Northanger Abbey

The Allens share with Catherine their plans to stay in Bath for another three weeks, and she is happy to have more time with Henry. When she tells Eleanor about the extended stay, Eleanor disappoints her with the news that the General only plans to stay another week in Bath. Before they can discuss it further, the General himself enters the room and asks Eleanor if she asked Catherine her question yet. Eleanor says she has not yet gotten to, so the General asks if Catherine would like to join Eleanor at Northanger Abbey, their home in Gloucestershire. He says that even though they live a simple life there, he would be most honored to host her. Catherine is overjoyed and writes to her parents immediately to get their permission. Once granted, she is very excited to spend more time with the Tilneys and by the fact that their home is an old building just like what she imagines her gothic novels are set in. She asks Eleanor many questions about the abbey, but she is too excited to really hear her answers.

Catherine runs into Isabella at the Pump-room. They have not seen one another in a few days; Catherine was so busy preparing for her trip to Northanger Abbey that she did not miss Isabella much at all. Isabella behaves strangely; she watches the doors as people enter. Catherine jokes that Isabella does not need to watch the entry so impatiently, since James will return to Bath soon enough. Isabella is not looking for James, though, as she says she does not want to cling to him. She insists she is only looking around absent-mindedly. Isabella pulls Catherine aside and tells her that John sent her a letter asking for her help convincing Catherine to marry him. Catherine is shocked to hear John is apparently in love with her, and Isabella scolds her for feigning ignorance. Catherine says she knows that Isabella knows she has feelings for Henry, not John. She says they will still be sisters when Isabella marries James, to which Isabella responds, “there are more ways than one of our being sisters” (118). Isabella says John must have gotten carried away by Catherine’s flirting, but Catherine denies she ever led John on intentionally or accidentally. Isabella does not really listen, but she says young men are the most inconstant people ever in their affections, and she quotes something Frederick said to her: “there is nothing people are so often deceived in, as the state of their own affections” (119).

Almost as soon as Isabella mentions Frederick, the man himself walks into the Pump-room. Isabella assures Catherine that he will probably not even notice them, but she watches him intently as he approaches. Frederick sits directly beside Isabella and he flirts with her, saying he wishes she was not engaged. Catherine feels uncomfortable and suggests she and Isabella go for a walk. Isabella claims to be tired and that she must wait for her sisters, so Catherine leaves Frederick and Isabella alone together. Although she feels uneasy about doing so, she cannot bear to sit and listen to Isabella flirt with another man while being engaged to James. Catherine tries to rationalize Isabella’s behavior but still feels uneasy. Catherine thinks about John’s apparent love for her, and she does not feel flattered by his affection at all. She hopes the subject never comes up again.

Over the next few days, Catherine watches as Isabella publicly flirts with Frederick in the same way she flirted with James. Isabella’s behavior upsets Catherine, but she is still sure her friend would never intentionally encourage another man’s affections. Catherine pities Frederick, believing him to be unaware of the fact that Isabella is engaged to James; she fears he will be so disappointed when he learns the truth. She keeps dropping hints to Isabella, but she ignores Catherine and continues flirting.

Catherine learns Frederick will stay in Bath when the rest of the Tilneys return to Northanger Abbey. Catherine asks Henry to tell Frederick of Isabella’s engagement, but he says Frederick already knows. When she asks if the General should intervene and make Frederick leave Bath with the rest of the family, Henry replies that Frederick knows what he is doing and that men are not offended by another man’s admiration of their betrothed. Henry offers many reasons for Frederick and Isabella’s flirtation, including the possibility that James knows they are flirting and does not mind. He also assures her that Frederick is in fact leaving Bath only a few days after they are, claiming he imagines Isabella and James will laugh about the flirtation when it ends. Catherine finds his explanations comforting. Before she leaves for Northanger Abbey, Catherine visits Isabella. At their meeting, Isabella speaks more affectionately about Catherine than she does about James.