Northanger Abbey (rewritten)

Chapter 4

With great anticipation, Catherine hurried to the Pump Room the next day, fully expecting to see Mr. Tilney there before the morning was over and ready to greet him with a smile. However, to her disappointment, Mr. Tilney was nowhere to be seen. Everyone in Bath, except him, seemed to be present in the room at various times during the fashionable hours, with crowds of people constantly coming and going, but he remained conspicuously absent. Mrs. Allen remarked, as they rested near the great clock after parading the room until they were tired, "What a delightful place Bath is, and how much more enjoyable it would be if we had some acquaintances here."

This sentiment had been expressed so many times without success that Mrs. Allen had little reason to believe it would have a different outcome now. However, we are told to "despair of nothing we would attain," and that "unwearied diligence our point would gain." Mrs. Allen had diligently wished for the same thing every day, and finally, her wish was about to be fulfilled. Within ten minutes of their seating themselves, a lady of approximately the same age, who had been studying Mrs. Allen attentively for some time, addressed her in a very courteous manner, saying, "I think, madam, I cannot be mistaken. It's been a long time since I had the pleasure of seeing you, but your name is Allen, is it not?"

Once this question was answered, the stranger introduced herself as Mrs. Thorpe, and Mrs. Allen immediately recognized her as a former school friend and close companion, whom she had only met once since their respective marriages, many years ago. The joy of this unexpected reunion was profound, as they had lived contentedly without knowledge of each other for the last fifteen years. They exchanged compliments on their appearance and reminisced about how time had passed since they had last met and how little they had thought of meeting in Bath. The pleasure of seeing an old friend was much cherished, and they eagerly began sharing family news, including information about their sisters and cousins.

Their conversation was a delightful mix of inquiries and updates, with both ladies more eager to give than to receive information, and each of them hearing only snippets of what the other said. Mrs. Thorpe had an advantage over Mrs. Allen as a talker, due to her lively family with children, and she enthusiastically expounded on the talents of her sons and the beauty of her daughters. She described their various situations, with John at Oxford, Edward at Merchant Taylors', and William at sea, all of them more beloved and respected in their different roles than any other three people had ever been. Mrs. Allen had no similar tales to share, and she was left to sit and listen to these maternal boasts. However, she consoled herself by noting that the lace on Mrs. Thorpe's pelisse was not as fine as her own.

"Here come my dear girls!" Mrs. Thorpe exclaimed, pointing to three fashionable young women walking arm in arm toward them. "My dear Mrs. Allen, I can't wait to introduce them to you; they'll be so delighted to meet you. The tallest one is Isabella, my eldest. Isn't she a lovely young woman? The others are much admired as well, but I believe Isabella is the most beautiful."

The Miss Thorpes were introduced, and Catherine, who had momentarily been forgotten, was introduced as well. The name Morland seemed to catch their attention, and the eldest sister remarked to the others, "Miss Morland looks exceedingly like her brother."

"The spitting image of him!" her mother declared. "I would recognize her as his sister anywhere!" The comment was repeated several times by everyone present. For a brief moment, Catherine was bewildered, but Mrs. Thorpe and her daughters had barely started sharing their history with Mr. James Morland when Catherine remembered that her eldest brother had recently formed a friendship with a young man from his college named Thorpe. He had spent the last week of the Christmas vacation with the Thorpe family near London.

With the mystery resolved, the Miss Thorpes shared warm expressions of their desire to get to know her better, to be considered friends through the friendship between their brothers, and so on. Catherine was pleased with this expansion of her Bath circle and almost forgot about Mr. Tilney as she chatted with Isabella. Indeed, friendship is a wonderful remedy for the heartache of disappointed love.

Their conversation naturally revolved around subjects that often foster quick intimacy between young ladies: clothing, dances, flirtations, and amusing anecdotes. Isabella, being four years older than Miss Morland and better informed, had a significant advantage in discussing these topics. She compared the balls of Bath with those of Tunbridge, the fashions of Bath with those of London, corrected her new friend's opinions on various aspects of fashion, and pointed out flirtations and humorous situations among the crowd. Catherine, to whom these discussions were entirely new, admired Isabella's expertise and listened with great admiration. The respect she naturally felt for Isabella might have prevented familiarity if it were not for her easy, cheerful manners and her frequent expressions of delight in her new acquaintance, which softened any feelings of awe and left nothing but affection.

Their attachment grew, and after several turns around the Pump Room, it was decided that Isabella would accompany Catherine to Mr. Allen's door. There, they said a fond and lengthy farewell and shook hands, relieved to learn that they would see each other across the theater that night and share the same chapel for morning prayers. Catherine then rushed upstairs and watched Isabella's progress down the street from the drawing-room window, admiring her graceful walk, fashionable figure, and dress. She was immensely grateful for the chance to make such a friend.

Mrs. Thorpe was a widow, though not a wealthy one, and a good-natured, well-meaning woman who was an indulgent mother. Her eldest daughter possessed great beauty, and her younger daughters, by imitating their sister's manner and dressing similarly, managed to appear as attractive as she was.

This brief description of the Thorpe family is intended to save readers from a lengthy account from Mrs. Thorpe herself about her past experiences and hardships. This would otherwise involve the reader in hearing about the worthlessness of lords and attorneys, and in the repetition of conversations that occurred twenty years ago.