n touching the
health of her Italian greyhound; and then, nor till then--he ventured to
approach Emily, and speak to her in that soft tone, which, like a fairy
language, is understood only by the person it addresses. Mrs. St. John
rose and left the harp; Falkland took her seat. He bent down to whisper
Emily. His long hair touched her cheek! it was still wet with the night
dew. She looked up as she felt it, and met his gaze: better had it been
to have lost earth than to have drunk the soul's poison from that eye
when it tempted to sin.

Mrs. St. John stood at some distance: Don Alphonso was speaking to her
of his nephew, and of his hopes of ultimately gaining him to the cause
of his mother's country. "See you not," said Mrs. St. John, and her
colour went and came, "that while he has such attractions to detain him,
your hopes are in vain?" "What mean you?" replied the Spaniard; but his
eye had followed the direction she had given it, and the question came
only from his lips. Mrs. St. John drew him to a still remoter corner of
the room, and it was in the conversation that then ensued between them,
that they agreed to unite for the purpose of separating Emily from
her lover--"I to save my friend," said Mrs. St. John, "and you your
kinsman." Thus is it with human virtue:--the fair show and the good
deed without--the one eternal motive of selfishness within. During the
Spaniard's visit at E------, he had seen enough of Falkland to perceive
the great consequence he might, from his perfect knowledge of the
Spanish language, from his singular powers, and, above all, from his
command of wealth, be to the cause of that party he himself had adopted.
His aim, therefore, was now no longer confined to procuring Falkland's
goodwill and aim at home: he hoped to secure his personal assistance in
Spain: and he willingly coincided with Mrs. St. John in detaching his
nephew from a tie so likely to detain him from that service to which
Alphonso wished he should be pledged.

Mandeville had left E------ that morning: he suspected nothing of
Emily's attachment. This, on his part, was Bulwer, less confidence than
indifference. He was one of those persons who have no existence
separate from their own: his senses all turned inwards; they reproduced
selfishness. Even the House of Commons was only an object of interest,
because he imagined it a part of him, not he of it. He said, with the
insect on the wheel, "Admire our rapidity." But did the defe