just as if all
those repairs had never been made, that were so long about. But what is
to become of me and you, ma'amselle, and Ludovico? O! when I hear the
sound of the cannon, I shall die with fright. If I could but catch the
great gate open for one minute, I would be even with it for shutting me
within these walls so long!--it should never see me again.'

Emily caught the latter words of Annette. 'O! if you could find it open,
but for one moment!' she exclaimed, 'my peace might yet be saved!'
The heavy groan she uttered, and the wildness of her look, terrified
Annette, still more than her words; who entreated Emily to explain the
meaning of them, to whom it suddenly occurred, that Ludovico might be
of some service, if there should be a possibility of escape, and who
repeated the substance of what had passed between Montoni and herself,
but conjured her to mention this to no person except to Ludovico. 'It
may, perhaps, be in his power,' she added, 'to effect our escape. Go to
him, Annette, tell him what I have to apprehend, and what I have
already suffered; but entreat him to be secret, and to lose no time in
attempting to release us. If he is willing to undertake this he shall
be amply rewarded. I cannot speak with him myself, for we might be
observed, and then effectual care would be taken to prevent our flight.
But be quick, Annette, and, above all, be discreet--I will await your
return in this apartment.'

The girl, whose honest heart had been much affected by the recital, was
now as eager to obey, as Emily was to employ her, and she immediately
quitted the room.

Emily's surprise increased, as she reflected upon Annette's
intelligence. 'Alas!' said she, 'what can the officers of justice
do against an armed castle? these cannot be such.' Upon further
consideration, however, she concluded, that, Montoni's bands having
plundered the country round, the inhabitants had taken arms, and were
coming with the officers of police and a party of soldiers, to force
their way into the castle. 'But they know not,' thought she, 'its
strength, or the armed numbers within it. Alas! except from flight, I
have nothing to hope!'

Montoni, though not precisely what Emily apprehended him to be--a
captain of banditti--had employed his troops in enterprises not less
daring, or less atrocious, than such a character would have undertaken.
They had not only pillaged, whenever opportunity offered, the helpless
traveller, but had attack