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as you can? No -- I will be noble. I will prove myself a man, no
less by the generosity of my soul than the clearness of my head. I
have no patience with such of my sex as disdain to let themselves
sometimes down to the comprehension of yours. Perhaps the abilities
of women are neither sound nor acute -- neither vigorous nor keen.
Perhaps they may want observation, discernment, judgment, fire,
genius, and wit."

"Miss Morland, do not mind what he says; but have the goodness to
satisfy me as to this dreadful riot."

"Riot! What riot?"

"My dear Eleanor, the riot is only in your own brain. The confusion
there is scandalous. Miss Morland has been talking of nothing more
dreadful than a new publication which is shortly to come out, in
three duodecimo volumes, two hundred and seventy-six pages in each,
with a frontispiece to the first, of two tombstones and a lantern
-- do you understand? And you, Miss Morland -- my stupid sister
has mistaken all your clearest expressions. You talked of expected
horrors in London -- and instead of instantly conceiving, as any
rational creature would have done, that such words could relate
only to a circulating library, she immediately pictured to herself
a mob of three thousand men assembling in St. George's Fields, the
Bank attacked, the Tower threatened, the streets of London flowing
with blood, a detachment of the Twelfth Light Dragoons (the hopes
of the nation) called up from Northampton to quell the insurgents,
and the gallant Captain Frederick Tilney, in the moment of charging
at the head of his troop, knocked off his horse by a brickbat from
an upper window. Forgive her stupidity. The fears of the sister
have added to the weakness of the woman; but she is by no means a
simpleton in general."

Catherine looked grave. "And now, Henry," said Miss Tilney, "that
you have made us understand each other, you may as well make Miss
Morland understand yourself -- unless you mean to have her think
you intolerably rude to your sister, and a great brute in your
opinion of women in general. Miss Morland is not used to your odd
ways."

"I shall be most happy to make her better acquainted with them."

"No doubt; but that is no explanation of the present."

"What am I to do?"

"You know what you ought to do. Clear your character handsomely
before her. Tell her that you think very highly of the understanding
of women."

"Miss Morland, I think very highly of the understanding of all the
women in the world -- especially of those -- whoever they may be
-- with whom I happen to be in company."

"That is not enough. Be more serious."

"Miss Morland, no one can think more highly of the understanding
of women than I do. In my opinion, nature has given them so much
that they never find it necessary to use more than half."

"We shall get nothing more serious from him now, Miss Morland. He
is not in a sober mood. But I do assure you that he must be entirely

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