 these men, who were determined to look upon each other as rivals, or to keep them within the bounds of civility

if they persisted in remaining together.
Anxious to proceed towards the house of Cathcart, and to put her children under the care of her brother, while she herself tried to enter on some mode of life by which to procure them a subsistence, Mrs. Elphinstone became impatient of any farther delay; while Celestina, though equally anxious to get forward, trembled at the thought of a journey, which she foresaw would produce a quarrel, and perhaps a duel, before they had proceeded three stages.
Sometimes she thought of leaving the whole party abruptly, and going on as speedily as possible alone: but besides her unwillingness to leave Mrs. Elphinstone, she foresaw that if she did, this Vavasour would follow and overtake her; and Thorold would hardly content himself with attending her friend, while certain that Vavasour was with her. After much consideration, therefore, nothing seemed to remain,

but to endeavour to prevail on Thorold to go forward without them; than which, nothing seemed much more unlikely to succeed, unless it was the same attempt on Vavasour. She felt, too, a reluctance in asking a favour of Thorold, which he might interpret as encouragement she never meant to give him; and was afraid that the assurances she must make him in regard to her total indifference towards Vavasour, might afford him reason to hope, that towards him she would be less inexorable.
It was necessary, however, immediately to make the essay; and therefore sending for Mr. Thorold, she with trembling hesitation told him, that the letters brought by Mr. Vavasour had been decisive in regard to ending the intended alliance between her and Mr. Willoughby. But she had hardly uttered the word Willoughby, before the countenance of Montague Thorold was animated with all the warm hopes to which this intelligence gave birth. She saw it with concern; and with as much resolution

as she could, besought him to attend to her, while with a faultering voice, and her tears with difficulty repressed, she went on—"That I shall now never be the wife of Willoughby is certain: but do not misunderstand me; I have determined never to be the wife of any other person. I shall go, for the rest of the winter, to Lady Horatia Howard, and afterwards retire to some village as remote as possible from that part of England where I once expected to pass my life. This resolution is unalterable. But though I never can return as you wish the favourable sentiments with which you have
