But　the　hindrance　thrown　in　the　way　of　a　very　speedy　intimacy；
  by　the　frequent　want　of　one　or　more　of　these　requisites；
  prevented　their　doing　more　than　going　through　the　first
  rudiments　of　an　acquaintance；　by　informing　themselves　how　well
  the　other　liked　Bath；　how　much　she　admired　its　buildings
  and　surrounding　country；　whether　she　drew；　or　played；
  or　sang；　and　whether　she　was　fond　of　riding　on　horseback。
  The　two　dances　were　scarcely　concluded　before　Catherine
  found　her　arm　gently　seized　by　her　faithful　Isabella；
  who　in　great　spirits　exclaimed；　〃At　last　I　have　got　you。
  My　dearest　creature；　I　have　been　looking　for　you　this　hour。
  What　could　induce　you　to　come　into　this　set；　when　you
  knew　I　was　in　the　other？　I　have　been　quite　wretched
  without　you。〃
  〃My　dear　Isabella；　how　was　it　possible　for　me　to　get
  at　you？　I　could　not　even　see　where　you　were。〃
  〃So　I　told　your　brother　all　the　timebut　he　would
  not　believe　me。　　Do　go　and　see　for　her；　Mr。　Morland；
  said　Ibut　all　in　vainhe　would　not　stir　an　inch。
  Was　not　it　so；　Mr。　Morland？　But　you　men　are　all　so
  immoderately　lazy！　I　have　been　scolding　him　to　such
  a　degree；　my　dear　Catherine；　you　would　be　quite　amazed。
  You　know　I　never　stand　upon　ceremony　with　such　people。〃
  〃Look　at　that　young　lady　with　the　white　beads　round
  her　head；〃　whispered　Catherine；　detaching　her　friend
  from　James。　　〃It　is　Mr。　Tilney's　sister。〃
  〃Oh！　Heavens！　You　don't　say　so！　Let　me　look　at　her
  this　moment。　　What　a　delightful　girl！　I　never　saw　anything
  half　so　beautiful！　But　where　is　her　all…conquering　brother？　Is
  he　in　the　room？　Point　him　out　to　me　this　instant；　if　he　is。
  I　die　to　see　him。　　Mr。　Morland；　you　are　not　to　listen。
  We　are　not　talking　about　you。〃
  〃But　what　is　all　this　whispering　about？　What　is　going　on？〃
  〃There　now；　I　knew　how　it　would　be。　　You　men　have
  such　restless　curiosity！　Talk　of　the　curiosity　of　women；
  indeed！　'Tis　nothing。　　But　be　satisfied；　for　you　are　not
  to　know　anything　at　all　of　the　matter。〃
  〃And　is　that　likely　to　satisfy　me；　do　you　think？〃
  〃Well；　I　declare　I　never　knew　anything　like　you。
  What　can　it　signify　to　you；　what　we　are　talking　of。
  Perhaps　we　are　talking　about　you；　therefore　I　would　advise
  you　not　to　listen；　or　you　may　happen　to　hear　something　not
  very　agreeable。〃
  In　this　commonplace　chatter；　which　lasted　some　time；
  the　original　subject　seemed　entirely　forgotten；　and　though
  Catherine　was　very　well　pleased　to　have　it　dropped　for　a　while；
  she　could　not　avoid　a　little　suspicion　at　the　total　suspension
  of　all　Isabella's　impatient　desire　to　see　Mr。　Tilney。
  When　the　orchestra　struck　up　a　fresh　dance；　James　would
  have　led　his　fair　partner　away；　but　she　resisted。
  〃I　tell　you；　Mr。　Morland；〃　she　cried；　〃I　would　not　do　such
  a　thing　for　all　the　world。　　How　can　you　be　so　teasing；
  only　conceive；　my　dear　Catherine；　what　your　brother　wants
  me　to　do。　　He　wants　me　to　dance　with　him　again；　though　I
  tell　him　that　it　is　a　most　improper　thing；　and　entirely
  against　the　rules。　　It　would　make　us　the　talk　of　the　place；
  if　we　were　not　to　change　partners。〃
  〃Upon　my　honour；〃　said　James；　〃in　these　public　assemblies；
  it　is　as　often　done　as　not。〃
  〃Nonsense；　how　can　you　say　so？　But　when　you　men
  have　a　point　to　carry；　you　never　stick　at　anything。
  My　sweet　Catherine；　do　support　me；　persuade　your　brother
  how　impossible　it　is。　　Tell　him　that　it　would　quite　shock
  you　to　see　me　do　such　a　thing；　now　would　not　it？〃
  〃No；　not　at　all；　but　if　you　think　it　wrong；
  you　had　much　better　change。〃
  〃There；〃　cried　Isabella；　〃you　hear　what　your　sister　says；
  and　yet　you　will　not　mind　her。　　Well；　remember　that　it
  is　not　my　fault；　if　we　set　all　the　old　ladies　in　Bath
  in　a　bustle。　　Come　along；　my　dearest　Catherine；
  for　heaven's　sake；　and　stand　by　me。〃　And　off　they　went；
  to　regain　their　former　place。　　John　Thorpe；　in　the　meanwhile；
  had　walked　away；　and　Catherine；　ever　willing　to　give
  Mr。　Tilney　an　opportunity　of　repeating　the　agreeable
  request　which　had　already　flattered　her　once；　made　her
  way　to　Mrs。　Allen　and　Mrs。　Thorpe　as　fast　as　she　could；
  in　the　hope　of　finding　him　still　with　thema　hope　which；
  when　it　proved　to　be　fruitless；　she　felt　to　have　been
  highly　unreasonable。　　〃Well；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Thorpe；
  impatient　for　praise　of　her　son；　〃I　hope　you　have　had
  an　agreeable　partner。〃
  〃Very　agreeable；　madam。〃
  〃I　am　glad　of　it。　　John　has　charming　spirits；
  has　not　he？〃
  〃Did　you　meet　Mr。　Tilney；　my　dear？〃　said　Mrs。　Allen。
  〃No；　where　is　he？〃
  〃He　was　with　us　just　now；　and　said　he　was　so　tired
  of　lounging　about；　that　he　was　resolved　to　go　and　dance；
  so　I　thought　perhaps　he　would　ask　you；　if　he　met　with　you。〃
  〃Where　can　he　be？〃　said　Catherine；　looking　round；
  but　she　had　not　looked　round　long　before　she　saw　him
  leading　a　young　lady　to　the　dance。
  〃Ah！　He　has　got　a　partner；　I　wish　he　had　asked　you；〃
  said　Mrs。　Allen；　and　after　a　short　silence；　she　added；
  〃he　is　a　very　agreeable　young　man。〃
  〃Indeed　he　is；　Mrs。　Allen；〃　said　Mrs。　Thorpe；
  smiling　complacently；　〃I　must　say　it；　though　I　am　his　mother；
  that　there　is　not　a　more　agreeable　young　man　in　the　world。〃
  This　inapplicable　answer　might　have　been　too　much
  for　the　comprehension　of　many；　but　it　did　not　puzzle
  Mrs。　Allen；　for　after　only　a　moment's　consideration；
  she　said；　in　a　whisper　to　Catherine；　〃I　dare　say　she
  thought　I　was　speaking　of　her　son。〃
  Catherine　was　disappointed　and　vexed。　　She　seemed
  to　have　missed　by　so　little　the　very　object　she　had
  had　in　view；　and　this　persuasion　did　not　incline　her
  to　a　very　gracious　reply；　when　John　Thorpe　came　up
  to　her　soon　afterwards　and　said；　〃Well；　Miss　Morland；
  I　suppose　you　and　I　are　to　stand　up　and　jig　it　together　again。〃
  〃Oh；　no；　I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　our　two　dances
  are　over；　and；　besides；　I　am　tired；　and　do　not　mean
  to　dance　any　more。〃
  〃Do　not　you？　Then　let　us　walk　about　and　quiz　people。
  Come　along　with　me；　and　I　will　show　you　the　four　greatest
  quizzers　in　the　room；　my　two　younger　sisters　and　their　partners。
  I　have　been　laughing　at　them　this　half　hour。〃
  Again　Catherine　excused　herself；　and　at　last　he　walked
  off　to　quiz　his　sisters　by　himself。　　The　rest　of　the　evening
  she　found　very　dull；　Mr。　Tilney　was　drawn　away　from　their
  party　at　tea；　to　attend　that　of　his　partner；　Miss　Tilney；
  though　belonging　to　it；　did　not　sit　near　her；　and　James
  and　Isabella　were　so　much　engaged　in　conversing　together
  that　the　latter　had　no　leisure　to　bestow　more　on　her　friend
  than　one　smile；　one　squeeze；　and　one　〃dearest　Catherine。〃
  CHAPTER　9
  The　progress　of　Catherine's　unhappiness　from　the
  events　of　the　evening　was　as　follows。　　It　appeared　first
  in　a　general　dissatisfaction　with　everybody　about　her；
  while　she　remained　in　the　rooms；　which　speedily　brought
  on　considerable　weariness　and　a　violent　desire　to　go　home。
  This；　on　arriving　in　Pulteney　Street；　took　the　direction
  of　extraordinary　hunger；　and　when　that　was　appeased；
  changed　into　an　earnest　longing　to　be　in　bed；　such　was
  the　extreme　point　of　her　distress；　for　when　there
  she　immediately　fell　into　a　sound　sleep　which　lasted
  nine　hours；　and　from　which　she　awoke　perfectly　revived；
  in　excellent　spirits；　with　fresh　hopes　and　fresh　schemes。
  The　first　wish　of　her　heart　was　to　improve　her　acquaintance
  with　Miss　Tilney；　and　almost　her　first　resolution；
  to　seek　her　for　that　purpose；　in　the　pump…room　at　noon。
  In　the　pump…room；　one　so　newly　arrived　in　Bath　must
  be　met　with；　and　that　building　she　had　already　found
  so　favourable　for　the　discovery　of　female　excellence；
  and　the　completion　of　female　intimacy；　so　admirably　adapted
  for　secret　discourses　and　unlimited　confidence；　that　she
  was　most　reasonably　encouraged　to　expect　another　friend　from
  within　its　walls。　　Her　plan　for　the　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；