mself for that purpose in the garden, and be
provided with false keys, by which to deliver her from her prison. These
circumstances were by no means adapted to calm her perturbed
imagination. To throw herself into the arms of the man whose intercourse
she was employing every method to avoid, and whom, under the idea of a
partner for life, she could least of all men endure, was, no doubt, an
extraordinary proceeding. The attendant circumstances of darkness and
solitude aggravated the picture. The situation of Tyrrel Place was
uncommonly lonely; it was three miles from the nearest village, and not
less than seven from that in which Mrs. Jakeman's sister resided, under
whose protection Miss Melville was desirous of placing herself. The
ingenuous character of Emily did not allow her once to suspect Grimes of
intending to make an ungenerous and brutal advantage of these
circumstances; but her mind involuntarily revolted against the idea of
committing herself, alone, to the disposal of a man, whom she had lately
been accustomed to consider as the instrument of her treacherous
relation.

After having for some time revolved these considerations, she thought of
the expedient of desiring Grimes to engage Mrs. Jakeman's sister to wait
for her at the outside of the garden. But this Grimes peremptorily
refused. He even flew into a passion at the proposal. It showed very
little gratitude, to desire him to disclose to other people his concern
in this dangerous affair. For his part, he was determined, in
consideration of his own safety, never to appear in it to any living
soul. If Miss did not believe him, when he made this proposal out of
pure good-nature, and would not trust him a single inch, she might even
see to the consequences herself. He was resolved to condescend no
further to the whims of a person who, in her treatment of him, had
shown herself as proud as Lucifer himself.

Emily exerted herself to appease his resentment; but all the eloquence
of her new confederate could not prevail upon her instantly to give up
her objection. She desired till the next day to consider of it. The day
after was fixed by Mr. Tyrrel for the marriage ceremony. In the mean
time she was pestered with intimations, in a thousand forms, of the fate
that so nearly awaited her. The preparations were so continued,
methodical, and regular, as to produce in her the most painful and
aching anxiety. If her heart attained a moment's intermission upon the
su