CHAPTER iv
AN EXPECTATION.
In this disposition of mind Cecilia the next morning obeyed the summonsof Mr Delvile, and for the first time went to St James'-square ina humour to look for evil instead of good, and meanness instead ofnobleness.
She was shewn into an apartment where she found Mr Delvile alone, andwas received by him, as usual, with the most stately solemnity.
When she was seated, "I have given you, Miss Beverley," said he, "thetrouble of calling, in order to discuss with you the internal state ofyour affairs; a duty which, at this juncture, I hold to be incumbentupon my character. The delicacy due to your sex would certainly haveinduced me to wait upon you myself for this purpose, but for the reasonsI have already hinted to you, of fearing the people with whom you livemight think it necessary to return my visit. Persons of low origin arecommonly in those matters the most forward. Not, however, that I wouldprejudice you against them; though, for myself, it is fit I rememberthat a general and indiscriminate acquaintance, by levelling all ranks,does injury to the rites of society."
Ah! thought Cecilia, how infallible is Mr Monckton! and how inevitably,in a family of which Mr Delvile is the head, should I be cruelly _helddown, as the disgrace of their alliance_!
"I have applied," continued he, "to Mrs Delvile, to know if thecommunication which I had recommended to you, and to which she hadpromised her attention, had yet passed; but I am informed you have notspoken to her upon the subject."
"I had nothing, Sir, to communicate," answered Cecilia, "and I hadhoped, as Mrs Delvile made no enquiries, she was satisfied she hadnothing to hear."
"With respect to enquiries," said Mr Delvile, "I fear you are notsufficiently aware of the distance between a lady of Mrs Delvile's rank,both by birth and alliance, and such a young woman as Mrs Harrel, whoseancestors, but a short time since, were mere Suffolk farmers. But I begyour pardon;--I mean not any reflection upon yours: I have alwaysheard they were very worthy people. And a farmer is certainly a veryrespectable person. Your father, I think, no more than the Dean youruncle, did nothing in that way himself?"
"No, Sir," said Cecilia, drily, and much provoked by this contemptuouscourtesy.
"I have always been told he was a very good sort of man: I knew noneof the family myself, but the Dean. His connections with the Bishop of------, my relation, put him often in my way. Though his naming me forone of his trustees, I must own, was rather extraordinary; but I meannot to hurt you; on the contrary, I should be much concerned to give youany uneasiness."
Again Mr Monckton arose in the mind of Cecilia, and again sheacknowledged the truth of his strictures; and though she much wonderedin what an harangue so pompous was to end, her disgust so far conqueredher curiosity, that without hearing it, she wished herself away.
"To return," said he, "to my purpose. The present period of your life issuch as to render advice particularly seasonable; I am sorry, therefore,as I before said, you have not disclosed your situation to Mrs Delvile.A young lady on the point of making an establishment, and with manyengagements in her power, is extremely liable to be mistaken in herjudgment, and therefore should solicit instruction from those who areable to acquaint her what connection would be most to her advantage. Onething, however, I am happy to commend, the young man who was wounded inthe duel--I cannot recollect his name--is, I hear, totally out of thequestion."
What next? thought Cecilia; though still she gave him no interruption,for the haughtiness of his manner was repulsive to reply.
"My design, therefore, is to speak to you of Sir Robert Floyer. WhenI had last the pleasure of addressing you upon this subject, you mayprobably remember my voice was in his favour; but I then regarded himmerely as the rival of an inconsiderable young man, to rescue you fromwhom he appeared an eligible person. The affair is now altered, thatyoung man is thought of no more, and another rival comes forward, towhom Sir Robert is as inconsiderable as the first rival was to SirRobert."
Cecilia started at this information, livelier sensations stimulatedher curiosity, and surmises in which she was most deeply interestedquickened her attention.
"This rival," proceeded he, "I should imagine no young lady would amoment hesitate in electing; he is every way the superior of Sir Robertexcept in fortune, and the deficiencies of that the splendour of yourown may amply supply."
The deepest crimson now tinged the cheeks of Cecilia; the prophecy of MrMonckton seemed immediately fulfilling, and she trembled with a risingconflict between her approbation of the offer, and her dread of itsconsequences.
"I know not, indeed," continued he, "in what estimation you may havebeen accustomed to hold rank and connection, nor whether you areimpressed with a proper sense of their superiority and value; for earlyprejudices are not easily rooted out, and those who have lived chieflywith monied people, regard even birth itself as unimportant whencompared with wealth."
The colour which first glowed in the cheeks of Cecilia from expectation,now rose yet higher from resentment: she thought herself alreadyinsulted by a prelude so ostentatious and humiliating to the proposalswhich were to follow; and she angrily determined, with whatever pain toher heart, to assert her own dignity by refusing them at once, too wellsatisfied by what she now saw of the present, that Mr Monckton had beenjust in his prediction of the future.
"Your rejection, therefore," continued he, "of this honourable offer,may perhaps have been merely the consequence of the principles in whichyou have been educated.--"
"Rejection?" interrupted Cecilia, amazed, "what rejection, Sir?"
"Have you not refused the proposals of my Lord Ernolf for his son?"
"Lord Ernolf? never! nor have I ever seen either his Lordship or his sonbut in public."
"That," replied Mr Delvile, "is little to the purpose; where theconnexion is a proper one, a young lady of delicacy has only to accedeto it. But though this rejection came not immediately from yourself, ithad doubtless your concurrence."
"It had not, Sir, even my knowledge."
"Your alliance then with Sir Robert Floyer is probably nearer aconclusion than I had imagined, for otherwise Mr Harrel would not,without consulting you, have given the Earl so determinate an answer."
"No, Sir," said Cecilia, impatiently, "my alliance with him was nevermore distant, nor do I mean it should ever approach more near."
She was now little disposed for further conversation. Her heroic designof refusing young Delvile by no means reconciled her to the discoveryshe now made that he had not meant to address her; and though she wasprovoked and fretted at this new proof that Mr Harrel scrupled neitherassertions nor actions to make her engagement with Sir Robert credited,her disappointment in finding that Mr Delvile, instead of pleading thecause of his son, was exerting his interest for another person, affectedher so much more nearly, that notwithstanding he still continued hisparading harangue, she scarcely knew even the subject of his discourse,and seized the first opportunity of a cessation to rise and take herleave.
He asked her if she would not call upon Mrs Delvile; but desirous to bealone, she declined the invitation; he then charged her to proceed nofurther with Sir Robert till he had made some enquiries concerning LordErnolf, and graciously promising his protection and counsel, sufferedher to depart.
Cecilia now perceived she might plan her rejections, or study herdignity at her leisure, for neither Mr Delvile nor his son seemed inany haste to put her fortitude to the proof. With regard, therefore, totheir plots and intentions, Mr Monckton she found was wrong, but withrespect to their conduct and sentiments, she had every reason to believehim right: and though her heart refused to rejoice in escaping a trialof its strength, her judgment was so well convinced that his paintingwas from the life, that she determined to conquer her partiality foryoung Delvile, since she looked forward to nothing but mortification ina connexion with his family.