Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,
Your go-to podcast that offers you a calm and relaxing transition into a great night's sleep.
It is time to relax and fully let go.
There is nothing you need to be doing now,
And nowhere you need to go.
Close your eyes and feel yourself sink into the support beneath you and let all the worries of the day drift away.
This is your time and your space.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.
There is nothing you need to be doing now,
And nowhere you need to go.
Happy listening.
Chapter 11 Continued They passed bristly down Pulteney Street and through Laura Place without the exchange of many words,
Thorpe talked to his horse and Catherine meditated by turns on broken promises and broken arches,
Photons and false hangings.
As they entered Argyle Buildings,
However,
She was roused by this address from her companion,
Catherine,
Who is that girl who looked at you so hard as she went by?
Who,
Where?
Catherine was still concerned with her missed appointment with the Tilneys.
On the right-hand pavement,
Said Mr Thorpe,
She must be about out of sight now.
Catherine looked round and saw Miss Tilney leaning on her brother's arm,
Walking slowly down the street.
She saw them both looking back at her.
Stop,
Stop,
Mr Thorpe,
She impatiently cried.
It is Miss Tilney,
It is indeed.
How could you tell me they were gone?
I will get out this moment and go to them.
But to what purpose did she speak?
Mr Thorpe only lashed his horse into a brisker trot,
And the Tilneys,
Who had soon ceased to look after her,
Were in a moment out of sight round the corner of Laura Place,
And in another moment Catherine herself was whisked into the market place.
Still however,
Enduring the length of another street,
She treated him to stop.
Pray stop,
Mr Thorpe,
I cannot go on.
I will not go on.
I must go back to Miss Tilney.
But Mr Thorpe only laughed,
Smacked his whip,
Encouraged his horse,
Made odd noises and drove on.
Catherine,
Angry and vexed as she was,
Had no power of getting away,
And was obliged to give up the point and submit.
Her reproaches however were not spared.
How could you deceive me so,
Mr Thorpe?
How could you say that you saw them driving up Lansdowne Road?
I would not have had it happen so for the world.
They must think it so strange,
So rude of me,
To go by them too without saying a word.
You do not know how vexed I am.
I shall have no pleasure at Clifden nor in anything else.
I had rather ten thousand times rather get out now and walk back to them.
How could you say you saw them driving out in a Faton?
At this,
Thorpe defended himself very stoutly and declared he had never seen two men so much alike in his life,
And would hardly give up the point of it having been Tilney himself.
Their drive,
Even when this subject was over,
Was not likely to be very agreeable.
Catherine's complacence was no longer what it had been in their former airing.
She listened reluctantly and her replies were short.
Blay's Castle remained her only comfort.
Towards that she still looked at Intervals with pleasure,
Though rather than be disappointed of the promised walk,
And especially rather than be thought of ill by the Tilneys,
She would willingly have given up all the happiness which its walls could supply,
The happiness of being stopped in their way along narrow winding vaults,
And a long suite of lofty rooms exhibiting the remains of magnificent furniture,
Or even of having their lamp,
Their only lamp,
Extinguished by a sudden gust of wind,
And of being left in total darkness.
In the meanwhile they proceeded on their journey without any mischance,
And were within view of the town of Keynsham,
When a hello from Morland,
Who was behind them,
Made his friend pull up to know what was the matter.
The others then came close enough for conversation,
And Morland said,
We'd better go back,
Thorpe.
It's too late to go on to-day,
Your sister thinks so as well as I.
We've been exactly an hour coming from Pulteney Street,
Well,
Little more than seven miles,
And I suppose we've at least eight more to go.
It'll never do.
We set out a great deal too late.
We'd much better put it off till another day and turn round.
It is all one to me,
Replied Thorpe rather angrily,
And instantly turning his horse,
They were on their way back to Bath.
If your brother had not got such a beast of drive,
Said he soon afterwards,
He might have done it very well.
My horse would have trotted to Clifton within the hour if left to himself.
I've almost broke my arm with pulling him in to that cursed,
Broken,
Winded,
Jade's pace.
Morland is a fool for not keeping a horse and a gig of his own.
No,
He is not,
Said Catherine warmly,
And I'm sure he's not.
I'm sure he could not afford it.
And why cannot he afford it?
Because he has not money enough.
And whose fault is that?
Nobody's that I know of.
Mr Thorpe then said something in the loud,
Incoherent way to which he had often recourse,
About its being a silly thing to be miserly,
And that if people who rolled in money could not afford things,
He did not know who could,
Which Catherine did not even endeavour to understand.
Disappointed of what was to have been the consolation for her first disappointment,
She was less and less disposed either to be agreeable herself or to find her companion so,
And they returned to Pulteney Street without her speaking twenty words.
As she entered the house,
The fortman told her a gentleman and lady had called and inquired for her a few minutes after her setting off,
And that when he told them she was gone out with Mr Thorpe,
The lady had asked whether any message had been left for her,
And on his saying no,
Had felt for a card,
But she said she had none about her and went away.
Pondering over these heart-rending tidings,
Catherine walked slowly upstairs.
At the head of them she was met by Mr Allan,
Who,
On hearing the reason of their speedy return,
Said,
I'm glad your brother had so much sense.
I'm glad you've come back.
It was a strange,
Wild scheme.
They all spent the evening together at Thorpe's.
Catherine was disturbed and out of spirit,
But Isabella seemed to find a pool of commerce in the fate of which she shared,
By private partnership with Morland,
A very good equivalent for the quiet and country air of an inn at Clifton.
Her satisfaction,
Too,
In not being at the lower rooms was spoken more than once.
How I pity the poor creatures that are going there!
How glad I am!
That I am not amongst them.
I wonder whether it will be a full ball or not.
They've not been dancing yet.
I would not be there for all the world.
It's so delightful to have an evening now and then to oneself.
I dare say it will not be a very good ball.
I know the Mitchells will not be there.
I'm sure I pity everybody that is,
But I dare say,
Mr Morland,
You long to be at it,
Do you not?
I'm sure you do.
Well,
Pray do not let anybody hit me a restraint on you.
I dare say we could do very well without you,
But you men think yourselves of such consequence.
Catherine could almost have accused Isabella of being wanting in tenderness towards herself and her sorrows.
So very little did they appear to dwell on her mind,
And so very inadequate was the comfort she offered.
"'Do not be so dull,
My dearest creature,
' she whispered,
"'you will quite break my heart.
' It was amazingly shocking to be sure,
But the Tilneys were entirely to blame.
Why were they not more punctual?
It was dirty indeed,
But what did that signify?
I am sure John and I should not have minded it.
I never mind going through anything where a friend is concerned.
This is my disposition,
And John is just the same.
He has amazing strong feelings.
Good heaven,
What a delightful hand you've got.
Kings,
I vow.
I never was so happy in my life.
I would fifty times rather you should have them than myself.
And now may I dismiss my heroine to the sleepless couch,
Which is the true heroine's portion,
To a pillow strewed with thorns and wet with tears.
And lucky,
May she think herself,
If she get another good night's rest in the course of her next three months.
