Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 23
Tilney,mustbe,ascertainlyashermemorycouldguideher,exactlyoverthissuspectedrangeofcells,andthestaircasebythesideofthoseapartmentsofwhichshehadcaughtatransientglimpse,communicatingbysomesecretmeanswiththosecells,mightwellhavefavouredthebarbarousproceedingsofherhusband.Downthatstaircaseshehadperhapsbeenconveyedinastateofwell-preparedinsensibility!
Catherinesometimesstartedattheboldnessofherownsurmises,andsometimeshopedorfearedthatshehadgonetoofar;buttheyweresupportedbysuchappearancesasmadetheirdismissalimpossible.
Thesideofthequadrangle,inwhichshesupposedtheguiltyscenetobeacting,being,accordingtoherbelief,justoppositeherown,itstruckherthat,ifjudiciouslywatched,someraysoflightfromthegeneral’slampmightglimmerthroughthelowerwindows,ashepassedtotheprisonofhiswife;and,twicebeforeshesteppedintobed,shestolegentlyfromherroomtothecorrespondingwindowinthegallery,toseeifitappeared;butallabroadwasdark,anditmustyetbetooearly.Thevariousascendingnoisesconvincedherthattheservantsmuststillbeup.Tillmidnight,shesupposeditwouldbeinvaintowatch;butthen,whentheclockhadstrucktwelve,andallwasquiet,shewould,ifnotquiteappalledbydarkness,stealoutandlookoncemore.Theclockstrucktwelve—andCatherinehadbeenhalfanhourasleep.
