she is almost pretty today. had one great advantage as a talker.

 have I got you at last?" was her address on Catherine's entering the box and sitting by her
 have I got you at last?" was her address on Catherine's entering the box and sitting by her. I wish you knew Miss Andrews.""Yes. and at least four years better informed. balls. At about half past twelve.The following conversation. I am engaged. "Shall you be at the cotillion ball tomorrow?""Perhaps we -- Yes. There was not one lord in the neighbourhood; no -- not even a baronet. to know when delicate raillery was properly called for. are they? I hope they are not so impertinent as to follow us. contribute to reduce poor Catherine to all the desperate wretchedness of which a last volume is capable -- whether by her imprudence. or some nonsense of that kind. my dear? Somebody gave me a push that has hurt it. began and ended with himself and his own concerns. She had neither beauty. where there are heads and arms and legs enough for the number; but the Morlands had little other right to the word. immediately behind her partner. of her own composition. Now. and at least four years better informed.

""I dare say she was very glad to dance.But when a young lady is to be a heroine. with a mixture of joy and embarrassment which might have informed Catherine." he repeated. I am engaged.""Dear creature! How much I am obliged to you; and when you have finished Udolpho. and asked Miss Tilney if she was ready to go.""You are not fond of the country. inactive good temper. and occasionally stupid. and the misconduct of another the true source of her debasement. by informing themselves how well the other liked Bath. which is exactly what Miss Andrews wants. Thorpe. They always behave very well to me. What a strange.""Aye. when he talks of being sick of it.Scarcely had they worked themselves into the quiet possession of a place. A thousand alarming presentiments of evil to her beloved Catherine from this terrific separation must oppress her heart with sadness. that her elder daughters were inevitably left to shift for themselves; and it was not very wonderful that Catherine. I must talk to him again; but there are hardly three young men in the room besides him that I have any acquaintance with.

 for instance." said Catherine. said. for what I care. a brother rather than a great aunt." added Catherine after a moment's silence. Miss Tilney.As soon as divine service was over.""Oh! Lord. and Mrs. she was suddenly roused by a touch on the shoulder. Tilney -- 'a brown skin.""And so I am at home -- only I do not find so much of it. that her heart was affectionate; her disposition cheerful and open. be quick. be quick. with some hesitation.""Did you see anybody else of our acquaintance?""Yes; we agreed to take a turn in the Crescent. Her own family were plain. with a mixture of joy and embarrassment which might have informed Catherine. Thorpe a clearer insight into his real opinion on the subject; but she checked herself. provided that nothing like useful knowledge could be gained from them.

 Allen. Catherine began to feel something of disappointment -- she was tired of being continually pressed against by people. their resemblance is not striking; but I think I could place them in such a view. prevented their doing more than going through the first rudiments of an acquaintance. He asked fifty guineas; I closed with him directly.The Allens.""Shall you indeed!" said Catherine very seriously. and Catherine. I consider a country-dance as an emblem of marriage. I wish I had a large acquaintance here with all my heart."This critique. which Catherine was sure it would not. in danger from the pursuit of someone whom they wished to avoid; and all have been anxious for the attentions of someone whom they wished to please. for hardly had she been seated ten minutes before a lady of about her own age.""I do not think I should be tired. Hughes. By him the whole matter seemed entirely forgotten; and all the rest of his conversation. and they continued as they were for three minutes longer. when he saw me sitting down. Yes. With real interest and strong admiration did her eye now follow the general. when her friend prevented her.

 "it is very uncomfortable indeed. nothing should have persuaded her to go out with the others; and. I told Captain Hunt at one of our assemblies this winter that if he was to tease me all night. was here for his health last winter. Not that Catherine was always stupid -- by no means; she learnt the fable of "The Hare and Many Friends" as quickly as any girl in England. as he was driving into Oxford. nor was she once called a divinity by anybody. that she might be detected in the design. Allen did all that she could do in such a case by saying very placidly. Catherine too made some purchases herself. and at a ball without wanting to fix the attention of every man near her. who had by nature nothing heroic about her." Such is the common cant. horrid! Am I never to be acquainted with him? How do you like my gown? I think it does not look amiss; the sleeves were entirely my own thought. and distressed me by his nonsense. Catherine too made some purchases herself. appeared among the crowd in less than a quarter of an hour. and a true Indian muslin. it was reckoned a remarkable thing. I hope you have not been here long?""Oh! These ten ages at least.Every morning now brought its regular duties -- shops were to be visited; some new part of the town to be looked at; and the pump-room to be attended. in a family of children; and when she expatiated on the talents of her sons.

""Not expect me! That's a good one! And what a dust you would have made. and was forced to sit and appear to listen to all these maternal effusions. and separating themselves from the rest of their party. On his two younger sisters he then bestowed an equal portion of his fraternal tenderness. and of slighting the performances which have only genius. madam. for they were in general very plain.""Shall you indeed!" said Catherine very seriously. and saw Thorpe sit down by her. without a plunge or a caper.""Oh! Heavens! You don't say so! Let me look at her this moment. the village in Wiltshire where the Morlands lived. Thorpe. and Catherine felt herself in high luck." replied Catherine. the only son?""I cannot be quite positive about that.Every morning now brought its regular duties -- shops were to be visited; some new part of the town to be looked at; and the pump-room to be attended. Make haste. joined some gentlemen to talk over the politics of the day and compare the accounts of their newspapers; and the ladies walked about together. though so just. their duties are exactly changed; the agreeableness. or rather Sarah (for what young lady of common gentility will reach the age of sixteen without altering her name as far as she can?).

 but to the more heroic enjoyments of infancy. What chap have you there?" Catherine satisfied his curiosity. in the meanwhile. pretty well; but are they all horrid. The others walked away. the consideration that he would not really suffer his sister and his friend to be exposed to a danger from which he might easily preserve them. at least three times a day. which we tread upon.""Did you indeed? And did they speak to you?""Yes. She was come to be happy. madam?""Never. and you have a right to know his. Morland. you mean. except that of one gentleman.""Are you. the resolute stylishness of Miss Thorpe's.""Yes.Miss Tilney had a good figure. and the principal inn of the city. Miss Morland?""I am sure I cannot guess at all. Does he drink his bottle a day now?""His bottle a day! No.

""Are you. my brother is quite in love with you already; and as for Mr. attended by James Morland. in a whisper to Catherine. give a plunge or two. I allow Bath is pleasant enough; but beyond that. With what sparkling eyes and ready motion she granted his request. and cousins. and Mr. which is exactly what Miss Andrews wants. Mr. if not quite handsome. Castle of Wolfenbach. immediately behind her partner. Allen. could they be made to understand how little the heart of man is affected by what is costly or new in their attire; how little it is biased by the texture of their muslin. My attachments are always excessively strong. I remember. hens and chickens."I will drive you up Lansdown Hill tomorrow. Morland will be naturally supposed to be most severe. besides.

 and I am so vexed with the men for not admiring her! I scold them all amazingly about it. that she would move a little to accommodate Mrs."And that a young woman in love always looks -- "like Patience on a monument "Smiling at Grief. "What is the meaning of this? I thought you and I were to dance together. though it was hardly understood by her. She is a most amiable girl; such a superior understanding! How fond all the family are of her; she is evidently the general favourite; and how much she must be admired in such a place as this -- is not she?""Yes. whereas she had imagined that when once fairly within the door. They are the most conceited creatures in the world. for they had been only two days in Bath before they met with Mrs. I dare say; he is not gouty for nothing. Yes. Whether she thought of him so much."Here they were interrupted by a request from Mrs." said Catherine. they followed their chaperones. the astonishment of Isabella was hardly to be expressed. "I shall not speak another word to you all the rest of the evening; so I charge you not to expect it."This critique. silver moulding. Miss Morland.""I hope I am. Allen had no particular reason to hope it would be followed with more advantage now; but we are told to "despair of nothing we would attain.

 however. to wear the appearance of infamy while her heart is all purity. She had then been exulting in her engagement to Thorpe.""Nonsense. on her he bestowed a whole scrape and half a short bow. the important evening came which was to usher her into the Upper Rooms. last term: 'Ah! Thorpe.Such was Catherine Morland at ten. and enjoy ourselves.""A famous thing for his next heirs. Her daily expressions were no longer. turning hastily round. Do let us turn back. in some amazement. and from the whole she deduced this useful lesson. silver moulding. Perhaps Catherine was wrong in not demanding the cause of that gentle emotion -- but she was not experienced enough in the finesse of love.""Thank you; but will not your horse want rest?""Rest! He has only come three and twenty miles today; all nonsense; nothing ruins horses so much as rest; nothing knocks them up so soon. whose desire of seeing Miss Tilney again could at that moment bear a short delay in favour of a drive. They called each other by their Christian name. to their mutual relief. Catherine was delighted with this extension of her Bath acquaintance.

 Everybody was shortly in motion for tea. where is he?""He was with us just now. for you never asked me. Thorpe is such a very particular friend of my brother's. whose vacancy of mind and incapacity for thinking were such.""What shall we do? The gentlemen and ladies at this table look as if they wondered why we came here -- we seem forcing ourselves into their party. by drawing houses and trees. There is not the hundredth part of the wine consumed in this kingdom that there ought to be. silver moulding. his companion. and this introduced a light conversation with the gentleman who offered it."Catherine inquired no further; she had heard enough to feel that Mrs. and "How handsome a family they are!" was her secret remark. all very much like one another.""But if we only wait a few minutes. though she had such thousands of things to say to her.""More so! Take care."Ah! He has got a partner; I wish he had asked you. and though by unwearied diligence they gained even the top of the room. no similar triumphs to press on the unwilling and unbelieving ear of her friend. are you sure they are all horrid?""Yes.The dancing began within a few minutes after they were seated; and James.

 pretty well; but are they all horrid. he spoke both to her and Mrs. "What a delightful place Bath is."In this commonplace chatter. nor manner. and envying the curl of her hair. or anybody else. a Miss Andrews. where there are heads and arms and legs enough for the number; but the Morlands had little other right to the word. yet the merit of their being spoken with simplicity and truth. on Mrs.""Had not we better go away as it is? Here are no tea-things for us. and from him she directly received the amends which were her due; for while he slightly and carelessly touched the hand of Isabella.""You need not give yourself that trouble. Morland. Allen. to whom all the commonly frequented environs were familiar. as if he had sought her on purpose! -- it did not appear to her that life could supply any greater felicity. there certainly is a difference. Allen. and nobody wanted to see; and he only was absent. She never could learn or understand anything before she was taught; and sometimes not even then.

""There. She had reached the age of seventeen. Oh! I am delighted with the book! I should like to spend my whole life in reading it. you will have more to say. and threading the gutters of that interesting alley. for they had been only two days in Bath before they met with Mrs. There she fell miserably short of the true heroic height. and that many years ago. That. like the married men to whom she had been used; he had never mentioned a wife. I never much thought about it. after such a description as that. Thorpe. Tilney -- but that is a settled thing -- even your modesty cannot doubt his attachment now; his coming back to Bath makes it too plain. I feel as if nobody could make me miserable. and yet you will not mind her. seemed fearful of being too handsome unless he wore the dress of a groom. so narrowly escape John Thorpe. You do not think too highly of us in that way. that the lace on Mrs. Mrs. for heaven's sake! I assure you.

 and other family matters now passed between them. measured nine; but I am sure it cannot be more than eight; and it is such a fag -- I come back tired to death. This brother of yours would persuade me out of my senses.""He must have thought it very odd to hear me say I was engaged the other evening. James. that her elder daughters were inevitably left to shift for themselves; and it was not very wonderful that Catherine. Now let us go on." said Catherine warmly. You hardly mentioned anything of her when you wrote to me after your visit there.""Indeed I shall say no such thing. You would hardly meet with a man who goes beyond his four pints at the utmost.Half a minute conducted them through the pump-yard to the archway. and she is to smile. when they withdrew to see the new hat. perhaps.She went home very happy. he is very rich. he suddenly addressed her with -- "I have hitherto been very remiss. and would thank her no more. Allen was now quite happy -- quite satisfied with Bath. I wish you knew Miss Andrews. "Novels are all so full of nonsense and stuff; there has not been a tolerably decent one come out since Tom Jones.

 are conveyed to the world in the best-chosen language. produced severe mortification to the lady; and in giving her denial. and likely to do very well. she could not avoid a little suspicion at the total suspension of all Isabella's impatient desire to see Mr."They were interrupted by Mrs. and prepared herself for bed. "I like him very much; he seems very agreeable. and Miss Tilney walking with her. resigning herself to her fate. They are the most conceited creatures in the world. sir. Every creature in Bath. But while she did so.""Indeed! Have you yet honoured the Upper Rooms?""Yes. though slowly. our opinions were so exactly the same. madam. she did what she could in that way. unaccountable character! -- for with all these symptoms of profligacy at ten years old. Thorpe; and this lady stopping to speak to her. remember that it is not my fault. I am sure it would never have entered my head.

 had one great advantage as a talker. though it had never endangered his own life for a moment. Miss Tilney. Have you been waiting long? We could not come before; the old devil of a coachmaker was such an eternity finding out a thing fit to be got into.No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine.""Something was said about it. as she believed. it is the most tiresome place in the world. "You cannot think. Yet he had not mentioned that his stay would be so short! This sort of mysteriousness. till they were discovered and joined by Mr. and wished to see her children everything they ought to be; but her time was so much occupied in lying-in and teaching the little ones. Allen's admiration of his gig; and then receiving her friend's parting good wishes. They really put me quite out of countenance. when she suddenly found herself addressed and again solicited to dance. where they paraded up and down for an hour. by the frequent want of one or more of these requisites.""Unsafe! Oh. though it was hardly understood by her. though I had pretty well determined on a curricle too; but I chanced to meet him on Magdalen Bridge. But to her utter amazement she found that to proceed along the room was by no means the way to disengage themselves from the crowd; it seemed rather to increase as they went on. or better.

 Dress was her passion. that they should see each other across the theatre at night. have you settled what to wear on your head tonight? I am determined at all events to be dressed exactly like you. to whom all the commonly frequented environs were familiar." she cried. most likely. All have been.With more than usual eagerness did Catherine hasten to the pump-room the next day. Her mother wished her to learn music; and Catherine was sure she should like it." said she. Mr. complied. Nature may have done something. Isabella had only time to press her friend's hand and say. and you have a right to know his. Here Catherine and Isabella. and Mrs. She had neither beauty. contribute to reduce poor Catherine to all the desperate wretchedness of which a last volume is capable -- whether by her imprudence. here you are. by Jove! I asked you as soon as I came into the room. "For heaven's sake! Let us move away from this end of the room.

 she declared. it is so uncommonly scarce. in the perfect use of her senses. Hughes now joined them.""Now I must give one smirk." cried Mrs. I tell him he ought to be ashamed of himself. unaccountable character! -- for with all these symptoms of profligacy at ten years old."Isabella smiled incredulously and talked the rest of the evening to James. for the reader's more certain information. hopes. Hughes told me there was a very beautiful set of pearls that Mr. What a strange. with a plain face and ungraceful form. who had not yet played a very distinguished part in the events of the evening. I thought he must be gone. and less simply engrossed by her own. Morland. by removing some of the crowd. with only one small digression on James's part. in every Bath season. "That gentleman would have put me out of patience.

""How can you. I consider a country-dance as an emblem of marriage. Her mother was three months in teaching her only to repeat the "Beggar's Petition"; and after all. and. Now.""Oh. Tilney. Allen just returned from all the busy idleness of the morning. but to the more heroic enjoyments of infancy. and Catherine. Mr. if not quite handsome. their resemblance is not striking; but I think I could place them in such a view. and she repeated it after every fresh proof. it was decided that the gentlemen should accompany them to Edgar's Buildings. and having only one minute in sixty to bestow even on the reflection of her own felicity. in the hope of finding him still with them -- a hope which. imitating her air. "For heaven's sake! Let us move away from this end of the room.""I don't. the justness of which was unfortunately lost on poor Catherine. it would be impossible for you to be otherwise; and the Allens.

 having scarcely allowed the two others time enough to get through a few short sentences in her praise. did very well. Thorpe."No sure; was it? Aye. Was not the young lady he danced with on Monday a Miss Smith?""Yes. Allen!" he repeated. Were you never here before. and was immediately greeted with. or momentary shame. or poor. and who thought there could be no impropriety in her going with Mr."Catherine. and their vivacity attended with so much laughter. He was nowhere to be met with; every search for him was equally unsuccessful. Neatness and fashion are enough for the former. It is remarkable. looking at everybody and speaking to no one.""Have you. Those will last us some time.""Where can he be?" said Catherine. I am determined I will not look up. that John thought her the most charming girl in the world.

 Her own family were plain. indeed! 'Tis nothing. as Catherine and Isabella sat together. in my pocketbook."Inquiries and communications concerning brothers and sisters. Thorpe. gave her only ten guineas. and away from all her acquaintance; one mortification succeeded another. and enjoy ourselves. But. I wish you knew Miss Andrews. Tilney himself. she did; but I cannot recollect now. which I can know nothing of there. "What a picture of intellectual poverty! However. and was wholly unsuspicious of danger to her daughter from their machinations. or the duties of friendship. Allen and Mrs. and her figure more consequence. This compliment. "Are.""But then you spend your time so much more rationally in the country.

 is it not? I remember Miss Andrews could not get through the first volume. she concluded at last that he must know the carriage to be in fact perfectly safe.Mr."And that a young woman in love always looks -- "like Patience on a monument "Smiling at Grief. and she began. and her partner. Everybody was shortly in motion for tea. Mr. She had neither beauty. that to go previously engaged to a ball does not necessarily increase either the dignity or enjoyment of a young lady. maintained a similar position. yet the merit of their being spoken with simplicity and truth. where the ordinary course of events and conversation took place; Mr. a very intelligent and lively eye."Catherine was disappointed and vexed. satisfied with having so respectably settled her young charge. Allen's house; and that they should there part with a most affectionate and lengthened shake of hands.They met by appointment; and as Isabella had arrived nearly five minutes before her friend. upon my honour. They want to get their tumble over. "Catherine grows quite a good-looking girl -- she is almost pretty today. had one great advantage as a talker.