half hour. But now, let us go and sit down at the other end of
the room, and enjoy ourselves. I have an hundred things to say
to you. In the first place, I was so afraid it would rain this
morning, just as I wanted to set off; it looked very showery, and
that would have thrown me into agonies! Do you know, I saw the
prettiest hat you can imagine, in a shop window in Milsom Street
just now -- very like yours, only with coquelicot ribbons instead
of green; I quite longed for it. But, my dearest Catherine, what
have you been doing with yourself all this morning? Have you gone
on with Udolpho?"

"Yes, I have been reading it ever since I woke; and I am got to
the black veil."

"Are you, indeed? How delightful! Oh! I would not tell you what
is behind the black veil for the world! Are not you wild to know?"

"Oh! Yes, quite; what can it be? But do not tell me -- I would
not be told upon any account. I know it must be a skeleton, I am
sure it is Laurentina's skeleton. Oh! I am delighted with the book!
I should like to spend my whole life in reading it. I assure you,
if it had not been to meet you, I would not have come away from it
for all the world."

"Dear creature! How much I am obliged to you; and when you have
finished Udolpho, we will read the Italian together; and I have
made out a list of ten or twelve more of the same kind for you."

"Have you, indeed! How glad I am! What are they all?"