'Where is Ludovico ?' 'Below in the hall, ma'am, amongst them all, fighting with the best of them!' 'Fighting! Who are fighting ?' cried Madame Montoni.
'Why the Signor, ma'am, and all the Signors, and a great many more.' 'Is any person much hurt ?' said Emily, in a tremulous voice.

'Hurt! Yes, ma'amselle,--there they lie bleeding, and the swords are clashing, and--O holy saints! Do let me in, ma'am, they are coming this way--I shall be murdered!' 'Fly!' cried Emily, 'fly! we cannot open the door.' Annette repeated, that they were coming, and in the same moment fled.
'Be calm, madam,' said Emily, turning to her aunt, 'I entreat you to be calm, I am not frightened--not frightened in the least, do not you be alarmed.' 'You can scarcely support yourself,' replied her aunt; 'Merciful God! what is it they mean to do with us ?' 'They come, perhaps, to liberate us,' said Emily, 'Signor Montoni perhaps is--is conquered.' The belief of his death gave her spirits a sudden shock, and she grew faint as she saw him in imagination, expiring at her feet.
'They are coming!' cried Madame Montoni--'I hear their steps--they are at the door!' Emily turned her languid eyes to the door, but terror deprived her of utterance.

The key sounded in the lock; the door opened, and Montoni appeared, followed by three ruffian-like men.

'Execute your orders,' said he, turning to them, and pointing to his wife, who shrieked, but was immediately carried from the room; while Emily sunk, senseless, on a couch, by which she had endeavoured to support herself.

When she recovered, she was alone, and recollected only, that Madame Montoni had been there, together with some unconnected particulars of the preceding transaction, which were, however, sufficient to renew all her terror.
She looked wildly round the apartment, as if in search of some means of intelligence, concerning her aunt, while neither her own danger, or an idea of escaping from the room, immediately occurred.
When her recollection was more complete, she raised herself and went, but with only a faint hope, to examine whether the door was unfastened.
It was so, and she then stepped timidly out into the gallery, but paused there, uncertain which way she should proceed.