Northanger Abbey Page 4

  CHAPTER 4

  With more than usual eagerness did Catherine hasten to the pump-room thenext day, secure within herself of seeing Mr. Tilney there before themorning were over, and ready to meet him with a smile; but no smilewas demanded--Mr. Tilney did not appear. Every creature in Bath,except himself, was to be seen in the room at different periods of thefashionable hours; crowds of people were every moment passing in andout, up the steps and down; people whom nobody cared about, and nobodywanted to see; and he only was absent. "What a delightful place Bathis," said Mrs. Allen as they sat down near the great clock, afterparading the room till they were tired; "and how pleasant it would be ifwe had any acquaintance here."

  This sentiment had been uttered so often in vain that Mrs. Allen had noparticular reason to hope it would be followed with more advantage now;but we are told to "despair of nothing we would attain," as "unwearieddiligence our point would gain"; and the unwearied diligence with whichshe had every day wished for the same thing was at length to have itsjust reward, for hardly had she been seated ten minutes before a lady ofabout her own age, who was sitting by her, and had been looking at herattentively for several minutes, addressed her with great complaisancein these words: "I think, madam, I cannot be mistaken; it is a long timesince I had the pleasure of seeing you, but is not your name Allen?"This question answered, as it readily was, the stranger pronounced hersto be Thorpe; and Mrs. Allen immediately recognized the features ofa former schoolfellow and intimate, whom she had seen only once sincetheir respective marriages, and that many years ago. Their joy on thismeeting was very great, as well it might, since they had been contentedto know nothing of each other for the last fifteen years. Complimentson good looks now passed; and, after observing how time had slipped awaysince they were last together, how little they had thought of meeting inBath, and what a pleasure it was to see an old friend, they proceeded tomake inquiries and give intelligence as to their families, sisters, andcousins, talking both together, far more ready to give than to receiveinformation, and each hearing very little of what the other said. Mrs.Thorpe, however, had one great advantage as a talker, over Mrs. Allen,in a family of children; and when she expatiated on the talents of hersons, and the beauty of her daughters, when she related their differentsituations and views--that John was at Oxford, Edward at MerchantTaylors', and William at sea--and all of them more beloved and respectedin their different station than any other three beings ever were, Mrs.Allen had no similar information to give, no similar triumphs to presson the unwilling and unbelieving ear of her friend, and was forced tosit and appear to listen to all these maternal effusions, consolingherself, however, with the discovery, which her keen eye soon made, thatthe lace on Mrs. Thorpe's pelisse was not half so handsome as that onher own.

  "Here come my dear girls," cried Mrs. Thorpe, pointing at threesmart-looking females who, arm in arm, were then moving towards her. "Mydear Mrs. Allen, I long to introduce them; they will be so delightedto see you: the tallest is Isabella, my eldest; is not she a fine youngwoman? The others are very much admired too, but I believe Isabella isthe handsomest."

  The Miss Thorpes were introduced; and Miss Morland, who had been for ashort time forgotten, was introduced likewise. The name seemed to strikethem all; and, after speaking to her with great civility, the eldestyoung lady observed aloud to the rest, "How excessively like her brotherMiss Morland is!"

  "The very picture of him indeed!" cried the mother--and "I should haveknown her anywhere for his sister!" was repeated by them all, two orthree times over. For a moment Catherine was surprised; but Mrs. Thorpeand her daughters had scarcely begun the history of their acquaintancewith Mr. James Morland, before she remembered that her eldest brotherhad lately formed an intimacy with a young man of his own college, ofthe name of Thorpe; and that he had spent the last week of the Christmasvacation with his family, near London.

  The whole being explained, many obliging things were said by the MissThorpes of their wish of being better acquainted with her; of beingconsidered as already friends, through the friendship of their brothers,etc., which Catherine heard with pleasure, and answered with all thepretty expressions she could command; and, as the first proof of amity,she was soon invited to accept an arm of the eldest Miss Thorpe, andtake a turn with her about the room. Catherine was delighted with thisextension of her Bath acquaintance, and almost forgot Mr. Tilney whileshe talked to Miss Thorpe. Friendship is certainly the finest balm forthe pangs of disappointed love.

  Their conversation turned upon those subjects, of which the freediscussion has generally much to do in perfecting a sudden intimacybetween two young ladies: such as dress, balls, flirtations, andquizzes. Miss Thorpe, however, being four years older than Miss Morland,and at least four years better informed, had a very decided advantage indiscussing such points; she could compare the balls of Bath with thoseof Tunbridge, its fashions with the fashions of London; could rectifythe opinions of her new friend in many articles of tasteful attire;could discover a flirtation between any gentleman and lady who onlysmiled on each other; and point out a quiz through the thickness of acrowd. These powers received due admiration from Catherine, to whom theywere entirely new; and the respect which they naturally inspired mighthave been too great for familiarity, had not the easy gaiety of MissThorpe's manners, and her frequent expressions of delight on thisacquaintance with her, softened down every feeling of awe, and leftnothing but tender affection. Their increasing attachment was not to besatisfied with half a dozen turns in the pump-room, but required, whenthey all quitted it together, that Miss Thorpe should accompany MissMorland to the very door of Mr. Allen's house; and that they shouldthere part with a most affectionate and lengthened shake of hands, afterlearning, to their mutual relief, that they should see each other acrossthe theatre at night, and say their prayers in the same chapel the nextmorning. Catherine then ran directly upstairs, and watched Miss Thorpe'sprogress down the street from the drawing-room window; admired thegraceful spirit of her walk, the fashionable air of her figure anddress; and felt grateful, as well she might, for the chance which hadprocured her such a friend.

  Mrs. Thorpe was a widow, and not a very rich one; she was agood-humoured, well-meaning woman, and a very indulgent mother. Hereldest daughter had great personal beauty, and the younger ones, bypretending to be as handsome as their sister, imitating her air, anddressing in the same style, did very well.

  This brief account of the family is intended to supersede the necessityof a long and minute detail from Mrs. Thorpe herself, of her pastadventures and sufferings, which might otherwise be expected to occupythe three or four following chapters; in which the worthlessness oflords and attorneys might be set forth, and conversations, which hadpassed twenty years before, be minutely repeated.