Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn’d,
Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell,
Be thy intents wicked, or charitable,
I will speak to thee.
HAMLET
Count de Villefort, at length, received a letter from the advocate at
Avignon, encouraging Emily to assert her claim to the estates of the
late Madame Montoni; and, about the same time, a messenger arrived from
Monsieur Quesnel with intelligence, that made an appeal to the law on
this subject unnecessary, since it appeared, that the only person, who
could have opposed her claim, was now no more. A friend of Monsieur
Quesnel, who resided at Venice, had sent him an account of the death of
Montoni who had been brought to trial with Orsino, as his supposed
accomplice in the murder of the Venetian nobleman. Orsino was found
guilty, condemned and executed upon the wheel, but, nothing being
discovered to criminate Montoni, and his colleagues, on this charge,
they were all released, except Montoni, who, being considered by the
senate as a very dangerous person, was, for other reasons, ordered
again into confinement, where, it was said, he had died in a doubtful
and mysterious manner, and not without suspicion of having been
poisoned. The authority, from which M. Quesnel had received this
information, would not allow him to doubt its truth, and he told Emily,
that she had now only to lay claim to the estates of her late aunt, to
secure them, and added, that he would himself assist in the necessary
forms of this business. The term, for which La Vallée had been let
being now also nearly expired, he acquainted her with the circumstance,
and advised her to take the road thither, through Thoulouse, where he
promised to meet her, and where it would be proper for her to take
possession of the estates of the late Madame Montoni; adding, that he
would spare her any difficulties, that might occur on that occasion
from the want of knowledge on the subject, and that he believed it
would be necessary for her to be at Thoulouse, in about three weeks
from the present time.
An increase of fortune seemed to have awakened this sudden kindness in
M. Quesnel towards his niece, and it appeared, that he entertained more
respect for the rich heiress, than he had ever felt compassion for the
poor and unfriended orphan.
The pleasure, with which she received this intelligence, was clouded
when she considered, that he, for whose sake she had once regretted the
want of fortune, was no longer worthy of sharing it with her; but,
remembering the friendly admonition of the Count, she checked this
melancholy reflection, and endeavoured to feel only gratitude for the
unexpected good, that now attended her; while it formed no
inconsiderable part of her satisfaction to know, that La Vallée, her
native home, which was endeared to her by it’s having been the
residence of her parents, would soon be restored to her possession.
There she meant to fix her future residence, for, though it could not
be compared with the château at Thoulouse, either for extent, or
magnificence, its pleasant scenes and the tender remembrances, that
haunted them, had claims upon her heart, which she was not inclined to
sacrifice to ostentation. She wrote immediately to thank M. Quesnel for
the active interest he took in her concerns, and to say, that she would
meet him at Thoulouse at the appointed time.
When Count de Villefort, with Blanche, came to the convent to give
Emily the advice of the advocate, he was informed of the contents of M.
Quesnel’s letter, and gave her his sincere congratulations, on the
occasion; but she observed, that, when the first expression of
satisfaction had faded from his countenance, an unusual gravity
succeeded, and she scarcely hesitated to enquire its cause.
“It has no new occasion,” replied the Count; “I am harassed and
perplexed by the confusion, into which my family is thrown by their
foolish superstition. Idle reports are floating round me, which I can
neither admit to be true, nor prove to be false; and I am, also, very
anxious about the poor fellow, Ludovico, concerning whom I have not
been able to obtain information. Every part of the château and every
part of the neighbourhood, too, has, I believe, been searched, and I
know not what further can be done, since I have already offered large
rewards for the discovery of him. The keys of the north apartment I
have not suffered to be out of my possession, since he disappeared, and
I mean to watch in those chambers, myself, this very night.”
Emily, seriously alarmed for the Count, united her entreaties with
those of the Lady Blanche, to dissuade him from his purpose.
“What should I fear?” said he. “I have no faith in supernatural
combats, and for human opposition I shall be prepared; nay, I will even
promise not to watch alone.”
“But who, dear sir, will have courage enough to watch with you?” said
Emily.
“My son,” replied the Count. “If I am not carried off in the night,”
added he, smiling, “you shall hear the result of my adventure,
tomorrow.”
The Count and Lady Blanche, shortly afterwards, took leave of Emily,
and returned to the château, where he informed Henri of his intention,
who, not without some secret reluctance, consented to be the partner of
his watch; and, when the design was mentioned after supper, the
Countess was terrified, and the Baron, and M. Du Pont joined with her
in entreating, that he would not tempt his fate, as Ludovico had done.
“We know not,” added the Baron, “the nature, or the power of an evil
spirit; and that such a spirit haunts those chambers can now, I think,
scarcely be doubted. Beware, my lord, how you provoke its vengeance,
since it has already given us one terrible example of its malice. I
allow it may be probable, that the spirits of the dead are permitted to
return to the earth only on occasions of high import; but the present
import may be your destruction.”
The Count could not forbear smiling; “Do you think then, Baron,” said
he, “that my destruction is of sufficient importance to draw back to
earth the soul of the departed? Alas! my good friend, there is no
occasion for such means to accomplish the destruction of any
individual. Wherever the mystery rests, I trust I shall, this night, be
able to detect it. You know I am not superstitious.”
“I know that you are incredulous,” interrupted the Baron.
“Well, call it what you will, I mean to say, that, though you know I am
free from superstition—if anything supernatural has appeared, I doubt
not it will appear to me, and if any strange event hangs over my house,
or if any extraordinary transaction has formerly been connected with
it, I shall probably be made acquainted with it. At all events I will
invite discovery; and, that I may be equal to a mortal attack, which in
good truth, my friend, is what I most expect, I shall take care to be
well armed.”
The Count took leave of his family, for the night, with an assumed
gaiety, which but ill concealed the anxiety, that depressed his
spirits, and retired to the north apartments, accompanied by his son
and followed by the Baron, M. Du Pont and some of the domestics, who
all bade him good night at the outer door. In these chambers everything
appeared as when he had last been here; even in the bedroom no
alteration was visible, where he lighted his own fire, for none of the
domestics could be prevailed upon to venture thither. After carefully
examining the chamber and the oriel, the Count and Henri drew their
chairs upon the hearth, set a bottle of wine and a lamp before them,
laid their swords upon the table, and, stirring the wood into a blaze,
began to converse on indifferent topics. But Henri was often silent and
abstracted, and sometimes threw a glance of mingled awe and curiosity
round the gloomy apartment; while the Count gradually ceased to
converse, and sat either lost in thought, or reading a volume of
Tacitus, which he had brought to beguile the tediousness of the night.