northanger abbey-第23章

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　　　　　At　the　end　of　the　first　dance；　Captain　Tilney　came



towards　them　again；　and；　much　to　Catherine's　dissatisfaction；



pulled　his　brother　away。　　They　retired　whispering　together；



and；　though　her　delicate　sensibility　did　not　take　immediate　alarm；



and　lay　it　down　as　fact；　that　Captain　Tilney　must　have



heard　some　malevolent　misrepresentation　of　her；　which　he



now　hastened　to　communicate　to　his　brother；　in　the　hope



of　separating　them　forever；　she　could　not　have　her　partner



conveyed　from　her　sight　without　very　uneasy　sensations。　



Her　suspense　was　of　full　five　minutes'　duration；　and　she



was　beginning　to　think　it　a　very　long　quarter　of　an　hour；



when　they　both　returned；　and　an　explanation　was　given；



by　Henry's　requesting　to　know　if　she　thought　her　friend；



Miss　Thorpe；　would　have　any　objection　to　dancing；



as　his　brother　would　be　most　happy　to　be　introduced



to　her。　　Catherine；　without　hesitation；　replied　that　she



was　very　sure　Miss　Thorpe　did　not　mean　to　dance　at　all。　



The　cruel　reply　was　passed　on　to　the　other；　and　he



immediately　walked　away。　







　　　　　〃Your　brother　will　not　mind　it；　I　know；〃　said　she；



〃because　I　heard　him　say　before　that　he　hated　dancing；



but　it　was　very　good…natured　in　him　to　think　of　it。　



I　suppose　he　saw　Isabella　sitting　down；　and　fancied　she



might　wish　for　a　partner；　but　he　is　quite　mistaken；



for　she　would　not　dance　upon　any　account　in　the　world。〃







　　　　　Henry　smiled；　and　said；　〃How　very　little　trouble　it　can



give　you　to　understand　the　motive　of　other　people's　actions。〃







　　　　　〃Why？　What　do　you　mean？〃







　　　　　〃With　you；　it　is　not；　How　is　such　a　one　likely　to



be　influenced；　What　is　the　inducement　most　likely　to　act



upon　such　a　person's　feelings；　age；　situation；　and　probable



habits　of　life　consideredbut；　How　should　I　be　influenced；



What　would　be　my　inducement　in　acting　so　and　so？〃







　　　　　〃I　do　not　understand　you。〃







　　　　　〃Then　we　are　on　very　unequal　terms；　for　I　understand



you　perfectly　well。〃







　　　　　〃Me？　Yes；　I　cannot　speak　well　enough　to　be　unintelligible。〃







　　　　　〃Bravo！　An　excellent　satire　on　modern　language。〃







　　　　　〃But　pray　tell　me　what　you　mean。〃







　　　　　〃Shall　I　indeed？　Do　you　really　desire　it？　But　you



are　not　aware　of　the　consequences；　it　will　involve　you



in　a　very　cruel　embarrassment；　and　certainly　bring



on　a　disagreement　between　us。　







　　　　　〃No；　no；　it　shall　not　do　either；　I　am　not　afraid。〃







　　　　　〃Well；　then；　I　only　meant　that　your　attributing　my



brother's　wish　of　dancing　with　Miss　Thorpe　to　good　nature



alone　convinced　me　of　your　being　superior　in　good　nature



yourself　to　all　the　rest　of　the　world。〃







　　　　　Catherine　blushed　and　disclaimed；　and　the　gentleman's



predictions　were　verified。　　There　was　a　something；　however；



in　his　words　which　repaid　her　for　the　pain　of　confusion；



and　that　something　occupied　her　mind　so　much　that　she　drew



back　for　some　time；　forgetting　to　speak　or　to　listen；



and　almost　forgetting　where　she　was；　till；　roused　by　the



voice　of　Isabella；　she　looked　up　and　saw　her　with　Captain



Tilney　preparing　to　give　them　hands　across。　







　　　　　Isabella　shrugged　her　shoulders　and　smiled；　the　only



explanation　of　this　extraordinary　change　which　could



at　that　time　be　given；　but　as　it　was　not　quite　enough



for　Catherine's　comprehension；　she　spoke　her　astonishment



in　very　plain　terms　to　her　partner。　







　　　　　〃I　cannot　think　how　it　could　happen！　Isabella　was



so　determined　not　to　dance。〃







　　　　　〃And　did　Isabella　never　change　her　mind　before？〃







　　　　　〃Oh！　But；　because　And　your　brother！　After　what　you



told　him　from　me；　how　could　he　think　of　going　to　ask　her？〃







　　　　　〃I　cannot　take　surprise　to　myself　on　that　head。　



You　bid　me　be　surprised　on　your　friend's　account；



and　therefore　I　am；　but　as　for　my　brother；　his　conduct



in　the　business；　I　must　own；　has　been　no　more　than　I



believed　him　perfectly　equal　to。　　The　fairness　of　your



friend　was　an　open　attraction；　her　firmness；　you　know；



could　only　be　understood　by　yourself。〃







　　　　　〃You　are　laughing；　but；　I　assure　you；　Isabella　is



very　firm　in　general。〃







　　　　　〃It　is　as　much　as　should　be　said　of　anyone。　　To　be



always　firm　must　be　to　be　often　obstinate。　　When　properly



to　relax　is　the　trial　of　judgment；　and；　without　reference



to　my　brother；　I　really　think　Miss　Thorpe　has　by　no　means



chosen　ill　in　fixing　on　the　present　hour。〃







　　　　　The　friends　were　not　able　to　get　together　for　any



confidential　discourse　till　all　the　dancing　was　over；



but　then；　as　they　walked　about　the　room　arm　in　arm；



Isabella　thus　explained　herself：　〃I　do　not　wonder　at



your　surprise；　and　I　am　really　fatigued　to　death。　　He　is　such



a　rattle！　Amusing　enough；　if　my　mind　had　been　disengaged；



but　I　would　have　given　the　world　to　sit　still。〃







　　　　　〃Then　why　did　not　you？〃







　　　　　〃Oh！　My　dear！　It　would　have　looked　so　particular；



and　you　know　how　I　abhor　doing　that。　　I　refused　him　as



long　as　I　possibly　could；　but　he　would　take　no　denial。　



You　have　no　idea　how　he　pressed　me。　　I　begged　him　to



excuse　me；　and　get　some　other　partnerbut　no；　not　he；



after　aspiring　to　my　hand；　there　was　nobody　else　in　the



room　he　could　bear　to　think　of；　and　it　was　not　that　he



wanted　merely　to　dance；　he　wanted　to　be　with　me。　



Oh！　Such　nonsense！　I　told　him　he　had　taken　a　very　unlikely



way　to　prevail　upon　me；　for；　of　all　things　in　the　world；



I　hated　fine　speeches　and　compliments；　and　soand　so　then



I　found　there　would　be　no　peace　if　I　did　not　stand　up。　



Besides；　I　thought　Mrs。　Hughes；　who　introduced　him；



might　take　it　ill　if　I　did　not：　and　your　dear　brother；



I　am　sure　he　would　have　been　miserable　if　I　had　sat　down



the　whole　evening。　　I　am　so　glad　it　is　over！　My　spirits



are　quite　jaded　with　listening　to　his　nonsense：　and　then；



being　such　a　smart　young　fellow；　I　saw　every　eye　was



upon　us。〃







　　　　　〃He　is　very　handsome　indeed。〃







　　　　　〃Handsome！　Yes；　I　suppose　he　may。　　I　dare　say　people



would　admire　him　in　general；　but　he　is　not　at　all　in　my



style　of　beauty。　　I　hate　a　florid　complexion　and　dark　eyes



in　a　man。　　However；　he　is　very　well。　　Amazingly　conceited；



I　am　sure。　　I　took　him　down　several　times；　you　know；



in　my　way。〃







　　　　　When　the　young　ladies　next　met；　they　had　a　far



more　interesting　subject　to　discuss。　　James　Morland's



second　letter　was　then　received；　and　the　kind　intentions



of　his　father　fully　explained。　　A　living；　of　which



Mr。　Morland　was　himself　patron　and　incumbent；　of　about



four　hundred　pounds　yearly　value；　was　to　be　resigned



to　his　son　as　soon　as　he　should　be　old　enough　to　take　it；



no　trifling　deduction　from　the　family　income；　no　niggardly



assignment　to　one　of　ten　children。　　An　estate　of　at　least



equal　value；　moreover；　was　assured　as　his　future　inheritance。　







　　　　　James　expressed　himself　on　the　occasion　with



becoming　gratitude；　and　the　necessity　of　waiting　between



two　and　three　years　before　they　could　marry；　being；



however　unwelcome；　no　more　than　he　had　expected；　was　borne



by　him　without　discontent。　　Catherine；　whose　expectations



had　been　as　unfixed　as　her　ideas　of　her　father's　income；



and　whose　judgment　was　now　entirely　led　by　her　brother；



felt　equally　well　satisfied；　and　heartily　congratulated



Isabella　on　having　everything　so　pleasantly　settled。　







　　　　　〃It　is　very　charming　indeed；〃　said　Isabella；



with　a　grave　face。　　〃Mr。　Morland　has　behaved　vastly



handsome　indeed；〃　said　the　gentle　Mrs。　Thorpe；



looking　anxiously　at　her　daughter。　　〃I　only　wish　I　could



do　as　much。　　One　could　not　expect　more　from　him；　you　know。　



If　he　finds　he　can　do　more　by　and　by；　I　dare　say　he　will；



for　I　am　sure　he　must　be　an　excellent　good…hearted　man。　



Four　hundred　is　but　a　small　income　to　begin　on　indeed；



but　your　wishes；　my　dear　Isabella；　are　so　moderate；　you　do



not　consider　how　little　you　ever　want；　my　dear。〃







　　　　　〃It　is　not　on　my　own　account　I　wish　for　more；　but　I



cannot　bear　to　be　the　means　of　injuring　my　dear　Morland；



making　him　sit　down　upon　an　income　hardly　enough　to　find



one　in　the　common　necessaries　of　life。　　For　myself；



it　is　nothing；　I　never　think　of　myself。〃







　　　　　〃I　know　you　never　do；　my　dear；　and　you　will　always



find　your　reward　in　the　affection　it　makes　everybody



feel　for　you。　　There　never　was　a　young　woman　so　beloved



as　you　are　by　everybody　that　knows　you；　and　I　dare　say



when　Mr。　Morland　sees　you；　my　dear　childbut　do　not　let



us　distress　our　dear　Catherine　by　talking　of　such　things。　



Mr。　Morland　has　behaved　so　very　handsome；　you　know。　



I　always　heard　he　was　a　most　excellent　man；　and　you　know；



my　dear；　we　are　not　to　suppose　but　what；　if　you　had　had　a



suitable　fortune；　he　would　have　come　down　with　something　more；



for　I　am　sure　he　must　be　a　most　liberal…minded　man。〃







　　　　　〃Nobody　can　think　better　of　Mr。　Morland　than　I　do；



I　am　sure。　　But　everybody　has　their　failing；　you　know；



and　everybody　has　a　right　to　do　what　they　like　with　their



own　money。〃　Catherine　was　hurt　by　these　insinuations。　



〃I　am　very　sure；〃　said　she；　〃that　my　father　has　promised



to　do　as　much　as　he　can　afford。〃







　　　　　Isabella　recollected　herself。　　〃As　to　that；



my　sweet　Catherine；　there　cannot　be　a　doubt；　and　you　know



me　well　enough　to　be　sure　that　a　much　smaller　income　would



satisfy　me。　　It　is　not　the　want　of　more　money　that　makes



me　just　at　present　a　little　out　of　spirits；　I　hate　money；



and　if　our　union　could　take　place　now　upon　only　fifty



pounds　a　year；　I　should　not　have　a　wish　unsatisfied。　



Ah！　my　Catherine；　you　have　found　me　out。　　There's　the　sting。　



The　long；　long；　endless　two　years　and　half　that　are　to　pass



before　your　brother　can　hold　the　living。〃







　　　　　〃Yes；　yes；　my　darling　Isabella；〃　said　Mrs。　Thorpe；



〃we　perfectly　see　into　your　heart。　　You　have　no　disguise。　



We　perfectly　understand　the　present　vexation；　and　everybody



must　love　you　the　better　for　such　a　noble　honest　affection。〃







　　　　　Catherine's　uncomfortable　feelings　began　to　lessen。　



She　endeavoured　to　believe　that　the　delay　of　the　marriage



was　the　only　source　of　Isabella's　regret；　and　when　she



saw　her　at　their　next　interview　as　cheerful　and　amiable



as　ever；　endeavoured　to　forget　th