Austen Said:

Isabella now entered the room with so eager a step, and a look of such happy importance, as engaged all her friend’s notice.

Maria was without ceremony sent away, and Isabella, embracing Catherine, thus began:

Catherine replied only by a look of wondering ignorance.

continued the other,

Catherine’s understanding began to awake: an idea of the truth suddenly darted into her mind; and, with the natural blush of so new an emotion, she cried out,

This bold surmise, however, she soon learnt comprehended but half the fact. The anxious affection, which she was accused of having continually watched in Isabella’s every look and action, had, in the course of their yesterday’s party, received the delightful confession of an equal love.

Never had Catherine listened to anything so full of interest, wonder, and joy.

New to such circumstances, the importance of it appeared unspeakably great, and she contemplated it as one of those grand events, of which the ordinary course of life can hardly afford a return. The strength of her feelings she could not express; the nature of them, however, contented her friend.

was their first effusion,

and the fair ladies mingled in embraces and tears of joy.

Delighting, however, as Catherine sincerely did in the prospect of the connection, it must be acknowledged that Isabella far surpassed her in tender anticipations.

This was a pitch of friendship beyond Catherine.

continued Isabella,

Here

Catherine secretly acknowledged

for, though exceedingly fond of her brother, and partial to all his endowments, she had never in her life thought him handsome.

Catherine felt that

but ashamed of an ignorance little expected, she dared no longer contest the point, nor refuse to have been as full of arch penetration and affectionate sympathy as Isabella chose to consider her. Her brother, she found, was preparing to set off with all speed to Fullerton, to make known his situation and ask consent; and here was a source of some real agitation to the mind of Isabella.

Catherine

endeavoured to persuade her, as she was herself persuaded,

that

said she,

replied Isabella;

Here Catherine again discerned the force of love.

This charming sentiment, recommended as much by sense as novelty, gave Catherine a most pleasing remembrance of all the heroines of her acquaintance; and she thought her friend never looked more lovely than in uttering the grand idea.

was her frequent declaration;

said Isabella,

cried Catherine.

A reverie succeeded this conviction — and when Isabella spoke again, it was to resolve on the quality of her wedding-gown.

Their conference was put an end to by the anxious young lover himself, who came to breathe his parting sigh before he set off for Wiltshire. Catherine wished to congratulate him, but knew not what to say, and her eloquence was only in her eyes. From them, however, the eight parts of speech shone out most expressively, and James could combine them with ease. Impatient for the realization of all that he hoped at home, his adieus were not long; and they would have been yet shorter, had he not been frequently detained by

the urgent entreaties

of his fair one

that

Twice was he called almost from the door by her eagerness to have him gone.

The two friends, with hearts now more united than ever, were inseparable for the day; and in schemes of sisterly happiness the hours flew along.

Mrs. Thorpe and her son,

who were acquainted with everything, and who seemed only to want Mr. Morland’s consent,

to consider

were allowed to join their counsels, and add their quota of significant looks and mysterious expressions to fill up the measure of curiosity to be raised in the unprivileged younger sisters. To Catherine’s simple feelings, this odd sort of reserve seemed neither kindly meant, nor consistently supported; and its unkindness she would hardly have forborne pointing out, had its inconsistency been less their friend; but Anne and Maria soon set her heart at ease by the sagacity of their

and the evening was spent in a sort of war of wit, a display of family ingenuity, on one side in the mystery of an affected secret, on the other of undefined discovery, all equally acute.

Catherine was with her friend again the next day, endeavouring to support her spirits and while away the many tedious hours before the delivery of the letters; a needful exertion, for as the time of reasonable expectation drew near, Isabella became more and more desponding, and before the letter arrived, had worked herself into a state of real distress. But when it did come, where could distress be found?

were the first three lines, and in one moment all was joyful security.

The brightest glow was instantly spread over Isabella’s features, all care and anxiety seemed removed, her spirits became almost too high for control, and she called herself without scruple the happiest of mortals.

Mrs. Thorpe, with tears of joy, embraced her daughter, her son, her visitor, and could have embraced half the inhabitants of Bath with satisfaction. Her heart was overflowing with tenderness.

It was

and

at every word;

must immediately be made sharers in their felicity; and two

at once before the name of Isabella were not more than that beloved child had now well earned.

John himself was no skulker in joy.