‘Nay,since you make such a point of it,I can refuse you nothing.But do not insist upon my being very agreeable,for my heart,you know,will be some forty miles off.And as for dancing,do not mention it I beg;that is quite out of the question.Charles Hodges will plague me to death I dare say;but I shall cut him very short.Ten to one but he guesses the reason,and that is exactly what I want to avoid,so I shall insist on his keeping his conjecture to himself.’
Isabella's opinion of the Tilneys did not influence her friend;she was sure there had been no insolence in the manners either of brother or sister;and she did not credit there being any pride in their hearts.The evening rewarded her confidence;she was met by one with the same kindness,and by the other with the same attention as heretofore:Miss Tilney took pains to be near her,and Henry asked her to dance.
Having heard the day before in Milsom Street,that their elder brother,Captain Tilney,was expected almost every hour,she was at no loss for the name of a very fashionable looking,handsome young man,whom she had never seen before,and who now evidently belonged to their party.She looked at him with great admiration,and even supposed it possible that some people might think him handsomer than his brother,though,in her eyes,his air was more assuming,and his countenance less prepossessing.His taste and manners were beyond a doubt decidedly inferior;for,within her hearing,he not only protested against every thought of dancing himself,but even laughed openly at Henry for finding it possible.From the latter circumstance it may be presumed,that,whatever might be our heroine's opinion of him,his admiration of her was not of a very dangerous kind;not likely to produce animosities between the brothers,nor persecutions to the lady.he cannot be the instigator of the three villains in horsemen's great coats,by whom she will hereafter be forced into a travelling chaise and four,which will drive off with incredible speed.Catherine,meanwhile,undisturbed by presentiments of such an evil,or of any evil at all,except that of having but a short set to dance down,enjoyed her usual happiness with Henry Tilney,listening with sparkling eyes to everything he said;and,in finding him irresistible,becoming so herself.
At the end of the first dance,Captain Tilney came towards them again,and,much to Catherine's dissatisfaction,pulled his brother away.They retired whispering together;and,though her delicate sensibility did not take immediate alarm,and lay it down as fact,that Captain Tilney must have heard some malevolent misrepresentation of her,which he now hastened to communicate to his brother,in the hope of separating them for ever,she could not have her partner conveyed from her sight without very uneasy sensations.Her suspense was of full five minutes'duration;and she was beginning to think it a very long quarter of an hour,when they both returned,and an explanation was given,by Henry's requesting to know,if she thought her friend,Miss Thorpe,would have any objection to dancing,as his brother would be most happy to be introduced to her.Catherine,without hesitation,replied,that she was very sure Miss Thorpe did not mean to dance at all.The cruel reply was passed on to the other,and he immediately walked away.
‘Your brother will not mind it I know,’said she,‘because I heard him say before,that he hated dancing;but it was very good natured in him to think of it.I suppose he saw Isabella sitting down,and fancied she might wish for a partner;but he is quite mistaken,for she would not dance upon any account in the world.’
Henry smiled,and said,‘How very little trouble it can give you to understand the motive of other people's actions.’
‘Why? What do you mean?’
‘With you,it is not,How is such a one likely to be influenced?What is the inducement most likely to act upon such a person's feelings,age,situation,and probable habits of life considered? but,how should I be influenced,what would be my inducement in acting so and so?’
‘I do not understand you.’
‘Then we are on very unequal terms,for I understand you perfectly well.’
‘Me? yes;I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible.’
‘Bravo! an excellent satire on modern language.’
‘But pray tell me what you mean.’
‘Shall I indeed? Do you really desire it? But you are not aware of the consequences;it will involve you in a very cruel embarrassment,and certainly bring on a disagreement between us.’
‘No,no;it shall not do either;I am not afraid.’
‘Well then,I only meant that your attributing my brother's wish of dancing with Miss Thorpe to good nature alone,convinced me of your being superior in good nature yourself to all the rest of the world.’
Catherine blushed and disclaimed,and the gentleman's predictions were verified.There was a something,however,in his words which repaid her for the pain of confusion;and that something occupied her mind so much,that she drew back for some time,forgetting to speak or to listen,and almost forgetting where she was;till,roused by the voice of Isabella,she looked up and saw her with Captain Tilney preparing to give them hands across.
Isabella shrugged her shoulders and smiled,the only explanation of this extraordinary change which could at that time be given;but as it was not quite enough for Catherine's comprehension,she spoke her astonishment in very plain terms to her partner.
‘I cannot think how it could happen!Isabella was so determined not to dance.’
‘And did Isabella never change her mind before?’
‘Oh!but,because and your brother! After what you told him from me,how could he think of going to ask her?’
