Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 7
”
Catherine,humbledandashamed,wasgoingtoapologizeforherquestion,buthepreventedherbysaying,“Novelsareallsofullofnonsenseandstuff;therehasnotbeenatolerablydecentonecomeoutsinceTomJones,exceptTheMonk;Ireadthatt’otherday;butasforalltheothers,theyarethestupidestthingsincreation.”
“IthinkyoumustlikeUdolpho,ifyouweretoreadit;itissoveryinteresting.”
“NotI,faith!No,ifIreadany,itshallbeMrs.Radcliffe’s;hernovelsareamusingenough;theyareworthreading;somefunandnatureinthem.”
“UdolphowaswrittenbyMrs.Radcliffe,”saidCatherine,withsomehesitation,fromthefearofmortifyinghim.
“Nosure;wasit?Aye,Iremember,soitwas;Iwasthinkingofthatotherstupidbook,writtenbythatwomantheymakesuchafussabout,shewhomarriedtheFrenchemigrant.”
“IsupposeyoumeanCamilla?”
“Yes,that’sthebook;suchunnaturalstuff!Anoldmanplayingatsee-saw,Itookupthefirstvolumeonceandlookeditover,butIsoonfounditwouldnotdo;indeedIguessedwhatsortofstuffitmustbebeforeIsawit:assoonasIheardshehadmarriedanemigrant,IwassureIshouldneverbeabletogetthroughit.”
“Ihaveneverreadit.”
“Youhadnoloss,Iassureyou;itisthehorridestnonsenseyoucanimagine;thereisnothingintheworldinitbutanoldman’splayingatsee-sawandlearningLatin;uponmysoulthereisnot.”
Thiscritique,thejustnessofwhichwasunfortunatelylostonpoorCatherine,broughtthemtothedoorofMrs.
