Symmetry (2)

Remember that odd authorial allusion to the carriage that might whisk Catherine away.

From the latter circumstance it may be presumed that, whatever might be our heroine’s opinion of him, his [Captain Tilney's] admiration of her was not of a very dangerous kind; not likely to produce animosities between the brothers, nor persecutions to the lady. He cannot be the instigator of the three villains in horsemen’s greatcoats, by whom she will hereafter be forced into a traveling–chaise and four, which will drive off with incredible speed.

Well, she does get whisked away in the novel; she gets whisked away three times.

The first time is when John Thorpe lies to her about seeing the Tilney's heading away in a carriage and then ignores Catherine's pleas to stop. The three villains in that case are John and Isabella Thorpe and her own brother.

The second time is when she makes the trip to Northanger in an actual chaise and four. The rip is slow and boring. The three "villains" are Henry Tilney, Eleanor Tilney and the General.

The third time is at the end of the book when the General arrives and unceremoniously sends Catherine packing. Unfortunately, we don't get three neat villains to tie it up here.

It's not perfectly symmetrical but the cryptic comment happens in the centre of the book and a little off exactly between the first and third carriage rides.