CHAPTER 8
In spite of Udolpho and the dressmaker, however, the party from PulteneyStreet reached the Upper Rooms in very good time. The Thorpes and JamesMorland were there only two minutes before them; and Isabella havinggone through the usual ceremonial of meeting her friend with the mostsmiling and affectionate haste, of admiring the set of her gown, andenvying the curl of her hair, they followed their chaperones, arm inarm, into the ballroom, whispering to each other whenever a thoughtoccurred, and supplying the place of many ideas by a squeeze of the handor a smile of affection.
The dancing began within a few minutes after they were seated; andJames, who had been engaged quite as long as his sister, was veryimportunate with Isabella to stand up; but John was gone into thecard-room to speak to a friend, and nothing, she declared, should induceher to join the set before her dear Catherine could join it too. ”Iassure you,” said she, ”I would not stand up without your dear sisterfor all the world; for if I did we should certainly be separated thewhole evening.” Catherine accepted this kindness with gratitude, andthey continued as they were for three minutes longer, when Isabella, whohad been talking to James on the other side of her, turned again to hissister and whispered, ”My dear creature, I am afraid I must leave you,your brother is so amazingly impatient to begin; I know you will notmind my going away, and I dare say John will be back in a moment,and then you may easily find me out.” Catherine, though a littledisappointed, had too much good nature to make any opposition, and theothers rising up, Isabella had only time to press her friend's hand andsay, ”Good-bye, my dear love,” before they hurried off. The youngerMiss Thorpes being also dancing, Catherine was left to the mercy of Mrs.Thorpe and Mrs. Allen, between whom she now remained. She could not helpbeing vexed at the non-appearance of Mr. Thorpe, for she not only longedto be dancing, but was likewise aware that, as the real dignity of hersituation could not be known, she was sharing with the scores of otheryoung ladies still sitting down all the discredit of wanting a partner.To be disgraced in the eye of the world, to wear the appearance ofinfamy while her heart is all purity, her actions all innocence, and themisconduct of another the true source of her debasement, is one of thosecircumstances which peculiarly belong to the heroine's life, and herfortitude under it what particularly dignifies her character. Catherinehad fortitude too; she suffered, but no murmur passed her lips.
From this state of humiliation, she was roused, at the end of tenminutes, to a pleasanter feeling, by seeing, not Mr. Thorpe, but Mr.Tilney, within three yards of the place where they sat; he seemed to bemoving that way, but he did not see her, and therefore the smile and theblush, which his sudden reappearance raised in Catherine, passed awaywithout sullying her heroic importance. He looked as handsome and aslively as ever, and was talking with interest to a fashionable andpleasing-looking young woman, who leant on his arm, and whom Catherineimmediately guessed to be his sister; thus unthinkingly throwing awaya fair opportunity of considering him lost to her forever, by beingmarried already. But guided only by what was simple and probable, ithad never entered her head that Mr. Tilney could be married; he had notbehaved, he had not talked, like the married men to whom she had beenused; he had never mentioned a wife, and he had acknowledged a sister.From these circumstances sprang the instant conclusion of his sister'snow being by his side; and therefore, instead of turning of a deathlikepaleness and falling in a fit on Mrs. Allen's bosom, Catherine saterect, in the perfect use of her senses, and with cheeks only a littleredder than usual.
Mr. Tilney and his companion, who continued, though slowly, to approach,were immediately preceded by a lady, an acquaintance of Mrs. Thorpe; andthis lady stopping to speak to her, they, as belonging to her, stoppedlikewise, and Catherine, catching Mr. Tilney's eye, instantly receivedfrom him the smiling tribute of recognition. She returned it withpleasure, and then advancing still nearer, he spoke both to her and Mrs.Allen, by whom he was very civilly acknowledged. ”I am very happy to seeyou again, sir, indeed; I was afraid you had left Bath.” He thanked herfor her fears, and said that he had quitted it for a week, on the verymorning after his having had the pleasure of seeing her.
”Well, sir, and I dare say you are not sorry to be back again, for itis just the place for young people--and indeed for everybody else too.I tell Mr. Allen, when he talks of being sick of it, that I am sure heshould not complain, for it is so very agreeable a place, that it ismuch better to be here than at home at this dull time of year. I tellhim he is quite in luck to be sent here for his health.”
”And I hope, madam, that Mr. Allen will be obliged to like the place,from finding it of service to him.”
”Thank you, sir. I have no doubt that he will. A neighbour of ours,Dr. Skinner, was here for his health last winter, and came away quitestout.”
”That circumstance must give great encouragement.”
”Yes, sir--and Dr. Skinner and his family were here three months; so Itell Mr. Allen he must not be in a hurry to get away.”
Here they were interrupted by a request from Mrs. Thorpe to Mrs. Allen,that she would move a little to accommodate Mrs. Hughes and Miss Tilneywith seats, as they had agreed to join their party. This was accordinglydone, Mr. Tilney still continuing standing before them; and after afew minutes' consideration, he asked Catherine to dance with him. Thiscompliment, delightful as it was, produced severe mortification to thelady; and in giving her denial, she expressed her sorrow on the occasionso very much as if she really felt it that had Thorpe, who joined herjust afterwards, been half a minute earlier, he might have thought hersufferings rather too acute. The very easy manner in which he then toldher that he had kept her waiting did not by any means reconcile her moreto her lot; nor did the particulars which he entered into while theywere standing up, of the horses and dogs of the friend whom he had justleft, and of a proposed exchange of terriers between them, interest herso much as to prevent her looking very often towards that part of theroom where she had left Mr. Tilney. Of her dear Isabella, to whom sheparticularly longed to point out that gentleman, she could see nothing.They were in different sets. She was separated from all her party, andaway from all her acquaintance; one mortification succeeded another,and from the whole she deduced this useful lesson, that to go previouslyengaged to a ball does not necessarily increase either the dignity orenjoyment of a young lady. From such a moralizing strain as this, shewas suddenly roused by a touch on the shoulder, and turning round,perceived Mrs. Hughes directly behind her, attended by Miss Tilney anda gentleman. ”I beg your pardon, Miss Morland,” said she, ”for thisliberty--but I cannot anyhow get to Miss Thorpe, and Mrs. Thorpe saidshe was sure you would not have the least objection to letting in thisyoung lady by you.” Mrs. Hughes could not have applied to any creaturein the room more happy to oblige her than Catherine. The young ladieswere introduced to each other, Miss Tilney expressing a proper sense ofsuch goodness, Miss Morland with the real delicacy of a generous mindmaking light of the obligation; and Mrs. Hughes, satisfied with havingso respectably settled her young charge, returned to her party.
Miss Tilney had a good figure, a pretty face, and a very agreeablecountenance; and her air, though it had not all the decided pretension,the resolute stylishness of Miss Thorpe's, had more real elegance. Hermanners showed good sense and good breeding; they were neither shy noraffectedly open; and she seemed capable of being young, attractive, andat a ball without wanting to fix the attention of every man near her,and without exaggerated feelings of ecstatic delight or inconceivablevexation on every little trifling occurrence. Catherine, interested atonce by her appearance and her relationship to Mr. Tilney, was desirousof being acquainted with her, and readily talked therefore whenever shecould think of anything to say, and had courage and leisure for sayingit. But the hindrance thrown in the way of a very speedy intimacy, bythe frequent want of one or more of these requisites, prevented theirdoing more than going through the first rudiments of an acquaintance, byinforming themselves how well the other liked Bath, how much she admiredits buildings and surrounding country, whether she drew, or played, orsang, and whether she was fond of riding on horseback.
The two dances were scarcely concluded before Catherine found her armgently seized by her faithful Isabella, who in great spirits exclaimed,”At last I have got you. My dearest creature, I have been looking foryou this hour. What could induce you to come into this set, when youknew I was in the other? I have been quite wretched without you.”
”My dear Isabella, how was it possible for me to get at you? I could noteven see where you were.”
”So I told your brother all the time--but he would not believe me. Do goand see for her, Mr. Morland, said I--but all in vain--he would not stiran inch. Was not it so, Mr. Morland? But you men are all so immoderatelylazy! I have been scolding him to such a degree, my dear Catherine, youwould be quite amazed. You know I never stand upon ceremony with suchpeople.”
”Look at that young lady with the white beads round her head,” whisperedCatherine, detaching her friend from James. ”It is Mr. Tilney's sister.”
”Oh! Heavens! You don't say so! Let me look at her this moment. What adelightful girl! I never saw anything half so beautiful! But where isher all-conquering brother? Is he in the room? Point him out to me thisinstant, if he is. I die to see him. Mr. Morland, you are not to listen.We are not talking about you.”
”But what is all this whispering about? What is going on?”
”There now, I knew how it would be. You men have such restlesscuriosity! Talk of the curiosity of women, indeed! 'Tis nothing. But besatisfied, for you are not to know anything at all of the matter.”
”And is that likely to satisfy me, do you think?”
”Well, I declare I never knew anything like you. What can it signify toyou, what we are talking of. Perhaps we are talking about you; thereforeI would advise you not to listen, or you may happen to hear somethingnot very agreeable.”
In this commonplace chatter, which lasted some time, the originalsubject seemed entirely forgotten; and though Catherine was very wellpleased to have it dropped for a while, she could not avoid a littlesuspicion at the total suspension of all Isabella's impatient desire tosee Mr. Tilney. When the orchestra struck up a fresh dance, James wouldhave led his fair partner away, but she resisted. ”I tell you, Mr.Morland,” she cried, ”I would not do such a thing for all the world.How can you be so teasing; only conceive, my dear Catherine, what yourbrother wants me to do. He wants me to dance with him again, thoughI tell him that it is a most improper thing, and entirely against therules. It would make us the talk of the place, if we were not to changepartners.”
”Upon my honour,” said James, ”in these public assemblies, it is asoften done as not.”
”Nonsense, how can you say so? But when you men have a point to carry,you never stick at anything. My sweet Catherine, do support me; persuadeyour brother how impossible it is. Tell him that it would quite shockyou to see me do such a thing; now would not it?”
”No, not at all; but if you think it wrong, you had much better change.”
”There,” cried Isabella, ”you hear what your sister says, and yet youwill not mind her. Well, remember that it is not my fault, if we set allthe old ladies in Bath in a bustle. Come along, my dearest Catherine,for heaven's sake, and stand by me.” And off they went, to regaintheir former place. John Thorpe, in the meanwhile, had walked away; andCatherine, ever willing to give Mr. Tilney an opportunity of repeatingthe agreeable request which had already flattered her once, made herway to Mrs. Allen and Mrs. Thorpe as fast as she could, in the hopeof finding him still with them--a hope which, when it proved to befruitless, she felt to have been highly unreasonable. ”Well, my dear,”said Mrs. Thorpe, impatient for praise of her son, ”I hope you have hadan agreeable partner.”
”Very agreeable, madam.”
”I am glad of it. John has charming spirits, has not he?”
”Did you meet Mr. Tilney, my dear?” said Mrs. Allen.
”No, where is he?”
”He was with us just now, and said he was so tired of lounging about,that he was resolved to go and dance; so I thought perhaps he would askyou, if he met with you.”
”Where can he be?” said Catherine, looking round; but she had not lookedround long before she saw him leading a young lady to the dance.
”Ah! He has got a partner; I wish he had asked you,” said Mrs. Allen;and after a short silence, she added, ”he is a very agreeable youngman.”
”Indeed he is, Mrs. Allen,” said Mrs. Thorpe, smiling complacently; ”Imust say it, though I am his mother, that there is not a more agreeableyoung man in the world.”
This inapplicable answer might have been too much for the comprehensionof many; but it did not puzzle Mrs. Allen, for after only a moment'sconsideration, she said, in a whisper to Catherine, ”I dare say shethought I was speaking of her son.”
Catherine was disappointed and vexed. She seemed to have missed by solittle the very object she had had in view; and this persuasion did notincline her to a very gracious reply, when John Thorpe came up to hersoon afterwards and said, ”Well, Miss Morland, I suppose you and I areto stand up and jig it together again.”
”Oh, no; I am much obliged to you, our two dances are over; and,besides, I am tired, and do not mean to dance any more.”
”Do not you? Then let us walk about and quiz people. Come along withme, and I will show you the four greatest quizzers in the room; my twoyounger sisters and their partners. I have been laughing at them thishalf hour.”
Again Catherine excused herself; and at last he walked off to quiz hissisters by himself. The rest of the evening she found very dull; Mr.Tilney was drawn away from their party at tea, to attend that of hispartner; Miss Tilney, though belonging to it, did not sit near her, andJames and Isabella were so much engaged in conversing together that thelatter had no leisure to bestow more on her friend than one smile, onesqueeze, and one ”dearest Catherine.”