Northanger Abbey - Chapter 20

Mr. and Mrs. Allen were sorry to lose their young friend, whose good humour and cheerfulness had made her a valuable companion, and in the promotion ¹ of whose enjoyment ² their own had been gently increased. Her happiness in going with Miss Tilney, however, prevented their wishing it otherwise; and, as they were to remain only one more week in Bath themselves, her quitting them now would not long be felt. Mr. Allen attended her to Milsom Street, where she was to breakfast, and saw her seated with the kindest welcome among her new friends; but so great was her agitation ⁴ in finding herself as one of the family, and so fearful was she of not doing exactly what was right, and of not being able to preserve their good opinion, that, in the embarrassment ⁵ of the first five minutes, she could almost have wished to return with him to Pulteney Street., ,Miss Tilney's manners and Henry's smile soon did away some of her unpleasant feelings; but still she was far from being at ease; nor could the incessant ⁶ attentions of the general himself entirely ⁷ reassure ⁸ her. Nay ⁹, perverse ¹⁰ as it seemed, she doubted whether she might not have felt less, had she been less attended to. His anxiety for her comfort—his continual solicitations that she would eat, and his often-expressed fears of her seeing nothing to her taste—though never in her life before had she beheld ¹¹ half such variety on a breakfast-table—made it impossible for her to forget for a moment that she was a visitor. She felt utterly ¹² unworthy of such respect, and knew not how to reply to it. Her tranquillity ¹³ was not improved by the general's impatience ¹⁴ for the appearance of his eldest ¹⁵ son, nor by the displeasure he expressed at his laziness when Captain Tilney at last came down. She was quite pained by the severity of his father's reproof ¹⁶, which seemed disproportionate to the offence; and much was her concern increased when she found herself the principal cause of the lecture, and that his tardiness ¹⁷ was chiefly resented from being disrespectful to her. This was placing her in a very uncomfortable situation, and she felt great compassion ¹⁸ for Captain Tilney, without being able to hope for his goodwill ¹⁹., ,He listened to his father in silence, and attempted not any defence, which confirmed her in fearing that the inquietude of his mind, on Isabella's account, might, by keeping him long sleepless ²⁰, have been the real cause of his rising late. It was the first time of her being decidedly in his company, and she had hoped to be now able to form her opinion of him; but she scarcely heard his voice while his father remained in the room; and even afterwards, so much were his spirits affected ²¹, she could distinguish nothing but these words, in a whisper to Eleanor, "How glad I shall be when you are all off.", , ,The remembrance of Mr. Allen's opinion, respecting young men's open carriages, made her blush at the mention of such a plan, and her first thought was to decline it; but her second was of greater deference ³¹ for General Tilney's judgment ³²; he could not propose anything improper ³³ for her; and, in the course of a few minutes, she found herself with Henry in the curricle, as happy a being as ever existed. A very short trial convinced her that a curricle was the prettiest equipage in the world; the chaise and four wheeled off with some grandeur ³⁴, to be sure, but it was a heavy and troublesome business, and she could not easily forget its having stopped two hours at Petty France. Half the time would have been enough for the curricle, and so nimbly were the light horses disposed to move, that, had not the general chosen to have his own carriage lead the way, they could have passed it with ease in half a minute. But the merit of the curricle did not all belong to the horses; Henry drove so well—so quietly—without making any disturbance ³⁵, without parading to her, or swearing at them: so different from the only gentleman-coachman whom it was in her power to compare him with! And then his hat sat so well, and the innumerable capes ³⁶ of his greatcoat looked so becomingly important! To be driven by him, next to being dancing with him, was certainly the greatest happiness in the world. In addition to every other delight, she had now that of listening to her own praise; of being thanked at least, on his sister's account, for her kindness in thus becoming her visitor; of hearing it ranked as real friendship, and described as creating real gratitude ³⁷. His sister, he said, was uncomfortably circumstanced—she had no female companion—and, in the frequent absence of her father, was sometimes without any companion at all., ,"But how can that be?" said Catherine. "Are not you with her?", ,The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级 ，加了薪 。,Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同
，我们这次访问更加愉快了
。