Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 20
Inrepassingthroughthesmallvaultedroom,however,youreyeswillbeattractedtowardsalarge,old-fashionedcabinetofebonyandgold,which,thoughnarrowlyexaminingthefurniturebefore,youhadpassedunnoticed.Impelledbyanirresistiblepresentiment,youwilleagerlyadvancetoit,unlockitsfoldingdoors,andsearchintoeverydrawer—butforsometimewithoutdiscoveringanythingofimportance—perhapsnothingbutaconsiderablehoardofdiamonds.Atlast,however,bytouchingasecretspring,aninnercompartmentwillopen—arollofpaperappears—youseizeit—itcontainsmanysheetsofmanuscript—youhastenwiththeprecioustreasureintoyourownchamber,butscarcelyhaveyoubeenabletodecipher’Oh!Thou—whomsoeverthoumaystbe,intowhosehandsthesememoirsofthewretchedMatildamayfall’—whenyourlampsuddenlyexpiresinthesocket,andleavesyouintotaldarkness.”
“Oh!No,no—donotsayso.Well,goon.”
ButHenrywastoomuchamusedbytheinteresthehadraisedtobeabletocarryitfarther;hecouldnolongercommandsolemnityeitherofsubjectorvoice,andwasobligedtoentreathertouseherownfancyintheperusalofMatilda’swoes.Catherine,recollectingherself,grewashamedofhereagerness,andbeganearnestlytoassurehimthatherattentionhadbeenfixedwithoutthesmallestapprehensionofreallymeetingwithwhatherelated.“MissTilney,shewassure,wouldneverputherintosuchachamberashehaddescribed!Shewasnotatallafraid.
