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for you are just the kind of girl to be a great favourite
with the men。〃
〃Oh； dear！〃 cried Catherine； colouring。 〃How can
you say so？〃
〃I know you very well； you have so much animation；
which is exactly what Miss Andrews wants； for I must
confess there is something amazingly insipid about her。
Oh！ I must tell you； that just after we parted yesterday；
I saw a young man looking at you so earnestlyI am
sure he is in love with you。〃 Catherine coloured；
and disclaimed again。 Isabella laughed。 〃It is very true；
upon my honour； but I see how it is； you are indifferent
to everybody's admiration； except that of one gentleman；
who shall be nameless。 Nay； I cannot blame you〃speaking
more seriously〃your feelings are easily understood。
Where the heart is really attached； I know very well how little
one can be pleased with the attention of anybody else。
Everything is so insipid； so uninteresting； that does not
relate to the beloved object！ I can perfectly comprehend
your feelings。〃
〃But you should not persuade me that I think so very
much about Mr。 Tilney； for perhaps I may never see him again。〃
〃Not see him again！ My dearest creature； do not talk
of it。 I am sure you would be miserable if you thought so！〃
〃No； indeed； I should not。 I do not pretend to say
that I was not very much pleased with him； but while I
have Udolpho to read； I feel as if nobody could make
me miserable。 Oh！ The dreadful black veil！ My dear Isabella；
I am sure there must be Laurentina's skeleton behind it。〃
〃It is so odd to me； that you should never have
read Udolpho before； but I suppose Mrs。 Morland objects
to novels。〃
〃No； she does not。 She very often reads Sir Charles
Grandison herself； but new books do not fall in our way。〃
〃Sir Charles Grandison！ That is an amazing horrid book；
is it not？ I remember Miss Andrews could not get through
the first volume。〃
〃It is not like Udolpho at all； but yet I think it
is very entertaining。〃
〃Do you indeed！ You surprise me； I thought it
had not been readable。 But； my dearest Catherine；
have you settled what to wear on your head tonight？ I am
determined at all events to be dressed exactly like you。
The men take notice of that sometimes； you know。〃
〃But it does not signify if they do；〃 said Catherine；
very innocently。
〃Signify！ Oh； heavens！ I make it a rule never to mind
what they say。 They are very often amazingly impertinent
if you do not treat them with spirit； and make them keep
their distance。〃
〃Are they？ Well； I never observed that。 They always
behave very well to me。〃
〃Oh！ They give themselves such airs。 They are
the most conceited creatures in the world； and think
themselves of so much importance！ By the by； though I
have thought of it a hundred times； I have always forgot
to ask you what is your favourite complexion in a man。
Do you like them best dark or fair？〃
〃I hardly know。 I never much thought about it。
Something between both； I think。 Brownnot fair；
andand not very dark。〃
〃Very well； Catherine。 That is exactly he。 I have
not forgot your description of Mr。 Tilney'a brown skin；
with dark eyes； and rather dark hair。' Well； my taste
is different。 I prefer light eyes； and as to complexiondo
you knowI like a sallow better than any other。
You must not betray me； if you should ever meet with one
of your acquaintance answering that description。〃
〃Betray you！ What do you mean？〃
〃Nay； do not distress me。 I believe I have said
too much。 Let us drop the subject。〃
Catherine； in some amazement； complied； and after
remaining a few moments silent； was on the point of
reverting to what interested her at that time rather more
than anything else in the world； Laurentina's skeleton；
when her friend prevented her； by saying； 〃For heaven's
sake！ Let us move away from this end of the room。
Do you know； there are two odious young men who have been
staring at me this half hour。 They really put me quite
out of countenance。 Let us go and look at the arrivals。
They will hardly follow us there。〃
Away they walked to the book； and while Isabella
examined the names； it was Catherine's employment to watch
the proceedings of these alarming young men。
〃They are not coming this way； are they？ I hope they
are not so impertinent as to follow us。 Pray let me know
if they are coming。 I am determined I will not look up。〃
In a few moments Catherine； with unaffected pleasure；
assured her that she need not be longer uneasy； as the
gentlemen had just left the pump…room。
〃And which way are they gone？〃 said Isabella；
turning hastily round。 〃One was a very good…looking
young man。〃
〃They went towards the church…yard。〃
〃Well； I am amazingly glad I have got rid of them！
And now； what say you to going to Edgar's Buildings
with me； and looking at my new hat？ You said you should
like to see it。〃
Catherine readily agreed。 〃Only；〃 she added；
〃perhaps we may overtake the two young men。〃
〃Oh！ Never mind that。 If we make haste； we shall
pass by them presently； and I am dying to show you my hat。〃
〃But if we only wait a few minutes； there will be
no danger of our seeing them at all。〃
〃I shall not pay them any such compliment； I assure you。
I have no notion of treating men with such respect。
That is the way to spoil them。〃
Catherine had nothing to oppose against such reasoning；
and therefore； to show the independence of Miss Thorpe；
and her resolution of humbling the sex； they set off
immediately as fast as they could walk； in pursuit of the
two young men。
CHAPTER 7
Half a minute conducted them through the pump…yard
to the archway； opposite Union Passage； but here they
were stopped。 Everybody acquainted with Bath may remember
the difficulties of crossing Cheap Street at this point；
it is indeed a street of so impertinent a nature；
so unfortunately connected with the great London
and Oxford roads； and the principal inn of the city；
that a day never passes in which parties of ladies；
however important their business； whether in quest
of pastry； millinery； or even （as in the