Chapter 3

           Everymorningnowbroughtitsregularduties—shopsweretobevisited;somenewpartofthetowntobelookedat;andthepump-roomtobeattended,wheretheyparadedupanddownforanhour,lookingateverybodyandspeakingtonoone.ThewishofanumerousacquaintanceinBathwasstilluppermostwithMrs.Allen,andsherepeateditaftereveryfreshproof,whicheverymorningbrought,ofherknowingnobodyatall.

           TheymadetheirappearanceintheLowerRooms;andherefortunewasmorefavourabletoourheroine.Themasteroftheceremoniesintroducedtoheraverygentlemanlikeyoungmanasapartner;hisnamewasTilney.Heseemedtobeaboutfourorfiveandtwenty,wasrathertall,hadapleasingcountenance,averyintelligentandlivelyeye,and,ifnotquitehandsome,wasverynearit.Hisaddresswasgood,andCatherinefeltherselfinhighluck.Therewaslittleleisureforspeakingwhiletheydanced;butwhentheywereseatedattea,shefoundhimasagreeableasshehadalreadygivenhimcreditforbeing.Hetalkedwithfluencyandspirit—andtherewasanarchnessandpleasantryinhismannerwhichinterested,thoughitwashardlyunderstoodbyher.Afterchattingsometimeonsuchmattersasnaturallyarosefromtheobjectsaroundthem,hesuddenlyaddressedherwith—“Ihavehithertobeenveryremiss,madam,intheproperattentionsofapartnerhere;IhavenotyetaskedyouhowlongyouhavebeeninBath;whetheryouwereeverherebefore;whetheryouhavebeenattheUpperRooms,thetheatre,andtheconcert;andhowyouliketheplacealtogether.