JANE AUSTEN: Northanger Abbey Remember to support your ideas with details from the writing. Read this extract, and then answer the question that follows it: 'Yes, yes,' (with a blush) ‘there are more ways than one of our being sisters. – But where am I wandering to? – Well, my dear Catherine, the case seems to be, that you are determined against poor John – is not it so?' 'I certainly cannot return his affection, and as certainly never meant to encourage it.' 'Since that is the case, I am sure I shall not tease you any further. John desired me to speak to you on the subject, and therefore I have. But I confess, as soon as I read his letter, I thought it a very foolish, imprudent business, and not likely to promote the good of either; for what were you to live upon, supposing you came together? You have both of you something to be sure, but it is not a trifle that will support a family now-a-days; and after all that romancers may say, there is no doing without money. I only wonder John could think of it; he could not have received my last.' 'You do acquit me then of anything wrong? – You are convinced that I never meant to deceive your brother, never suspected him of liking me till this moment?' 'Oh! as to that,' answered Isabella laughingly, 'I do not pretend to determine what your thoughts and designs in time past may have been. All that is best known to yourself. A little harmless flirtation or so will occur, and one is often drawn on to give more encouragement than one wishes to stand by. But you may be assured that I am the last person in the world to judge you severely. All those things should be allowed for in youth and high spirits. What one means one day, you know, one may not mean the next. Circumstances change, opinions alter.' 'But my opinion of your brother never did alter; it was always the same. You are describing what never happened.' 'My dearest Catherine, continued the other without at all listening to her, 'I would not for all the world be the means of hurrying you into an engagement before you knew what you were about. I do not think anything would justify me in wishing you to sacrifice all your happiness merely to oblige my brother, because he is my brother, and who perhaps after all, you know, might be just as happy without you, for people seldom know what they would be at, young men especially, they are so amazingly changeable and inconstant. What I say is, why should a brother’s happiness be dearer to me than a friend’s? You know I carry my notions of friendship pretty high. But, above all things, my dear Catherine, do not be in a hurry. Take my word for it, that if you are in too great a hurry, you will certainly live to repent it. Tilney says, there is nothing people are so often deceived in, as the state of their own affections, and I believe he is very right. Ah! here he comes; never mind, he will not see us, I am sure.' Catherine, looking up, perceived Captain Tilney; and Isabella, earnestly fixing her eye on him as she spoke, soon caught his notice. He approached immediately, and took the seat to which her movements invited him. His first address made Catherine start. Though spoken low, she could distinguish, 'What! always to be watched, in person or by proxy!' 'Psha, nonsense!' was Isabella's answer in the same half whisper. 'Why do you put such things into my head? If I could believe it my spirit, you know, is pretty independent.' 'I wish your heart were independent. That would be enough for me.' 'My heart, indeed! What can you have to do with hearts? You men have none of you any hearts.' 'If we have not hearts, we have eyes; and they give us torment enough.' 'Do they? I am sorry for it; I am sorry they find anything so disagreeable in me. I will look another way. I hope this pleases you, (turning her back on him,) I hope your eyes are not tormented now.' 'Never more so; for the edge of a blooming cheek is still in view at once too much and too little.' Catherine heard all this, and quite out of countenance could listen no longer. [from Chapter 18] In what ways does Austen make this such a revealing and significant moment in the novel?

1. In what ways does Austen make this such a revealing and significant moment in the novel?[25]