Page 206 (1/1)

Cecilia then, extreenerous than jealous, determined to continue her enquiries, and, at the sa her actual situation

"I am sorry, Sir," she answered, "to have occasioned this disturbance; Mrs Belfield, I find, is wholly unacquainted with the circumstance which now carries me abroad, or it would not have happened"

Here a little noise in the passage interrupting her, she heard Mrs Belfield, though in a low voice, say, "Hush, Sir, hush! you htorder; but to tell you the truth, I did not knohatforward However, there's no admittance now, I assure you, for my son's upon particular business with a lady, and Mr Hobson and Mr Siood as turned out by theh they heard this speech with nation, had no time to mark or express it, as it was answered without in a voice at once loud and furious, "You, madam, may be content to listen here; pardon me if I am less hu Delvile!

Cecilia, who half screamed from excess of astonishment, would scarcely, even by the presence of Belfield and histo meet him, had his own aspect invited such a mark of tenderness; but far other was the case; when the door was open, he stopt short with a look half petrified, his feet see rooted to the spot upon which they stood

"I declare I ask pardon, ma'am," cried Mrs Belfield, "but the interruption was no fault of entleman would come in; and--"

"It is no interruption,but honour"

"I thank you, Sir!" said Delvile, trying to recover and co with the id coldness

They were then, for a few instants, all silent; Cecilia, amazed by his arrival, still more amazed by his behaviour, feared to speak lest he e, and felt a thousand apprehensions that some new calamity had hurried hieness, and eh wondering at them all, was kept quiet by her son's looks

Delvile then, struggling for an appearance of eneral confusion here:--pray, I beg"-"None at all, Sir," said Belfield, and offered a chair to Cecilia