第 10 节
作者:
打倒一切 更新:2024-04-07 21:07 字数:9322
ideas by a squeeze of the hand or a smile of affection。
The dancing began within a few minutes after they
were seated; and James; who had been engaged quite as long
as his sister; was very importunate with Isabella to stand up;
but John was gone into the card…room to speak to a friend;
and nothing; she declared; should induce her to join
the set before her dear Catherine could join it too。
〃I assure you;〃 said she; 〃I would not stand up without
your dear sister for all the world; for if I did we
should certainly be separated the whole evening。〃
Catherine accepted this kindness with gratitude;
and they continued as they were for three minutes longer;
when Isabella; who had been talking to James on the other
side of her; turned again to his sister and whispered;
〃My dear creature; I am afraid I must leave you;
your brother is so amazingly impatient to begin; I know
you will not mind my going away; and I dare say John will
be back in a moment; and then you may easily find me out。〃
Catherine; though a little disappointed; had too much good
nature to make any opposition; and the others rising up;
Isabella had only time to press her friend's hand and say;
〃Good…bye; my dear love;〃 before they hurried off。
The younger Miss Thorpes being also dancing; Catherine was
left to the mercy of Mrs。 Thorpe and Mrs。 Allen;
between whom she now remained。 She could not help being
vexed at the non…appearance of Mr。 Thorpe; for she not
only longed to be dancing; but was likewise aware that;
as the real dignity of her situation could not be known;
she was sharing with the scores of other young ladies still
sitting down all the discredit of wanting a partner。
To be disgraced in the eye of the world; to wear the
appearance of infamy while her heart is all purity;
her actions all innocence; and the misconduct of another
the true source of her debasement; is one of those
circumstances which peculiarly belong to the heroine's life;
and her fortitude under it what particularly dignifies
her character。 Catherine had fortitude too; she suffered;
but no murmur passed her lips。
From this state of humiliation; she was roused;
at the end of ten minutes; to a pleasanter feeling;
by seeing; not Mr。 Thorpe; but Mr。 Tilney; within three
yards of the place where they sat; he seemed to be
moving that way; but be did not see her; and therefore
the smile and the blush; which his sudden reappearance
raised in Catherine; passed away without sullying her
heroic importance。 He looked as handsome and as lively
as ever; and was talking with interest to a fashionable
and pleasing…looking young woman; who leant on his arm;
and whom Catherine immediately guessed to be his sister;
thus unthinkingly throwing away a fair opportunity of
considering him lost to her forever; by being married already。
But guided only by what was simple and probable;
it had never entered her head that Mr。 Tilney could
be married; he had not behaved; he had not talked;
like the married men to whom she had been used; he had
never mentioned a wife; and he had acknowledged a sister。
From these circumstances sprang the instant conclusion
of his sister's now being by his side; and therefore;
instead of turning of a deathlike paleness and falling
in a fit on Mrs。 Allen's bosom; Catherine sat erect;
in the perfect use of her senses; and with cheeks only a
little redder than usual。
Mr。 Tilney and his companion; who continued;
though slowly; to approach; were immediately preceded
by a lady; an acquaintance of Mrs。 Thorpe; and this lady
stopping to speak to her; they; as belonging to her;
stopped likewise; and Catherine; catching Mr。 Tilney's eye;
instantly received from him the smiling tribute
of recognition。 She returned it with pleasure;
and then advancing still nearer; he spoke both to her
and Mrs。 Allen; by whom he was very civilly acknowledged。
〃I am very happy to see you again; sir; indeed; I was
afraid you had left Bath。〃 He thanked her for her fears;
and said that he had quitted it for a week; on the very
morning after his having had the pleasure of seeing her。
〃Well; sir; and I dare say you are not sorry to be
back again; for it is just the place for young people
and indeed for everybody else too。 I tell Mr。 Allen;
when he talks of being sick of it; that I am sure he
should not complain; for it is so very agreeable a place;
that it is much better to be here than at home at this
dull time of year。 I tell him he is quite in luck
to be sent here for his health。〃
〃And I hope; madam; that Mr。 Allen will be obliged
to like the place; from finding it of service to him。〃
〃Thank you; sir。 I have no doubt that he will。
A neighbour of ours; Dr。 Skinner; was here for his health
last winter; and came away quite stout。〃
〃That circumstance must give great encouragement。〃
〃Yes; sirand Dr。 Skinner and his family were here
three months; so I tell Mr。 Allen he must not be in a hurry
to get away。〃
Here they were interrupted by a request from Mrs。 Thorpe
to Mrs。 Allen; that she would move a little to accommodate
Mrs。 Hughes and Miss Tilney with seats; as they had
agreed to join their party。 This was accordingly done;
Mr。 Tilney still continuing standing before them;
and after a few minutes' consideration; he asked Catherine
to dance with him。 This compliment; delightful as it was;
produced severe mortification to the lady; and in giving
her denial; she expressed her sorrow on the occasion
so very much as if she really felt it that had Thorpe;
who joined her just afterwards; been half a minute earlier;
he might have thought her sufferings rather too acute。
The very easy manner in which he then told her that he
had kept her waiting did not by any means reconcile her
more to her lot; nor did the particulars which he entered
into while they were standing up; of the horses and dogs
of the friend whom he had just left; and of a proposed
exchange of terriers between them; interest her so much
as to prevent her looking very often towards that part of the
room where she had left Mr。 Tilney。 Of her dear Isabella;
to whom she particularly longed to point out that gentleman;
she could see nothing。 They were in different sets。
She was separated from all her party; and away from all
her acquaintance; one mortification succeeded another;
and from the whole she deduced this useful lesson;
that to go previously engaged to a ball does not necessarily
increase either the dignity or enjoyment of a young lady。
From such a moralizing strain as this; she was suddenly
roused by a touch on the shoulder; and turning round;
perceived Mrs。 Hughes directly behind her; attended by Miss
Tilney and a gentleman。 〃I beg your pardon; Miss Morland;〃
said she; 〃for this libertybut I cannot anyhow get to
Miss Thorpe; and Mrs。 Thorpe said she was sure you would
not have the least objection to letting in this young lady
by you。〃 Mrs。 Hughes could not have applied to any creature
in the room more happy to oblige her than Catherine。
The young ladies were introduced to each other; Miss Tilney
expressing a proper sense of such goodness; Miss Morland
with the real delicacy of a generous mind making light
of the obligation; and Mrs。 Hughes; satisfied with having
so respectably settled her young charge; returned to
her party。
Miss Tilney had a good figure; a pretty face;
and a very agreeable countenance; and her air; though it
had not all the decided pretension; the resolute
stylishness of Miss Thorpe's; had more real elegance。
Her manners showed good sense and good breeding;
they were neither shy nor affectedly open; and she
seemed capable of being young; attractive; and at a ball
without wanting to fix the attention of every man
near her; and without exaggerated feelings of ecstatic
delight or inconceivable vexation on every little
trifling occurrence。 Catherine; interested at once
by her appearance and her relationship to Mr。 Tilney;
was desirous of being acquainted with her; and readily
talked therefore whenever she could think of anything
to say; and had courage and leisure for saying it。
But the hindrance thrown in the way of a very speedy intimacy;
by the frequent want of one or mo