directions to endeavour immediately to procure her a lodging.



CHAPTER vi.

A PRATING.

Cecilia was shewn into a parlour, where Mrs Belfield was very earnestly
discoursing with Mr Hobson and Mr Simkins; and Belfield himself, to her
great satisfaction, was already there, and reading.

"Lack a-day!" cried Mrs Belfield, "if one does not always see the
people one's talking of! Why it was but this morning, madam, I was
saying to Mr Hobson, I wonder, says I, a young lady of such fortunes as
Miss Beverley should mope herself up so in the country! Don't you
remember it, Mr Hobson?"

"Yes, madam," answered Mr Hobson, "but I think, for my part, the young
lady's quite in the right to do as she's a mind; for that's what I call
living agreeable: and if I was a young lady to-morrow, with such fine
fortunes, and that, it's just what I should do myself: for what I say
is this: where's the joy of having a little money, and being a little
matter above the world, if one has not one's own will?"

"Ma'am," said Mr Simkins, who had scarce yet raised his head from the
profoundness of his bow upon Cecilia's entrance into the room, "if I
may be so free, may I make bold just for to offer you this chair?"

"I called, madam," said Cecilia, seizing the first moment in her power