The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1906-03-30
nol.onts Emily was chill.

l"' ~ nci.ontS Emily was chill
ed into silence by this speech; and,
when she attempted to undeceive him /
concerning the puTport OF the note
she had inclosed in Montoni's letter,
he appeared 10 have some private rea-
son for dis.elieving her assertion, and
for considerable time, persevered in
accusing her OF caprcious conduct.
Being, at length, however, convinced
that she really disliked Eorano, and
had positively rejected his suit, his
resentment was eXtravagant, and he ,
expressed 1t I'm terms equally pointed
and inhuman: for, secretly nattero
by the prospect Of Il connection with
a noblcmen, whose title he had al.
Iected 20 forget, he was incapable OF
feeling pity for whatever su ircringS Of
| his niece might stand in the way OF
MS ambition.
On the following day, Montoni, in a
short conversation which he held
with Emily, informed her, that he
could no longer be tritied with. and
that, since her marriage with the
Count, would be SO highly advantage
to her, that folly only object TO it
and folly OF such extent as was in
capable Of conviction, it should be
celebrated without further delay, and
IL that was necessary, without her
| consent.
An affair, however, soon after oc.
cured, which somewhat called Of
iontuni'S attention from Emily. The
Mysterious visits OF Ors:nu were r".
iewcd With mole fr, quency silC, ...u
1eturn OF tie fOrmert (" ', ...,c There
we're others. also, b,s.ues Orsino, ad-
nitJed TO these midnight cOulcils,
ind among til, III Cavigni and VereZzi.
Montonl became more reserved and
iustere in his manner than ever: and
| Emily, if her own interests had not
made her regardless Of his, might
nave perceived. that something ex-
traerdinary was working in his mind.
One night. on which council was
| lot held, Orsino came in great ag-
Itation Of spirits. and dispatched his
| confidential servant TO Montoni, who
! vas AZ a Casino, desiring that he
would return home Immediately; but
;hargimg the servant hot to mention
ais name. Montoni obeyed the sum
mons, and, on meeting Orslno, was
informed OF the circumstances, that
JccaSioncd his visit and his visible
alarm, with part OF which he was
already acquainted.
While Orsino remained concealed
in his house, MOntOni was unwilling
to attract public observation by the
nuptials OF Count .doranO: but this
obstacle was, in few days, overcome
by the departure OF his criminal Wis, |
itor, and he then Informed Emily,
that her marriage was TO c celebrat- |
ed on the followieg morning. TO her
repeated assurances that it should |
not take place, he replied only by a |
malignant smile; and, telling her,
that the Count and a priest would be
at his house early in the morning, he
advised her no further to dare his
resentment by opposition to his will
and to her own interest. 1 am now
going out for the evening, said he, re-
member, that ! shall give your hand
to Count Morano in the morning.
Emily, having, ever since her last
threats, expected, that her trials
would at length arrive to this crisis.
was less shocked by the declaration.
than She otherwise would have been,
and she endeavomed to support her
self by the belief, that the marriage
could rot be valid, 50 long as she re-
fused before the priest to repeat any
Of the ceremony; yet, as the moment
Of trial approached, her long har-
rasscd spirits shrunk almost equally
from the encounter Of his vengen-
c., and from the hand OF Count Mo- i
rano. She was not even perfectly 4.
certain OF the consequence Of her
teady refusal at the altar, aid She ;
more than ever, at the DOW j
er of MontUni, which seemed unlim. !
tied as his will, 70 she saw, that he /
would not scrupl5 to transgreSs any |
inv, if, by doing he could accom- plish |
is project, te