Having a table near the fire, she made the good girl sit down and sup with her; and, when their little repast was over, Annette, encouraged by her kindness and stirring the wood into a blaze, drew her chair upon the hearth, nearer to Emily, and said--'Did you ever hear, ma'amselle, of the strange accident, that made the Signor lord of this castle ?' 'What wonderful story have you now to tell ?' said Emily, concealing the curiosity, occasioned by the mysterious hints she had formerly heard on that subject.
'I have heard all about it, ma'amselle,' said Annette, looking round the chamber and drawing closer to Emily; 'Benedetto told it me as we travelled together: says he, "Annette, you don't know about this castle here, that we are going to ?" No, says I, Mr.Benedetto, pray what do you know?
But, ma'amselle, you can keep a secret, or I would not tell it you for the world; for I promised never to tell, and they say, that the Signor does not like to have it talked of.' 'If you promised to keep this secret,' said Emily, 'you do right not to mention it.' Annette paused a moment, and then said, 'O, but to you, ma'amselle, to you I may tell it safely, I know.' Emily smiled, 'I certainly shall keep it as faithful as yourself, Annette.' Annette replied very gravely, that would do, and proceeded--'This castle, you must know, ma'amselle, is very old, and very strong, and has stood out many sieges as they say.

Now it was not Signor Montoni's always, nor his father's; no; but, by some law or other, it was to come to the Signor, if the lady died unmarried.' 'What lady ?' said Emily.
'I am not come to that yet,' replied Annette, 'it is the lady I am going to tell you about, ma'amselle: but, as I was saying, this lady lived in the castle, and had everything very grand about her, as you may suppose, ma'amselle.

The Signor used often to come to see her, and was in love with her, and offered to marry her; for, though he was somehow related, that did not signify.

But she was in love with somebody else, and would not have him, which made him very angry, as they say, and you know, ma'amselle, what an ill-looking gentleman he is, when he is angry.
Perhaps she saw him in a passion, and therefore would not have him.

But, as I was saying, she was very melancholy and unhappy, and all that, for a long while, and--Holy Virgin! what noise is that?
did not you hear a sound, ma'amselle ?' 'It was only the wind,' said Emily, 'but do come to the end of your story.' 'As I was saying--O, where was I ?--as I was saying--she was very melancholy and unhappy a long while, and used to walk about upon the terrace, there, under the windows, by herself, and cry so! it would have done your heart good to hear her.