How is the consternation of the party to be described? To the greater
number it was a moment of absolute horror. Sir Thomas in the house!
All felt the instantaneous conviction. Not a hope of imposition or
mistake was harboured anywhere. Julia's looks were an evidence of the
fact that made it indisputable; and after the first starts and
exclamations, not a word was spoken for half a minute: each with an
altered countenance was looking at some other, and almost each was
feeling it a stroke the most unwelcome, most ill-timed, most appalling!
Mr. Yates might consider it only as a vexatious interruption for the
evening, and Mr. Rushworth might imagine it a blessing; but every other
heart was sinking under some degree of self-condemnation or undefined
alarm, every other heart was suggesting, "What will become of us? what
is to be done now?" It was a terrible pause; and terrible to every ear
were the corroborating sounds of opening doors and passing footsteps.

Julia was the first to move and speak again. Jealousy and bitterness
had been suspended: selfishness was lost in the common cause; but at
the moment of her appearance, Frederick was listening with looks of
devotion to Agatha's narrative, and pressing her hand to his heart; and
as soon as she could notice this, and see that, in spite of the shock
of her words, he still kept his station and retained her sister's hand,
her wounded heart swelled again with injury, and looking as red as she
had been white before, she turned out of the room, saying, "I need
not be afraid of appearing before him."