章节正文
had found it before--her humblevanity was contented--she
felt more obliged to the two young men for this simple
praise than a true-quality heroine would have been
for fifteen sonnets in celebration of her charms,
and went to her chair in good humour with everybody,
and perfectly satisfied with her share of public attention.
CHAPTER 3
Every morning now brought its regular duties--shops were
to be visited; some new part of the town to be looked at;
and the pump-room to be attended, where they paraded up
and down for an hour, looking at everybody and speaking
to no one. The wish of a numerous acquaintance in Bath
was still uppermost with Mrs. Allen, and she repeated it
after every fresh proof, which every morning brought,
of her knowing nobody at all.
They made their appearance in the Lower Rooms;
and here fortune was more favourable to our heroine.
The master of the ceremonies introduced to her a very
gentlemanlike young man as a partner; his name was Tilney.
He seemed to be about four or five and twenty, was rather tall,
had a pleasingcountenance, a very intelligent and
lively eye, and, if not quite handsome, was very near it.
His address was good, and Catherine felt herself in high luck.
There was little leisure for speaking while they danced;
but when they were seated at tea, she found him as
agreeable as she had already given him credit for being.
He talked with fluency and spirit--and there was an archness
and pleasantry in his manner which interested, though it
was hardly understood by her. After chatting some time
on such matters as naturally arose from the objects
around them, he suddenly addressed her with--"I have
hitherto been very remiss, madam, in the proper attentions
of a partner here; I have not yet asked you how long you
have been in Bath; whether you were ever here before;
whether you have been at the Upper Rooms, the theatre,
and the concert; and how you like the place altogether.
I have been very negligent--but are you now at leisure
to satisfy me in these particulars? If you are I will
begin directly."
"You need not give yourself that trouble, sir."
"No trouble, I assure you, madam." Then forming
his features into a set smile, and affectedly softening
his voice, he added, with a simpering air, "Have you
been long in Bath, madam?"
"About a week, sir," replied Catherine, trying not
to laugh.
"Really!" with affected astonishment.
"Why should you be surprised, sir?"
"Why, indeed!" said he, in his natural tone.
"But some emotion must appear to be raised by your reply,
and surprise is more easily assumed, and not less
reasonable than any other. Now let us go on. Were you
never here before, madam?"
"Never, sir."
"Indeed! Have you yet honoured the Upper Rooms?"
"Yes, sir, I was there last Monday."
"Have you been to the theatre?"
"Yes, sir, I was at the play on Tuesday."
"To the concert?"
"Yes, sir, on Wednesday."
"And are you altogether pleased with Bath?"
"Yes--I like it very well."
"Now I must give one smirk, and then we may be
rational again." Catherine turned away her head,
not knowing whether she might venture to laugh.
"I see what you think of me," said he gravely--"I
shall make but a poor figure in your journal tomorrow."
"My journal!" "Yes, I know exactly what you will
say: Friday, went to the Lower Rooms; wore my sprigged
muslin robe with blue trimmings--plain black shoes--appeared
to much advantage; but was strangely harassed by a queer,
half-witted man, who would make me dance with him,
and distressed me by his nonsense."
"Indeed I shall say no such thing."
"Shall I tell you what you ought to say?"
"If you please."
"I danced with a very agreeable young man,
introduced by Mr. King; had a great deal of conversation
with him--seems a most extraordinarygenius--hope I may
know more of him. That, madam, is what I wish you to say."
"But, perhaps, I keep no journal."
"Perhaps you are not sitting in this room, and I am
not sitting by you. These are points in which a doubt is
equally possible. Not keep a journal! How are your absent
cousins to understand the tenour of your life in Bath
without one? How are the civilities and compliments of
every day to be related as they ought to be, unless noted
down every evening in a journal? How are your various
dresses to be remembered, and the particular state of
your complexion, and curl of your hair to be described
in all their diversities, without having constant recourse
to a journal? My dear madam, I am not so ignorant of
young ladies' ways as you wish to believe me; it is this
delightful habit of journaling which largely contributes
to form the easy style of writing for which ladies are
so generally celebrated. Everybody allows that the talent
of writingagreeable letters is peculiarly female.
Nature may have done something, but I am sure it must
be essentially assisted by the practice of keeping a journal."
"I have sometimes thought," said Catherine, doubtingly,
"whether ladies do write so much better letters than gentlemen!
That is--I should not think the superiority was always on our side."
"As far as I have had opportunity of judging,
it appears to me that the usual style of letter-writing
among women is faultless, except in three particulars."
"And what are they?"
"A general deficiency of subject, a total inattention
to stops, and a very frequentignorance of grammar."
"Upon my word! I need not have been afraid of disclaiming
the compliment. You do not think too highly of us in that way."
"I should no more lay it down as a general rule that
women write better letters than men, than that they sing
better duets, or draw better landscapes. In every power,
of which taste is the foundation, excellence is pretty
fairly divided between the sexes."
They were interrupted by Mrs. Allen: "My dear Catherine,"
said she, "do take this pin out of my sleeve; I am afraid it
has torn a hole already; I shall be quite sorry if it has,
for this is a favourite gown, though it cost but nine
shillings a yard."
"That is exactly what I should have guessed
it, madam," said Mr. Tilney, looking at the muslin.
"Do you understand muslins, sir?"
"Particularly well; I always buy my own cravats,
and am allowed to be an excellent judge; and my
sister has often trusted me in the choice of a gown.
I bought one for her the other day, and it was pronounced
to be a prodigiousbargain by every lady who saw it.
I gave but five shillings a yard for it, and a true
Indian muslin."
Mrs. Allen was quite struck by his genius. "Men commonly
take so little notice of those things," said she; "I can
never get Mr. Allen to know one of my gowns from another.
You must be a great comfort to your sister, sir."
"I hope I am, madam."
"And pray, sir, what do you think of Miss Morland's gown?"
"It is very pretty, madam," said he, gravely examining it;
"but I do not think it will wash well; I am afraid it will fray."
"How can you," said Catherine, laughing, "be so--"
She had almost said "strange."
"I am quite of your opinion, sir," replied Mrs. Allen;
"and so I told Miss Morland when she bought it."
"But then you know, madam, muslin always turns
to some account or other; Miss Morland will get enough
out of it for a handkerchief, or a cap, or a cloak.
Muslin can never be said to be wasted. I have heard my
sister say so forty times, when she has been extravagant
in buying more than she wanted, or careless in cutting it
to pieces."
"Bath is a charming place, sir; there are so many
good shops here. We are sadly off in the country;
not but what we have very good shops in Salisbury,
but it is so far to go--eight miles is a long way;
Mr. Allen says it is nine, measured nine; but I am sure it
cannot be more than eight; and it is such a fag--I come
back tired to death. Now, here one can step out of doors
and get a thing in five minutes."
Mr. Tilney was polite enough to seem interested
in what she said; and she kept him on the subject of
muslins till the dancing recommenced. Catherine feared,
as she listened to their discourse, that he indulged
himself a little too much with the foibles of others.
"What are you thinking of so earnestly?" said he,
as they walked back to the ballroom; "not of your partner,
I hope, for, by that shake of the head, your meditations
are not satisfactory."
Catherine coloured, and said, "I was not thinking
of anything."
"That is artful and deep, to be sure; but I had
rather be told at once that you will not tell me."
"Well then, I will not."
"Thank you; for now we shall soon be acquainted,
as I am authorized to tease you on this subject whenever
we meet, and nothing in the world advances intimacy
so much."
They danced again; and, when the assembly closed,
parted, on the lady's side at least, with a strong
inclination for continuing the acquaintance. Whether she
thought of him so much, while she drank her warm wine
and water, and prepared herself for bed, as to dream of him
when there, cannot be ascertained; but I hope it was no
more than in a slight slumber, or a morning doze at most;
for if it be true, as a celebratedwriter has maintained,
that no young lady can be justified in falling in love
before the gentleman's love is declared,* it must be very
improper that a young lady should dream of a gentleman
before the gentleman is first known to have dreamt of her.
How proper Mr. Tilney might be as a dreamer or a lover
had not yet perhaps entered Mr. Allen's head, but that he
was not objectionable as a common acquaintance for his
young charge he was on inquiry satisfied; for he had early
in the evening taken pains to know who her partner was,
and had been assured of Mr. Tilney's being a clergyman,
and of a very respectable family in Gloucestershire.
CHAPTER 4
With more than usual eagerness did Catherine hasten
to the pump-room the next day, secure within herself
of seeing Mr. Tilney there before the morning were over,
and ready to meet him with a smile; but no smile was
demanded--Mr. Tilney did not appear. Every creature in Bath,
except himself, was to be seen in the room at different
felt more obliged to the two young men for this simple
praise than a true-quality heroine would have been
for fifteen sonnets in celebration of her charms,
and went to her chair in good humour with everybody,
and perfectly satisfied with her share of public attention.
CHAPTER 3
Every morning now brought its regular duties--shops were
to be visited; some new part of the town to be looked at;
and the pump-room to be attended, where they paraded up
and down for an hour, looking at everybody and speaking
to no one. The wish of a numerous acquaintance in Bath
was still uppermost with Mrs. Allen, and she repeated it
after every fresh proof, which every morning brought,
of her knowing nobody at all.
They made their appearance in the Lower Rooms;
and here fortune was more favourable to our heroine.
The master of the ceremonies introduced to her a very
gentlemanlike young man as a partner; his name was Tilney.
He seemed to be about four or five and twenty, was rather tall,
had a pleasingcountenance, a very intelligent and
lively eye, and, if not quite handsome, was very near it.
His address was good, and Catherine felt herself in high luck.
There was little leisure for speaking while they danced;
but when they were seated at tea, she found him as
agreeable as she had already given him credit for being.
He talked with fluency and spirit--and there was an archness
and pleasantry in his manner which interested, though it
was hardly understood by her. After chatting some time
on such matters as naturally arose from the objects
around them, he suddenly addressed her with--"I have
hitherto been very remiss, madam, in the proper attentions
of a partner here; I have not yet asked you how long you
have been in Bath; whether you were ever here before;
whether you have been at the Upper Rooms, the theatre,
and the concert; and how you like the place altogether.
I have been very negligent--but are you now at leisure
to satisfy me in these particulars? If you are I will
begin directly."
"You need not give yourself that trouble, sir."
"No trouble, I assure you, madam." Then forming
his features into a set smile, and affectedly softening
his voice, he added, with a simpering air, "Have you
been long in Bath, madam?"
"About a week, sir," replied Catherine, trying not
to laugh.
"Really!" with affected astonishment.
"Why should you be surprised, sir?"
"Why, indeed!" said he, in his natural tone.
"But some emotion must appear to be raised by your reply,
and surprise is more easily assumed, and not less
reasonable than any other. Now let us go on. Were you
never here before, madam?"
"Never, sir."
"Indeed! Have you yet honoured the Upper Rooms?"
"Yes, sir, I was there last Monday."
"Have you been to the theatre?"
"Yes, sir, I was at the play on Tuesday."
"To the concert?"
"Yes, sir, on Wednesday."
"And are you altogether pleased with Bath?"
"Yes--I like it very well."
"Now I must give one smirk, and then we may be
rational again." Catherine turned away her head,
not knowing whether she might venture to laugh.
"I see what you think of me," said he gravely--"I
shall make but a poor figure in your journal tomorrow."
"My journal!" "Yes, I know exactly what you will
say: Friday, went to the Lower Rooms; wore my sprigged
muslin robe with blue trimmings--plain black shoes--appeared
to much advantage; but was strangely harassed by a queer,
half-witted man, who would make me dance with him,
and distressed me by his nonsense."
"Indeed I shall say no such thing."
"Shall I tell you what you ought to say?"
"If you please."
"I danced with a very agreeable young man,
introduced by Mr. King; had a great deal of conversation
with him--seems a most extraordinarygenius--hope I may
know more of him. That, madam, is what I wish you to say."
"But, perhaps, I keep no journal."
"Perhaps you are not sitting in this room, and I am
not sitting by you. These are points in which a doubt is
equally possible. Not keep a journal! How are your absent
cousins to understand the tenour of your life in Bath
without one? How are the civilities and compliments of
every day to be related as they ought to be, unless noted
down every evening in a journal? How are your various
dresses to be remembered, and the particular state of
your complexion, and curl of your hair to be described
in all their diversities, without having constant recourse
to a journal? My dear madam, I am not so ignorant of
young ladies' ways as you wish to believe me; it is this
delightful habit of journaling which largely contributes
to form the easy style of writing for which ladies are
so generally celebrated. Everybody allows that the talent
of writingagreeable letters is peculiarly female.
Nature may have done something, but I am sure it must
be essentially assisted by the practice of keeping a journal."
"I have sometimes thought," said Catherine, doubtingly,
"whether ladies do write so much better letters than gentlemen!
That is--I should not think the superiority was always on our side."
"As far as I have had opportunity of judging,
it appears to me that the usual style of letter-writing
among women is faultless, except in three particulars."
"And what are they?"
"A general deficiency of subject, a total inattention
to stops, and a very frequentignorance of grammar."
"Upon my word! I need not have been afraid of disclaiming
the compliment. You do not think too highly of us in that way."
"I should no more lay it down as a general rule that
women write better letters than men, than that they sing
better duets, or draw better landscapes. In every power,
of which taste is the foundation, excellence is pretty
fairly divided between the sexes."
They were interrupted by Mrs. Allen: "My dear Catherine,"
said she, "do take this pin out of my sleeve; I am afraid it
has torn a hole already; I shall be quite sorry if it has,
for this is a favourite gown, though it cost but nine
shillings a yard."
"That is exactly what I should have guessed
it, madam," said Mr. Tilney, looking at the muslin.
"Do you understand muslins, sir?"
"Particularly well; I always buy my own cravats,
and am allowed to be an excellent judge; and my
sister has often trusted me in the choice of a gown.
I bought one for her the other day, and it was pronounced
to be a prodigiousbargain by every lady who saw it.
I gave but five shillings a yard for it, and a true
Indian muslin."
Mrs. Allen was quite struck by his genius. "Men commonly
take so little notice of those things," said she; "I can
never get Mr. Allen to know one of my gowns from another.
You must be a great comfort to your sister, sir."
"I hope I am, madam."
"And pray, sir, what do you think of Miss Morland's gown?"
"It is very pretty, madam," said he, gravely examining it;
"but I do not think it will wash well; I am afraid it will fray."
"How can you," said Catherine, laughing, "be so--"
She had almost said "strange."
"I am quite of your opinion, sir," replied Mrs. Allen;
"and so I told Miss Morland when she bought it."
"But then you know, madam, muslin always turns
to some account or other; Miss Morland will get enough
out of it for a handkerchief, or a cap, or a cloak.
Muslin can never be said to be wasted. I have heard my
sister say so forty times, when she has been extravagant
in buying more than she wanted, or careless in cutting it
to pieces."
"Bath is a charming place, sir; there are so many
good shops here. We are sadly off in the country;
not but what we have very good shops in Salisbury,
but it is so far to go--eight miles is a long way;
Mr. Allen says it is nine, measured nine; but I am sure it
cannot be more than eight; and it is such a fag--I come
back tired to death. Now, here one can step out of doors
and get a thing in five minutes."
Mr. Tilney was polite enough to seem interested
in what she said; and she kept him on the subject of
muslins till the dancing recommenced. Catherine feared,
as she listened to their discourse, that he indulged
himself a little too much with the foibles of others.
"What are you thinking of so earnestly?" said he,
as they walked back to the ballroom; "not of your partner,
I hope, for, by that shake of the head, your meditations
are not satisfactory."
Catherine coloured, and said, "I was not thinking
of anything."
"That is artful and deep, to be sure; but I had
rather be told at once that you will not tell me."
"Well then, I will not."
"Thank you; for now we shall soon be acquainted,
as I am authorized to tease you on this subject whenever
we meet, and nothing in the world advances intimacy
so much."
They danced again; and, when the assembly closed,
parted, on the lady's side at least, with a strong
inclination for continuing the acquaintance. Whether she
thought of him so much, while she drank her warm wine
and water, and prepared herself for bed, as to dream of him
when there, cannot be ascertained; but I hope it was no
more than in a slight slumber, or a morning doze at most;
for if it be true, as a celebratedwriter has maintained,
that no young lady can be justified in falling in love
before the gentleman's love is declared,* it must be very
improper that a young lady should dream of a gentleman
before the gentleman is first known to have dreamt of her.
How proper Mr. Tilney might be as a dreamer or a lover
had not yet perhaps entered Mr. Allen's head, but that he
was not objectionable as a common acquaintance for his
young charge he was on inquiry satisfied; for he had early
in the evening taken pains to know who her partner was,
and had been assured of Mr. Tilney's being a clergyman,
and of a very respectable family in Gloucestershire.
CHAPTER 4
With more than usual eagerness did Catherine hasten
to the pump-room the next day, secure within herself
of seeing Mr. Tilney there before the morning were over,
and ready to meet him with a smile; but no smile was
demanded--Mr. Tilney did not appear. Every creature in Bath,
except himself, was to be seen in the room at different
- humble [´hʌmbəl]
a.谦卑的 vt.贬抑 (初中英语单词) - vanity [´væniti] n.虚荣；自负；空虚 (初中英语单词)
- humour [´hju:mə] n.幽默，诙谐 (初中英语单词)
- acquaintance [ə´kweintəns] n.相识；熟人，相识的人 (初中英语单词)
- knowing [´nəuiŋ] a.会意的，心照不宣的 (初中英语单词)
- partner [´pɑ:tnə] n.伙伴 v.同....合作 (初中英语单词)
- countenance [´kauntinəns] n.面部表情；脸色；面容 (初中英语单词)
- intelligent [in´telidʒənt] a.聪明的；理智的 (初中英语单词)
- emotion [i´məuʃən] n.感情；情绪；激动 (初中英语单词)
- altogether [,ɔ:ltə´geðə] ad.完全；总而言之 (初中英语单词)
- venture [´ventʃə] n.投机 v.冒险；敢于 (初中英语单词)
- journal [´dʒə:nəl] n.日记；日报；杂志 (初中英语单词)
- advantage [əd´vɑ:ntidʒ] n.优势；利益 (初中英语单词)
- strangely [´streindʒli] ad.奇怪地；陌生地 (初中英语单词)
- agreeable [ə´gri:əbəl] a.适合的；符合的 (初中英语单词)
- extraordinary [ik´strɔ:dinəri] a.非常的；额外的 (初中英语单词)
- constant [´kɔnstənt] a.坚定的；坚贞的 (初中英语单词)
- ignorant [´ignərənt] a.无知的，愚昧的 (初中英语单词)
- writing [´raitiŋ] n.书写；写作；书法 (初中英语单词)
- celebrated [´selibreitid] a.著名的 (初中英语单词)
- frequent [´fri:kwənt] a.常见的，频繁的 (初中英语单词)
- ignorance [´ignərəns] n.无知，愚昧 (初中英语单词)
- foundation [faun´deiʃən] n.建立；基金；地基 (初中英语单词)
- sleeve [sli:v] n.袖子；袖套 (初中英语单词)
- bargain [´bɑ:gin] n.买卖合同 v.议(价) (初中英语单词)
- genius [´dʒi:niəs] n.天才(人物)；天赋 (初中英语单词)
- gravely [´greivli] ad.庄重地，严肃地 (初中英语单词)
- account [ə´kaunt] vi.说明 vt.认为 n.帐目 (初中英语单词)
- handkerchief [´hæŋkətʃif] n.手帕，手绢 (初中英语单词)
- careless [´keəlis] a.粗心的；草率的 (初中英语单词)
- charming [´tʃɑ:miŋ] a.可爱的；极好的 (初中英语单词)
- polite [pə´lait] a.有礼貌的；温和的 (初中英语单词)
- assembly [ə´sembli] n.集会；装配；与会者 (初中英语单词)
- slumber [´slʌmbə] v.&n.睡眠；沉睡状态 (初中英语单词)
- writer [´raitə] n.作者；作家 (初中英语单词)
- charge [tʃɑ:dʒ] v.收费；冲锋 n.费用 (初中英语单词)
- inquiry [in´kwaiəri] n.询问；质询；调查 (初中英语单词)
- celebration [,seli´breiʃən] n.庆祝(会)；庆典 (高中英语单词)
- perfectly [´pə:fiktli] ad.理想地；完美地 (高中英语单词)
- repeated [ri´pi:tid] a.反复的；重复的 (高中英语单词)
- pleasing [´pli:ziŋ] a.使人愉快的；合意的 (高中英语单词)
- leisure [´leʒə] n.空闲；悠闲；安定 (高中英语单词)
- related [ri´leitid] a.叙述的；有联系的 (高中英语单词)
- complexion [kəm´plekʃən] n.肤色；情况；局面 (高中英语单词)
- compliment [´kɔmplimənt] n.敬意 vt.赞美；祝贺 (高中英语单词)
- discourse [´diskɔ:s] n.论文；演说；说教 (高中英语单词)
- respectable [ri´spektəbəl] a.可敬的；有身价的 (高中英语单词)
- eagerness [´i:gənis] n.渴望；热忱 (高中英语单词)
- seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)
- heroine [´herəuin] n.女英雄；女主人公 (英语四级单词)
- trying [´traiiŋ] a.难堪的；费劲的 (英语四级单词)
- peculiarly [pi´kju:liəli] ad.特有地；古怪地 (英语四级单词)
- essentially [i´senʃəli] ad.本质上，基本上 (英语四级单词)
- superiority [su:piəri´ɔriti, sju:-] n.优越，卓越 (英语四级单词)
- excellence [´eksələns] n.优秀；杰出；优点 (英语四级单词)
- prodigious [prə´didʒəs] a.惊人的；巨大的 (英语四级单词)
- muslin [´mʌzlin] n.平纹细布，薄纱织物 (英语四级单词)
- speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)
- affected [ə´fektid] a.做作的；假装的 (英语六级单词)
- faultless [´fɔ:ltləs] a.无过失的；完美的 (英语六级单词)
- deficiency [di´fiʃənsi] n.缺乏，不足，亏空 (英语六级单词)
- dreamer [´dri:mə] n.做梦的人；梦想者 (英语六级单词)
- assured [ə´ʃuəd] a.确实的 n.被保险人 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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