northanger abbey(诺桑觉奇)-第12章
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morning thus settled； she sat quietly down to her book after
breakfast； resolving to remain in the same place and the same
employment till the clock struck one； and from habitude very little
incommoded by the remarks and ejaculations of Mrs。 Allen； whose
vacancy of mind and incapacity for thinking were such； that as she
never talked a great deal； so she could never be entirely silent；
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and； therefore； while she sat at her work； if she lost her needle or
broke her thread； if she heard a carriage in the street； or saw a
speck upon her gown； she must observe it aloud； whether there
were anyone at leisure to answer her or not。 At about half past
twelve； a remarkably loud rap drew her in haste to the window；
and scarcely had she time to inform Catherine of there being two
open carriages at the door； in the first only a servant； her brother
driving Miss Thorpe in the second； before John Thorpe came
running upstairs； calling out； “Well； Miss Morland； here I am。
Have you been waiting long？ We could not come before； the old
devil of a coachmaker was such an eternity finding out a thing fit
to be got into； and now it is ten thousand to one but they break
down before we are out of the street。 How do you do； Mrs。 Allen？ a
famous ball last night； was not it？ Come； Miss Morland； be quick；
for the others are in a confounded hurry to be off。 They want to get
their tumble over。”
“What do you mean？” said Catherine。 “Where are you all going
to？”
“Going to？ Why； you have not forgot our engagement！ Did not
we agree together to take a drive this morning？ What a head you
have！ We are going up Claverton Down。”
“Something was said about it； I remember；” said Catherine；
looking at Mrs。 Allen for her opinion； “but really I did not expect
you。”
“Not expect me！ that’s a good one！ And what a dust you would
have made； if I had not come。”
Catherine’s silent appeal to her friend； meanwhile； was entirely
thrown away； for Mrs。 Allen； not being at all in the habit of
conveying any expression herself by a look； was not aware of its
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being ever intended by anybody else； and Catherine； whose desire
of seeing Miss Tilney again could at that moment bear a short
delay in favour of a drive； and who thought there could be no
impropriety in her going with Mr。 Thorpe； as Isabella was going at
the same time with James； was therefore obliged to speak plainer。
“Well； ma’am； what do you say to it？ Can you spare me for an hour
or two？ Shall I go？”
“Do just as you please； my dear；” replied Mrs。 Allen； with the
most placid indifference。 Catherine took the advice； and ran off to
get ready。 In a very few minutes she reappeared； having scarcely
allowed the two others time enough to get through a few short
sentences in her praise； after Thorpe had procured Mrs。 Allen’s
admiration of his gig； and then receiving her friend’s parting good
wishes； they both hurried downstairs。 “My dearest creature；” cried
Isabella； to whom the duty of friendship immediately called her
before she could get into the carriage； “you have been at least
three hours getting ready。 I was afraid you were ill。 What a
delightful ball we had last night。 I have a thousand things to say to
you； but make haste and get in； for I long to be off。”
Catherine followed her orders and turned away； but not too
soon to hear her friend exclaim aloud to James； “What a sweet girl
she is！ I quite doat on her。”
“You will not be frightened； Miss Morland；” said Thorpe； as he
handed her in； “if my horse should dance about a little at first
setting off。 He will； most likely； give a plunge or two； and perhaps
take the rest for a minute； but he will soon know his master。 He is
full of spirits； playful as can be； but there is no vice in him。”
Catherine did not think the portrait a very inviting one； but it
was too late to retreat； and she was too young to own herself
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frightened； so； resigning herself to her fate； and trusting to the
animal’s boasted knowledge of its owner； she sat peaceably down；
and saw Thorpe sit down by her。 Every thing being then arranged；
the servant who stood at the horse’s head was bid in an important
voice “to let him go；” and off they went in the quietest manner
imaginable； without a plunge or a caper； or anything like one。
Catherine； delighted at so happy an escape； spoke her pleasure
aloud with grateful surprize； and her companion immediately
made the matter perfectly simple by assuring her that it was
entirely owing to the peculiarly judicious manner in which he had
then held the reins； and the singular discernment and dexterity
with which he had directed his whip。 Catherine； though she could
not help wondering that with such perfect command of his horse；
he should think it necessary to alarm her with a relation of its
tricks； congratulated herself sincerely on being under the care of
so excellent a coachman； and perceiving that the animal continued
to go on in the same quiet manner； without showing the smallest
propensity towards any unpleasant vivacity； and （considering its
inevitable pace was ten miles an hour） by no means alarmingly
fast； gave herself up to all the enjoyment of air and exercise of the
most invigorating kind； in a fine mild day of February； with the
consciousness of safety。 A silence of several minutes succeeded
their first short dialogue；—it was broken by Thorpe’s saying very
abruptly； “Old Allen is as rich as a Jew—is not he？” Catherine did
not understand him—and he repeated his question； adding in
explanation； “Old Allen； the man you are with。”
“Oh！ Mr。 Allen； you mean。 Yes； I believe； he is very rich。”
“And no children at all？”
“No—not any。”
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“A famous thing for his next heirs。 He is your godfather； is not
he？”
“My godfather！—no。”
“But you are always very much with them。”
“Yes； very much。”
“Aye； that is what I meant。 He seems a good kind of old fellow
enough； and has lived very well in his time； I dare say； he is not
gouty for nothing。 Does he drink his bottle a…day now？”
“His bottle a…day！—no。 Why should you think of such a thing？
He is a very temperate man； and you could not fancy him in liquor
last night？”
“Lord help you！—You women are always thinking of men’s
being in liquor。 Why； you do not suppose a man is overset by a
bottle？ I am sure of this—that if everybody was to drink their
bottle a…day； there would not be half the disorders in the world
there are now。 It would be a famous good thing for us all。”
“I cannot believe it。”
“Oh！ lord； it would be the saving of thousands。 There is not the
hundredth part of the wine consumed in this kingdom that there
ought to be。 Our foggy climate wants help。”
“And yet I have heard that there is a great deal of wine drunk in
Oxford。”
“Oxford！ There is no drinking at Oxford now； I assure you。
Nobody drinks there。 You would hardly meet with a man who goes
beyond his four pints at the utmost。 Now； for instance； it was
reckoned a remarkable thing； at the last party in my rooms； that
upon an average we cleared about five pints a head。 It was looked
upon as something out of the common way。 Mine is famous good
stuff to be sure。 You would not often meet with anything like it in
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Oxford—and that may account for it。 But this will just give you a
notion of the general rate of drinking there。”
“Yes； it does give a notion；” said Catherine； warmly； “and that
is； that you all drink a great deal more wine than I thought you
did。 However； I am sure James does not drink so much。”
This declaration brought on a loud and overpowering reply； of
which no part was very distinct； except the frequent exclamations；
amounting almost to oaths； which adorned it； and Catherine was
left； when it ended； with rather a strengthened belief of there
being a great deal of wine drunk in Oxford； and the same happy
conviction of her brother’s comparative sobriety。
Thorpe’s ideas then all reverted to the merits of his own
equipage； and she was called on to admire the spirit and freedom
with which his horse moved along； and the ease which his paces；
as well as the excellence of the springs； gave the motion of the
carriage。 She followed him in all his admiration as well as she
could。 To go before or beyond him was impossible。 His knowledge
and her ignorance of the subject； his rapidity of expression； and
her diffidence of herself put that out of her power； she could strike
out nothing new in commendation； but she readily echoed
whatever he chose to assert； and it was finally settled between
them without
