第 14 节
作者:打倒一切      更新:2024-04-07 21:07      字数:9322
  at least the mother is; yes; I am sure Mrs。 Tilney is dead;
  because Mrs。 Hughes told me there was a very beautiful
  set of pearls that Mr。 Drummond gave his daughter on her
  wedding…day and that Miss Tilney has got now; for they
  were put by for her when her mother died。〃
  〃And is Mr。 Tilney; my partner; the only son?〃
  〃I cannot be quite positive about that; my dear;
  I have some idea he is; but; however; he is a very fine
  young man; Mrs。 Hughes says; and likely to do very well。〃
  Catherine inquired no further; she had heard enough
  to feel that Mrs。 Allen had no real intelligence to give;
  and that she was most particularly unfortunate herself
  in having missed such a meeting with both brother
  and sister。  Could she have foreseen such a circumstance;
  nothing should have persuaded her to go out with the others;
  and; as it was; she could only lament her ill luck;
  and think over what she had lost; till it was clear
  to her that the drive had by no means been very pleasant
  and that John Thorpe himself was quite disagreeable。
  CHAPTER 10
  The Allens; Thorpes; and Morlands all met in the
  evening at the theatre; and; as Catherine and Isabella
  sat together; there was then an opportunity for the
  latter to utter some few of the many thousand things
  which had been collecting within her for communication
  in the immeasurable length of time which had divided them。
  〃Oh; heavens! My beloved Catherine; have I got you at last?〃
  was her address on Catherine's entering the box and sitting
  by her。  〃Now; Mr。 Morland;〃 for he was close to her on
  the other side; 〃I shall not speak another word to you all
  the rest of the evening; so I charge you not to expect it。
  My sweetest Catherine; how have you been this long age? But
  I need not ask you; for you look delightfully。  You really
  have done your hair in a more heavenly style than ever;
  you mischievous creature; do you want to attract everybody?
  I assure you; my brother is quite in love with you already;
  and as for Mr。 Tilneybut that is a settled thingeven
  your modesty cannot doubt his attachment now; his coming
  back to Bath makes it too plain。  Oh! What would not I
  give to see him! I really am quite wild with impatience。
  My mother says he is the most delightful young man in
  the world; she saw him this morning; you know; you must
  introduce him to me。  Is he in the house now? Look about;
  for heaven's sake! I assure you; I can hardly exist till I
  see him。〃
  〃No;〃 said Catherine; 〃he is not here; I cannot see
  him anywhere。〃
  〃Oh; horrid! Am I never to be acquainted with him?
  How do you like my gown? I think it does not look amiss;
  the sleeves were entirely my own thought。  Do you know;
  I get so immoderately sick of Bath; your brother and I
  were agreeing this morning that; though it is vastly
  well to be here for a few weeks; we would not live
  here for millions。  We soon found out that our tastes
  were exactly alike in preferring the country to every
  other place; really; our opinions were so exactly the same;
  it was quite ridiculous! There was not a single point in
  which we differed; I would not have had you by for the world;
  you are such a sly thing; I am sure you would have made
  some droll remark or other about it。〃
  〃No; indeed I should not。〃
  〃Oh; yes you would indeed; I know you better than you
  know yourself。  You would have told us that we seemed
  born for each other; or some nonsense of that kind;
  which would have distressed me beyond conception;
  my cheeks would have been as red as your roses; I would
  not have had you by for the world。〃
  〃Indeed you do me injustice; I would not have made
  so improper a remark upon any account; and besides;
  I am sure it would never have entered my head。〃
  Isabella smiled incredulously and talked the rest
  of the evening to James。
  Catherine's resolution of endeavouring to meet Miss
  Tilney again continued in full force the next morning;
  and till the usual moment of going to the pump…room; she
  felt some alarm from the dread of a second prevention。
  But nothing of that kind occurred; no visitors appeared
  to delay them; and they all three set off in good time
  for the pump…room; where the ordinary course of events
  and conversation took place; Mr。 Allen; after drinking
  his glass of water; joined some gentlemen to talk over
  the politics of the day and compare the accounts of
  their newspapers; and the ladies walked about together;
  noticing every new face; and almost every new bonnet
  in the room。  The female part of the Thorpe family;
  attended by James Morland; appeared among the crowd in less
  than a quarter of an hour; and Catherine immediately took
  her usual place by the side of her friend。  James; who was
  now in constant attendance; maintained a similar position;
  and separating themselves from the rest of their party;
  they walked in that manner for some time; till Catherine
  began to doubt the happiness of a situation which;
  confining her entirely to her friend and brother;
  gave her very little share in the notice of either。
  They were always engaged in some sentimental discussion
  or lively dispute; but their sentiment was conveyed
  in such whispering voices; and their vivacity attended
  with so much laughter; that though Catherine's supporting
  opinion was not unfrequently called for by one or the other;
  she was never able to give any; from not having heard a word
  of the subject。  At length however she was empowered to
  disengage herself from her friend; by the avowed necessity
  of speaking to Miss Tilney; whom she most joyfully saw
  just entering the room with Mrs。 Hughes; and whom she
  instantly joined; with a firmer determination to be acquainted;
  than she might have had courage to command; had she
  not been urged by the disappointment of the day before。
  Miss Tilney met her with great civility; returned her
  advances with equal goodwill; and they continued talking
  together as long as both parties remained in the room;
  and though in all probability not an observation was made;
  nor an expression used by either which had not been made
  and used some thousands of times before; under that roof;
  in every Bath season; yet the merit of their being spoken
  with simplicity and truth; and without personal conceit;
  might be something uncommon。
  〃How well your brother dances!〃 was an artless exclamation
  of Catherine's towards the close of their conversation;
  which at once surprised and amused her companion。
  〃Henry!〃 she replied with a smile。  〃Yes; he does
  dance very well。〃
  〃He must have thought it very odd to hear me say I
  was engaged the other evening; when he saw me sitting down。
  But I really had been engaged the whole day to Mr。 Thorpe。〃
  Miss Tilney could only bow。  〃You cannot think;〃
  added Catherine after a moment's silence; 〃how surprised I
  was to see him again。  I felt so sure of his being quite
  gone away。〃
  〃When Henry had the pleasure of seeing you before;
  he was in Bath but for a couple of days。  He came only
  to engage lodgings for us。〃
  〃That never occurred to me; and of course;
  not seeing him anywhere; I thought he must be gone。
  Was not the young lady he danced with on Monday a Miss Smith?〃
  〃Yes; an acquaintance of Mrs。 Hughes。〃
  〃I dare say she was very glad to dance。  Do you
  think her pretty?〃 〃Not very。〃
  〃He never comes to the pump…room; I suppose?〃
  〃Yes; sometimes; but he has rid out this morning with
  my father。〃
  Mrs。 Hughes now joined them; and asked Miss Tilney
  if she was ready to go。  〃I hope I shall have the
  pleasure of seeing you again soon;〃 said Catherine。
  〃Shall you be at the cotillion ball tomorrow?〃
  〃Perhaps we Yes; I think we certainly shall。〃
  〃I am glad of it; for we shall all be there。〃
  This civility was duly returned; and they partedon
  Miss Tilney's side with some knowledge of her new
  acquaintance's feelings; and on Catherine's; without
  the smallest consciousness of having explained them。
  She went home very happy。  The morning had answered
  all her hopes; and the evening of the following day
  was now the object of exp