ny wine and all
sorts, and laughing and singing, till they made the castle ring again.
But I thought they were dismal sounds, so soon after my poor lady's
death too; and they brought to my mind what she would have thought, if
she had heard them--but she cannot hear them now, poor soul! said I.'

Emily turned away to conceal her emotion, and then desired Annette to
go, and make enquiry, concerning the prisoners, that might be in the
castle, but conjured her to do it with caution, and on no account to
mention her name, or that of Monsieur Valancourt.

'Now I think of it, ma'amselle,' said Annette, 'I do believe there are
prisoners, for I overheard one of the Signor's men, yesterday, in the
servants hall, talking something about ransoms, and saying what a fine
thing it was for his excellenza to catch up men, and they were as
good booty as any other, because of the ransoms. And the other man was
grumbling, and saying it was fine enough for the Signor, but none so
fine for his soldiers, because, said he, we don't go shares there.'

This information heightened Emily's impatience to know more, and Annette
immediately departed on her enquiry.

The late resolution of Emily to resign her estates to Montoni, now gave
way to new considerations; the possibility, that Valancourt was near
her, revived her fortitude, and she determined to brave the threatened
vengeance, at least, till she could be assured whether he was really in
the castle. She was in this temper of mind, when she received a message
from Montoni, requiring her attendance in the cedar parlour, which she
obeyed with trembling, and, on her way thither, endeavoured to animate
her fortitude with the idea of Valancourt.

Montoni was alone. 'I sent for you,' said he, 'to give you another
opportunity of retracting your late mistaken assertions concerning the
Languedoc estates. I will condescend to advise, where I may command.--If
you are really deluded by an opinion, that you have any right to these
estates, at least, do not persist in the error--an error, which you
may perceive, too late, has been fatal to you. Dare my resentment no
further, but sign the papers.'

'If I have no right in these estates, sir,' said Emily, 'of what service
can it be to you, that I should sign any papers, concerning them? If
the lands are yours by law, you certainly may possess them, without my
interference, or my consent.'

'I will have no more argument,' said Montoni, with a look that ma