Austen Said:

“I certainly cannot return his affection, and as certainly never meant to encourage it.”

“Since that is the case, I am sure I shall not tease you any further. John desired me to speak to you on the subject, and therefore I have. But I confess, as soon as I read his letter, I thought it a very foolish, imprudent business, and not likely to promote the good of either; for what were you to live upon, supposing you came together? You have both of you something, to be sure, but it is not a trifle that will support a family nowadays; and after all that romancers may say, there is no doing without money. I only wonder John could think of it; he could not have received my last.”

“You do acquit me, then, of anything wrong? — You are convinced that I never meant to deceive your brother, never suspected him of liking me till this moment?”

“Oh! As to that,”

“I do not pretend to determine what your thoughts and designs in time past may have been. All that is best known to yourself. A little harmless flirtation or so will occur, and one is often drawn on to give more encouragement than one wishes to stand by. But you may be assured that I am the last person in the world to judge you severely. All those things should be allowed for in youth and high spirits. What one means one day, you know, one may not mean the next. Circumstances change, opinions alter.”

“But my opinion of your brother never did alter; it was always the same. You are describing what never happened.”

“My dearest Catherine,”

“I would not for all the world be the means of hurrying you into an engagement before you knew what you were about. I do not think anything would justify me in wishing you to sacrifice all your happiness merely to oblige my brother, because he is my brother, and who perhaps after all, you know, might be just as happy without you, for people seldom know what they would be at, young men especially, they are so amazingly changeable and inconstant. What I say is, why should a brother’s happiness be dearer to me than a friend’s? You know I carry my notions of friendship pretty high. But, above all things, my dear Catherine, do not be in a hurry. Take my word for it, that if you are in too great a hurry, you will certainly live to repent it.

Tilney says

and I believe he is very right. Ah! Here he comes; never mind, he will not see us, I am sure.”

“Psha, nonsense!”

“Why do you put such things into my head? If I could believe it — my spirit, you know, is pretty independent.”

“My heart, indeed! What can you have to do with hearts? You men have none of you any hearts.”

“Do they? I am sorry for it; I am sorry they find anything so disagreeable in me. I will look another way. I hope this pleases you”

“I hope your eyes are not tormented now.”

she should join Mrs. Allen,

their walking.

Captain Tilney was falling in love with Isabella, and Isabella unconsciously encouraging him; unconsciously it must be, for Isabella’s attachment to James was as certain and well acknowledged as her engagement. To doubt her truth or good intentions was impossible; and yet, during the whole of their conversation her manner had been odd.

Isabella had talked more like her usual self, and not so much about money, and had not looked so well pleased at the sight of Captain Tilney. How strange that she should not perceive his admiration!

give her a hint of it,

put her on her guard, and prevent all the pain which her too lively behaviour might otherwise create both for him and her brother.

That he should think it worth his while to fancy himself in love with her

Isabella talked of his attentions; she had never been sensible of any; but Isabella had said many things which she hoped had been spoken in haste, and would never be said again;

Isabella could not be aware of the pain she was inflicting;

He might be jealous of her brother as a rival, but if more had seemed implied, the fault must have been in her misapprehension.

his brother’s evident partiality for Miss Thorpe,

him to make known her prior engagement.

“Does he? Then why does he stay here?”

“Why do not you persuade him to go away? The longer he stays, the worse it will be for him at last. Pray advise him for his own sake, and for everybody’s sake, to leave Bath directly. Absence will in time make him comfortable again; but he can have no hope here, and it is only staying to be miserable.”

“Then you will persuade him to go away?”

“No, he does not know what he is about,”

“he does not know the pain he is giving my brother. Not that James has ever told me so, but I am sure he is very uncomfortable.”

“Yes, very sure.”

“Is not it the same thing?”

“Isabella is wrong. But I am sure she cannot mean to torment, for she is very much attached to my brother. She has been in love with him ever since they first met, and while my father’s consent was uncertain, she fretted herself almost into a fever. You know she must be attached to him.”

“Oh! no, not flirts. A woman in love with one man cannot flirt with another.”

“Then you do not believe Isabella so very much attached to my brother?”

“But what can your brother mean? If he knows her engagement, what can he mean by his behaviour?”

“Am I? I only ask what I want to be told.”

“Yes, I think so; for you must know your brother’s heart.”

Well?”

“Well,”

“you may be able to guess at your brother’s intentions from all this; but I am sure I cannot. But is not your father uncomfortable about it? Does not he want Captain Tilney to go away? Sure, if your father were to speak to him, he would go.”

Henry Tilney must know best.

never to think so seriously on the subject again.

the inquietude of his mind, on Isabella’s account, might, by keeping him long sleepless, have been the real cause of his rising late.

he could not propose anything improper for her;

a curricle was the prettiest equipage in the world; the chaise and four wheeled off with some grandeur, to be sure, but it was a heavy and troublesome business,

Henry drove so well — so quietly — without making any disturbance, without parading to her, or swearing at them:

so different from the only gentleman-coachman whom it was in her power to compare him with!