ger, he delivered it her with a folemn charge. to prefent it to Emily, of whom he entreated, as a laft favour, that he would preferve it for his fake, and fometimes, when fhe looked upon it, remember the unhappy giver.

Therefa wept, as fhe received the ring, but it was more from fympathy, than from any prefentiment of evil; and before she could reply, Valancourt abruptly left the cottage. She followed him to the door, calling upon his name and entreating him to return; bat fhe received no answer, and faw him no more.

CHAP.

ON

CHAP. XIV.

Call up him, that left half told

The ftory of Cambufcan bold."

MILTON.

N the following morning, as Emily fat in the parlour adjoining the library, reflecting on the fcene of the preceding night, Annette rufhed wildly into the room, and, without fpeaking, funk breathlefs into a chair. It was fome time before fhe could anfwer the anxious enquiries of Emily, as to the occafion of her emotion, but, at length, fhe exclaimed, "I have feen his ghost, madam, I have seen his ghoft!"

"Who do you mean?" faid Emily, with extreme impatience.

"It came in from the hall, madam," continued Annette, "as I was croffing to the parlour."

"Who are you speaking of?" repeated Emily, "Who came in from the hall ?”

"It

"It was dreffed juft as I have feen him, often and often," added Annette. "Ah! who could have thought

Emily's patience was now exhausted, and fhe was reprimanding her for such idle fancies, when a fervant entered the room, and informed her, that a stranger without begged leave to speak with her.

It immediately occurred to Emily, that this ftranger was Valancourt, and she told the fervant to inform him, that she was engaged, and could not fee any person.

The fervant, having delivered his meffage, returned with one from the stranger, urging the first request, and faying, that he had something of confequence to communicate; while Annette, who had hitherto fat filent and amazed, now started up, and crying, "It is Ludovico!-it is Ludovico!" ran out of the room. Emily bade the servant follow her, and, if it really was Ludovico, to fhew him into the parlour.

In a few minutes, Ludovico appeared, accompanied by Annette, who, as joy rendered

her

her forgetful of all rules of decorum towards her mistress, would not fuffer any person to be heard, for fome time, but herself. Emily expreffed surprise and satisfaction, on seeing Ludovico in fafety, and the first emotions increased, when he delivered letters from Count De Villefort and the Lady Blanche, informing her of their late adventure, and of their prefent fituation at an inn among the Pyrenées, where they had been detained by the illness of Monf. St. Foix, and the indispofition of Blanche, who added, that the Baron St. Foix was juft arrived to attend his fon to his chateau, where he would remain till the perfect recovery of his wounds, and then return to Languedoc, but that her father and herself purpofed to be at LaVallée, on the following day. She added, that Emily's prefence would be expected at the approaching nuptials, and begged the would be prepared to proceed, in a few days, to Chateau-le-Blanc. For an account of Ludovico's adventure, fhe referred her to himself, and Emily, though much interVOL. IV. ested,

Р

efted, concerning the means, by which he had disappeared from the north apartments, had the forbearance to fufpend the gratification of her curiofity, till he had taken fome refreshment, and had converfed with Annette, whose joy, on seeing him in safety, could not have been more extravagant, had he arifen from the grave.

Meanwhile, Emily perufed again the letters of her friends, whofe expreffions of ef teem and kindnefs were very neceffary confolations to her heart, awakened as it was by the late interview to emotions of keener forrow and regret.

The invitation to Chateau-le-Blanc was preffed with fo much kindness by the Count and his daughter, who ftrengthened it by a meffage from the Countefs, and the occafion of it was fo important to her friend, that Emily could not refufe to accept it, nor though fhe wifhed to remain in the quiet fhades of her native home, could fhe avoid perceiving the impropriety of remaining there alone, fince Valancourt was again

in