Northanger Abbey

Ibaptisethee, Catherine,

in the name ofthe Father,

and the Son...

-..and the Holy Ghost...

No-one who had ever seen

Catherine Morland in her infancy

would have supposed her

born to be a heroine.

Her situation in life,

the character of her

father and mother,

and her own person

and disposition,

were all equally against her.

A family of ten children,

of course,

will always be called

a fine family,

where there are heads and arms

and legs enough for the number.

But the Morlands were,

in general, very plain,

and Catherine, for many years

of her life,as plain as any.

Neither was it very wonderful

that Catherine, who had, by nature,

nothing heroic about her,

should prefer cricket and

baseball to dolls and books.

But by the age of 1 5,

appearances were mending.

Catherine Morland was

in training for a heroine.

Yes!.

Whoo!. Whoo!.

You know,our Catherine has

turned out rather well.

-Come on, Catherine,let's carry on.

-No, later. Later.

She's quite a good-looking girl.

Well, she is almost pretty today.

And she has grown

very fond of reading of late.

I wonder if it can be good for her,

my dear,to read quite so many novels?.

Why ever not?.

What could be a more innocent or harmless

pastime for a young girl than reading?.

"He was interrupted by a noise in the

passage leading to the room.

It approached. The door was unlocked. A man

entered, dragging behind him a beautiful girl,

her features bathed in tears

and suffering the utmost distress. "

Take her!. Convey her where

I shall never see her more!.

Cathy!.

What are you doing?.

Nothing.

What do you want, anyway?.

Mr and Mrs Allen are here.Mother says

you have to come straight away.

No, said Dr Malleson, no other place will do

so well for a gouty constitution like Mr Allen's.

No other place will do so well for...

Ooh!

..for squandering money.

Oh, fie, Mr Allen!

You know you love

to see me happy.

-And thinking of that...

-Catherine is young to go.

But with Mr and Mrs Allen for

protection,I see no danger in it.

She's a good girl.

I think we can trust her.

Why, Catherine,

how you've grown!

Quite the young lady,

isn't she, Mr Allen?.

Mr and Mrs Allen come with

an invitation, Catherine.

We would like you to accompany

us to Bath for a time.

For when a young lady

is to be a heroine,

something must and will happen

to throw adventure in her way.

"A tumult of emotions stirred in the

bosom of Adeline. Fear gripped her heart,

that, at any moment,

ruffians would fly upon the carriage

and return her to the ignominy

of her captive state. "

Ya!

Whoa!

My God, Mrs Allen!

Ohh!

Argh!

Aaaargh!

Whoa! Steady there!

- Come on!

- Not long now.

Come on!

Pulteney Street is not quite

the smartest address,

but, for myself,

I love to be at the centre of things.

So do l!

There's a little peach

that's ripe for plucking.

So many people!

I wonder who they can be,

and what their stories are.

Hardly worth knowing, I should say,

if they choose to roam the streets

when they could be sitting at home

by a good fire.

Oh! Mr Allen is so droll.

He always says the opposite of what

he means,for he loves good company.

When shall we go

into society, Mrs Allen?.

I suppose it is too

late this evening?.

Bless you, my child,we neither

of us have a stitch to wear.

I did bring my best frock,and my

pink muslin is not too bad, I think.

No, no, no!

Would you have us

laughed out of Bath?.

Resign yourself, Catherine.

Shops must be visited.

Money must be spent.

Do you think you

could bear it?.

Very easily, sir.

- That's it.

- My lady.

And more.

That's the last, madam.

There.

MRS ALLEN:
Did you ever

see anything prettier,Mr Allen?.

Other than yourself,

do you mean, my dear?.

Oh, fie, Mr Allen!

-But Catherine...

-Ah, she looks just as she should.

Now...might we make our way,

do you think?.

I entertain high hopes of our

arriving at the rooms by midnight.

How he teases us, Catherine.

Midnight, indeed!

Whoa! Whoa, whoa! Whoa, there!

- Stay.

- Good evening, sir.

This way. Mind how you go now, sir.

This way, ladies.

Heidi! Good to see you!

Sedley!

Sedley! There you are!

Is there anyone here?.

Not a soul, John!

There's no-one here at all!

What could he mean?.

If I might just... Thank you.

Excuse me.

Card room, I think.

- Mr Allen!

- See you later, my love.

Come this way, Catherine.

Oh!

Pardon me, miss.

Excuse me.

Perhaps we should go

through to the tea room.

Mmm.

Quick - there are two places!

How uncomfortable it is

not to know anybody.

Yes, my dear,

very uncomfortable indeed.

But then, you see, one can't speak to

people unless one has been introduced.

- But who will introduce us?.

- I'm sure I've no idea.

I don't know. Mother

and daughter, I'd guess.

Had we not better go away?.

There are no tea things for us,

and I think we are unwelcome here.

Yes, it's most disagreeable.

I wish we had

a large acquaintance here.

I wish we had any.

Mrs Allen.

-Ooh! Have a care, sir!

-A thousand apologies, ma'am.

Catherine, do take this pin out of my

sleeve.It was not your fault,sir.

Allow me, ma'am.

Thank you kindly, sir.

Though I'm afraid it's

torn a hole already.

There. Nothing too

disastrous, ma'am.

I shall be sorry if it has,

for it's a favourite gown.

-Really, Mrs Allen, one would hardly notice.

-Though it cost but nine shillings a yard.

Nine shillings?.

-That is exactly what I should have guessed.

-Do you understand muslins, sir?.

I understand them very well.

My sister has often entrusted me

in the choice of a gown.

I bought one for her only the other day.

Five shillings a yard, and a true lndian

muslin. What do you make of that?.

Well!

And I can never get Mr Allen

to tell one of my gowns from another.

But tell me, sir, what do you think

of Miss Morland's gown?.

Miss Morland's gown...

Miss Morland's gown

is very pretty.

Though I don't think

it will wash well.

I am afraid it will fray.

How can you be so...?.

Presumptuous?. Indeed.

Without so much as an introduction.

You must allow me to make amends, Mrs Allen.

Gentlemen.

- Thank you.

- Very kind indeed.

One moment.

What a very...

Really, I shouldn't have allowed you

to speak to him, as a stranger.

But he had such an

understanding of muslin.

I wonder where he's gone.

Here he comes again. And he

has brought Mr King with him.

The Master of Ceremonies himself!

Mrs Allen.

Miss Morland.

Allow me to present

to you Mr Henry T:ilney,

just lately arrived in Bath.

Mrs Allen, Miss Morland.

Delighted to make

your acquaintance.

Mr King.

Now we may talk to one another.

But we've already been talking.

You mustn't allow anyone

to hear you say such things,

or we shall all be expelled

from polite society.

Let it be our secret.

And now, if your card is not

already full,Miss Morland,

might I request the pleasure

of the next dance with you?.

With me?.

Thank you.

Forgive me, I have been very remiss

in the proper attentions of a partner.

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