Northanger Abbey

"But now you love a hyacinth.  So much the better.  You have gained
a new source of enjoyment, and it is well to have as many holds
upon happiness as possible.  Besides, a taste for flowers is always
desirable in your sex, as a means of getting you out of doors, and
tempting you to more frequent exercise than you would otherwise
take.  And though the love of a hyacinth may be rather domestic,
who can tell, the sentiment once raised, but you may in time come
to love a rose?"

"But I do not want any such pursuit to get me out of doors.  The
pleasure of walking and breathing fresh air is enough for me, and
in fine weather I am out more than half my time.  Mamma says I am
never within."

"At any rate, however, I am pleased that you have learnt to love
a hyacinth.  The mere habit of learning to love is the thing; and
a teachableness of disposition in a young lady is a great blessing.
Has my sister a pleasant mode of instruction?"

Catherine was saved the embarrassment of attempting an answer by
the entrance of the general, whose smiling compliments announced
a happy state of mind, but whose gentle hint of sympathetic early
rising did not advance her composure.

The elegance of the breakfast set forced itself on Catherine's
notice when they were seated at table; and, lucidly, it had been
the general's choice.  He was enchanted by her approbation of his
taste, confessed it to be neat and simple, thought it right to
encourage the manufacture of his country; and for his part, to his
uncritical palate, the tea was as well flavoured from the clay of
Staffordshire, as from that of Dresden or Save.  But this was quite
an old set, purchased two years ago.  The manufacture was much
improved since that time; he had seen some beautiful specimens when
last in town, and had he not been perfectly without vanity of that
kind, might have been tempted to order a new set.  He trusted,
however, that an opportunity might ere long occur of selecting one
-- though not for himself.  Catherine was probably the only one of
the party who did not understand him.

Shortly after breakfast Henry left them for Woodston, where business
required and would keep him two or three days.  They all attended
in the hall to see him mount his horse, and immediately on re-entering
the breakfast-room, Catherine walked to a window in the hope of
catching another glimpse of his figure.  "This is a somewhat heavy
call upon your brother's fortitude," observed the general to Eleanor.
"Woodston will make but a sombre appearance today."

"Is it a pretty place?"  asked Catherine.

"What say you, Eleanor?  Speak your opinion, for ladies can best
tell the taste of ladies in regard to places as well as men.  I
think it would be acknowledged by the most impartial eye to have
many recommendations.  The house stands among fine meadows facing
the south-east, with an excellent kitchen-garden in the same aspect;
the walls surrounding which I built and stocked myself about ten
years ago, for the benefit of my son.  It is a family living, Miss
Morland; and the property in the place being chiefly my own, you
may believe I take care that it shall not be a bad one.  Did Henry's
income depend solely on this living, he would not be ill-provided
for.  Perhaps it may seem odd, that with only two younger children,
I should think any profession necessary for him; and certainly
there are moments when we could all wish him disengaged from every
tie of business.  But though I may not exactly make converts of you
young ladies, I am sure your father, Miss Morland, would agree with
me in thinking it expedient to give every young man some employment.
The money is nothing, it is not an object, but employment is the
thing.  Even Frederick, my eldest son, you see, who will perhaps
inherit as considerable a landed property as any private man in
the county, has his profession."

The imposing effect of this last argument was equal to his wishes.
The silence of the lady proved it to be unanswerable.

Something had been said the evening before of her being shown over
the house, and he now offered himself as her conductor; and though
Catherine had hoped to explore it accompanied only by his daughter,
it was a proposal of too much happiness in itself, under any
circumstances, not to be gladly accepted; for she had been already
eighteen hours in the abbey, and had seen only a few of its rooms.
The netting-box, just leisurely drawn forth, was closed with joyful
haste, and she was ready to attend him in a moment.  "And when they
had gone over the house, he promised himself moreover the pleasure
of accompanying her into the shrubberies and garden."  She curtsied
her acquiescence.  "But perhaps it might be more agreeable to
her to make those her first object.  The weather was at present
favourable, and at this time of year the uncertainty was very great
of its continuing so.  Which would she prefer?  He was equally at
her service.  Which did his daughter think would most accord with
her fair friend's wishes?  But he thought he could discern.  Yes,
he certainly read in Miss Morland's eyes a judicious desire of making
use of the present smiling weather.  But when did she judge amiss?
The abbey would be always safe and dry.  He yielded implicitly,
and would fetch his hat and attend them in a moment."  He left the
room, and Catherine, with a disappointed, anxious face, began to
speak of her unwillingness that he should be taking them out of
doors against his own inclination, under a mistaken idea of pleasing
her; but she was stopped by Miss Tilney's saying, with a little
confusion, "I believe it will be wisest to take the morning while
it is so fine; and do not be uneasy on my father's account; he
always walks out at this time of day."