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She then embraced her, and went on; Cecilia, at ato follow her

"And thus," cried she, when they were gone, "thus ends all my connection with this family! which it see a new proof of the insufficiency of situation to constitute happiness Who looks not upon mine as the perfection of human felicity?--And so, perhaps, it is, for it may be that Felicity and Humanity are never permitted to co upon the universality of misery, she restrained, at least, all violence of sorrow, though her spirits were dejected, and her heart was heavy

But the next day brought with it sohtened her sadness; Mrs Charlton, alo down stairs, and Cecilia had at least the satisfaction of seeing an happy conclusion to an illness of which, with the utret, she considered herself as the cause She attended her with thereally very thankful, endeavoured to appear happy, and flattered herself that, by continual effort, the appearance in a short time would become reality

Mrs Charlton retired early, and Cecilia accompanied her up stairs: and while she ith her, was informed that Mr Monckton was in the parlour

The various, afflicting, and uncoed since she last saw him, had almost wholly driven him from her remembrance, or when at any time he recurred to it, it was only to attribute the discontinuance of his visits to the offence she had given hi her London expedition

Full, therefore, of the , and fearful of his enquiries into disgraces he had nearly foretold, she heard hirin, and waited upon him in the s of Mr Monckton; he read in her countenance the dejection of disappointment, which impressed upon his heart the vivacity of hope: her evident shame was to him secret triumph, her ill-concealed sorrow revived all his expectations

She hastily began a conversation byit the e He knew but too well how her time had been occupied, and assured her the delay holly immaterial

He then led to an enquiry into the present situation of her affairs; but unable to endure a disquisition, which could only be productive of censure and , "Ask me not, I entreat you, Sir, any detail of what has passed,--the event has brought s that e all your wisdom, I am sensible of my own error, but the affair is wholly dropt, and the unhappy connection I was for is broken off for-ever!"