Chapter 24

           Thenextdayaffordednoopportunityfortheproposedexaminationofthemysteriousapartments.ItwasSunday,andthewholetimebetweenmorningandafternoonservicewasrequiredbythegeneralinexerciseabroadoreatingcoldmeatathome;andgreataswasCatherine’scuriosity,hercouragewasnotequaltoawishofexploringthemafterdinner,eitherbythefadinglightoftheskybetweensixandseveno’clock,orbytheyetmorepartialthoughstrongerilluminationofatreacherouslamp.ThedaywasunmarkedthereforebyanythingtointerestherimaginationbeyondthesightofaveryelegantmonumenttothememoryofMrs.Tilney,whichimmediatelyfrontedthefamilypew.Bythathereyewasinstantlycaughtandlongretained;andtheperusalofthehighlystrainedepitaph,inwhicheveryvirtuewasascribedtoherbytheinconsolablehusband,whomusthavebeeninsomewayorotherherdestroyer,affectedhereventotears.

           Thatthegeneral,havingerectedsuchamonument,shouldbeabletofaceit,wasnotperhapsverystrange,andyetthathecouldsitsoboldlycollectedwithinitsview,maintainsoelevatedanair,looksofearlesslyaround,nay,thatheshouldevenenterthechurch,seemedwonderfultoCatherine.Not,however,thatmanyinstancesofbeingsequallyhardenedinguiltmightnotbeproduced.Shecouldrememberdozenswhohadperseveredineverypossiblevice,goingonfromcrimetocrime,murderingwhomsoevertheychose,withoutanyfeelingofhumanityorremorse;tillaviolentdeathorareligiousretirementclosedtheirblackcareer.