ogether.
Lucilla appeared at dinner as usual: a little graver and more silent,
but always unaffected, natural, and delicate. Sir John whispered to me
that she had entreated her mother to keep Celia out of the way till this
curricle business was a little got out of her head.

CHAPTER XLII.

The next morning, as soon as I thought Mr. Stanley had retreated to his
library, I followed him thither. He was busy writing letters. I
apologized for my intrusion. He laid his papers aside, and invited me to
sit by him.

"You are too good, sir," said I, "to receive with so much kindness a
culprit who appears before you ingenuously to acknowledge the infraction
of a treaty into which he had the honor of entering with you. I fear
that a few days are wanting of my prescribed month. I had resolved to
obey you with the most religious scrupulousness; but a circumstance,
trifling in itself, has led almost irresistibly to a declaration, which
in obedience to your command I had resolved to postpone. But though it
is somewhat premature, I hope, however, you will not condemn my
precipitancy. I have ventured to tell your charming daughter how
necessary she is to my happiness. She does not reject me. She refers me
to her father."

"You have your peace to make with my daughter, I can tell you, sir,"
said Mr. Stanley, looking gravely; "I fear you have mortally offended
her."

I was dreadfully alarmed. "You know not how you afflict me, sir," said
I: "how have I offended Miss Stanley?"

"Not Miss Stanley," said he, smiling, "but Miss Celia Stanley, who
extremely resents having been banished from the drawing-room yesterday
evening."

"If Celia's displeasure is all I have to fear, sir, I am most fortunate.
Oh, sir, my happiness, the peace of my future life, is in your hands.
But first tell me you forgive the violation of my promise."

"I am willing to believe, Charles," replied he, "that you kept the
spirit of your engagement, though you broke it in the letter; and for an
unpremeditated breach of an obligation of this nature, we must not, I
believe, be too rigorous. Your conduct since your declaration to me has
confirmed the affection which your character had before excited. You
were probably surprised and hurt at my cold reception of your proposal,
a proposal which gave me a deeper satisfaction than I can express. Yet I
was no dissembler in suppressing the pleasure I felt at an address so
every way desirable. My dear Charles, I know