removed for interment. The folemn emotions, which the expectation of viewing fuch a scene had awakened, were in unifon with the present tone of her mind, depreffed by fevere disappointment. Cheerful objects rather added to, than removed this depreffion; but, perhaps, she yielded too much to her melancholy inclination, and imprudently lamented the misfortune, which no virtue of her own could have taught her to avoid, though no effort of reafon could make her look unmoved upon the felfdegradation of him, whom he had once esteemed and loved.

Dorothée promised to return, on the following night, with the keys of the chambers, and then wifhed Emily good repose, and departed. Emily, however, continued at the window, mufing upon the melancholy fate of the Marchioness and listening, in awful expectation, for a return of the mufic. But the ftillness of the night remained long unbroken, except by the murmuring founds of the woods, as they waved

VOL. IV.

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in

in the breeze, and then by the diftant bell of the convent, striking one. She now withdrew from the window, and, as she sat at her bed-fide, indulging melancholy reve ries, which the loneliness of the hour affifted, the ftillness was fuddenly interrupted, not by music, but by very uncommon sounds, that seemed to come either from the room adjoining her own, or from one below. The terrible catastrophe, that had been related to her, together with the mysterious circumftances, faid to have fince occurred in the chateau, had fo much shocked her fpirits, that fhe now funk, for a moment, under the weakness of fuperftition. The founds, however, did not return, and she retired, to forget in fleep the disastrous ftory fhe had heard.

CHAP.

CHA P. IV.

"Now it is the time of night,
That, the graves all gaping wide,
Every one lets forth his sprite,
In the church-way path to glide."

SHAKESPEARE.

ON the next night, about the same hour

as before, Dorothée came to Emily's chamber, with the keys of that fuite of rooms, which had been particularly appropriated to the late Marchionefs. These extended

along the north fide of the chateau, forming part of the old building; and, as Emily's room was in the fouth, they had to pass over a great extent of the castle, and by the chambers of feveral of the family, whofe obfervations Dorothée was anxious to avoid, fince it might excite enquiry and raise reports, fuch as would difpleafe the Count. She, therefore, requested that Emily would wait half an hour, before they ventured forth,

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forth, that they might be certain all the fervants were gone to bed. It was nearly one, before the chateau was perfectly ftill, or Dorothée thought it prudent to leave. the chamber. In this interval, her spirits. feemed to be greatly affected by the remembrance of past events, and by the profpect of entering again upon places, where these had occurred, and in which she had not been for fo many years. Emily too was affected, but her feelings had more of folemnity, and lefs of fear. From the filence, into which reflection and expectation had thrown them, they, at length, roused themfelves, and left the chamber. Dorothée, at firft, carried the lamp, but her hand trembled fo much with infirmity and alarm, that Emily took it from her, and offered her arm, to fupport her feeble steps.

They had to defcend the great ftair-cafe, and, after paffing over a wide extent of the chateau, to afcend another, which led to the fuite of rooms they were in queft of. They stepped cautiously along the open corridor,

that

that ran round the great hall, and into which the chambers of the Count, Countefs, and the Lady Blanche, opened, and, from thence, defcending the chief ftair-cafe, they croffed the hall itfelf. Proceeding through the fervants-hall, where the dying embers of a wood fire ftill glimmered on the hearth, and the fupper table was furrounded by chairs, that obftructed their paffage, they came to the foot of the back ftair-cafe. Old Dorothée here paufed, and looked around: “Let us liften," faid fhe, "if any thing is stirring; Ma'amfelle, do you hear any voice?" "None," faid Emily, "there certainly is no perfon up in the chateau, befides ourselves."-" No, ma'amfelle," said Dorothée, "but I have never been here at this hour before, and, after what I know, fears are not wonderful.""What do you know?" faid Emily." O'ma'amfelle, we have no time for talking now; let us go on. That door on the left is the one we muft open."

my

7

They proceeded, and, having reached the