Page:Jane Austen (Sarah Fanny Malden 1889).djvu/178

 "'Yes, pretty well; but are they all horrid? Are you sure they are all horrid?'

"'Yes, quite sure, for a particular friend of mine, a Miss Andrews, a sweet girl, one of the sweetest creatures in the world, has read every one of them.'"

Between "horrid" novels and the society of Isabella Thorpe, Catherine is in danger of deterioration, but she is fortunately saved from any permanent ill effects.

Henry Tilney is in Bath with his father and sister; and General Tilney, under a mistaken impression of the amount of Catherine's fortune, is quite willing to encourage his son's dawning attachment for her. Elinor Tilney is charming, and Catherine has good taste enough to take greatly to her, and to be pleased and flattered by her notice. Finally, to her unutterable delight, the Tilneys invite her to accompany them when they leave Bath. Their home is called Northanger Abbey; and Catherine, who has never seen an old house in her life, believes herself to be on the verge of similar adventures to those that befell her favourite heroines. Henry Tilney discovers her expectations, and amuses himself with heightening them, having no idea that she will take his nonsense so seriously.

"'You have formed a very favourable idea of the Abbey?'

"'To be sure I have. Is not it a fine old place, just like what one reads about?'

"'And are you prepared to encounter all the horrors that a building such as "what one reads about" may produce? Have you a stout heart? Nerves fit for sliding panels and tapestry?'

"'Oh, yes, I do not think I should be easily frightened, because there would be so many people