Emilia was at length released from the confinement she had so unjustly
suffered. She had now the use of her old apartments, where, solitary
and dejected, her hours moved heavily along, embittered by incessant
anxiety for Julia, by regret for the lost society of madame. The
marchioness, whose pleasures suffered a temporary suspense during the
present confusion at the castle, exercised the ill-humoured caprice,
which disappointment and lassitude inspired, upon her remaining
subject. Emilia was condemned to suffer, and to endure without the
privilege of complaining. In reviewing the events of the last few
weeks, she saw those most dear to her banished, or imprisoned by the
secret influence of a woman, every feature of whose character was
exactly opposite to that of the amiable mother she had been appointed
to succeed.
The search after Julia still continued, and was still unsuccessful.
The astonishment of the marquis increased with his disappointments;
for where could Julia, ignorant of the country, and destitute of
friends, have possibly found an asylum? He swore with a terrible oath
to revenge on her head, whenever she should be found, the trouble and
vexation she now caused him. But he agreed with the duke to relinquish
for a while the search; till Julia, gaining confidence from the
observation of this circumstance, might gradually suppose herself
secure from molestation, and thus be induced to emerge from
concealment.