"With me, dear Isabella!"

"Nay, my sweetest Catherine, this is being quite
absurd! Modesty, and all that, is very well in its way,

but really a little common honesty is sometimes quite
as becoming. I have no idea of being so overstrained!

It is fishing for compliments. His attentions were
such as a child must have noticed. And it was but half

an hour before he left Bath that you gave him the most
positiveencouragement" target="_blank" title="n.鼓励；赞助；引诱">encouragement. He says so in this letter,

says that he as good as made you an offer, and that you
received his advances in the kindest way; and now he

wants me to urge his suit, and say all manner of pretty
things to you. So it is in vain to affect ignorance."

Catherine, with all the earnestness of truth,
expressed her astonishment at such a charge, protesting

her innocence of every thought of Mr. Thorpe's being
in love with her, and the consequentimpossibility of

her having ever intended to encourage him. "As to any
attentions on his side, I do declare, upon my honour,

I never was sensible of them for a moment--except just
his asking me to dance the first day of his coming.

And as to making me an offer, or anything like it,
there must be some unaccountable, mistake. I could not

have misunderstood a thing of that kind, you know! And,
as I ever wish to be believed, I solemnly protest that

no syllable of such a nature ever passed between us.
The last half hour before he went away! It must be all

and completely a mistake--for I did not see him once
that whole morning."

"But that you certainly did, for you spent the whole
morning in Edgar's Buildings--it was the day your father's

consent came--and I am pretty sure that you and John were
alone in the parlour some time before you left the house."

"Are you? Well, if you say it, it was so, I dare
say--but for the life of me, I cannot recollect it.

I do remember now being with you, and seeing him as
well as the rest--but that we were ever alone for five

minutes-- However, it is not worth arguing about,
for whatever might pass on his side, you must be convinced,

by my having no recollection of it, that I never thought,
nor expected, nor wished for anything of the kind from him.

I am excessively concerned that he should have any regard
for me--but indeed it has been quite unintentional

on my side; I never had the smallest idea of it.
Pray deceive" target="_blank" title="vt.使不再受骗；使醒悟">undeceive him as soon as you can, and tell him I beg

his pardon--that is--I do not know what I ought to say--but
make him understand what I mean, in the properest way.

I would not speak disrespectfully of a brother of yours,
Isabella, I am sure; but you know very well that if I could

think of one man more than another--he is not the person."
Isabella was silent. "My dear friend, you must not be

angry with me. I cannot suppose your brother cares
so very much about me. And, you know, we shall still

be sisters."
"Yes, yes" (with a blush), "there are more ways

than one of our being sisters. But where am I wandering
to? Well, my dear Catherine, the case seems to be

that you are determined against poor John--is not it so?"
"I certainly cannot return his affection, and as

certainly never meant to encourage it."
"Since that is the case, I am sure I shall not

tease you any further. John desired me to speak to you
on the subject, and therefore I have. But I confess,

as soon as I read his letter, I thought it a very foolish,
imprudent business, and not likely to promote the good

of either; for what were you to live upon, supposing you
came together? You have both of you something, to be sure,

but it is not a trifle that will support a family nowadays;
and after all that romancers may say, there is no doing

without money. I only wonder John could think of it;
he could not have received my last."

"You do acquit me, then, of anything wrong?--You
are convinced that I never meant to deceive your brother,

never suspected him of liking me till this moment?"
"Oh! As to that," answered Isabella laughingly,

"I do not pretend to determine what your thoughts and
designs in time past may have been. All that is best known

to yourself. A little harmless flirtation or so will occur,
and one is often drawn on to give more encouragement" target="_blank" title="n.鼓励；赞助；引诱">encouragement than

one wishes to stand by. But you may be assured that I
am the last person in the world to judge you severely.

All those things should be allowed for in youth and
high spirits. What one means one day, you know, one may

not mean the next. Circumstances change, opinions alter."
"But my opinion of your brother never did alter;

it was always the same. You are describing what never happened."
"My dearest Catherine," continued the other without

at all listening to her, "I would not for all the world
be the means of hurrying you into an engagement before you

knew what you were about. I do not think anything would
justify me in wishing you to sacrifice all your happiness

merely to oblige my brother, because he is my brother,
and who perhaps after all, you know, might be just as happy

without you, for people seldom know what they would be at,
young men especially, they are so amazingly changeable

and inconstant. What I say is, why should a brother's
happiness be dearer to me than a friend's? You know I

carry my notions of friendship pretty high. But, above
all things, my dear Catherine, do not be in a hurry.

Take my word for it, that if you are in too great a hurry,
you will certainly live to repent it. Tilney says there

is nothing people are so often deceived in as the state
of their own affections, and I believe he is very right.

Ah! Here he comes; never mind, he will not see us,
I am sure."

Catherine, looking up, perceived Captain Tilney;
and Isabella, earnestly fixing her eye on him as she spoke,

soon caught his notice. He approached immediately,
and took the seat to which her movements invited him.

His first address made Catherine start. Though spoken low,
she could distinguish, "What! Always to be watched, in person

or by proxy!"
"Psha, nonsense!" was Isabella's answer in the

same half whisper. "Why do you put such things into
my head? If I could believe it--my spirit, you know,

is pretty independent."
"I wish your heart were independent. That would

be enough for me."
"My heart, indeed! What can you have to do with

hearts? You men have none of you any hearts."
"If we have not hearts, we have eyes; and they give

us torment enough."
"Do they? I am sorry for it; I am sorry they find

anything so agreeable" target="_blank" title="a.令人不悦的">disagreeable in me. I will look another way.
I hope this pleases you" (turning her back on him);

"I hope your eyes are not tormented now."