to convince
me we are all to be murdered, though I acknowledge here is sufficient
food for curiosity.' She forbore to speak her apprehensions, because
she would not encourage Annette's wild terrors; but the present
circumstances of the castle both surprised, and alarmed her. Annette,
having told her tale, left the chamber, on the wing for new wonders.

In the evening, Emily had passed some melancholy hours with Madame
Montoni, and was retiring to rest, when she was alarmed by a strange and
loud knocking at her chamber door, and then a heavy weight fell against
it, that almost burst it open. She called to know who was there, and
receiving no answer, repeated the call; but a chilling silence followed.
It occurred to her--for, at this moment, she could not reason on the
probability of circumstances--that some one of the strangers, lately
arrived at the castle, had discovered her apartment, and was come with
such intent, as their looks rendered too possible--to rob, perhaps to
murder, her. The moment she admitted this possibility, terror supplied
the place of conviction, and a kind of instinctive remembrance of her
remote situation from the family heightened it to a degree, that almost
overcame her senses. She looked at the door, which led to the staircase,
expecting to see it open, and listening, in fearful silence, for a
return of the noise, till she began to think it had proceeded from this
door, and a wish of escaping through the opposite one rushed upon her
mind. She went to the gallery door, and then, fearing to open it, lest
some person might be silently lurking for her without, she stopped,
but with her eyes fixed in expectation upon the opposite door of the
stair-case. As thus she stood, she heard a faint breathing near her, and
became convinced, that some person was on the other side of the door,
which was already locked. She sought for other fastening, but there was
none.

While she yet listened, the breathing was distinctly heard, and her
terror was not soothed, when, looking round her wide and lonely chamber,
she again considered her remote situation. As she stood hesitating
whether to call for assistance, the continuance of the stillness
surprised her; and her spirits would have revived, had she not continued
to hear the faint breathing, that convinced her, the person, whoever it
was, had not quitted the door.

At length, worn out with anxiety, she determined to call loudly for
assistance from her casement,