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suspicions！ And； when she saw him in the evening；
while she worked with her friend； slowly pacing the
drawing…room for an hour together in silent thoughtfulness；
with downcast eyes and contracted brow； she felt secure
from all possibility of wronging him。 It was the air
and attitude of a Montoni！ What could more plainly speak
the gloomy workings of a mind not wholly dead to every
sense of humanity； in its fearful review of past scenes
of guilt？ Unhappy man！ And the anxiousness of her spirits
directed her eyes towards his figure so repeatedly；
as to catch Miss Tilney's notice。 〃My father；〃
she whispered； 〃often walks about the room in this way；
it is nothing unusual。〃
〃So much the worse！〃 thought Catherine； such ill…timed
exercise was of a piece with the strange unseasonableness
of his morning walks； and boded nothing good。
After an evening； the little variety and seeming
length of which made her peculiarly sensible of Henry's
importance among them； she was heartily glad to be dismissed；
though it was a look from the general not designed for
her observation which sent his daughter to the bell。
When the butler would have lit his master's candle； however；
he was forbidden。 The latter was not going to retire。
〃I have many pamphlets to finish；〃 said he to Catherine；
〃before I can close my eyes； and perhaps may be poring over
the affairs of the nation for hours after you are asleep。
Can either of us be more meetly employed？ My eyes will
be blinding for the good of others； and yours preparing
by rest for future mischief。〃
But neither the business alleged； nor the magnificent
compliment； could win Catherine from thinking that some
very different object must occasion so serious a delay
of proper repose。 To be kept up for hours； after the family
were in bed； by stupid pamphlets was not very likely。
There must be some deeper cause： something was to be done
which could be done only while the household slept；
and the probability that Mrs。 Tilney yet lived； shut up
for causes unknown； and receiving from the pitiless
hands of her husband a nightly supply of coarse food；
was the conclusion which necessarily followed。
Shocking as was the idea； it was at least better than
a death unfairly hastened； as； in the natural course
of things； she must ere long be released。 The suddenness
of her reputed illness； the absence of her daughter；
and probably of her other children； at the timeall favoured
the supposition of her imprisonment。 Its originjealousy
perhaps； or wanton crueltywas yet to be unravelled。
In revolving these matters； while she undressed；
it suddenly struck her as not unlikely that she might
that morning have passed near the very spot of this
unfortunate woman's confinementmight have been within a few
paces of the cell in which she languished out her days；
for what part of the abbey could be more fitted for the
purpose than that which yet bore the traces of monastic
division？ In the high…arched passage； paved with stone；
which already she had trodden with peculiar awe；
she well remembered the doors of which the general
had given no account。 To what might not those doors
lead？ In support of the plausibility of this conjecture；
it further occurred to her that the forbidden gallery；
in which lay the apartments of the unfortunate Mrs。 Tilney；
must be； as certainly as her memory could guide her；
exactly over this suspected range of cells； and the staircase
by the side of those apartments of which she had caught
a transient glimpse； communicating by some secret means
with those cells； might well have favoured the barbarous
proceedings of her husband。 Down that staircase she
had perhaps been conveyed in a state of well…prepared
insensibility！
Catherine sometimes started at the boldness of her
own surmises； and sometimes hoped or feared that she had
gone too far； but they were supported by such appearances
as made their dismissal impossible。
The side of the quadrangle； in which she supposed
the guilty scene to be acting； being； according to
her belief； just opposite her own； it struck her that；
if judiciously watched； some rays of light from the
general's lamp might glimmer through the lower windows；
as he passed to the prison of his wife； and； twice before
she stepped into bed； she stole gently from her room to the
corresponding window in the gallery； to see if it appeared；
but all abroad was dark； and it must yet be too early。
The various ascending noises convinced her that the
servants must still be up。 Till midnight； she supposed
it would be in vain to watch； but then； when the clock
had struck twelve； and all was quiet； she would； if not
quite appalled by darkness； steal out and look once more。
The clock struck twelveand Catherine had been half
an hour asleep。
CHAPTER 24
The next day afforded no opportunity for the proposed
examination of the mysterious apartments。 It was Sunday；
and the whole time between morning and afternoon service
was required by the general in exercise abroad or eating
cold meat at home； and great as was Catherine's curiosity；
her courage was not equal to a wish of exploring them
after dinner； either by the fading light of the sky between
six and seven o'clock； or by the yet more partial though
stronger illumination of a treacherous lamp。 The day was
unmarked therefore by anything to interest her imagination
beyond the sight of a very elegant monument to the memory
of Mrs。 Tilney； which immediately fronted the family pew。
By that her eye was instantly caught and long retained；
and the perusal of the highly strained epitaph； in which every
virtue was ascribed to her by the inconsolable husband；
who must have been in some way or other her destroyer；
affected her even to tears。
That the general； having erected such a monument；
should be able to face it； was not perhaps very strange；
and yet that he could sit so boldly collected within its view；
maintain so elevated an air； look so fearlessly around；
nay； that he should even enter the church； seemed wonderful
to Catherine。 Not； however； that many instances of beings
equally hardened in guilt might not be produced。 She could
remember dozens who had persevered in every possible vice；
going on from crime to crime； murdering whomsoever
they chose； without any feeling of humanity or remorse；
till a violent death o