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When she withdrew to prepare for dinner, she dressed herself with even

ht escape observation--a policy,

which did not avail her, for, as she re-passed to her aunt's apartment,

she was met by Montoni, who censured what he called her prudish

appearance, and insisted, that she should wear the most splendid dress

she had, even that, which had been prepared for her intended nuptials

with Count Morano, and which, it now appeared, her aunt had carefully

brought with her from Venice This was made, not in the Venetian, but,

in the Neapolitan fashion, so as to set off the shape and figure, to the

utligently

bound up in pearls, and suffered to fall back again on her neck The

simplicity of a better taste, than Madame Montoni's, was conspicuous in

this dress, splendid as it was, and Ely She had now only to hope, that Montoni's

order was pron, but by an

ostentation of displaying his fa less than his absolute command could have

prevailed with her to wear a dress, that had been designed for such an

offensive purpose, much less to have worn it on this occasion As she

descended to dinner, the emotion of her htened its interesting expression; for tier in her apartment, till the utmost moment, and,