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1Soon after this, the General found himself obliged to go to London for a week; and he left Northanger earnestly
2regretting that any necessity should rob him even for an hour of Miss Morland's company, and anxiously recommending the
3study of her comfort and amusement to his children as their chief object in his absence. His departure gave Catherine
4the first experimental conviction that a loss may be sometimes a gain. The happiness with which their time now passed,
5every employment voluntary, every laugh indulged, every meal a scene of ease and good humour, walking where they liked
6and when they liked, their hours, pleasures, and fatigues at their own command, made her thoroughly sensible of the
7restraint which the General's presence had imposed, and most thankfully feel their present release from it. Such ease
8and such delights made her love the place and the people more and more every day; and had it not been for a dread of its
9soon becoming expedient to leave the one, and an apprehension of not being equally beloved by the other, she would at
10each moment of each day have been perfectly happy; but she was now in the fourth week of her visit; before the General
11came home, the fourth week would be turned, and perhaps it might seem an intrusion if she stayed much longer. This was a
12painful consideration whenever it occurred; and eager to get rid of such a weight on her mind, she very soon resolved to
13speak to Eleanor about it at once, propose going away, and be guided in her conduct by the manner in which her proposal
14might be taken. Aware that if she gave herself much time, she might feel it difficult to bring forward so unpleasant a
15subject, she took the first opportunity of being suddenly alone with Eleanor, and of Eleanor's being in the middle of a
16speech about something very different, to start forth her obligation of going away very soon. Eleanor looked and
17declared herself much concerned. She had "hoped for the pleasure of her company for a much longer time--had been misled
18(perhaps by her wishes) to suppose that a much longer visit had been promised--and could not but think that if Mr. and
19Mrs. Morland were aware of the pleasure it was to her to have her there, they would be too generous to hasten her
20return." Catherine explained: "Oh! as to that, Papa and Mamma were in no hurry at all. As long as she was happy, they
21would always be satisfied." "Then why, might she ask, in such a hurry herself to leave them?" "Oh! because she had been
22there so long." "Nay, if you can use such a word, I can urge you no farther. If you think it long--" "Oh! no, I do not
23indeed. For my own pleasure, I could stay with you as long again." And it was directly settled that, till she had, her
24leaving them was not even to be thought of. In having this cause of uneasiness so pleasantly removed, the force of the
25other was likewise weakened. The kindness, the earnestness of Eleanor's manner in pressing her to stay, and Henry's
26gratified look on being told that her stay was determined, were such sweet proofs of her importance with them, as left
27her only just so much solicitude as the human mind can never do comfortably without. She did--almost always--believe
28that Henry loved her, and quite always that his father and sister loved and even wished her to belong to them; and
29believing so far, her doubts and anxieties were merely sportive irritations. Henry was not able to obey his father's
30injunction of remaining wholly at Northanger in attendance on the ladies, during his absence in London, the engagements
31of his curate at Woodston obliging him to leave them on Saturday for a couple of nights. His loss was not now what it
32had been while the General was at home; it lessened their gaiety, but did not ruin their comfort; and the two girls
33agreeing in occupation, and improving in intimacy, found themselves so well sufficient for the time to themselves, that
34it was eleven o'clock, rather a late hour at the abbey, before they quitted the supper-room on the day of Henry's
35departure. They had just reached the head of the stairs when it seemed, as far as the thickness of the walls would allow
36them to judge, that a carriage was driving up to the door, and the next moment confirmed the idea by the loud noise of
37the house-bell. After the first perturbation of surprise had passed away, in a "Good heaven! what can be the matter?" it
38was quickly decided by Eleanor to be her eldest brother, whose arrival was often as sudden, if not quite so
39unseasonable, and accordingly she hurried down to welcome him. Catherine walked on to her chamber, making up her mind as
40well as she could, to a further acquaintance with Captain Tilney, and comforting herself under the unpleasant impression
41his conduct had given her, and the persuasion of his being by far too fine a gentleman to approve of her, that at least
42they should not meet under such circumstances as would make their meeting materially painful. She trusted he would never
43speak of Miss Thorpe; and indeed, as he must by this time be ashamed of the part he had acted, there could be no danger
44of it; and as long as all mention of Bath scenes were avoided, she thought she could behave to him very civilly. In such
45considerations time passed away, and it was certainly in his favour that Eleanor should be so glad to see him, and have
46so much to say, for half an hour was almost gone since his arrival, and Eleanor did not come up. At that moment
47Catherine thought she heard her step in the gallery, and listened for its continuance; but all was silent. Scarcely,
48however, had she convicted her fancy of error, when the noise of something moving close to her door made her start; it
49seemed as if someone was touching the very doorway--and in another moment a slight motion of the lock proved that some
50hand must be on it. She trembled a little at the idea of anyone's approaching so cautiously; but resolving not to be
51again overcome by trivial appearances of alarm, or misled by a raised imagination, she stepped quietly forward, and
52opened the door. Eleanor, and only Eleanor, stood there. Catherine's spirits, however, were tranquillized but for an
53instant, for Eleanor's cheeks were pale, and her manner greatly agitated. Though evidently intending to come in, it
54seemed an effort to enter the room, and a still greater to speak when there. Catherine, supposing some uneasiness on
55Captain Tilney's account, could only express her concern by silent attention, obliged her to be seated, rubbed her
56temples with lavender water, and hung over her with affectionate solicitude. "My dear Catherine, you must not--you must
57not indeed--" were Eleanor's first connected words. "I am quite well. This kindness distracts me--I cannot bear it--I
58come to you on such an errand!" "Errand! to me!" "How shall I tell you! oh! how shall I tell you!" A new idea now darted
59into Catherine's mind, and turning as pale as her friend, she exclaimed, "'Tis a messenger from Woodston!" "You are
60mistaken, indeed," returned Eleanor, looking at her most compassionately; "it is no one from Woodston. It is my father
61himself." Her voice faltered, and her eyes were turned to the ground as she mentioned his name. His unlooked-for return
62was enough in itself to make Catherine's heart sink, and for a few moments she hardly supposed there were anything worse
63to be told. She said nothing; and Eleanor, endeavouring to collect herself and speak with firmness, but with eyes still
64cast down, soon went on. "You are too good, I am sure, to think the worse of me for the part I am obliged to perform. I
65am indeed a most unwilling messenger. After what has so lately passed, so lately been settled between us--how joyfully,
66how thankfully on my side!--as to your continuing here as I hoped for many, many weeks longer, how can I tell you that
67your kindness is not to be accepted--and that the happiness your company has hitherto given us is to be repaid by--But I
68must not trust myself with words. My dear Catherine, we are to part. My father has recollected an engagement that takes
69our whole family away on Monday. We are going to Lord Longtown's, near Hereford, for a fortnight. Explanation and
70apology are equally impossible. I cannot attempt either."
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