The Count's amazement did not admit of words; but he returned once more
to examine the bed-room, where was no appearance of disorder, except
that occasioned by the late overthrow of the chair, near which had stood
a small table, and on this Ludovico's sword, his lamp, the book he had
been reading, and the remnant of his flask of wine still remained.
At the foot of the table, too, was the basket with some fragments of
provision and wood.
Henri and the servant now uttered their astonishment without reserve,
and, though the Count said little, there was a seriousness in his
manner, that expressed much. It appeared, that Ludovico must have
quitted these rooms by some concealed passage, for the Count could not
believe, that any supernatural means had occasioned this event, yet, if
there was any such passage, it seemed inexplicable why he should retreat
through it, and it was equally surprising, that not even the smallest
vestige should appear, by which his progress could be traced. In the
rooms every thing remained as much in order as if he had just walked out
by the common way.
The Count himself assisted in lifting the arras, with which the
bed-chamber, saloon and one of the anti-rooms were hung, that he
might discover if any door had been concealed behind it; but, after
a laborious search, none was found, and he, at length, quitted the
apartments, having secured the door of the last anti-chamber, the key of
which he took into his own possession. He then gave orders, that strict
search should be made for Ludovico not only in the chateau, but in the
neighbourhood, and, retiring with Henri to his closet, they remained
there in conversation for a considerable time, and whatever was the
subject of it, Henri from this hour lost much of his vivacity, and his
manners were particularly grave and reserved, whenever the topic, which
now agitated the Count's family with wonder and alarm, was introduced.
On the disappearing of Ludovico, Baron St. Foix seemed strengthened
in all his former opinions concerning the probability of apparitions,
though it was difficult to discover what connection there could possibly
be between the two subjects, or to account for this effect otherwise
than by supposing, that the mystery attending Ludovico, by exciting
awe and curiosity, reduced the mind to a state of sensibility, which
rendered it more liable to the influence of superstition in general. It
is, however, certain, that from this period the Baron and his adherents
became more bigoted to their own systems than before, while the terrors
of the Count's servants increased to an excess, that occasioned many of
them to quit the mansion immediately, and the rest remained only till
others could be procured to supply their places.