"It was indeed unnecessary," cried she, colouring with resentment, "to
send me such a message. I meant not to see him again, he meant not to
desire it. I return him, however, no answer, and I will make him no
promise; to Mrs Delvile alone I hold myself bound; to him, send what
messages he may, I shall always hold myself free. But believe me, Dr
Lyster, if with his name, his son had inherited his character, his
desire of our separation would be feeble, and trifling, compared with
my own!"

"I am sorry, my good young lady," said he, "to have given you this
disturbance; yet I admire your spirit, and doubt not but it will enable
you to forget any little disappointment you may have suffered. And
what, after all, have you to regret? Mortimer Delvile is, indeed, a
young man that any woman might wish to attach; but every woman cannot
have him, and you, of all women, have least reason to repine in missing
him, for scarcely is there another man you may not chuse or reject at
your pleasure."

Little as was the consolation Cecilia could draw from this speech, she
was sensible it became not her situation to make complaints, and
therefore, to end the conversation she proposed calling in the Miss
Charltons.

"No, no," said he, "I must step up again to Mrs Delvile, and then be-
gone. To-morrow morning I shall but call to see how she is, and leave
some directions, and set off. Mr Mortimer Delvile accompanies me back:
but he means to return hither in a week, in order to travel with his
mother to Bristol. Mean time, I purpose to bring about a reconciliation
between him and his father, whose prejudices are more intractable than