Mrs Harrel was scarce able to breathe for extacy, nor Cecilia for amazement; while Mr Harrel, attending to neither of them, walked for some time silently about the room. “But how,” cried Cecilia at last, “can I possibly go? Mrs Delvile must already be astonished at my delay, and if I disappoint her again she will hardly receive me.” “O make not any difficulties,” cried Mrs Harrel in an agony; “if Mr Harrel will let me stay, sure you will not be so cruel as to oppose him?” “But why,” said Cecilia, “should either of us go to Vauxhall? surely that is no place for a parting so melancholy.” A servant then came in, and said the hackney coach was at the door. Mr Harrel, starting at the sound, called out, “come, what do we wait for? if we go not immediately, we may be prevented.” Cecilia then again wished them good night, protesting she could fail Mrs Delvile no longer. Mrs Harrel, half wild at this refusal, conjured her in the most frantic manner, to give way, exclaiming, “Oh cruel! cruel! to deny me this last request! I will kneel to you day and night,” sinking upon the ground before her, “and I will serve you as the humblest of your slaves, if you will but be kind in this last instance, and save me from banishment and misery!” “Oh rise, Mrs Harrel,” cried Cecilia, ashamed of her prostration, and shocked by her vehemence, “rise and let me rest!--it is painful to me to refuse, but to comply for ever in defiance of my judgment--Oh Mrs Harrel, I know no longer what is kind or what is cruel, nor have I known for some time past right from wrong, nor good from evil!” “Come,” cried Mr Harrel impetuously, “I wait not another minute!” “Leave her then with me!” said Cecilia, “I will perform my promise, Mr Arnott will I am sure hold his to be sacred, she shall now go with him, she shall hereafter come to me,--leave her but behind, and depend upon our care.” “No, no,” cried he, with quickness, “I must take care of her myself. I shall not carry her abroad with me, but the only legacy I can leave her, is a warning which I hope she will remember for ever. You, however, need not go.” “What,” cried Mrs Harrel, “leave me at Vauxhall, and yet leave me alone?” “What of that?” cried he with fierceness, “do you not desire to be left? have you any regard for me? or for any thing upon earth but yourself! cease these vain clamours, and come, I insist upon it, this moment.” And then, with a violent oath, he declared he would be detained no longer, and approached in great rage to seize her; Mrs Harrel shrieked aloud, and the terrified Cecilia exclaimed, “If indeed you are to part to-night, part not thus dreadfully!--rise, Mrs Harrel, and comply!--be reconciled, be kind to her, Mr Harrel!--and I will go with her myself,--we will all go together!” “And why,” cried Mr Harrel, more gently yet with the utmost emotion, “why should you go!--you want no warning! you need no terror!--better far had you fly us, and my wife when I am set out may find you.”