northanger abbey(诺桑觉奇)-第7章
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often consisting in the statement of improbable circumstances；
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unnatural characters； and topics of conversation which no longer
concern anyone living； and their language； too； frequently so
coarse as to give no very favourable idea of the age that could
endure it。
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CHAPTER VI
he following conversation； which took place between the
two friends in the Pump…room one morning； after an
T
acquaintance of eight or nine days； is given as a specimen
of their very warm attachment； and of the delicacy； discretion；
originality of thought； and literary taste which marked the
reasonableness of that attachment。
They met by appointment； and as Isabella had arrived nearly
five minutes before her friend； her first address naturally was；—
“My dearest creature； what can have made you so late？ I have
been waiting for you at least this age！”
“Have you； indeed！—I am very sorry for it； but really I thought I
was in very good time。 It is but just one。 I hope you have not been
here long？”
“Oh！ These ten ages at least。 I am sure I have been here this
half hour。 But now； let us go and sit down at the other end of the
room； and enjoy ourselves。 I have an hundred things to say to you。
In the first place； I was so afraid it would rain this morning； just as
I wanted to set off； it looked very showery； and that would have
thrown me into agonies！ Do you know； I saw the prettiest hat you
can imagine； in a shop window in Milsom…street just now—very
like yours； only with coquelicot ribbons instead of green； I quite
longed for it。 But； my dearest Catherine； what have you been
doing with yourself all this morning？—Have you gone on with
Udolpho？”
“Yes； I have been reading it ever since I woke； and I am got to
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the black veil。”
“Are you； indeed？ How delightful！ Oh！ I would not tell you what
is behind the black veil for the world！ Are not you wild to know？”
“Oh！ yes； quite； what can it be？—But do not tell me—I would
not be told upon any account。 I know it must be a skeleton； I am
sure it is Laurentina’s skeleton。 Oh！ I am delighted with the book！
I should like to spend my whole life in reading it。 I assure you； if it
had not been to meet you； I would not have come away from it for
all the world。”
“Dear creature！ How much I am obliged to you； and when you
have finished Udolpho； we will read the Italian together； and I
have made out a list of ten or twelve more of the same kind for
you。”
“Have you； indeed！ How glad I am！—What are they all？”
“I will read you their names directly； here they are； in my
pocketbook。 Castle of Wolfenbach； Clermont； Mysterious
Warnings； Necromancer of the Black Forest； Midnight Bell；
Orphan of the Rhine； and Horrid Mysteries。 Those will last us
some time。”
“Yes； pretty well； but are they all horrid； are you sure they are
all horrid？”
“Yes； quite sure； for a particular friend of mine； a Miss
Andrews； a sweet girl； one of the sweetest creatures in the world；
has read every one of them。 I wish you knew Miss Andrews； you
would be delighted with her。 She is netting herself the sweetest
cloak you can conceive。 I think her as beautiful as an angel； and I
am so vexed with the men for not admiring her！—I scold them all
amazingly about it。”
“Scold them！ Do you scold them for not admiring her？”
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“Yes； that I do。 There is nothing I would not do for those who
are really my friends。 I have no notion of loving people by halves；
it is not my nature。 My attachments are always excessively strong。
I told Captain Hunt at one of our assemblies this winter that if he
was to tease me all night； I would not dance with him； unless he
would allow Miss Andrews to be as beautiful as an angel。 The men
think us incapable of real friendship； you know； and I am
determined to show them the difference。 Now； if I were to hear
anybody speak slightingly of you； I should fire up in a moment：—
but that is not at all likely； for you are just the kind of girl to be a
great favourite with the men。”
“Oh； dear！” cried Catherine； colouring； “how can you say so？”
“I know you very well； you have so much animation； which is
exactly what Miss Andrews wants； for I must confess there is
something amazingly insipid about her。 Oh！ I must tell you； that
just after we parted yesterday； I saw a young man looking at you
so earnestly—I am sure he is in love with you。” Catherine
coloured； and disclaimed again。 Isabella laughed。 “It is very true；
upon my honour； but I see how it is； you are indifferent to
everybody’s admiration； except that of one gentleman； who shall
be nameless。 Nay； I cannot blame you—（speaking more
seriously）—your feelings are easily understood。 Where the heart is
really attached； I know very well how little one can be pleased
with the attention of anybody else。 Every thing is so insipid； so
uninteresting； that does not relate to the beloved object！ I can
perfectly comprehend your feelings。”
“But you should not persuade me that I think so very much
about Mr。 Tilney； for perhaps I may never see him again。”
“Not see him again！ My dearest creature； do not talk of it。 I am
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sure you would be miserable if you thought so！”
“No； indeed； I should not。 I do not pretend to say that I was not
very much pleased with him； but while I have Udolpho to read； I
feel as if nobody could make me miserable。 Oh！ The dreadful black
veil！ My dear Isabella； I am sure there must be Laurentina’s
skeleton behind it。”
“It is so odd to me； that you should never have read Udolpho
before； but I suppose Mrs。 Morland objects to novels。”
“No； she does not。 She very often reads Sir Charles Grandison
herself； but new books do not fall in our way。”
“Sir Charles Grandison！ That is an amazing horrid book； is it
not？—I remember Miss Andrews could not get through the first
volume。”
“It is not like Udolpho at all； but yet I think it is very
entertaining。”
“Do you indeed！—you surprize me； I thought it had not been
readable。 But； my dearest Catherine； have you settled what to
wear on your head tonight？ I am determined at all events to be
dressed exactly like you。 The men take notice of that sometimes；
you know。”
“But it does not signify if they do；” said Catherine； very
innocently。
“Signify！ Oh； heavens！ I make it a rule never to mind what they
say。 They are very often amazingly impertinent if you do not treat
them with spirit； and make them keep their distance。”
“Are they？—Well； I never observed that。 They always behave
very well to me。”
“Oh！ They give themselves such airs。 They are the most
conceited creatures in the world； and think themselves of so much
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importance！—By the bye； though I have thought of it a hundred
times； I have always forgot to ask you what is your favourite
complexion in a man。 Do you like them best dark or fair？”
“I hardly know。 I never much thought about it。 Something
between both； I think。 Brown—not fair； and—and not very dark。”
“Very well； Catherine。 That is exactly he。 I have not forgot your
description of Mr。 Tilney—‘a brown skin； with dark eyes； and
rather dark hair。’ Well； my taste is different。 I prefer light eyes；
and as to complexion—do you know—I like a sallow better than
any other。 You must not betray me； if you should ever meet with
one of your acquaintance answering that description。”
“Betray you！—What do you mean？”
“Nay； do not distress me。 I believe I have said too much。 Let us
drop the subject。”
Catherine； in some amazement； complied； and after remaining
a few moments silent； was on the point of reverting to what
interested her at that time rather more than anything else in the
world； Laurentina’s skeleton； when her friend prevented her； by
saying；—“For heaven’s sake！ Let us move away from this end of
the room。 Do you know； there are two odious young men who have
been staring at me this half hour。 They really put me quite out of
countenance。 Let us go and look at the arrivals。 They will hardly
follow us there。”
Away they walked to the book； and while Isabella examined the
names； it was Catherine’s employment to watch the proceedings of
these alarming young men。
“They are not coming this way； are they？ I hope they are not s
