Alarmed at her eagerness, and still more at seeing by her looks the sleepless night she had passed, he made at first no reply; and when, with increasing impatience, she repeated her question, he only said, “Has Belfield ever visited you since he had the honour of meeting you at my house?” “No, never.” “Have you seen him often in public?” “No, I have never seen him at all but the evening Mrs Harrel received masks, and last night at the Opera.” “Is it, then, for the safety of Sir Robert you are so extremely anxious?” “It is for the safety of both; the cause of their quarrel was so trifling, that I cannot bear to think its consequence should be serious.” “But do you not wish better to one of them than to the other?” “As a matter of justice I do, but not from any partiality: Sir Robert was undoubtedly the aggressor, and Mr Belfield, though at first too fiery, was certainly ill-used.” The candour of this speech recovered Mr Monckton from his apprehensions; and, carefully observing her looks while he spoke, he gave her the following account. That he had hastened to Belfield's lodgings the moment he left the Opera-house, and, after repeated denials, absolutely forced himself into his room, where he was quite alone, and in much agitation: he conversed with him for more than an hour upon the subject of the quarrel, but found he so warmly resented the personal insult given him by Sir Robert, that no remonstrance had any effect in making him alter his resolution of demanding satisfaction. “And could you bring him to consent to no compromise before you left him?” cried Cecilia. “No; for before I got to him--the challenge had been sent.” “The challenge! good heaven!--and do you know the event?” “I called again this morning at his lodgings, but he was not returned home.” “And was it impossible to follow him? Were there no means to discover whither he was gone?” “None; to elude all pursuit, he went out before any body in the house was stirring, and took his servant with him.” “Have you, then, been to Sir Robert?” “I have been to Cavendish-Square, but there, it seems, he has not appeared all night; I traced him, through his servants, from the Opera to a gaminghouse, where I found he had amused himself till this morning.” The uneasiness of Cecilia now encreased every moment; and Mr Monckton, seeing he had no other chance of satisfying her, offered his service to go again in search of both the gentlemen, and endeavour to bring her better information. She accepted the proposal with gratitude, and he departed. Soon after she was joined by Mr Arnott, who, though seized with all the horrors of jealousy at sight of her apprehensions, was so desirous to relieve them, that without even making any merit of obliging her, he almost instantly set out upon the same errand that employed Mr Monckton, and determined not to mention his design till he found whether it would enable him to bring her good tidings.