She would have risen to leave the place, but they seemed
to come from the way she must have taken towards the chateau, and she
awaited the event in trembling expectation. The sounds continued to
approach, for some time, and then ceased. Emily sat listening, gazing
and unable to move, when she saw a figure emerge from the shade of the
woods and pass along the bank, at some little distance before her. It
went swiftly, and her spirits were so overcome with awe, that, though
she saw, she did not much observe it.
Having left the spot, with a resolution never again to visit it alone,
at so late an hour, she began to approach the chateau, when she heard
voices calling her from the part of the wood, which was nearest to it.
They were the shouts of the Count's servants, who were sent to search
for her; and when she entered the supper-room, where he sat with Henri
and Blanche, he gently reproached her with a look, which she blushed to
have deserved.
This little occurrence deeply impressed her mind, and, when she withdrew
to her own room, it recalled so forcibly the circumstances she had
witnessed, a few nights before, that she had scarcely courage to remain
alone. She watched to a late hour, when, no sound having renewed
her fears, she, at length, sunk to repose. But this was of short
continuance, for she was disturbed by a loud and unusual noise, that
seemed to come from the gallery, into which her chamber opened. Groans
were distinctly heard, and, immediately after, a dead weight fell
against the door, with a violence, that threatened to burst it open. She
called loudly to know who was there, but received no answer, though,
at intervals, she still thought she heard something like a low moaning.
Fear deprived her of the power to move. Soon after, she heard footsteps
in a remote part of the gallery, and, as they approached, she called
more loudly than before, till the steps paused at her door. She then
distinguished the voices of several of the servants, who seemed too
much engaged by some circumstance without, to attend to her calls; but,
Annette soon after entering the room for water, Emily understood, that
one of the maids had fainted, whom she immediately desired them to bring
into her room, where she assisted to restore her. When this girl had
recovered her speech, she affirmed, that, as she was passing up the back
stair-case, in the way to her chamber, she had seen an apparition on the
second landing-place; she held the lamp low, she said, that she might
pick her way, several of the stairs being infirm and even decayed, and
it was upon raising her eyes, that she saw this appearance. It stood for
a moment in the corner of the landing-place, which she was approaching,
and then, gliding up the stairs, vanished at the door of the apartment,
that had been lately opened.