Northanger Abbey 6 страница

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sort to it as you do. But papas and mammas, and brothers,

and intimate friends are a good deal gone by, to most of

the frequenters of Bath--and the honest relish of balls

and plays, and everyday sights, is past with them. "

Here their conversation closed, the demands of the dance

becoming now too importunate for a divided attention.

Soon after their reaching the bottom of the set,

Catherine perceived herself to be earnestly regarded by a

gentleman who stood among the lookers-on, immediately behind

her partner. He was a very handsome man, of a commanding

aspect, past the bloom, but not past the vigour of life;

and with his eye still directed towards her, she saw him

presently address Mr. Tilney in a familiar whisper.

Confused by his notice, and blushing from the fear of

its being excited by something wrong in her appearance,

she turned away her head. But while she did so,

the gentleman retreated, and her partner, coming nearer,

said, " I see that you guess what I have just been asked.

That gentleman knows your name, and you have a right

to know his. It is General Tilney, my father. "

Catherine`s answer was only " Oh! " --but it was an " Oh! "

expressing everything needful: attention to his words,

and perfect reliance on their truth. With real interest

and strong admiration did her eye now follow the general,

as he moved through the crowd, and " How handsome a family

they are! " was her secret remark.

In chatting with Miss Tilney before the evening concluded,

a new source of felicity arose to her. She had never taken

a country walk since her arrival in Bath. Miss Tilney,

to whom all the commonly frequented environs were familiar,

spoke of them in terms which made her all eagerness

to know them too; and on her openly fearing that she

might find nobody to go with her, it was proposed by

the brother and sister that they should join in a walk,

some morning or other. " I shall like it, " she cried,

" beyond anything in the world; and do not let us put it

off--let us go tomorrow. " This was readily agreed to,

with only a proviso of Miss Tilney`s, that it did not rain,

which Catherine was sure it would not. At twelve

o`clock, they were to call for her in Pulteney Street;

and " Remember--twelve o`clock, " was her parting speech

to her new friend. Of her other, her older, her more

established friend, Isabella, of whose fidelity and worth

she had enjoyed a fortnight`s experience, she scarcely

saw anything during the evening. Yet, though longing

to make her acquainted with her happiness, she cheerfully

submitted to the wish of Mr. Allen, which took them

rather early away, and her spirits danced within her,

as she danced in her chair all the way home.

CHAPTER 11

The morrow brought a very sober-looking morning,

the sun making only a few efforts to appear, and Catherine

augured from it everything most favourable to her wishes.

A bright morning so early in the year, she allowed,

would generally turn to rain, but a cloudy one foretold

improvement as the day advanced. She applied to

Mr. Allen for confirmation of her hopes, but Mr. Allen,

not having his own skies and barometer about him,

declined giving any absolute promise of sunshine.

She applied to Mrs. Allen, and Mrs. Allen`s opinion was

more positive. " She had no doubt in the world of its

being a very fine day, if the clouds would only go off,

and the sun keep out. "

At about eleven o`clock, however, a few specks of small

rain upon the windows caught Catherine`s watchful eye,

and " Oh! dear, I do believe it will be wet, " broke from

her in a most desponding tone.

" I thought how it would be, " said Mrs. Allen.

" No walk for me today, " sighed Catherine; " but perhaps

it may come to nothing, or it may hold up before twelve. "

" Perhaps it may, but then, my dear, it will be so dirty. "

" Oh! That will not signify; I never mind dirt. "

" No, " replied her friend very placidly, " I know you

never mind dirt. "

After a short pause, " It comes on faster and faster! "

said Catherine, as she stood watching at a window.

" So it does indeed. If it keeps raining, the streets

will be very wet. "

" There are four umbrellas up already. How I hate

the sight of an umbrella! "

" They are disagreeable things to carry. I would

much rather take a chair at any time. "

" It was such a nice-looking morning! I felt

so convinced it would be dry! "

" Anybody would have thought so indeed. There will

be very few people in the pump-room, if it rains all

the morning. I hope Mr. Allen will put on his greatcoat

when he goes, but I dare say he will not, for he had rather

do anything in the world than walk out in a greatcoat;

I wonder he should dislike it, it must be so comfortable. "

The rain continued--fast, though not heavy.

Catherine went every five minutes to the clock,

threatening on each return that, if it still kept on

raining another five minutes, she would give up the matter

as hopeless. The clock struck twelve, and it still rained.

" You will not be able to go, my dear. "

" I do not quite despair yet. I shall not give

it up till a quarter after twelve. This is just

the time of day for it to clear up, and I do think it

looks a little lighter. There, it is twenty minutes

after twelve, and now I shall give it up entirely.

Oh! That we had such weather here as they had at Udolpho,

or at least in Tuscany and the south of France! --the

night that poor St. Aubin died! --such beautiful weather! "

At half past twelve, when Catherine`s anxious attention

to the weather was over and she could no longer claim

any merit from its amendment, the sky began voluntarily

to clear. A gleam of sunshine took her quite by surprise;

she looked round; the clouds were parting, and she instantly

returned to the window to watch over and encourage the

happy appearance. Ten minutes more made it certain that a

bright afternoon would succeed, and justified the opinion

of Mrs. Allen, who had " always thought it would clear up. "

But whether Catherine might still expect her friends,

whether there had not been too much rain for Miss Tilney

to venture, must yet be a question.

It was too dirty for Mrs. Allen to accompany her

husband to the pump-room; he accordingly set off by himself,

and Catherine had barely watched him down the street

when her notice was claimed by the approach of the same

two open carriages, containing the same three people

that had surprised her so much a few mornings back.

" Isabella, my brother, and Mr. Thorpe, I declare!

They are coming for me perhaps--but I shall not go--I

cannot go indeed, for you know Miss Tilney may still call. "

Mrs. Allen agreed to it. John Thorpe was soon with them,

and his voice was with them yet sooner, for on the

stairs he was calling out to Miss Morland to be quick.

" Make haste! Make haste! " as he threw open the door.

" Put on your hat this moment--there is no time to be lost--we

are going to Bristol. How d`ye do, Mrs. Allen? "

" To Bristol! Is not that a great way off? But,

however, I cannot go with you today, because I am engaged;

I expect some friends every moment. " This was of course

vehemently talked down as no reason at all; Mrs. Allen

was called on to second him, and the two others walked in,

to give their assistance. " My sweetest Catherine, is not

this delightful? We shall have a most heavenly drive.

You are to thank your brother and me for the scheme;

it darted into our heads at breakfast-time, I verily

believe at the same instant; and we should have been off

two hours ago if it had not been for this detestable rain.

But it does not signify, the nights are moonlight, and we

shall do delightfully. Oh! I am in such ecstasies at the

thoughts of a little country air and quiet! So much better

than going to the Lower Rooms. We shall drive directly

to Clifton and dine there; and, as soon as dinner is over,

if there is time for it, go on to Kingsweston. "

" I doubt our being able to do so much, " said Morland.

" You croaking fellow! " cried Thorpe. " We shall

be able to do ten times more. Kingsweston! Aye,

and Blaize Castle too, and anything else we can hear of;

but here is your sister says she will not go. "

" Blaize Castle! " cried Catherine. " What is that`? "

" The finest place in England--worth going fifty

miles at any time to see. "

" What, is it really a castle, an old castle? "

" The oldest in the kingdom. "

" But is it like what one reads of? "

" Exactly--the very same. "

" But now really--are there towers and long galleries? "

" By dozens. "

" Then I should like to see it; but I cannot--I

cannot go.

" Not go! My beloved creature, what do you mean`? "

" I cannot go, because" --looking down as she spoke,

fearful of Isabella`s smile--" I expect Miss Tilney

and her brother to call on me to take a country walk.

They promised to come at twelve, only it rained; but now,

as it is so fine, I dare say they will be here soon. "

" Not they indeed, " cried Thorpe; " for, as we turned

into Broad Street, I saw them--does he not drive a phaeton

with bright chestnuts? "

" I do not know indeed. "

" Yes, I know he does; I saw him. You are talking

of the man you danced with last night, are not you? "

" Yes.

" Well, I saw him at that moment

turn up the Lansdown Road, driving a smart-looking girl. "

" Did you indeed? "

" Did upon my soul; knew him again directly, and he

seemed to have got some very pretty cattle too. "

" It is very odd! But I suppose they thought it would

be too dirty for a walk. "

" And well they might, for I never saw so much dirt

in my life. Walk! You could no more walk than you

could fly! It has not been so dirty the whole winter;

it is ankle-deep everywhere. "

Isabella corroborated it: " My dearest Catherine,

you cannot form an idea of the dirt; come, you must go;

you cannot refuse going now. "

" I should like to see the castle; but may we go

all over it? May we go up every staircase, and into every

suite of rooms? "

" Yes, yes, every hole and corner. "

" But then, if they should only be gone out for

an hour till it is dryer, and call by and by? "

" Make yourself easy, there is no danger of that,

for I heard Tilney hallooing to a man who was just passing

by on horseback, that they were going as far as Wick Rocks. "

" Then I will. Shall I go, Mrs. Allen? "

" Just as you please, my dear. "

" Mrs. Allen, you must persuade her to go, "

was the general cry. Mrs. Allen was not inattentive

to it: " Well, my dear, " said she, " suppose you go. "

And in two minutes they were off.

Catherine`s feelings, as she got into the carriage,

were in a very unsettled state; divided between regret

for the loss of one great pleasure, and the hope of soon

enjoying another, almost its equal in degree, however unlike

in kind. She could not think the Tilneys had acted quite

well by her, in so readily giving up their engagement,

without sending her any message of excuse. It was now

but an hour later than the time fixed on for the beginning

of their walk; and, in spite of what she had heard of the

prodigious accumulation of dirt in the course of that hour,

she could not from her own observation help thinking

that they might have gone with very little inconvenience.

To feel herself slighted by them was very painful.

On the other hand, the delight of exploring an edifice

like Udolpho, as her fancy represented Blaize Castle to be,

was such a counterpoise of good as might console her for

almost anything.

They passed briskly down Pulteney Street, and through

Laura Place, without the exchange of many words.

Thorpe talked to his horse, and she meditated, by turns,

on broken promises and broken arches, phaetons and

false hangings, Tilneys and trap-doors. As they entered

Argyle Buildings, however, she was roused by this address

from her companion, " Who is that girl who looked at you

so hard as she went by? "

" Who? Where? "

" On the right-hand pavement--she must be almost

out of sight now. " Catherine looked round and saw Miss

Tilney leaning on her brother`s arm, walking slowly down

the street. She saw them both looking back at her.

" Stop, stop, Mr. Thorpe, " she impatiently cried;

" it is Miss Tilney; it is indeed. How could you tell me

they were gone? Stop, stop, I will get out this moment

and go to them. " But to what purpose did she speak? Thorpe

only lashed his horse into a brisker trot; the Tilneys,

who had soon ceased to look after her, were in a moment

out of sight round the corner of Laura Place, and in another

moment she was herself whisked into the marketplace.

Still, however, and during the length of another street,

she entreated him to stop. " Pray, pray stop, Mr. Thorpe.

I cannot go on. I will not go on. I must go back to

Miss Tilney. " But Mr. Thorpe only laughed, smacked his whip,

encouraged his horse, made odd noises, and drove on;

and Catherine, angry and vexed as she was, having no

power of getting away, was obliged to give up the point

and submit. Her reproaches, however, were not spared.

" How could you deceive me so, Mr. Thorpe? How could you

say that you saw them driving up the Lansdown Road? I

would not have had it happen so for the world. They must

think it so strange, so rude of me! To go by them, too,

without saying a word! You do not know how vexed I am;

I shall have no pleasure at Clifton, nor in anything else.

I had rather, ten thousand times rather, get out now,

and walk back to them. How could you say you saw them driving

out in a phaeton? " Thorpe defended himself very stoutly,

declared he had never seen two men so much alike in his life,

and would hardly give up the point of its having been

Tilney himself.

Their drive, even when this subject was over, was not

likely to be very agreeable. Catherine`s complaisance

was no longer what it had been in their former airing.

She listened reluctantly, and her replies were short.

Blaize Castle remained her only comfort; towards that,

she still looked at intervals with pleasure; though rather

than be disappointed of the promised walk, and especially

rather than be thought ill of by the Tilneys, she would

willingly have given up all the happiness which its walls

could supply--the happiness of a progress through a long

suite of lofty rooms, exhibiting the remains of magnificent

furniture, though now for many years deserted--the happiness

of being stopped in their way along narrow, winding vaults,

by a low, grated door; or even of having their lamp,

their only lamp, extinguished by a sudden gust of wind,

and of being left in total darkness. In the meanwhile,

they proceeded on their journey without any mischance,

and were within view of the town of Keynsham, when a halloo

from Morland, who was behind them, made his friend pull up,

to know what was the matter. The others then came close

enough for conversation, and Morland said, " We had

better go back, Thorpe; it is too late to go on today;

your sister thinks so as well as I. We have been exactly

an hour coming from Pulteney Street, very little more

than seven miles; and, I suppose, we have at least eight

more to go. It will never do. We set out a great deal

too late. We had much better put it off till another day,

and turn round. "

" It is all one to me, " replied Thorpe rather angrily;

and instantly turning his horse, they were on their way

back to Bath.

" If your brother had not got such a d-- beast to drive, "

said he soon afterwards, " we might have done it very well.

My horse would have trotted to Clifton within the hour,

if left to himself, and I have almost broke my arm with

pulling him in to that cursed broken-winded jade`s pace.

Morland is a fool for not keeping a horse and gig of

his own. "

" No, he is not, " said Catherine warmly, " for I am

sure he could not afford it. "

" And why cannot he afford it? "

" Because he has not money enough. "

" And whose fault is that? "

" Nobody`s, that I know of. " Thorpe then said something

in the loud, incoherent way to which he had often recourse,

about its being a d-- thing to be miserly; and that if

people who rolled in money could not afford things,

he did not know who could, which Catherine did not even

endeavour to understand. Disappointed of what was to

have been the consolation for her first disappointment,

she was less and less disposed either to be agreeable

herself or to find her companion so; and they returned

to Pulteney Street without her speaking twenty words.

As she entered the house, the footman told her that a

gentleman and lady had catted and inquired for her a few

minutes after her setting off; that, when he told them she

was gone out with Mr. Thorpe, the lady had asked whether

any message had been left for her; and on his saying no,

had felt for a card, but said she had none about her,

and went away. Pondering over these heart-rending tidings,

Catherine walked slowly upstairs. At the head of them

she was met by Mr. Allen, who, on hearing the reason

of their speedy return, said, " I am glad your brother

had so much sense; I am glad you are come back.

It was a strange, wild scheme. "

They all spent the evening together at Thorpe`s.

Catherine was disturbed and out of spirits; but Isabella

seemed to find a pool of commerce, in the fate of

which she shared, by private partnership with Morland,

a very good equivalent for the quiet and country air

of an inn at Clifton. Her satisfaction, too, in not

being at the Lower Rooms was spoken more than once.

" How I pity the poor creatures that are going there! How

glad I am that I am not amongst them! I wonder whether

it will be a full ball or not! They have not begun

dancing yet. I would not be there for all the world.

It is so delightful to have an evening now and then

to oneself. I dare say it will not be a very good ball.

I know the Mitchells will not be there. I am sure I

pity everybody that is. But I dare say, Mr. Morland,

you long to be at it, do not you? I am sure you do.

Well, pray do not let anybody here be a restraint on you.

I dare say we could do very well without you; but you men

think yourselves of such consequence. "

Catherine could almost have accused Isabella of being

wanting in tenderness towards herself and her sorrows,

so very little did they appear to dwell on her mind,

and so very inadequate was the comfort she offered.

" Do not be so dull, my dearest creature, " she whispered.

" You will quite break my heart. It was amazingly shocking,

to be sure; but the Tilneys were entirely to blame.

Why were not they more punctual? It was dirty, indeed,

but what did that signify? I am sure John and I should

not have minded it. I never mind going through anything,

where a friend is concerned; that is my disposition,

and John is just the same; he has amazing strong feelings.

Good heavens! What a delightful hand you have got! Kings,

I vow! I never was so happy in my life! I would fifty times

rather you should have them than myself. "

And now I may dismiss my heroine to the

sleepless couch, which is the true heroine`s portion;

to a pillow strewed with thorns and wet with tears.

And lucky may she think herself, if she get another

good night`s rest in the course of the next three months.

CHAPTER 12

" Mrs. Allen, " said Catherine the next morning,

" will there be any harm in my calling on Miss Tilney today?

I shall not be easy till I have explained everything. "

" Go, by all means, my dear; only put on a white gown;

Miss Tilney always wears white. "

Catherine cheerfully complied, and being properly equipped,

was more impatient than ever to be at the pump-room,

that she might inform herself of General Tilneys lodgings,

for though she believed they were in Milsom Street,

she was not certain of the house, and Mrs. Allen`s wavering

convictions only made it more doubtful. To Milsom Street she

was directed, and having made herself perfect in the number,

hastened away with eager steps and a beating heart

to pay her visit, explain her conduct, and be forgiven;

tripping lightly through the church-yard, and resolutely

turning away her eyes, that she might not be obliged to see

her beloved Isabella and her dear family, who, she had

reason to believe, were in a shop hard by. She reached

the house without any impediment, looked at the number,

knocked at the door, and inquired for Miss Tilney.

The man believed Miss Tilney to be at home, but was not

quite certain. Would she be pleased to send up her name?

She gave her card. In a few minutes the servant returned,

and with a look which did not quite confirm his words,

said he had been mistaken, for that Miss Tilney was

walked out. Catherine, with a blush of mortification,

left the house. She felt almost persuaded that Miss

Tilney was at home, and too much offended to admit her;

and as she retired down the street, could not withhold

one glance at the drawing-room windows, in expectation

of seeing her there, but no one appeared at them.

At the bottom of the street, however, she looked back again,

and then, not at a window, but issuing from the door,

she saw Miss Tilney herself. She was followed by

a gentleman, whom Catherine believed to be her father,

and they turned up towards Edgar`s Buildings.

Catherine, in deep mortification, proceeded on her way.

She could almost be angry herself at such angry incivility;

but she checked the resentful sensation; she remembered

her own ignorance. She knew not how such an offence as hers

might be classed by the laws of worldly politeness, to what

a degree of unforgivingness it might with propriety lead,

nor to what rigours of rudeness in return it might justly

make her amenable.

Dejected and humbled, she had even some thoughts of not

going with the others to the theatre that night; but it

must be confessed that they were not of long continuance,

for she soon recollected, in the first place, that she was

without any excuse for staying at home; and, in the second,

that it was a play she wanted very much to see.

To the theatre accordingly they all went; no Tilneys

appeared to plague or please her; she feared that,

amongst the many perfections of the family, a fondness

for plays was not to be ranked; but perhaps it was because

they were habituated to the finer performances of the

London stage, which she knew, on Isabella`s authority,

rendered everything else of the kind " quite horrid. "

She was not deceived in her own expectation of pleasure;

the comedy so well suspended her care that no one,

observing her during the first four acts, would have supposed

she had any wretchedness about her. On the beginning

of the fifth, however, the sudden view of Mr. Henry Tilney

and his father, joining a party in the opposite box,

recalled her to anxiety and distress. The stage could

no longer excite genuine merriment--no longer keep her

whole attention. Every other look upon an average was

directed towards the opposite box; and, for the space

of two entire scenes, did she thus watch Henry Tilney,

without being once able to catch his eye. No longer could

he be suspected of indifference for a play; his notice was

never withdrawn from the stage during two whole scenes.

At length, however, he did look towards her, and he

bowed--but such a bow! No smile, no continued observance

attended it; his eyes were immediately returned to their

former direction. Catherine was restlessly miserable;

she could almost have run round to the box in which he sat

and forced him to hear her explanation. Feelings rather

natural than heroic possessed her; instead of considering

her own dignity injured by this ready condemnation--instead

of proudly resolving, in conscious innocence, to show her

resentment towards him who could harbour a doubt of it,

to leave to him all the trouble of seeking an explanation,

and to enlighten him on the past only by avoiding his sight,

or flirting with somebody else--she took to herself all

the shame of misconduct, or at least of its appearance,

and was only eager for an opportunity of explaining

its cause.

The play concluded--the curtain fell--Henry Tilney

was no longer to be seen where he had hitherto sat, but his

father remained, and perhaps he might be now coming round

to their box. She was right; in a few minutes he appeared,

and, making his way through the then thinning rows,

spoke with like calm politeness to Mrs. Allen and her friend.

Not with such calmness was he answered by the latter:

" Oh! Mr. Tilney, I have been quite wild to speak to you,

and make my apologies. You must have thought me so rude;

but indeed it was not my own fault, was it, Mrs. Allen?

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