midnight
In her pious cares she was not disturbed by Montoni , who not only avoided the chamber , where the remains of his wife were laid , but that part of the castle adjoining to it , as if he had apprehended a contagion in death . He seemed to have given no orders respecting the funeral , and Emily began to fear he meant to offer a new insult to the memory of Madame Montoni ; but from this apprehension she was relieved , when , on the evening of the second day , Annette informed her , that the interment was to take place that night . She knew , that Montoni would not attend ; and it was so very grievous to her to think that the remains of her unfortunate aunt would pass to the grave without one relative , or friend to pay them the last decent rites , that she determined to be deterred by no considerations for herself , from observing this duty . She would otherwise have shrunk from the circumstance of following them to the cold vault , to which they were to be carried by men whose air and countenances seemed to stamp them for murderers , at the midnight hour of silence and privacy , which Montoni had chosen for committing , if possible , to oblivion the reliques of a woman , whom his harsh conduct had , at least , contributed to destroy . Emily , shuddering with emotions of horror and grief , assisted by Annette , prepared the corpse for interment ; and , having wrapt it in cerements , and covered it with a winding-sheet , they watched beside it , till past midnight , when they heard the approaching footsteps of the men , who were to lay it in its earthy bed . It was with difficulty that Emily overcame her emotion , when , the door of the chamber being thrown open , their gloomy countenances were seen by the glare of the torch they carried , and two of them , without speaking , lifted the body on their shoulders , while the third preceding them with the light , descended through the castle towards the grave , which was in the lower vault of the chapel within the castle walls . They had to cross two courts , towards the east wing of the castle , which , adjoining the chapel , was , like it , in ruins : but the silence and gloom of these courts had now little power over Emily 's mind , occupied as it was , with more mournful ideas ; and she scarcely heard the low and dismal hooting of the night-birds , that roosted among the ivied battlements of the ruin , or perceived the still flittings of the bat , which frequently crossed her way .