'This is an extraordinary adventure,' said Emily, 'and much praise
is due, Ludovico, to your prudence and intrepidity. There are some
circumstances, however, concerning the north apartments, which still
perplex me; but, perhaps, you may be able to explain them. Did you ever
hear the banditti relate any thing extraordinary of these rooms?'
'No, madam,' replied Ludovico, 'I never heard them speak about the
rooms, except to laugh at the credulity of the old housekeeper, who
once was very near catching one of the pirates; it was since the Count
arrived at the chateau, he said, and he laughed heartily as he related
the trick he had played off.'
A blush overspread Emily's cheek, and she impatiently desired Ludovico
to explain himself.
'Why, my lady,' said he, 'as this fellow was, one night in the bed-room,
he heard somebody approaching through the next apartment, and not having
time to lift up the arras, and unfasten the door, he hid himself in
the bed just by. There he lay for some time in as great a fright, I
suppose--' 'As you was in,' interrupted Annette, 'when you sat up so boldly to
watch by yourself.' 'Aye,' said Ludovico, 'in as great a fright as he ever made any body
else suffer; and presently the housekeeper and some other person came up
to the bed, when he, thinking they were going to examine it, bethought
him, that his only chance of escaping detection, was by terrifying them;
so he lifted up the counterpane, but that did not do, till he raised his
face above it, and then they both set off, he said, as if they had seen
the devil, and he got out of the rooms undiscovered.'
Emily could not forbear smiling at this explanation of the deception,
which had given her so much superstitious terror, and was surprised,
that she could have suffered herself to be thus alarmed, till she
considered, that, when the mind has once begun to yield to the weakness
of superstition, trifles impress it with the force of conviction. Still,
however, she remembered with awe the mysterious music, which had been
heard, at midnight, near Chateau-le-Blanc, and she asked Ludovico if he
could give any explanation of it; but he could not.
'I only know, madam,' he added, 'that it did not belong to the pirates,
for I have heard them laugh about it, and say, they believed the devil
was in league with them there.'
'Yes, I will answer for it he was,' said Annette, her countenance
brightening, 'I was sure all along, that he or his spirits had something
to do with the north apartments, and now you see, madam, I am right at
last.' 'It cannot be denied, that his spirits were very busy in that part of
the chateau,' replied Emily, smiling. 'But I am surprised, Ludovico,
that these pirates should persevere in their schemes, after the arrival
of the Count; what could they expect but certain detection?'