and leave them to help one another up, but will fall to, cutting and
slashing, till he makes them all rise up dead men. No, no, says I, there
is reason in all things: though I might have fallen down in a fit that
was no rule for them, being, because it is no business of mine to look
gruff, and fight battles.'

Emily endeavoured to correct the superstitious weakness of Annette,
though she could not entirely subdue her own; to which the latter only
replied, 'Nay, ma'amselle, you will believe nothing; you are almost as
bad as the Signor himself, who was in a great passion when they told
of what had happened, and swore that the first man, who repeated such
nonsense, should be thrown into the dungeon under the east turret. This
was a hard punishment too, for only talking nonsense, as he called it,
but I dare say he had other reasons for calling it so, than you have,
ma'am.'

Emily looked displeased, and made no reply. As she mused upon the
recollected appearance, which had lately so much alarmed her, and
considered the circumstances of the figure having stationed itself
opposite to her casement, she was for a moment inclined to believe it
was Valancourt, whom she had seen. Yet, if it was he, why did he not
speak to her, when he had the opportunity of doing so--and, if he was a
prisoner in the castle, and he could be here in no other character, how
could he obtain the means of walking abroad on the rampart? Thus she
was utterly unable to decide, whether the musician and the form she had
observed, were the same, or, if they were, whether this was Valancourt.
She, however, desired that Annette would endeavour to learn whether any
prisoners were in the castle, and also their names.

'O dear, ma'amselle!' said Annette, 'I forget to tell you what you bade
me ask about, the ladies, as they call themselves, who are lately come
to Udolpho. Why that Signora Livona, that the Signor brought to see my
late lady at Venice, is his mistress now, and was little better then,
I dare say. And Ludovico says (but pray be secret, ma'am) that his
excellenza introduced her only to impose upon the world, that had begun
to make free with her character. So when people saw my lady notice her,
they thought what they had heard must be scandal. The other two are the
mistresses of Signor Verezzi and Signor Bertolini; and Signor Montoni
invited them all to the castle; and so, yesterday, he gave a great
entertainment; and there they were, all drinking Tusca