her impatience increasing with her fears, she repeated the question;but still no sound was heard, except the sighings of the wind among the battlements above; and she endeavoured to console herself with a belief, that the stranger, whoever he was, had retired, before she had spoken, beyond the reach of her voice, which, it appeared certain, had valancourt heard and recognized, he would instantly have replied to.presently, however, she considered, that a motive of prudence, and not an accidental removal, might occasion his silence;but the surmise, that led to this reflection, suddenly changed her hope and joy to terror and grief; for, if valancourt were in the castle, it was too probable, that he was here a prisoner, taken with some of his countrymen, many of whom were at that time engaged in the wars of italy, or intercepted in some attempt to reach her.had he even recollected emily's voice, he would have feared, in these circumstances, to reply to it, in the presence of the men, who guarded his prison.
what so lately she had eagerly hoped she now believed she dreaded;--dreaded to know, that valancourt was near her; and, while she was anxious to be relieved from her apprehension for his safety, she still was unconscious, that a hope of soon seeing him, struggled with the fear.
she remained listening at the casement, till the air began to freshen, and one high mountain in the east to glimmer with the morning; when, wearied with anxiety, she retired to her couch, where she found it utterly impossible to sleep, for joy, tenderness, doubt and apprehension, distracted her during the whole night.now she rose from the couch, and opened the casement to listen; then she would pace the room with impatient steps, and, at length, return with despondence to her pillow.never did hours appear to move so heavily, as those of this anxious night; after which she hoped that annette might appear, and conclude her present state of torturing suspense.