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Catherine’s answer was only ‘Oh!’ – but it was an ‘Oh!’ expressing everything needful: attention to his words, and perfect reliance on their truth. With real interest and strong admiration did her eye now follow the general, as he moved through the crowd, and ‘How handsome a family they are!’ was her secret remark.
In chatting with Miss Tilney before the evening concluded, a new source of felicity arose to her. She had never taken a country walk since her arrival in Bath. Miss Tilney, to whom all the commonly frequented environs were familiar, spoke of them in terms which made her all eagerness to know them too; and on her openly fearing that she might find nobody to go with her, it was proposed by the brother and sister that they should join in a walk, some morning or other. ‘I shall like it,’ she cried, ‘beyond anything in the world; and do not let us put it off – let us go tomorrow.’ This was readily agreed to, with only a proviso of Miss Tilney’s, that it did not rain, which Catherine was sure it would not. At twelve o’clock, they were to call for her in Pulteney Street; and ‘Remember – twelve o’clock,’ was her parting speech to her new friend. Of her other, her older, her more established friend, Isabella, of whose fidelity and worth she had enjoyed a fortnight’s experience, she scarcely saw anything during the evening. Yet, though longing to make her acquainted with her happiness, she cheerfully submitted to the wish of Mr Allen, which took them rather early away, and her spirits danced within her, as she danced in her chair all the way home.
CHAPTER 11
The morrow brought a very sober-looking morning, the sun making only a few efforts to appear, and Catherine augured from it everything most favourable to her wishes. A bright morning so early in the year, she allowed, would generally turn to rain, but a cloudy one foretold improvement as the day advanced. She applied to Mr Allen for confirmation of her hopes, but Mr Allen, not having his own skies and barometer about him, declined giving any absolute promise of sunshine. She applied to Mrs Allen, and Mrs Allen’s opinion was more positive. ‘She had no doubt in the world of its being a very fine day, if the clouds would only go off, and the sun keep out.’
At about eleven o’clock, however, a few specks of small rain upon the windows caught Catherine’s watchful eye, and ‘Oh dear, I do believe it will be wet,’ broke from her in a most desponding tone.
‘I thought how it would be,’ said Mrs Allen.
‘No walk for me today,’ sighed Catherine; ‘but perhaps it may come to nothing, or it may hold up before twelve.’
‘Perhaps it may, but then, my dear, it will be so dirty.’
‘Oh! That will not signify; I never mind dirt.’
‘No,’ replied her friend very placidly, ‘I know you never mind dirt.’
After a short pause, ‘It comes on faster and faster!’ said Catherine, as she stood watching at a window.
‘So it does indeed. If it keeps raining, the streets will be very wet.’
‘There are four umbrellas up already. How I hate the sight of an umbrella!’
‘They are disagreeable things to carry. I would much rather take a chair at any time.’
‘It was such a nice-looking morning! I felt so convinced it would be dry!’
‘Anybody would have thought so indeed. There will be very few people in the Pump-room, if it rains all the morning. I hope Mr Allen will put on his greatcoat when he goes, but I dare say he will not, for he had rather do anything in the world than walk out in a greatcoat; I wonder he should dislike it, it must be so comfortable.’
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