was　not　a　shrub　in　it　higher　than　the　green　bench　in　the　corner。
  A　saunter　into　other　meadows；　and　through　part
  of　the　village；　with　a　visit　to　the　stables　to　examine
  some　improvements；　and　a　charming　game　of　play　with　a
  litter　of　puppies　just　able　to　roll　about；　brought　them
  to　four　o'clock；　when　Catherine　scarcely　thought　it　could
  be　three。　　At　four　they　were　to　dine；　and　at　six　to　set
  off　on　their　return。　　Never　had　any　day　passed　so　quickly！
  She　could　not　but　observe　that　the　abundance　of　the
  dinner　did　not　seem　to　create　the　smallest　astonishment
  in　the　general；　nay；　that　he　was　even　looking　at　the
  side…table　for　cold　meat　which　was　not　there。　　His　son
  and　daughter's　observations　were　of　a　different　kind。
  They　had　seldom　seen　him　eat　so　heartily　at　any　table
  but　his　own；　and　never　before　known　him　so　little
  disconcerted　by　the　melted　butter's　being　oiled。
  At　six　o'clock；　the　general　having　taken　his　coffee；
  the　carriage　again　received　them；　and　so　gratifying　had　been
  the　tenor　of　his　conduct　throughout　the　whole　visit；　so　well
  assured　was　her　mind　on　the　subject　of　his　expectations；
  that；　could　she　have　felt　equally　confident　of　the　wishes
  of　his　son；　Catherine　would　have　quitted　Woodston　with
  little　anxiety　as　to　the　How　or　the　When　she　might　return　to　it。
  CHAPTER　27
  The　next　morning　brought　the　following　very　unexpected
  letter　from　Isabella：
  Bath；　April
  My　dearest　Catherine；　I　received　your　two　kind
  letters　with　the　greatest　delight；　and　have　a　thousand
  apologies　to　make　for　not　answering　them　sooner。
  I　really　am　quite　ashamed　of　my　idleness；　but　in
  this　horrid　place　one　can　find　time　for　nothing。
  I　have　had　my　pen　in　my　hand　to　begin　a　letter　to
  you　almost　every　day　since　you　left　Bath；　but　have
  always　been　prevented　by　some　silly　trifler　or　other。
  Pray　write　to　me　soon；　and　direct　to　my　own　home。
  Thank　God；　we　leave　this　vile　place　tomorrow。　　Since
  you　went　away；　I　have　had　no　pleasure　in　itthe
  dust　is　beyond　anything；　and　everybody　one　cares
  for　is　gone。　　I　believe　if　I　could　see　you　I　should
  not　mind　the　rest；　for　you　are　dearer　to　me　than
  anybody　can　conceive。　　I　am　quite　uneasy　about　your
  dear　brother；　not　having　heard　from　him　since　he
  went　to　Oxford；　and　am　fearful　of　some
  misunderstanding。　　Your　kind　offices　will　set　all
  right：　he　is　the　only　man　I　ever　did　or　could　love；
  and　I　trust　you　will　convince　him　of　it。　　The　spring
  fashions　are　partly　down；　and　the　hats　the　most
  frightful　you　can　imagine。　　I　hope　you　spend　your
  time　pleasantly；　but　am　afraid　you　never　think　of
  me。　　I　will　not　say　all　that　I　could　of　the　family
  you　are　with；　because　I　would　not　be　ungenerous；　or
  set　you　against　those　you　esteem；　but　it　is　very
  difficult　to　know　whom　to　trust；　and　young　men　never
  know　their　minds　two　days　together。　　I　rejoice　to
  say　that　the　young　man　whom；　of　all　others；　I
  particularly　abhor；　has　left　Bath。　　You　will　know；
  from　this　description；　I　must　mean　Captain　Tilney；
  who；　as　you　may　remember；　was　amazingly　disposed　to
  follow　and　tease　me；　before　you　went　away。　　Afterwards
  he　got　worse；　and　became　quite　my　shadow。　　Many
  girls　might　have　been　taken　in；　for　never　were　such
  attentions；　but　I　knew　the　fickle　sex　too　well。　　He
  went　away　to　his　regiment　two　days　ago；　and　I　trust
  I　shall　never　be　plagued　with　him　again。　　He　is　the
  greatest　coxcomb　I　ever　saw；　and　amazingly
  disagreeable。　　The　last　two　days　he　was　always　by
  the　side　of　Charlotte　Davis：　I　pitied　his　taste；
  but　took　no　notice　of　him。　　The　last　time　we　met
  was　in　Bath　Street；　and　I　turned　directly　into　a
  shop　that　he　might　not　speak　to　me；　I　would　not　even
  look　at　him。　　He　went　into　the　pump…room　afterwards；
  but　I　would　not　have　followed　him　for　all　the　world。
  Such　a　contrast　between　him　and　your　brother！　Pray
  send　me　some　news　of　the　latterI　am　quite　unhappy
  about　him；　he　seemed　so　uncomfortable　when　he　went
  away；　with　a　cold；　or　something　that　affected　his
  spirits。　　I　would　write　to　him　myself；　but　have
  mislaid　his　direction；　and；　as　I　hinted　above；　am
  afraid　he　took　something　in　my　conduct　amiss。　　Pray
  explain　everything　to　his　satisfaction；　or；　if　he
  still　harbours　any　doubt；　a　line　from　himself　to
  me；　or　a　call　at　Putney　when　next　in　town；　might
  set　all　to　rights。　　I　have　not　been　to　the　rooms
  this　age；　nor　to　the　play；　except　going　in　last
  night　with　the　Hodges；　for　a　frolic；　at　half　price：
  they　teased　me　into　it；　and　I　was　determined　they
  should　not　say　I　shut　myself　up　because　Tilney　was
  gone。　　We　happened　to　sit　by　the　Mitchells；　and　they
  pretended　to　be　quite　surprised　to　see　me　out。　　I
  knew　their　spite：　at　one　time　they　could　not　be
  civil　to　me；　but　now　they　are　all　friendship；　but
  I　am　not　such　a　fool　as　to　be　taken　in　by　them。
  You　know　I　have　a　pretty　good　spirit　of　my　own。
  Anne　Mitchell　had　tried　to　put　on　a　turban　like
  mine；　as　I　wore　it　the　week　before　at　the　concert；
  but　made　wretched　work　of　itit　happened　to　become
  my　odd　face；　I　believe；　at　least　Tilney　told　me　so
  at　the　time；　and　said　every　eye　was　upon　me；　but　he
  is　the　last　man　whose　word　I　would　take。　　I　wear
  nothing　but　purple　now：　I　know　I　look　hideous　in
  it；　but　no　matter　it　is　your　dear　brother's
  favourite　colour。　　Lose　no　time；　my　dearest；　sweetest
  Catherine；　in　writing　to　him　and　to　me；
  Who　ever　am；　etc。
  Such　a　strain　of　shallow　artifice　could　not　impose
  even　upon　Catherine。　　Its　inconsistencies；　contradictions；
  and　falsehood　struck　her　from　the　very　first。　　She　was
  ashamed　of　Isabella；　and　ashamed　of　having　ever　loved　her。
  Her　professions　of　attachment　were　now　as　disgusting
  as　her　excuses　were　empty；　and　her　demands　impudent。
  〃Write　to　James　on　her　behalf！　No；　James　should　never　hear
  Isabella's　name　mentioned　by　her　again。〃
  On　Henry's　arrival　from　Woodston；　she　made　known　to　him
  and　Eleanor　their　brother's　safety；　congratulating　them
  with　sincerity　on　it；　and　reading　aloud　the　most　material
  passages　of　her　letter　with　strong　indignation。
  When　she　had　finished　it〃So　much　for　Isabella；〃
  she　cried；　〃and　for　all　our　intimacy！　She　must　think　me
  an　idiot；　or　she　could　not　have　written　so；　but　perhaps
  this　has　served　to　make　her　character　better　known　to　me
  than　mine　is　to　her。　　I　see　what　she　has　been　about。
  She　is　a　vain　coquette；　and　her　tricks　have　not　answered。
  I　do　not　believe　she　had　ever　any　regard　either　for　James
  or　for　me；　and　I　wish　I　had　never　known　her。〃
  〃It　will　soon　be　as　if　you　never　had；〃　said　Henry。
  〃There　is　but　one　thing　that　I　cannot　understand。
  I　see　that　she　has　had　designs　on　Captain　Tilney；　which　have
  not　succeeded；　but　I　do　not　understand　what　Captain　Tilney
  has　been　about　all　this　time。　　Why　should　he　pay　her
  such　attentions　as　to　make　her　quarrel　with　my　brother；
  and　then　fly　off　himself？〃
  〃I　have　very　little　to　say　for　Frederick's　motives；
  such　as　I　believe　them　to　have　been。　　He　has　his　vanities
  as　well　as　Miss　Thorpe；　and　the　chief　difference　is；　that；
  having　a　stronger　head；　they　have　not　yet　injured　himself。
  If　the　effect　of　his　behaviour　does　not　justify　him　with　you；
  we　had　better　not　seek　after　the　cause。〃
  〃Then　you　do　not　suppose　he　ever　really　cared　about　her？〃
  〃I　am　persuaded　that　he　never　did。〃
  〃And　only　made　believe　to　do　so　for　mischief's　sake？〃
  Henry　bowed　his　assent。
  〃Well；　then；　I　must　say　that　I　do　not　like　him　at　all。
  Though　it　has　turned　out　so　well　for　us；　I　do　not　like　him
  at　all。　　As　it　happens；　there　is　no　great　harm　done；
  because　I　do　not　think　Isabella　has　any　heart　to　lose。
  But；　suppose　he　had　made　her　very　much　in　love　with　him？〃
  〃But　we　must　first　suppose　Isabella　to　have　had　a　heart
  to　loseconseque