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"Speak it," cried she, "with confidence! speak it even with certainty of success! I will be wholly undisguised, and openly, honestly own to you, that no proposal, no sacrifice can be ree, if first it has had the approbation of Mrs Delvile"
Delvile's gratitude and thanks for a concession never before so voluntarily made to hi himself And now, for the first time, Cecilia's sincerity was chearful, since now, for the first time, it seemed opposed by no duty
When still, therefore, he hesitated, she herself held out her hand to hie to you?"
"For htedly receiving it; "but oh, how soon will you withdraw it, when the only tern froht and inheritance?"
Cecilia, not co him, only looked amazed, and he proceeded
"Can you, for my sake, make such a sacrifice as this? can you for a ive up yourself the fortune of your late uncle? consent to such settlements as I can make upon you from my own? part with so splendid an income wholly and for-ever?--and with only your paternal L10,000 condescend to become mine, as if your uncle had never existed, and you had been Heiress to no other wealth?"
This, indeed, was a stroke to Cecilia unequalled by any she had met, and more cruel than any she could have in reserve At the proposal of parting with her uncle's fortune, which, desirable as it was, had as yet been only productive to her of misery, her heart, disinterested, and wholly careless of money, was prompt to accede to the condition; but at the mention of her paternal fortune, that fortune, of which, now, not the se remained, horror seized all her faculties! she turned pale, she trembled, she involuntarily drew back her hand, and betrayed, by speechless agitation, the sudden agonies of her soul!
Delvile, struck by this evident disusted her He waited so her silence continued while her emotion encreased, the deepest crih not daring to confess his disappointment, he suddenly quitted her, and walked, insome composure, from the assistance of pride, "Pardon, madam," he said, "a trial such as no ed a roment disapproves, and I receive but the mortification my presumption deserved"