Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 16
“Astothat,mysweetCatherine,therecannotbeadoubt,andyouknowmewellenoughtobesurethatamuchsmallerincomewouldsatisfyme.Itisnotthewantofmoremoneythatmakesmejustatpresentalittleoutofspirits;Ihatemoney;andifourunioncouldtakeplacenowupononlyfiftypoundsayear,Ishouldnothaveawishunsatisfied.Ah!myCatherine,youhavefoundmeout.There’sthesting.Thelong,long,endlesstwoyearsandhalfthataretopassbeforeyourbrothercanholdtheliving.”
“Yes,yes,mydarlingIsabella,”saidMrs.Thorpe,“weperfectlyseeintoyourheart.Youhavenodisguise.Weperfectlyunderstandthepresentvexation;andeverybodymustloveyouthebetterforsuchanoblehonestaffection.”
Catherine’suncomfortablefeelingsbegantolessen.SheendeavouredtobelievethatthedelayofthemarriagewastheonlysourceofIsabella’sregret;andwhenshesawherattheirnextinterviewascheerfulandamiableasever,endeavouredtoforgetthatshehadforaminutethoughtotherwise.Jamessoonfollowedhisletter,andwasreceivedwiththemostgratifyingkindness.
