Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 26
Thecottageremains.”
SuchacomplimentrecalledallCatherine’sconsciousness,andsilencedherdirectly;and,thoughpointedlyappliedtobythegeneralforherchoiceoftheprevailingcolourofthepaperandhangings,nothinglikeanopiniononthesubjectcouldbedrawnfromher.Theinfluenceoffreshobjectsandfreshair,however,wasofgreatuseindissipatingtheseembarrassingassociations;and,havingreachedtheornamentalpartofthepremises,consistingofawalkroundtwosidesofameadow,onwhichHenry’sgeniushadbeguntoactabouthalfayearago,shewassufficientlyrecoveredtothinkitprettierthananypleasure-groundshehadeverbeeninbefore,thoughtherewasnotashrubinithigherthanthegreenbenchinthecorner.
Asaunterintoothermeadows,andthroughpartofthevillage,withavisittothestablestoexaminesomeimprovements,andacharminggameofplaywithalitterofpuppiesjustabletorollabout,broughtthemtofouro’clock,whenCatherinescarcelythoughtitcouldbethree.Atfourtheyweretodine,andatsixtosetoffontheirreturn.Neverhadanydaypassedsoquickly!
Shecouldnotbutobservethattheabundanceofthedinnerdidnotseemtocreatethesmallestastonishmentinthegeneral;nay,thathewasevenlookingattheside-tableforcoldmeatwhichwasnotthere.Hissonanddaughter’sobservationswereofadifferentkind.Theyhadseldomseenhimeatsoheartilyatanytablebuthisown,andneverbeforeknownhimsolittledisconcertedbythemeltedbutter’sbeingoiled
