Is how many people seem to be able to toss off an excuse for this behavior! I have found more than a couple scenes so far in this book that I cannot write off as silliness in the young people. Isabella and John are really not very nice people, no matter how you paint them. It is one thing to be naive and young, like Catherine. But Isabella and John have some serious character problems. I think their poor characters provide an excellent contrast to Catherine's innocence, but it is vexing indeed to read about it!