e Orsino had concealed himself. His guests, who all,
except Cavigni, were ignorant, that Montoni had himself assisted him
to escape from Venice, replied, that he had fled in the night with such
precipitation and secrecy, that his most intimate companions knew not
whither. Montoni blamed himself for having asked the question, for a
second thought convinced him, that a man of Orsino's suspicious temper
was not likely to trust any of the persons present with the knowledge
of his asylum. He considered himself, however, as entitled to his utmost
confidence, and did not doubt, that he should soon hear of him.

Emily retired with Madame Montoni, soon after the cloth was withdrawn,
and left the cavaliers to their secret councils, but not before the
significant frowns of Montoni had warned his wife to depart, who passed
from the hall to the ramparts, and walked, for some time, in silence,
which Emily did not interrupt, for her mind was also occupied by
interests of its own. It required all her resolution, to forbear
communicating to Madame Montoni the terrible subject, which still
thrilled her every nerve with horror; and sometimes she was on the point
of doing so, merely to obtain the relief of a moment; but she knew
how wholly she was in the power of Montoni, and, considering, that the
indiscretion of her aunt might prove fatal to them both, she compelled
herself to endure a present and an inferior evil, rather than to tempt a
future and a heavier one. A strange kind of presentiment frequently, on
this day, occurred to her;--it seemed as if her fate rested here, and
was by some invisible means connected with this castle.

'Let me not accelerate it,' said she to herself: 'for whatever I may be
reserved, let me, at least, avoid self-reproach.'

As she looked on the massy walls of the edifice, her melancholy spirits
represented it to be her prison; and she started as at a new suggestion,
when she considered how far distant she was from her native country,
from her little peaceful home, and from her only friend--how remote was
her hope of happiness, how feeble the expectation of again seeing him!
Yet the idea of Valancourt, and her confidence in his faithful love, had
hitherto been her only solace, and she struggled hard to retain them.
A few tears of agony started to her eyes, which she turned aside to
conceal.

While she afterwards leaned on the wall of the rampart, some peasants,
at a little distance, were seen examining a b