She was now half way down the stairs; when, losing all forbearance, he hastily flew after her, and endeavouring to stop her, called out, “If you do not hate and detest me,--if I am not loathsome and abhorrent to you, O quit me not thus insensibly!--Cecilia! my beloved Cecilia!--speak to me, at least, one word of less severity! Look at me once more, and tell me we part not for-ever!” Cecilia then turned round, and while a starting tear shewed her sympathetic distress, said, “Why will you thus oppress me with entreaties I ought not to gratify?--Have I not accompanied you to the altar,--and can you doubt what I have thought of you?” “_Have_ thought?--Oh Cecilia!--is it then all over?” “Pray suffer me to go quietly, and fear not I shall go too happily! Suppress your own feelings, rather than seek to awaken mine. Alas! there is little occasion!--Oh Mr Delvile! were our connection opposed by no duty, and repugnant to no friends, were it attended by no impropriety, and carried on with no necessity of disguise,--you would not thus charge me with indifference, you would not suspect me of insensibility,--Oh no! the choice of my heart would then be its glory, and all I now blush to feel, I should openly and with pride acknowledge!” She then hurried to the chaise, Delvile pursuing her with thanks and blessings, and gratefully assuring her, as he handed her into it, that he would obey all her injunctions, and not even attempt to see her, till he could bring her some intelligence concerning the morning's transaction. The chaise then drove off. CHAPTER iii. A CONSTERNATION. The journey was melancholy and tedious: Mrs Charlton, extremely fatigued by the unusual hurry and exercise both of mind and body which she had lately gone through, was obliged to travel very slowly, and to lie upon the road. Cecilia, however, was in no haste to proceed: she was going to no one she wished to see, she was wholly without expectation of meeting with any thing that could give her pleasure. The unfortunate expedition in which she had been engaged, left her now nothing but regret, and only promised her in future sorrow and mortification.