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and certainly there are moments when we could all wish him

disengaged from every tie of business. But though I may



not exactly make converts of you young ladies, I am sure

your father, Miss Morland, would agree with me in thinking



it expedient to give every young man some employment.

The money is nothing, it is not an object, but employment



is the thing. Even Frederick, my eldest son, you see,

who will perhaps inherit as considerable a landed property



as any private man in the county, has his profession."

The imposing effect of this last argument was



equal to his wishes. The silence of the lady proved

it to be unanswerable.



Something had been said the evening before of her

being shown over the house, and he now offered himself



as her conductor; and though Catherine had hoped to explore

it accompanied only by his daughter, it was a proposal



of too much happiness in itself, under any circumstances,

not to be gladly accepted; for she had been already



eighteen hours in the abbey, and had seen only a few of

its rooms. The netting-box, just leisurely drawn forth,



was closed with joyful haste, and she was ready to

attend him in a moment. "And when they had gone over



the house, he promised himself moreover the pleasure

of accompanying her into the shrubberies and garden."



She curtsied her acquiescence. "But perhaps it might be

more agreeable to her to make those her first object.



The weather was at present favourable, and at this time

of year the uncertainty was very great of its continuing so.



Which would she prefer? He was equally at her service.

Which did his daughter think would most accord with her



fair friend's wishes? But he thought he could discern.

Yes, he certainly read in Miss Morland's eyes a judicious



desire of making use of the present smiling weather.

But when did she judge amiss? The abbey would be always



safe and dry. He yielded implicitly, and would fetch

his hat and attend them in a moment." He left the room,



and Catherine, with a disappointed, anxious face,

began to speak of her unwillingness that he should be



taking them out of doors against his own inclination,

under a mistaken idea of pleasing her; but she was stopped



by Miss Tilney's saying, with a little confusion, "I believe

it will be wisest to take the morning while it is so fine;



and do not be uneasy on my father's account; he always walks

out at this time of day."



Catherine did not exactly know how this was

to be understood. Why was Miss Tilney embarrassed?



Could there be any unwillingness on the general's side

to show her over the abbey? The proposal was his own.



And was not it odd that he should always take his walk

so early? Neither her father nor Mr. Allen did so.



It was certainly very provoking. She was all impatience

to see the house, and had scarcely any curiosity about



the grounds. If Henry had been with them indeed! But now

she should not know what was picturesque when she saw it.



Such were her thoughts, but she kept them to herself,

and put on her bonnet in patient discontent.



She was struck, however, beyond her expectation,

by the grandeur of the abbey, as she saw it for the first time



from the lawn. The whole building enclosed a large court;

and two sides of the quadrangle, rich in Gothic ornaments,



stood forward for admiration. The remainder was shut

off by knolls of old trees, or luxuriant plantations,



and the steep woody hills rising behind, to give it shelter,

were beautiful even in the leafless month of March.



Catherine had seen nothing to compare with it; and her

feelings of delight were so strong, that without waiting



for any better authority, she boldly burst forth in wonder

and praise. The general listened with assenting gratitude;



and it seemed as if his own estimation of Northanger had

waited unfixed till that hour.



The kitchen-garden was to be next admired, and he

led the way to it across a small portion of the park.



The number of acres contained in this garden was




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