CHAPTER 26


From this time, the subject was frequently canvassed by the three young
people; and Catherine found, with some surprise, that her two young
friends were perfectly agreed in considering Isabella’s want of
consequence and fortune as likely to throw great difficulties in the
way of her marrying their brother. Their persuasion that the General
would, upon this ground alone, independent of the objection that might
be raised against her character, oppose the connection, turned her
feelings moreover with some alarm towards herself. She was as
insignificant, and perhaps as portionless, as Isabella; and if the heir
of the Tilney property had not grandeur and wealth enough in himself,
at what point of interest were the demands of his younger brother to
rest? The very painful reflections to which this thought led could only
be dispersed by a dependence on the effect of that particular
partiality, which, as she was given to understand by his words as well
as his actions, she had from the first been so fortunate as to excite
in the General; and by a recollection of some most generous and
disinterested sentiments on the subject of money, which she had more
than once heard him utter, and which tempted her to think his
disposition in such matters misunderstood by his children. They were so fully convinced, however, that their brother would not
have the courage to apply in person for his father’s consent, and so
repeatedly assured her that he had never in his life been less likely
to come to Northanger than at the present time, that she suffered her
mind to be at ease as to the necessity of any sudden removal of her
own. But as it was not to be supposed that Captain Tilney, whenever he
made his application, would give his father any just idea of Isabella’s
conduct, it occurred to her as highly expedient that Henry should lay
the whole business before him as it really was, enabling the General by
that means to form a cool and impartial opinion, and prepare his
objections on a fairer ground than inequality of situations. She
proposed it to him accordingly; but he did not catch at the measure so
eagerly as she had expected. “No,” said he, “my father’s hands need not
be strengthened, and Frederick’s confession of folly need not be
forestalled. He must tell his own story.”

“But he will tell only half of it.”

“A quarter would be enough.”

A day or two passed away and brought no tidings of Captain Tilney. His
brother and sister knew not what to think. Sometimes it appeared to
them as if his silence would be the natural result of the suspected
engagement, and at others that it was wholly incompatible with it. The
General, meanwhile, though offended every morning by Frederick’s
remissness in writing, was free from any real anxiety about him, and
had no more pressing solicitude than that of making Miss Morland’s time
at Northanger pass pleasantly. He often expressed his uneasiness on
this head, feared the sameness of every day’s society and employments
would disgust her with the place, wished the Lady Frasers had been in
the country, talked every now and then of having a large party to
dinner, and once or twice began even to calculate the number of young
dancing people in the neighbourhood. But then it was such a dead time
of year, no wild-fowl, no game, and the Lady Frasers were not in the
country. And it all ended, at last, in his telling Henry one morning
that when he next went to Woodston, they would take him by surprise
there some day or other, and eat their mutton with him. Henry was
greatly honoured and very happy, and Catherine was quite delighted with
the scheme. “And when do you think, sir, I may look forward to this
pleasure? I must be at Woodston on Monday to attend the parish meeting,
and shall probably be obliged to stay two or three days.”

“Well, well, we will take our chance some one of those days. There is
no need to fix. You are not to put yourself at all out of your way. Whatever you may happen to have in the house will be enough. I think I
can answer for the young ladies making allowance for a bachelor’s
table. Let me see; Monday will be a busy day with you, we will not come
on Monday; and Tuesday will be a busy one with me. I expect my surveyor
from Brockham with his report in the morning; and afterwards I cannot
in decency fail attending the club. I really could not face my
acquaintance if I stayed away now; for, as I am known to be in the
country, it would be taken exceedingly amiss; and it is a rule with me,
Miss Morland, never to give offence to any of my neighbours, if a small
sacrifice of time and attention can prevent it. They are a set of very
worthy men. They have half a buck from Northanger twice a year; and I
dine with them whenever I can. Tuesday, therefore, we may say is out of
the question. But on Wednesday, I think, Henry, you may expect us; and
we shall be with you early, that we may have time to look about us. Two
hours and three quarters will carry us to Woodston, I suppose; we shall
be in the carriage by ten; so, about a quarter before one on Wednesday,
you may look for us.”

A ball itself could not have been more welcome to Catherine than this
little excursion, so strong was her desire to be acquainted with
Woodston; and her heart was still bounding with joy when Henry, about
an hour afterwards, came booted and greatcoated into the room where she
and Eleanor were sitting, and said, “I am come, young ladies, in a very
moralizing strain, to observe that our pleasures in this world are
always to be paid for, and that we often purchase them at a great
disadvantage, giving ready-monied actual happiness for a draft on the
future, that may not be honoured. Witness myself, at this present hour. Because I am to hope for the satisfaction of seeing you at Woodston on
Wednesday, which bad weather, or twenty other causes, may prevent, I
must go away directly, two days before I intended it.”

“Go away!” said Catherine, with a very long face. “And why?”

“Why! how can you ask the question? Because no time is to be lost in
frightening my old housekeeper out of her wits, because I must go and
prepare a dinner for you, to be sure.”

“Oh! not seriously!”

“Aye, and sadly too—for I had much rather stay.”

“But how can you think of such a thing, after what the General said? When he so particularly desired you not to give yourself any trouble,
because _anything_ would do.”

Henry only smiled. “I am sure it is quite unnecessary upon your
sister’s account and mine. You must know it to be so; and the General
made such a point of your providing nothing extraordinary: besides, if
he had not said half so much as he did, he has always such an excellent
dinner at home, that sitting down to a middling one for one day could
not signify.”

“I wish I could reason like you, for his sake and my own. Good-bye.