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"What consolation," cried the weeping Cecilia, "can I give? Alas! it is not, perhaps, you who most want it!--"

Here the door was opened by one of the Miss Charltons, who carand thus surprised with Delvile, and in tears, waited not either to make any excuse to him, or any answer to Miss Charlton, but instantly hurried out of the room;--not, however, to her old friend, whom now less than ever she could ence of grief was succeeded by the severest examination of her own conduct

A retrospection of this sort rarely brings id sincerity of secret ier is our reason than our virtue, so her our sense of duty than our performance!

All she had done she now repented, all she had said she disapproved; her conduct, seldoht, was now infinitely below theet for a while the afflictions which had iven way in the presence of Delvile, though their total separation but the moment before had been finally decreed, she considered as a weak effusion of tenderness, injurious to delicacy, and censurable by propriety "His power over my heart," cried she, "it were now, indeed, too late to conceal, but his power overit is time to cancel I am not to be his, --my own voice has ratified the renunciation, and since I made it to his mother, it must never, without her consent, be invalidated Honour, therefore, to her, and regard for myself, equally command ht"

When Delvile, therefore, sent up an entreaty that he ain admitted into her presence, she returned for answer that she was not well, and could not see any body

He then left the house, and, in a fewnote from him

To Miss Beverley You drive me from you, Cecilia, tortured with suspense, and distracted with apprehension, you drive, but that I saw you were unhappy; I would reproach you with tyranny, but that your eyes when you quitted o, therefore, I obey the harsh mandate, since my absence is your desire, and I will shut myself up at Biddulph's till I receive your commands Yet disdain not to reflect that every instant will seem endless, while Cecilia must appear to me unjust, or wound my very soul by the recollection of her in sorrow MORTIMER DELVILE