Cecilia Or Memories of an Heiress Author:Fanny Burney Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: then, in the face of the world, vindicate your choice." The willies of Cecilia accorded with this advice, though the general tenour. of Del- vile's letter gav... more »e her little reafon to expcct: ho. would follow it. CHAP. II. A Discussion. HE day paft away, and Cecilia had yet written no anfwer; the evening- came, and her refolution was ftill unfixed.. Delvile, at length, was again announced ; and' though fhe dreaded trufting herfelf to his entreaties, the neceffity of haftening fome dccifion deterred her from refufing to fee- him. Mrs. Charlton was with her when he entered the room; he attempted at firft fome general converfation, though the anxiety of his mind was ftrongly pictured upon his face. Cecilia endeavoured alfo to talk upon common topics, though her evident embarraiT- ment fpoke the ablence of her thoughts. Delvile at length, unable any longer to bear fufpence, turned to Mrs. Charlton, and faid, faid, " You are probably acquainted, madam, with the purport of the letter I had the honour of fending to Mifs Beverley this morning ?" " Yes, Sir," anfwered the old lady, " and you need define little more than that her opinion of it may be as favourable as mine." Dclvile bowed and thanked her; and looking at Cecilia, to whom he ventured not to fpeak, he perceived in her countenance a mixture of dejcction and confufion, that told him whatever might be her opinion, it had by no means encreafed her happinefs. " But why, Sir," laid Mrs. Charlton, " mould you be thus fure of the difappro- bation of your friends ? had you not better hear what they Jiave to fay ?" " I know, madam, what they have to fay," returned he ; " for their language and their principles have been invariable from my birth : to apply to them, therefore, for a conception which I am ce...« less