Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 16
Butdonotinsistuponmybeingveryagreeable,formyheart,youknow,willbesomefortymilesoff.Andasfordancing,donotmentionit,Ibeg;thatisquiteoutofthequestion.CharlesHodgeswillplaguemetodeath,Idaresay;butIshallcuthimveryshort.Tentoonebutheguessesthereason,andthatisexactlywhatIwanttoavoid,soIshallinsistonhiskeepinghisconjecturetohimself.”
Isabella’sopinionoftheTilneysdidnotinfluenceherfriend;shewassuretherehadbeennoinsolenceinthemannerseitherofbrotherorsister;andshedidnotcredittherebeinganyprideintheirhearts.Theeveningrewardedherconfidence;shewasmetbyonewiththesamekindness,andbytheotherwiththesameattention,asheretofore:MissTilneytookpainstobenearher,andHenryaskedhertodance.
HavingheardthedaybeforeinMilsomStreetthattheirelderbrother,CaptainTilney,wasexpectedalmosteveryhour,shewasatnolossforthenameofaveryfashionable-looking,handsomeyoungman,whomshehadneverseenbefore,andwhonowevidentlybelongedtotheirparty.Shelookedathimwithgreatadmiration,andevensupposeditpossiblethatsomepeoplemightthinkhimhandsomerthanhisbrother,though,inhereyes,hisairwasmoreassuming,andhiscountenancelessprepossessing.Histasteandmannerswerebeyondadoubtdecidedlyinferior;for,withinherhearing,henotonlyprotestedagainsteverythoughtofdancinghimself,butevenlaughedopenlyatHenryforfindingitpossible.
