this moment. 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, if he is.
I die to see him. Mr. Morland, you are not to listen.
We are not talking about you."
"But what is all this
whispering about? What is going on?"
"There now, I knew how it would be. You men have
such
restlesscuriosity! Talk of the
curiosity of women,
indeed! 'Tis nothing. But be satisfied, for you are not
to know anything at all of the matter."
"And is that likely to satisfy me, do you think?"
"Well, I declare I never knew anything like you.
What can it
signify to you, what we are talking of.
Perhaps we are talking about you;
therefore I would advise
you not to listen, or you may happen to hear something not
very
agreeable."
In this
commonplacechatter, which lasted some time,
the original subject seemed entirely forgotten; and though
Catherine was very well pleased to have it dropped for a while,
she could not avoid a little
suspicion at the total suspension
of all Isabella's
impatient desire to see Mr. Tilney.
When the
orchestra struck up a fresh dance, James would
have led his fair
partner away, but she resisted.
"I tell you, Mr. Morland," she cried, "I would not do such
a thing for all the world. How can you be so teasing;
only
conceive, my dear Catherine, what your brother wants
me to do. He wants me to dance with him again, though I
tell him that it is a most
improper thing, and entirely
against the rules. It would make us the talk of the place,
if we were not to change
partners."
"Upon my honour," said James, "in these public assemblies,
it is as often done as not."
"Nonsense, how can you say so? But when you men
have a point to carry, you never stick at anything.
My sweet Catherine, do support me;
persuade your brother
how impossible it is. Tell him that it would quite shock
you to see me do such a thing; now would not it?"
"No, not at all; but if you think it wrong,
you had much better change."
"There," cried Isabella, "you hear what your sister says,
and yet you will not mind her. Well, remember that it
is not my fault, if we set all the old ladies in Bath
in a
bustle. Come along, my dearest Catherine,
for heaven's sake, and stand by me." And off they went,
to
regain their former place. John Thorpe, in the meanwhile,
had walked away; and Catherine, ever
willing to give
Mr. Tilney an opportunity of repeating the
agreeablerequest which had already flattered her once, made her
way to Mrs. Allen and Mrs. Thorpe as fast as she could,
in the hope of
finding him still with them--a hope which,
when it proved to be fruitless, she felt to have been
highly
unreasonable. "Well, my dear," said Mrs. Thorpe,
impatient for praise of her son, "I hope you have had
an
agreeablepartner."
"Very
agreeable, madam."
"I am glad of it. John has
charming spirits,
has not he?"
"Did you meet Mr. Tilney, my dear?" said Mrs. Allen.
"No, where is he?"
"He was with us just now, and said he was so tired
of lounging about, that he was
resolved to go and dance;
so I thought perhaps he would ask you, if he met with you."
"Where can he be?" said Catherine, looking round;
but she had not looked round long before she saw him
leading a young lady to the dance.
"Ah! He has got a
partner; I wish he had asked you,"
said Mrs. Allen; and after a short silence, she added,
"he is a very
agreeable young man."
"Indeed he is, Mrs. Allen," said Mrs. Thorpe,
smiling complacently; "I must say it, though I am his mother,
that there is not a more
agreeable young man in the world."
This inapplicable answer might have been too much
for the
comprehension of many; but it did not puzzle
Mrs. Allen, for after only a moment's
consideration,
she said, in a
whisper to Catherine, "I dare say she