Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 23
Itwasnowonderthatthegeneralshouldshrinkfromthesightofsuchobjectsasthatroommustcontain;aroominallprobabilityneverenteredbyhimsincethedreadfulscenehadpassed,whichreleasedhissufferingwife,andlefthimtothestingsofconscience.
Sheventured,whennextalonewithEleanor,toexpressherwishofbeingpermittedtoseeit,aswellasalltherestofthatsideofthehouse;andEleanorpromisedtoattendherthere,whenevertheyshouldhaveaconvenienthour.Catherineunderstoodher:thegeneralmustbewatchedfromhome,beforethatroomcouldbeentered.“Itremainsasitwas,Isuppose?”saidshe,inatoneoffeeling.
“Yes,entirely.”
“Andhowlongagomayitbethatyourmotherdied?”
“Shehasbeendeadthesenineyears.”Andnineyears,Catherineknew,wasatrifleoftime,comparedwithwhatgenerallyelapsedafterthedeathofaninjuredwife,beforeherroomwasputtorights.
“Youwerewithher,Isuppose,tothelast?”
“No,”saidMissTilney,sighing;“Iwasunfortunatelyfromhome.Herillnesswassuddenandshort;and,beforeIarriveditwasallover.”
Catherine’sbloodrancoldwiththehorridsuggestionswhichnaturallysprangfromthesewords.Coulditbepossible?CouldHenry’sfather—?Andyethowmanyweretheexamplestojustifyeventheblackestsuspicions!And,whenshesawhimintheevening,whilesheworkedwithherfriend,slowlypacingthedrawing-roomforanhourtogetherinsilentthoughtfulness,withdowncasteyesandcontractedbrow,shefeltsecurefromallpossibilityofwronginghim.
