om the truth, and it appeared plainly to
Emily, that the girl had been purposely misled by a false report: above
all she was surprised, that the door of the chamber, which contained
it, should be left unguarded. Such an instance of negligence almost
surpassed belief. But her light was now expiring; the faint flashes it
threw upon the walls called up all the terrors of fancy, and she rose
to find her way to the habitable part of the castle, before it was quite
extinguished. As she opened the chamber door, she heard remote voices,
and, soon after, saw a light issue upon the further end of the corridor,
which Annette and another servant approached. 'I am glad you are
come,' said Emily: 'what has detained you so long? Pray light me a fire
immediately.'

'My lady wanted me, ma'amselle,' replied Annette in some confusion; 'I
will go and get the wood.'

'No,' said Caterina, 'that is my business,' and left the room instantly,
while Annette would have followed; but, being called back, she began
to talk very loud, and laugh, and seemed afraid to trust a pause of
silence.

Caterina soon returned with the wood, and then, when the cheerful blaze
once more animated the room, and this servant had withdrawn, Emily
asked Annette, whether she had made the enquiry she bade her. 'Yes,
ma'amselle,' said Annette, 'but not a soul knows any thing about the
matter: and old Carlo--I watched him well, for they say he knows strange
things--old Carlo looked so as I don't know how to tell, and he asked me
again and again, if I was sure the door was ever unfastened. Lord, says
I--am I sure I am alive? And as for me, ma'am, I am all astounded, as
one may say, and would no more sleep in this chamber, than I would on
the great cannon at the end of the east rampart.'

'And what objection have you to that cannon, more than to any of the
rest?' said Emily smiling: 'the best would be rather a hard bed.'

'Yes, ma'amselle, any of them would be hard enough for that matter; but
they do say, that something has been seen in the dead of night, standing
beside the great cannon, as if to guard it.'

'Well! my good Annette, the people who tell such stories, are happy in
having you for an auditor, for I perceive you believe them all.'

'Dear ma'amselle! I will shew you the very cannon; you can see it from
these windows!'

'Well,' said Emily, 'but that does not prove, that an apparition guards
it.'

'What! not if I shew you the very cannon! Dear ma'am, you