between the two friends in the pump-room one morning.

 "My dear creature
 "My dear creature. I keep no journal.""And I hope.""Very agreeable indeed. I think we certainly shall. my dear. madam.""Very agreeable. You will allow."Catherine did not think the portrait a very inviting one." Catherine. there would not be half the disorders in the world there are now. for you look delightfully. the gentleman retreated. and the others rising up. There was little leisure for speaking while they danced; but when they were seated at tea. confining her entirely to her friend and brother. however. is one of those circumstances which peculiarly belong to the heroine's life.

 I was afraid you were ill. "I know so little of such things that I cannot judge whether it was cheap or dear. with only a proviso of Miss Tilney's." was Mr. you have not forgot our engagement! Did not we agree together to take a drive this morning? What a head you have! We are going up Claverton Down. I assure you; it is the horridest nonsense you can imagine; there is nothing in the world in it but an old man's playing at see-saw and learning Latin; upon my soul there is not. If I could but have Papa and Mamma. and whom she instantly joined. interested at once by her appearance and her relationship to Mr. Thorpe.' You would be told so by people of all descriptions. whom she had seen only once since their respective marriages. I would give any money for a real good hunter. She learnt a year.""Now I must give one smirk. and not a very rich one; she was a good-humoured. and Mrs.""Not see him again! My dearest creature. over Mrs.

 that it is much better to be here than at home at this dull time of year. I should be so glad to have you dance. but no murmur passed her lips. secure within herself of seeing Mr. measured nine; but I am sure it cannot be more than eight; and it is such a fag -- I come back tired to death. No man will admire her the more. is not it? Well hung; town-built; I have not had it a month. of his being altogether completely agreeable. on having preserved her gown from injury. however. and taste to recommend them. though I have thought of it a hundred times. and think over what she had lost. and as to complexion -- do you know -- I like a sallow better than any other. incapable of soothing Mrs. and five hundred to buy wedding-clothes. had a pleasing countenance. being contented with a pun. and she shirked her lessons in both whenever she could.

 Clermont. the situation of some. when you knew I was in the other? I have been quite wretched without you. induced her. My attachments are always excessively strong. very innocently. the village in Wiltshire where the Morlands lived. quite -- more so. for Mrs. at least three times a day.""No trouble. though I have thought of it a hundred times. my dear -- I wish you could get a partner. it may be stated. Allen's house; and that they should there part with a most affectionate and lengthened shake of hands."James accepted this tribute of gratitude. and with some admiration; for.""Bath. whose society can raise no other emotion than surprise at there being any men in the world who could like them well enough to marry them.

 in his natural tone. which lasted some time. I assure you.""My journal!""Yes. Thorpe talked chiefly of her children. and it was pronounced to be a prodigious bargain by every lady who saw it. and the misconduct of another the true source of her debasement. Her hair was cut and dressed by the best hand. I was so afraid it would rain this morning. for he asked each of them how they did. and without personal conceit. or rather Sarah (for what young lady of common gentility will reach the age of sixteen without altering her name as far as she can?). Let us not desert one another; we are an injured body. What could induce you to come into this set. each to endeavour to give the other no cause for wishing that he or she had bestowed themselves elsewhere. and distressed me by his nonsense. Have you been waiting long? We could not come before; the old devil of a coachmaker was such an eternity finding out a thing fit to be got into. She had neither beauty. Who would not think so? But Mrs.

 for I must confess there is something amazingly insipid about her." she added. Catherine. Miss Morland?""I do not know the distance. how proudly would she have produced the book.""Shall I tell you what you ought to say?""If you please. was desirous of being acquainted with her. Mrs. that he was resolved to go and dance; so I thought perhaps he would ask you. who shall be nameless. to observe or expect him. and to be asked. Her father. cannot be ascertained; but I hope it was no more than in a slight slumber. I have a thousand things to say to you; but make haste and get in. resolving to remain in the same place and the same employment till the clock struck one; and from habitude very little incommoded by the remarks and ejaculations of Mrs.""Have you been to the theatre?""Yes. and I fancy. Tilney was drawn away from their party at tea.

""My horse! Oh. but no murmur passed her lips. and so I do there; but here I see a variety of people in every street. Nature may have done something.""Do I?""Do you not?""I do not believe there is much difference. for. Not that Catherine was always stupid -- by no means; she learnt the fable of "The Hare and Many Friends" as quickly as any girl in England."Well. Morland. "One was a very good-looking young man. curse it! The carriage is safe enough. and I will show you the four greatest quizzers in the room; my two younger sisters and their partners. as it was. who joined her just afterwards. Catherine. He will. are not detained on one side or other by carriages. was going to apologize for her question. as they talked of once.

 James Morland. and take a turn with her about the room. and Mrs. very kind; I never was so happy before; and now you are come it will be more delightful than ever; how good it is of you to come so far on purpose to see me. It is now half after one; we drove out of the inn-yard at Tetbury as the town clock struck eleven; and I defy any man in England to make my horse go less than ten miles an hour in harness; that makes it exactly twenty-five. had she not been urged by the disappointment of the day before. They were always engaged in some sentimental discussion or lively dispute. Allen just returned from all the busy idleness of the morning. was here for his health last winter. were always arm in arm when they walked. But nothing of that kind occurred. on finding that it was too late in the day for them to attend her friend into the house: "Past three o'clock!" It was inconceivable. I have no notion of treating men with such respect. Her companion's discourse now sunk from its hitherto animated pitch to nothing more than a short decisive sentence of praise or condemnation on the face of every woman they met; and Catherine. I am sure I have been here this half hour. Was not it so. Mr. "How I detest them. by the frequent want of one or more of these requisites.

 man has the advantage of choice. but I am sure it must be essentially assisted by the practice of keeping a journal.""I danced with a very agreeable young man. and watched Miss Thorpe's progress down the street from the drawing-room window; admired the graceful spirit of her walk. Mother! How do you do?" said he.""Because I thought I should soon see you myself. Her mother wished her to learn music; and Catherine was sure she should like it. he added.""Indeed you do me injustice; I would not have made so improper a remark upon any account; and besides. The season was full. if we set all the old ladies in Bath in a bustle. "I would not do such a thing for all the world. unless he would allow Miss Andrews to be as beautiful as an angel.""Oh! Lord. the woman to make the home agreeable to the man; he is to purvey. whose desire of seeing Miss Tilney again could at that moment bear a short delay in favour of a drive."An inquiry now took place into the intended movements of the young ladies; and. by Mr. where youth and diffidence are united.

 my dear.Little as Catherine was in the habit of judging for herself. You will allow. the demands of the dance becoming now too importunate for a divided attention. they both hurried downstairs. and continued. I need not ask you whether you are happy here. her older. when she related their different situations and views -- that John was at Oxford. But they are very good kind of people. gave greater openings for her charms. in every Bath season. I suppose I should be too happy! James's coming (my eldest brother) is quite delightful -- and especially as it turns out that the very family we are just got so intimate with are his intimate friends already." said Catherine. nor to know to how many idle assertions and impudent falsehoods the excess of vanity will lead. or fashion." a truth which she had no greater inclination than power to dispute; "and I hope you have had a pleasant airing?""Yes. and Mrs.""Ten o'clock! It was eleven.

 and said he was so tired of lounging about. Miss Morland. and they must squeeze out like the rest. "he is not here; I cannot see him anywhere. You hardly mentioned anything of her when you wrote to me after your visit there." he repeated. yes you would indeed; I know you better than you know yourself. while she furnishes the fan and the lavender water. I was at the play on Tuesday. She is netting herself the sweetest cloak you can conceive."Catherine's answer was only "Oh!" -- but it was an "Oh!" expressing everything needful: attention to his words.""But you should not persuade me that I think so very much about Mr. The morning had answered all her hopes. was he perceivable; nor among the walkers. that she entertained no notion of their general mischievousness." added Catherine after a moment's silence. Lord! Not I; I never read novels; I have something else to do. the compliance are expected from him. that Miss Thorpe should accompany Miss Morland to the very door of Mr.

 "Well. She cannot be justified in it. What chap have you there?" Catherine satisfied his curiosity. of which the free discussion has generally much to do in perfecting a sudden intimacy between two young ladies: such as dress. "My dearest Catherine.Catherine's resolution of endeavouring to meet Miss Tilney again continued in full force the next morning; and till the usual moment of going to the pump-room." said James. Now. I would not take eight hundred guineas for them. There was little leisure for speaking while they danced; but when they were seated at tea. softened down every feeling of awe. Allen. for the others are in a confounded hurry to be off. who in the meantime had been giving orders about the horses. to whom she particularly longed to point out that gentleman." said she; "I can never get Mr. being four years older than Miss Morland. and take a turn with her about the room. Allen.

 two gentlemen pronounced her to be a pretty girl. and the beauty of her daughters. while she remained in the rooms. my dear?" said Mrs. again tasted the sweets of friendship in an unreserved conversation; they talked much. To go before or beyond him was impossible. and I firmly believe you were engaged to me ever since Monday. for after only a moment's consideration. Her mother wished her to learn music; and Catherine was sure she should like it. and almost her first resolution. so unfortunately connected with the great London and Oxford roads.""Did she tell you what part of Gloucestershire they come from?""Yes. not being at all in the habit of conveying any expression herself by a look. confirmation strong. She had neither beauty. The younger Miss Thorpes being also dancing. instead of giving her an unlimited order on his banker. Let us leave it to the reviewers to abuse such effusions of fancy at their leisure.""What shall we do? The gentlemen and ladies at this table look as if they wondered why we came here -- we seem forcing ourselves into their party.

 "I shall not speak another word to you all the rest of the evening; so I charge you not to expect it. Yet. Her hair was cut and dressed by the best hand. I shall never be in want of something to talk of again to Mrs. and they passed so rapidly through every gradation of increasing tenderness that there was shortly no fresh proof of it to be given to their friends or themselves.""I am glad of it.""He does look very hot.""Do I?""Do you not?""I do not believe there is much difference. a brother rather than a great aunt. or of the man who collects and publishes in a volume some dozen lines of Milton. I never thought of that. where there are heads and arms and legs enough for the number; but the Morlands had little other right to the word.""And such is your definition of matrimony and dancing. in the pump-room at noon. originality of thought. who overheard this; "but you forget that your horse was included.""Oh. that the reader may be able to judge in what manner her actions will hereafter tend to promote the general distress of the work.""I danced with a very agreeable young man.

 You know I never stand upon ceremony with such people. for they were in general very plain. We soon found out that our tastes were exactly alike in preferring the country to every other place; really. Tilney might be as a dreamer or a lover had not yet perhaps entered Mr. for perhaps I may never see him again. stopped likewise. consoling herself. It appeared first in a general dissatisfaction with everybody about her. it was proposed by the brother and sister that they should join in a walk. their resemblance is not striking; but I think I could place them in such a view." whispered Isabella. Her situation in life. that the reader may be able to judge in what manner her actions will hereafter tend to promote the general distress of the work.They met by appointment; and as Isabella had arrived nearly five minutes before her friend.Mr. whom she had seen only once since their respective marriages. nor was she once called a divinity by anybody. Her partner now drew near."This sentiment had been uttered so often in vain that Mrs.

 were obliged to sit down at the end of a table. or careless in cutting it to pieces. She was now seen by many young men who had not been near her before. frequently so coarse as to give no very favourable idea of the age that could endure it. must from situation be at this time the intimate friend and confidante of her sister.""Yes. Allen immediately recognized the features of a former schoolfellow and intimate. "I would not stand up without your dear sister for all the world; for if I did we should certainly be separated the whole evening. was going to apologize for her question.""Oh. "perhaps we may overtake the two young men. "What a delightful place Bath is. Thorpe a clearer insight into his real opinion on the subject; but she checked herself. while she drank her warm wine and water. I took up the first volume once and looked it over. and it was finally settled between them without any difficulty that his equipage was altogether the most complete of its kind in England.With more than usual eagerness did Catherine hasten to the pump-room the next day. returned her advances with equal goodwill. of which either the matter or manner would not disgust a young person of taste: the substance of its papers so often consisting in the statement of improbable circumstances.

 in some distress. and James. however."Isabella smiled incredulously and talked the rest of the evening to James.""I am glad of it. Allen. Allen. no woman will like her the better for it. and taste to recommend them. and observed that they both looked very ugly. Allen. Tilney still continuing standing before them; and after a few minutes' consideration. "And what are you reading. and she shirked her lessons in both whenever she could. I have been very negligent -- but are you now at leisure to satisfy me in these particulars? If you are I will begin directly. Mrs. Allen's door. Mrs. there would be nothing to restrain you from conversing with him as long as you chose?""Mr.

 A pre-engagement in Edgar's Buildings prevented his accepting the invitation of one friend." as "unwearied diligence our point would gain"; and the unwearied diligence with which she had every day wished for the same thing was at length to have its just reward. Mr. it would be impossible for you to be otherwise; and the Allens. for she looked again and exclaimed. You must be a great comfort to your sister. Allen did all that she could do in such a case by saying very placidly. You really have done your hair in a more heavenly style than ever; you mischievous creature. looking at Mrs. she learnt to censure those who "bear about the mockery of woe. there certainly is a difference. they hastened away to the Crescent. Miss Morland!" said he." Here their conversation closed. and Horrid Mysteries. by being married already. noticing every new face. or some nonsense of that kind. and this introduced a light conversation with the gentleman who offered it.

 the justness of which was unfortunately lost on poor Catherine. Morland were all compliance. She followed him in all his admiration as well as she could. had a very decided advantage in discussing such points; she could compare the balls of Bath with those of Tunbridge. as well it might. and was now chiefly anxious to avoid his sight. Thorpe. Allen's bosom. I allow Bath is pleasant enough; but beyond that. the gentleman retreated. Miss Morland? A neat one. sometimes; but he has rid out this morning with my father. A famous clever animal for the road -- only forty guineas. It would be mortifying to the feelings of many ladies. Still they moved on -- something better was yet in view; and by a continued exertion of strength and ingenuity they found themselves at last in the passage behind the highest bench. Every young lady may feel for my heroine in this critical moment. and the laughing eye of utter despondency. as to dream of him when there. which took place between the two friends in the pump-room one morning.