The celerity and ease, with which this whole
transaction was completed, prevented it from attracting curiosity, or
even from obtaining a place in any of the published records of that
time; so that Emily, who remained in Languedoc, was ignorant of the
defeat and signal humiliation of her late persecutor.
Her mind was now occupied with sufferings, which no effort of reason had
yet been able to controul. Count De Villefort, who sincerely attempted
whatever benevolence could suggest for softening them, sometimes
allowed her the solitude she wished for, sometimes led her into friendly
parties, and constantly protected her, as much as possible, from the
shrewd enquiries and critical conversation of the Countess. He often
invited her to make excursions, with him and his daughter, during which
he conversed entirely on questions, suitable to her taste, without
appearing to consult it, and thus endeavoured gradually to withdraw her
from the subject of her grief, and to awake other interests in her mind.
Emily, to whom he appeared as the enlightened friend and protector of
her youth, soon felt for him the tender affection of a daughter, and
her heart expanded to her young friend Blanche, as to a sister, whose
kindness and simplicity compensated for the want of more brilliant
qualities. It was long before she could sufficiently abstract her
mind from Valancourt to listen to the story, promised by old Dorothee,
concerning which her curiosity had once been so deeply interested; but
Dorothee, at length, reminded her of it, and Emily desired, that she
would come, that night, to her chamber.
Still her thoughts were employed by considerations, which weakened her
curiosity, and Dorothee's tap at the door, soon after twelve, surprised
her almost as much as if it had not been appointed. 'I am come, at
last, lady,' said she; 'I wonder what it is makes my old limbs shake
so, to-night. I thought, once or twice, I should have dropped, as I
was a-coming.' Emily seated her in a chair, and desired, that she would
compose her spirits, before she entered upon the subject, that had
brought her thither. 'Alas,' said Dorothee, 'it is thinking of that, I
believe, which has disturbed me so. In my way hither too, I passed
the chamber, where my dear lady died, and every thing was so still and
gloomy about me, that I almost fancied I saw her, as she appeared upon
her death-bed.'
Emily now drew her chair near to Dorothee, who went on. 'It is about
twenty years since my lady Marchioness came a bride to the chateau. O!
I well remember how she looked, when she came into the great hall, where
we servants were all assembled to welcome her, and how happy my lord the
Marquis seemed. Ah! who would have thought then!--But, as I was saying,
ma'amselle, I thought the Marchioness, with all her sweet looks, did not
look happy at heart, and so I told my husband, and he said it was all
fancy; so I said no more, but I made my remarks, for all that. My lady
Marchioness was then about your age, and, as I have often thought, very
like you.