emily, as she passed to her own apartment, saw montoni go down to the hall, and she turned into her aunt's dressing-room, whom she found weeping and alone, grief and resentment struggling on her countenance.pride had hitherto restrained complaint.judging of emily's disposition from her own, and from a consciousness of what her treatment of her deserved, she had believed, that her griefs would be cause of triumph to her niece, rather than of sympathy; that she would despise, not pity her.but she knew not the tenderness and benevolence of emily's heart, that had always taught her to forget her own injuries in the misfortunes of her enemy.the sufferings of others, whoever they might be, called forth her ready compassion, which dissipated at once every obscuring cloud to goodness, that passion or prejudice might have raised in her mind.
madame montoni's sufferings, at length, rose above her pride, and, when emily had before entered the room, she would have told them all, had not her husband prevented her; now that she was no longer restrained by his presence, she poured forth all her complaints to her niece.
'o emily!' she exclaimed, 'i am the most wretched of women--i am indeed cruelly treated! who, with my prospects of happiness, could have foreseen such a wretched fate as this?--who could have thought, when i married such a man as the signor, i should ever have to bewail my lot? but there is no judging what is for the best--there is no knowing what is for our good! the most flattering prospects often change--the best judgments may be deceived--who could have foreseen, when i married the signor, that i should ever repent my generosity?'
emily thought she might have foreseen it, but this was not a thought of triumph.she placed herself in a chair near her aunt, took her hand, and, with one of those looks of soft compassion, which might characterize the countenance of a guardian angel, spoke to her in the tenderest accents.but these did not sooth madame montoni, whom impatience to talk made unwilling to listen.she wanted to complain, not to be consoled; and it was by exclamations of complaint only, that emily learned the particular circumstances of her affliction.