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northanger abbey(诺桑觉奇)-第28部分

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drawing;      and    decided     on   its  capability     of  being     formed     into 

pictures; with all the eagerness of real taste。   Here   Catherine  was 

quite   lost。   She   knew   nothing   of   drawing—nothing   of   taste:—and 

she   listened   to   them   with   an   attention   which   brought   her   little 

profit; for they talked in phrases which conveyed scarcely any idea 

to her。 The little which she could understand; however; appeared 

to   contradict   the     very   few   notions    she   had   entertained      on   the 

matter   before。   It   seemed   as   if  a   good   view   were   no  longer   to   be 

taken from the top of an high hill; and that a clear blue sky was no 

longer   a   proof   of   a   fine   day。   She   was  heartily   ashamed       of   her 

ignorance。 A misplaced shame。 Where people wish to attach; they 

should always be ignorant。 To come with a well…informed mind is 

to come with an inability of administering to the vanity of others; 

which   a   sensible   person   would   always   wish   to   avoid。   A   woman 

especially; if she have the misfortune of knowing anything; should 

conceal it as well as she can。 

    The   advantages   of   natural   folly   in   a   beautiful   girl   have   been 

already set forth by the capital pen of a sister author;—and to her 

treatment   of   the   subject   I   will   only   add;   in   justice   to   men;   that 

though to the larger and more trifling part of the sex; imbecility in 

females is a great enhancement of their personal charms; there is 

a portion of them too reasonable and too well informed themselves 



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to desire anything more in woman than ignorance。 But Catherine 

did   not   know   her   own   advantages—did   not   know   that   a          good… 

looking girl; with an affectionate heart and a very ignorant mind; 

cannot fail of attracting a clever young man; unless circumstances 

are particularly untoward。 In the present instance; she confessed 

and   lamented   her   want   of   knowledge:   declared   that   she   would 

give anything in the world to be able to draw; and a lecture on the 

picturesque immediately followed; in which his instructions were 

so clear that she soon began to see beauty in every thing admired 

by him; and her attention was so earnest that he became perfectly 

satisfied   of  her  having a   great  deal   of natural   taste。   He   talked   of 

fore…grounds;   distances;   and   second   distances—side…screens   and 

perspectives—lights and shades;—and Catherine was so hopeful a 

scholar     that   when     they   gained    the   top   of  Beechen      Cliff;  she 

voluntarily  rejected   the   whole   city   of   Bath   as   unworthy   to   make 

part   of   a   landscape。   Delighted   with   her   progress;   and   fearful   of 

wearying her with too much wisdom at  once;   Henry  suffered   the 

subject to decline; and by an easy transition from a piece of rocky 

fragment      and    the  withered     oak   which     he  had    placed   near    its 

summit; to oaks in general; to forests; the enclosure of them; waste 

lands;    crown     lands   and    government;      he   shortly   found     himself 

arrived at politics; and from politics; it was an easy step to silence。 

The general pause which succeeded his   short  disquisition  on   the 

state of the nation was put an end to by Catherine; who; in rather a 

solemn      tone   of  voice;  uttered    these    words;   “I  have    heard    that 

something very shocking indeed will soon come out in London。” 

    Miss Tilney; to whom this was chiefly addressed;  was startled; 

and hastily replied; “Indeed! And of what nature?” 

    “That I do not know; nor who is the author。 I have only heard 



Classics in Literature: Jane Austen                                          ElecBook 


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that it is to be more horrible than anything we have met with yet。” 

    “Good heaven! Where could you hear of such a thing?” 

    “A particular friend of mine had an account of it in a letter from 

London yesterday。 It is to be uncommonly dreadful。 I shall expect 

murder and every thing of the kind。” 

    “You     speak    with   astonishing     composure!       But   I  hope    your 

friend’s  accounts   have   been   exaggerated; and   if   such   a   design   is 

known beforehand; proper measures will undoubtedly be taken by 

government to prevent its coming to effect。” 

    “Government;” said Henry; endeavouring not to smile; “neither 

desires   nor   dares     to  interfere   in  such   matters。    There    must   be 

murder; and government cares not how much。” 

    The ladies stared。 He laughed; and added; “Come; shall I make 

you    understand       each    other;   or   leave   you    to  puzzle     out   an 

explanation as you can? No—I will be noble。 I will prove myself a 

man; no less by the generosity of my soul than the clearness of my 

head。   I   have   no   patience   with   such   of   my   sex   as   disdain   to   let 

themselves       sometimes      down     to  the   comprehension         of  yours。 

Perhaps      the  abilities   of  women     are   neither   sound     nor   acute— 

neither   vigorous   nor   keen。   Perhaps   they   may   want   observation; 

discernment; judgment; fire; genius; and wit。” 

    “Miss     Morland;     do   not   mind    what    he   says;   but   have    the 

goodness to satisfy me as to this dreadful riot。” 

    “Riot! What riot?” 

    “My    dear    Eleanor;    the  riot  is  only   in  your   own    brain。   The 

confusion   there   is   scandalous。   Miss   Morland   has   been   talking   of 

nothing more dreadful than a new publication which is shortly to 

come out; in three duodecimo volumes; two hundred and seventy… 

six pages in each; with a frontispiece to the first; of two tombstones 



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and a lantern—do you understand?—And you; Miss Morland—my 

stupid     sister   has   mistaken      all  your    clearest    expressions。      You 

talked   of   expected   horrors   in   London—and   instead   of   instantly 

conceiving;   as   any   rational   creature   would   have   done;   that   such 

words   could   relate   only   to   a   circulating  library;   she   immediately 

pictured to herself a mob of three thousand men assembling in St。 

George’s      Fields;   the   Bank   attacked;      the  Tower     threatened;      the 

streets   of   London   flowing   with   blood;   a   detachment   of   the   12th 

Light     Dragoons;       (the   hopes     of  the    nation;)    called    up    from 

Northampton         to   quell   the  insurgents;      and   the   gallant   Captain 

Frederick   Tilney;   in   the   moment   of   charging   at   the   head   of   his 

troop; knocked off his horse by a brickbat from an upper window。 

Forgive   her   stupidity。   The   fears   of   the   sister   have   added   to   the 

weakness   of   the   woman;   but   she   is   by   no   means   a   simpleton   in 

general。” 

    Catherine   looked   grave。   “And   now;   Henry;”   said   Miss   Tilney; 

“that you have  made   us   understand   each  other;   you  may  as   well 

make      Miss   Morland      understand       yourself—unless        you    mean    to 

have   her   think   you   intolerably   rude   to   your   sister;   and   a   great 

brute   in   your   opinion   of   women   in   general。   Miss   Morland   is   not 

used to your odd ways。” 

    “I   shall   be   most   happy   to   make     her   better   acquainted      with 

them。” 

    “No doubt;—but that is no explanation of the present。” 

    “What am I to do?” 

    “You     know      what    you    ought     to  do。   Clear    your    character 

handsomely before her。 Tell her that you think very highly of the 

understanding of women。” 

    “Miss Morland; I think very highly  of  the   understanding  of  all 



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the  women   in   the  world—especially  of  those—whoever  they  may 

be—with whom I happen to be in company。” 

    “That is not enough。 Be more serious。” 

    “Miss      Morland;      no    one    can    think    more     highly     of   the 

understanding   of   women   than   I   do。   In   my   opinion;   nature         has 

given the
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