Нортенгерское аббатство
Chapter 28
Thegeneralwillsendaservantwithme,Idaresay,halftheway—andthenIshallsoonbeatSalisbury,andthenIamonlyninemilesfromhome.”
“Ah,Catherine!Wereitsettledso,itwouldbesomewhatlessintolerable,thoughinsuchcommonattentionsyouwouldhavereceivedbuthalfwhatyouought.But—howcanItellyou?—tomorrowmorningisfixedforyourleavingus,andnoteventhehourislefttoyourchoice;theverycarriageisordered,andwillbehereatseveno’clock,andnoservantwillbeofferedyou.”
Catherinesatdown,breathlessandspeechless.“Icouldhardlybelievemysenses,whenIheardit;andnodispleasure,noresentmentthatyoucanfeelatthismoment,howeverjustlygreat,canbemorethanImyself—butImustnottalkofwhatIfelt.Oh!ThatIcouldsuggestanythinginextenuation!GoodGod!Whatwillyourfatherandmothersay!Aftercourtingyoufromtheprotectionofrealfriendstothis—almostdoubledistancefromyourhome,tohaveyoudrivenoutofthehouse,withouttheconsiderationsevenofdecentcivility!Dear,dearCatherine,inbeingthebearerofsuchamessage,Iseemguiltymyselfofallitsinsult;yet,Itrustyouwillacquitme,foryoumusthavebeenlongenoughinthishousetoseethatIambutanominalmistressofit,thatmyrealpowerisnothing.”
“HaveIoffendedthegeneral?”saidCatherineinafalteringvoice.
“Alas!Formyfeelingsasadaughter,allthatIknow,allthatIanswerfor,isthatyoucanhavegivenhimnojustcauseofoffence.Hecertainlyisgreatly,verygreatlydiscomposed;Ihaveseldomseenhimmoreso.
