Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 17
Canyou,inshort,beprevailedontoquitthissceneofpublictriumphandobligeyourfriendEleanorwithyourcompanyinGloucestershire?Iamalmostashamedtomaketherequest,thoughitspresumptionwouldcertainlyappeargreatertoeverycreatureinBaththanyourself.Modestysuchasyours—butnotfortheworldwouldIpainitbyopenpraise.Ifyoucanbeinducedtohonouruswithavisit,youwillmakeushappybeyondexpression.’Tistrue,wecanofferyounothinglikethegaietiesofthislivelyplace;wecantemptyouneitherbyamusementnorsplendour,forourmodeofliving,asyousee,isplainandunpretending;yetnoendeavoursshallbewantingonoursidetomakeNorthangerAbbeynotwhollydisagreeable.”
NorthangerAbbey!Thesewerethrillingwords,andwoundupCatherine’sfeelingstothehighestpointofecstasy.Hergratefulandgratifiedheartcouldhardlyrestrainitsexpressionswithinthelanguageoftolerablecalmness.Toreceivesoflatteringaninvitation!Tohavehercompanysowarmlysolicited!Everythinghonourableandsoothing,everypresentenjoyment,andeveryfuturehopewascontainedinit;andheracceptance,withonlythesavingclauseofPapaandMamma’sapprobation,waseagerlygiven.“Iwillwritehomedirectly,”saidshe,“andiftheydonotobject,asIdaresaytheywillnot—”
GeneralTilneywasnotlesssanguine,havingalreadywaitedonherexcellentfriendsinPulteneyStreet,andobtainedtheirsanctionofhiswishes.“Sincetheycanconsenttopartwithyou,”saidhe,“wemayexpectphilosophyfromalltheworld.
