e widow: Nevil said nothing
against it and it was under Mrs. Wardour-Devereux's eyes, and before a
man named Lydiard, that, never calling to him to put him on his guard,
Nevil fell foul of him with every capital charge that can be brought
against a gentleman, and did so abuse, worry, and disgrace him as to
reduce him to quit the house to avoid the scandal of a resort to a
gentleman's last appeal in vindication of his character. Mrs. Devereux
spoke of the terrible scene to Cecilia, and Lydiard to Miss Denham. The
injured person communicated it to Lord Avonley, who told Colonel Halkett
emphatically that his nephew Cecil deserved well of him in having kept
command of his temper out of consideration for the family. There was a
general murmur of the family over this incident. The widow was rich, and
it ranked among the unwritten crimes against blood for one offshoot of a
great house wantonly to thwart another in the wooing of her by humbling
him in her presence, doing his utmost to expose him as a schemer, a
culprit, and a poltroon.

Could it be that Beauchamp had reserved his wrath with his cousin to
avenge Dr. Shrapnel upon him signally? Miss Denham feared her guardian
was the cause. Lydiard was indefinitely of her opinion. The idea struck
Cecilia Halkett, and as an example of Beauchamp's tenacity of purpose
and sureness of aim it fascinated her. But Mrs. Wardour-Devereux did
not appear to share it. She objected to Beauchamp's intemperateness
and unsparingness, as if she was for conveying a sisterly warning to
Cecilia; and that being off her mind, she added, smiling a little and
colouring a little: 'We learn only from men what men are.' How the scene
commenced and whether it was provoked, she failed to recollect. She
described Beauchamp as very self-contained in manner throughout his
tongue was the scorpion. Cecilia fancied he must have resembled his
uncle Everard.

Cecilia was conquered, but unclaimed. While supporting and approving
him in her heart she was dreading to receive some new problem of his
conduct; and still while she blamed him for not seeking an interview
with her, she liked him for this instance of delicacy in the present
state of his relations with Lord Avonley.

A problem of her own conduct disturbed the young lady's clear conception
of herself: and this was a ruffling of unfaithfulness in her love of
Beauchamp, that was betrayed to her by her forgetfulness of him whenever
she chanced to be with Seymour