The deliberate villany, with which he violated the solemn engagement he
had just entered into, shocked Emily as much, as the certainty, that she
had made a fruitless sacrifice, and must still remain his prisoner. She
had no words to express what she felt, and knew, that it would have been
useless, if she had. As she looked piteously at Montoni, he turned away,
and at the same time desired she would withdraw to her apartment; but,
unable to leave the room, she sat down in a chair near the door, and
sighed heavily.
She had neither words nor tears.
'Why will you indulge this childish grief?' said he. 'Endeavour to
strengthen your mind, to bear patiently what cannot now be avoided; you
have no real evil to lament; be patient, and you will be sent back to
France. At present retire to your apartment.'
'I dare not go, sir,' said she, 'where I shall be liable to the
intrusion of Signor Verezzi.' 'Have I not promised to protect you?'
said Montoni. 'You have promised, sir,'--replied Emily, after some
hesitation. 'And is not my promise sufficient?' added he sternly. 'You
will recollect your former promise, Signor,' said Emily, trembling,
'and may determine for me, whether I ought to rely upon this.' 'Will you
provoke me to declare to you, that I will not protect you then?' said
Montoni, in a tone of haughty displeasure. 'If that will satisfy you,
I will do it immediately.
Withdraw to your chamber, before I retract my
promise; you have nothing to fear there.' Emily left the room, and moved
slowly into the hall, where the fear of meeting Verezzi, or Bertolini,
made her quicken her steps, though she could scarcely support herself;
and soon after she reached once more her own apartment. Having looked
fearfully round her, to examine if any person was there, and having
searched every part of it, she fastened the door, and sat down by one of
the casements.
Here, while she looked out for some hope to support her
fainting spirits, which had been so long harassed and oppressed, that,
if she had not now struggled much against misfortune, they would have
left her, perhaps, for ever, she endeavoured to believe, that Montoni
did really intend to permit her return to France as soon as he had
secured her property, and that he would, in the mean time, protect her
from insult; but her chief hope rested with Ludovico, who, she doubted
not, would be zealous in her cause, though he seemed almost to despair
of success in it.