Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 23
Theremustbesomedeepercause:somethingwastobedonewhichcouldbedoneonlywhilethehouseholdslept;andtheprobabilitythatMrs.Tilneyyetlived,shutupforcausesunknown,andreceivingfromthepitilesshandsofherhusbandanightlysupplyofcoarsefood,wastheconclusionwhichnecessarilyfollowed.Shockingaswastheidea,itwasatleastbetterthanadeathunfairlyhastened,as,inthenaturalcourseofthings,shemusterelongbereleased.Thesuddennessofherreputedillness,theabsenceofherdaughter,andprobablyofherotherchildren,atthetime—allfavouredthesuppositionofherimprisonment.Itsorigin—jealousyperhaps,orwantoncruelty—wasyettobeunravelled.
Inrevolvingthesematters,whilesheundressed,itsuddenlystruckherasnotunlikelythatshemightthatmorninghavepassedneartheveryspotofthisunfortunatewoman’sconfinement—mighthavebeenwithinafewpacesofthecellinwhichshelanguishedoutherdays;forwhatpartoftheabbeycouldbemorefittedforthepurposethanthatwhichyetborethetracesofmonasticdivision?Inthehigh-archedpassage,pavedwithstone,whichalreadyshehadtroddenwithpeculiarawe,shewellrememberedthedoorsofwhichthegeneralhadgivennoaccount.Towhatmightnotthosedoorslead?Insupportoftheplausibilityofthisconjecture,itfurtheroccurredtoherthattheforbiddengallery,inwhichlaytheapartmentsoftheunfortunateMrs
