CHAPTER iii
A CONFLICT.
The day following this happy intellectual arrangement, Cecilia wasvisited by Mr Monckton. That gentleman, who had enquired for herimmediately after the Harrels went to their villa, and who had flatteredhimself with reaping much advantage from their absence, by frequentmeetings and confidential discourses, suffered the severestmortification when he found that her stay in town rendered her not theless inaccessible to him, since he had no personal acquaintance with theDelviles, and could not venture to present himself at their house.
He was now received by her with more than usual pleasure; the time hadseemed long to her since she had conversed with him, and she was eagerto ask his counsel and assistance in her affairs. She related to himthe motives which had induced her to go to St James'-square, and theincorrigible obstinacy with which Mr Harrel still continued to encouragethe addresses of Sir Robert Floyer; she earnestly entreated himto become her agent in a business to which she was unequal, byexpostulating in her cause with Mr Harrel, and by calling uponSir Robert himself to insist upon his foregoing his unauthorisedpretensions.
Mr Monckton listened eagerly to her account and request, and when shehad finished, assured her he would deliberate upon each circumstanceof the affair, and then maturely weigh every method he could devise, toextricate her from an embarrassment which now grew far too serious to besafely neglected.
"I will not, however," continued he, "either act or give my opinionwithout further enquiry, as I am confident there is a mystery in thisbusiness which lies deeper than we can at present fathom. Mr Harrel hasdoubtless purposes of his own to answer by this pretended zeal for SirRobert; nor is it difficult to conjecture what they may be. Friendship,in a man of his light cast, is a mere cover, a mere name, to conceal aconnection which has its basis solely in the licentious convenienceof borrowing money, going to the same gaming house, and mutuallycommunicating and boasting their mutual vices and intrigues, while,all the time, their regard for each other is equally hollow with theirregard for truth and integrity."
He then cautioned her to be extremely careful with respect to any moneytransactions with Mr Harrel, whose splendid extravagance he assured herwas universally known to exceed his fortune.
The countenance of Cecilia during this exhortation was testimonysufficient to the penetrating eyes of Mr Monckton that his advicecame not too soon: a suspicion of the real state of the case speedilyoccurred to him, and he questioned her minutely upon the subject. Sheendeavoured to avoid making him any answer, but his discernment was tookeen for her inartificial evasion, and he very soon gathered all theparticulars of her transactions with Mr Harrel.
He was less alarmed at the sum she had lent him, which was rather withinhis expectations, than at the method she had been induced to take toprocure it. He represented to her in the strongest manner the dangerof imposition, nay of ruin, from the extortions and the craft ofmoney-lenders; and he charged her upon no consideration to be tempted orpersuaded again to have recourse to such perilous expedients.
She promised the most attentive observance of his advice: and then toldhim the acquaintance she had made with Miss Belfield, and her sorrow forthe situation of her brother; though, satisfied for the present withthe plan of young Delvile, she now gave up her design of soliciting hiscounsel.
In the midst of this conversation, a note was delivered to her from MrDelvile senior, acquainting her with his return to town, and beggingthe favour of her to call in St James's-square the next morning, as hewished to speak to her upon some business of importance.
The eager manner in which Cecilia accepted this invitation, and herrepeated and earnest exclamation of wonder at what Mr Delvile couldhave to say, past not unnoticed by Mr Monckton; he instantly turned thediscourse from the Belfields, the Harrels, and the Baronet, to enquirehow she had spent her time during her visit in St James's-square, andwhat was her opinion of the family after her late opportunities ofintimacy?
Cecilia answered that she had yet seen nothing more of Mr Delvile, whohad been absent the whole time, but with equal readiness and pleasureshe replied to all his questions concerning his lady, expatiating withwarmth and fervour upon her many rare and estimable qualities.
But when the same interrogatories were transferred to the son, shespoke no longer with the same ease, nor with her usual promptitudeof sincerity; she was embarrassed, her answers were short, and sheendeavoured to hasten from the subject.
Mr Monckton remarked this change with the most apprehensive quickness,but, forcing a smile, "Have you yet," he said, "observed the familycompact in which those people are bound to besiege you, and draw youinto their snares?"
"No, indeed," cried Cecilia, much hurt by the question, "I am sure nosuch compact has been formed; and I am sure, too, that if you knew thembetter, you would yourself be the first to admire and do them justice."
"My dear Miss Beverley," cried he, "I know them already; I do not,indeed, visit them, but I am perfectly acquainted with their characters,which have been drawn to me by those who are most closely connected withthem, and who have had opportunities of inspection which I hope willnever fall to your share, since I am satisfied the trial would pain,though the proof would convince you."
"What then have you heard of them?" cried Cecilia, with muchearnestness: "It is, at least, not possible any ill can be said of MrsDelvile."
"I beg your pardon," returned he. "Mrs Delvile is not nearer perfectionthan the rest of her family, she has only more art in disguising herfoibles; because, tho' she is the daughter of pride, she is the slave ofinterest."
"I see you have been greatly misinformed," said Cecilia warmly;"Mrs Delvile is the noblest of women! she may, indeed, from her veryexaltation, have enemies, but they are the enemies of envy, not ofresentment, enemies raised by superior merit, not excited by injury orprovocation!"
"You will know her better hereafter;" said Mr Monckton calmly, "I onlyhope your knowledge will not be purchased by the sacrifice of yourhappiness."
"And what knowledge of her, Sir," cried Cecilia, starting, "can havepower to put my happiness in any danger?"
"I will tell you," answered he, "with all the openness you have a claimto from my regard, and then leave to time to shew if I am mistaken. TheDelvile family, notwithstanding its ostentatious magnificence, Ican solemnly assure you, is poor in every branch, alike lineal andcollateral."
"But is it therefore the less estimable?"
"Yes, because the more rapacious. And while they count on each sideDukes, Earls and Barons in their genealogy, the very wealth with which,through your means, they project the support of their insolence, andwhich they will grasp with all the greediness of avarice, they willthink honoured by being employed in their service, while the instrument,all amiable as she is, by which they attain it, will be constantly helddown as the disgrace of their alliance."
Cecilia, stung to the soul by this speech, rose from her chair,unwilling to answer it, yet unable to conceal how much it shocked her.Mr Monckton, perceiving her emotion, followed her, and taking her hand,said, "I would not give this warning to one I thought too weak to profitfrom it; but as I am well informed of the use that is meant to be madeof your fortune, and the abuse that will follow of yourself, I think itright to prepare you for their artifices, which merely to point out, mayrender abortive."
Cecilia, too much disturbed to thank him, drew back her hand, andcontinued silent. Mr Monckton, reading through her displeasure the stateof her affections, saw with terror the greatness of the danger whichthreatened him. He found, however, that the present was no time forenforcing objections, and perceiving he had already gone too far, thoughhe was by no means disposed to recant, he thought it most prudent toretreat, and let her meditate upon his exhortation while its impressionwas yet strong in her mind.
He would now, therefore, have taken leave; but Cecilia, endeavouring torecollect herself, and fully persuaded that however he had shocked her,he had only her interest in view, stopt him, saying, "You thinkme, perhaps, un
grateful, but believe me I am not; I must, however,acknowledge that your censure of Mrs Delvile hurts me extremely. IndeedI cannot doubt her worthiness, I must still, therefore, plead for her,and I hope the time may come when you will allow I have not pleadedunjustly."
"Justly or unjustly," answered Mr Monckton, "I am at least sure you cannever plead vainly. I give up, therefore, to your opinion my attack ofMrs Delvile, and am willing from your commendations to suppose her thebest of the race. Nay, I will even own that perhaps Mr Delvile himself,as well as his lady, might pass through life and give but littleoffence, had they only themselves to think of, and no son to stimulatetheir arrogance."
"Is the son, then," said Cecilia faintly, "so much the most culpable?"
"The son, I believe," answered he, "is at least the chief incentive toinsolence and ostentation in the parents, since it is for his sake theycovet with such avidity honours and riches, since they plume themselvesupon regarding him as the support of their name and, family, and sincetheir pride in him even surpasses their pride in their lineage andthemselves."
"Ah!" thought Cecilia, "and of such a son who could help being proud!"
"Their purpose, therefore," he continued, "is to, secure through hismeans your fortune, which they will no sooner obtain, than, to mycertain knowledge, they mean instantly, and most unmercifully, to employit in repairing all their dilapidated estates."
And then he quitted the subject; and, with that guarded warmth whichaccompanied all his expressions, told her he would carefully watch forher honour and welfare, and, repeating his promise of endeavouring todiscover the tie by which Mr Harrel seemed bound to the Baronet, he lefther--a prey himself to an anxiety yet more severe than that with whichhe had filled her! He now saw all his long cherished hopes in dangerof final destruction, and suddenly cast upon the brink of a precipice,where, while he struggled to protect them from falling, his eyes weredazzled by beholding them totter.
Mean while Cecilia, disturbed from the calm of soft serenity to whichshe had yielded every avenue of her soul, now looked forward withdistrust and uneasiness, even to the completion of the views which buta few minutes before had comprised all her notions of felicity. Thealliance which so lately had seemed wholly unexceptionable, nowappeared teeming with objections, and threatening with difficulties.The representations of Mr Monckton had cruelly mortified her; wellacquainted with his knowledge of the world, and wholly unsuspicious ofhis selfish motives, she gave to his assertions involuntary credit,and even while she attempted to combat them, they made upon her mind animpression scarce ever to be erased.
Full, therefore, of doubt and inquietude, she passed the night indiscomfort and irresolution, now determining to give way to herfeelings, and now to be wholly governed by the counsel of Mr Monckton.