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A letter at once so caressing, yet so absolute, forced its way to her heart, in spite of the fortitude she had flattered herself was its guard In giving up Delvile she was satisfied of the propriety of seeing him no more, and convinced that even to talk of him would be folly and imprudence; but to be told that for the future they ers to the existence of each other--there seeour, that was insupportable

"Oh what," cried she, "is human nature! in its best state how imperfect! that a woman such as this, so noble in character, so elevated in sentiment, with heroism to sacrifice to her sense of duty the happiness of a son, ith joy she would die to serve, can herself be thus governed by prejudice, thus enslaved, thus subdued by opinion!" Yet never, even when rief was uner, and her tears streamed not from resentment, but affliction The situation of Mrs Delvile, however different, she considered to be as wretched as her own She read, therefore, with sadness, but not bitterness, her farewell, and received not with disdain, but with gratitude, her synation was not irritated, her sufferings were doubled, by a farewell so kind, yet so despotic, a sympathy so affectionate, yet so hopeless

In this first indulgence of grief which she had granted to her disappointentleht leave his naht for answer, that he believed his name was unknown to her, and desired to see her now, unless she was employed in some matter of moment She then put up her letter, and went into the parlour; and there, to her infinite amazement, beheld Mr Albany

"How little, Sir," she cried, "did I expect this pleasure"

"This pleasure," repeated he, "do you call it?--what strange abuse of words! what causeless trifling with honesty! is language of no purpose but to wound the ear with untruths? is the gift of speech only granted us to pervert the use of understanding? I can give you no pleasure, I have no power to give it any one; you can give none to me-the whole world could not invest you with the means!"

"Well, Sir," said Cecilia, who had little spirit to defend herself, "I will not vindicate the expression, but of this I will unfeignedly assure you, I alad to see you just now, as I should be to see anybody"