s by a ghost, then, who can draw bolts,' said Emily, endeavouring
to laugh away her apprehensions; 'for I left the door open, last night,
and found it fastened this morning.'

Annette turned pale, and said not a word.

'Do you know whether any of the servants fastened this door in the
morning, before I rose?'

'No, ma'am, that I will be bound they did not; but I don't know: shall
I go and ask, ma'amselle?' said Annette, moving hastily towards the
corridor.

'Stay, Annette, I have another question to ask; tell me what you have
heard concerning this room, and whither that stair-case leads.'

'I will go and ask it all directly, ma'am; besides, I am sure my lady
wants me. I cannot stay now, indeed, ma'am.'

She hurried from the room, without waiting Emily's reply, whose heart,
lightened by the certainty, that Morano was not arrived, allowed her
to smile at the superstitious terror, which had seized on Annette; for,
though she sometimes felt its influence herself, she could smile at it,
when apparent in other persons.

Montoni having refused Emily another chamber, she determined to bear
with patience the evil she could not remove, and, in order to make the
room as comfortable as possible, unpacked her books, her sweet delight
in happier days, and her soothing resource in the hours of moderate
sorrow: but there were hours when even these failed of their effect;
when the genius, the taste, the enthusiasm of the sublimest writers were
felt no longer.

Her little library being arranged on a high chest, part of the furniture
of the room, she took out her drawing utensils, and was tranquil enough
to be pleased with the thought of sketching the sublime scenes, beheld
from her windows; but she suddenly checked this pleasure, remembering
how often she had soothed herself by the intention of obtaining
amusement of this kind, and had been prevented by some new circumstance
of misfortune.

'How can I suffer myself to be deluded by hope,' said she, 'and, because
Count Morano is not yet arrived, feel a momentary happiness? Alas! what
is it to me, whether he is here to-day, or to-morrow, if he comes at
all?--and that he will come--it were weakness to doubt.'

To withdraw her thoughts, however, from the subject of her misfortunes,
she attempted to read, but her attention wandered from the page, and,
at length, she threw aside the book, and determined to explore the
adjoining chambers of the castle. Her imagination was pleased wi