after some general conversation, st.aubert requested to speak with him alone; and emily, being left with madame quesnel, soon learned that a large party was invited to dine at the chateau, and was compelled to hear that nothing which was past and irremediable ought to prevent the festivity of the present hour.
st.aubert, when he was told that company were expected, felt a mixed emotion of disgust and indignation against the insensibility of quesnel, which prompted him to return home immediately.but he was informed, that madame cheron had been asked to meet him; and, when he looked at emily, and considered that a time might come when the enmity of her uncle would be prejudicial to her, he determined not to incur it himself, by conduct which would be resented as indecorous, by the very persons who now ed so little sense of decorum.
among the visitors assembled at dinner were two italian gentlemen, of whom one was named montoni, a distant relation of madame quesnel, a man about forty, of an uncommonly handsome person, with features manly and expressive, but whose countenance exhibited, upon the whole, more of the haughtiness of command, and the quickness of discernment, than of any other character.
signor cavigni, his friend, appeared to be about thirty--inferior in dignity, but equal to him in penetration of countenance, and superior in insinuation of manner.
emily was shocked by the salutation with which madame cheron met her father--'dear brother,' said she, 'i am concerned to see you look so very ill; do, pray, have advice!' st.aubert answered, with a melancholy smile, that he felt himself much as usual; but emily's fears made her now fancy that her father looked worse than he really did.