by Fanny Burney
CHAPTER v. -- A SARCASM.
The reproach which Cecilia had received from young Delvile in the nameof his mother, determined her upon making this visit; for though, in herpresent uncertainty, she wished only to see that family when sought bythemselves, she was yet desirous to avoid all appearance of singularity,lest any suspicions should be raised of her sentiments.
Mrs Delvile received her with a cold civility that chilled and afflictedher; she found her seriously offended by her long absence, and now forthe first time perceived that haughtiness of character which hithertoshe had thought only given to her by the calumny of envy; for thoughher displeasure was undisguised, she deigned not to make any reproaches,evidently shewing that her disappointment in the loss of her society,was embittered by a proud regret for the kindness she believed she hadthrown away. But though she scrupulously forbore the smallest complaint,she failed not from time to time to cast out reflections upon ficklenessand caprice the most satirical and pointed.
Cecilia, who could not possibly avow the motives of her behaviour,ventured not to offer any apology for her apparent negligence; but,hitherto accustomed to the most distinguished kindness, a change to somuch bitterness shocked and overpowered her, and she sat almost whollysilent, and hardly able to look up.
Lady Honoria Pemberton, a daughter of the Duke of Derwent, now cameinto the room, and afforded her some relief by the sprightliness of herconversation. This young lady, who was a relation of the Delviles, andof a character the most airy and unthinking, ran on during her wholevisit in a vein of fashionable scandal, with a levity that the censuresof Mrs Delvile, though by no means spared, had no power to [controul];and, after having completely ransacked the topics of the day, she turnedsuddenly to Cecilia, with whom during her residence in St James's-squareshe had made some acquaintance, and said, "So I hear, Miss Beverley,that after half the town has given you to Sir Robert Floyer, and theother half to my Lord Derford, you intend, without regarding one side orthe other, to disappoint them both, and give yourself to Mr Marriot."
"Me? no, indeed," answered Cecilia, "your ladyship has been muchmisinformed."
"I hope so," said Mrs Delvile, "for Mr Marriot, by all I ever heardof him, seems to have but one recommendation, and that the last MissBeverley ought to value, a good estate."
Cecilia, secretly delighted by a speech which she could not resistflattering herself had reference to her son, now a little revived, andendeavoured to bear some part in the conversation.
"Everybody one meets," cried Lady Honoria, "disposes of Miss Beverley tosome new person; yet the common opinion is that Sir Robert Floyer willbe the man. But upon my word, for my own part, I cannot conjecture howshe will manage among them, for Mr Marriot declares he's determined hewon't be refused, and Sir Robert vows that he'll never give her up. Sowe none of us know how it will end; but I am vastly glad she keeps themso long in suspence."
"If there is any suspence," said Cecilia, "I am at least sure it must bewilful. But why should your ladyship rejoice in it?"
"O, because it helps to torment them, and keeps something going forward.Besides, we are all looking in the news-papers every day, to see whenthey'll fight another duel for you."
"Another?" cried Cecilia; "indeed they have never yet fought any forme."
"O, I beg your pardon," answered her ladyship, "Sir Robert, you know,fought one for you in the beginning of the winter, with that Irishfortune-hunter who affronted you at the Opera."
"Irish fortune-hunter?" repeated Cecilia, "how strangely has thatquarrel been misrepresented! In the first place, I never was affrontedat the Opera at all, and in the second, if your Ladyship means MrBelfield, I question if he ever was in Ireland in his life."
"Well," cried Lady Honoria, "he might come from Scotland, for aughtI know, but somewhere he certainly came from; and they tell me he iswounded terribly, and Sir Robert has had all his things packed up thismonth, that in case he should die, he may go abroad in a moment."
"And pray where, Lady Honoria," cried Mrs Delvile, "do you contrive topick up all this rattle?"
"O, I don't know; everybody tells me something, so I put it all togetheras well as I can. But I could acquaint you with a stranger piece of newsthan any you have heard yet."
"And what is that?"
"O, if I let you know it, you'll tell your son."
"No indeed," said Mrs Delvile laughing, "I shall probably forget itmyself."
She then made some further difficulty, and Cecilia, uncertain if she wasmeant to be a party in the communication, strolled to a window; where,however, as Lady Honoria did not lower her voice, she heard her say "Whyyou must know I am told he keeps a mistress somewhere in Oxford-Road.They say she's mighty pretty; I should like vastly to see her."
The consternation of Cecilia at this intelligence would certainlyhave betrayed all she so much wished to conceal, had not her fortunateremoval to the window guarded her from observation. She kept her post,fearing to look round, but was much pleased when Mrs Delvile, withgreat indignation answered "I am sorry, Lady Honoria, you can find anyamusement in listening to such idle scandal, which those who tell willnever respect you for hearing. In times less daring in slander, thecharacter of Mortimer would have proved to him a shield from allinjurious aspersions; yet who shall wonder he could not escape, andwho shall contemn the inventors of calumny, if Lady Honoria Pembertoncondescends to be entertained with it?"
"Dear Mrs Delvile," cried Lady Honoria, giddily, "you take me tooseriously."
"And dear Lady Honoria," said Mrs Delvile, "I would it were possible tomake you take yourself seriously; for could you once see with clearnessand precision how much you lower your own dignity, while you stoopto depreciate that of others, the very subjects that now make yourdiversion, would then, far more properly, move your resentment."
"Ay but, dear madam," cried Lady Honoria, "if that were the case, Ishould be quite perfect, and then you and I should never quarrel, and Idon't know what we should do for conversation."
And with these words, hastily shaking hands with her, she took leave.
"Such conversation," said Mrs Delvile when she was gone, "as resultsfrom the mixture of fruitless admonition with incorrigible levity, wouldbe indeed more honoured in the breach than the observance. But levityis so much the fashionable characteristic of the present age, that a gayyoung girl who, like Lady Honoria Pemberton, rules the friends by whomshe ought to be ruled, had little chance of escaping it."
"She seems so open, however, to reproof," said Cecilia, "that I shouldhope in a short time she may also be open to conviction."
"No," answered Mrs Delvile, "I have no hope of her at all. I once tookmuch pains with her; but I soon found that the easiness with which shehears of her faults, is only another effect of the levity with whichshe commits them. But if the young are never tired of erring in conduct,neither are the older in erring in judgment; the fallibility of mine Ihave indeed very lately experienced."
Cecilia, who strongly felt the poignancy of this sarcasm, and whoseconstant and unaffected value of Mrs Delvile by no means deserved it,was again silenced, and again most cruelly depressed; nor could shesecretly forbear repining that at the very moment she found herselfthreatened with a necessity of foregoing the society of her newfavourite, Miss Belfield, the woman in the whole world whom she mostwished to have for her friend, from an unhappy mistake was ready torelinquish her. Grieved to be thus fallen in her esteem, and shockedthat she could offer no justification, after a short and thoughtfulpause, she gravely arose to take leave.
Mrs Delvile then told her that if she had any business to transact withMr Delvile, she advised her to acquaint him with it soon, as the wholefamily left town in a few days.
This was a new and severe blow to Cecilia, who sorrowfully repeated "Ina few days, madam?"
"Yes," answered Mrs Delvile, "I hope you intend to be much concerned?"
"Ah madam!" cried Cecilia, who could no longer preserve her quietness,"if you knew but half the respect I bear you, but half the s
inceritywith which I value and revere you, all protestations would be useless,for all accusations would be over!"
Mrs Delvile, at once surprised and softened by the warmth of thisdeclaration, instantly took her hand, and said "They shall now, and forever be over, if it pains you to hear them. I concluded that what I saidwould be a matter of indifference to you, or all my displeasure wouldimmediately have been satisfied, when once I had intimated that yourabsence had excited it."
"That I have excited it at all," answered Cecilia, "gives me indeedthe severest uneasiness; but believe me, madam, however unfortunatelyappearances maybe against me, I have always had the highest sense of thekindness with which you have honoured me, and never has there been thesmallest abatement in the veneration, gratitude, and affection I haveinviolably borne you."
"You see, then," said Mrs Delvile with a smile, "that where reprooftakes any effect, it is not received; with that easiness you were justnow admiring; on the contrary, where a concession is made withoutpain, it is also made without meaning, for it is not in human nature toproject any amendment without a secret repugnance. That here, however,you should differ from Lady Honoria Pemberton, who can wonder, when youare superior to all comparison with her in every thing?"
"Will you then," said Cecilia, "accept my apology, and forgive me?"
"I will do more," said Mrs Delvile laughing, "I will forgive you withoutan apology; for the truth is I have heard none! But come," continuedshe, perceiving Cecilia much abashed by this comment, "I will enquire nomore about the matter; I am glad to receive my young friend again, andeven half ashamed, deserving as she is, to say how glad!"
She then embraced her affectionately, and owned she had been moremortified by her fancied desertion than she had been willing to own evento herself, repeatedly assuring her that for many years she had notmade any acquaintance she so much wished to cultivate, nor enjoyed anysociety from which she had derived so much pleasure.
Cecilia, whose eyes glistened with modest joy, while her heart beatquick with revived expectation, in listening to an effusion of praiseso infinitely grateful to her, found little difficulty in returning herfriendly professions, and, in a few minutes, was not merely reconciled,but more firmly united with her than ever.
Mrs Delvile insisted upon keeping her to dinner, and Cecilia, but toohappy in her earnestness, readily agreed to send Mrs Harrel an excuse.
Neither of the Mr Delviles spent the day at home, and nothing,therefore, disturbed or interrupted those glowing and delightfulsensations which spring from a cordial renewal of friendship andkindness. The report, indeed, of Lady Honoria Pemberton gave her someuneasiness, yet the flighty character of that lady, and Mrs Delvile'sreply to it, soon made her drive it from her mind.
She returned home early in the evening, as other company was expected,and she had not changed her dress since the morning; but she first madea promise to see Mrs Delvile some part of every day during the shorttime that she meant to remain in town.