northanger abbey- 第25部分

and　Catherine　immediately　learnt　that　it　had　been　altogether



the　most　delightful　scheme　in　the　world；　that　nobody



could　imagine　how　charming　it　had　been；　and　that　it



had　been　more　delightful　than　anybody　could　conceive。　



Such　was　the　information　of　the　first　five　minutes；



the　second　unfolded　thus　much　in　detailthat　they　had　driven



directly　to　the　York　Hotel；　ate　some　soup；　and　bespoke



an　early　dinner；　walked　down　to　the　pump…room；　tasted



the　water；　and　laid　out　some　shillings　in　purses　and　spars；



thence　adjoined　to　eat　ice　at　a　pastry…cook's；　and　hurrying



back　to　the　hotel；　swallowed　their　dinner　in　haste；



to　prevent　being　in　the　dark；　and　then　had　a　delightful



drive　back；　only　the　moon　was　not　up；　and　it　rained　a　little；



and　Mr。　Morland's　horse　was　so　tired　he　could　hardly　get　it　along。　







　　　　　Catherine　listened　with　heartfelt　satisfaction。　



It　appeared　that　Blaize　Castle　had　never　been　thought　of；



and；　as　for　all　the　rest；　there　was　nothing　to　regret



for　half　an　instant。　　Maria's　intelligence　concluded



with　a　tender　effusion　of　pity　for　her　sister　Anne；



whom　she　represented　as　insupportably　cross；　from　being



excluded　the　party。　







　　　　　〃She　will　never　forgive　me；　I　am　sure；　but；　you　know；



how　could　I　help　it？　John　would　have　me　go；　for　he　vowed　he



would　not　drive　her；　because　she　had　such　thick　ankles。　



I　dare　say　she　will　not　be　in　good　humour　again　this　month；



but　I　am　determined　I　will　not　be　cross；　it　is　not　a　little



matter　that　puts　me　out　of　temper。〃







　　　　　Isabella　now　entered　the　room　with　so　eager　a　step；



and　a　look　of　such　happy　importance；　as　engaged　all　her



friend's　notice。　　Maria　was　without　ceremony　sent　away；



and　Isabella；　embracing　Catherine；　thus　began：　〃Yes；



my　dear　Catherine；　it　is　so　indeed；　your　penetration　has



not　deceived　you。　　Oh！　That　arch　eye　of　yours！　It　sees



through　everything。〃







　　　　　Catherine　replied　only　by　a　look　of　wondering　ignorance。　







　　　　　〃Nay；　my　beloved；　sweetest　friend；〃　continued　the　other；



〃compose　yourself。　　I　am　amazingly　agitated；　as　you　perceive。　



Let　us　sit　down　and　talk　in　comfort。　　Well；　and　so　you



guessed　it　the　moment　you　had　my　note？　Sly　creature！



Oh！　My　dear　Catherine；　you　alone；　who　know　my　heart；



can　judge　of　my　present　happiness。　　Your　brother　is　the　most



charming　of　men。　　I　only　wish　I　were　more　worthy　of　him。　



But　what　will　your　excellent　father　and　mother　say？　Oh！



Heavens！　When　I　think　of　them　I　am　so　agitated！〃







　　　　　Catherine's　understanding　began　to　awake：　an　idea



of　the　truth　suddenly　darted　into　her　mind；　and；　with　the



natural　blush　of　so　new　an　emotion；　she　cried　out；



〃Good　heaven！　My　dear　Isabella；　what　do　you　mean？　Can



youcan　you　really　be　in　love　with　James？〃







　　　　　This　bold　surmise；　however；　she　soon　learnt



comprehended　but　half　the　fact。　　The　anxious　affection；



which　she　was　accused　of　having　continually　watched



in　Isabella's　every　look　and　action；　had；　in　the　course



of　their　yesterday's　party；　received　the　delightful



confession　of　an　equal　love。　　Her　heart　and　faith　were



alike　engaged　to　James。　　Never　had　Catherine　listened



to　anything　so　full　of　interest；　wonder；　and　joy。　



Her　brother　and　her　friend　engaged！　New　to　such　circumstances；



the　importance　of　it　appeared　unspeakably　great；　and　she



contemplated　it　as　one　of　those　grand　events；　of　which



the　ordinary　course　of　life　can　hardly　afford　a　return。　



The　strength　of　her　feelings　she　could　not　express；



the　nature　of　them；　however；　contented　her　friend。　



The　happiness　of　having　such　a　sister　was　their　first　effusion；



and　the　fair　ladies　mingled　in　embraces　and　tears　of　joy。　







　　　　　Delighting；　however；　as　Catherine　sincerely　did



in　the　prospect　of　the　connection；　it　must　be　acknowledged



that　Isabella　far　surpassed　her　in　tender　anticipations。　



〃You　will　be　so　infinitely　dearer　to　me；　my　Catherine；



than　either　Anne　or　Maria：　I　feel　that　I　shall　be　so　much



more　attached　to　my　dear　Morland's　family　than　to　my　own。〃







　　　　　This　was　a　pitch　of　friendship　beyond　Catherine。　







　　　　　〃You　are　so　like　your　dear　brother；〃　continued　Isabella；



〃that　I　quite　doted　on　you　the　first　moment　I　saw　you。　



But　so　it　always　is　with　me；　the　first　moment



settles　everything。　　The　very　first　day　that　Morland　came



to　us　last　Christmasthe　very　first　moment　I　beheld



himmy　heart　was　irrecoverably　gone。　　I　remember　I　wore



my　yellow　gown；　with　my　hair　done　up　in　braids；　and　when　I



came　into　the　drawing…room；　and　John　introduced　him；



I　thought　I　never　saw　anybody　so　handsome　before。〃







　　　　　Here　Catherine　secretly　acknowledged　the　power



of　love；　for；　though　exceedingly　fond　of　her　brother；



and　partial　to　all　his　endowments；　she　had　never　in　her



life　thought　him　handsome。　







　　　　　〃I　remember　too；　Miss　Andrews　drank　tea　with　us



that　evening；　and　wore　her　puce…coloured　sarsenet；



and　she　looked　so　heavenly　that　I　thought　your　brother



must　certainly　fall　in　love　with　her；　I　could　not　sleep



a　wink　all　right　for　thinking　of　it。　　Oh！　Catherine；



the　many　sleepless　nights　I　have　had　on　your　brother's



account！　I　would　not　have　you　suffer　half　what　I　have　done！



I　am　grown　wretchedly　thin；　I　know；　but　I　will　not　pain



you　by　describing　my　anxiety；　you　have　seen　enough　of　it。　



I　feel　that　I　have　betrayed　myself　perpetuallyso　unguarded



in　speaking　of　my　partiality　for　the　church！　But　my　secret



I　was　always　sure　would　be　safe　with　you。〃







　　　　　Catherine　felt　that　nothing　could　have　been　safer；



but　ashamed　of　an　ignorance　little　expected；　she　dared



no　longer　contest　the　point；　nor　refuse　to　have　been



as　full　of　arch　penetration　and　affectionate　sympathy



as　Isabella　chose　to　consider　her。　　Her　brother；　she　found；



was　preparing　to　set　off　with　all　speed　to　Fullerton；



to　make　known　his　situation　and　ask　consent；　and　here　was



a　source　of　some　real　agitation　to　the　mind　of　Isabella。　



Catherine　endeavoured　to　persuade　her；　as　she　was



herself　persuaded；　that　her　father　and　mother　would



never　oppose　their　son's　wishes。　　〃It　is　impossible；〃



said　she；　〃for　parents　to　be　more　kind；　or　more　desirous



of　their　children's　happiness；　I　have　no　doubt　of　their



consenting　immediately。〃







　　　　　〃Morland　says　exactly　the　same；〃　replied　Isabella；



〃and　yet　I　dare　not　expect　it；　my　fortune　will　be　so　small；



they　never　can　consent　to　it。　　Your　brother；　who　might



marry　anybody！〃







　　　　　Here　Catherine　again　discerned　the　force　of　love。　







　　　　　〃Indeed；　Isabella；　you　are　too　humble。　　The　difference



of　fortune　can　be　nothing　to　signify。〃







　　　　　〃Oh！　My　sweet　Catherine；　in　your　generous　heart　I



know　it　would　signify　nothing；　but　we　must　not　expect



such　disinterestedness　in　many。　　As　for　myself；　I　am　sure



I　only　wish　our　situations　were　reversed。　　Had　I　the



command　of　millions；　were　I　mistress　of　the　whole　world；



your　brother　would　be　my　only　choice。〃







　　　　　This　charming　sentiment；　recommended　as　much　by　sense



as　novelty；　gave　Catherine　a　most　pleasing　remembrance　of　all



the　heroines　of　her　acquaintance；　and　she　thought　her　friend



never　looked　more　lovely　than　in　uttering　the　grand　idea。　



〃I　am　sure　they　will　consent；〃　was　her　frequent　declaration；



〃I　am　sure　they　will　be　delighted　with　you。〃







　　　　　〃For　my　own　part；〃　said　Isabella；　〃my　wishes　are　so　moderate



that　the　smallest　income　in　nature　would　be　enough　for　me。　



Where　people　are　really　attached；　poverty　itself　is　wealth；



grandeur　I　detest：　I　would　not　settle　in　London　for　the　universe。　



A　cottage　in　some　retired　village　would　be　ecstasy。　



There　are　some　charming　little　villas　about　Richmond。〃







　　　　　〃Richmond！〃　cried　Catherine。　　〃You　must　settle



near　Fullerton。　　You　must　be　near　us。〃







　　　　　〃I　am　sure　I　shall　be　miserable　if　we　do　not。　



If　I　can　but　be　near　you；　I　shall　be　satisfied。　



But　this　is　idle　talking！　I　will　not　allow　myself　to　think



of　such　things；　till　we　have　your　father's　answer。　



Morland　says　that　by　sending　it　tonight　to　Salisbury；



we　may　have　it　tomorrow。　　Tomorrow？　I　know　I　shall　never　have



courage　to　open　the　letter。　　I　know　it　will　be　the　death



of　me。〃







　　　　　A　reverie　succeeded　this　convictionand　when



Isabella　spoke　again；　it　was　to　resolve　on　the　quality



of　her　wedding…gown。







　　　　　Their　conference　was　put　an　end　to　by　the　anxious



young　lover　him