er in the room next to Miss Melville's, she having
charged the nurse to give her notice of any alteration in the state of
the patient.

Mrs. Hammond enjoyed an uninterrupted sleep of several hours. It was
already night, when she was awaked by an unusual bustle in the next
room. She listened for a few moments, and then determined to go and
discover the occasion of it. As she opened her door for that purpose,
she met the nurse coming to her. The countenance of the messenger told
her what it was she had to communicate, without the use of words. She
hurried to the bed-side, and found Miss Melville expiring. The
appearances that had at first been so encouraging were of short
duration. The calm of the morning proved to be only a sort of lightening
before death. In a few hours the patient grew worse. The bloom of her
countenance faded; she drew her breath with difficulty; and her eyes
became fixed. Doctor Wilson came in at this period, and immediately
perceived that all was over. She was for some time in convulsions; but,
these subsiding, she addressed the physician with a composed, though
feeble voice. She thanked him for his attention; and expressed the most
lively sense of her obligations to Mr. Falkland. She sincerely forgave
her cousin, and hoped he might never be visited by too acute a
recollection of his barbarity to her. She would have been contented to
live. Few persons had a sincerer relish of the pleasures of life; but
she was well pleased to die, rather than have become the wife of Grimes.
As Mrs. Hammond entered, she turned her countenance towards her, and
with an affectionate expression repeated her name. This was her last
word; in less than two hours from that time she breathed her last in the
arms of this faithful friend.

CHAPTER XI.

Such was the fate of Miss Emily Melville. Perhaps tyranny never
exhibited a more painful memorial of the detestation in which it
deserves to be held. The idea irresistibly excited in every spectator of
the scene, was that of regarding Mr. Tyrrel as the most diabolical
wretch that had ever dishonoured the human form. The very attendants
upon this house of oppression, for the scene was acted upon too public a
stage not to be generally understood, expressed their astonishment and
disgust at his unparalleled cruelty.

If such were the feelings of men bred to the commission of injustice, it
is difficult to say what must have been those of Mr. Falkland. He raved,
he swore,