Austen Said:

“I do not think I should be tired, if I were to stay here six months.”

“Well, other people must judge for themselves, and those who go to London may think nothing of Bath. But I, who live in a small retired village in the country, can never find greater sameness in such a place as this than in my own home; for here are a variety of amusements, a variety of things to be seen and done all day long, which I can know nothing of there.”

“Yes, I am. I have always lived there, and always been very happy. But certainly there is much more sameness in a country life than in a Bath life. One day in the country is exactly like another.”

“Do I?”

“I do not believe there is much difference.”

“And so I am at home — only I do not find so much of it. I walk about here, and so I do there; but here I see a variety of people in every street, and there I can only go and call on Mrs. Allen.”

“Oh! Yes. I shall never be in want of something to talk of again to Mrs. Allen, or anybody else. I really believe I shall always be talking of Bath, when I am at home again — I do like it so very much. If I could but have Papa and Mamma, and the rest of them here, I suppose I should be too happy! James’s coming (my eldest brother) is quite delightful — and especially as it turns out that the very family we are just got so intimate with are his intimate friends already. Oh! Who can ever be tired of Bath?”

“Oh!”

“Oh!”

“How handsome a family they are!”

she might find nobody to go with her,

“I shall like it,”

“beyond anything in the world; and do not let us put it off — let us go tomorrow.”

it would not.

“Remember — twelve o’clock,”

A bright morning so early in the year,

would generally turn to rain, but a cloudy one foretold improvement as the day advanced.

“Oh! dear, I do believe it will be wet,”

“No walk for me today,”

“but perhaps it may come to nothing, or it may hold up before twelve.”

“Oh! That will not signify; I never mind dirt.”

“It comes on faster and faster!”

“There are four umbrellas up already. How I hate the sight of an umbrella!”

“It was such a nice-looking morning! I felt so convinced it would be dry!”

if it still kept on raining another five minutes, she would give up the matter as hopeless.

“I do not quite despair yet. I shall not give it up till a quarter after twelve. This is just the time of day for it to clear up, and I do think it looks a little lighter. There, it is twenty minutes after twelve, and now I shall give it up entirely. Oh! That we had such weather here as they had at Udolpho, or at least in Tuscany and the south of France! — the night that poor St. Aubin died! — such beautiful weather!”

“Isabella, my brother, and Mr. Thorpe, I declare! They are coming for me perhaps — but I shall not go — I cannot go indeed, for you know Miss Tilney may still call.”

“Make haste! Make haste!”

“Put on your hat this moment — there is no time to be lost — we are going to Bristol. How d’ye do, Mrs. Allen?”

“To Bristol! Is not that a great way off? But, however, I cannot go with you today, because I am engaged; I expect some friends every moment.”

“My sweetest Catherine, is not this delightful? We shall have a most heavenly drive. You are to thank your brother and me for the scheme; it darted into our heads at breakfast-time, I verily believe at the same instant; and we should have been off two hours ago if it had not been for this detestable rain. But it does not signify, the nights are moonlight, and we shall do delightfully. Oh! I am in such ecstasies at the thoughts of a little country air and quiet! So much better than going to the Lower Rooms. We shall drive directly to Clifton and dine there; and, as soon as dinner is over, if there is time for it, go on to Kingsweston.”

“I doubt our being able to do so much,”

“You croaking fellow!”

“We shall be able to do ten times more. Kingsweston! Aye, and Blaize Castle too, and anything else we can hear of; but here is your sister says she will not go.”

“Blaize Castle!”

“What is that’?”

“The finest place in England — worth going fifty miles at any time to see.”

“What, is it really a castle, an old castle?”

“The oldest in the kingdom.”

“But is it like what one reads of?”

“Exactly — the very same.”

“But now really — are there towers and long galleries?”

“By dozens.”

“Then I should like to see it; but I cannot — I cannot go.

“Not go! My beloved creature, what do you mean’?”

“I cannot go, because”

“I expect Miss Tilney and her brother to call on me to take a country walk. They promised to come at twelve, only it rained; but now, as it is so fine, I dare say they will be here soon.”

“Not they indeed,”

“for, as we turned into Broad Street, I saw them — does he not drive a phaeton with bright chestnuts?”

“I do not know indeed.”