With more than usual eagerness did Catherine hasten to the pump-room the next day, secure within herself of seeing Mr. Tilney there before the morning were over, and ready to meet him with a smile; but no smile was demanded -- Mr. Tilney did not appear. Every creature in Bath, except himself, was to be seen in the room at different periods of the fashionable hours; crowds of people were every moment passing in and out, up the steps and down; people whom nobody cared about, and nobody wanted to see; and he only was absent. "What a delightful place Bath is," said Mrs. Allen as they sat down near the great clock, after parading the room till they were tired; "and how pleasant it would be if we had any acquaintance here."
This sentiment had been uttered so often in vain that Mrs. Allen had no particular reason to hope it would be followed with more advantage now; but we are told to "despair of nothing we would attain," as "unwearied diligence our point would gain"; and the unwearied diligence with which she had every day wished for the same thing was at length to have its just reward, for hardly had she been seated ten minutes before a lady of about her own age, who was sitting by her, and had been looking at her attentively for several minutes, addressed her with great complaisance in these words: "I think, madam, I cannot be mistaken; it is a long time since I had the pleasure of seeing you, but is not your name Allen?" This question answered, as it readily was, the stranger pronounced hers to be Thorpe; and Mrs. Allen immediately recognized the features of a former schoolfellow and intimate, whom she had seen only once since their respective marriages, and that many years ago. Their joy on this meeting was very great, as well it might, since they had been contented to know nothing of each other for the last fifteen years. Compliments on good looks now passed; and, after observing how time had slipped away since they were last together, how little they had thought of meeting in Bath, and what a pleasure it was to see an old friend, they proceeded to make inquiries and give intelligence as to their families, sisters, and cousins, talking both together, far more ready to give than to receive information, and each hearing very little of what the other said. Mrs. Thorpe, however, had one great advantage as a talker, over Mrs. Allen, in a family of children; and when she expatiated on the talents of her sons, and the beauty of her daughters, when she related their different situations and views -- that John was at Oxford, Edward at Merchant Taylors', and William at sea -- and all of them more beloved and respected in their different station than any other three beings ever were, Mrs. Allen had no similar information to give, no similar triumphs to press on the unwilling and unbelieving ear of her friend, and was forced to sit and appear to listen to all these maternal effusions, consoling herself, however, with the discovery, which her keen eye soon made, that the lace on Mrs. Thorpe's pelisse was not half so handsome as that on her own.
"Here come my dear girls," cried Mrs. Thorpe, pointing at three smart-looking females who, arm in arm, were then moving towards her. "My dear Mrs. Allen, I long to introduce them; they will be so delighted to see you: the tallest is Isabella, my eldest; is not she a fine young woman? The others are very much admired too, but I believe Isabella is the handsomest."
The Miss Thorpes were introduced; and Miss Morland, who had been for a short time forgotten, was introduced likewise. The name seemed to strike them all; and, after speaking to her with great civility, the eldest young lady observed aloud to the rest, "How excessively like her brother Miss Morland is!"
"The very picture of him indeed!" cried the mother -- and "I should have known her anywhere for his sister!" was repeated by them all, two or three times over. For a moment Catherine was surprised; but Mrs. Thorpe and her daughters had scarcely begun the history of their acquaintance with Mr. James Morland, before she remembered that her eldest brother had lately formed an intimacy with a young man of his own college, of the name of Thorpe; and that he had spent the last week of the Christmas vacation with his family, near London.
The whole being explained, many obliging things were said by the Miss Thorpes of their wish of being better acquainted with her; of being considered as already friends, through the friendship of their brothers, etc., which Catherine heard with pleasure, and answered with all the pretty expressions she could command; and, as the first proof of amity, she was soon invited to accept an arm of the eldest Miss Thorpe, and take a turn with her about the room. Catherine was delighted with this extension of her Bath acquaintance, and almost forgot Mr. Tilney while she talked to Miss Thorpe. Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.
Their conversation turned upon those subjects, of which the free discussion has generally much to do in perfecting a sudden intimacy between two young ladies: such as dress, balls, flirtations, and quizzes. Miss Thorpe, however, being four years older than Miss Morland, and at least four years better informed, had a very decided advantage in discussing such points; she could compare the balls of Bath with those of Tunbridge, its fashions with the fashions of London; could rectify the opinions of her new friend in many articles of tasteful attire; could discover a flirtation between any gentleman and lady who only smiled on each other; and point out a quiz through the thickness of a crowd. These powers received due admiration from Catherine, to whom they were entirely new; and the respect which they naturally inspired might have been too great for familiarity, had not the easy gaiety of Miss Thorpe's manners, and her frequent expressions of delight on this acquaintance with her, softened down every feeling of awe, and left nothing but tender affection. Their increasing attachment was not to be satisfied with half a dozen turns in the pump-room, but required, when they all quitted it together, that Miss Thorpe should accompany Miss Morland to the very door of Mr. Allen's house; and that they should there part with a most affectionate and lengthened shake of hands, after learning, to their mutual relief, that they should see each other across the theatre at night, and say their prayers in the same chapel the next morning. Catherine then ran directly upstairs, and watched Miss Thorpe's progress down the street from the drawing-room window; admired the graceful spirit of her walk, the fashionable air of her figure and dress; and felt grateful, as well she might, for the chance which had procured her such a friend.
Mrs. Thorpe was a widow, and not a very rich one; she was a good-humoured, well-meaning woman, and a very indulgent mother. Her eldest daughter had great personal beauty, and the younger ones, by pretending to be as handsome as their sister, imitating her air, and dressing in the same style, did very well.
This brief account of the family is intended to supersede the necessity of a long and minute detail from Mrs. Thorpe herself, of her past adventures and sufferings, which might otherwise be expected to occupy the three or four following chapters; in which the worthlessness of lords and attornies might be set forth, and conversations, which had passed twenty years before, be minutely repeated.
第二天，凯瑟琳怀着异常殷切的心情，赶到矿泉厅，心想准能在午前见到蒂尔尼先生，准备对他笑脸相迎。哪知她根本用不着陪笑脸----蒂尔尼先生没露面。到了热闹的时候。巴思的人除他以外，都陆陆续续来到了矿泉厅。每时每刻，都有一群群的人走进走出，在台阶上走上走下。这是些谁也不介意、谁也不想见的人们。唯独他没来。“巴思真是个可爱的地方，”艾伦太太说道。这时，两位女士在大厅里逛累了，便挨近大钟坐了下来。我们要是这儿有个熟人。那该有多快活。”
对此艾伦太太不知道感叹过多少回了，总是白搭，所以她没有特殊理由认为，这次会交上好运。但是常言道：“凡事不要灰心”，“孜孜不倦便能达到目的”。艾伦太太每天孜孜不倦地抱着这个希望，最后总会如愿以偿的。且说她坐下不到十分钟，只见旁边坐着一位与她年纪相仿的女人，已经专心致志地盯着她瞧了好一阵。随即便彬彬有礼地同她搭话：“我想，太太，我不会看错人吧。我很久以前荣幸地见过你，你不是艾伦太太吗？”。艾伦太太连忙称是，那位生客说她姓索普。艾伦太太一瞧那面孔，马上认出她是自己过去的同窗挚友，各自出嫁后仅仅见过一面，而且还是多年前的事情。这次重逢，真把两人高兴坏了。不过这也难怪，因为她们已有十五年互无音讯了。两人先是恭维了一番彼此的容貌，接着便说起上次分别后时间过得真快，万万没想到会在巴思相遇，旧友重逢有多高兴呀。随后又谈起了家人、姐妹和表姐妹的情况，简直是问的问，答的答，两张嘴巴一起动，谁都想说不想听，结果谁也没听见对方说些什么话。不过，索普太太家里有一大帮孩子，说起话来比艾伦太太占便宜。她大讲特讲她儿子们的才干，女儿们的美貌，叙说着各自的职业和志向，约翰在牛津，爱德华在商裁公学，威廉从事航海，兄弟三个在各自的岗位上备受爱戴和尊敬。很少有人能比得上他们。艾伦太太没有类似的内容可说，没有类似得意的事情向她的朋友灌输，因此她的朋友也不用勉勉强强、将信将疑地来听她的。艾伦太太迫不得已，只好坐在那里，仿佛一字不漏地静聆她那做母亲的絮聒。不过，使她感到聊以自慰的是，她那敏锐的眼睛很快发现，索普太太那件长裙上的花边还赶不上自己的一半漂亮。
“瞧，我的几个宝贝女儿来了。”索普太太大声嚷道，一面用手指着三个模样俏丽的姑娘，她们手挽着手，正朝索普太太走来。
“亲爱的艾伦太太，我正渴望着介绍她们，她们会十分高兴见到你的。个子最高的是伊莎贝拉，我的大女儿。难道不是个漂亮姑娘吗？另外两个也很受人羡慕，不过，我认为还是伊莎贝拉最漂亮。”
三位索普小姐介绍过后，暂时被抛在一边的莫兰小姐也给作了介绍。索普母女听到莫兰这个姓，似乎都愣住了。那位大小姐彬彬有礼地同她谈了几句之后，便高声对其他人说道：“莫兰小姐真像她哥哥!”
“简直跟她哥哥长得一模一样！”索普太太嚷道。母女几个一而再再而三地重复道：“莫兰小姐无论在哪儿，我都能认出是她妹妹！”一时间，凯瑟琳感到很惊异。但是，索普太太和她女儿刚开始叙说她们同詹姆斯·莫兰先生的认识经过，她便猛然记起，她大哥最近和一个姓索普的同学来往很密切，他这次圣诞节放假，最后—周就是在伦敦附近他们家里度过的。
整个事情解释清楚以后、三位索普家的小姐说了不少亲切的话语，希望同莫兰小姐加深交往。希望由于双方兄长间的友谊，彼此能一见如故等等。凯瑟琳听了十分高兴，搬出了脑子里所有的动听言语来回答。为了初次表示亲热，索普大小姐马上邀请莫兰小姐挽着她的臂，在矿泉厅里兜了一圈。凯瑟琳在巴思又多了几个相识，不觉有些得意，同索普小组攀谈时，险些忘了蒂尔尼先生。友谊无疑是对情场失意的最好安慰。
她们谈论的是这样一些话题，在这些话题上畅所欲言，一般能促使两位年轻小姐骤然形成的友谊日臻完善——什么衣着啊，舞会啊，调情啊，嬉戏啊，不一而足。索普小姐比莫兰小姐大四岁，起码比她多四年的见识，因而谈论起这些话题来，明显占了上风。她可以把巴思的舞会同坦布里奇的舞会相比较；把巴思的风尚同伦敦的风尚相比较；可以纠正她这位新朋友对许多时髦服装的看法；可以从任何一对男女的相互一笑中发现儿女私情；可以透过水泄不通的人群指出谁在嬉闹。这些本领对凯瑟琳来说完全是陌生的，自然使她很钦佩。这股油然而生的钦佩之情，险些使凯瑟琳感觉有些敬而远之，幸亏索普小姐性情快活，谈吐大方，一再表示结识她很高兴，因而使她消除了一切敬畏之感，剩下的只是一片深情厚意。两人越来越投契，在矿泉厅转悠了五六圈之后，仍然依依不舍，索普小姐索性把莫兰小姐送到艾伦先生的寓所门口。当她们得知晚上还要在剧院里见面，第二天早晨还要到同一座教堂做礼拜时，相互才感到欣慰，亲呢地握了半天手才告别。随即，凯瑟琳直奔楼上，从客厅窗口望着索普小姐顺街而去，对她那优雅的步履、袅娜的体态和入时的装束，艳羡不已。有机结识这样一位朋友，她理所当然感到庆幸。
索普太太是个寡妇，家境不很富裕。她性情和悦，心地善良，对子女十分溺爱。她的大女儿长得很美，两个小女儿装作与姐姐一样漂亮，学着她的神态，作着同样的装扮，倒也颇有姿色。
我们对这家子人作个简要的介绍，为的是不必让索普太太自己罗罗嗦嗦地说个没完没了。她过去的那些经历和遭遇，细说起来要占据三四章的篇幅，那样一来，势必要详尽叙说那些王公贵族及代理人的卑劣行径，详尽复述二十年前的一些谈话内容。