofhernomore.
TheaffrightedCatherine,amidstalltheterrorsofexpectation,asshelistenedtothisaccount,couldnotbutrejoiceinthekindcautionwithwhichHenryhadsavedherfromthenecessityofaconscientiousrejection,byengagingherfaithbeforehementionedthesubject;andasheproceededtogivetheparticulars,andexplainthemotivesofhisfather’sconduct,herfeelingssoonhardenedintoevenatriumphantdelight.
Thegeneralhadhadnothingtoaccuseherof,nothingtolaytohercharge,butherbeingtheinvoluntary,unconsciousobjectofadeceptionwhichhispridecouldnotpardon,andwhichabetterpridewouldhavebeenashamedtoown.
Underamistakenpersuasionofherpossessionsandclaims,hehadcourtedheracquaintanceinBath,solicitedhercompanyatNorthanger,anddesignedherforhisdaughter–in–law.
Ondiscoveringhiserror,toturnherfromthehouseseemedthebest,thoughtohisfeelingsaninadequateproofofhisresentmenttowardsherself,andhiscontemptofherfamily.
JohnThorpehadfirstmisledhim.Thegeneral,perceivinghissononenightatthetheatretobepayingconsiderableattentiontoMissMorland,hadaccidentallyinquiredofThorpeifheknewmoreofherthanhername.
Thorpe,mosthappytobeonspeakingtermswithamanofGeneralTilney’simportance,hadbeenjoyfullyandproudlycommunicative;andbeingatthattimenotonlyindailyexpectationofMorland’sengagingIsabella,butlikewiseprettywellresolveduponmarryingCatherinehimself,hisvanityinducedhimtorepresentthefamilyasyetmorewealthythanhisvanityandavaricehadmadehimbelievethem.
Withwhomsoeverhewas,orwaslikelytobeconnected,hisownconsequencealwaysrequiredthattheirsshouldbegreat,andashisintimacywithanyacquaintancegrew,soregularlygrewtheirfortune.
TheexpectationsofhisfriendMorland,therefore,fromthefirstoverrated,hadeversincehisintroductiontoIsabellabeengraduallyincreasing;andbymerelyaddingtwiceasmuchforthegrandeurofthemoment,bydoublingwhathechosetothinktheamountofMr.Morland’spreferment,treblinghisprivatefortune,bestowingarichaunt,andsinkinghalfthechildren,hewasabletorepresentthewholefamilytothegeneralinamostrespectablelight.
ForCatherine,however,thepeculiarobjectofthegeneral’scuriosity,andhisownspeculations,hehadyetsomethingmoreinreserve,andthetenorfifteenthousandpoundswhichherfathercouldgiveherwouldbeaprettyadditiontoMr.Allen’sestate.
Herintimacytherehadmadehimseriouslydetermineonherbeinghandsomelylegaciedhereafter;andtospeakofherthereforeasthealmostacknowledgedfutureheiressofFullertonnaturallyfollowed.
Thorpe’sinterestinthefamily,byhissister’sapproachingconnectionwithoneofitsmembers,andhisownviewsonanother(circumstancesofwhichheboastedwithalmostequalopenness),seemedsufficientvouchersforhistruth;andtothesewereaddedtheabsolutefactsoftheAllensbeingwealthyandchildless,ofMissMorland’sbeingundertheircare,and—assoonashisacquaintanceallowedhimtojudge—oftheirtreatingherwithparentalkindness.
AlreadyhadhediscernedalikingtowardsMissMorlandinthecountenanceofhisson;andthankfulforMr.Thorpe’scommunication,healmostinstantlydeterminedtosparenopainsinweakeninghisboastedinterestandruininghisdearesthopes.
HenryandEleanor,perceivingnothinginhersituationlikelytoengagetheirfather’sparticularrespect,hadseenwithastonishmentthesuddenness,continuance,andextentofhisattention;andthoughlatterly,fromsomehintswhichhadaccompaniedanalmostpositivecommandtohissonofdoingeverythinginhispowertoattachher,Henrywasconvincedofhisfather’sbelievingittobeanadvantageousconnection,itwasnottillthelateexplanationatNorthangerthattheyhadthesmallestideaofthefalsecalculationswhichhadhurriedhimon.
Thattheywerefalse,thegeneralhadlearntfromtheverypersonwhohadsuggestedthem,fromThorpehimself,whomhehadchancedtomeetagainintown,andwho,undertheinfluenceofexactlyoppositefeelings,irritatedbyCatherine’srefusal,andyetmorebythefailureofaveryrecentendeavourtoaccomplishareconciliationbetweenMorlandandIsabella,convincedthattheywereseparatedforever,andspurningafriendshipwhichcouldbenolongerserviceable,hastenedtocontradictallthathehadsaidbeforetotheadvantageoftheMorlands—confessedhimselftohavebeentotallymistakeninhisopinionoftheircircumstancesandcharacter,misledbytherhodomontadeofhisfriendtobelievehisfatheramanofsubstanceandcredit,whereasthetransactionsofthetwoorthreelastweeksprovedhimtobeneither;foraftercomingeagerlyforwardonthefirstovertureofamarriagebetweenthefamilies,withthemostliberalproposals,hehad,onbeingbroughttothepointbytheshrewdnessoftherelator,beenconstrainedtoacknowledgehimselfincapableofgivingtheyoungpeopleevenadecentsupport.
Theywere,infact,anecessitousfamily;numerous,too,almostbeyondexample;bynomeansrespectedintheirownneighbourhood,ashehadlatelyhadparticularopportunitiesofdiscovering;aimingatastyleoflifewhichtheirfortunecouldnotwarrant;seekingtobetterthemselvesbywealthyconnections;aforward,bragging,schemingrace.
TheAllens,hebelieved,hadlivednearthemtoolong,andheknewtheyoungmanonwhomtheFullertonestatemustdevolve.Thegeneralneedednomore.
Enragedwithalmosteverybodyintheworldbuthimself,hesetoutthenextdayfortheabbey,wherehisperformanceshavebeenseen.
Ileaveittomyreader’ssagacitytodeterminehowmuchofallthisitwaspossibleforHenrytocommunicateatthistimetoCatherine,howmuchofithecouldhavelearntfromhisfather,inwhatpointshisownconjecturesmightassisthim,andwhatportionmustyetremaintobetoldinaletterfromJames.
Catherine,atanyrate,heardenoughtofeelthatinsuspectingGeneralTilneyofeithermurderingorshuttinguphiswife,shehadscarcelysinnedagainsthischaracter,ormagnifiedhiscruelty.
Henry’sindignationonhearinghowCatherinehadbeentreated,oncomprehendinghisfather’sviews,andbeingorderedtoacquiesceinthem,hadbeenopenandbold.
Thegeneral,accustomedoneveryordinaryoccasiontogivethelawinhisfamily,preparedfornoreluctancebutoffeeling,noopposingdesirethatshoulddaretoclotheitselfinwords,couldillbrooktheoppositionofhisson,steadyasthesanctionofreasonandthedictateofconsciencecouldmakeit.
But,insuchacause,hisanger,thoughitmustshock,couldnotintimidateHenry,whowassustainedinhispurposebyaconvictionofitsjustice.
HefelthimselfboundasmuchinhonourasinaffectiontoMissMorland,andbelievingthathearttobehisownwhichhehadbeendirectedtogain,nounworthyretractionofatacitconsent,noreversingdecreeofunjustifiableanger,couldshakehisfidelity,orinfluencetheresolutionsitprompted.
Share this article to
FINISH