按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
that she looked back at them only three times。
John Thorpe kept of course with Catherine； and； after a
few minutes' silence； renewed the conversation about his gig。
〃You will find； however； Miss Morland； it would be reckoned
a cheap thing by some people； for I might have sold it
for ten guineas more the next day； Jackson； of Oriel；
bid me sixty at once； Morland was with me at the time。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Morland； who overheard this； 〃but you
forget that your horse was included。〃
〃My horse！ Oh； d it！ I would not sell my horse
for a hundred。 Are you fond of an open carriage；
Miss Morland？〃
〃Yes； very； I have hardly ever an opportunity
of being in one； but I am particularly fond of it。〃
〃I am glad of it； I will drive you out in mine
every day。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Catherine； in some distress；
from a doubt of the propriety of accepting such an offer。
〃I will drive you up Lansdown Hill tomorrow。〃
〃Thank you； but will not your horse want rest？〃
〃Rest！ He has only come three and twenty miles today；
all nonsense； nothing ruins horses so much as rest；
nothing knocks them up so soon。 No； no； I shall exercise
mine at the average of four hours every day while I
am here。〃
〃Shall you indeed！〃 said Catherine very seriously。
〃That will be forty miles a day。〃
〃Forty！ Aye； fifty； for what I care。 Well； I will
drive you up Lansdown tomorrow； mind； I am engaged。〃
〃How delightful that will be！〃 cried Isabella；
turning round。 〃My dearest Catherine； I quite envy you；
but I am afraid； brother； you will not have room for
a third。〃
〃A third indeed！ No； no； I did not come to Bath
to drive my sisters about； that would be a good joke；
faith！ Morland must take care of you。〃
This brought on a dialogue of civilities between
the other two； but Catherine heard neither the particulars
nor the result。 Her companion's discourse now sunk from
its hitherto animated pitch to nothing more than a short
decisive sentence of praise or condemnation on the face
of every woman they met； and Catherine； after listening
and agreeing as long as she could； with all the civility
and deference of the youthful female mind； fearful of
hazarding an opinion of its own in opposition to that of a
self…assured man； especially where the beauty of her own
sex is concerned； ventured at length to vary the subject
by a question which had been long uppermost in her thoughts；
it was； 〃Have you ever read Udolpho； Mr。 Thorpe？〃
〃Udolpho！ Oh； Lord！ Not I； I never read novels；
I have something else to do。〃
Catherine； humbled and ashamed； was going to apologize
for her question； but he prevented her by saying；
〃Novels are all so full of nonsense and stuff； there has
not been a tolerably decent one come out since Tom Jones；
except The Monk； I read that t'other day； but as for all
the others； they are the stupidest things in creation。〃
〃I think you must like Udolpho； if you were to read it；
it is so very interesting。〃
〃Not I； faith！ No； if I read any； it shall
be Mrs。 Radcliffe's； her novels are amusing enough；
they are worth reading； some fun and nature in them。〃
〃Udolpho was written by Mrs。 Radcliffe；〃 said Catherine；
with some hesitation； from the fear of mortifying him。
〃No sure； was it？ Aye； I remember； so it was；
I was thinking of that other stupid book； written by
that woman they make such a fuss about； she who married
the French emigrant。〃
〃I suppose you mean Camilla？〃
〃Yes； that's the book； such unnatural stuff！ An old
man playing at see…saw； I took up the first volume once
and looked it over； but I soon found it would not do；
indeed I guessed what sort of stuff it must be before I
saw it： as soon as I heard she had married an emigrant；
I was sure I should never be able to get through it。〃
〃I have never read it。〃
〃You had no loss； I assure you； it is the horridest
nonsense you can imagine； there is nothing in the world in it
but an old man's playing at see…saw and learning Latin；
upon my soul there is not。〃
This critique； the justness of which was unfortunately
lost on poor Catherine； brought them to the door
of Mrs。 Thorpe's lodgings； and the feelings of the
discerning and unprejudiced reader of Camilla gave way
to the feelings of the dutiful and affectionate son；
as they met Mrs。 Thorpe； who had descried them from above；
in the passage。 〃Ah； Mother！ How do you do？〃 said he；
giving her a hearty shake of the hand。 〃Where did you get
that quiz of a hat？ It makes you look like an old witch。
Here is Morland and I come to stay a few days with you；
so you must look out for a couple of good beds
somewhere near。〃 And this address seemed to satisfy all
the fondest wishes of the mother's heart； for she received
him with the most delighted and exulting affection。
On his two younger sisters he then bestowed an equal portion
of his fraternal tenderness； for he asked each of them
how they did； and observed that they both looked very ugly。
These manners did not please Catherine；
but he was James's friend and Isabella's brother；
and her judgment was further bought off by Isabella's
assuring her； when they withdrew to see the new hat；
that John thought her the most charming girl in the world；
and by John's engaging her before they parted to dance
with him that evening。 Had she been older or vainer；
such attacks might have done little； but； where youth
and diffidence are united； it requires uncommon steadiness
of reason to resist the attraction of being called the most
charming girl in the world； and of being so very early
engaged as a partner； and the consequence was that；
when the two Morlands； after sitting an hour with the Thorpes；
set off to walk together to Mr。 Allen's； and James；
as the door was closed on them； said； 〃Well； Catherine；
how do you like my friend Thorpe？〃 instead of answering；
as she probably would have done； had there been no friendship
and no flattery in the case； 〃I do not like him at all；〃
she directly replied； 〃I like him very much； he seems
very agreeable。〃
〃He is as good…natured a fellow as ever lived；
a little of a rattle； but that will recommend him to your sex；
I believe： and how do you like the rest of the fami