Page:Austen - Northanger Abbey. Persuasion, vol. I, 1818.djvu/240

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tress. The stage could no longer excite genuine merriment—no longer keep her whole attention. Every other look upon an average was directed towarde the opposite box; and, for the space of two entire scenes, did she thus watch Henry Tilney, without being once able to catch his eye. No longer could he be suspected of indifference for a play; his notice was never withdrawn from the stage during two whole scenes. At length, however, he did look towards her, and he bowed—but such a bow! no smile, no continued observance attended it; his eyes were immediately returned to their former direction. Catherine was restlessly miserable; she could almost have run round to the box in which he sat, and forced him to hear her expla-

nation.