Cecilia, Volume 1 (of 3)

rmission of Mrs Harrel to have him asked upstairs, and was not a little surprized when he proved to be the same ol

vancing to her, "You are rich," he

recipitately to the bell, which she rang without ceasing till two or three servants hastened into the room; by whic

nding to her, continued h

are of day shall shine resplendent, but in the darkness of midnight, and stillness of repose

ed she, "as I ought; but I am

ence, leave something good to work upon: yesterday you saw the extravagance of luxury and

cting account of the misery to which a poor and wretched fami

it, took out her purse, and offering to him three guineas, said,

y, not yet rooted from thy mind its native benevolence? I return in part thy liberal contribution; this," taking one guinea, "d

Who should assist the poor if I will not? Rich, without connections; p

efore, whilst yet thou hast the heart to give, and make, in thy day

he disa

ive the man so much money? Don't you see he is crazy? I dare

sentiments are affecting; and if he is actuated by charity to raise subscriptions for t

nd his lady most eagerly

er to admit him again. Three guineas! I never heard so impudent a thing in my life! Indeed, Miss Be

lecture one another! to-day you recommend economy to me;

expence incurred in the common way of a man's living

said she, "but I know not th

ated and the charitable, soon retired to her own apartment, determined firmly to adhere to her lately adopted plan, and hoping, by

it, failed not to enquire into its truth. She was soon at the head of a little band of pensioners, and, never satisfied with the generosity

ery short-lived; and though she had sickened of the turbulence of perpetual company, she now wearied of passing all her time by herself, and sighed for the comfort of society and the relief of communication. But she saw with astonishment the difficulty with which this was to be obtained: the endless succession of diversions, the continual r

itude as little favourable to active virtue as dissipation itself, she resolved to soften her plan, and by mingling amusement with benevolenc

attend Mrs Harrel to the next

accompanied that lady and Mrs Mears t

nd taking her hand, said, "Lord, you can't conceive how glad I am to see you! why, my dear creature, where have you hid yourself these twenty ages? You are quite in luck in coming to-night, I assure you

f the Opera was merely a love of company, fashion, and shew

tlemen, collected merely to see and to entertain one another, than of distinct and cas

delicate languishment, smiled upon Cecilia, and softly whispering, "How divin

is way, and it's monstrous provoking, for if one's ever so cold, he lollops so, that one's quite starved. But you must know there's another thing he does that is quite as bad, for if he gets a seat, he neve

; "I should have expected from his appearance a very different account of his

ghtful taste you can conceive, nobody has half so good a fancy. I assure you it's a great th

lia, laughing, "in honour

u know all this time

ered Cecilia, "that he w

ennuye, if he is ever so provoking, b

agree

in one's face every time one looks at him. I assure you sometimes I expect to see him fall fast asleep while I

ncourage him? why do you

declare I was quite distressed to death the whole time, for he was taken with such a fit of absence he knew nothing he was about, sometimes skipping and jumping with all the violence in the world

masquerade at the Pantheon? however, I hear you had a very brilliant spectacle at Mr Harrel's. I

d Mrs Harrel, "to have seen you; I as

I could not have the honour of sliding in. But I was acca

ear the Opera, begged to know if they mi

offering any assistance, "you will find it extreme petrifying;

the custom of report, that the difficulty, for the pleasure of talking of it, had been consi

s next to a party of young ladies, who were so earnestly engaged in their own discourse, that they listened not to a note of the Opera, and so infinitely diverted with their own witticisms, that their tittering and loquacity allowed no o

expectations which brought her to the Opera were destroyed, to try by listening to her fa

nce so universal was the eagerness for talking, and so insurmountable the antipathy to listening, that every one seemed to ha

deed did it supply to her the loss of the Opera. She heard nothing but descriptions of trimmings, and complaints of hai

by herself, and she had then some reason to expect hearing the rest of the Opera in peace, for the company before her, consisting entir

spering but gay conversation, which, though not loud enough to disturb the audience in general, kept in the ears of their neighbours a buzzing which interrupted al

though as negligent as the young ladies had been whom they disturbed, were much more cautious whom they instructed: their language was ambiguous, and their terms, to Cecilia, were unintelligible: thei

as over, when she cared not if their vociferation had been incessant, one of them called

e succeeded by others who came to the Opera not to hear themselves but the performers: and as soon as she

ationed himself by her side, and whenever the figurante relieved the principal dancers, turned his

e performance, yet still the familiarity of Sir Robert Floyer's admiration disturbed and perplexed him; he determined, therefore, to make an effort to satisfy h

, "she is handsome, but I

hat is the

an I like. If one says a civil thing to her, sh

you? why, you are not, in general

that sort to her once about Juliet

did you imagine one compliment

s of complimenting the wome

ay, her pride is insufferable, and I, who have long known

n 3000 pounds per annum! one would not think mu

e is so considerable? Report

fter all, I don't know but I may be off; she'l

arged upon the obstacles he already apprehended, and insinuated such others as he believed would be most likely to intimidate him. But his subtlety was lost upon

Cecilia perceived Mr Belfield, who, immediately making himself known to her, was offering his service to hand her out of the pit, when Sir Rob

ly declined his assistance, while she readily accepted

n, and rudely stalking up to Mr Belfield, motioned with

eld, opposing him with one hand, wh

you, Sir?" demanded the

n account whenever you please," a

evil do you

eplied Belfield, and attempted to draw on Ce

her, and said, "Will you suffer such an impertinent fellow as

y shocked, earnestly besought them both to be quiet; but Belfield, at the repetition of this insult, hastily let go her hand and put his own upon his swor

, when Cecilia, in an agony of fright, called out, "Good Heaven! will nobody interfere?" And then a young man, f

d, though in a voice half choaked with passion, said, "I thank

ame and direction, saying, "With you, Sir, I shall be happy to settle

n so impertinent, was immediately going to follow him, when the affrighted Ce

her an immediate consciousness that she was herself the real cause of the quarrel; while the manner in which he was preparing to follow Mr Belfield convinced her

d seizing Sir Robert by the arm, warmly remonstrated against the violence of his proceedings

ot alarmed, madam," he cried, "al

endered her interest in the debate so apparent; she courtsied to him in some confusion, and taking hold of Mrs Harre

f the gentlemen, upon various pretences, returned into the pit merely to look at her, and in a few minutes the report

osed to the same danger as Sir Robert, so that he might be honoured with the same concern: but they were both too much the dupes of their own apprehensions and jealousy, to

s, in a few moments followed her with a glass of water, which he had br

tude, perceived, as she raised her eyes to thank him, that her new frie

nstrous shocking thing! You've no Idea how I am frightened; do you know I happened to be quite at the further end of the c

been less," said Cecilia, "ha

it quite made Mr Meadows start. I dare say he'll tell me of it these hundred years: but really when I s

doubt whether the efforts I make to revive will please or irritate you, but though you rejected the last cordial I

r. Full of displeasure both at this introduction and at his presence, she turned ha

new-raised vanity, said, with more softness than he ha

nswered Cecilia, with an air of dignity i

ered he; "the fellow did not know

could you be so shocking as to draw your swo

word," cried he, "I only

I thought I saw five-and-twenty swords all at once. I thought one of you

formed of Cecilia's real sentiments, said, with affected concern, "At present this matter

ll interfere! surely upon so trifling a subject they will not be

"is most honoured by this anxiety, will

to regard this insinuation, "speak with Mr Belfield? You are ac

o whatever you wish; bu

ill undertake him; I will try to see him to-night

lowering his voice, "those French beads and B

at the masquerade; she had before recollected his voice, but w

pears is joined to that of jewels, the glare will be so resplendent, that he will fear to come within the influence of

n thousa

d charms ar

power, that he may defy the united efforts of tinsel an

n partout, but the crowd has been so accablant I was almost reduced to despair. G

tened to it; and, as she was conducted by Mr Monckton, most earnestly entreated him to take an active pa