Page 229 (1/1)

"Yet how," cried Cecilia, deeply touched by this reproof, "how could I do otherwise! Could I see a onies of despair, hear him first darkly hint his own destruction, and afterwards behold him almost in the very act of suicide, the instruh he put his life in h he told me I could preserve him, and told me he had no other reliance or resource, could I leave hi hand to raise him from perdition, and, to save what, after all, I a himself upon my mercy, to offer up his last accounts with an action blacker than any which had preceded it?--No, I cannot repent what I have done, though I la"

"Your representation," said Mr Monckton, "like every thing else that I ever heard you utter, breathes nothing but benevolence and goodness: but your pity has been abused, and your understanding imposed upon Mr Harrel had no intention to destroy hienerosity been too well knoould never have been played"

"I cannot think quite so ill of him," said Cecilia, "nor for the world would I have riskedto such a suspicion, which, had it proved wrong, and had Mr Harrel, upon my refusal committed the fatal deed, would have made his murder upon my own conscience rest for ever! surely the experiment would have been too hazardous, when the consequence had all my future peace in its power

"It is impossible not to revere your scruples," said Mr Monckton, "even while I consider them as causeless; for causeless they undoubtedly were: the man who could act so atrocious a part, who could so scandalously pillage a young lady as his guest and his ward, take advantage of her temper for the plunder of her fortune, and extort her compliance by the basest and most dishonourable arts, meant only to terrify her into coht and thorough scoundrel, capable of every species of mean villainy"

He then protested he would at least acquaint her other guardians hat had passed, whose business it would be to enquire if there was any chance of redress

Cecilia, however, had not h her objections, which were hed nothing with a arded the too officious in her affairs, forced hin