In a few days, Emily also left the chateau, but not before the Count and
Countess had received her promise to repeat her visit very soon; and
she was welcomed by the abbess, with the same maternal kindness she had
formerly experienced, and by the nuns, with much expression of regard.
The well-known scenes of the convent occasioned her many melancholy
recollections, but with these were mingled others, that inspired
gratitude for having escaped the various dangers, that had pursued her,
since she quitted it, and for the good, which she yet possessed; and,
though she once more wept over her father's grave, with tears of tender
affection, her grief was softened from its former acuteness.
Some time after her return to the monastery, she received a letter from
her uncle, Mons. Quesnel, in answer to information that she had arrived
in France, and to her enquiries, concerning such of her affairs as
he had undertaken to conduct during her absence, especially as to the
period for which La Vallee had been let, whither it was her wish to
return, if it should appear, that her income would permit her to do
so.
The reply of Mons. Quesnel was cold and formal, as she expected,
expressing neither concern for the evils she suffered, nor pleasure,
that she was now removed from them; nor did he allow the opportunity
to pass, of reproving her for her rejection of Count Morano, whom he
affected still to believe a man of honour and fortune; nor of vehemently
declaiming against Montoni, to whom he had always, till now, felt
himself to be inferior. On Emily's pecuniary concerns, he was not very
explicit; he informed her, however, that the term, for which La Vallee
had been engaged, was nearly expired; but, without inviting her to his
own house, added, that her circumstances would by no means allow her to
reside there, and earnestly advised her to remain, for the present, in
the convent of St. Claire.
To her enquiries respecting poor old Theresa, her late father's servant,
he gave no answer. In the postscript to his letter, Monsieur Quesnel
mentioned M. Motteville, in whose hands the late St. Aubert had placed
the chief of his personal property, as being likely to arrange his
affairs nearly to the satisfaction of his creditors, and that Emily
would recover much more of her fortune, than she had formerly reason to
expect. The letter also inclosed to Emily an order upon a merchant at
Narbonne, for a small sum of money.
The tranquillity of the monastery, and the liberty she was suffered
to enjoy, in wandering among the woods and shores of this delightful
province, gradually restored her spirits to their natural tone, except
that anxiety would sometimes intrude, concerning Valancourt, as the time
approached, when it was possible that she might receive an answer to her
letter.