Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 14
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“Youthinkmefoolishtocallinstructionatorment,butifyouhadbeenasmuchusedasmyselftohearpoorlittlechildrenfirstlearningtheirlettersandthenlearningtospell,ifyouhadeverseenhowstupidtheycanbeforawholemorningtogether,andhowtiredmypoormotherisattheendofit,asIaminthehabitofseeingalmosteverydayofmylifeathome,youwouldallowthat’totorment’and’toinstruct’mightsometimesbeusedassynonymouswords.”
“Veryprobably.Buthistoriansarenotaccountableforthedifficultyoflearningtoread;andevenyouyourself,whodonotaltogetherseemparticularlyfriendlytoverysevere,veryintenseapplication,mayperhapsbebroughttoacknowledgethatitisverywellworth-whiletobetormentedfortwoorthreeyearsofone’slife,forthesakeofbeingabletoreadalltherestofit.Consider—ifreadinghadnotbeentaught,Mrs.Radcliffewouldhavewritteninvain—orperhapsmightnothavewrittenatall.”
Catherineassented—andaverywarmpanegyricfromheronthatlady’smeritsclosedthesubject.TheTilneysweresoonengagedinanotheronwhichshehadnothingtosay.Theywereviewingthecountrywiththeeyesofpersonsaccustomedtodrawing,anddecidedonitscapabilityofbeingformedintopictures,withalltheeagernessofrealtaste.HereCatherinewasquitelost.Sheknewnothingofdrawing—nothingoftaste:andshelistenedtothemwithanattentionwhichbroughtherlittleprofit,fortheytalkedinphraseswhichconveyedscarcelyanyideatoher.
