from　James；　however；〃　as　she　looked　at　the　direction。
  She　opened　it；　it　was　from　Oxford；　and　to　this　purpose：
  〃Dear　Catherine；
  〃Though；　God　knows；　with　little　inclination
  for　writing；　I　think　it　my　duty　to　tell　you　that
  everything　is　at　an　end　between　Miss　Thorpe　and　me。
  I　left　her　and　Bath　yesterday；　never　to　see　either
  again。　　I　shall　not　enter　into　particularsthey
  would　only　pain　you　more。　　You　will　soon　hear　enough
  from　another　quarter　to　know　where　lies　the　blame；
  and　I　hope　will　acquit　your　brother　of　everything
  but　the　folly　of　too　easily　thinking　his　affection
  returned。　　Thank　God！　I　am　undeceived　in　time！　　But
  it　is　a　heavy　blow！　After　my　father's　consent　had
  been　so　kindly　givenbut　no　more　of　this。　　She　has
  made　me　miserable　forever！　Let　me　soon　hear　from
  you；　dear　Catherine；　you　are　my　only　friend；　your
  love　I　do　build　upon。　　I　wish　your　visit　at　Northanger
  may　be　over　before　Captain　Tilney　makes　his　engagement
  known；　or　you　will　be　uncomfortably　circumstanced。
  Poor　Thorpe　is　in　town：　I　dread　the　sight　of　him；
  his　honest　heart　would　feel　so　much。　　I　have　written
  to　him　and　my　father。　　Her　duplicity　hurts　me　more
  than　all；　till　the　very　last；　if　I　reasoned　with
  her；　she　declared　herself　as　much　attached　to　me　as
  ever；　and　laughed　at　my　fears。　　I　am　ashamed　to
  think　how　long　I　bore　with　it；　but　if　ever　man　had
  reason　to　believe　himself　loved；　I　was　that　man。
  I　cannot　understand　even　now　what　she　would　be　at；
  for　there　could　be　no　need　of　my　being　played　off
  to　make　her　secure　of　Tilney。　　We　parted　at　last　by
  mutual　consenthappy　for　me　had　we　never　met！　I
  can　never　expect　to　know　such　another　woman！　Dearest
  Catherine；　beware　how　you　give　your　heart。
  〃Believe　me；〃　&c。
  Catherine　had　not　read　three　lines　before　her　sudden
  change　of　countenance；　and　short　exclamations　of　sorrowing
  wonder；　declared　her　to　be　receiving　unpleasant　news；
  and　Henry；　earnestly　watching　her　through　the　whole　letter；
  saw　plainly　that　it　ended　no　better　than　it　began。
  He　was　prevented；　however；　from　even　looking　his　surprise
  by　his　father's　entrance。　　They　went　to　breakfast　directly；
  but　Catherine　could　hardly　eat　anything。　　Tears　filled
  her　eyes；　and　even　ran　down　her　cheeks　as　she　sat。
  The　letter　was　one　moment　in　her　hand；　then　in　her　lap；
  and　then　in　her　pocket；　and　she　looked　as　if　she　knew
  not　what　she　did。　　The　general；　between　his　cocoa　and
  his　newspaper；　had　luckily　no　leisure　for　noticing　her；
  but　to　the　other　two　her　distress　was　equally　visible。
  As　soon　as　she　dared　leave　the　table　she　hurried　away
  to　her　own　room；　but　the　housemaids　were　busy　in　it；
  and　she　was　obliged　to　come　down　again。　　She　turned
  into　the　drawing…room　for　privacy；　but　Henry　and　Eleanor
  had　likewise　retreated　thither；　and　were　at　that　moment
  deep　in　consultation　about　her。　　She　drew　back；
  trying　to　beg　their　pardon；　but　was；　with　gentle　violence；
  forced　to　return；　and　the　others　withdrew；　after　Eleanor　had
  affectionately　expressed　a　wish　of　being　of　use　or　comfort
  to　her。
  After　half　an　hour's　free　indulgence　of　grief　and
  reflection；　Catherine　felt　equal　to　encountering　her　friends；
  but　whether　she　should　make　her　distress　known　to　them　was
  another　consideration。　　Perhaps；　if　particularly　questioned；
  she　might　just　give　an　ideajust　distantly　hint　at
  itbut　not　more。　　To　expose　a　friend；　such　a　friend
  as　Isabella　had　been　to　herand　then　their　own　brother
  so　closely　concerned　in　it！　She　believed　she　must　waive
  the　subject　altogether。　　Henry　and　Eleanor　were　by　themselves
  in　the　breakfast…room；　and　each；　as　she　entered　it；
  looked　at　her　anxiously。　　Catherine　took　her　place　at
  the　table；　and；　after　a　short　silence；　Eleanor　said；　〃No　bad
  news　from　Fullerton；　I　hope？　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Morlandyour
  brothers　and　sistersI　hope　they　are　none　of　them　ill？〃
  〃No；　I　thank　you〃　（sighing　as　she　spoke）；　〃they　are
  all　very　well。　　My　letter　was　from　my　brother　at　Oxford。〃
  Nothing　further　was　said　for　a　few　minutes；　and　then
  speaking　through　her　tears；　she　added；　〃I　do　not　think
  I　shall　ever　wish　for　a　letter　again！〃
  〃I　am　sorry；〃　said　Henry；　closing　the　book　he　had
  just　opened；　〃if　I　had　suspected　the　letter　of　containing
  anything　unwelcome；　I　should　have　given　it　with　very　different　feelings。〃
  〃It　contained　something　worse　than　anybody　could
  suppose！　Poor　James　is　so　unhappy！　You　will　soon　know　why。〃
  〃To　have　so　kind…hearted；　so　affectionate　a　sister；〃
  replied　Henry　warmly；　〃must　be　a　comfort　to　him　under
  any　distress。〃
  〃I　have　one　favour　to　beg；〃　said　Catherine；
  shortly　afterwards；　in　an　agitated　manner；　〃that；　if
  your　brother　should　be　coming　here；　you　will　give
  me　notice　of　it；　that　I　may　go　away。〃
  〃Our　brother！　Frederick！〃
  〃Yes；　I　am　sure　I　should　be　very　sorry　to　leave　you
  so　soon；　but　something　has　happened　that　would　make　it　very
  dreadful　for　me　to　be　in　the　same　house　with　Captain　Tilney。〃
  Eleanor's　work　was　suspended　while　she　gazed　with
  increasing　astonishment；　but　Henry　began　to　suspect　the　truth；
  and　something；　in　which　Miss　Thorpe's　name　was　included；
  passed　his　lips。
  〃How　quick　you　are！〃　cried　Catherine：　〃you　have
  guessed　it；　I　declare！　And　yet；　when　we　talked　about
  it　in　Bath；　you　little　thought　of　its　ending　so。
  Isabellano　wonder　now　I　have　not　heard　from　herIsabella
  has　deserted　my　brother；　and　is　to　marry　yours！　Could
  you　have　believed　there　had　been　such　inconstancy
  and　fickleness；　and　everything　that　is　bad　in　the　world？〃
  〃I　hope；　so　far　as　concerns　my　brother；　you　are　misinformed。
  I　hope　he　has　not　had　any　material　share　in　bringing　on
  Mr。　Morland's　disappointment。　　His　marrying　Miss　Thorpe
  is　not　probable。　　I　think　you　must　be　deceived　so　far。
  I　am　very　sorry　for　Mr。　Morlandsorry　that　anyone　you
  love　should　be　unhappy；　but　my　surprise　would　be　greater
  at　Frederick's　marrying　her　than　at　any　other　part　of　the　story。〃
  〃It　is　very　true；　however；　you　shall　read
  James's　letter　yourself。　　Stay　There　is　one　part〃
  recollecting　with　a　blush　the　last　line。
  〃Will　you　take　the　trouble　of　reading　to　us
  the　passages　which　concern　my　brother？〃
  〃No；　read　it　yourself；〃　cried　Catherine；　whose　second
  thoughts　were　clearer。　　〃I　do　not　know　what　I　was
  thinking　of〃　（blushing　again　that　she　had　blushed　before）；
  〃James　only　means　to　give　me　good　advice。〃
  He　gladly　received　the　letter；　and；　having　read
  it　through；　with　close　attention；　returned　it　saying；
  〃Well；　if　it　is　to　be　so；　I　can　only　say　that　I　am　sorry
  for　it。　　Frederick　will　not　be　the　first　man　who　has
  chosen　a　wife　with　less　sense　than　his　family　expected。
  I　do　not　envy　his　situation；　either　as　a　lover　or　a　son。〃
  Miss　Tilney；　at　Catherine's　invitation；　now　read
  the　letter　likewise；　and；　having　expressed　also　her
  concern　and　surprise；　began　to　inquire　into　Miss　Thorpe's
  connections　and　fortune。
  〃Her　mother　is　a　very　good　sort　of　woman；〃
  was　Catherine's　answer。
  〃What　was　her　father？〃
  〃A　lawyer；　I　believe。　　They　live　at　Putney。〃
  〃Are　they　a　wealthy　family？〃
  〃No；　not　very。　　I　do　not　believe　Isabella　has　any
  fortune　at　all：　but　that　will　not　signify　in　your　family。
  Your　father　is　so　very　liberal！　He　told　me　the　other　day
  that　he　only　valued　money　as　it　allowed　him　to　promote　the
  happiness　of　his　children。〃　The　brother　and　sister　looked
  at　each　other。　　〃But；〃　said　Eleanor；　after　a　short　pause；
  〃would　it　be　to　promote　his　happiness；　to　enable　him
  to　marry　such　a　girl？　She　must　be　an　unprincipled　one；
  or　she　could　not　have　used　your　brother　so。　　And　how
  strange　an　infatuation　on　Frederick's　side！　A　girl　who；
  before　his　eyes；　is　violating　an　engagement　voluntarily
  entered　into　with　another　man！　Is　not　it　inconceivable；
  Henry？　Frederick　too；　who　always　wore　his　heart　so　proudly！
  Who　found　no　woman　good　enough　to　be　loved！〃
  〃That　is　the　most　unpromising　circumstance；
  the　str