Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 22
Themanufacturewasmuchimprovedsincethattime;hehadseensomebeautifulspecimenswhenlastintown,andhadhenotbeenperfectlywithoutvanityofthatkind,mighthavebeentemptedtoorderanewset.Hetrusted,however,thatanopportunitymighterelongoccurofselectingone—thoughnotforhimself.Catherinewasprobablytheonlyoneofthepartywhodidnotunderstandhim.
ShortlyafterbreakfastHenryleftthemforWoodston,wherebusinessrequiredandwouldkeephimtwoorthreedays.Theyallattendedinthehalltoseehimmounthishorse,andimmediatelyonre-enteringthebreakfast-room,Catherinewalkedtoawindowinthehopeofcatchinganotherglimpseofhisfigure.“Thisisasomewhatheavycalluponyourbrother’sfortitude,”observedthegeneraltoEleanor.“Woodstonwillmakebutasombreappearancetoday.”
“Isitaprettyplace?”askedCatherine.
“Whatsayyou,Eleanor?Speakyouropinion,forladiescanbesttellthetasteofladiesinregardtoplacesaswellasmen.Ithinkitwouldbeacknowledgedbythemostimpartialeyetohavemanyrecommendations.Thehousestandsamongfinemeadowsfacingthesouth-east,withanexcellentkitchen-gardeninthesameaspect;thewallssurroundingwhichIbuiltandstockedmyselfabouttenyearsago,forthebenefitofmyson.Itisafamilyliving,MissMorland;andthepropertyintheplacebeingchieflymyown,youmaybelieveItakecarethatitshallnotbeabadone.DidHenry’sincomedependsolelyonthisliving,hewouldnotbeill-providedfor.
