a washing-bill in her hand. She seized another sheet,
and saw the same articles with little variation;

a third, a fourth, and a fifth presented nothing new.
Shirts, stockings, cravats, and waistcoats faced

her in each. Two others, penned by the same hand,
marked an expenditure scarcely more interesting,

in letters, hair-powder, shoe-string, and breeches-ball.
And the larger sheet, which had enclosed the rest,

seemed by its first cramp line, "To poultice chestnut
mare"--a farrier's bill! Such was the collection of papers

(left perhaps, as she could then suppose, by the negligence
of a servant in the place whence she had taken them)

which had filled her with expectation and alarm, and robbed
her of half her night's rest! She felt humbled to the dust.

Could not the adventure of the chest have taught her
wisdom? A corner of it, catching her eye as she lay,

seemed to rise up in judgment against her. Nothing could
now be clearer than the absurdity of her recent fancies.

To suppose that a manuscript of many generations back
could have remained undiscovered in a room such as that,

so modern, so habitable!--Or that she should be the first
to possess the skill of unlocking a cabinet, the key

of which was open to all!
How could she have so imposed on herself? Heaven

forbid that Henry Tilney should ever know her folly! And
it was in a great measure his own doing, for had not the

cabinet appeared so exactly to agree with his description
of her adventures, she should never have felt the smallest

curiosity about it. This was the only comfort that occurred.
Impatient to get rid of those hateful evidences of her folly,

those detestable papers then scattered over the bed,
she rose directly, and folding them up as nearly as possible

in the same shape as before, returned them to the same
spot within the cabinet, with a very hearty wish that no

untoward accident might ever bring them forward again,
to disgrace her even with herself.

Why the locks should have been so difficult
to open, however, was still something remarkable,

for she could now manage them with perfect ease. In this
there was surely something mysterious, and she indulged

in the flatteringsuggestion for half a minute, till the
possibility of the door's having been at first unlocked,

and of being herself its fastener, darted into her head,
and cost her another blush.

She got away as soon as she could from a room in
which her conduct produced such unpleasant reflections,

and found her way with all speed to the breakfast-parlour,
as it had been pointed out to her by Miss Tilney the

evening before. Henry was alone in it; and his immediate
hope of her having been undisturbed by the tempest,

with an arch reference to the character of the building
they inhabited, was rather distressing. For the world

would she not have her weakness suspected, and yet,
unequal to an absolutefalsehood, was constrained to

acknowledge that the wind had kept her awake a little.
"But we have a charming morning after it," she added,

desiring to get rid of the subject; "and storms
and sleeplessness are nothing when they are over.

What beautiful hyacinths! I have just learnt to love
a hyacinth."

"And how might you learn? By accident or argument?"
"Your sister taught me; I cannot tell how. Mrs. Allen

used to take pains, year after year, to make me like them;
but I never could, till I saw them the other day in

Milsom Street; I am naturally indifferent about flowers."
"But now you love a hyacinth. So much the better.

You have gained a new source of enjoyment, and it is
well to have as many holds upon happiness as possible.

Besides, a taste for flowers is always desirable in your sex,
as a means of getting you out of doors, and tempting you

to more frequent exercise than you would otherwise take.
And though the love of a hyacinth may be rather domestic,

who can tell, the sentiment once raised, but you may in time
come to love a rose?"

"But I do not want any such pursuit to get me out
of doors. The pleasure of walking and breathing fresh

air is enough for me, and in fine weather I am out more
than half my time. Mamma says I am never within."

"At any rate, however, I am pleased that you have
learnt to love a hyacinth. The mere habit of learning

to love is the thing; and a teachableness of disposition
in a young lady is a great blessing. Has my sister

a pleasant mode of instruction?"
Catherine was saved the embarrassment of attempting

an answer by the entrance of the general, whose smiling
compliments announced a happy state of mind, but whose

gentle hint of sympathetic early rising did not advance
her composure.

The elegance of the breakfast set forced itself
on Catherine's notice when they were seated at table;

and, lucidly, it had been the general's choice. He was
enchanted by her approbation of his taste, confessed it

to be neat and simple, thought it right to encourage
the manufacture of his country; and for his part, to his

uncritical palate, the tea was as well flavoured from the
clay of Staffordshire, as from that of Dresden or Save.

But this was quite an old set, purchased two years ago.
The manufacture was much improved since that time;

he had seen some beautiful specimens when last in town,
and had he not been perfectly without vanity of

that kind, might have been tempted to order a new set.
He trusted, however, that an opportunity might ere

long occur of selecting one--though not for himself.
Catherine was probably the only one of the party who did

not understand him.
Shortly after breakfast Henry left them for Woodston,

where business required and would keep him two or three days.
They all attended in the hall to see him mount his horse,

and immediately on re-entering the breakfast-room, Catherine
walked to a window in the hope of catching another glimpse

of his figure. "This is a somewhat heavy call upon your
brother's fortitude," observed the general to Eleanor.

"Woodston will make but a sombre appearance today."
"Is it a pretty place?" asked Catherine.

"What say you, Eleanor? Speak your opinion,
for ladies can best tell the taste of ladies in regard

to places as well as men. I think it would be acknowledged
by the most impartial eye to have many recommendations.

The house stands among fine meadows facing the south-east,
with an excellent kitchen-garden in the same aspect;

the walls surrounding which I built and stocked myself
about ten years ago, for the benefit of my son. It is

a family living, Miss Morland; and the property in the
place being chiefly my own, you may believe I take care

that it shall not be a bad one. Did Henry's income depend
solely on this living, he would not be ill-provided for.

Perhaps it may seem odd, that with only two younger children,
I should think any profession necessary for him;