Ghosts and Fairies
Annette declares she shall be frightened to live in the castle and wishes herself back in France, comparing it to a giant’s castle where one might see fairies tripping in the great pillared hall. Emily, glad to escape serious thought, plays along with the fancy, promising that if they visit the corridor at midnight they shall see it illuminated with a thousand lamps and fairies dancing. Annette vows to hold her tongue so as not to break the enchantment, and Emily assures her the fault will not be hers if the show vanishes.
Lost in Passages
Annette admits she fears ghosts more than fairies, saying the castle is full of them and confessing she feels something has passed by her several times. Emily calls such fancies ridiculous, and Annette, having wandered from her path while haranguing, realizes they are lost amid the intricacies and desolation of the passages. She calls aloud for assistance, but the servants on the other side of the castle cannot hear them.
Ancient Apartments
Emily opens a door on the left, and though Annette begs her not to enter for fear of losing herself further, they advance with the light into a suite of spacious, ancient apartments. Some are hung with tapestry, others wainscoted with cedar and black larch-wood, and the ancient furniture retains an air of grandeur despite being covered with dust and dropping to pieces from damp and age.
The Veiled Picture
Coming to a chamber hung with pictures, Emily takes the light to examine a painting of a soldier on horseback in a field of battle, darting his spear at a man beneath the horse’s feet who holds up a hand in supplication. The soldier’s raised beaver reveals a countenance of vengeance that strikingly resembles Montoni, causing Emily to shudder and turn away. Hastily passing the light over other pictures, she is arrested by one concealed by a veil of black silk and stops, wishing to examine it but somewhat lacking courage.
Annette’s Fear
Annette exclaims that it must surely be the picture she heard of in Venice, but when pressed can only hesitantly repeat that she never could make out exactly what it was about. When Emily commands her to remove the veil, Annette turns pale and refuses outright, claiming she has heard nothing but that something very dreadful belongs to the picture, that it has been covered in black ever since, and that it has to do with the castle’s previous owner. Caught between the desire to reveal a secret and fear of the consequences, she blushingly admits she knows nothing.
Solitary Contemplation
Left alone while Annette goes to fetch a servant, Emily reflects on the picture. Her unwillingness to tamper with a servant’s integrity restrains her enquiries, but her curiosity is fully awakened. The loneliness of the hour and place, the surrounding silence, and the mystery of the picture conspire to prevent her from returning to lift the veil, though she determines to do so when daylight has reanimated her spirits. From the corridor she observes the vast strength of the walls and the solid marble pillars rising from the hall to support the roof.
The Double Chamber
A servant appears with Annette and conducts Emily to her chamber, situated in a remote part of the castle at the very end of the corridor from which the suite of apartments opened. The lonely, chilly aspect of the room makes Emily unwilling that Annette should leave immediately. She begs Caterina, the servant of the castle, to bring wood and light a fire, but Caterina remarks that it has been many a year since a fire was lit in that room.
The Chilly Reception
Annette wonders aloud why the room is called the double chamber, and Emily surveys it in silence, finding it lofty and spacious with dark larch-wood-lined walls like the other rooms. The ancient bed and furniture carry an air of gloomy grandeur, and the high casement, which Emily opens, overlooks a rampart with the view beyond hidden in darkness. In Annette’s presence Emily struggles to support her spirits and restrain the tears that keep coming to her eyes, longing to ask about Count Morano’s expected arrival but unwilling to mention family concerns to a servant.
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.