FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   470   471   472   473   474   475   476   477   478   479   480   481   482   483   484   485   486   487   488   489   490   491   492   493   494  
495   496   497   498   499   500   501   502   503   504   505   506   507   508   509   510   511   512   513   514   515   516   517   518   519   >>   >|  
Du Pont, observing the painful emotions, which this question revived, now changed the subject. 'In one of my excursions through the passage, which I have mentioned, I overheard a singular conversation,' said he. 'In the passage!' said Emily, with surprise. 'I heard it in the passage,' said Du Pont, 'but it proceeded from an apartment, adjoining the wall, within which the passage wound, and the shell of the wall was there so thin, and was also somewhat decayed, that I could distinctly hear every word, spoken on the other side. It happened that Montoni and his companions were assembled in the room, and Montoni began to relate the extraordinary history of the lady, his predecessor, in the castle. He did, indeed, mention some very surprising circumstances, and whether they were strictly true, his conscience must decide; I fear it will determine against him. But you, madam, have doubtless heard the report, which he designs should circulate, on the subject of that lady's mysterious fate.' 'I have, sir,' replied Emily, 'and I perceive, that you doubt it.' 'I doubted it before the period I am speaking of,' rejoined Du Pont;--'but some circumstances, mentioned by Montoni, greatly contributed to my suspicions. The account I then heard, almost convinced me, that he was a murderer. I trembled for you;--the more so that I had heard the guests mention your name in a manner, that threatened your repose; and, knowing, that the most impious men are often the most superstitious, I determined to try whether I could not awaken their consciences, and awe them from the commission of the crime I dreaded. I listened closely to Montoni, and, in the most striking passages of his story, I joined my voice, and repeated his last words, in a disguised and hollow tone.' 'But was you not afraid of being discovered?' said Emily. 'I was not,' replied Du Pont; 'for I knew, that, if Montoni had been acquainted with the secret of this passage, he would not have confined me in the apartment, to which it led. I knew also, from better authority, that he was ignorant of it. The party, for some time, appeared inattentive to my voice; but, at length, were so much alarmed, that they quitted the apartment; and, having heard Montoni order his servants to search it, I returned to my prison, which was very distant from this part of the passage.' 'I remember perfectly to have heard of the conversation you mention,' said Emily; 'it spread a general alarm
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   470   471   472   473   474   475   476   477   478   479   480   481   482   483   484   485   486   487   488   489   490   491   492   493   494  
495   496   497   498   499   500   501   502   503   504   505   506   507   508   509   510   511   512   513   514   515   516   517   518   519   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Montoni

 

passage

 

apartment

 
mention
 

circumstances

 
replied
 

conversation

 
mentioned
 

subject

 

listened


dreaded

 

guests

 

murderer

 

passages

 
striking
 
trembled
 
closely
 

determined

 

knowing

 

superstitious


impious
 

repose

 

awaken

 
commission
 

consciences

 

manner

 

threatened

 

acquainted

 
alarmed
 
quitted

length
 

appeared

 
inattentive
 

servants

 
search
 

perfectly

 

spread

 

general

 

remember

 

returned


prison

 

distant

 

afraid

 

discovered

 

hollow

 

disguised

 

repeated

 
authority
 

ignorant

 

confined