Miss Melville rejoiced in the prospect, which the last words of her
kinsman afforded her, of a termination at no great distance to her
present persecutions. Mrs. Jakeman, to whom she communicated them,
congratulated Emily on the returning moderation and good sense of the
squire, and herself on her prudence in having urged the young lady to
this happy expostulation. But their mutual felicitations lasted not
long. Mr. Tyrrel informed Mrs. Jakeman of the necessity in which he
found himself of sending her to a distance, upon a business which would
not fail to detain her several weeks; and, though the errand by no means
wore an artificial or ambiguous face, the two friends drew a melancholy
presage from this ill-timed separation. Mrs. Jakeman, in the mean time,
exhorted her ward to persevere, reminded her of the compunction which
had already been manifested by her kinsman, and encouraged her to hope
every thing from her courage and good temper. Emily, on her part, though
grieved at the absence of her protector and counsellor at so interesting
a crisis, was unable to suspect Mr Tyrrel of such a degree either of
malice or duplicity as could afford ground for serious alarm. She
congratulated herself upon her delivery from so alarming a persecution,
and drew a prognostic of future success from this happy termination of
the first serious affair of her life. She exchanged a state of fortitude
and alarm for her former pleasing dreams respecting Mr. Falkland. These
she bore without impatience. She was even taught by the uncertainty of
the event to desire to prolong, rather than abridge, a situation which
might be delusive, but which was not without its pleasures.




CHAPTER VIII.