CHAPTER vi
A FAMILY PARTY.
Cecilia the next morning, between nine and ten o'clock, went to StJames'-Square; she found nobody immediately ready to receive her, but ina short time was waited upon by Mr Delvile.
After the usual salutations, "Miss Beverley," he said, "I have givenexpress orders to my people, that I may not be interrupted while I havethe pleasure of passing some minutes in conversation with you before youare presented to Mrs Delvile."
And then, with an air of solemnity, he led her to a seat, and havinghimself taken possession of another, continued his speech.
"I have received information, from authority which I cannot doubt,that the indiscretion of certain of your admirers last Saturday at theOpera-house occasioned a disturbance which to a young woman of delicacyI should imagine must be very alarming: now as I consider myselfconcerned in your fame and welfare from regarding you as my ward,I think it is incumbent upon me to make enquiries into such of youraffairs as become public; for I should feel in some measure disgracedmyself, should it appear to the world, while you are under myguardianship, that there was any want of propriety in the direction ofyour conduct."
Cecilia, not much flattered by this address, gravely answered that shefancied the affair had been misrepresented to him.
"I am not much addicted," he replied, "to give ear to any thing lightly;you must therefore permit me to enquire into the merits of the cause,and then to draw my own inferences. And let me, at the same time, assureyou there is no other young lady who has any right to expect such anattention from me. I must begin by begging you to inform me upon whatgrounds the two gentlemen in question, for such, by courtesy, I presumethey are called, thought themselves entitled publicly to dispute yourfavour?"
"My favour, Sir!" cried Cecilia, much amazed.
"My dear," said he, with a complacency meant to give her courage, "Iknow the question is difficult for a young lady to answer; but be notabashed, I should be sorry to distress you, and mean to the utmost of mypower to save your blushes. Do not, therefore, fear me; consider meas your guardian, and assure yourself I am perfectly well disposedto consider you as my ward. Acquaint me, then, freely, what are thepretensions of these gentlemen?"
"To me, Sir, they have, I believe, no pretensions at all."
"I see you are shy," returned he, with encreasing gentleness, "I seeyou cannot be easy with me; and when I consider how little you areaccustomed to me, I do not wonder. But pray take courage; I think itnecessary to inform myself of your affairs, and therefore I beg you willspeak to me with freedom."
Cecilia, more and more mortified by this humiliating condescension,again assured him he had been misinformed, and was again, thoughdiscredited, praised for her modesty, when, to her great relief, theywere interrupted by the entrance of her friend the _white domino_.
"Mortimer," said Mr Delvile, "I understand you have already had thepleasure of seeing this young lady?"
"Yes, Sir," he answered, "I have more than once had that happiness, butI have never had the honour of being introduced to her."
"Miss Beverley, then," said the father, "I must present to you MrMortimer Delvile, my son; and, Mortimer, in Miss Beverley I desire youwill remember that you respect a ward of your father's."
"I will not, Sir," answered he, "forget an injunction my owninclinations had already out-run."
Mortimer Delvile was tall and finely formed, his features, though nothandsome, were full of expression, and a noble openness of manners andaddress spoke the elegance of his education, and the liberality of hismind.
When this introduction was over, a more general conversation took place,till Mr Delvile, suddenly rising, said to Cecilia, "You will pardon me,Miss Beverley, if I leave you for a few minutes; one of my tenants setsout to-morrow morning for my estate in the North, and he has beentwo hours waiting to speak with me. But if my son is not particularlyengaged, I am sure he will be so good as to do the honours of the housetill his mother is ready to receive you."
And then, graciously waving his hand, he quitted the room.
"My father," cried young Delvile, "has left me an office which, could Iexecute it as perfectly as I shall willingly, would be performed withouta fault."
"I am very sorry," said Cecilia, "that I have so much mistaken your hourof breakfast; but let me not be any restraint upon you, I shall find abook, or a newspaper, or something to fill up the time till Mrs Delvilehonours me with a summons."
"You can only be a restraint upon me," answered he, "by commanding mefrom your presence. I breakfasted long ago, and am now just come from MrBelfield. I had the pleasure, this morning, of being admitted into hisroom."
"And how, Sir, did you find him?"
"Not so well, I fear, as he thinks himself; but he was in high spirits,and surrounded by his friends, whom he was entertaining with all thegaiety of a man in full health, and entirely at his ease; though Iperceived, by the frequent changes of his countenance, signs of painand indisposition, that made me, however pleased with his conversation,think it necessary to shorten my own visit, and to hint to those whowere near me the propriety of leaving him quiet."
"Did you see his surgeon, Sir?"
"No; but he told me he should only have one dressing more of his wound,and then get rid of the whole business by running into the country."
"Were you acquainted with him, Sir, before this accident?"
"No, not at all; but the little I have seen of him has stronglyinterested me in his favour: at Mr Harrel's masquerade, where I firstmet with him, I was extremely entertained by his humour,--though there,perhaps, as I had also the honour of first seeing Miss Beverley, I mightbe too happy to feel much difficulty in being pleased. And even atthe Opera he had the advantage of finding me in the same favourabledisposition, as I had long distinguished you before I had taken anynotice of him. I must, however, confess I did not think his anger thatevening quite without provocation,--but I beg your pardon, I may perhapsbe mistaken, and you, who know the whole affair, must undoubtedly bebetter able to account for what happened."
Here he fixed his eyes upon Cecilia, with a look of curiosity thatseemed eager to penetrate into her sentiments of the two antagonists.
"No, certainly," she answered, "he had all the provocation thatill-breeding could give him."
"And do you, madam," cried he, with much surprize, "judge of this matterwith such severity?"
"No, not with severity, simply with candour."
"With candour? alas, then, poor Sir Robert! Severity were not half sobad a sign for him!"
A servant now came in, to acquaint Cecilia that Mrs Delvile waitedbreakfast for her.
This summons was immediately followed by the re-entrance of Mr Delvile,who, taking her hand, said he would himself present her to his lady, andwith much graciousness assured her of a kind reception.
The ceremonies preceding this interview, added to the character she hadalready heard of Mrs Delvile, made Cecilia heartily wish it over; but,assuming all the courage in her power, she determined to support herselfwith a spirit that should struggle against the ostentatious superiorityshe was prepared to expect.
She found her seated upon a sofa, from which, however, she arose ather approach; but the moment Cecilia beheld her, all the unfavourableimpressions with which she came into her presence immediately vanished,and that respect which the formalities of her introduction had failed toinspire, her air, figure, and countenance instantaneously excited.
She was not more than fifty years of age; her complection, though faded,kept the traces of its former loveliness, her eyes, though they hadlost their youthful fire, retained a lustre that evinced their primevalbrilliancy, and the fine symmetry of her features, still uninjured bythe siege of time, not only indicated the perfection of her juvenilebeauty, but still laid claim to admiration in every beholder. Hercarriage was lofty and commanding; but the dignity to which high birthand conscious superiority gave rise, was so judiciously regulated bygood sense, and so happily blended with politeness, that
though theworld at large envied or hated her, the few for whom she had herself anyregard, she was infallibly certain to captivate.
The surprise and admiration with which Cecilia at the first glance wasstruck proved reciprocal: Mrs Delvile, though prepared for youth andbeauty, expected not to see a countenance so intelligent, nor manners sowell formed as those of Cecilia: thus mutually astonished and mutuallypleased, their first salutations were accompanied by looks so flatteringto both, that each saw in the other, an immediate prepossession in herfavour, and from the moment that they met, they seemed instinctivelyimpelled to admire.
"I have promised Miss Beverley, madam," said Mr Delvile to his lady,"that you would give her a kind reception; and I need not remind youthat my promises are always held sacred."
"But I hope you have not also promised," cried she, with quickness,"that I should give _you_ a kind reception, for I feel at this verymoment extremely inclined to quarrel with you."
"Why so, madam?"
"For not bringing us together sooner; for now I have seen her, I alreadylook back with regret to the time I have lost without the pleasure ofknowing her."
"What a claim is this," cried young Delvile, "upon the benevolence ofMiss Beverley! for if she has not now the indulgence by frequent anddiligent visits to make some reparation, she must consider herself asresponsible for the dissension she will occasion."
"If peace depends upon my visits," answered Cecilia, "it may immediatelybe proclaimed; were it to be procured only by my absence, I know not ifI should so readily agree to the conditions."
"I must request of you, madam," said Mr Delvile, "that when my son andI retire, you will bestow half an hour upon this young lady, in makingenquiries concerning the disturbance last Saturday at the Opera-house. Ihave not, myself, so much time to spare, as I have several appointmentsfor this morning; but I am sure you will not object to the office, asI know you to be equally anxious with myself, that the minority of MissBeverley should pass without reproach."
"Not only her minority, but her maturity," cried young Delvile, warmly,"and not only her maturity, but her decline of life will pass, I hope,not merely without reproach, but with fame and applause!"
"I hope so too;" replied Mr Delvile: "I wish her well through everystage of her life, but for her minority alone it is my business todo more than wish. For that, I feel my own honour and my own creditconcerned; my honour, as I gave it to the Dean that I would superintendher conduct, and my credit, as the world is acquainted with the claimshe has to my protection."
"I will not make any enquiries," said Mrs Delvile, turning to Ceciliawith a sweetness that recompensed her for the haughtiness of herguardian, "till I have had some opportunity of convincing Miss Beverley,that my regard for her merits they should be answered."
"You see, Miss Beverley," said Mr Delvile, "how little reason you hadto be afraid of us; Mrs Delvile is as much disposed in your favour asmyself, and as desirous to be of service to you. Endeavour, therefore,to cast off this timidity, and to make yourself easy. You must come tous often; use will do more towards removing your fears, than all theencouragement we can give you."
"But what are the fears," cried Mrs Delvile, "that Miss Beverley canhave to remove? unless, indeed, she apprehends her visits will make usencroachers, and that the more we are favoured with her presence, theless we shall bear her absence."
"Pray, son," said Mr Delvile, "what was the name of the person who wasSir Robert Floyer's opponent? I have again forgotten it."
"Belfield, sir."
"True; it is a name I am perfectly unacquainted with: however, he maypossibly be a very good sort of man; but certainly his opposing himselfto Sir Robert Floyer, a man of some family, a gentleman, rich, andallied to some people of distinction, was a rather strange circumstance:I mean not, however, to prejudge the case; I will hear it fairly stated;and am the more disposed to be cautious in what I pronounce, because Iam persuaded Miss Beverley has too much sense to let my advice be thrownaway upon her."
"I hope so, Sir; but with respect to the disturbance at the Opera, Iknow not that I have the least occasion to trouble you."
"If your measures," said he, very gravely, "are already taken, the Deanyour uncle prevailed upon me to accept a very useless office; but if anything is yet undecided, it will not, perhaps, be amiss that I should beconsulted. Mean time, I will only recommend to you to consider that MrBelfield is a person whose name nobody has heard, and that a connectionwith Sir Robert Floyer would certainly be very honourable for you."
"Indeed, Sir," said Cecilia, "here is some great mistake; neither ofthese gentlemen, I believe, think of me at all."
"They have taken, then," cried young Delvile with a laugh, "a veryextraordinary method to prove their indifference!"
"The affairs of Sir Robert Floyer," continued Mr Delvile, "are indeed,I am informed, in some disorder; but he has a noble estate, and yourfortune would soon clear all its incumbrances. Such an alliance,therefore, would be mutually advantageous: but what would result from aunion with such a person as Mr Belfield? he is of no family, though inthat, perhaps, you would not be very scrupulous; but neither has he anymoney; what, then, recommends him?"
"To me, Sir, nothing!" answered Cecilia.
"And to me," cried young Delvile, "almost every thing! he has wit,spirit, and understanding, talents to create admiration, and qualities,I believe, to engage esteem!"
"You speak warmly," said Mrs Delvile; "but if such is his character, hemerits your earnestness. What is it you know of him?"
"Not enough, perhaps," answered he, "to coolly justify my praise; but heis one of those whose first appearance takes the mind by surprise, andleaves the judgment to make afterwards such terms as it can. Will you,madam, when he is recovered, permit me to introduce him to you?"
"Certainly;" said she, smiling; "but have a care your recommendationdoes not disgrace your discernment."
"This warmth of disposition, Mortimer," cried Mr Delvile, "producesnothing but difficulties and trouble: you neglect the connections Ipoint out, and which a little attention might render serviceable as wellas honourable, and run precipitately into forming such as can do you nogood among people of rank, and are not only profitless in themselves,but generally lead you into expence and inconvenience. You are now ofan age to correct this rashness: think, therefore, better of your ownconsequence, than thus idly to degrade yourself by forming friendshipswith every shewy adventurer that comes in your way."
"I know not, Sir," answered he, "how Mr Belfield deserves to be calledan adventurer: he is not, indeed, rich; but he is in a profession whereparts such as his seldom fail to acquire riches; however, as to me hiswealth can be of no consequence, why should my regard to him wait forit? if he is a young man of worth and honour--"
"Mortimer," interrupted Mr Delvile, "whatever he is, we know he is nota man of rank, and whatever he may be, we know he cannot become a man offamily, and consequently for Mortimer Delvile he is no companion. If youcan render him any service, I shall commend your so doing; it becomesyour birth, it becomes your station in life to assist individuals, andpromote the general good: but never in your zeal for others forget whatis due to yourself, and to the ancient and honourable house from whichyou are sprung."
"But can we entertain Miss Beverley with nothing better than familylectures?" cried Mrs Delvile.
"It is for me," said young Delvile, rising, "to beg pardon of MissBeverley for having occasioned them: but when she is so good as tohonour us with her company again, I hope I shall have more discretion."
He then left the room; and Mr Delvile also rising to go, said, "My dear,I commit you to very kind hands; Mrs Delvile, I am sure, will be happyto hear your story; speak to her, therefore, without reserve. Andpray don't imagine that I make you over to her from any slight; on thecontrary, I admire and commend your modesty very much; but my time isextremely precious, and I cannot devote so much of it to an explanationas your diffidence requires."
And then, to the great joy of Cecilia, he retired;
leaving her much indoubt whether his haughtiness or his condescension humbled her most.
"These men," said Mrs Delvile, "can never comprehend the pain of adelicate female mind upon entering into explanations of this sort: Iunderstand it, however, too well to inflict it. We will, therefore, haveno explanations at all till we are better acquainted, and then if youwill venture to favour me with any confidence, my best advice, and,should any be in my power, my best services shall be at your command."
"You do me, madam, much honour," answered Cecilia, "but I must assureyou I have no explanation to give."
"Well, well, at present," returned Mrs Delvile, "I am content to hearthat answer, as I have acquired no right to any other: but hereafter Ishall hope for more openness: it is promised me by your countenance, andI mean to claim the promise by my friendship."
"Your friendship will both honour and delight me, and whatever are yourenquiries, I shall always be proud to answer them; but indeed, withregard to this affair--"
"My dear Miss Beverley," interrupted Mrs Delvile, with a look of archincredulity, "men seldom risk their lives where an escape is withouthope of recompence. But we will not now say a word more upon thesubject. I hope you will often favour me with your company, and bythe frequency of your visits, make us both forget the shortness of ouracquaintance."
Cecilia, finding her resistance only gave birth to fresh suspicion, nowyielded, satisfied that a very little time must unavoidably clear up thetruth. But her visit was not therefore shortened; the sudden partialitywith which the figure and countenance of Mrs Delvile had impressed her,was quickly ripened into esteem by the charms of her conversation: shefound her sensible, well bred, and high spirited, gifted by naturewith superior talents, and polished by education and study with allthe elegant embellishments of cultivation. She saw in her, indeed, someportion of the pride she had been taught to expect, but it was somuch softened by elegance, and so well tempered with kindness, that itelevated her character, without rendering her manners offensive.
With such a woman, subjects of discourse could never be wanting, norfertility of powers to make them entertaining: and so much was Ceciliadelighted with her visit, that though her carriage was announced attwelve o'clock, she reluctantly concluded it at two; and in taking herleave, gladly accepted an invitation to dine with her new friend threedays after; who, equally pleased with her young guest, promised beforethat time to return her visit.