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now chiefly anxious to avoid his sight, lest he should engage her
again; for though she could not, dared not expect that Mr. Tilney
should ask her a third time to dance, her wishes, hopes, and plans
all centred in nothing less. Every young lady may feel for my
heroine in this critical moment, for every young lady has at some
time or other known the same agitation. All have been, or at least
all have believed themselves to be, in danger from the pursuit of
someone whom they wished to avoid; and all have been anxious for
the attentions of someone whom they wished to please. As soon
as they were joined by the Thorpes, Catherine's agony began; she
fidgeted about if John Thorpe came towards her, hid herself as much
as possible from his view, and when he spoke to her pretended not
to hear him. The cotillions were over, the country-dancing beginning,
and she saw nothing of the Tilneys.
"Do not be frightened, my dear Catherine," whispered Isabella,
"but I am really going to dance with your brother again. I declare
positively it is quite shocking. I tell him he ought to be ashamed
of himself, but you and John must keep us in countenance. Make
haste, my dear creature, and come to us. John is just walked off,
but he will be back in a moment."
Catherine had neither time nor inclination to answer. The others
walked away, John Thorpe was still in view, and she gave herself
up for lost. That she might not appear, however, to observe
or expect him, she kept her eyes intently fixed on her fan; and
a self-condemnation for her folly, in supposing that among such
a crowd they should even meet with the Tilneys in any reasonable
time, had just passed through her mind, when she suddenly found
herself addressed and again solicited to dance, by Mr. Tilney
himself. With what sparkling eyes and ready motion she granted his
request, and with how pleasing a flutter of heart she went with him
to the set, may be easily imagined. To escape, and, as she believed,
so narrowly escape John Thorpe, and to be asked, so immediately on
his joining her, asked by Mr. Tilney, as if he had sought her on
purpose! -- it did not appear to her that life could supply any
greater felicity.
Scarcely had they worked themselves into the quiet possession of
a place, however, when her attention was claimed by John Thorpe,
who stood behind her. "Heyday, Miss Morland!" said he. "What is
the meaning of this? I thought you and I were to dance together."
"I wonder you should think so, for you never asked me."
"That is a good one, by Jove! I asked you as soon as I came into
the room, and I was just going to ask you again, but when I turned
round, you were gone! This is a cursed shabby trick! I only came
for the sake of dancing with you, and I firmly believe you were
engaged to me ever since Monday. Yes; I remember, I asked you
while you were waiting in the lobby for your cloak. And here have
I been telling all my acquaintance that I was going to dance with
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