northanger abbey-第26章

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many　things　which　she　hoped　had　been　spoken　in　haste；



and　would　never　be　said　again；　and　upon　this　she　was　glad



to　rest　altogether　for　present　ease　and　comfort。　















CHAPTER　19











　　　　　A　few　days　passed　away；　and　Catherine；　though　not



allowing　herself　to　suspect　her　friend；　could　not　help



watching　her　closely。　　The　result　of　her　observations



was　not　agreeable。　　Isabella　seemed　an　altered　creature。　



When　she　saw　her；　indeed；　surrounded　only　by　their



immediate　friends　in　Edgar's　Buildings　or　Pulteney　Street；



her　change　of　manners　was　so　trifling　that；　had　it



gone　no　farther；　it　might　have　passed　unnoticed。　



A　something　of　languid　indifference；　or　of　that　boasted



absence　of　mind　which　Catherine　had　never　heard　of　before；



would　occasionally　come　across　her；　but　had　nothing



worse　appeared；　that　might　only　have　spread　a　new　grace



and　inspired　a　warmer　interest。　　But　when　Catherine　saw



her　in　public；　admitting　Captain　Tilney's　attentions



as　readily　as　they　were　offered；　and　allowing　him　almost



an　equal　share　with　James　in　her　notice　and　smiles；



the　alteration　became　too　positive　to　be　passed　over。　



What　could　be　meant　by　such　unsteady　conduct；　what　her



friend　could　be　at；　was　beyond　her　comprehension。　



Isabella　could　not　be　aware　of　the　pain　she　was　inflicting；



but　it　was　a　degree　of　wilful　thoughtlessness　which



Catherine　could　not　but　resent。　　James　was　the　sufferer。　



She　saw　him　grave　and　uneasy；　and　however　careless



of　his　present　comfort　the　woman　might　be　who　had



given　him　her　heart；　to　her　it　was　always　an　object。　



For　poor　Captain　Tilney　too　she　was　greatly　concerned。　



Though　his　looks　did　not　please　her；　his　name　was　a　passport



to　her　goodwill；　and　she　thought　with　sincere　compassion



of　his　approaching　disappointment；　for；　in　spite　of　what



she　had　believed　herself　to　overbear　in　the　pump…room；



his　behaviour　was　so　incompatible　with　a　knowledge　of



Isabella's　engagement　that　she　could　not；　upon　reflection；



imagine　him　aware　of　it。　　He　might　be　jealous　of　her



brother　as　a　rival；　but　if　more　bad　seemed　implied；



the　fault　must　have　been　in　her　misapprehension。　



She　wished；　by　a　gentle　remonstrance；　to　remind　Isabella　of



her　situation；　and　make　her　aware　of　this　double　unkindness；



but　for　remonstrance；　either　opportunity　or　comprehension



was　always　against　her。　　If　able　to　suggest　a　hint；



Isabella　could　never　understand　it。　　In　this　distress；



the　intended　departure　of　the　Tilney　family　became　her



chief　consolation；　their　journey　into　Gloucestershire



was　to　take　place　within　a　few　days；　and　Captain　Tilney's



removal　would　at　least　restore　peace　to　every　heart　but



his　own。　　But　Captain　Tilney　had　at　present　no　intention



of　removing；　he　was　not　to　be　of　the　party　to　Northanger；



he　was　to　continue　at　Bath。　　When　Catherine　knew　this；



her　resolution　was　directly　made。　　She　spoke　to　Henry　Tilney



on　the　subject；　regretting　his　brother's　evident　partiality



for　Miss　Thorpe；　and　entreating　him　to　make　known　her



prior　engagement。　







　　　　　〃My　brother　does　know　it；〃　was　Henry's　answer。　







　　　　　〃Does　he？　Then　why　does　he　stay　here？〃







　　　　　He　made　no　reply；　and　was　beginning　to　talk



of　something　else；　but　she　eagerly　continued；　〃Why　do



not　you　persuade　him　to　go　away？　The　longer　he　stays；



the　worse　it　will　be　for　him　at　last。　　Pray　advise



him　for　his　own　sake；　and　for　everybody's　sake；



to　leave　Bath　directly。　　Absence　will　in　time　make



him　comfortable　again；　but　he　can　have　no　hope　here；



and　it　is　only　staying　to　be　miserable。〃　Henry　smiled



and　said；　〃I　am　sure　my　brother　would　not　wish　to　do　that。〃







　　　　　〃Then　you　will　persuade　him　to　go　away？〃







　　　　　〃Persuasion　is　not　at　command；　but　pardon　me；　if　I



cannot　even　endeavour　to　persuade　him。　　I　have　myself



told　him　that　Miss　Thorpe　is　engaged。　　He　knows　what　he



is　about；　and　must　be　his　own　master。〃









　　　　　〃No；　he　does　not　know　what　he　is　about；〃　cried　Catherine；



〃he　does　not　know　the　pain　he　is　giving　my　brother。　



Not　that　James　has　ever　told　me　so；　but　I　am　sure　he　is



very　uncomfortable。〃







　　　　　〃And　are　you　sure　it　is　my　brother's　doing？〃







　　　　　〃Yes；　very　sure。〃







　　　　　〃Is　it　my　brother's　attentions　to　Miss　Thorpe；



or　Miss　Thorpe's　admission　of　them；　that　gives　the　pain？〃







　　　　　〃Is　not　it　the　same　thing？〃







　　　　　〃I　think　Mr。　Morland　would　acknowledge　a　difference。　



No　man　is　offended　by　another　man's　admiration　of　the



woman　he　loves；　it　is　the　woman　only　who　can　make　it



a　torment。〃







　　　　　Catherine　blushed　for　her　friend；　and　said；



〃Isabella　is　wrong。　　But　I　am　sure　she　cannot　mean



to　torment；　for　she　is　very　much　attached　to　my　brother。　



She　has　been　in　love　with　him　ever　since　they　first　met；



and　while　my　father's　consent　was　uncertain；　she　fretted



herself　almost　into　a　fever。　　You　know　she　must　be　attached



to　him。〃







　　　　　〃I　understand：　she　is　in　love　with　James；　and　flirts



with　Frederick。〃







　　　　　〃Oh！　no；　not　flirts。　　A　woman　in　love　with　one　man



cannot　flirt　with　another。〃







　　　　　〃It　is　probable　that　she　will　neither　love　so　well；



nor　flirt　so　well；　as　she　might　do　either　singly。　



The　gentlemen　must　each　give　up　a　little。〃







　　　　　After　a　short　pause；　Catherine　resumed　with；



〃Then　you　do　not　believe　Isabella　so　very　much　attached



to　my　brother？〃







　　　　　〃I　can　have　no　opinion　on　that　subject。〃







　　　　　〃But　what　can　your　brother　mean？　If　he　knows



her　engagement；　what　can　he　mean　by　his　behaviour？〃







　　　　　〃You　are　a　very　close　questioner。〃







　　　　　〃Am　I？　I　only　ask　what　I　want　to　be　told。〃







　　　　　〃But　do　you　only　ask　what　I　can　be　expected　to　tell？〃







　　　　　〃Yes；　I　think　so；　for　you　must　know　your　brother's　heart。〃







　　　　　〃My　brother's　heart；　as　you　term　it；　on　the



present　occasion；　I　assure　you　I　can　only　guess　at。〃







　　　　　〃Well？〃







　　　　　〃Well！　Nay；　if　it　is　to　be　guesswork；　let　us　all　guess



for　ourselves。　　To　be　guided　by　second…hand　conjecture



is　pitiful。　　The　premises　are　before　you。　　My　brother　is



a　lively　and　perhaps　sometimes　a　thoughtless　young　man；



he　has　had　about　a　week's　acquaintance　with　your　friend；



and　he　has　known　her　engagement　almost　as　long　as　he　has



known　her。〃







　　　　　〃Well；〃　said　Catherine；　after　some　moments'　consideration；



〃you　may　be　able　to　guess　at　your　brother's　intentions　from



all　this；　but　I　am　sure　I　cannot。　　But　is　not　your　father



uncomfortable　about　it？　Does　not　he　want　Captain　Tilney



to　go　away？　Sure；　if　your　father　were　to　speak　to　him；



he　would　go。〃







　　　　　〃My　dear　Miss　Morland；〃　said　Henry；　〃in　this　amiable



solicitude　for　your　brother's　comfort；　may　you　not　be



a　little　mistaken？　Are　you　not　carried　a　little　too　far？



Would　he　thank　you；　either　on　his　own　account　or　Miss



Thorpe's；　for　supposing　that　her　affection；　or　at　least



her　good　behaviour；　is　only　to　be　secured　by　her　seeing



nothing　of　Captain　Tilney？　Is　he　safe　only　in　solitude？



Or　is　her　heart　constant　to　him　only　when　unsolicited



by　anyone　else？　He　cannot　think　thisand　you　may　be　sure



that　he　would　not　have　you　think　it。　　I　will　not　say；



'Do　not　be　uneasy；'　because　I　know　that　you　are　so；



at　this　moment；　but　be　as　little　uneasy　as　you　can。　



You　have　no　doubt　of　the　mutual　attachment　of　your　brother



and　your　friend；　depend　upon　it；　therefore；　that　real



jealousy　never　can　exist　between　them；　depend　upon　it



that　no　disagreement　between　them　can　be　of　any　duration。　



Their　hearts　are　open　to　each　other；　as　neither　heart　can



be　to　you；　they　know　exactly　what　is　required　and　what　can



be　borne；　and　you　may　be　certain　that　one　will　never　tease



the　other　beyond　what　is　known　to　be　pleasant。〃







　　　　　Perceiving　her　still　to　look　doubtful　and　grave；



he　added；　〃Though　Frederick　does　not　leave　Bath　with　us；



he　will　probably　remain　but　a　very　short　time；



perhaps　only　a　few　days　behind　us。　　His　leave　of　absence



will　soon　expire；　and　he　must　return　to　his　regiment。　



And　what　will　then　be　their　acquaintance？　The　mess…room



will　drink　Isabella　Thorpe　for　a　fortnight；　and　she　will



laugh　with　your　brother　over　poor　Tilney's　passion　for



a　month。〃







　　　　　Catherine　would　contend　no　longer　against　comfort。　



She　had　resisted　its　approaches　during　the　whole　length



of　a　speech；　but　it　now　carried　her　captive。　　Henry　Tilney



must　know　best。　　She　blamed　herself　for　the　extent



of　her　fears；　and　resolved　never　to　think　so　seriously



on　the　subject　again。　







　　　　　Her　resolution　was　supported　by　Isabella's　behaviour



in　their　parting　interview。　　The　Thorpes　spent　the　last



evening　of　Catherine's　stay　in　Pulteney　Street；　and　nothing



passed　between　the　lovers　to　excite　her　uneasiness；



or　make　her　quit　them　in　apprehension。　　James　was　in



excellent　spirits；　and　Isabella　most　engagingly　placid。　



Her　tenderness　for　her　friend　seemed　rather　the　first　feeling



of　her　heart；　but　that　at　such　a　moment　was　allowable；



and　once　she　gave　her　lover　a　flat　contradiction；　and　once



she　drew　back　her　hand；　but　Catherine　remembered　Henry's



instructions；　and　placed　it　all　to　judicious　affection。　



The　embraces；　tears；　and　promises　of　the　parting　fair



ones　may　be　fancied。　















CHAPTER　20











　　　　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Allen　were　sorry　to　lose　their　young　friend；



whose　good　humour　and　cheerfulness　had　made　her　a



valuable　companion；　and　in　the　promotion　of　whose　enjoyment



their　own　had　been　gently　increased。　　Her　happiness　in



going　with　Miss　Tilney；　however；　prevented　their　wishing



it　otherwise；　and；　as　they　were　to　remain　only　one　more



week　in　Bath　themselves；　her　quitting　them　now　would　not



long　be　felt。　　Mr。　Allen　attended　her　to　Milsom　Street；



where　she　was　to　breakfast；　and　saw　her　seated　with　the



kindest　welcome　among　her　new　friends；　but　so　great　was



her　agitation　in　finding　herself　as　one　of　the　family；



and　so　fearful　was　she　of　not　doing　exactly　what　was　right；



and　of　not　being　able　to　preserve　their　good　opinion；



that；　in　the　embarrassment　of　the　first　five　minutes；



she　could　almost　have　wished　to　return　with　him　to



Pulteney　Street。