olemnly, 'I am interested in the cause of that
grief, more so, perhaps, than you may imagine; and I entreat, that you
will no longer refuse to indulge my curiosity;--it is not a common one.'

As Emily said this, she remembered the papers, with which the picture
had been found, and had scarcely a doubt, that they had concerned the
Marchioness de Villeroi; but with this supposition came a scruple,
whether she ought to enquire further on a subject, which might prove to
be the same, that her father had so carefully endeavoured to conceal.
Her curiosity, concerning the Marchioness, powerful as it was, it is
probable she would now have resisted, as she had formerly done, on
unwarily observing the few terrible words in the papers, which had never
since been erased from her memory, had she been certain that the history
of that lady was the subject of those papers, or, that such simple
particulars only as it was probable Dorothee could relate were included
in her father's command. What was known to her could be no secret to
many other persons; and, since it appeared very unlikely, that St.
Aubert should attempt to conceal what Emily might learn by ordinary
means, she at length concluded, that, if the papers had related to the
story of the Marchioness, it was not those circumstances of it, which
Dorothee could disclose, that he had thought sufficiently important to
wish to have concealed. She, therefore, no longer hesitated to make the
enquiries, that might lead to the gratification of her curiosity.

'Ah, ma'amselle!' said Dorothee, 'it is a sad story, and cannot be told
now: but what am I saying? I never will tell it. Many years have passed,
since it happened; and I never loved to talk of the Marchioness to any
body, but my husband. He lived in the family, at that time, as well as
myself, and he knew many particulars from me, which nobody else did; for
I was about the person of my lady in her last illness, and saw and heard
as much, or more than my lord himself. Sweet saint! how patient she was!
When she died, I thought I could have died with her!'

'Dorothee,' said Emily, interrupting her, 'what you shall tell, you may
depend upon it, shall never be disclosed by me. I have, I repeat it,
particular reasons for wishing to be informed on this subject, and am
willing to bind myself, in the most solemn manner, never to mention what
you shall wish me to conceal.'

Dorothee seemed surprised at the earnestness of Emily's manner, and