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  CHAPTER 27

  The next morning brought the following very unexpected letter fromIsabella:

  Bath, April

  My dearest Catherine, I received your two kind letters with the greatestdelight, and have a thousand apologies to make for not answering themsooner. I really am quite ashamed of my idleness; but in this horridplace one can find time for nothing. I have had my pen in my hand tobegin a letter to you almost every day since you left Bath, but havealways been prevented by some silly trifler or other. Pray write to mesoon, and direct to my own home. Thank God, we leave this vile placetomorrow. Since you went away, I have had no pleasure in it--the dustis beyond anything; and everybody one cares for is gone. I believe if Icould see you I should not mind the rest, for you are dearer to me thananybody can conceive. I am quite uneasy about your dear brother, nothaving heard from him since he went to Oxford; and am fearful of somemisunderstanding. Your kind offices will set all right: he is the onlyman I ever did or could love, and I trust you will convince him of it.The spring fashions are partly down; and the hats the most frightful youcan imagine. I hope you spend your time pleasantly, but am afraid younever think of me. I will not say all that I could of the family you arewith, because I would not be ungenerous, or set you against those youesteem; but it is very difficult to know whom to trust, and young mennever know their minds two days together. I rejoice to say that theyoung man whom, of all others, I particularly abhor, has left Bath. Youwill know, from this description, I must mean Captain Tilney, who, asyou may remember, was amazingly disposed to follow and tease me, beforeyou went away. Afterwards he got worse, and became quite my shadow. Manygirls might have been taken in, for never were such attentions; but Iknew the fickle sex too well. He went away to his regiment two days ago,and I trust I shall never be plagued with him again. He is the greatestcoxcomb I ever saw, and amazingly disagreeable. The last two days he wasalways by the side of Charlotte Davis: I pitied his taste, but took nonotice of him. The last time we met was in Bath Street, and I turneddirectly into a shop that he might not speak to me; I would not evenlook at him. He went into the pump-room afterwards; but I would not havefollowed him for all the world. Such a contrast between him and yourbrother! Pray send me some news of the latter--I am quite unhappy abouthim; he seemed so uncomfortable when he went away, with a cold, orsomething that affected his spirits. I would write to him myself, buthave mislaid his direction; and, as I hinted above, am afraid hetook something in my conduct amiss. Pray explain everything to hissatisfaction; or, if he still harbours any doubt, a line from himselfto me, or a call at Putney when next in town, might set all to rights.I have not been to the rooms this age, nor to the play, except going inlast night with the Hodges, for a frolic, at half price: they teasedme into it; and I was determined they should not say I shut myself upbecause Tilney was gone. We happened to sit by the Mitchells, and theypretended to be quite surprised to see me out. I knew their spite: atone time they could not be civil to me, but now they are all friendship;but I am not such a fool as to be taken in by them. You know I have apretty good spirit of my own. Anne Mitchell had tried to put on aturban like mine, as I wore it the week before at the concert, but madewretched work of it--it happened to become my odd face, I believe, atleast Tilney told me so at the time, and said every eye was upon me; buthe is the last man whose word I would take. I wear nothing but purplenow: I know I look hideous in it, but no matter--it is your dearbrother's favourite colour. Lose no time, my dearest, sweetestCatherine, in writing to him and to me, Who ever am, etc.

  Such a strain of shallow artifice could not impose even upon Catherine.Its inconsistencies, contradictions, and falsehood struck her from thevery first. She was ashamed of Isabella, and ashamed of having everloved her. Her professions of attachment were now as disgusting as herexcuses were empty, and her demands impudent. "Write to James on herbehalf! No, James should never hear Isabella's name mentioned by heragain."

  On Henry's arrival from Woodston, she made known to him and Eleanortheir brother's safety, congratulating them with sincerity on it, andreading aloud the most material passages of her letter with strongindignation. When she had finished it--"So much for Isabella," shecried, "and for all our intimacy! She must think me an idiot, or shecould not have written so; but perhaps this has served to make hercharacter better known to me than mine is to her. I see what she hasbeen about. She is a vain coquette, and her tricks have not answered. Ido not believe she had ever any regard either for James or for me, and Iwish I had never known her."

  "It will soon be as if you never had," said Henry.

  "There is but one thing that I cannot understand. I see that she hashad designs on Captain Tilney, which have not succeeded; but I do notunderstand what Captain Tilney has been about all this time. Why shouldhe pay her such attentions as to make her quarrel with my brother, andthen fly off himself?"

  "I have very little to say for Frederick's motives, such as I believethem to have been. He has his vanities as well as Miss Thorpe, and thechief difference is, that, having a stronger head, they have not yetinjured himself. If the effect of his behaviour does not justify himwith you, we had better not seek after the cause."

  "Then you do not suppose he ever really cared about her?"

  "I am persuaded that he never did."

  "And only made believe to do so for mischief's sake?"

  Henry bowed his assent.

  "Well, then, I must say that I do not like him at all. Though it hasturned out so well for us, I do not like him at all. As it happens,there is no great harm done, because I do not think Isabella has anyheart to lose. But, suppose he had made her very much in love with him?"

  "But we must first suppose Isabella to have had a heart tolose--consequently to have been a very different creature; and, in thatcase, she would have met with very different treatment."

  "It is very right that you should stand by your brother."

  "And if you would stand by yours, you would not be much distressed bythe disappointment of Miss Thorpe. But your mind is warped by an innateprinciple of general integrity, and therefore not accessible to the coolreasonings of family partiality, or a desire of revenge."

  Catherine was complimented out of further bitterness. Frederick couldnot be unpardonably guilty, while Henry made himself so agreeable. Sheresolved on not answering Isabella's letter, and tried to think no moreof it.