Page 153 (1/1)

This was too terrible! and I instantly consolidated ratitude to my mother, into concessions and supplications to both; I could not, however, succeed; my mother was deeply offended, my father was sternly inexorable: nor here rests the evil of their dissention, for the violence of the conflict has occasioned a returnthan ever of the illness of my oing abroad; she is earnest to set off immediately; but Dr Lyster has advised her to make London in her way, and have a consultation of physicians before she departs

To this she has agreed; and we are now upon the road thither

Such is, at present, the melancholy state of ivemore decisive to say I could prevail upon neither party to meet before the journey; nor could I draw from my father the base fabricator of the calumnies by which he has been thus abused

Unhappily, I have nothing ence, such as this, or total suspense, would be least irksome, I know not If my mother bears her journey tolerably well, I have yet one more effort to make; and of that the success or the failure will be instantly communicated to Miss Beverley, by her eternally devoted, but half distracted

Mortimer Delvile

Scarcely could Cecilia herself decide whether this comfortless letter or none at all were preferable The i her character was still enerous vindication, joined to the invariable reliance of Delvile upon her innocence, conferred upon her an honour that offered soht Mr Monckton to her ness to think him capable of such treachery, could now root out her suspicions Delvile's temper, however, she kneas too impetuous to be trusted with this conjecture, and her fear of co thus seconded by prudence, she deterer be divulged

She communicated briefly to Henrietta, who looked her earnest curiosity, the continuance of her suspense; and to her own fate Henrietta became somewhat more reconciled, when she saw that no station in life rendered happiness certain or permanent