The Allens, Thorpes, and Morlands all met in the evening at the theatre; and, as Catherine and Isabella sat together, there was then an opportunity for the latter to utter some few of the many thousand things which had been collecting within her for communication in the immeasurable length of time which had divided them.
"Oh, heavens! My beloved Catherine, have I got you at last?"was her address on Catherine's entering the box and sitting by her. "Now, Mr. Morland," for he was close to her on the other side, "I shall not speak another word to you all the rest of the evening; so I charge you not to expect it.
My sweetest Catherine, how have you been this long age? But I need not ask you, for you look delightfully. You really have done your hair in a more heavenly style than ever;you mischievous creature, do you want to attract everybody?
I assure you, my brother is quite in love with you already;and as for Mr. Tilney--but that is a settled thing--even your modesty cannot doubt his attachment now; his coming back to Bath makes it too plain. Oh! What would not Igive to see him! I really am quite wild with impatience.
My mother says he is the most delightful young man in the world; she saw him this morning, you know; you must introduce him to me. Is he in the house now? Look about, for heaven's sake! I assure you, I can hardly exist till Isee him."
"No," said Catherine, "he is not here; I cannot see him anywhere.""Oh, 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. Do you know, I get so immoderately sick of Bath; your brother and Iwere agreeing this morning that, though it is vastly well to be here for a few weeks, we would not live here for millions. We soon found out that our tastes were exactly alike in preferring the country to every other place; really, our opinions were so exactly the same, it was quite ridiculous! There was not a single point in which we differed; I would not have had you by for the world;you are such a sly thing, I am sure you would have made some droll remark or other about it.""No, indeed I should not."
"Oh, yes you would indeed; I know you better than you know yourself. You would have told us that we seemed born for each other, or some nonsense of that kind, which would have distressed me beyond conception;my cheeks would have been as red as your roses; I would not have had you by for the world.""Indeed you do me injustice; I would not have made so improper a remark upon any account; and besides, I am sure it would never have entered my head."Isabella smiled incredulously and talked the rest of the evening to James.
Catherine's resolution of endeavouring to meet Miss Tilney again continued in full force the next morning;and till the usual moment of going to the pump-room, she felt some alarm from the dread of a second prevention.
But nothing of that kind occurred, no visitors appeared to delay them, and they all three set off in good time for the pump-room, where the ordinary course of events and conversation took place; Mr. Allen, after drinking his glass of water, joined some gentlemen to talk over the politics of the day and compare the accounts of their newspapers; and the ladies walked about together, noticing every new face, and almost every new bonnet in the room. The female part of the Thorpe family, attended by James Morland, appeared among the crowd in less than a quarter of an hour, and Catherine immediately took her usual place by the side of her friend. James, who was now in constant attendance, maintained a similar position, and separating themselves from the rest of their party, they walked in that manner for some time, till Catherine began to doubt the happiness of a situation which, confining her entirely to her friend and brother, gave her very little share in the notice of either.
They were always engaged in some sentimental discussion or lively dispute, but their sentiment was conveyed in such whispering voices, and their vivacity attended with so much laughter, that though Catherine's supporting opinion was not unfrequently called for by one or the other, she was never able to give any, from not having heard a word of the subject. At length however she was empowered to disengage herself from her friend, by the avowed necessity of speaking to Miss Tilney, whom she most joyfully saw just entering the room with Mrs. Hughes, and whom she instantly joined, with a firmer determination to be acquainted, than she might have had courage to command, had she not been urged by the disappointment of the day before.
Miss Tilney met her with great civility, returned her advances with equal goodwill, and they continued talking together as long as both parties remained in the room;and though in all probability not an observation was made, nor an expression used by either which had not been made and used some thousands of times before, under that roof, in every Bath season, yet the merit of their being spoken with simplicity and truth, and without personal conceit, might be something uncommon.
"How well your brother dances!" was an artless exclamation of Catherine's towards the close of their conversation, which at once surprised and amused her companion.
"Henry!" she replied with a smile. "Yes, he does dance very well.""He must have thought it very odd to hear me say Iwas engaged the other evening, when he saw me sitting down.
But I really had been engaged the whole day to Mr. Thorpe."Miss Tilney could only bow. "You cannot think,"added Catherine after a moment's silence, "how surprised Iwas to see him again. I felt so sure of his being quite gone away.""When Henry had the pleasure of seeing you before, he was in Bath but for a couple of days. He came only to engage lodgings for us.""That never occurred to me; and of course, not seeing him anywhere, I thought he must be gone.
Was not the young lady he danced with on Monday a Miss Smith?""Yes, an acquaintance of Mrs. Hughes."