northanger abbey-第27章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





she　could　almost　have　wished　to　return　with　him　to



Pulteney　Street。　







　　　　　Miss　Tilney's　manners　and　Henry's　smile　soon　did



away　some　of　her　unpleasant　feelings；　but　still　she



was　far　from　being　at　ease；　nor　could　the　incessant



attentions　of　the　general　himself　entirely　reassure　her。　



Nay；　perverse　as　it　seemed；　she　doubted　whether　she



might　not　have　felt　less；　had　she　been　less　attended　to。　



His　anxiety　for　her　comforthis　continual　solicitations



that　she　would　eat；　and　his　often…expressed　fears　of　her



seeing　nothing　to　her　tastethough　never　in　her　life　before



had　she　beheld　half　such　variety　on　a　breakfast…tablemade



it　impossible　for　her　to　forget　for　a　moment　that　she



was　a　visitor。　　She　felt　utterly　unworthy　of　such　respect；



and　knew　not　how　to　reply　to　it。　　Her　tranquillity　was　not



improved　by　the　general's　impatience　for　the　appearance



of　his　eldest　son；　nor　by　the　displeasure　he　expressed



at　his　laziness　when　Captain　Tilney　at　last　came　down。　



She　was　quite　pained　by　the　severity　of　his　father's　reproof；



which　seemed　disproportionate　to　the　offence；　and　much



was　her　concern　increased　when　she　found　herself　the



principal　cause　of　the　lecture；　and　that　his　tardiness



was　chiefly　resented　from　being　disrespectful　to　her。　



This　was　placing　her　in　a　very　uncomfortable　situation；



and　she　felt　great　compassion　for　Captain　Tilney；



without　being　able　to　hope　for　his　goodwill。　







　　　　　He　listened　to　his　father　in　silence；　and　attempted



not　any　defence；　which　confirmed　her　in　fearing　that　the



inquietude　of　his　mind；　on　Isabella's　account；　might；



by　keeping　him　long　sleepless；　have　been　the　real　cause



of　his　rising　late。　　It　was　the　first　time　of　her　being



decidedly　in　his　company；　and　she　had　hoped　to　be　now



able　to　form　her　opinion　of　him；　but　she　scarcely



heard　his　voice　while　his　father　remained　in　the　room；



and　even　afterwards；　so　much　were　his　spirits　affected；



she　could　distinguish　nothing　but　these　words；　in　a　whisper



to　Eleanor；　〃How　glad　I　shall　be　when　you　are　all　off。〃







　　　　　The　bustle　of　going　was　not　pleasant。　　The　clock



struck　ten　while　the　trunks　were　carrying　down；　and　the



general　had　fixed　to　be　out　of　Milsom　Street　by　that　hour。　



His　greatcoat；　instead　of　being　brought　for　him　to　put



on　directly；　was　spread　out　in　the　curricle　in　which　he



was　to　accompany　his　son。　　The　middle　seat　of　the　chaise　was



not　drawn　out；　though　there　were　three　people　to　go　in　it；



and　his　daughter's　maid　had　so　crowded　it　with　parcels



that　Miss　Morland　would　not　have　room　to　sit；　and；　so　much



was　he　influenced　by　this　apprehension　when　he　handed



her　in；　that　she　had　some　difficulty　in　saving　her　own



new　writing…desk　from　being　thrown　out　into　the　street。　



At　last；　however；　the　door　was　closed　upon　the　three　females；



and　they　set　off　at　the　sober　pace　in　which　the　handsome；



highly　fed　four　horses　of　a　gentleman　usually　perform　a



journey　of　thirty　miles：　such　was　the　distance　of　Northanger



from　Bath；　to　be　now　divided　into　two　equal　stages。　



Catherine's　spirits　revived　as　they　drove　from　the　door；



for　with　Miss　Tilney　she　felt　no　restraint；　and；　with　the



interest　of　a　road　entirely　new　to　her；　of　an　abbey　before；



and　a　curricle　behind；　she　caught　the　last　view　of　Bath



without　any　regret；　and　met　with　every　milestone　before



she　expected　it。　　The　tediousness　of　a　two　hours'



wait　at　Petty　France；　in　which　there　was　nothing　to　be　done



but　to　eat　without　being　hungry；　and　loiter　about　without



anything　to　see；　next　followedand　her　admiration　of　the



style　in　which　they　travelled；　of　the　fashionable　chaise



and　fourpostilions　handsomely　liveried；　rising　so　regularly



in　their　stirrups；　and　numerous　outriders　properly　mounted；



sunk　a　little　under　this　consequent　inconvenience。　



Had　their　party　been　perfectly　agreeable；　the　delay　would



have　been　nothing；　but　General　Tilney；　though　so　charming



a　man；　seemed　always　a　check　upon　his　children's　spirits；



and　scarcely　anything　was　said　but　by　himself；



the　observation　of　which；　with　his　discontent　at　whatever



the　inn　afforded；　and　his　angry　impatience　at　the　waiters；



made　Catherine　grow　every　moment　more　in　awe　of　him；



and　appeared　to　lengthen　the　two　hours　into　four。　



At　last；　however；　the　order　of　release　was　given；



and　much　was　Catherine　then　surprised　by　the　general's



proposal　of　her　taking　his　place　in　his　son's　curricle



for　the　rest　of　the　journey：　〃the　day　was　fine；



and　he　was　anxious　for　her　seeing　as　much　of　the　country



as　possible。〃







　　　　　The　remembrance　of　Mr。　Allen's　opinion；　respecting　young



men's　open　carriages；　made　her　blush　at　the　mention



of　such　a　plan；　and　her　first　thought　was　to　decline　it；



but　her　second　was　of　greater　deference　for　General



Tilney's　judgment；　he　could　not　propose　anything



improper　for　her；　and；　in　the　course　of　a　few　minutes；



she　found　herself　with　Henry　in　the　curricle；　as　happy



a　being　as　ever　existed。　　A　very　short　trial　convinced　her



that　a　curricle　was　the　prettiest　equipage　in　the　world；



the　chaise　and　four　wheeled　off　with　some　grandeur；



to　be　sure；　but　it　was　a　heavy　and　troublesome　business；



and　she　could　not　easily　forget　its　having　stopped　two　hours



at　Petty　France。　　Half　the　time　would　have　been　enough



for　the　curricle；　and　so　nimbly　were　the　light　horses



disposed　to　move；　that；　had　not　the　general　chosen　to　have



his　own　carriage　lead　the　way；　they　could　have　passed　it



with　ease　in　half　a　minute。　　But　the　merit　of　the　curricle



did　not　all　belong　to　the　horses；　Henry　drove　so　wellso



quietlywithout　making　any　disturbance；　without　parading



to　her；　or　swearing　at　them：　so　different　from　the　only



gentleman…coachman　whom　it　was　in　her　power　to　compare　him



with！　And　then　his　hat　sat　so　well；　and　the　innumerable



capes　of　his　greatcoat　looked　so　becomingly　important！



To　be　driven　by　him；　next　to　being　dancing　with　him；



was　certainly　the　greatest　happiness　in　the　world。　



In　addition　to　every　other　delight；　she　had　now　that　of



listening　to　her　own　praise；　of　being　thanked　at　least；



on　his　sister's　account；　for　her　kindness　in　thus　becoming



her　visitor；　of　hearing　it　ranked　as　real　friendship；



and　described　as　creating　real　gratitude。　　His　sister；



he　said；　was　uncomfortably　circumstancedshe　had　no　female



companionand；　in　the　frequent　absence　of　her　father；



was　sometimes　without　any　companion　at　all。　







　　　　　〃But　how　can　that　be？〃　said　Catherine。　　〃Are　not　you



with　her？〃







　　　　　〃Northanger　is　not　more　than　half　my　home；



I　have　an　establishment　at　my　own　house　in　Woodston；



which　is　nearly　twenty　miles　from　my　father's；　and　some



of　my　time　is　necessarily　spent　there。〃







　　　　　〃How　sorry　you　must　be　for　that！〃







　　　　　〃I　am　always　sorry　to　leave　Eleanor。〃







　　　　　〃Yes；　but　besides　your　affection　for　her；　you　must



be　so　fond　of　the　abbey！　After　being　used　to　such　a　home　as



the　abbey；　an　ordinary　parsonage…house　must　be　very　disagreeable。〃







　　　　　He　smiled；　and　said；　〃You　have　formed　a　very　favourable



idea　of　the　abbey。〃







　　　　　〃To　be　sure；　I　have。　　Is　not　it　a　fine　old　place；



just　like　what　one　reads　about？〃







　　　　　〃And　are　you　prepared　to　encounter　all　the　horrors



that　a　building　such　as　'what　one　reads　about'　may　produce？



Have　you　a　stout　heart？　Nerves　fit　for　sliding　panels



and　tapestry？〃







　　　　　〃Oh！　yesI　do　not　think　I　should　be　easily　frightened；



because　there　would　be　so　many　people　in　the　houseand



besides；　it　has　never　been　uninhabited　and　left　deserted



for　years；　and　then　the　family　come　back　to　it　unawares；



without　giving　any　notice；　as　generally　happens。〃







　　　　　〃No；　certainly。　　We　shall　not　have　to　explore　our



way　into　a　hall　dimly　lighted　by　the　expiring　embers



of　a　wood　firenor　be　obliged　to　spread　our　beds　on　the



floor　of　a　room　without　windows；　doors；　or　furniture。　



But　you　must　be　aware　that　when　a　young　lady　is　（by



whatever　means）　introduced　into　a　dwelling　of　this　kind；



she　is　always　lodged　apart　from　the　rest　of　the　family。　



While　they　snugly　repair　to　their　own　end　of　the　house；



she　is　formally　conducted　by　Dorothy；　the　ancient　housekeeper；



up　a　different　staircase；　and　along　many　gloomy　passages；



into　an　apartment　never　used　since　some　cousin　or　kin



died　in　it　about　twenty　years　before。　　Can　you　stand



such　a　ceremony　as　this？　Will　not　your　mind　misgive



you　when　you　find　yourself　in　this　gloomy　chambertoo



lofty　and　extensive　for　you；　with　only　the　feeble　rays



of　a　single　lamp　to　take　in　its　sizeits　walls　hung



with　tapestry　exhibiting　figures　as　large　as　life；



and　the　bed；　of　dark　green　stuff　or　purple　velvet；



presenting　even　a　funereal　appearance？　Will　not　your　heart



sink　within　you？〃







　　　　　〃Oh！　But　this　will　not　happen　to　me；　I　am　sure。〃







　　　　　〃How　fearfully　will　you　examine　the　furniture　of



your　apartment！　And　what　will　you　discern？　Not　tables；



toilettes；　wardrobes；　or　drawers；　but　on　one　side　perhaps



the　remains　of　a　broken　lute；　on　the　other　a　ponderous



chest　which　no　efforts　can　open；　and　over　the　fireplace



the　portrait　of　some　handsome　warrior；　whose　features



will　so　incomprehensibly　strike　you；　that　you　will　not　be



able　to　withdraw　your　eyes　from　it。　　Dorothy；　meanwhile；



no　less　struck　by　your　appearance；　gazes　on　you　in



great　agitation；　and　drops　a　few　unintelligible　hints。　



To　raise　your　spirits；　moreover；　she　gives　you　reason



to　suppose　that　the　part　of　the　abbey　you　inhabit　is



undoubtedly　haunted；　and　informs　you　that　you　will　not　have



a　single　domestic　within　call。　　With　this　parting　cordial



she　curtsies　offyou　listen　to　the　sound　of　her　receding



footsteps　as　long　as　the　last　echo　can　reach　youand　when；



with　fainting　spirits；　you　attempt　to　fasten　your　door；



you　discover；　with　increased　alarm；　that　it　has　no　lock。〃







　　　　　〃Oh！　Mr。　Tilney；　how　frightful！　This　is　just　like



a　book！　But　it　cannot　really　happen　to　me。　　I　am　sure



your　housekeeper　is　not　really　Dorothy。　　Well；　what　then？〃







　　　　　〃Nothing　further　to　alarm　perhaps　may　occur　the



first　night。　　After　surmounting　your　unconquerable　horror



of　the　bed；　you　will　retire　to　rest；　and　get　a　few　hours'



unquiet　slumber。　　But　on　the　second；　or　at　far