she accepted the affectionate offer of the kind-hearted girl to stay
with her, who was too much grieved for her grief to sleep any more than
herself.

She told her not what had passed; that, she knew, would be fruitless
affliction to her: but she was soothed by her gentleness, and her
conversation was some security from the dangerous rambling of her
ideas.

Henrietta herself found no little consolation in her own private
sorrows, that she was able to give comfort to her beloved Miss
Beverley, from whom she had received favours and kind offices
innumerable. She quitted her not night nor day, and in the honest pride
of a little power to skew the gratefulness of her heart, she felt a
pleasure and self-consequence she had never before experienced.



CHAPTER iii.

A SUMMONS.

Cecilia's earliest care, almost at break of day, was to send to the
Grove; from thence she heard nothing but evil; Mr Monckton was still
alive, but with little or no hope of recovery, constantly delirious,
and talking of Miss Beverley, and of her being married to young
Delvile.

Cecilia, who knew well this, at least, was no delirium, though shocked
that he talked of it, hoped his danger less than was apprehended.