- That night, Catherine and the Allens attend the theater with the Thorpes.
- Catherine is disappointed that Henry isn't there.
- But Henry's mysterious disappearing act lends him an aura of intrigue that Catherine finds attractive.
- Mrs. Allen is now really happy that she knows people in Bath and says so, repeatedly.
- Isabella and Catherine bond rapidly and do things like read novels together and walk arm in arm. If friendship bracelets existed back then, they'd totally make some.
- The narrator gives us a spiel on novels. Other novels tend to bash novels even though they are novels. It's confusing.
- Novels are considered corrupting material for impressionable young female minds, so heroines in novels typically don't read novels themselves.
- Our narrator takes issue with this and goes on a satirical rant against commentators who bash the novel and apologetic novelists.
- Novels, says our narrator, are interesting and entertaining. They are also relevant. And the best thing since sliced bread.