Chapter 27 Chapter Twenty-Five

The legendary dream was shattered.Catherine was wide awake.Although Henry's words were short, they were more powerful than a few setbacks, making her fully realize the absurdity of her recent imagination.She was so ashamed that she couldn't bear it, and she cried bitterly.Not only does she feel shameless, but she also makes Henry look down on her.Her folly now seemed downright criminal, and when he knew it all, he must no longer despise her.How dare she imagine his father's personality so badly, will he forgive her?Will he forget her absurd curiosity and worry?She couldn't tell how much she hated herself.Before this bad morning, Henry had once or twice seemed to her seem to her to be very affectionate.But now all in all, she tortured herself as hard as she could for about half an hour, and at five o'clock, heartbroken, she went downstairs, and when Eleanor asked her how she was, she could not even speak clearly.Shortly after entering the house, the dreadful Henry followed, and the only change in his manner was that he was more attentive to her than usual.Now Catherine needs someone to comfort her most, and he seems to be aware of this.

As the night passed slowly, Henry maintained this reassuring, gentle and polite attitude, and finally Catherine's emotions gradually calmed down.But she will not forget the past because of this, nor will she justify the past, she just hopes that she will never make it out again, so that she will not completely lose Henry's favor for her.She was still absorbed in thinking about the delusions and foolish things she had done with unreasonable fear, so she soon realized that this was all the result of her imagination and subjective imagination.Because I am determined to taste the feeling of being frightened, I can also imagine the big and small things, and I have a goal in my heart, and all things are forced to be involved in it.In fact, before she came to the monastery, she had been longing to experience risks.She recalled how she felt when she was about to learn about Northanger Abbey.She found that, long before she left Bath, she had been fascinated and cursed.It all seemed, in retrospect, to be influenced by the kind of novels she read in Bath.

Fascinating as Mrs. Radcliffe's writings are, and even those of her imitators, there is perhaps no humanity to be found in these books, at least not in the middle counties of England.These works may be faithful to the descriptions of the various criminal activities that took place in the Alps, the Hirnes and their pine forests, and Italy, Switzerland, and southern France may be as full as the books depict. Terrorist activities.Catherine dared not doubt matters outside her own country, and even if asked closely, she would admit that such things might exist in the extreme north and west.But in the Midlands, even an unfavored wife, the law of the country, and the fashion of the age, guaranteed her a certain security.Murder was not tolerated, servants were not slaves, and poisons and sleeping pills, unlike rhubarb, were not available in every pharmacy.In the Alps and the Horrenes, perhaps, there is no double personality, and anyone who is not as white as an angel will have a temperament like a devil.

Not so in the UK.She believed that the hearts and habits of the English people were generally a mixture of good and evil, though not equal parts.Based on this belief, she would not be surprised to find some slight flaws in Henry and Eleanor in the future.Also based on this conviction, she needn't be afraid to admit that there were some real flaws in their father's character.The suspicion she had bred about him before was an insult to him that would shame her for the rest of her life.Now, although the suspicion has been clarified, but after thinking about it carefully, she feels that the general is really not a very amiable person.

After thinking about these points, Catherine made up her mind: no matter what you judge or do in the future, you must be very rational.Then she had nothing to do but forgive herself and try to be happier than ever.The hours of mercy helped her so much that the pain gradually faded away the next day without her noticing it.Henry was extremely magnanimous and never mentioned anything about the past, which helped Catherine a lot.At the beginning of her distress, when she felt that there was no way out, she became completely happy, and as before, the more she listened to Henry, the happier she felt.But she believes that there are still a few things that cannot be mentioned, such as boxes and cabinets, and her heart trembles when she mentions them.She also hates the sight of lacquerware of any shape, though even she admits that occasionally it is painful to think about the foolish things she has done in the past, but it is not unhelpful.

Before long, the worries of everyday life replaced the fears of legend.Every day she looked forward to Isabella's letter with impatience.She couldn't wait to find out what was going on in Bath and what was going on with the visitors in the party hall.She particularly wanted to hear that when they parted, the fine silk thread she had hoped for Isabella had been fitted, and that Isabella and James were still very much on good terms.Her only source of news now is Isabella.James had made it clear that he would not write to her until he returned to Oxford.Mrs. Allen could not count on letters until she returned to Fullerton.But Isabella promised again and again, and she always did what she promised, so it was even more strange!

For nine mornings Catherine was disappointed, and each time the disappointment grew worse.But as soon as she entered the breakfast room on the tenth morning, Henry readily handed her a letter.She thanked him as sincerely as if he had written the letter.She read the name and address: but it was only a letter from James. She opened the letter, which was from Oxford, and read as follows: Dear Catherine: God knows, though I don't want to write, I feel obliged to tell you that Miss Thorpe and I have had a blast.I left her yesterday, I left Bath, never wanting to see this person, this place again.I don't want to go into details for you, it will only make you more miserable.You'll soon hear enough from the other side to know where the fault lies.I hope you will find that your brother is not at fault for anything other than foolishly overcredulously believing that his infatuation was rewarded.

Thank goodness!I finally woke up just in time!But the blow is heavy!Father has graciously consented to our marriage but there is no need to say any more.She made me unhappy for life!Write quickly, dear Catherine, you are my only friend, and I only count on your love.I hope you will end your visit to Northanger Abbey before Captain Tierney announces your engagement, or you will be in a very embarrassing position.Poor Thorpe is in town, and I'm afraid to see him, the good man must be very sorry.I have written to him and to my father.Her duplicity pained me most.Until the end, as soon as I reasoned with her, she immediately declared that she still loved me as much as before, and laughed at my worries.I don't have the face to think how long I've tolerated this.Still, if anyone is convinced that they have been loved, it is me.Till now I don't understand what she's up to, and if she wanted to get Tilney, she wouldn't have to play tricks on me.In the end we both agreed to break up.I wish we had never known each other!I never want to meet this woman again!

Dearest Catherine, be careful not to love the wrong person.Please trust me Before Catherine had read three lines, her countenance changed abruptly, and a short exclamation of mournfulness indicated that she had received unpleasant news.Henry watched her finish the letter, and it was evident that the end was no better than the beginning.But he showed no sign of surprise, for his father walked in.They went to breakfast at once, but Catherine could hardly eat anything.Her eyes were full of tears, and as she sat, the tears even trickled down her cheeks.She held the letter in her hand, on her lap, and stuffed it into her pocket again, without seeming to know what she was doing.The general was drinking cocoa while reading the newspaper, but fortunately he had no time to pay attention to her.But the siblings saw her pain in their eyes.

When it was time to leave the table, she hurried to her room, but the maid was busy tidying up inside, so she had to go back downstairs.She turned into the parlour, thinking it would be quiet, that Henry and Eleanor were hiding there too, absorbed in her business.She said sorry and backed away, but was gently pulled back by them.Eleanor kindly expressed that she hoped to help her and comfort her, and the two went out. Catherine grieved and brooded to her heart's content, and after half an hour she felt that she would see her friends, but that she was still debating whether to tell them her troubles.If they asked specifically, she might be able to say something and give a hint, but not much.Exposing a friend's background, exposing a friend who is as good as Isabella as she is!And this matter is so closely related to the brothers and sisters' elder brother!She felt that she might as well say nothing.Henry and Elinor were alone in the breakfast room.Both looked at her eagerly as she entered.Catherine sat down at the table, and after a moment's silence, Elinor said:

Hopefully no bad news from Fullerton?Mr. Moran, Mrs. Moran, and your brothers and sisters, I hope they are not ill? No, thank you. (Speaking with a sigh) They're all fine.The letter was from my brother from Oxford. There was silence for a few minutes before she continued tearfully: "I don't think I ever want to hear from you again. I'm so sorry, said Henry, closing the book I had just opened, but I should have handed it to you in a different mood if I had expected any unpleasant news in it. No one can imagine how terrifying the news in the letter is!Poor James is so unlucky! .You will soon know why. With such a generous and kind sister, Henry replied with emotion that it was a great comfort to him in any distress. I beg you one thing, and after a while Catherine said awkwardly, if your brother is coming here, let me know, so I can go away. our brother!Frederick! Yes.I really hate to leave you so soon, but something happened that made me dread being in the same house with Captain Tilney. Eleanor stared in increasing amazement, and stopped what she was doing.But Henry began to guess something, and said something in which Miss Thorpe's name was inserted. Your brain is spinning so fast!exclaimed Catherine, you guessed it right!But when we talked about it in Bath, it never occurred to you that it would end like this.Isabella, no wonder I haven't received her letter until now. Isabella has abandoned my brother and is going to marry your brother!Can you believe that there are such turmoil, capriciousness, and all kinds of bad things in the world? I hope your information about my brother is inaccurate.I hope Mr. Moran's broken love doesn't have much to do with him.It was impossible for him to marry Miss Thorpe.I think you must be mistaken.I am so sorry for Mr. Morland, and for what has happened to your dear one.But what surprised me most about the incident was that Frederick was to marry Miss Thorpe. But it is true.You can read James' letter for yourself.Wait a minute, there is a passage when I think of the last line, and I feel blushing. Would you please read us the passages about my brother? No, see for yourself, cried Catherine, becoming clearer on reflection.I don't know what I'm thinking either. (Thinking of the blushing just now, he blushed again) James just wanted to give me a piece of advice. Henry gladly took the letter, read it carefully, and returned it, saying: If this is the case, all I can say is that I am sorry.Frederick was so irrational in his choice of wife: it was a surprise to the family, but he was not alone.I don't envy his status, being such a lover and son. Catherine asked Miss Tilney to read the letter again: Miss Tilney expressed her apprehension and surprise, and then asked about Miss Thorpe's family connections and fortune. Her mother was a very good woman, Catherine replied. What does her father do? I want to be a lawyer.They live in Putney. Is their family rich? No, not very rich.Isabella had no fortune at all, I am afraid.But your family doesn't care about that.How generous your father is!He told me that day that he valued money because it could help him promote the happiness of his children. Brother and sister, you look at me, and I look at you.But, said Elinor after a while, would his happiness be furthered by his marriage to such a girl?She must be an indecency, or she wouldn't have treated your brother like that.How strange Frederick should be for such a man!He saw this girl ruin her voluntary engagement with another man!Henry, isn't that unbelievable?And Frederick, he has always been so high-minded, that no woman is worthy of his love! The situation couldn't be worse, and no one would think well of him.Thinking of what he said in the past, I thought he was hopeless.Besides, I think Miss Thorpe would be careful not to rush off her lover before she was sure of another man.Frederick was all over indeed!He's screwed, he's out of his mind.Elinor, get ready for your sister-in-law, you must like such a sister-in-law.She is frank, straightforward, innocent, honest, and full of affection, but simple, not conceited, and not fake. Elinor smiled and said: Henry, I really like such a good sister-in-law. But, said Catherine, if she had been bad to our family, she might be kinder to yours.Now that she has found the one she truly loves, she may remain faithful. Indeed, I'm afraid she will, replied Henry, and I'm afraid she will remain faithful, barring another baronet.This was Frederick's only hope.I'm going to get a Bath paper and see who's been around lately. So do you think it's all about fame and fortune?Yes, a few things are indeed alike.I remember that when she first heard how much my father would give them, she seemed disappointed that it was too little.Never in my life have I been so blinded by anyone's personality. You are never blinded by the motley cast of characters you have known and studied. I've had enough disappointment and nostalgia for her.Poor James may never pull himself together. Your brother is indeed worthy of sympathy at present.But we can't patronize to care about his pain, but underestimate your pain.I think it's like losing your soul when you lose Isabella.You feel like you have a void in your heart that nothing can fill.Getting bored with people.Even the pastimes you two used to share together at Bath became a nuisance to the thought of her being without her.for example.You say you don't want to go to the dance now.You feel like you don’t even have a friend you can talk to, you feel like you have no one to depend on, no one cares.There is no one to discuss with difficulties.Do you have these feelings? No, Catherine mused, I don't have one, should I?To tell the truth, although I am sad and sad because I can no longer love her, never hear from her again, and perhaps never see her face again, I don't think I am so miserable as everyone imagines. Your feelings are always the most humane.This feeling should be scrutinized to see what is going on. Catherine, not knowing how, suddenly found this conversation a great deal of relief.It's incredible, how she talked about it and told it, but she didn't regret it.