and forlorn
without the society of Miss Melville. Nearness of kindred, and Emily's
want of personal beauty, prevented him from ever looking on her with the
eyes of desire. Her accomplishments were chiefly of the customary and
superficial kind, dancing and music. Her skill in the first led him
sometimes to indulge her with a vacant corner in his carriage, when he
went to the neighbouring assembly; and, in whatever light he might
himself think proper to regard her, he would have imagined his
chambermaid, introduced by him, entitled to an undoubted place in the
most splendid circle. Her musical talents were frequently employed for
his amusement. She had the honour occasionally of playing him to sleep
after the fatigues of the chase; and, as he had some relish for
harmonious sounds, she was frequently able to soothe him by their means
from the perturbations of which his gloomy disposition was so eminently
a slave. Upon the whole, she might be considered as in some sort his
favourite. She was the mediator to whom his tenants and domestics, when
they had incurred his displeasure, were accustomed to apply; the
privileged companion, that could approach this lion with impunity in the
midst of his roarings. She spoke to him without fear; her solicitations
were always good-natured and disinterested; and when he repulsed her, he
disarmed himself of half his terrors, and was contented to smile at her
presumption.

Such had been for some years the situation of Miss Melville. Its
precariousness had been beguiled by the uncommon forbearance with which
she was treated by her savage protector. But his disposition, always
brutal, had acquired a gradual accession of ferocity since the
settlement of Mr. Falkland in his neighbourhood. He now frequently
forgot the gentleness with which he had been accustomed to treat his
good-natured cousin. Her little playful arts were not always successful
in softening his rage; and he would sometimes turn upon her
blandishments with an impatient sternness that made her tremble. The
careless ease of her disposition, however, soon effaced these
impressions, and she fell without variation into her old habits.

A circumstance occurred about this time which gave peculiar strength to
the acrimony of Mr. Tyrrel, and ultimately brought to its close the
felicity that Miss Melville, in spite of the frowns of fortune, had
hitherto enjoyed. Emily was exactly seventeen when Mr. Falkland returned
from the continent.