For Valancourt's sake also she determined to preserve these
estates, since they would afford that competency, by which she hoped to
secure the comfort of their future lives. As she thought of this, she
indulged the tenderness of tears, and anticipated the delight of that
moment, when, with affectionate generosity, she might tell him they
were his own. She saw the smile, that lighted up his features--the
affectionate regard, which spoke at once his joy and thanks; and, at
this instant, she believed she could brave any suffering, which the evil
spirit of Montoni might be preparing for her. Remembering then, for the
first time since her aunt's death, the papers relative to the estates
in question, she determined to search for them, as soon as her interview
with Montoni was over.
With these resolutions she met him at the appointed time, and waited to
hear his intention before she renewed her request. With him were Orsino
and another officer, and both were standing near a table, covered with
papers, which he appeared to be examining.
'I sent for you, Emily,' said Montoni, raising his head, 'that you might
be a witness in some business, which I am transacting with my friend
Orsino. All that is required of you will be to sign your name to this
paper:' he then took one up, hurried unintelligibly over some lines,
and, laying it before her on the table, offered her a pen. She took it,
and was going to write--when the design of Montoni came upon her mind
like a flash of lightning; she trembled, let the pen fall, and refused
to sign what she had not read. Montoni affected to laugh at her
scruples, and, taking up the paper, again pretended to read; but Emily,
who still trembled on perceiving her danger, and was astonished, that
her own credulity had so nearly betrayed her, positively refused to sign
any paper whatever. Montoni, for some time, persevered in affecting
to ridicule this refusal; but, when he perceived by her steady
perseverance, that she understood his design, he changed his manner, and
bade her follow him to another room. There he told her, that he had been
willing to spare himself and her the trouble of useless contest, in an
affair, where his will was justice, and where she should find it law;
and had, therefore, endeavoured to persuade, rather than to compel, her
to the practice of her duty.
'I, as the husband of the late Signora Montoni,' he added, 'am the heir
of all she possessed; the estates, therefore, which she refused to me
in her life-time, can no longer be withheld, and, for your own sake, I
would undeceive you, respecting a foolish assertion she once made to you
in my hearing--that these estates would be yours, if she died without
resigning them to me. She knew at that moment, she had no power to
withhold them from me, after her decease; and I think you have more
sense, than to provoke my resentment by advancing an unjust claim. I
am not in the habit of flattering, and you will, therefore, receive,
as sincere, the praise I bestow, when I say, that you possess an
understanding superior to that of your sex; and that you have none
of those contemptible foibles, that frequently mark the female
character--such as avarice and the love of power, which latter makes
women delight to contradict and to tease, when they cannot conquer. If
I understand your disposition and your mind, you hold in sovereign
contempt these common failings of your sex.'