"You may as well consult with every cursed creditor in the house!" interrupted he; "but do so, if you please; my disgrace must perforce reach him soon, and a short anticipation is not worth begging off."
"Are your creditors then actually in the house?"
"O yes, yes! and therefore it is high time I should be out of it!-- Did you not see them?--Do they not line the hall?--They threaten me with three executions before night!--three executions unless I satisfy their immediate demands!--"
"And to what do their demands amount?"
"I know not!--I dare not ask!--to some thousand pounds, perhaps,-- and I have not, at this minute, forty guineas in the house!"
"Nay, then," cried Cecilia, retreating, "I can indeed do nothing! if their demands are so high, I ought to do nothing."
She would then have quitted him, not more shocked at his situation, than indignant at the wilful extravagance which had occasioned it.
"Stay," cried he, "and hear me!" then, lowering his voice, "seek out," he continued, "your unfortunate friend,--go to the poor ruined Priscilla,--prepare her for tidings of horror! and do not, though you renounce Me, do not abandon Her!"
Then, fiercely passing her, he was himself leaving the room; but Cecilia, alarmed by the fury of his manner, called out, "What is it you mean? what tidings of horror? whither are you going?"
"To hell!" cried he, and rushed out of the apartment.
Cecilia screamed aloud, and conjuring him to hear her, ran after him; he paid her no regard, but, flying faster than she had power to pursue, reached his own dressing-room, shut himself into it with violence, and just as she arrived at the door, turned the key, and bolted it.
Her terror was now inexpressible; she believed him in the very act of suicide, and her refusal of assistance seemed the signal for the deed: her whole fortune, at that moment, was valueless and unimportant to her, compared with the preservation of a fellow- creature: she called out with all the vehemence of agony to beg he would open the door, and eagerly promised by all that was sacred to do everything in her power to save him.
At these words he opened it; his face was totally without colour, and he grasped a razor in his hand.
"You have stopt me," said he, in a voice scarce audible, "at the very moment I had gathered courage for the blow: but if indeed you will assist me, I will shut this up,--if not, I will steep it in my blood!"
"I will! I will!" cried Cecilia, "I will do every thing you desire!"