'But how does he look, Ludovico?' interrupted Emily: 'is he not
melancholy and ill with this long confinement?'--'Why, as to melancholy,
I saw no symptom of that, lady, while I was with him, for he seemed
in the finest spirits I ever saw any body in, in all my life. His
countenance was all joy, and, if one may judge from that, he was very
well; but I did not ask him.' 'Did he send me no message?' said Emily.
'O yes, Signora, and something besides,' replied Ludovico, who searched
his pockets. 'Surely, I have not lost it,' added he. 'The Chevalier
said, he would have written, madam, if he had had pen and ink, and was
going to have sent a very long message, when the sentinel entered the
room, but not before he had give me this.' Ludovico then drew forth a
miniature from his bosom, which Emily received with a trembling hand,
and perceived to be a portrait of herself--the very picture, which her
mother had lost so strangely in the fishing-house at La Vallee.
Tears of mingled joy and tenderness flowed to her eyes, while Ludovico
proceeded--'"Tell your lady," said the Chevalier, as he gave me the
picture, "that this has been my companion, and only solace in all my
misfortunes. Tell her, that I have worn it next my heart, and that I
sent it her as the pledge of an affection, which can never die; that I
would not part with it, but to her, for the wealth of worlds, and that I
now part with it, only in the hope of soon receiving it from her hands.
Tell her"--Just then, Signora, the sentinel came in, and the Chevalier
said no more; but he had before asked me to contrive an interview for
him with you; and when I told him, how little hope I had of prevailing
with the guard to assist me, he said, that was not, perhaps, of so
much consequence as I imagined, and bade me contrive to bring back your
answer, and he would inform me of more than he chose to do then. So
this, I think, lady, is the whole of what passed.'
'How, Ludovico, shall I reward you for your zeal?' said Emily: 'but,
indeed, I do not now possess the means. When can you see the Chevalier
again?' 'That is uncertain, Signora,' replied he. 'It depends upon who
stands guard next: there are not more than one or two among them, from
whom I would dare to ask admittance to the prison-chamber.'