He was interrupted by the loud barking of the dog. 'Stay, Count Morano,' said Emily, terrified by his words, and by the
fury expressed in his eyes, 'I will save you from this error.--Of all
men, Signor Montoni is not your rival; though, if I find all other means
of saving myself vain, I will try whether my voice may not arouse his
servants to my succour.' 'Assertion,' replied Morano, 'at such a moment, is not to be depended
upon. How could I suffer myself to doubt, even for an instant, that he
could see you, and not love?--But my first care shall be to convey you
from the castle. Cesario! ho,--Cesario!' A man now appeared at the door of the stair-case, and other steps were
heard ascending. Emily uttered a loud shriek, as Morano hurried her
across the chamber, and, at the same moment, she heard a noise at the
door, that opened upon the corridor. The Count paused an instant, as if
his mind was suspended between love and the desire of vengeance; and,
in that instant, the door gave way, and Montoni, followed by the old
steward and several other persons, burst into the room.
'Draw!' cried Montoni to the Count, who did not pause for a second
bidding, but, giving Emily into the hands of the people, that appeared
from the stair-case, turned fiercely round. 'This in thine heart,
villain!' said he, as he made a thrust at Montoni with his sword, who
parried the blow, and aimed another, while some of the persons, who
had followed him into the room, endeavoured to part the combatants, and
others rescued Emily from the hands of Morano's servants.
'Was it for this, Count Morano,' said Montoni, in a cool sarcastic tone
of voice, 'that I received you under my roof, and permitted you, though
my declared enemy, to remain under it for the night? Was it, that you
might repay my hospitality with the treachery of a fiend, and rob me of
my niece?' 'Who talks of treachery?' said Morano, in a tone of unrestrained
vehemence. 'Let him that does, shew an unblushing face of innocence.
Montoni, you are a villain! If there is treachery in this affair, look
to yourself as the author of it. IF--do I say? I--whom you have wronged
with unexampled baseness, whom you have injured almost beyond redress!
But why do I use words?--Come on, coward, and receive justice at my
hands!' 'Coward!' cried Montoni, bursting from the people who held him, and
rushing on the Count, when they both retreated into the corridor, where
the fight continued so desperately, that none of the spectators dared
approach them, Montoni swearing, that the first who interfered, should
fall by his sword.