Chapter 31 Chapter Twenty Nine

Catherine was too sad to care about being afraid.There is nothing terrible in the journey itself. When she set out, she neither dreaded the distance nor felt the loneliness of the journey.Leaning against a corner of the carriage, she burst into tears, and did not raise her head until the carriage had driven several miles beyond the monastery, and did not look back at the highest point in the monastery until it was almost hidden.Unfortunately, the road she was on now happened to be the one she had taken on her gleeful trip to and from Woodston ten days earlier.Fourteen miles along the way, the sights she had seen with a different mood on the previous visit made her feel more and more uncomfortable.Every mile she came near Woodston the anguish increased.

When she passed the fork in the road, which was only five miles from Woodston, the thought that Henry was nearby and kept in the dark made her anxious and sad. The day she spent at Woodston was the happiest day of her life.It was there, that very day, that the General had spoken of Henry and her in such words, with such air, that she was absolutely sure that the General really wanted them to be married.Yes, it was only ten days ago that he had delighted her with his apparent affection, and he had confused her with that meaningful insinuation!And now, what did she do, or what did she miss, that made him change his attitude?

She thought she had only offended the General once, but it was unlikely that word would reach his ears.Her appalling suspicions about him were known only to Henry and herself, and she believed that Henry would keep the secret as closely as she herself.At least, Henry will not betray her intentionally.If, by strange misfortune, the general should have learned of her daring imaginations and searches, of her vain fantasies and dishonorable examinations, Catherine, in spite of his rage, would not have been surprised.She would not have been surprised if the General had thrown her out of the house if he had learned that she had regarded him as a murderer.But she believed that the general would not know of this incident which caused her so much pain.

Although she was impatiently guessing about it, it wasn't this matter that she thought about the most.She had a more intimate thought, a more urgent, more intense thought.What Henry would think, feel, look like when he got back to Northanger Abbey to-morrow when he heard she was gone, was a powerful and interesting question, more important than anything else, that had been haunting her. In her mind, she was sometimes troubled and sometimes relieved.Sometimes she feared his silent acquiescence, and sometimes she flattered herself that he would feel remorse and anger.Of course, he didn't dare to blame the general, but as for Elinor, what could he not tell Elinor about her Catherine?

She was puzzled and asked herself repeatedly, but no question could bring her a moment of peace. Time passed like this, and she didn't expect to go so fast along the way.After the carriage passed near Woodston, the anxiety and suspense of her mind prevented her from looking at the scene before her, and spared her from following the progress of the journey.Although the scenery on the side of the road did not attract her attention for a moment, she never felt bored.She did not feel this way for another reason: she was in no hurry to reach her destination, for it was impossible to feel reunited with her loved ones when she returned to Fullerton in this way, though she had been away for eleven weeks. joy.What can she say without embarrassing herself or causing pain to her family?As long as she told the truth, she would feel more sad, expand the resentment needlessly, and perhaps entangle the wronged and wronged people indiscriminately.She could never tell enough of how good Henry and Eleanor had been to her: she felt it so deeply that no words could describe it.It would break her heart if anyone hated them for their father's sake, hated them.

In such a mood, she did not expect to see the spire that marked her twenty miles from home, on the contrary, she dreaded seeing it.She only knew at first that after she left Northanger Abbey, there was Salisbury below, but after the first journey, thanks to the postmaster who told her the names of the places, she knew how to get to Salisbury. wisbury.But she had no trouble or fear.Her youth, her civility, and her generosity had won her every kind of attention which a traveler like herself could not have done along the way.Except for changing horses, the carriage did not stop and traveled for eleven hours without any accident or danger.At around six or seven o'clock in the evening, we sailed into Fullerton.

Book writers always like to describe the ending of the story in this way in detail: when the heroine is about to end her career, she successfully restores her reputation, and returns to the village with the countess' dignity, followed by a long list of noble relatives, sitting separately. Among the several open carriages, there was a four-horse carriage with three maids in it.Indeed, this style of writing adds luster to the ending of the story, and the writer must have been honored with such generosity.But my story is very different.I have sent my heroine home alone and disfigured, so that I cannot summon the energy to describe it in detail.Letting the heroine sit in a stagecoach really spoils the scenery, and no matter how spectacular or pathetic the scene is described, it can't be undone.

The coachman, therefore, drives his coach as fast as he can, and the heroine jumps out of the carriage as fast as he can, in full view of the crowds on Sunday, through the village.As Catherine thus proceeded to the vicarage, however much pain she felt, and however shame her successor narrated, she was preparing an extraordinary joy for her family: first the carriage, and then herself.Touring carriages were not common in Fullerton, and the whole family immediately ran to the windows to look in.Seeing the carriage parked at the gate, everyone was overjoyed, and their minds were also dreaming.No one expected such a happy event except the two little ones, a boy of six and a girl of four, who looked forward to the return of their brothers and sisters every time they saw the carriage.What a joy to be the first to find Catherine!How excited are the voices reporting this discovery!But whether this pleasure belonged to George or to Harriet, there was no way of knowing.

Catherine's father and mother, Sarah, George, and Harriet, all assembled at the door, welcomed her with such kindness and warmth that Catherine was heartily pleased at this sight.She stepped out of the carriage and hugged everyone, never expecting to feel so relieved.Everyone surrounded her, comforted her, even made her happy!In an instant, because immersed in the joy of family reunion, all sorrows were temporarily suppressed.Everyone was very happy to see Catherine, and they sat down around the tea table without thinking about calmly questioning her.Mrs. Morland hastily made tea to quench the poor soul's thirst.It was not long, however, before Catherine was asked directly any question requiring a definite answer, that the mother noticed her daughter's pallor and weariness.

Catherine spoke reluctantly and haltingly, which, after half an hour, her audience might, out of politeness, have called explanations.But in the meantime, they couldn't understand why she came back suddenly, and they couldn't figure out the details of the matter.Their family is definitely not a person who loves to get angry. Even if they are insulted, their reactions are very slow, and they will not hate people.But when Catherine explained the whole thing, they felt that such an insult could not be ignored, and not for the first half hour easily pardoned.Though the Morlands thought of their daughter's long and lonely journey without being frightened by wild imaginations, they could not help feeling that it would cause her daughter much unpleasantness than they would have liked to suffer themselves.General Tilney was too disgraceful and heartless to have driven his daughter into this position, to be neither a man of education nor a man of children.Why he did it, what had provoked him to be so slight to his guests, why he had been so fond of their daughter, and why he had suddenly become so disgusted, were at least as inexplicable to them as Catherine.But they did not trouble long about it, and after a while of guessing wildly, said: "It is a strange thing, he must be a strange man."This sentence is enough to express all their anger and surprise.But Sarah was still immersed in the sweet inexplicability, just screaming and guessing loudly with the enthusiasm of young people.You needn't bother yourself so much, good boy, said her mother at last, and don't worry, it ain't worth the trouble.

He could be forgiven for wanting Catherine to go, thinking of the date, Sarah said, but why shouldn't he be more polite? I feel sorry for the two young men, Mrs. Moran replied, they must be very sad.As for other things, don't worry about it now.Catherine has arrived home safe and sound, and our comfort is not to be determined by General Tilney.Catherine sighed.Well, said her generous mother, it's a good thing I didn't know you were on the road.But it's all over, and maybe there's not much harm.It is always good to let young people go out on their own.You know, my good Catherine, you've always been a fickle little wretch, but with so many changes of cars and all on the road this time, you've got to be clever.I hope you don't drop anything on the car. Catherine hoped so too, and tried to take some interest in her own growth, but she was completely exhausted.Soon, the only hope in her heart was to be alone for a while, and when her mother advised her to go to bed earlier, she immediately agreed.Her parents considered her haggard countenance and uneasiness the inevitable result of a feeling of humiliation in her heart, and of the exhaustion of the journey, and when they parted they believed that she would recover as soon as she slept.When they met next morning, though she had not recovered to the degree they had hoped, they had not the slightest suspicion that there was a deeper source of evil in it.A seventeen-year-old girl returned from a long trip for the first time, and the parents didn't even think about her once. It's really strange! No sooner had breakfast been eaten than Catherine sat down to fulfill her promise to Miss Tilney.Miss Tilney's belief that time and distance would alter the friend's mood had its fulfilment, for Catherine had reproached herself for being so indifferent in parting Eleanor.At the same time, she also blamed herself for not paying enough attention to Eleanor's strengths and affection. She suffered so much when she was left alone yesterday, but she didn't arouse her enough sympathy.However, the power of emotion did not help her to write, and she had never written before like Elinor.It was so difficult for Tierney to write.A letter to express her feelings justly as well as her situation, to express gratitude without being humble and remorseful, to be cautious without being indifferent, to be sincere without resentment; this letter, Elinor The fact that it would not pain her to see it, and, above all, that she would not blush herself if Henry happened to see it, frightened her too much to write.After thinking about it for a long time at a loss, I finally decided that only writing very short can ensure no mistakes.So, after she put the money advanced by Eleanor into the envelope, she wrote only a few words of thanks and heartfelt wishes. It was a strange acquaintance, said Mrs. Moran, when Catherine had finished her letter, and it was quick to make, and so fast to close.It was a pity that it happened, for Mrs. Allen thought they were very fine young men.It's unfortunate, and neither are you and your Isabella.well!Poor James!Forget it, people have to learn from one thing, and I hope that when you make friends in the future, you will make friends who are more worthy of attention. Catherine blushed anxiously, and replied excitedly: Elinor is the most valuable friend. In that case, my dear boy, I am sure you will meet again sooner or later, so don't worry.Nine times out of ten, you will run into each other again in a few years.How happy it must have been then! Mrs. Morland was not well comforted.Her wish for them to meet again in a few years could only suggest to Catherine that the changes in those years might make her dread seeing them again.She will never forget Henry.Tilney, she would always miss him as tenderly and affectionately as now, but he would forget her, and meet again on such occasions!Catherine imagined meeting again like this, and tears filled her eyes again.Realizing that her gentle reassurances had not produced good results, the mother devised another expedient to restore her spirits, and proposed that they visit Mrs. Allen together. The two are only a quarter of a mile apart.On the way, Mrs. Morland hastily expressed all she thought of James' lovelorn.We feel so sorry for him, she said.Other than that, however, there was nothing wrong with blowing off the marriage.It would not be a happy thing to be engaged to a girl whom she had never met and who had no dowry at all.Besides, she does this kind of thing again, and we don't like her at all.It's tough for poor James right now, but it won't be for long.I daresay he foolishly chose the wrong man the first time, and will be a prudent man all his life. Catherine had barely heard her mother's succinct account of the matter, and a word more might have provoked her to lose restraint and give an irrational answer, for her whole thought was at once recalled: since the last time I drove this familiar road, Since I walked, what changes have taken place in my mood and spirit.Less than three months ago, she was ecstatic and full of hope, running up and down this road a dozen times a day, with a light heart and a happy heart.She was looking forward to those pure and innocent pleasures that had never been tried before, and she had no fear of bad luck, and didn't know what bad luck was.She was still like this three months ago, but now, she is a different person when she comes back! The Allen and his wife have always loved her very much, now that she suddenly came unexpectedly, they naturally wanted to receive her cordially.They were astonished and indignant when they heard what had happened to Catherine, though Mrs. Morland's account had not been embellished, nor intended to provoke them.Catherine gave us a big surprise last night, said Mrs. Moran.She had come all the way back in a stagecoach alone, and did not know she was going until Saturday evening.General Tilney didn't know what thought was at work, and suddenly got tired of her being there, and almost kicked her out, not enough friends.He must be a weirdo.We're so glad she's back among us, though!It was a great comfort to see that she was capable and not a wretched wretch. At this moment Mr. Allen expressed his indignation with the measure of a sensible friend.Mrs. Allen felt that her husband's wording was very appropriate, and immediately repeated it.Then she repeated his surprises, conjectures, and explanations.Whenever she couldn't continue speaking, she just added this sentence: I really can't stand this general.After Mr. Allen went out of the room, she repeated the words twice, still in a fit of anger and without straying too far from the subject.After saying it for the third time, her subject would go a long way.After saying it for the fourth time, he immediately went on to say: My dear boy, just think about it, before I left Bath, I actually mended my favorite Mechelen lace (Translator's Note: Belgian Mechelen "also known as A kind of lace produced by Marin.) The large piece of open thread on the top is so well mended that it is hard to see where it is mended.Someday I will show it to you.Catherine, Bath is a great place after all.To be honest, I really don't want to come back.Mrs. Thorpe is a great convenience to us there, isn't it?You know, it was very pitiful for the two of us to be alone at first. Yes, but it didn't last long, said Catherine, her eyes sparkling again at the thought of how her life in Bath had come to life in the first place. Indeed, we soon met Mrs. Thorpe, and then there was nothing lacking.My dear boy, do you see how strong my silk gloves are?I wore it new the first time we went down to the meeting hall, and I've worn it many times since.do you remember that night do i rememberOh, it's clear. It's delightful, isn't it?Mr. Tilney joined us for tea, and I always thought it would be very interesting to have him there, he was such a delight.I seem to remember you dancing with him, but not sure.I remember I was wearing my favorite cheongsam dress. Catherine could not answer.After changing the subject for a while, Mrs. Allen came back and said: I really can't stand that general!From the looks of it, he seems like a likable and respectable person!Mrs. Morland, I don't think you've ever seen a man so well-bred in your life.Catherine, the house was let when he was gone.But it's no wonder.You know, Milsom Street. On the way home, Mrs. Morland tried to make her daughter realize how lucky she was to have such good and reliable friends as the Allens, since she could still have the respect and love of these old friends, like the Tierneys. People who are not very close to her are rude and rude, and she shouldn't take it to heart.These words are very insightful, but human thinking is not controlled by reason in some cases.Almost every point of view that Mrs. Morland made raised Catherine with some resistance.At present all her happiness depended on the attitude of these shallow friends towards her.While Mrs. Morland succeeded in confirming her opinion with fair statements, Catherine was silently thinking: Henry must have returned to Northanger Abbey by now; he must have heard that she was gone by now; Hereford gone.