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Cecilia was now left in a state of perturbation that was hardly to be endured The conte the whole visit was nothing short of insult, but the accusations hich it was concluded did not e prejudice had been taken against her, evenDelvile, the iven her reason to suppose: what that prejudice was she no, though how excited she was still ignorant; but she found Mr Delvile had been infor heard it was for Mr Harrel, and that he had been acquainted with her visits in Portland-street, without seees such as these, so serious in their nature, and so destructive of her character, filled her with horror and consternation, and even somewhat served to palliate his illiberal and injurious behaviour

But how reports thus false and thus disgraceful should be raised, and by what dark work of slander and nity they had been spread, remained a doubt inexplicable They could not, she was certain, be the mere rumour of chance, since in both the assertions there was some foundation of truth, however cruelly perverted, or basely over- charged

This led her to consider ho people there were not only who had interest, but who had power to propagate such calumnies; even her acquaintance with the Belfields she re, for she knew none of their friends, and none of her own knew them How, then, should it be circulated, that she "visited often at the house?" however be invented that it was fro ood and too innocent to be guilty of such perfidy; and the young man himself had always shewn a modesty and propriety that manifested his total freedom from the vanity of such a suspicion, and an elevation of sentiht him to scorn the boast, even if he believed the partiality

The mother, however, had neither been so modest nor so rational; she had openly avowed her opinion that Cecilia was in love with her son; and as that son, by never offering himself, had never been refused, her opinion had received no check of sufficient force, for a e it

This part, therefore, of the charge she gave to Mrs Belfield, whose officious and loquacious forwardness she concluded had induced her to narrate her suspicions, till, step by step, they had reached Mr Delvile