to relieve, or perhaps to indulge, the pensive temper of his mind, he bade emily fetch the lute she knew how to touch with such sweet pathos.as she drew near the fishing-house, she was surprised to hear the tones of the instrument, which were awakened by the hand of taste, and uttered a plaintive air, whose exquisite melody engaged all her attention.she listened in profound silence, afraid to move from the spot, lest the sound of her steps should occasion her to lose a note of the music, or should disturb the musician.every thing without the building was still, and no person appeared.she continued to listen, till timidity succeeded to surprise and delight;a timidity, increased by a remembrance of the pencilled lines she had formerly seen, and she hesitated whether to proceed, or to return.
while she paused, the music ceased; and, after a momentary hesitation, she re-collected courage to advance to the fishing-house, which she entered with fing steps, and found unoccupied! her lute lay on the table; every thing seemed undisturbed, and she began to believe it was another instrument she had heard, till she remembered, that, when she followed m.and madame st.aubert from this spot, her lute was left on a window seat.she felt alarmed, yet knew not wherefore; the melancholy gloom of evening, and the profound stillness of the place, interrupted only by the light trembling of leaves, heightened her fanciful apprehensions, and she was desirous of quitting the building, but perceived herself grow faint, and sat down.as she tried to recover herself, the pencilled lines on the wainscot met her eye; she started, as if she had seen a stranger;but, endeavouring to conquer the tremor of her spirits, rose, and went to the window.to the lines before noticed she now perceived that others were added, in which her name appeared.