"Be thou a fpirit of health, or goblin damn'd,

Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blafts from hell, Be thy intents wicked, or charitable,

-1 will speak to thee.".

COUNT DE

HAMLET.

WOUNT DE VILLEFORT, at length, received a letter from the advocate at Avignon, encouraging Emily to affert her claim to the eftates of the late Madame Montoni; and, about the fame time, a meffenger arrived from Monfieur Quefnel with intelligence, that made an appeal to the law on this fubject unneceffary, fince it appeared, that the only perfon, who could have opposed her claim, was now no more. A friend of M. Quefnel, who refided at Venice, had fent him an account of the death of Montoni, who had been brought to trial with Orfino, as his fuppofed accomplice in the murder of the Venetian nobleman. Orfino was

found

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 confidered by the fenate as a very dangerous perfon, was, for other reasons, ordered again into confinement, where, it was faid, he had died in a doubtful and mysterious manner, and not without fufpicion of having been poisoned. The authority, from which M. Quefnel had received this information, would not allow him to doubt its truth, and he told Emily, that he had now only to lay claim to the estates of her late aunt, to fecure them, and added, that he would himself affift in the necessary forms of this business. The term, for which LaVallée had been let, being now also nearly expired, he acquainted her with the circumstance, and advised her to take the road thither, through Tholoufe, where he promised to meet her, and where it would be proper for her to take poffeffion of the eftates of the late Madame Mon

toni; adding, that he would spare her any difficulties, that might occur on that occafion from the want of knowledge on the fubject, and that he believed it would be neceffary for her to be at Tholoufe, in about three weeks from the present time.

An increase of fortune feemed to have awakened this fudden kindness in M. Quefnel towards his niece, and it appeared, that he entertained more refpect for the rich heiress, than he had ever felt compaffion for the poor and unfriended orphan.

The pleasure, with which the received this intelligence, was clouded when the confidered, that he, for whose fake she had once regretted the want of fortune, was no longer worthy of fharing 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 inconfiderable part of her fatisfaction to know, that La Vallée, her native home, which was endeared to her by it's

having been the refidence of her parents,, would foon be reftored to her poffeffion. There she meant to fix her future refidence,, for, though it could not be compared with the chateau at Tholoufe, 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 facrifice to oftentation. She wrote immediately to thank M. Quefnel for the active intereft he took in her concerns,, and to fay that she would meet him at Tholoufe 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. Quefnel's letter, and gave her his fincere congratulations on the occafion; but fhe obferved, that, when the first expreffion of fatisfaction had faded from his countenance, an unusual gravity fucceeded,.. and the fcarcely hefitated to enquire its cause.

"It has no new occafion," replied the

Count; "I am haraffed and perplexed by the confufion into which my family is thrown by their foolish fuperftition. Idle reports are floating round me, which I can neither admit to be true, or prove to be falfe; and I am, alfo, very anxious about the poor fellow, Ludovico, concerning whom I have not been able to obtain information. Every part of the chateau, and every part of the neighbourhood, too, has, I believe, been fearched, and I know not what further can be done, fince I have already offered large rewards for the difcovery of him. The keys of the north apartment I have not fuffered to be out of my poffeffion, fince he disappeared, and I mean to watch in those chambers, myself, this very night."

Emily, feriously alarmed for the Count, united her entreaties with thofe of the Lady Blanche, to diffuade him from his purpofe.

"What should I fear?" faid he. "I have no faith in fupernatural combats, and for human oppofition I fhall be prepared;

nay,