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The door was open,--a chaise was at it in waiting,--Mrs Belfield was listening in the passage; these appearances were strange, and encreased his agitation He asked for her son in a voice scarce audible,--she told hied with a lady, and must not be disturbed

That fatal answer, at awith the most horrible surmises, was decisive: furiously, therefore, he forced hiether,--the rest of the fae turned to horror, and he could hardly support himself

"O Dr Lyster!" he continued, "ask of the sweet creature if these circumstances offer any extenuation for the fatal jealousy which seized iven, but she, perhaps, who is all softness, all compassion, and all peace, s almost equal to my offence"

He then proceeded in his narration

When he had so peremptorily ordered her chaise to St James's-square, he went back to the house, and desired Belfield to walk out with him He complied, and they were both silent till they came to a Coffee-house, where they asked for a private room The whole way they went, his heart, secretly satisfied of the purity of Cecilia, smote hi unfortunately gone so far as to ht it necessary to his character that their abolition should be equally public

When they were alone, "Belfield," he said, "to obviate any imputation of impertinence in my enquiries, I deny not, what I presume you have been told by herself, that I have the nearest interest in whatever concerns the lady fro, therefore, an explicit account of the purpose of your private conversation with her"

"Mr Delvile," answered Belfield, with led candour and spirit, "I am not commonly much disposed to answer enquiries thus cavalierly put to me; yet here, as I find myself not the principal person concerned, I think I am bound in justice to speak for the absent who is I assure you, therefore, most solemnly, that your interest in Miss Beverley I never heard but by coether was by both of us undesigned and undesired, that the honour she did our house in calling at it, was merely to acquaint my mother with my sister's removal to Mrs Harrel's, and that the part which I had myself in her condescension, was simply to be consulted upon a journey which she has in conteiven you this peaceable satisfaction, you will find me extremely at your service to offer any other"