Emily is introduced into the story when Victor Van Dort, a young man who has cold feet, just came from his failure of a wedding rehearsal in town. He wanders aimlessly into the dark woods deeper and deeper to practice his vows. After perfectly and confidently reciting his vows, he places the wedding ring on what he believes to be an uprooted twig; it is actually one of Emily's bony skeleton fingers. Emily then rises up from the ground as it begins to crack open and shake violently, the moonlight shining down upon her and tattered wedding dress glowing about her in the fog.