Emily Visits St. Clair Convent
The next morning, a convent sister delivers a second invitation from the lady abbess. Though Emily cannot leave the cottage while her father’s remains are there, she agrees to visit the abbess that evening. La Voisin guides her through the woods to the St. Clair Convent, which sits on a small Mediterranean bay crowned by wooded hills. The vespers bell sounds as they pass the convent gate, feeling like a funereal note for St. Aubert. The abbess greets Emily with gentle, maternal tenderness that moves Emily to tears, and invites her to attend the evening prayer service, whose solemn devotion elevates Emily’s mind and brings her comfort through faith and resignation. Emily agrees to stay at the convent for a few days to recover before returning to La Vallée, and leaves with a far lighter heart than when she arrived.
La Voisin Discusses Château Villeroi
On the walk back to the cottage, La Voisin takes a wrong turn, and Emily spots a nearby château. He identifies it as Château Villeroi, the former home of the late Marquis Villeroi, who had not resided there for years before his death. Emily remembers her father’s strong emotional reaction when the château was previously mentioned, and presses La Voisin for details about its history. He refuses to share the late marquis’s domestic secrets, but mentions strange occurrences tied to the château, including the mysterious music Emily heard the night before, which he has also heard at the same hour repeatedly. He admits to a degree of superstitious fear of the château after dark, and Emily, respecting his reticence and preoccupied with grief, does not ask further questions.
St. Aubert’s Funeral Service
When the time comes for St. Aubert’s remains to be taken from the cottage permanently, Emily visits his chamber one last time. La Voisin, alarmed by her long silence, opens the door to find her unconscious on the floor near the coffin, and has her carried to her room. The coffin is closed, and the funeral procession proceeds to St. Clair Convent, per St. Aubert’s request to be buried in the north chancel near the ancient Villeroi family tomb. The solemn church service, with its anthem and organ music, moves all attendees to tears for Emily, who walks between two supporters, her face partially veiled. When the coffin is lowered into the grave and earth is thrown on its lid, Emily’s suppressed grief breaks into audible sobs before she regains her composure, and is comforted by the priest’s words that her father’s body is buried in peace and his soul has returned to God.
Emily Recovers at the Convent
The abbess brings Emily to her parlour after the funeral, offering religious and sympathetic comfort. Noticing Emily’s fragile physical and emotional state, the abbess orders a bed prepared and insists she stay at the convent for several weeks. Emily, who has no desire to return to the grief-stricken cottage, agrees. She lingers at the convent for weeks, suffering from a slow fever, torn between wishing to return to La Vallée and being unable to face the site of her past happiness, and sometimes comforted by the thought that if she dies there, she will be buried beside her father. The abbess and nuns provide constant gentle care to support her slow recovery.
Emily Receives Her Aunt’s Reply
While recovering at the convent, Emily writes to her aunt Madame Cheron and the family housekeeper to inform them of St. Aubert’s death and her situation. She receives a reply from her aunt filled with generic, insincere condolences, which states that a servant will be sent to escort Emily to La Vallée, as Madame Cheron is too busy with social obligations to make the journey herself. Emily is hurt by her aunt’s unkind, indecorous conduct, especially since St. Aubert had appointed Madame Cheron as her legal guardian, leaving Emily with no family support at La Vallée.
CHAPTER VIII
This chapter follows Emily as she departs the convent, processes her grief over her father St. Aubert’s death, and returns to her family estate of La Vallée, confronting painful memories of her father at every turn.
The original text of this work is in the public domain. This page focuses on a guided summary article, reading notes, selected quotes, and visual learning materials for educational purposes.