Washington Square
Why does Catherine refuse to promise her dying father never to marry Morris Townsend, even though she does refuse Townsend's final proposal?
In Chapter 33, at the end of Dr. Sloper's life, many years after Townsend has deserted Catherine, Dr. Sloper presses and presses her to promise never to marry Townsend. Catherine does not declare that she still wants to marry Townsend. In fact, she says truthfully that she very seldom thinks of him. But she will neither promise nor explain. Why?