Austen Said:

you the finest girl in Bath.”

with the servant whose neglect had reduced her to open the door of the apartment herself.

if she would do his daughter the honour of dining and spending the rest of the day with her.

he could say no more; the claims of Mr. and Mrs. Allen were not to be superseded; but on some other day he trusted, when longer notice could be given, they would not refuse to spare her to her friend.

the elasticity of her walk, which corresponded exactly with the spirit of her dancing,

His greatcoat, instead of being brought for him to put on directly, was spread out in the curricle in which he was to accompany his son. The middle seat of the chaise was not drawn out, though there were three people to go in it, and his daughter’s maid had so crowded it with parcels that Miss Morland would not have room to sit;

“the day was fine, and he was anxious for her seeing as much of the country as possible.”

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 notice

within twenty minutes of five!

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:

though as careless on such subjects as most people, he did look upon a tolerably large eating-room as one of the necessaries of life;

“that she must have been used to much better-sized apartments at Mr. Allen’s?”

Why, as he had such rooms, he thought it would be simple not to make use of them; but, upon his honour, he believed there might be more comfort in rooms of only half their size. Mr. Allen’s house, he was sure, must be exactly of the true size for rational happiness.

for his part, to his uncritical palate, the tea was as well flavoured from the clay of Staffordshire, as from that of Dresden or Save. But this was quite an old set, purchased two years ago. The manufacture was much improved since that time; he had seen some beautiful specimens when last in town, and had he not been perfectly without vanity of that kind, might have been tempted to order a new set. He trusted, however, that an opportunity might ere long occur of selecting one — though not for himself.

“And when they had gone over the house, he promised himself moreover the pleasure of accompanying her into the shrubberies and garden.”

“But perhaps it might be more agreeable to her to make those her first object. The weather was at present favourable, and at this time of year the uncertainty was very great of its continuing so. Which would she prefer? He was equally at her service. Which did his daughter think would most accord with her fair friend’s wishes? But he thought he could discern. Yes, he certainly read in Miss Morland’s eyes a judicious desire of making use of the present smiling weather. But when did she judge amiss? The abbey would be always safe and dry. He yielded implicitly, and would fetch his hat and attend them in a moment.”

“without any ambition of that sort himself — without any solicitude about it — he did believe them to be unrivalled in the kingdom. If he had a hobby-horse, it was that. He loved a garden. Though careless enough in most matters of eating, he loved good fruit — or if he did not, his friends and children did. There were great vexations, however, attending such a garden as his. The utmost care could not always secure the most valuable fruits. The pinery had yielded only one hundred in the last year. Mr. Allen, he supposed, must feel these inconveniences as well as himself.”

he could do the same, for he never entered his, without being vexed in some way or other, by its falling short of his plan.

“How were Mr. Allen’s succession-houses worked?”

“The rays of the sun were not too cheerful for him, and he would meet them by another course.”

He would follow them in a quarter of an hour.

a strict charge against taking her friend round the abbey till his return.

the real drawing-room, used only with company of consequence.

with the addition of the kitchen, the six or seven rooms she had now seen surrounded three sides of the court,

she was treading what had once been a cloister,

if he had a vanity, it was in the arrangement of his offices;

to a mind like Miss Morland’s, a view of the accommodations and comforts, by which the labours of her inferiors were softened, must always be gratifying, he should make no apology for leading her on.

ventured to hope that henceforward some of their earliest tenants might be

whither she were going? — And what was there more to be seen? — Had not Miss Morland already seen all that could be worth her notice? — And did she not suppose her friend might be glad of some refreshment after so much exercise?

The latter was not going to retire.

the friend of his daughter,

making Miss Morland’s time at Northanger pass pleasantly.

the sameness of every day’s society and employments would disgust her with the place,

the Lady Frasers had been in the country,

of having a large party to dinner,

But then it was such a dead time of year, no wild-fowl, no game, and the Lady Frasers were not in the country.

when he next went to Woodston, they would take him by surprise there some day or other, and eat their mutton with him.

any necessity should rob him even for an hour of Miss Morland’s company,

Miss Morland’s departure,

to think of her no more.

if he knew more of her than her name.

Allen