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last line。
“Will you take the trouble of reading to us the passages which
concern my brother？”
“No； read it yourself；” cried Catherine； whose second thoughts
were clearer。 “I do not know what I was thinking of” （blushing
again that she had blushed before；）—“James only means to give
me good advice。”
He gladly received the letter； and； having read it through； with
close attention； returned it saying； “Well； if it is to be so； I can only
say that I am sorry for it。 Frederick will not be the first man who
has chosen a wife with less sense than his family expected。 I do not
envy his situation； either as a lover or a son。”
Miss Tilney； at Catherine’s invitation； now read the letter
likewise； and； having expressed also her concern and surprize；
began to inquire into Miss Thorpe’s connections and fortune。
“Her mother is a very good sort of woman；” was Catherine’s
answer。
“What was her father？”
“A lawyer； I believe。—They live at Putney。”
“Are they a wealthy family？”
“No； not very。 I do not believe Isabella has any fortune at all：
but that will not signify in your family。—Your father is so very
liberal！ He told me the other day； that he only valued money as it
allowed him to promote the happiness of his children。” The
brother and sister looked at each other。 “But；” said Eleanor； after
a short pause； “would it be to promote his happiness； to enable
him to marry such a girl？—She must be an unprincipled one； or
she could not have used your brother so。—And how strange an
infatuation on Frederick’s side！ A girl who； before his eyes； is
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violating an engagement voluntarily entered into with another
man！ Is not it inconceivable； Henry？ Frederick too； who always
wore his heart so proudly！ who found no woman good enough to
be loved！”
“That is the most unpromising circumstance； the strongest
presumption against him。 When I think of his past declarations； I
give him up。—Moreover； I have too good an opinion of Miss
Thorpe’s prudence to suppose that she would part with one
gentleman before the other was secured。 It is all over with
Frederick indeed！ He is a deceased man—defunct in
understanding。 Prepare for your sister…in…law； Eleanor； and such a
sister…in…law as you must delight in！—Open； candid； artless；
guileless； with affections strong but simple； forming no
pretensions； and knowing no disguise。”
“Such a sister…in…law； Henry； I should delight in；” said Eleanor
with a smile。
“But perhaps；” observed Catherine； “though she has behaved
so ill by our family； she may behave better by yours。 Now she has
really got the man she likes； she may be constant。”
“Indeed I am afraid she will；” replied Henry； “I am afraid she
will be very constant； unless a baronet should come in her way；
that is Frederick’s only chance。—I will get the Bath paper； and
look over the arrivals。”
“You think it is all for ambition then？—And； upon my word；
there are some things that seem very like it。 I cannot forget that；
when she first knew what my father would do for them； she
seemed quite disappointed that it was not more。 I never was so
deceived in anyone’s character in my life before。”
“Among all the great variety that you have known and studied。”
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“My own disappointment and loss in her is very great； but； as
for poor James； I suppose he will hardly ever recover it。”
“Your brother is certainly very much to be pitied at present； but
we must not； in our concern for his sufferings； undervalue yours。
You feel； I suppose； that in losing Isabella； you lose half yourself：
you feel a void in your heart which nothing else can occupy。
Society is becoming irksome； and as for the amusements in which
you were wont to share at Bath； the very idea of them without her
is abhorrent。 You would not； for instance； now go to a ball for the
world。 You feel that you have no longer any friend to whom you
can speak with unreserve； on whose regard you can place
dependence； or whose counsel； in any difficulty； you could rely on。
You feel all this？”
“No；” said Catherine； after a few moments’ reflection； “I do
not—ought I？ To say the truth； though I am hurt and grieved； that
I cannot still love her； that I am never to hear from her； perhaps
never to see her again； I do not feel so very； very much afflicted as
one would have thought。”
“You feel； as you always do； what is most to the credit of human
nature。—Such feelings ought to be investigated； that they may
know themselves。”
Catherine； by some chance or other； found her spirits so very
much relieved by this conversation that she could not regret her
being led on； though so unaccountably； to mention the
circumstance which had produced it。
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CHAPTER XI
rom this time； the subject was frequently canvassed by the
three young people； and Catherine found； with some
Fsurprize； 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
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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