Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 13
”Catherinewassorry,butcoulddonomore;andashortsilenceensued,whichwasbrokenbyIsabella,whoinavoiceofcoldresentmentsaid,“Verywell,thenthereisanendoftheparty.IfCatherinedoesnotgo,Icannot.Icannotbetheonlywoman.Iwouldnot,uponanyaccountintheworld,dosoimproperathing.”
“Catherine,youmustgo,”saidJames.
“ButwhycannotMr.Thorpedriveoneofhisothersisters?Idaresayeitherofthemwouldliketogo.”
“Thankye,”criedThorpe,“butIdidnotcometoBathtodrivemysistersabout,andlooklikeafool.No,ifyoudonotgo,d——meifIdo.Ionlygoforthesakeofdrivingyou.”
“Thatisacomplimentwhichgivesmenopleasure.”ButherwordswerelostonThorpe,whohadturnedabruptlyaway.
Thethreeothersstillcontinuedtogether,walkinginamostuncomfortablemannertopoorCatherine;sometimesnotawordwassaid,sometimesshewasagainattackedwithsupplicationsorreproaches,andherarmwasstilllinkedwithinIsabella’s,thoughtheirheartswereatwar.Atonemomentshewassoftened,atanotherirritated;alwaysdistressed,butalwayssteady.
“Ididnotthinkyouhadbeensoobstinate,Catherine,”saidJames;“youwerenotusedtobesohardtopersuade;youoncewerethekindest,best-temperedofmysisters.”
“IhopeIamnotlesssonow,”shereplied,veryfeelingly;“butindeedIcannotgo.IfIamwrong,IamdoingwhatIbelievetoberight.”
“Isuspect,”saidIsabella,inalowvoice,“thereisnogreatstruggle.
