They　passed　briskly　down　Pulteney　Street；　and　through
  Laura　Place；　without　the　exchange　of　many　words。
  Thorpe　talked　to　his　horse；　and　she　meditated；　by　turns；
  on　broken　promises　and　broken　arches；　phaetons　and
  false　hangings；　Tilneys　and　trap…doors。　As　they　entered
  Argyle　Buildings；　however；　she　was　roused　by　this　address
  from　her　companion；　〃Who　is　that　girl　who　looked　at　you
  so　hard　as　she　went　by？〃
  〃Who？　Where？〃
  〃On　the　right…hand　pavementshe　must　be　almost
  out　of　sight　now。〃　Catherine　looked　round　and　saw　Miss
  Tilney　leaning　on　her　brother's　arm；　walking　slowly　down
  the　street。　　She　saw　them　both　looking　back　at　her。
  〃Stop；　stop；　Mr。　Thorpe；〃　she　impatiently　cried；
  〃it　is　Miss　Tilney；　it　is　indeed。　　How　could　you　tell　me
  they　were　gone？　Stop；　stop；　I　will　get　out　this　moment
  and　go　to　them。〃　But　to　what　purpose　did　she　speak？　Thorpe
  only　lashed　his　horse　into　a　brisker　trot；　the　Tilneys；
  who　had　soon　ceased　to　look　after　her；　were　in　a　moment
  out　of　sight　round　the　corner　of　Laura　Place；　and　in　another
  moment　she　was　herself　whisked　into　the　marketplace。
  Still；　however；　and　during　the　length　of　another　street；
  she　entreated　him　to　stop。　　〃Pray；　pray　stop；　Mr。　Thorpe。
  I　cannot　go　on。　　I　will　not　go　on。　　I　must　go　back　to
  Miss　Tilney。〃　But　Mr。　Thorpe　only　laughed；　smacked　his　whip；
  encouraged　his　horse；　made　odd　noises；　and　drove　on；
  and　Catherine；　angry　and　vexed　as　she　was；　having　no
  power　of　getting　away；　was　obliged　to　give　up　the　point
  and　submit。　　Her　reproaches；　however；　were　not　spared。
  〃How　could　you　deceive　me　so；　Mr。　Thorpe？　How　could　you
  say　that　you　saw　them　driving　up　the　Lansdown　Road？　I
  would　not　have　had　it　happen　so　for　the　world。　　They　must
  think　it　so　strange；　so　rude　of　me！　To　go　by　them；　too；
  without　saying　a　word！　You　do　not　know　how　vexed　I　am；
  I　shall　have　no　pleasure　at　Clifton；　nor　in　anything　else。
  I　had　rather；　ten　thousand　times　rather；　get　out　now；
  and　walk　back　to　them。　　How　could　you　say　you　saw　them　driving
  out　in　a　phaeton？〃　Thorpe　defended　himself　very　stoutly；
  declared　he　had　never　seen　two　men　so　much　alike　in　his　life；
  and　would　hardly　give　up　the　point　of　its　having　been
  Tilney　himself。
  Their　drive；　even　when　this　subject　was　over；　was　not
  likely　to　be　very　agreeable。　　Catherine's　complaisance
  was　no　longer　what　it　had　been　in　their　former　airing。
  She　listened　reluctantly；　and　her　replies　were　short。
  Blaize　Castle　remained　her　only　comfort；　towards　that；
  she　still　looked　at　intervals　with　pleasure；　though　rather
  than　be　disappointed　of　the　promised　walk；　and　especially
  rather　than　be　thought　ill　of　by　the　Tilneys；　she　would
  willingly　have　given　up　all　the　happiness　which　its　walls
  could　supplythe　happiness　of　a　progress　through　a　long
  suite　of　lofty　rooms；　exhibiting　the　remains　of　magnificent
  furniture；　though　now　for　many　years　desertedthe　happiness
  of　being　stopped　in　their　way　along　narrow；　winding　vaults；
  by　a　low；　grated　door；　or　even　of　having　their　lamp；
  their　only　lamp；　extinguished　by　a　sudden　gust　of　wind；
  and　of　being　left　in　total　darkness。　　In　the　meanwhile；
  they　proceeded　on　their　journey　without　any　mischance；
  and　were　within　view　of　the　town　of　Keynsham；　when　a　halloo
  from　Morland；　who　was　behind　them；　made　his　friend　pull　up；
  to　know　what　was　the　matter。　　The　others　then　came　close
  enough　for　conversation；　and　Morland　said；　〃We　had
  better　go　back；　Thorpe；　it　is　too　late　to　go　on　today；
  your　sister　thinks　so　as　well　as　I。　We　have　been　exactly
  an　hour　coming　from　Pulteney　Street；　very　little　more
  than　seven　miles；　and；　I　suppose；　we　have　at　least　eight
  more　to　go。　　It　will　never　do。　　We　set　out　a　great　deal
  too　late。　　We　had　much　better　put　it　off　till　another　day；
  and　turn　round。〃
  〃It　is　all　one　to　me；〃　replied　Thorpe　rather　angrily；
  and　instantly　turning　his　horse；　they　were　on　their　way
  back　to　Bath。
  〃If　your　brother　had　not　got　such　a　d　beast　to　drive；〃
  said　he　soon　afterwards；　〃we　might　have　done　it　very　well。
  My　horse　would　have　trotted　to　Clifton　within　the　hour；
  if　left　to　himself；　and　I　have　almost　broke　my　arm　with
  pulling　him　in　to　that　cursed　broken…winded　jade's　pace。
  Morland　is　a　fool　for　not　keeping　a　horse　and　gig　of
  his　own。〃
  〃No；　he　is　not；〃　said　Catherine　warmly；　〃for　I　am
  sure　he　could　not　afford　it。〃
  〃And　why　cannot　he　afford　it？〃
  〃Because　he　has　not　money　enough。〃
  〃And　whose　fault　is　that？〃
  〃Nobody's；　that　I　know　of。〃　Thorpe　then　said　something
  in　the　loud；　incoherent　way　to　which　he　had　often　recourse；
  about　its　being　a　d　thing　to　be　miserly；　and　that　if
  people　who　rolled　in　money　could　not　afford　things；
  he　did　not　know　who　could；　which　Catherine　did　not　even
  endeavour　to　understand。　　Disappointed　of　what　was　to
  have　been　the　consolation　for　her　first　disappointment；
  she　was　less　and　less　disposed　either　to　be　agreeable
  herself　or　to　find　her　companion　so；　and　they　returned
  to　Pulteney　Street　without　her　speaking　twenty　words。
  As　she　entered　the　house；　the　footman　told　her　that　a
  gentleman　and　lady　had　catted　and　inquired　for　her　a　few
  minutes　after　her　setting　off；　that；　when　he　told　them　she
  was　gone　out　with　Mr。　Thorpe；　the　lady　had　asked　whether
  any　message　had　been　left　for　her；　and　on　his　saying　no；
  had　felt　for　a　card；　but　said　she　had　none　about　her；
  and　went　away。　　Pondering　over　these　heart…rending　tidings；
  Catherine　walked　slowly　upstairs。　　At　the　head　of　them
  she　was　met　by　Mr。　Allen；　who；　on　hearing　the　reason
  of　their　speedy　return；　said；　〃I　am　glad　your　brother
  had　so　much　sense；　I　am　glad　you　are　come　back。
  It　was　a　strange；　wild　scheme。〃
  They　all　spent　the　evening　together　at　Thorpe's。
  Catherine　was　disturbed　and　out　of　spirits；　but　Isabella
  seemed　to　find　a　pool　of　commerce；　in　the　fate　of
  which　she　shared；　by　private　partnership　with　Morland；
  a　very　good　equivalent　for　the　quiet　and　country　air
  of　an　inn　at　Clifton。　　Her　satisfaction；　too；　in　not
  being　at　the　Lower　Rooms　was　spoken　more　than　once。
  〃How　I　pity　the　poor　creatures　that　are　going　there！　How
  glad　I　am　that　I　am　not　amongst　them！　I　wonder　whether
  it　will　be　a　full　ball　or　not！　They　have　not　begun
  dancing　yet。　　I　would　not　be　there　for　all　the　world。
  It　is　so　delightful　to　have　an　evening　now　and　then
  to　oneself。　　I　dare　say　it　will　not　be　a　very　good　ball。
  I　know　the　Mitchells　will　not　be　there。　　I　am　sure　I
  pity　everybody　that　is。　　But　I　dare　say；　Mr。　Morland；
  you　long　to　be　at　it；　do　not　you？　I　am　sure　you　do。
  Well；　pray　do　not　let　anybody　here　be　a　restraint　on　you。
  I　dare　say　we　could　do　very　well　without　you；　but　you　men
  think　yourselves　of　such　consequence。〃
  Catherine　could　almost　have　accused　Isabella　of　being
  wanting　in　tenderness　towards　herself　and　her　sorrows；
  so　very　little　did　they　appear　to　dwell　on　her　mind；
  and　so　very　inadequate　was　the　comfort　she　offered。
  〃Do　not　be　so　dull；　my　dearest　creature；〃　she　whispered。
  〃You　will　quite　break　my　heart。　　It　was　amazingly　shocking；
  to　be　sure；　but　the　Tilneys　were　entirely　to　blame。
  Why　were　not　they　more　punctual？　It　was　dirty；　indeed；
  but　what　did　that　signify？　I　am　sure　John　and　I　should
  not　have　minded　it。　　I　never　mind　going　through　anything；
  where　a　friend　is　concerned；　that　is　my　disposition；
  and　John　is　just　the　same；　he　has　amazing　strong　feelings。
  Good　heavens！　What　a　delightful　hand　you　have　got！　Kings；
  I　vow！　I　never　was　so　happy　in　my　life！　I　would　fifty　times
  rather　you　should　have　them　than　myself。〃
  And　now　I　may　dismiss　my　heroine　to　the
  sleepless　couch；　which　is　the　true　heroine's　portion；
  to　a　pillow　strewed　with　thorns　and　wet　with　tears。
  And　lucky　may　she　think　herself；　if　she　get　another
  good　night's　rest　in　the　course　of　the　next　three　months。
  CHAPTER　12
  〃Mrs。　Allen；〃　said　Catherine　the　next　morning；
  〃will　there　be　any　harm　in　my　calling　on　Miss　Tilney　today？
  I　shall　not　be　easy　till　I　have　explained　everything。〃
  〃Go；　by　all　means；　my　dear；　only　put　on　a　white　gown；
  Miss　Tilney　always　wears　white。〃
  Catherine　cheerfully　complied；　and　being　properly　equipped；
  was　mor