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very rich。〃
〃And no children at all？〃
〃Nonot any。〃
〃A famous thing for his next heirs。 He is your godfather；
is not he？〃
〃My godfather！ No。〃
〃But you are always very much with them。〃
〃Yes； very much。〃
〃Aye； that is what I meant。 He seems a good kind
of old fellow enough； and has lived very well in his time；
I dare say； he is not gouty for nothing。 Does he drink
his bottle a day now？〃
〃His bottle a day！ No。 Why should you think
of such a thing？ He is a very temperate man； and you
could not fancy him in liquor last night？〃
〃Lord help you！ You women are always thinking
of men's being in liquor。 Why； you do not suppose
a man is overset by a bottle？ I am sure of thisthat
if everybody was to drink their bottle a day； there would
not be half the disorders in the world there are now。
It would be a famous good thing for us all。〃
〃I cannot believe it。〃
〃Oh！ Lord； it would be the saving of thousands。
There is not the hundredth part of the wine consumed
in this kingdom that there ought to be。 Our foggy climate
wants help。〃
〃And yet I have heard that there is a great deal
of wine drunk in Oxford。〃
〃Oxford！ There is no drinking at Oxford now；
I assure you。 Nobody drinks there。 You would hardly meet
with a man who goes beyond his four pints at the utmost。
Now； for instance； it was reckoned a remarkable thing；
at the last party in my rooms； that upon an average we
cleared about five pints a head。 It was looked upon
as something out of the common way。 Mine is famous
good stuff； to be sure。 You would not often meet with
anything like it in Oxfordand that may account for it。
But this will just give you a notion of the general rate
of drinking there。〃
〃Yes； it does give a notion；〃 said Catherine warmly；
〃and that is； that you all drink a great deal more wine
than I thought you did。 However； I am sure James does
not drink so much。〃
This declaration brought on a loud and overpowering reply；
of which no part was very distinct； except the frequent
exclamations； amounting almost to oaths； which adorned it；
and Catherine was left； when it ended； with rather a strengthened
belief of there being a great deal of wine drunk in Oxford；
and the same happy conviction of her brother's comparative sobriety。
Thorpe's ideas then all reverted to the merits
of his own equipage； and she was called on to admire
the spirit and freedom with which his horse moved along；
and the ease which his paces； as well as the excellence
of the springs； gave the motion of the carriage。
She followed him in all his admiration as well as she could。
To go before or beyond him was impossible。 His knowledge
and her ignorance of the subject； his rapidity of expression；
and her diffidence of herself put that out of her power；
she could strike out nothing new in commendation；
but she readily echoed whatever he chose to assert；
and it was finally settled between them without any
difficulty that his equipage was altogether the most
complete of its kind in England； his carriage the neatest；
his horse the best goer； and himself the best coachman。
〃You do not really think； Mr。 Thorpe；〃 said Catherine；
venturing after some time to consider the matter as
entirely decided； and to offer some little variation on
the subject； 〃that James's gig will break down？〃
〃Break down！ Oh！ Lord！ Did you ever see such a little
tittuppy thing in your life？ There is not a sound piece
of iron about it。 The wheels have been fairly worn out
these ten years at leastand as for the body！ Upon my soul；
you might shake it to pieces yourself with a touch。
It is the most devilish little rickety business I ever
beheld！ Thank God！ we have got a better。 I would not be
bound to go two miles in it for fifty thousand pounds。〃
〃Good heavens！〃 cried Catherine； quite frightened。
〃Then pray let us turn back； they will certainly meet with
an accident if we go on。 Do let us turn back； Mr。 Thorpe；
stop and speak to my brother； and tell him how very unsafe
it is。〃
〃Unsafe！ Oh； lord！ What is there in that？ They will
only get a roll if it does break down； and there is plenty
of dirt； it will be excellent falling。 Oh； curse it！ The
carriage is safe enough； if a man knows how to drive it；
a thing of that sort in good hands will last above twenty
years after it is fairly worn out。 Lord bless you！ I
would undertake for five pounds to drive it to York
and back again； without losing a nail。〃
Catherine listened with astonishment； she knew
not how to reconcile two such very different accounts
of the same thing； for she had not been brought up
to understand the propensities of a rattle； nor to know
to how many idle assertions and impudent falsehoods the
excess of vanity will lead。 Her own family were plain；
matter…of…fact people who seldom aimed at wit of any kind；
her father； at the utmost； being contented with a pun；
and her mother with a proverb； they were not in the habit
therefore of telling lies to increase their importance；
or of asserting at one moment what they would contradict
the next。 She reflected on the affair for some time
in much perplexity； and was more than once on the point
of requesting from Mr。 Thorpe a clearer insight into his
real opinion on the subject； but she checked herself；
because it appeared to her that he did not excel in giving
those clearer insights； in making those things plain
which he had before made ambiguous； and； joining to this；
the consideration that he would not really suffer
his sister and his friend to be exposed to a danger
from which he might easily preserve them； she concluded
at last that he must know the carriage to be in fact
perfectly safe； and therefore would alarm herself no longer。
By him the whole matter seemed entirely forgotten；
and all the rest of his conversation； or rather talk；
began and ended with himself and his own concerns。
He told her of horses which he had bought for a trifle
and sold for incredible sums； of racing matches；
in which his judgment had infallibly foretold the winner；
of shooting parties； in which he had killed more birds
（though without having one good shot） than all his
companions together； and described to her some famous
day's sport； with the fox…houn