to determine, whether she would consent to his demand, or compel
him, by a refusal, to remove her to the east turret. He added, that a
party of cavaliers would dine with him, that day, and that he expected
that she would sit at the head of the table, where Emily, also, must
be present. Madame Montoni was now on the point of uttering an absolute
refusal, but, suddenly considering, that her liberty, during this
entertainment, though circumscribed, might favour her further plans, she
acquiesced, with seeming reluctance, and Montoni, soon after, left the
apartment. His command struck Emily with surprise and apprehension, who
shrank from the thought of being exposed to the gaze of strangers, such
as her fancy represented these to be, and the words of Count Morano, now
again recollected, did not sooth her fears.

When she withdrew to prepare for dinner, she dressed herself with even
more simplicity than usual, that she might escape observation--a policy,
which did not avail her, for, as she re-passed to her aunt's apartment,
she was met by Montoni, who censured what he called her prudish
appearance, and insisted, that she should wear the most splendid dress
she had, even that, which had been prepared for her intended nuptials
with Count Morano, and which, it now appeared, her aunt had carefully
brought with her from Venice. This was made, not in the Venetian, but,
in the Neapolitan fashion, so as to set off the shape and figure, to the
utmost advantage. In it, her beautiful chestnut tresses were negligently
bound up in pearls, and suffered to fall back again on her neck. The
simplicity of a better taste, than Madame Montoni's, was conspicuous in
this dress, splendid as it was, and Emily's unaffected beauty never had
appeared more captivatingly. She had now only to hope, that Montoni's
order was prompted, not by any extraordinary design, but by an
ostentation of displaying his family, richly attired, to the eyes
of strangers; yet nothing less than his absolute command could have
prevailed with her to wear a dress, that had been designed for such an
offensive purpose, much less to have worn it on this occasion. As she
descended to dinner, the emotion of her mind threw a faint blush over
her countenance, and heightened its interesting expression; for timidity
had made her linger in her apartment, till the utmost moment, and,
when she entered the hall, in which a kind of state dinner was spread,
Montoni and his guests were already