nd
in this Miss Altifiorla bore her out altogether. That question
of marriage was now settled once and for ever. Cecilia, much in
opposition to her friend's wishes, had tried her hand at it and had
failed. She had fallen grievously to the ground and had bruised
herself dreadfully in making the attempt. It had perhaps been
necessary, as Miss Altifiorla thought. It is not given to all to
know their own strength as it had been given to her. They had often
discussed these matters, and Miss Altifiorla had always been very
firm. So had Cecilia been firm; but then she had given way, had
broken down, had consented to regard herself as a mere woman and no
stronger than other women. She had given herself to a man in order
that she might be the mother of his children and the head servant
in his household. She had shown herself to be false for the moment
to her great principles. But Providence had intervened. It may be
surmised that Miss Altifiorla in discussing the matter with herself
did not use the word Providence. Nor was it Chance. And as the
rejection had come from the gentleman's hands,--so Miss Altifiorla
was taught to believe,--she could not boast that Cecilia had
accomplished it. But some mysterious agency had been at work which
would not permit so exceptional a young lady as Miss Holt to fall
into the common quagmire of marriage. She had escaped,--thanks to the
mysterious agency, and must be doubly, trebly, armed with resolution
lest she should stumble again. "I think," she said one day to
Cecilia, "I think that you have great cause to be thankful that he
should have repented of his bargain before it was too late."

Flesh is flesh after all and human nature no stronger than human
nature. Cecilia had consented to bear in silence the idea that
she had been jilted, and had endured her mother's tender little
sympathies on the subject. But there was a difficulty to her in
suffering this direct statement from her friend. Why would not her
friend let the matter be passed by in silence? "It is well," she
said, "that we both repented."

Now the subject had been much discussed in Exeter--whether Sir
Francis had jilted Miss Holt or Miss Holt Sir Francis. It had been
always present to Miss Hippesley's mind, that her friend had told
her of her intention at a time when she was quite sure that Sir
Francis had no such notion in his head. And when, on the day but one
following, she had told Cecilia of the statement which Sir Francis