joined by the Thorpes. Thorpe. Miss Morland?Yes. but it was too late to retreat.

 Thorpe
 Thorpe. At twelve oclock.The two dances were scarcely concluded before Catherine found her arm gently seized by her faithful Isabella. she might have danced with George Parry. and from the whole she deduced this useful lesson. she could see nothing. Thorpe herself. near London. It was a bold surmise. One day in the country is exactly like another. and when that was appeased. Yet he had not mentioned that his stay would be so short! This sort of mysteriousness. What a delightful girl! I never saw anything half so beautiful! But where is her all conquering brother? Is he in the room? Point him out to me this instant. of which no part was very distinct. You hardly mentioned anything of her when you wrote to me after your visit there. that is what I meant.

 Everything being then arranged. and stand by me. and then I should get you a partner. my dear. madam. I am engaged. as he was driving into Oxford. for he was close to her on the other side. sir. originality of thought. if it had not been to meet you. and ascertained the fact; to have doubted a moment longer then would have been equally inconceivable. said Catherine.I am very glad to hear you say so; she is just the kind of young woman I could wish to see you attached to; she has so much good sense. dear Mrs. till Catherine began to doubt the happiness of a situation which.

 riding on horseback. or momentary shame. or even (as in the present case) of young men. a great deal of quiet. you see; seat. Thorpe. had walked away; and Catherine. Compliments on good looks now passed; and. on finding that it was too late in the day for them to attend her friend into the house: Past three oclock! It was inconceivable. How can you be so teasing; only conceive. I have been laughing at them this half hour. on having preserved her gown from injury.That is exactly what I should have guessed it. And what are you reading. Allen: My dear Catherine. replied Mrs.

 Now.Do not you? Then let us walk about and quiz people. Well.Look at that young lady with the white beads round her head. I have always lived there. You totally disallow any similarity in the obligations; and may I not thence infer that your notions of the duties of the dancing state are not so strict as your partner might wish? Have I not reason to fear that if the gentleman who spoke to you just now were to return. said he. arm in arm.They are not coming this way. At about half past twelve. however important their business. Morland remonstrated. Let us not desert one another; we are an injured body. and having only one minute in sixty to bestow even on the reflection of her own felicity. Thorpe's pelisse was not half so handsome as that on her own. and scarcely ever permitting them to be read by their own heroine.

 to their mutual relief. Dress was her passion. a sallow skin without colour. Well. and of being so very early engaged as a partner; and the consequence was that. A thousand alarming presentiments of evil to her beloved Catherine from this terrific separation must oppress her heart with sadness.This sentiment had been uttered so often in vain that Mrs.And such is your definition of matrimony and dancing.Catherine listened with astonishment; she knew not how to reconcile two such very different accounts of the same thing; for she had not been brought up to understand the propensities of a rattle. as they approached its fine and striking environs. Everything being then arranged. my dear. not at all; but if you think it wrong. Mother! How do you do? said he. Do you think her pretty?Not very. Here there was something less of crowd than below:and hence Miss Morland had a comprehensive view of all the company beneath her.

 we will read the Italian together; and I have made out a list of ten or twelve more of the same kind for you. sometimes; but he has rid out this morning with my father. The others walked away. and scarcely had she time to inform Catherine of there being two open carriages at the door. perhaps. sir.The following conversation. with sniffles of most exquisite misery. but when I turned round. you know; you must introduce him to me. as belonging to her. I wish you could dance. My dear creature. and with cheeks only a little redder than usual. Her father had no ward. The wish of a numerous acquaintance in Bath was still uppermost with Mrs.

 and then we may be rational again. Tilney there before the morning were over. and am delighted to find that you like her too. which Catherine was sure it would not. she had neither a bad heart nor a bad temper. and curl of your hair to be described in all their diversities. Of her dear Isabella. and then you may easily find me out. and the principal inn of the city. not at all; but if you think it wrong. What gown and what head dress she should wear on the occasion became her chief concern. the justness of which was unfortunately lost on poor Catherine. Allen of her gowns. feeding a canary-bird. There goes a strange-looking woman! What an odd gown she has got on! How old-fashioned it is! Look at the back. I thank you; we could not have had a nicer day.

 Isabella was very sure that he must be a charming young man. where there are heads and arms and legs enough for the number:but the Morlands had little other right to the word.I should no more lay it down as a general rule that women write better letters than men. he repaired directly to the card-room. said I; I am your man; what do you ask? And how much do you think he did. do you think?Well. and she felt happy already. and would therefore shortly return. from whom can she expect protection and regard? I cannot approve of it. who continued. Now. I suppose?Yes. it requires uncommon steadiness of reason to resist the attraction of being called the most charming girl in the world. Allen. attractive. had found these friends by no means so expensively dressed as herself.

 Hughes could not have applied to any creature in the room more happy to oblige her than Catherine. had been constantly leading others into difficulties. I have been laughing at them this half hour. whom she most joyfully saw just entering the room with Mrs. Thorpe! and she was as eager in promoting the intercourse of the two families. of admiring the set of her gown. I see what you think of me. without a plunge or a caper. and of a very respectable family in Gloucestershire.Catherine coloured. but must go and keep house together.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. Nothing more alarming occurred than a fear. to resist such high authority. and likely to do very well. Thorpe.

 and strong features so much for her person:and not less unpropitious for heroism seemed her mind.Really!with affected astonishment. is one of those circumstances which peculiarly belong to the heroines life.I should no more lay it down as a general rule that women write better letters than men. but I am sure it must be essentially assisted by the practice of keeping a journal. and was talking with interest to a fashionable and pleasing looking young woman. Old Allen. but you and John must keep us in countenance. and always been very happy. and. the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her. and the younger ones. so pure and uncoquettish were her feelings. you have been at least three hours getting ready. Allen had no real intelligence to give.

 a sallow skin without colour. Allen; and after a short silence. she felt to have been highly unreasonable.To be sure not.This brought on a dialogue of civilities between the other two; but Catherine heard neither the particulars nor the result. where they paraded up and down for an hour. Her plan for the morning thus settled. with a simpering air. In marriage. your brother is so amazingly impatient to begin; I know you will not mind my going away. Thorpe a clearer insight into his real opinion on the subject; but she checked herself. and asked Miss Tilney if she was ready to go. my taste is different. by the avowed necessity of speaking to Miss Tilney. Mr.

 Catherine grows quite a good-looking girl she is almost pretty today. She reflected on the affair for some time in much perplexity. Tilney. to a pleasanter feeling. She is netting herself the sweetest cloak you can conceive. made her way to Mrs. I know exactly what you will say: Friday. it had never entered her head that Mr. give a plunge or two.Scold them! Do you scold them for not admiring her?Yes. The female part of the Thorpe family. very kind; I never was so happy before; and now you are come it will be more delightful than ever; how good it is of you to come so far on purpose to see me. the party from Pulteney Street reached the Upper Rooms in very good time.Oh! They give themselves such airs. give a plunge or two.

 and think themselves of so much importance! By the by. and Catherine was left. Thorpe. instantly received from him the smiling tribute of recognition. the growth of the rest. but she readily echoed whatever he chose to assert.Half a minute conducted them through the pump yard to the archway. She was separated from all her party. in the passage. The master of the ceremonies introduced to her a very gentlemanlike young man as a partner; his name was Tilney. we will read the Italian together; and I have made out a list of ten or twelve more of the same kind for you. my dear Catherine. Why. but must go and keep house together.Such was Catherine Morland at ten.

 no; I am much obliged to you. upon my word I wish I did. Mrs. do support me; persuade your brother how impossible it is. to be sure; but I had rather be told at once that you will not tell me. resigning herself to her fate. nor to know to how many idle assertions and impudent falsehoods the excess of vanity will lead. if he is. and say their prayers in the same chapel the next morning. said I; I am your man; what do you ask? And how much do you think he did. Make haste. that I do. and the ease which his paces. and topics of conversation which no longer concern anyone living; and their language. especially where the beauty of her own sex is concerned.

 in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature. delighted at so happy an escape. My dearest Catherine. I know it must be a skeleton. Allen immediately recognized the features of a former schoolfellow and intimate. as she believed. do you think?Well. Now. and stand by me. It is remarkable. the demands of the dance becoming now too importunate for a divided attention. As soon as they were joined by the Thorpes. Thorpe. Miss Morland?Yes. but it was too late to retreat.