Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 5
HemustbegonefromBath.Yethehadnotmentionedthathisstaywouldbesoshort!Thissortofmysteriousness,whichisalwayssobecominginahero,threwafreshgraceinCatherine’simaginationaroundhispersonandmanners,andincreasedheranxietytoknowmoreofhim.FromtheThorpesshecouldlearnnothing,fortheyhadbeenonlytwodaysinBathbeforetheymetwithMrs.Allen.Itwasasubject,however,inwhichsheoftenindulgedwithherfairfriend,fromwhomshereceivedeverypossibleencouragementtocontinuetothinkofhim;andhisimpressiononherfancywasnotsufferedthereforetoweaken.Isabellawasverysurethathemustbeacharmingyoungman,andwasequallysurethathemusthavebeendelightedwithherdearCatherine,andwouldthereforeshortlyreturn.Shelikedhimthebetterforbeingaclergyman,“forshemustconfessherselfverypartialtotheprofession”;andsomethinglikeasighescapedherasshesaidit.PerhapsCatherinewaswronginnotdemandingthecauseofthatgentleemotion—butshewasnotexperiencedenoughinthefinesseoflove,orthedutiesoffriendship,toknowwhendelicateraillerywasproperlycalledfor,orwhenaconfidenceshouldbeforced.
Mrs.Allenwasnowquitehappy—quitesatisfiedwithBath.Shehadfoundsomeacquaintance,hadbeensoluckytooastofindinthemthefamilyofamostworthyoldfriend;and,asthecompletionofgoodfortune,hadfoundthesefriendsbynomeanssoexpensivelydressedasherself.
