As the suit proceeded, and Miss Melville saw more of her new admirer,
her antipathy increased. But, though her character was unspoiled by
those false wants, which frequently make people of family miserable
while they have every thing that nature requires within their reach, yet
she had been little used to opposition, and was terrified at the growing
sternness of her kinsman. Sometimes she thought of flying from a house
which was now become her dungeon; but the habits of her youth, and her
ignorance of the world, made her shrink from this project, when she
contemplated it more nearly, Mrs. Jakeman, indeed, could not think with
patience of young Grimes as a husband for her darling Emily; but her
prudence determined her to resist with all her might the idea on the
part of the young lady of proceeding to extremities. She could not
believe that Mr. Tyrrel would persist in such an unaccountable
persecution, and she exhorted Miss Melville to forget for a moment the
unaffected independence of her character, and pathetically to deprecate
her cousin's obstinacy. She had great confidence in the ingenuous
eloquence of her ward. Mrs. Jakeman did not know what was passing in the
breast of the tyrant.

Miss Melville complied with the suggestion of her mamma. One morning
immediately after breakfast, she went to her harpsichord, and played one
after another several of those airs that were most the favourites of Mr.
Tyrrel. Mrs. Jakeman had retired; the servants were gone to their
respective employments. Mr. Tyrrel would have gone also; his mind was
untuned, and he did not take the pleasure he had been accustomed to take
in the musical performances of Emily. But her finger was now more
tasteful than common. Her mind was probably wrought up to a firmer and
bolder tone, by the recollection of the cause she was going to plead; at
the same time that it was exempt from those incapacitating tremors which
would have been felt by one that dared not look poverty in the face. Mr.
Tyrrel was unable to leave the apartment. Sometimes he traversed it with
impatient steps; then he hung over the poor innocent whose powers were
exerted to please him; at length he threw himself in a chair opposite,
with his eyes turned towards Emily. It was easy to trace the progress of
his emotions. The furrows into which his countenance was contracted were
gradually relaxed; his features were brightened into a smile; the
kindness with which he had upon former occasions c