贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > northanger abbey >

第39章

northanger abbey-第39章

小说: northanger abbey 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!






began to talk of the smallness of the room and simplicity



of the furniture; where everything; being for daily use;



pretended only to comfort; etc。; flattering himself; however;



that there were some apartments in the Abbey not unworthy



her noticeand was proceeding to mention the costly



gilding of one in particular; when; taking out his watch;



he stopped short to pronounce it with surprise within



twenty minutes of five! This seemed the word of separation;



and Catherine found herself hurried away by Miss Tilney



in such a manner as convinced her that the strictest



punctuality to the family hours would be expected at Northanger。 







     Returning through the large and lofty hall;



they ascended a broad staircase of shining oak; which;



after many flights and many landing…places; brought them



upon a long; wide gallery。  On one side it had a range



of doors; and it was lighted on the other by windows



which Catherine had only time to discover looked



into a quadrangle; before Miss Tilney led the way



into a chamber; and scarcely staying to hope she would



find it comfortable; left her with an anxious entreaty



that she would make as little alteration as possible



in her dress。 















CHAPTER 21











     A moment's glance was enough to satisfy Catherine



that her apartment was very unlike the one which Henry



had endeavoured to alarm her by the description of。 



It was by no means unreasonably large; and contained neither



tapestry nor velvet。  The walls were papered; the floor



was carpeted; the windows were neither less perfect nor more



dim than those of the drawing…room below; the furniture;



though not of the latest fashion; was handsome and comfortable;



and the air of the room altogether far from uncheerful。 



Her heart instantaneously at ease on this point; she resolved



to lose no time in particular examination of anything;



as she greatly dreaded disobliging the general by any delay。 



Her habit therefore was thrown off with all possible haste;



and she was preparing to unpin the linen package; which the



chaise…seat had conveyed for her immediate accommodation;



when her eye suddenly fell on a large high chest;



standing back in a deep recess on one side of the fireplace。 



The sight of it made her start; and; forgetting everything



else; she stood gazing on it in motionless wonder;



while these thoughts crossed her:







     〃This is strange indeed! I did not expect such a sight



as this! An immense heavy chest! What can it hold? Why



should it be placed here? Pushed back too; as if meant to



be out of sight! I will look into itcost me what it may;



I will look into itand directly tooby daylight。 



If I stay till evening my candle may go out。〃



She advanced and examined it closely: it was of cedar;



curiously inlaid with some darker wood; and raised;



about a foot from the ground; on a carved stand of the same。 



The lock was silver; though tarnished from age; at each



end were the imperfect remains of handles also of silver;



broken perhaps prematurely by some strange violence;



and; on the centre of the lid; was a mysterious cipher;



in the same metal。  Catherine bent over it intently;



but without being able to distinguish anything with certainty。 



She could not; in whatever direction she took it;



believe the last letter to be a T; and yet that it should



be anything else in that house was a circumstance to raise



no common degree of astonishment。  If not originally theirs;



by what strange events could it have fallen into the Tilney



family?







     Her fearful curiosity was every moment growing greater;



and seizing; with trembling hands; the hasp of the lock;



she resolved at all hazards to satisfy herself at least



as to its contents。  With difficulty; for something seemed



to resist her efforts; she raised the lid a few inches;



but at that moment a sudden knocking at the door of the



room made her; starting; quit her hold; and the lid



closed with alarming violence。  This ill…timed intruder



was Miss Tilney's maid; sent by her mistress to be of



use to Miss Morland; and though Catherine immediately



dismissed her; it recalled her to the sense of what she



ought to be doing; and forced her; in spite of her anxious



desire to penetrate this mystery; to proceed in her dressing



without further delay。  Her progress was not quick;



for her thoughts and her eyes were still bent on the object



so well calculated to interest and alarm; and though



she dared not waste a moment upon a second attempt;



she could not remain many paces from the chest。 



At length; however; having slipped one arm into her gown;



her toilette seemed so nearly finished that the impatience



of her curiosity might safely be indulged。  One moment



surely might be spared; and; so desperate should be



the exertion of her strength; that; unless secured



by supernatural means; the lid in one moment should



be thrown back。  With this spirit she sprang forward;



and her confidence did not deceive her。  Her resolute



effort threw back the lid; and gave to her astonished eyes



the view of a white cotton counterpane; properly folded;



reposing at one end of the chest in undisputed possession!







     She was gazing on it with the first blush of surprise



when Miss Tilney; anxious for her friend's being ready;



entered the room; and to the rising shame of having



harboured for some minutes an absurd expectation; was then



added the shame of being caught in so idle a search。 



〃That is a curious old chest; is not it?〃 said Miss Tilney;



as Catherine hastily closed it and turned away to the glass。 



〃It is impossible to say how many generations it has



been here。  How it came to be first put in this room I



know not; but I have not had it moved; because I thought



it might sometimes be of use in holding hats and bonnets。 



The worst of it is that its weight makes it difficult



to open。  In that corner; however; it is at least out of



the way。〃







     Catherine had no leisure for speech; being at



once blushing; tying her gown; and forming wise resolutions



with the most violent dispatch。  Miss Tilney gently hinted



her fear of being late; and in half a minute they ran



downstairs together; in an alarm not wholly unfounded;



for General Tilney was pacing the drawing…room; his watch



in his hand; and having; on the very instant of their entering;



pulled the bell with violence; ordered 〃Dinner to be



on table directly!〃







     Catherine trembled at the emphasis with which he spoke;



and sat pale and breathless; in a most humble mood;



concerned for his children; and detesting old chests;



and the general; recovering his politeness as he looked



at her; spent the rest of his time in scolding his daughter



for so foolishly hurrying her fair friend; who was absolutely



out of breath from haste; when there was not the least



occasion for hurry in the world: but Catherine could not



at all get over the double distress of having involved



her friend in a lecture and been a great simpleton herself;



till they were happily seated at the dinner…table; when



the general's complacent smiles; and a good appetite



of her own; restored her to peace。  The dining…parlour



was a noble room; suitable in its dimensions to a much



larger drawing…room than the one in common use; and fitted



up in a style of luxury and expense which was almost lost



on the unpractised eye of Catherine; who saw little more



than its spaciou

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的