r only with a malignant
smile, which instantaneously confirmed her worst fears for her aunt,
and, at that moment, she had not courage to renew her entreaties.

'For Annette,' said he,--'if you go to Carlo, he will release the
girl; the foolish fellow, who shut her up, died yesterday.' Emily
shuddered.--'But my aunt, Signor'--said she, 'O tell me of my aunt!'

'She is taken care of,' replied Montoni hastily, 'I have no time to
answer idle questions.'

He would have passed on, but Emily, in a voice of agony, that could not
be wholly resisted, conjured him to tell her, where Madame Montoni was;
while he paused, and she anxiously watched his countenance, a trumpet
sounded, and, in the next moment, she heard the heavy gates of the
portal open, and then the clattering of horses' hoofs in the court, with
the confusion of many voices. She stood for a moment hesitating whether
she should follow Montoni, who, at the sound of the trumpet, had passed
through the hall, and, turning her eyes whence it came, she saw through
the door, that opened beyond a long perspective of arches into the
courts, a party of horsemen, whom she judged, as well as the distance
and her embarrassment would allow, to be the same she had seen depart, a
few days before. But she staid not to scrutinize, for, when the trumpet
sounded again, the chevaliers rushed out of the cedar room, and men came
running into the hall from every quarter of the castle. Emily once more
hurried for shelter to her own apartment. Thither she was still pursued
by images of horror. She re-considered Montoni's manner and words, when
he had spoken of his wife, and they served only to confirm her most
terrible suspicions. Tears refused any longer to relieve her distress,
and she had sat for a considerable time absorbed in thought, when a
knocking at the chamber door aroused her, on opening which she found old
Carlo.

'Dear young lady,' said he, 'I have been so flurried, I never once
thought of you till just now. I have brought you some fruit and wine,
and I am sure you must stand in need of them by this time.'

'Thank you, Carlo,' said Emily, 'this is very good of you Did the Signor
remind you of me?'

'No, Signora,' replied Carlo, 'his excellenza has business enough on his
hands.' Emily then renewed her enquiries, concerning Madame Montoni, but
Carlo had been employed at the other end of the castle, during the time,
that she was removed, and he had heard nothing since, concernin