Page 140 (1/1)

"Indeed," replied Cecilia, extremely embarrassed, it is impossible for me to conjecture"

"If you can't, I am sure, then, it is no wonder I can't! and I have been thinking of a s in ain the world of any business; and it can't be about o to our house in town about him, and there he would see him himself; and it can't be about my dear Miss Beverley, because then he would have written the note to her and it can't be about any body else, because I know nobody else of his acquaintance"

Thus went on the sanguine Henrietta, settling whom and what it could not be about, till she left but the one thing to which her wishes pointed that it could be about Cecilia heard her with true coinations the most pernicious; yet unable to kno to quell them, while in such doubt and darkness herself

This conversation was soon interrupted, by a ed to speak with Miss Belfield

"O dearest, dearest Miss Beverley!" cried Henrietta, with encreasing agitation, "what in the world shall I say to hile word!"

"Impossible, my dear Henrietta, unless I knehat he would say to you!"

"O but I can guess, I can guess!"--cried she, her cheeks glowing, while her whole frame shook, "and I sha'n't knohat in the whole world to answer hirace myself sadly!"

Cecilia, truly sorry Delvile should see her in such eh never less tranquil herself But she could not succeed, and she went down stairs with expectations of happiness almost too potent for her reason

Not such were those of Cecilia; a dread of so tortured with struggles, so lately restored to serenity!

Henrietta soon returned, but not the salow, the hope, the flutter were all over; she looked pale and wan, but atte, as she entered the room, to call up a smile, she failed, and burst into tears

Cecilia threw her arms round her neck, and tried to console her; but, happy to hide her face in her bosorief, and rather melted than comforted by her tenderness, sobbed aloud