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But he was in such a hurry himself, he hardly spoke ten words, but he
told me he would come, and let me out, when all was quiet, and he took
away the key with him. Now all these hours are passed, and I have
neither seen, or heard a word of him; they have murdered him -- I know
they have!
Emily suddenly remembered the wounded person, whom she had
seen borne into the servants hall, and she scarcely doubted, that he was
Ludovico, but she concealed the circumstance from Annette, and
endeavoured to comfort her. Then, impatient to learn something of her
aunt, she again enquired the way to the turret.
O! you are not going, ma'amselle, said Annette, for Heaven's
sake, do not go, and leave me here by myself.
Nay, Annette, you do not think I can wait in the gallery all night,
replied Emily. Direct me to the turret; in the morning I will endeavour
to release you.
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O holy Mary! exclaimed Annette, am I to stay here by myself
all night! I shall be frightened out of my senses, and I shall die of
hunger; I have had nothing to eat since dinner!
Emily could scarcely forbear smiling at the heterogeneous
distresses of Annette, though she sincerely pitied them, and said what
she could to sooth her. At length, she obtained something like a direction
to the east turret, and quitted the door, from whence, after many
intricacies and perplexities, she reached the steep and winding stairs of
the turret, at the foot of which she stopped to rest, and to re-animate her
courage with a sense of her duty. As she surveyed this dismal place, she
perceived a door on the opposite side of the stair-case, and, anxious to
know whether it would lead her to Madame Montoni, she tried to
undraw the bolts, which fastened it. A fresher air came to her face, as
she unclosed the door, which opened upon the east rampart, and the
sudden current had nearly extinguished her light, which she now
removed to a distance; and again, looking out upon the obscure terrace,
she perceived only the faint outline of the walls and of some towers,
while, above, heavy clouds, borne along the wind, seemed to mingle
with the stars, and wrap the night in thicker darkness. As she gazed, now
willing to defer the moment of certainty, from which she expected only
confirmation of evil, a distant footstep reminded her, that she might be
observed by the men on watch, and, hastily closing the door, she took
her lamp, and passed up the stair-case. Trembling came upon her, as she
ascended through the gloom. To her melancholy fancy this seemed to be
a place of death, and the chilling silence, that reigned, confirmed its
character. Her spirits faltered.
Perhaps, said she, I am come hither only to learn a dreadful
truth, or to witness some horrible spectacle; I feel that my senses would
not survive such an addition of horror.
The image of her aunt murdered -- murdered, perhaps, by the hand
of Montoni, rose to her mind; she trembled, gasped for breath --
repented that she had dared to venture hither, and checked her steps. But,
after she had paused a few minutes, the consciousness of her duty
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returned, and she went on. Still all was silent. At length a track of blood,
upon a stair, caught her eye; and instantly she perceived, that the wall
and several other steps were stained. She paused, again struggled to
support herself, and the lamp almost fell from her trembling hand. Still
no sound was heard, no living being seemed to inhabit the turret; a
thousand times she wished herself again in her chamber; dreaded to
enquire farther -- dreaded to encounter some horrible spectacle, and yet
could not resolve, now that she was so near the termination of her
efforts, to desist from them. Having again collected courage to proceed,
after ascending about half way up the turret, she came to another door,
but here again she stopped in hesitation; listened for sounds within, and
then, summoning all her resolution, unclosed it, and entered a chamber,
which, as her lamp shot its feeble rays through the darkness, seemed to
exhibit only dew-stained and deserted walls.
As she stood examining it, in fearful expectation of discovering the
remains of her unfortunate aunt, she perceived something lying in an
obscure corner of the room, and, struck with an horrible conviction, she
became, for an instant, motionless and nearly insensible. Then, with a
kind of desperate resolution, she hurried towards the object that excited
her terror, when, perceiving the clothes of some person, on the floor, she
caught hold of them, and found in her grasp the old uniform of a soldier,
beneath which appeared a heap of pikes and other arms. Scarcely daring
to trust her sight, she continued, for some moments, to gaze on the
object of her late alarm, and then left the chamber, so much comforted
and occupied by the conviction, that her aunt was not there, that she was
going to descend the turret, without enquiring farther; when, on turning
to do so, she observed upon some steps on the second flight an
appearance of blood, and remembering, that there was yet another
chamber to be explored, she again followed the windings of the ascent.
Still, as she ascended, the track of blood glared upon the stairs.
It led her to the door of a landing-place, that terminated them, but
she was unable to follow it farther. Now that she was so near the sought-
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for certainty, she dreaded to know it, even more than before, and had not
fortitude sufficient to speak, or to attempt opening the door.
Having listened, in vain, for some sound, that might confirm, or
destroy her fears, she, at length, laid her hand on the lock, and, finding it
fastened, called on Madame Montoni; but only a chilling silence ensued.
She is dead! she cried, -- murdered! -- her blood is on the
stairs!
Emily grew very faint; could support herself no longer, and had
scarcely presence of mind to set down the lamp, and place herself on a
step.
When her recollection returned, she spoke again at the door, and
again attempted to open it, and, having lingered for some time, without
receiving any answer, or hearing a sound, she descended the turret, and,
with all the swiftness her feebleness would permit, sought her own
apartment.
As she turned into the corridor, the door of a chamber opened,
from whence Montoni came forth; but Emily, more terrified than ever to
behold him, shrunk back into the passage soon enough to escape being
noticed, and heard him close the door, which she had perceived was the
same she formerly observed. Having here listened to his departing steps,
till their faint sound was lost in distance, she ventured to her apartment,
and, securing it once again, retired to her bed, leaving the lamp burning
on the hearth. But sleep was fled from her harassed mind, to which
images of horror alone occurred.
She endeavoured to think it possible, that Madame Montoni had
not been taken to the turret; but, when she recollected the former
menaces of her husband and the terrible spirit of vengeance, which he
had displayed on a late occasion; when she remembered his general
character, the looks of the men, who had forced Madame Montoni from
her apartment, and the written traces on the stairs of the turret -- she
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could not doubt, that her aunt had been carried thither, and could
scarcely hope, that she had not been carried to be murdered.
The grey of morning had long dawned through her casements,
before Emily closed her eyes in sleep; when wearied nature, at length,
yielded her a respite from suffering.
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CHAPTER XI
Who rears the bloody hand?
-- SAYERS
Emily remained in her chamber, on the following morning, without
receiving any notice from Montoni, or seeing a human being, except the
armed men, who sometimes passed on the terrace below. Having tasted
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