Praise such as this, so unexpected, and delivered
with such energy, Cecilia heard not without pleasure,
even at a moment when her whole mind was occupied
by matters foreign to its peculiar interests.
She made, however, her enquiry about the carriage,
and he told her that he had come in a hackney coach,
which was waiting for him at the door.
Mrs Harrel was now brought in, and little was the
recompense her assistants received for their aid,
when they saw Cecilia so contentedly engaged with
young Delvile, whose eyes were rivetted on her face,
with an expression of the most lively admiration:
each, however, then quitted the other, and hastened
to the fair mourner; no time was now lost, Mrs Harrel
was supported to the coach, Cecilia followed her,
and Delvile, jumping in after them, ordered the man
to drive to Portman-square.
Sir Robert and Mr Marriot, confounded though enraged,
saw their departure in passive silence: the right
of attendance they had so tenaciously denied to each
other, here admitted not of dispute: Delvile
upon this occasion, appeared as the representative
of his father, and his authority seemed the authority
of a guardian. Their only consolation was that
neither had yielded to the other, and all spirit of
altercation or revenge was sunk in their mutual mortification.
At the petition of the waiters, from sullen but proud
emulation, they paid the expences of the night, and
then throwing themselves into their carriages, returned
to their respective houses.
A SOLUTION.
During the ride to town, not merely Cecilia, but Delvile
himself attended wholly to Mrs Harrel, whose grief
as it became less violent, was more easy to be soothed.
The distress of this eventful night was however not
yet over; when they came to Portman-square, Delvile
eagerly called to the coachman not to drive up to
the house, and anxiously begged Cecilia and Mrs Harrel
to sit still, while he went out himself to make some
enquiries. They were surprised at the request,
yet immediately consented; but before he had quitted
them, Davison, who was watching their return, came
up to them with information that an execution was then
in the house.
Fresh misery was now opened for Mrs Harrel, and fresh
horror and perplexity for Cecilia: she had no
longer, however, the whole weight either of thought
or of conduct upon herself: Delvile in her cares
took the most animated interest, and beseeching her
to wait a moment and appease her friend, he went himself
into the house to learn the state of the affair.
He returned in a few minutes, and seemed in no haste
to communicate what he had heard, but entreated them
both to go immediately to St James’s-square.
Cecilia felt extremely fearful of offending his father
by the introduction of Mrs Harrel: yet she had
nothing better to propose, and therefore, after a
short and distressed argument, she complied.
