of　her　wedding…gown。
  Their　conference　was　put　an　end　to　by　the　anxious
  young　lover　himself；　who　came　to　breathe　his　parting　sigh
  before　he　set　off　for　Wiltshire。　　Catherine　wished　to
  congratulate　him；　but　knew　not　what　to　say；　and　her　eloquence
  was　only　in　her　eyes。　　From　them；　however；　the　eight　parts
  of　speech　shone　out　most　expressively；　and　James　could
  combine　them　with　ease。　　Impatient　for　the　realization
  of　all　that　he　hoped　at　home；　his　adieus　were　not　long；
  and　they　would　have　been　yet　shorter；　had　he　not　been
  frequently　detained　by　the　urgent　entreaties　of　his　fair
  one　that　he　would　go。　　Twice　was　he　called　almost　from　the
  door　by　her　eagerness　to　have　him　gone。　　〃Indeed；　Morland；
  I　must　drive　you　away。　　Consider　how　far　you　have　to　ride。
  I　cannot　bear　to　see　you　linger　so。　　For　heaven's　sake；
  waste　no　more　time。　　There；　go；　goI　insist　on　it。〃
  The　two　friends；　with　hearts　now　more　united　than　ever；
  were　inseparable　for　the　day；　and　in　schemes　of　sisterly
  happiness　the　hours　flew　along。　　Mrs。　Thorpe　and　her　son；
  who　were　acquainted　with　everything；　and　who　seemed　only
  to　want　Mr。　Morland's　consent；　to　consider　Isabella's
  engagement　as　the　most　fortunate　circumstance　imaginable
  for　their　family；　were　allowed　to　join　their　counsels；
  and　add　their　quota　of　significant　looks　and　mysterious
  expressions　to　fill　up　the　measure　of　curiosity
  to　be　raised　in　the　unprivileged　younger　sisters。
  To　Catherine's　simple　feelings；　this　odd　sort　of　reserve
  seemed　neither　kindly　meant；　nor　consistently　supported；
  and　its　unkindness　she　would　hardly　have　forborne
  pointing　out；　had　its　inconsistency　been　less　their　friend；
  but　Anne　and　Maria　soon　set　her　heart　at　ease　by　the
  sagacity　of　their　〃I　know　what〃；　and　the　evening　was　spent
  in　a　sort　of　war　of　wit；　a　display　of　family　ingenuity；
  on　one　side　in　the　mystery　of　an　affected　secret；
  on　the　other　of　undefined　discovery；　all　equally　acute。
  Catherine　was　with　her　friend　again　the　next　day；
  endeavouring　to　support　her　spirits　and　while　away　the
  many　tedious　hours　before　the　delivery　of　the　letters；
  a　needful　exertion；　for　as　the　time　of　reasonable　expectation
  drew　near；　Isabella　became　more　and　more　desponding；
  and　before　the　letter　arrived；　had　worked　herself
  into　a　state　of　real　distress。　　But　when　it　did　come；
  where　could　distress　be　found？　〃I　have　had　no　difficulty
  in　gaining　the　consent　of　my　kind　parents；　and　am
  promised　that　everything　in　their　power　shall　be　done
  to　forward　my　happiness；〃　were　the　first　three　lines；
  and　in　one　moment　all　was　joyful　security。　　The　brightest
  glow　was　instantly　spread　over　Isabella's　features；
  all　care　and　anxiety　seemed　removed；　her　spirits　became
  almost　too　high　for　control；　and　she　called　herself　without
  scruple　the　happiest　of　mortals。
  Mrs。　Thorpe；　with　tears　of　joy；　embraced　her　daughter；
  her　son；　her　visitor；　and　could　have　embraced　half
  the　inhabitants　of　Bath　with　satisfaction。　　Her　heart
  was　overflowing　with　tenderness。　　It　was　〃dear　John〃
  and　〃dear　Catherine〃　at　every　word；　〃dear　Anne　and　dear　Maria〃
  must　immediately　be　made　sharers　in　their　felicity；
  and　two　〃dears〃　at　once　before　the　name　of　Isabella　were
  not　more　than　that　beloved　child　had　now　well　earned。
  John　himself　was　no　skulker　in　joy。　　He　not　only　bestowed
  on　Mr。　Morland　the　high　commendation　of　being　one　of　the
  finest　fellows　in　the　world；　but　swore　off　many　sentences
  in　his　praise。
  The　letter；　whence　sprang　all　this　felicity；　was　short；
  containing　little　more　than　this　assurance　of　success；
  and　every　particular　was　deferred　till　James　could　write　again。
  But　for　particulars　Isabella　could　well　afford　to　wait。
  The　needful　was　comprised　in　Mr。　Morland's　promise；
  his　honour　was　pledged　to　make　everything　easy；　and　by
  what　means　their　income　was　to　be　formed；　whether　landed
  property　were　to　be　resigned；　or　funded　money　made　over；
  was　a　matter　in　which　her　disinterested　spirit　took
  no　concern。　　She　knew　enough　to　feel　secure　of　an　honourable
  and　speedy　establishment；　and　her　imagination　took　a　rapid
  flight　over　its　attendant　felicities。　　She　saw　herself　at
  the　end　of　a　few　weeks；　the　gaze　and　admiration　of　every
  new　acquaintance　at　Fullerton；　the　envy　of　every　valued
  old　friend　in　Putney；　with　a　carriage　at　her　command；
  a　new　name　on　her　tickets；　and　a　brilliant　exhibition
  of　hoop　rings　on　her　finger。
  When　the　contents　of　the　letter　were　ascertained；
  John　Thorpe；　who　had　only　waited　its　arrival　to　begin　his
  journey　to　London；　prepared　to　set　off。　　〃Well；　Miss　Morland；〃
  said　he；　on　finding　her　alone　in　the　parlour；　〃I　am　come
  to　bid　you　good…bye。〃　Catherine　wished　him　a　good　journey。
  Without　appearing　to　hear　her；　he　walked　to　the　window；
  fidgeted　about；　hummed　a　tune；　and　seemed　wholly
  self…occupied。
  〃Shall　not　you　be　late　at　Devizes？〃　said　Catherine。
  He　made　no　answer；　but　after　a　minute's　silence　burst
  out　with；　〃A　famous　good　thing　this　marrying　scheme；
  upon　my　soul！　A　clever　fancy　of　Morland's　and　Belle's。
  What　do　you　think　of　it；　Miss　Morland？　I　say　it　is　no
  bad　notion。〃
  〃I　am　sure　I　think　it　a　very　good　one。〃
  〃Do　you？　That's　honest；　by　heavens！　I　am　glad　you
  are　no　enemy　to　matrimony；　however。　　Did　you　ever　hear
  the　old　song　'Going　to　One　Wedding　Brings　on　Another？'
  I　say；　you　will　come　to　Belle's　wedding；　I　hope。〃
  〃Yes；　I　have　promised　your　sister　to　be　with　her；
  if　possible。〃
  〃And　then　you　know〃twisting　himself　about
  and　forcing　a　foolish　laugh〃I　say；　then　you　know；
  we　may　try　the　truth　of　this　same　old　song。〃
  〃May　we？　But　I　never　sing。　　Well；　I　wish　you　a　good　journey。
  I　dine　with　Miss　Tilney　today；　and　must　now　be　going　home。〃
  〃Nay；　but　there　is　no　such　confounded　hurry。
  Who　knows　when　we　may　be　together　again？　Not　but　that　I
  shall　be　down　again　by　the　end　of　a　fortnight；　and　a
  devilish　long　fortnight　it　will　appear　to　me。〃
  〃Then　why　do　you　stay　away　so　long？〃
  replied　Catherinefinding　that　he　waited　for　an　answer。
  〃That　is　kind　of　you；　howeverkind　and　good…natured。
  I　shall　not　forget　it　in　a　hurry。　　But　you　have　more　good
  nature　and　all　that；　than　anybody　living；　I　believe。
  A　monstrous　deal　of　good　nature；　and　it　is　not　only
  good　nature；　but　you　have　so　much；　so　much　of　everything；
  and　then　you　have　such　upon　my　soul；　I　do　not　know
  anybody　like　you。〃
  〃Oh！　dear；　there　are　a　great　many　people　like　me；
  I　dare　say；　only　a　great　deal　better。　　Good　morning
  to　you。〃
  〃But　I　say；　Miss　Morland；　I　shall　come　and　pay　my
  respects　at　Fullerton　before　it　is　long；　if　not　disagreeable。〃
  〃Pray　do。　　My　father　and　mother　will　be　very　glad
  to　see　you。〃
  〃And　I　hopeI　hope；　Miss　Morland；　you　will　not
  be　sorry　to　see　me。〃
  〃Oh！　dear；　not　at　all。　　There　are　very　few　people
  I　am　sorry　to　see。　　Company　is　always　cheerful。〃
  〃That　is　just　my　way　of　thinking。　　Give　me　but　a　little
  cheerful　company；　let　me　only　have　the　company　of　the　people
  I　love；　let　me　only　be　where　I　like　and　with　whom　I　like；
  and　the　devil　take　the　rest；　say　I。　And　I　am　heartily
  glad　to　hear　you　say　the　same。　　But　I　have　a　notion；
  Miss　Morland；　you　and　I　think　pretty　much　alike　upon
  most　matters。〃
  〃Perhaps　we　may；　but　it　is　more　than　I　ever　thought　of。
  And　as　to　most　matters；　to　say　the　truth；　there　are　not
  many　that　I　know　my　own　mind　about。〃
  〃By　Jove；　no　more　do　I。　It　is　not　my　way　to　bother
  my　brains　with　what　does　not　concern　me。　　My　notion
  of　things　is　simple　enough。　　Let　me　only　have　the　girl
  I　like；　say　I；　with　a　comfortable　house　over　my　head；
  and　what　care　I　for　all　the　rest？　Fortune　is　nothing。
  I　am　sure　of　a　good　income　of　my　own；　and　if　she　had　not
  a　penny；　why；　so　much　the　better。〃
  〃Very　true。　　I　think　like　you　there。　　If　there　is　a　good
  fortune　on　one　side；　there　can　be　no　occasion　for　any　on
  the　other。　　No　matter　which　has　it；　so　that　there　is　enough。
  I　hate　the　idea　of　one　great　fortune　looking　out　for　another。
  And　to　marry　for　money　I　think　the　wickedest　thing
  in　existence。　　Good　day。　　We　shall　be　very　glad　to　see
  you　at　Fullerton；　whenever　it　is　con