Chapter 6 Chapter Four

The next day Catherine went to the spa-room with unusual eagerness, expecting to see Mr. Tilney by noon, and ready to greet him with a smile.But she didn't need to accompany Mr. Smiling Tilney when he didn't show up.It's time for fun.Except for him, everyone in Bath came to the spa hall one after another.At every moment, crowds of people walk in and out, up and down the steps.These are the people no one minds, no one wants to see.Only he didn't come.Bath is a lovely place, Mrs Allen said.At this time, the two ladies were tired from wandering in the hall, so they sat down near the big clock.If only we had an acquaintance here.How happy that would be.

Mrs. Allen had lamented countless times about this, and it was always useless, so she had no particular reason to think that this time she would be lucky.But as the saying goes: Don't be discouraged in everything, and you can achieve your goal with perseverance.Mrs. Allen clings to this hope every day, and it always comes true in the end.Let's say that within ten minutes after she sat down, she saw a woman about her age sitting next to her, who had been staring at her intently for quite a while.Then talk to her politely: I think, ma'am, I can't see the wrong person.I had the honor of meeting you a long time ago, aren't you Mrs. Allen?Mrs. Allen quickly said yes, and the stranger said her name was Thorpe.As soon as Mrs. Allen looked at that face, she immediately recognized her as her old classmate and close friend. They had only met once after they got married, and it was many years ago.This reunion really made the two of them very happy.No wonder, though, since they hadn't heard from each other for fifteen years.

The two first complimented each other on their looks, and then talked about how time flies since the last time they parted. They never expected to meet in Bath, and how happy they were to reunite their old friends.Then they talked about their family members, sisters and cousins. It was like asking questions and answering them. Both mouths moved together. Everyone wanted to say or not to listen, but in the end no one heard what the other said.Mrs. Thorpe, however, had a large family of children, and had an advantage over Mrs. Allen in speaking.She lectured on the talents of her sons, and the beauty of her daughters, of their careers and aspirations, John at Oxford, Edward at Merchant, William at sea. , the three brothers are loved and respected in their respective positions.Few can match them.Mrs. Allen had nothing of the sort to instill in her friends, and therefore her friends did not listen to her with reluctance or doubt.Mrs. Allen was compelled to sit there, and seemed to listen to her motherly babble.But, to her comfort, her sharp eye soon discovered that the lace on Mrs. Thorpe's dress was not half as pretty as her own.

And lo and behold, here are my precious girls.cried Mrs. Thorpe, pointing to three pretty girls who were walking towards Mrs. Thorpe, arm in arm.Dear Mrs. Allen, I am eager to introduce them, and they will be very glad to see you.The tallest is Isabella, my oldest daughter.Isn't it a pretty girl?The other two were also much admired, but Isabella was, I think, the prettiest. After the introductions of the three Miss Thorpes, Miss Moran, who had been temporarily left aside, was also introduced.The Thorpe mother and daughter seemed to be stunned when they heard the name Moran.After talking to her politely for a few words, the eldest lady said loudly to the others:

Miss Morland was just like her brother! She looks exactly like her brother!cried Mrs. Thorpe.The mother and daughter repeated again and again: No matter where Miss Moran is, I can recognize her sister! For a moment Catherine was amazed.However, Mrs. Thorpe and her daughter began to describe their relationship with James.After the acquaintance of Mr. Moran, she suddenly remembered that her elder brother had recently been in close contact with a schoolmate named Thorpe, and he spent the last week of his Christmas holiday at their home near London. After the whole matter was explained clearly, the three Miss Thorpe family said a lot of kind words, hoping to deepen their relationship with Miss Moran.I hope that because of the friendship between the two brothers, they can hit it off and so on.Catherine was very happy to hear that, and answered with all the beautiful words in her mind.In order to express her intimacy for the first time, Miss Thorpe immediately invited Miss Moran to take her arm and walked around the spa hall.Catherine felt a little proud of her new acquaintances in Bath, and almost forgot Mr. Tierney when she chatted with Thorpe's group.Friendship is undoubtedly the best consolation for the frustration in love.

They were discussing such subjects on which openness of speech generally contributed to the perfection of the sudden friendship between two young ladies.What to wear, prom, flirt, play, and so on.Miss Thorpe, who was four years older than Miss Moran, and at least four years more experienced, had a distinct advantage in the discourse on these subjects.She could compare Bath balls with Tunbridge balls; Bath fashions with London fashions; Children's love can be found in each other's smiles; you can point out who is playing through the crowded crowd.These abilities, quite foreign to Catherine, naturally aroused her admiration.This spontaneous admiration almost made Catherine feel a little at a distance, but fortunately Miss Thorpe's cheerful disposition, free speech, and repeated expressions of pleasure in making her acquaintance eliminated all awe in her, leaving only affection kindness.

The two became more and more speculative, and after wandering around the spa hall five or six times, still reluctant to leave, Miss Thorpe simply sent Miss Moran to the door of Mr. Allen's apartment.When they learned that they would meet in the theater in the evening and go to worship in the same church the next morning, they were relieved to each other, and they shook hands affectionately for a long time before saying goodbye.Catherine then went upstairs, and watched Miss Thorpe from the drawing-room window as she went down the street, admiring her graceful steps, her graceful figure, and her fashionable attire.She is naturally grateful to have had the opportunity to meet such a friend.

Mrs. Thorpe was a widow, not very well off.She has a pleasant disposition, a kind heart, and is very fond of her children.Her eldest daughter is very beautiful, and the two younger daughters pretend to be as beautiful as her elder sister. They imitate her demeanor and wear the same attire, which is quite attractive. We gave a brief introduction to the family, so that Mrs. Thorpe would not have to go on and on about it herself.The details of her past experiences and encounters would occupy three or four chapters. In that case, it is necessary to describe in detail the despicable behavior of those princes and nobles and their agents, and to recount in detail some of the conversations made twenty years ago.