Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 13
“Icannothelpbeingjealous,Catherine,whenIseemyselfslightedforstrangers,I,wholoveyousoexcessively!Whenoncemyaffectionsareplaced,itisnotinthepowerofanythingtochangethem.ButIbelievemyfeelingsarestrongerthananybody’s;Iamsuretheyaretoostrongformyownpeace;andtoseemyselfsupplantedinyourfriendshipbystrangersdoescutmetothequick,Iown.TheseTilneysseemtoswallowupeverythingelse.”
Catherinethoughtthisreproachequallystrangeandunkind.Wasitthepartofafriendthustoexposeherfeelingstothenoticeofothers?Isabellaappearedtoherungenerousandselfish,regardlessofeverythingbutherowngratification.Thesepainfulideascrossedhermind,thoughshesaidnothing.Isabella,inthemeanwhile,hadappliedherhandkerchieftohereyes;andMorland,miserableatsuchasight,couldnothelpsaying,“Nay,Catherine.Ithinkyoucannotstandoutanylongernow.Thesacrificeisnotmuch;andtoobligesuchafriend—Ishallthinkyouquiteunkind,ifyoustillrefuse.”
Thiswasthefirsttimeofherbrother’sopenlysidingagainsther,andanxioustoavoidhisdispleasure,sheproposedacompromise.IftheywouldonlyputofftheirschemetillTuesday,whichtheymighteasilydo,asitdependedonlyonthemselves,shecouldgowiththem,andeverybodymightthenbesatisfied.But“No,no,no!”wastheimmediateanswer;“thatcouldnotbe,forThorpedidnotknowthathemightnotgototownonTuesday.
