nclined to consider these
suspicions as the extravagant exaggerations of a timid and harassed
mind, and could not believe Montoni liable to such preposterous
depravity as that of destroying, from one motive, his wife and her
niece. She blamed herself for suffering her romantic imagination to
carry her so far beyond the bounds of probability, and determined to
endeavour to check its rapid flights, lest they should sometimes extend
into madness. Still, however, she shrunk from the thought of meeting
Barnardine, on the terrace, at midnight; and still the wish to be
relieved from this terrible suspense, concerning her aunt, to see her,
and to sooth her sufferings, made her hesitate what to do.

'Yet how is it possible, Annette, I can pass to the terrace at that
hour?' said she, recollecting herself, 'the sentinels will stop me, and
Signor Montoni will hear of the affair.'

'O ma'amselle! that is well thought of,' replied Annette. 'That is
what Barnardine told me about. He gave me this key, and bade me say it
unlocks the door at the end of the vaulted gallery, that opens near the
end of the east rampart, so that you need not pass any of the men on
watch. He bade me say, too, that his reason for requesting you to come
to the terrace was, because he could take you to the place you want
to go to, without opening the great doors of the hall, which grate so
heavily.'

Emily's spirits were somewhat calmed by this explanation, which seemed
to be honestly given to Annette. 'But why did he desire I would come
alone, Annette?' said she.

'Why that was what I asked him myself, ma'amselle. Says I, Why is my
young lady to come alone?--Surely I may come with her!--What harm can I
do? But he said "No--no--I tell you not," in his gruff way. Nay, says I,
I have been trusted in as great affairs as this, I warrant, and it's a
hard matter if _I_ can't keep a secret now. Still he would say nothing
but--"No--no--no." Well, says I, if you will only trust me, I will
tell you a great secret, that was told me a month ago, and I have never
opened my lips about it yet--so you need not be afraid of telling me.
But all would not do. Then, ma'amselle, I went so far as to offer him a
beautiful new sequin, that Ludovico gave me for a keep sake, and I would
not have parted with it for all St. Marco's Place; but even that would
not do! Now what can be the reason of this? But I know, you know, ma'am,
who you are going to see.'

'Pray did Barnardine tell