northanger abbey-第2章

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as　the　female　mind　at　seventeen　usually　is。　







　　　　　When　the　hour　of　departure　drew　near；　the　maternal



anxiety　of　Mrs。　Morland　will　be　naturally　supposed　to　be



most　severe。　　A　thousand　alarming　presentiments　of　evil



to　her　beloved　Catherine　from　this　terrific　separation



must　oppress　her　heart　with　sadness；　and　drown　her　in



tears　for　the　last　day　or　two　of　their　being　together；



and　advice　of　the　most　important　and　applicable　nature



must　of　course　flow　from　her　wise　lips　in　their　parting



conference　in　her　closet。　　Cautions　against　the　violence



of　such　noblemen　and　baronets　as　delight　in　forcing



young　ladies　away　to　some　remote　farm…house；　must；



at　such　a　moment；　relieve　the　fulness　of　her　heart。　



Who　would　not　think　so？　But　Mrs。　Morland　knew　so　little



of　lords　and　baronets；　that　she　entertained　no　notion　of



their　general　mischievousness；　and　was　wholly　unsuspicious



of　danger　to　her　daughter　from　their　machinations。　



Her　cautions　were　confined　to　the　following　points。　



〃I　beg；　Catherine；　you　will　always　wrap　yourself　up



very　warm　about　the　throat；　when　you　come　from　the　rooms



at　night；　and　I　wish　you　would　try　to　keep　some　account



of　the　money　you　spend；　I　will　give　you　this　little　book



on　purpose。　







　　　　　Sally；　or　rather　Sarah　（for　what　young　lady　of　common



gentility　will　reach　the　age　of　sixteen　without　altering



her　name　as　far　as　she　can？）；　must　from　situation　be　at　this



time　the　intimate　friend　and　confidante　of　her　sister。　



It　is　remarkable；　however；　that　she　neither　insisted　on



Catherine's　writing　by　every　post；　nor　exacted　her　promise



of　transmitting　the　character　of　every　new　acquaintance；



nor　a　detail　of　every　interesting　conversation　that　Bath



might　produce。　　Everything　indeed　relative　to　this



important　journey　was　done；　on　the　part　of　the　Morlands；



with　a　degree　of　moderation　and　composure；　which　seemed



rather　consistent　with　the　common　feelings　of　common　life；



than　with　the　refined　susceptibilities；　the　tender



emotions　which　the　first　separation　of　a　heroine



from　her　family　ought　always　to　excite。　　Her　father；



instead　of　giving　her　an　unlimited　order　on　his　banker；



or　even　putting　an　hundred　pounds　bank…bill　into　her　hands；



gave　her　only　ten　guineas；　and　promosed　her　more　when　she



wanted　it。　







　　　　　Under　these　unpromising　auspices；　the　parting



took　place；　and　the　journey　began。　　It　was　performed



with　suitable　quietness　and　uneventful　safety。　



Neither　robbers　nor　tempests　befriended　them；　nor　one　lucky



overturn　to　introduce　them　to　the　hero。　　Nothing　more



alarming　occurred　than　a　fear；　on　Mrs。　Allen's　side；



of　having　once　left　her　clogs　behind　her　at　an　inn；



and　that　fortunately　proved　to　be　groundless。　







　　　　　They　arrived　at　Bath。　　Catherine　was　all　eager



delighther　eyes　were　here；　there；　everywhere；　as　they



approached　its　fine　and　striking　environs；　and　afterwards　drove



through　those　streets　which　conducted　them　to　the　hotel。　



She　was　come　to　be　happy；　and　she　felt　happy　already。　







　　　　　They　were　soon　settled　in　comfortable　lodgings



in　Pulteney　Street。　







　　　　　It　is　now　expedient　to　give　some　description　of



Mrs。　Allen；　that　the　reader　may　be　able　to　judge　in　what



manner　her　actions　will　hereafter　tend　to　promote　the



general　distress　of　the　work；　and　how　she　will；　probably；



contribute　to　reduce　poor　Catherine　to　all　the　desperate



wretchedness　of　which　a　last　volume　is　capablewhether　by



her　imprudence；　vulgarity；　or　jealousywhether　by　intercepting



her　letters；　ruining　her　character；　or　turning　her　out　of　doors。　







　　　　　Mrs。　Allen　was　one　of　that　numerous　class　of　females；



whose　society　can　raise　no　other　emotion　than　surprise



at　there　being　any　men　in　the　world　who　could　like　them



well　enough　to　marry　them。　　She　had　neither　beauty；



genius；　accomplishment；　nor　manner。　　The　air　of　a　gentlewoman；



a　great　deal　of　quiet；　inactive　good　temper；　and　a　trifling



turn　of　mind　were　all　that　could　account　for　her　being



the　choice　of　a　sensible；　intelligent　man　like　Mr。　Allen。　



In　one　respect　she　was　admirably　fitted　to　introduce　a



young　lady　into　public；　being　as　fond　of　going　everywhere



and　seeing　everything　herself　as　any　young　lady　could　be。　



Dress　was　her　passion。　　She　had　a　most　harmless　delight



in　being　fine；　and　our　heroine's　entree　into　life　could



not　take　place　till　after　three　or　four　days　had　been



spent　in　learning　what　was　mostly　worn；　and　her　chaperone



was　provided　with　a　dress　of　the　newest　fashion。　



Catherine　too　made　some　purchases　herself；　and　when　all



these　matters　were　arranged；　the　important　evening　came



which　was　to　usher　her　into　the　Upper　Rooms。　　Her　hair



was　cut　and　dressed　by　the　best　hand；　her　clothes　put　on



with　care；　and　both　Mrs。　Allen　and　her　maid　declared　she



looked　quite　as　she　should　do。　　With　such　encouragement；



Catherine　hoped　at　least　to　pass　uncensured　through　the　crowd。　



As　for　admiration；　it　was　always　very　welcome　when　it　came；



but　she　did　not　depend　on　it。　







　　　　　Mrs。　Allen　was　so　long　in　dressing　that　they　did　not　enter



the　ballroom　till　late。　　The　season　was　full；　the　room　crowded；



and　the　two　ladies　squeezed　in　as　well　as　they　could。　



As　for　Mr。　Allen；　he　repaired　directly　to　the　card…room；



and　left　them　to　enjoy　a　mob　by　themselves。　　With　more



care　for　the　safety　of　her　new　gown　than　for　the　comfort



of　her　protegee；　Mrs。　Allen　made　her　way　through　the　throng



of　men　by　the　door；　as　swiftly　as　the　necessary　caution



would　allow；　Catherine；　however；　kept　close　at　her　side；



and　linked　her　arm　too　firmly　within　her　friend's　to　be　torn



asunder　by　any　common　effort　of　a　struggling　assembly。　



But　to　her　utter　amazement　she　found　that　to　proceed



along　the　room　was　by　no　means　the　way　to　disengage



themselves　from　the　crowd；　it　seemed　rather　to　increase



as　they　went　on；　whereas　she　had　imagined　that　when　once



fairly　within　the　door；　they　should　easily　find　seats



and　be　able　to　watch　the　dances　with　perfect　convenience。　



But　this　was　far　from　being　the　case；　and　though　by



unwearied　diligence　they　gained　even　the　top　of　the　room；



their　situation　was　just　the　same；　they　saw　nothing　of



the　dancers　but　the　high　feathers　of　some　of　the　ladies。　



Still　they　moved　onsomething　better　was　yet　in　view；



and　by　a　continued　exertion　of　strength　and　ingenuity



they　found　themselves　at　last　in　the　passage　behind



the　highest　bench。　　Here　there　was　something　less



of　crowd　than　below；　and　hence　Miss　Morland　had　a



comprehensive　view　of　all　the　company　beneath　her；



and　of　all　the　dangers　of　her　late　passage　through　them。　



It　was　a　splendid　sight；　and　she　began；　for　the　first



time　that　evening；　to　feel　herself　at　a　ball：　she　longed



to　dance；　but　she　had　not　an　acquaintance　in　the　room。　



Mrs。　Allen　did　all　that　she　could　do　in　such　a　case



by　saying　very　placidly；　every　now　and　then；　〃I　wish　you



could　dance；　my　dearI　wish　you　could　get　a　partner。〃



For　some　time　her　young　friend　felt　obliged　to　her　for



these　wishes；　but　they　were　repeated　so　often；　and　proved



so　totally　ineffectual；　that　Catherine　grew　tired　at　last；



and　would　thank　her　no　more。　







　　　　　They　were　not　long　able；　however；　to　enjoy　the



repose　of　the　eminence　they　had　so　laboriously　gained。　



Everybody　was　shortly　in　motion　for　tea；　and　they　must



squeeze　out　like　the　rest。　　Catherine　began　to　feel



something　of　disappointmentshe　was　tired　of　being



continually　pressed　against　by　people；　the　generality



of　whose　faces　possessed　nothing　to　interest；　and　with



all　of　whom　she　was　so　wholly　unacquainted　that　she



could　not　relieve　the　irksomeness　of　imprisonment　by　the



exchange　of　a　syllable　with　any　of　her　fellow　captives；



and　when　at　last　arrived　in　the　tea…room；　she　felt



yet　more　the　awkwardness　of　having　no　party　to　join；



no　acquaintance　to　claim；　no　gentleman　to　assist　them。　



They　saw　nothing　of　Mr。　Allen；　and　after　looking　about



them　in　vain　for　a　more　eligible　situation；　were　obliged



to　sit　down　at　the　end　of　a　table；　at　which　a　large　party



were　already　placed；　without　having　anything　to　do　there；



or　anybody　to　speak　to；　except　each　other。　







　　　　　Mrs。　Allen　congratulated　herself；　as　soon　as　they



were　seated；　on　having　preserved　her　gown　from　injury。　



〃It　would　have　been　very　shocking　to　have　it　torn；〃　said　she；



〃would　not　it？　It　is　such　a　delicate　muslin。　　For　my　part



I　have　not　seen　anything　I　like　so　well　in　the　whole　room；



I　assure　you。〃







　　　　　〃How　uncomfortable　it　is；〃　whispered　Catherine；



〃not　to　have　a　single　acquaintance　here！〃







　　　　　〃Yes；　my　dear；〃　replied　Mrs。　Allen；　with　perfect



serenity；　〃it　is　very　uncomfortable　indeed。〃







　　　　　〃What　shall　we　do？　The　gentlemen　and　ladies　at　this



table　look　as　if　they　wondered　why　we　came　herewe　seem



forcing　ourselves　into　their　party。〃







　　　　　〃Aye；　so　we　do。　　That　is　very　disagreeable。　



I　wish　we　had　a　large　acquaintance　here。〃







　　　　　〃I　wish　we　had　anyit　would　be　somebody　to　go　to。〃







　　　　　〃Very　true；　my　dear；　and　if　we　knew　anybody　we　would



join　them　directly。　　The　Skinners　were　here　last　yearI



wish　they　were　here　now。〃







　　　　　〃Had　not　we　better　go　away　as　it　is？　Here　are　no



tea…things　for　us；　you　see。〃







　　　　　〃No　more　there　are；　indeed。　　How　very　provoking！　But



I　think　we　had　better　sit　still；　for　one　gets　so　tumbled



in　such　a　crowd！　How　is　my　head；　my　dear？　Somebody　gave



me　a　push　that　has　hurt　it；　I　am　afraid。〃







　　　　　〃No；　indeed；　it　looks　very　nice。　　But；　dear　Mrs。　Allen；



are　you　sure　there　is　nobody　you　know　in　all　this　multitude



of　people？　I　think　you　must　know　somebody。〃







　　　　　〃I　don't；　upon　my　wordI　wish　I　did。　　I　wish　I　had　a



large　acquaintance　here　with　all　my　heart；　and　then　I　should



get　you　a　partner。　　I　should　be　so　glad　to　have　you　dance。　



There　goes　a　strange…looking　woman！　What　an　odd　gown



she　has　got　on！　How　old…fashioned　it　is！　Look　at　the　back。〃







　　　　　After　some　time　they　received　an　offer　of　tea　from



one　of　their　neighbours；　it　was　thankfully　accepted；



and　this　introduced　a　light　conversation　with　the　gentleman



who　offered　it；　which　was　the　only　time　that　anybody　spoke



to　them　during　the　evening；　till　they　were　discovered