northanger abbey-第15章

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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　supplythe　happiness　of　a　progress　through　a　long



suite　of　lofty　rooms；　exhibiting　the　remains　of　magnificent



furniture；　though　now　for　many　years　desertedthe　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