by
VOL. II.
Edited by R. Brimley Johnson
Illustrated by M. Cubitt Cooke
CHAPTER x.
A murmuring.
Unable to relieve herself from this perplexity, Cecilia,
to divert her chagrin, again visited Miss Belfield.
She had then the pleasure to hear that her brother
was much recovered, and had been able, the preceding
day, to take an airing, which he had borne so well
that Mr Rupil had charged him to use the same exercise
every morning.
“And will he?” said Cecilia.
“No, madam, I am sadly afraid not,” she
answered, “for coach hire is very expensive,
and we are willing, now, to save all we can in order
to help fitting him out for going abroad.”
Cecilia then earnestly entreated her to accept some
assistance; but she assured her she did not dare without
the consent of her mother, which, however, she undertook
to obtain.
The next day, when Cecilia called to hear her success,
Mrs Belfield, who hitherto had kept out of sight,
made her appearance. She found her, alike in
person, manners and conversation, a coarse and ordinary
woman, not more unlike her son in talents and acquired
accomplishments, than dissimilar to her daughter in
softness and natural delicacy.
The moment Cecilia was seated, she began, without
waiting for any ceremony, or requiring any solicitation,
abruptly to talk of her affairs, and repiningly to
relate her misfortunes.
“I find, madam,” she said, “you
have been so kind as to visit my daughter Henny a
great many times, but as I have no time for company,
I have always kept out of the way, having other things
to do than sit still to talk. I have had a sad
time of it here, ma’am, with my poor son’s
illness, having no conveniencies about me, and much
ado to make him mind me; for he’s all for having
his own way, poor dear soul, and I’m sure I
don’t know who could contradict him, for it’s
what I never had the heart to do. But then, ma’am,
what is to come of it? You see how bad things
go! for though I have got a very good income, it won’t
do for every thing. And if it was as much again,
I should want to save it all now. For here my
poor son, you see, is reduced all in a minute, as
one may say, from being one of the first gentlemen
in the town, to a mere poor object, without a farthing
in the world!”
“He is, however, I hope now much better in his
health?” said Cecilia.
