Northanger Abbey - Chapter 7

Half a minute conducted them through the pump-yard to the archway, opposite Union Passage; but here they were stopped. Everybody acquainted with Bath may remember the difficulties of crossing Cheap Street at this point; it is indeed a street of so impertinent a nature, so unfortunately connected with the great London and Oxford ¹ roads, and the principal inn of the city, that a day never passes in which parties of ladies, however important their business, whether in quest of pastry ², millinery, or even (as in the present case) of young men, are not detained on one side or other by carriages, horsemen, or carts. This evil had been felt and lamented ⁴, at least three times a day, by Isabella since her residence in Bath; and she was now fated to feel and lament ³ it once more, for at the very moment of coming opposite to Union Passage, and within view of the two gentlemen who were proceeding ⁵ through the crowds, and threading the gutters ⁶ of that interesting alley ⁷, they were prevented crossing by the approach of a gig, driven along on bad pavement by a most knowing-looking coachman with all the vehemence ⁸ that could most fitly endanger the lives of himself, his companion, and his horse., ,"Oh, these odious ⁹ gigs!" said Isabella, looking up. "How I detest ¹⁰ them." But this detestation, though so just, was of short duration, for she looked again and exclaimed, " Delightful ¹¹! Mr. Morland and my brother!", ,"Good heaven! 'Tis James!" was uttered at the same moment by Catherine; and, on catching ¹² the young men's eyes, the horse was immediately checked with a violence which almost threw him on his haunches, and the servant having now scampered ¹³ up, the gentlemen jumped out, and the equipage was delivered to his care., , ,John Thorpe, who in the meantime had been giving orders about the horses, soon joined them, and from him she directly received the amends ¹⁹ which were her due; for while he slightly and carelessly touched the hand of Isabella, on her he bestowed ²¹ a whole scrape and half a short bow. He was a stout ²² young man of middling height, who, with a plain face and ungraceful form, seemed fearful of being too handsome unless he wore the dress of a groom ²³, and too much like a gentleman unless he were easy where he ought to be civil, and impudent ²⁴ where he might be allowed to be easy. He took out his watch: "How long do you think we have been running it from Tetbury, Miss Morland?", ,"I do not know the distance." Her brother told her that it was twenty-three miles., ,This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。,The cook pricked a few holes in the pastry.厨师在馅饼上戳了几个洞 。