CHAPTER v AN AGITATION.
CHAPTER v
With this intention, and every faculty of her mind absorbed in reflecting upon the reasons which gave rise to it, she returned to Portman-square.
As her chair was carried into the hall, she observed, with some alarm, a look of consternation among the servants, and an appearance of confusion in the whole house. She was proceeding to her own room, intending to enquire of her maid if any evil had happened, when she was crossed upon the stairs by Mr Harrel, who passed her with an air so wild and perturbed, that he hardly seemed to know her.
Frightened and amazed, she stopt short, irresolute which way to go; but, hastily returning, he beckoned her to follow him.
She obeyed, and he led her to the library. He then shut the door, and abruptly seizing her hand, called out, "Miss Beverley, I am ruined!--I am undone!--I am blasted for ever!"
"I hope not, Sir!" said Cecilia, extremely terrified, "I hope not! Where is Mrs Harrel?"
"O I know not! I know not!" cried he, in a frantic manner, "but I have not seen her,--I cannot see her,--I hope I shall never see her more!--"
"O fie! fie!" said Cecilia, "let me call her, I beg; you should consult with her in this distress, and seek comfort from her affection."
"From her affection?" repeated he, fiercely, "from her hatred you mean! do you not know that she, too, is ruined? Oh past redemption ruined!--and yet that I should hesitate, that I should a moment hesitate to conclude the whole business at once!"
"How dreadful!" cried Cecilia, "what horrible thing has happened?"
"I have undone Priscilla!" cried he, "I have blasted my credit! I have destroyed--no, not yet quite destroyed myself!"
"O yet nor ever!" cried Cecilia, whose agitation now almost equalled his own, "be not so desperate, I conjure you! speak to me more intelligibly,--what does all this mean? How has it come to pass?"
"My debts!--my creditors!--one way only," striking his hand upon his forehead, "is left for me!"
"Do not say so, Sir!" said Cecilia, "you shall find many ways; pray have courage! pray speak calmly; and if you will but be more prudent, will but, in future, better regulate your affairs, I will myself undertake--"
She stopt; checked in the full career of her overflowing compassion, by a sense of the worthlessness of its object; and by the remembrance of the injunctions of Mr Monckton.
"What will you undertake?" cried he, eagerly, "I know you are an angel!--tell me, what will you undertake?"
"I will,--" said Cecilia, hesitating, "I will speak to Mr Monckton, --I will consult--"
"You may as well consult with every cursed creditor in the house!" interrupted he; "but do so, if you please; my disgrace must perforce reach him soon, and a short anticipation is not worth begging off."
"Are your creditors then actually in the house?"
"O yes, yes! and therefore it is high time I should be out of it!-- Did you not see them?--Do they not line the hall?--They threaten me with three executions before night!--three executions unless I satisfy their immediate demands!--"
"And to what do their demands amount?"
"I know not!--I dare not ask!--to some thousand pounds, perhaps,-- and I have not, at this minute, forty guineas in the house!"
"Nay, then," cried Cecilia, retreating, "I can indeed do nothing! if their demands are so high, I ought to do nothing."