Chapter 27

by Jane Austen

　　The next morning brought the following very unexpectedletter from Isabella:

　　Bath, April

　　My dearest Catherine, I received your two kindletters with the greatest delight, and have a thousandapologies to make for not answering them sooner.I really am quite ashamed of my idleness; but inthis horrid place one can find time for nothing.I have had my pen in my hand to begin a letter toyou almost every day since you left Bath, but havealways been prevented by some silly trifler or other.Pray write to me soon, and direct to my own home.Thank God, we leave this vile place tomorrow. Sinceyou went away, I have had no pleasure in it--thedust is beyond anything; and everybody one caresfor is gone. I believe if I could see you I shouldnot mind the rest, for you are dearer to me thananybody can conceive. I am quite uneasy about yourdear brother, not having heard from him since hewent to Oxford; and am fearful of somemisunderstanding. Your kind offices will set allright: he is the only man I ever did or could love,and I trust you will convince him of it. The springfashions are partly down; and the hats the mostfrightful you can imagine. I hope you spend yourtime pleasantly, but am afraid you never think ofme. I will not say all that I could of the familyyou are with, because I would not be ungenerous, orset you against those you esteem; but it is verydifficult to know whom to trust, and young men neverknow their minds two days together. I rejoice tosay that the young man whom, of all others, Iparticularly abhor, has left Bath. You will know,from this description, I must mean Captain Tilney,who, as you may remember, was amazingly disposed tofollow and tease me, before you went away. Afterwardshe got worse, and became quite my shadow. Manygirls might have been taken in, for never were suchattentions; but I knew the fickle sex too well. Hewent away to his regiment two days ago, and I trustI shall never be plagued with him again. He is thegreatest coxcomb I ever saw, and amazinglydisagreeable. The last two days he was always bythe side of Charlotte Davis: I pitied his taste,but took no notice of him. The last time we metwas in Bath Street, and I turned directly into ashop that he might not speak to me; I would not evenlook at him. He went into the pump-room afterwards;but I would not have followed him for all the world.Such a contrast between him and your brother! Praysend me some news of the latter--I am quite unhappyabout him; he seemed so uncomfortable when he wentaway, with a cold, or something that affected hisspirits. I would write to him myself, but havemislaid his direction; and, as I hinted above, amafraid he took something in my conduct amiss. Prayexplain everything to his satisfaction; or, if hestill harbours any doubt, a line from himself tome, or a call at Putney when next in town, mightset all to rights. I have not been to the roomsthis age, nor to the play, except going in lastnight with the Hodges, for a frolic, at half price:they teased me into it; and I was determined theyshould not say I shut myself up because Tilney wasgone. We happened to sit by the Mitchells, and theypretended to be quite surprised to see me out. Iknew their spite: at one time they could not becivil to me, but now they are all friendship; butI am not such a fool as to be taken in by them.You know I have a pretty good spirit of my own.Anne Mitchell had tried to put on a turban likemine, as I wore it the week before at the concert,but made wretched work of it--it happened to becomemy odd face, I believe, at least Tilney told me soat the time, and said every eye was upon me; but heis the last man whose word I would take. I wearnothing but purple now: I know I look hideous init, but no matter-- it is your dear brother'sfavourite colour. Lose no time, my dearest, sweetestCatherine, in writing to him and to me,Who ever am, etc.

　　Such a strain of shallow artifice could not imposeeven upon Catherine. Its inconsistencies, contradictions,and falsehood struck her from the very first. She wasashamed of Isabella, and ashamed of having ever loved her.Her professions of attachment were now as disgustingas her excuses were empty, and her demands impudent."Write to James on her behalf! No, James should never hearIsabella's name mentioned by her again."

　　On Henry's arrival from Woodston, she made known to himand Eleanor their brother's safety, congratulating themwith sincerity on it, and reading aloud the most materialpassages of her letter with strong indignation.When she had finished it--"So much for Isabella,"she cried, "and for all our intimacy! She must think mean idiot, or she could not have written so; but perhapsthis has served to make her character better known to methan mine is to her. I see what she has been about.She is a vain coquette, and her tricks have not answered.I do not believe she had ever any regard either for Jamesor for me, and I wish I had never known her."

　　"It will soon be as if you never had," said Henry.

　　"There is but one thing that I cannot understand.I see that she has had designs on Captain Tilney, which havenot succeeded; but I do not understand what Captain Tilneyhas been about all this time. Why should he pay hersuch attentions as to make her quarrel with my brother,and then fly off himself?"

　　"I have very little to say for Frederick's motives,such as I believe them to have been. He has his vanitiesas well as Miss Thorpe, and the chief difference is, that,having a stronger head, they have not yet injured himself.If the effect of his behaviour does not justify him with you,we had better not seek after the cause."

　　"Then you do not suppose he ever really cared about her?"

　　"I am persuaded that he never did."

　　"And only made believe to do so for mischief's sake?"

　　Henry bowed his assent.

　　"Well, then, I must say that I do not like him at all.Though it has turned out so well for us, I do not like himat all. As it happens, there is no great harm done,because I do not think Isabella has any heart to lose.But, suppose he had made her very much in love with him?"

　　"But we must first suppose Isabella to have had a heartto lose--consequently to have been a very different creature;and, in that case, she would have met with very different treatment."

　　"It is very right that you should stand by your brother."

　　"And if you would stand by yours, you would not bemuch distressed by the disappointment of Miss Thorpe.But your mind is warped by an innate principle ofgeneral integrity, and therefore not accessible to the coolreasonings of family partiality, or a desire of revenge."

　　Catherine was complimented out of further bitterness.Frederick could not be unpardonably guilty, while Henrymade himself so agreeable. She resolved on not answeringIsabella's letter, and tried to think no more of it.