his affection was as unchanged as that of the simple and
honest Annette, to give her a marriage portion, and settle them on some
part of her estate. These considerations led her to the remembrance of
her father's paternal domain, which his affairs had formerly compelled
him to dispose of to M. Quesnel, and which she frequently wished to
regain, because St. Aubert had lamented, that the chief lands of his
ancestors had passed into another family, and because they had been his
birth-place and the haunt of his early years. To the estate at Tholouse
she had no peculiar attachment, and it was her wish to dispose of this,
that she might purchase her paternal domains, if M. Quesnel could be
prevailed on to part with them, which, as he talked much of living in
Italy, did not appear very improbable.

CHAPTER XV

Sweet is the breath of vernal shower,
The bees' collected treasures sweet,
Sweet music's melting fall, but sweeter yet
The still, small voice of gratitude.
GRAY

On the following day, the arrival of her friend revived the drooping
Emily, and La Vallee became once more the scene of social kindness and
of elegant hospitality. Illness and the terror she had suffered had
stolen from Blanche much of her sprightliness, but all her affectionate
simplicity remained, and, though she appeared less blooming, she was not
less engaging than before. The unfortunate adventure on the Pyrenees had
made the Count very anxious to reach home, and, after little more than a
week's stay at La Vallee, Emily prepared to set out with her friends
for Languedoc, assigning the care of her house, during her absence,
to Theresa. On the evening, preceding her departure, this old servant
brought again the ring of Valancourt, and, with tears, entreated her
mistress to receive it, for that she had neither seen, or heard of M.
Valancourt, since the night when he delivered it to her. As she said
this, her countenance expressed more alarm, than she dared to utter;
but Emily, checking her own propensity to fear, considered, that he had
probably returned to the residence of his brother, and, again refusing
to accept the ring, bade Theresa preserve it, till she saw him, which,
with extreme reluctance, she promised to do.

On the following day, Count De Villefort, with Emily and the Lady
Blanche, left La Vallee, and, on the ensuing evening, arrived at the
Chateau-le-Blanc, where the Countess, Henri, and M. Du Pont, whom
Emily was surprised