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Classics in Literature： Jane Austen ElecBook
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Jane Austen： Northanger Abbey 65
frightened； so； resigning herself to her fate； and trusting to the
animal’s boasted knowledge of its owner； she sat peaceably down；
and saw Thorpe sit down by her。 Every thing being then arranged；
the servant who stood at the horse’s head was bid in an important
voice “to let him go；” and off they went in the quietest manner
imaginable； without a plunge or a caper； or anything like one。
Catherine； delighted at so happy an escape； spoke her pleasure
aloud with grateful surprize； and her companion immediately
made the matter perfectly simple by assuring her that it was
entirely owing to the peculiarly judicious manner in which he had
then held the reins； and the singular discernment and dexterity
with which he had directed his whip。 Catherine； though she could
not help wondering that with such perfect command of his horse；
he should think it necessary to alarm her with a relation of its
tricks； congratulated herself sincerely on being under the care of
so excellent a coachman； and perceiving that the animal continued
to go on in the same quiet manner； without showing the smallest
propensity towards any unpleasant vivacity； and （considering its
inevitable pace was ten miles an hour） by no means alarmingly
fast； gave herself up to all the enjoyment of air and exercise of the
most invigorating kind； in a fine mild day of February； with the
consciousness of safety。 A silence of several minutes succeeded
their first short dialogue；—it was broken by Thorpe’s saying very
abruptly； “Old Allen is as rich as a Jew—is not he？” Catherine did
not understand him—and he repeated his question； adding in
explanation； “Old Allen； the man you are with。”
“Oh！ Mr。 Allen； you mean。 Yes； I believe； he is very rich。”
“And no children at all？”
“No—not any。”
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“A famous thing for his next heirs。 He is your godfather； is not
he？”
“My godfather！—no。”
“But you are always very much with them。”
“Yes； very much。”
“Aye； that is what I meant。 He seems a good kind of old fellow
enough； and has lived very well in his time； I dare say； he is not
gouty for nothing。 Does he drink his bottle a…day now？”
“His bottle a…day！—no。 Why should you think of such a thing？
He is a very temperate man； and you could not fancy him in liquor
last night？”
“Lord help you！—You women are always thinking of men’s
being in liquor。 Why； you do not suppose a man is overset by a
bottle？ I am sure of this—that if everybody was to drink their
bottle a…day； there would not be half the disorders in the world
there are now。 It would be a famous good thing for us all。”
“I cannot believe it。”
“Oh！ lord； it would be the saving of thousands。 There is not the
hundredth part of the wine consumed in this kingdom that there
ought to be。 Our foggy climate wants help。”
“And yet I have heard that there is a great deal of wine drunk in
Oxford。”
“Oxford！ There is no drinking at Oxford now； I assure you。
Nobody drinks there。 You would hardly meet with a man who goes
beyond his four pints at the utmost。 Now； for instance； it was
reckoned a remarkable thing； at the last party in my rooms； that
upon an average we cleared about five pints a head。 It was looked
upon as something out of the common way。 Mine is famous good
stuff to be sure。 You would not often meet with anything like it in
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Jane Austen： Northanger Abbey 67
Oxford—and that may account for it。 But this will just give you a
notion of the general rate of drinking there。”
“Yes； it does give a notion；” said Catherine； warmly； “and that
is； that you all drink a great deal more wine than I thought you
did。 However； I am sure James does not drink so much。”
This declaration brought on a loud and overpowering reply； of
which no part was very distinct； except the frequent exclamations；
amounting almost to oaths； which adorned it； and Catherine was
left； when it ended； with rather a strengthened belief of there
being a great deal of wine drunk in Oxford； and the same happy
conviction of her brother’s comparative sobriety。
Thorpe’s ideas then all reverted to the merits of his own
equipage； and she was called on to admire the spirit and freedom
with which his horse moved along； and the ease which his paces；
as well as the excellence of the springs； gave the motion of the
carriage。 She followed him in all his admiration as well as she
could。 To go before or beyond him was impossible。 His knowledge
and her ignorance of the subject； his rapidity of expression； and
her diffidence of herself put that out of her power； she could strike
out nothing new in commendation； but she readily echoed
whatever he chose to assert； and it was finally settled between
them without any difficulty that his equipage was altogether the
most complete of its kind in England； his carriage the neatest； his
horse the best goer； and himself the best coachman。—“You do not
really think； Mr。 Thorpe；” said Catherine； venturing after some
time to consider the matter as entirely decided； and to offer some
little variation on the subject； “that James’s gig will break down？”
“Break down！ Oh！ lord！ Did you ever see such a little tittuppy
thing in your life？ There is not a sound piece of iron about it。 The
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wheels have been fairly worn out these ten years at least—and as
for the body！ Upon my soul； you might shake it to pieces yourself
with a touch。 It is the most devilish little rickety business I ever
beheld！—Thank God！ we have got a better。 I would not be bound
to go two miles in it for fifty thousand pounds。”
“Good heavens！” cried Catherine； quite frightened。 “Then pray
let us turn back； they will certainly meet with an accident if we go
on。 Do let us turn back； Mr。 Thorpe； stop and speak to my brother；
and tell him how very unsafe it is。”
“Unsafe！ Oh； lord！ What is there in that？ They will only get a
roll if it does break down； and there is plenty of dirt； it will be
excellent falling。 Oh； curse it！ The carriage is safe enough； if a man
knows how to drive it； a thing of that sort in good hands will last
above twenty years after it is fairly worn out。 Lord bless you！ I
would undertake for five pounds to drive it to York and back
again； without losing a nail。”
Catherine listened with astonishment； she knew not how to
reconcile two such very different accounts of the same thing； for
she had not been brought up to understand the propensities of a
rattle； nor to know to how many idle assertions and impudent
falsehoods the excess of vanity will lead。 Her own family were
plain； matter…of…fact people who seldom aimed at wit of any kind；
her father； at the utmost； being contented with a pun； and her
mother with a proverb； they were not in the habit therefore of
telling lies to increase their importance； or of asserting at one
moment what they would contradict the next。 She reflected on the
affair for some time in much perplexity； and was more than once
on the point of requesting from Mr。 Thorpe a clearer insight into
his real opinion on the subject； but she checked herself； because it
Classics in Literature： Jane Austen