ture; and it was beneath that polished
surface of manner common to those with whom she mixed, that she hid the
treasures of a mine which no human eye had beheld.

Her health, naturally delicate, had lately suffered much from the
dissipation of London, and it was by the advice of physicians that she
had now come to spend the summer at E------. Lady Margaret Leslie,
who was old enough to be tired with the caprices of society, and Mrs.
Dalton, who, having just lost her husband, was forbidden at present to
partake of its amusements, had agreed to accompany her to her retreat.
Neither of them was perhaps much suited to Emily's temper, but youth and
spirits make almost any one congenial to us: it is from the years which
confirm our habits, and the reflections which refine our taste, that it
becomes easy to revolt us, and difficult to please.

On the third day after Emily's arrival at E------, she was sitting after
breakfast with Lady Margaret and Mrs. Dalton. "Pray," said the former,
"did you ever meet my relation, Mr. Falkland? he is in your immediate
neighbourhood." "Never; though I have a great curiosity: that fine old
ruin beyond the village belongs to him, I believe." "It does. You ought
to know him: you would like him so!" "Like him!" repeated Mrs. Dalton,
who was one of those persons of ton who, though everything collectively,
are nothing individually: "like him? impossible!" "Why?" said Lady
Margaret, indignantly--"he has every requisite to please--youth, talent,
fascination of manner, and great knowledge of the world." "Well," said
Mrs. Dalton, "I cannot say I discovered his perfections. He seemed to
me conceited and satirical, and--and--in short, very disagreeable;
but then, to be sure, I have only seen him once." "I have heard many
accounts of him," said Emily, "all differing from each other: I think,
however, that the generality of people rather incline to Mrs. Dalton's
opinion than to yours, Lady Margaret." "I can easily believe it. It is
very seldom that he takes the trouble to please; but when he does, he is
irresistible. Very little, however, is generally known respecting him.
Since he came of age, he has been much abroad; and when in England, he
never entered with eagerness into society. He is supposed to possess
very extraordinary powers, which, added to his large fortune and ancient
name, have procured him a consideration and rank rarely enjoyed by one
so young. He had refused repeated offers to enter into