Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 23
Fromthedining-room,ofwhich,thoughalreadyseen,andalwaystobeseenatfiveo’clock,thegeneralcouldnotforgothepleasureofpacingoutthelength,forthemorecertaininformationofMissMorland,astowhatsheneitherdoubtednorcaredfor,theyproceededbyquickcommunicationtothekitchen—theancientkitchenoftheconvent,richinthemassywallsandsmokeofformerdays,andinthestovesandhotclosetsofthepresent.Thegeneral’simprovinghandhadnotloiteredhere:everymoderninventiontofacilitatethelabourofthecookshadbeenadoptedwithinthis,theirspacioustheatre;and,whenthegeniusofothershadfailed,hisownhadoftenproducedtheperfectionwanted.Hisendowmentsofthisspotalonemightatanytimehaveplacedhimhighamongthebenefactorsoftheconvent.
Withthewallsofthekitchenendedalltheantiquityoftheabbey;thefourthsideofthequadranglehaving,onaccountofitsdecayingstate,beenremovedbythegeneral’sfather,andthepresenterectedinitsplace.Allthatwasvenerableceasedhere.Thenewbuildingwasnotonlynew,butdeclareditselftobeso;intendedonlyforoffices,andenclosedbehindbystable-yards,nouniformityofarchitecturehadbeenthoughtnecessary.
