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diff --git a/old/3268.txt b/old/3268.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6ea15f7 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/3268.txt @@ -0,0 +1,29875 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mysteries of Udolpho, by Ann Radcliffe + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Mysteries of Udolpho + +Author: Ann Radcliffe + +Posting Date: February 28, 2009 [EBook #3268] +Release Date: June, 2002 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO *** + + + + +Produced by Karalee Coleman + + + + + +THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO + +A Romance + +Interspersed With Some Pieces of Poetry + + +By Ann Radcliffe + + + + Fate sits on these dark battlements, and frowns, + And, as the portals open to receive me, + Her voice, in sullen echoes through the courts, + Tells of a nameless deed. + + + + +VOLUME 1 + + + + +CHAPTER I + + + home is the resort + Of love, of joy, of peace and plenty, where, + Supporting and supported, polish'd friends + And dear relations mingle into bliss.* + *Thomson + + +On the pleasant banks of the Garonne, in the province of Gascony, stood, +in the year 1584, the chateau of Monsieur St. Aubert. From its windows +were seen the pastoral landscapes of Guienne and Gascony stretching +along the river, gay with luxuriant woods and vine, and plantations of +olives. To the south, the view was bounded by the majestic Pyrenees, +whose summits, veiled in clouds, or exhibiting awful forms, seen, and +lost again, as the partial vapours rolled along, were sometimes barren, +and gleamed through the blue tinge of air, and sometimes frowned +with forests of gloomy pine, that swept downward to their base. These +tremendous precipices were contrasted by the soft green of the pastures +and woods that hung upon their skirts; among whose flocks, and herds, +and simple cottages, the eye, after having scaled the cliffs above, +delighted to repose. To the north, and to the east, the plains of +Guienne and Languedoc were lost in the mist of distance; on the west, +Gascony was bounded by the waters of Biscay. + +M. St. Aubert loved to wander, with his wife and daughter, on the margin +of the Garonne, and to listen to the music that floated on its waves. He +had known life in other forms than those of pastoral simplicity, +having mingled in the gay and in the busy scenes of the world; but the +flattering portrait of mankind, which his heart had delineated in early +youth, his experience had too sorrowfully corrected. Yet, amidst +the changing visions of life, his principles remained unshaken, his +benevolence unchilled; and he retired from the multitude 'more in PITY +than in anger,' to scenes of simple nature, to the pure delights of +literature, and to the exercise of domestic virtues. + +He was a descendant from the younger branch of an illustrious family, +and it was designed, that the deficiency of his patrimonial wealth +should be supplied either by a splendid alliance in marriage, or by +success in the intrigues of public affairs. But St. Aubert had too nice +a sense of honour to fulfil the latter hope, and too small a portion +of ambition to sacrifice what he called happiness, to the attainment of +wealth. After the death of his father he married a very amiable woman, +his equal in birth, and not his superior in fortune. The late Monsieur +St. Aubert's liberality, or extravagance, had so much involved his +affairs, that his son found it necessary to dispose of a part of +the family domain, and, some years after his marriage, he sold it to +Monsieur Quesnel, the brother of his wife, and retired to a small estate +in Gascony, where conjugal felicity, and parental duties, divided his +attention with the treasures of knowledge and the illuminations of +genius. + +To this spot he had been attached from his infancy. He had often made +excursions to it when a boy, and the impressions of delight given to his +mind by the homely kindness of the grey-headed peasant, to whom it +was intrusted, and whose fruit and cream never failed, had not been +obliterated by succeeding circumstances. The green pastures along +which he had so often bounded in the exultation of health, and youthful +freedom--the woods, under whose refreshing shade he had first indulged +that pensive melancholy, which afterwards made a strong feature of his +character--the wild walks of the mountains, the river, on whose waves he +had floated, and the distant plains, which seemed boundless as his early +hopes--were never after remembered by St. Aubert but with enthusiasm +and regret. At length he disengaged himself from the world, and retired +hither, to realize the wishes of many years. + +The building, as it then stood, was merely a summer cottage, rendered +interesting to a stranger by its neat simplicity, or the beauty of the +surrounding scene; and considerable additions were necessary to make it +a comfortable family residence. St. Aubert felt a kind of affection for +every part of the fabric, which he remembered in his youth, and would +not suffer a stone of it to be removed, so that the new building, +adapted to the style of the old one, formed with it only a simple and +elegant residence. The taste of Madame St. Aubert was conspicuous in its +internal finishing, where the same chaste simplicity was observable +in the furniture, and in the few ornaments of the apartments, that +characterized the manners of its inhabitants. + +The library occupied the west side of the chateau, and was enriched by +a collection of the best books in the ancient and modern languages. This +room opened upon a grove, which stood on the brow of a gentle declivity, +that fell towards the river, and the tall trees gave it a melancholy +and pleasing shade; while from the windows the eye caught, beneath the +spreading branches, the gay and luxuriant landscape stretching to the +west, and overlooked on the left by the bold precipices of the Pyrenees. +Adjoining the library was a green-house, stored with scarce and +beautiful plants; for one of the amusements of St. Aubert was the +study of botany, and among the neighbouring mountains, which afforded a +luxurious feast to the mind of the naturalist, he often passed the day +in the pursuit of his favourite science. He was sometimes accompanied +in these little excursions by Madame St. Aubert, and frequently by his +daughter; when, with a small osier basket to receive plants, and another +filled with cold refreshments, such as the cabin of the shepherd did +not afford, they wandered away among the most romantic and magnificent +scenes, nor suffered the charms of Nature's lowly children to abstract +them from the observance of her stupendous works. When weary of +sauntering among cliffs that seemed scarcely accessible but to the steps +of the enthusiast, and where no track appeared on the vegetation, but +what the foot of the izard had left; they would seek one of those green +recesses, which so beautifully adorn the bosom of these mountains, +where, under the shade of the lofty larch, or cedar, they enjoyed their +simple repast, made sweeter by the waters of the cool stream, that crept +along the turf, and by the breath of wild flowers and aromatic plants, +that fringed the rocks, and inlaid the grass. + +Adjoining the eastern side of the green-house, looking towards the +plains of Languedoc, was a room, which Emily called hers, and which +contained her books, her drawings, her musical instruments, with some +favourite birds and plants. Here she usually exercised herself in +elegant arts, cultivated only because they were congenial to her taste, +and in which native genius, assisted by the instructions of Monsieur +and Madame St. Aubert, made her an early proficient. The windows of +this room were particularly pleasant; they descended to the floor, and, +opening upon the little lawn that surrounded the house, the eye was led +between groves of almond, palm-trees, flowering-ash, and myrtle, to the +distant landscape, where the Garonne wandered. + +The peasants of this gay climate were often seen on an evening, when +the day's labour was done, dancing in groups on the margin of the river. +Their sprightly melodies, debonnaire steps, the fanciful figure of +their dances, with the tasteful and capricious manner in which the girls +adjusted their simple dress, gave a character to the scene entirely +French. + +The front of the chateau, which, having a southern aspect, opened upon +the grandeur of the mountains, was occupied on the ground floor by a +rustic hall, and two excellent sitting rooms. The first floor, for the +cottage had no second story, was laid out in bed-chambers, except one +apartment that opened to a balcony, and which was generally used for a +breakfast-room. + +In the surrounding ground, St. Aubert had made very tasteful +improvements; yet, such was his attachment to objects he had remembered +from his boyish days, that he had in some instances sacrificed taste +to sentiment. There were two old larches that shaded the building, and +interrupted the prospect; St. Aubert had sometimes declared that he +believed he should have been weak enough to have wept at their fall. In +addition to these larches he planted a little grove of beech, pine, and +mountain-ash. On a lofty terrace, formed by the swelling bank of the +river, rose a plantation of orange, lemon, and palm-trees, whose fruit, +in the coolness of evening, breathed delicious fragrance. With these +were mingled a few trees of other species. Here, under the ample shade +of a plane-tree, that spread its majestic canopy towards the river, St. +Aubert loved to sit in the fine evenings of summer, with his wife and +children, watching, beneath its foliage, the setting sun, the mild +splendour of its light fading from the distant landscape, till the +shadows of twilight melted its various features into one tint of sober +grey. Here, too, he loved to read, and to converse with Madame St. +Aubert; or to play with his children, resigning himself to the influence +of those sweet affections, which are ever attendant on simplicity and +nature. He has often said, while tears of pleasure trembled in his eyes, +that these were moments infinitely more delightful than any passed amid +the brilliant and tumultuous scenes that are courted by the world. His +heart was occupied; it had, what can be so rarely said, no wish for a +happiness beyond what it experienced. The consciousness of acting right +diffused a serenity over his manners, which nothing else could impart +to a man of moral perceptions like his, and which refined his sense of +every surrounding blessing. + +The deepest shade of twilight did not send him from his favourite +plane-tree. He loved the soothing hour, when the last tints of light +die away; when the stars, one by one, tremble through aether, and are +reflected on the dark mirror of the waters; that hour, which, of all +others, inspires the mind with pensive tenderness, and often elevates +it to sublime contemplation. When the moon shed her soft rays among the +foliage, he still lingered, and his pastoral supper of cream and fruits +was often spread beneath it. Then, on the stillness of night, came the +song of the nightingale, breathing sweetness, and awakening melancholy. + +The first interruptions to the happiness he had known since his +retirement, were occasioned by the death of his two sons. He lost them +at that age when infantine simplicity is so fascinating; and though, +in consideration of Madame St. Aubert's distress, he restrained the +expression of his own, and endeavoured to bear it, as he meant, with +philosophy, he had, in truth, no philosophy that could render him calm +to such losses. One daughter was now his only surviving child; and, +while he watched the unfolding of her infant character, with anxious +fondness, he endeavoured, with unremitting effort, to counteract +those traits in her disposition, which might hereafter lead her from +happiness. She had discovered in her early years uncommon delicacy +of mind, warm affections, and ready benevolence; but with these was +observable a degree of susceptibility too exquisite to admit of lasting +peace. As she advanced in youth, this sensibility gave a pensive tone to +her spirits, and a softness to her manner, which added grace to beauty, +and rendered her a very interesting object to persons of a congenial +disposition. But St. Aubert had too much good sense to prefer a charm +to a virtue; and had penetration enough to see, that this charm was too +dangerous to its possessor to be allowed the character of a blessing. He +endeavoured, therefore, to strengthen her mind; to enure her to habits +of self-command; to teach her to reject the first impulse of her +feelings, and to look, with cool examination, upon the disappointments +he sometimes threw in her way. While he instructed her to resist first +impressions, and to acquire that steady dignity of mind, that can alone +counterbalance the passions, and bear us, as far as is compatible with +our nature, above the reach of circumstances, he taught himself a +lesson of fortitude; for he was often obliged to witness, with seeming +indifference, the tears and struggles which his caution occasioned her. + +In person, Emily resembled her mother; having the same elegant symmetry +of form, the same delicacy of features, and the same blue eyes, full +of tender sweetness. But, lovely as was her person, it was the varied +expression of her countenance, as conversation awakened the nicer +emotions of her mind, that threw such a captivating grace around her: + + Those tend'rer tints, that shun the careless eye, + And, in the world's contagious circle, die. + +St. Aubert cultivated her understanding with the most scrupulous care. +He gave her a general view of the sciences, and an exact acquaintance +with every part of elegant literature. He taught her Latin and English, +chiefly that she might understand the sublimity of their best poets. She +discovered in her early years a taste for works of genius; and it was +St. Aubert's principle, as well as his inclination, to promote every +innocent means of happiness. 'A well-informed mind,' he would say, 'is +the best security against the contagion of folly and of vice. The vacant +mind is ever on the watch for relief, and ready to plunge into error, to +escape from the languor of idleness. Store it with ideas, teach it the +pleasure of thinking; and the temptations of the world without, will +be counteracted by the gratifications derived from the world within. +Thought, and cultivation, are necessary equally to the happiness of a +country and a city life; in the first they prevent the uneasy sensations +of indolence, and afford a sublime pleasure in the taste they create for +the beautiful, and the grand; in the latter, they make dissipation less +an object of necessity, and consequently of interest.' + +It was one of Emily's earliest pleasures to ramble among the scenes +of nature; nor was it in the soft and glowing landscape that she +most delighted; she loved more the wild wood-walks, that skirted the +mountain; and still more the mountain's stupendous recesses, where the +silence and grandeur of solitude impressed a sacred awe upon her heart, +and lifted her thoughts to the GOD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. In scenes like +these she would often linger along, wrapt in a melancholy charm, till +the last gleam of day faded from the west; till the lonely sound of a +sheep-bell, or the distant bark of a watch-dog, were all that broke +on the stillness of the evening. Then, the gloom of the woods; the +trembling of their leaves, at intervals, in the breeze; the bat, +flitting on the twilight; the cottage-lights, now seen, and now +lost--were circumstances that awakened her mind into effort, and led to +enthusiasm and poetry. + +Her favourite walk was to a little fishing-house, belonging to St. +Aubert, in a woody glen, on the margin of a rivulet that descended from +the Pyrenees, and, after foaming among their rocks, wound its silent +way beneath the shades it reflected. Above the woods, that screened this +glen, rose the lofty summits of the Pyrenees, which often burst boldly +on the eye through the glades below. Sometimes the shattered face of +a rock only was seen, crowned with wild shrubs; or a shepherd's cabin +seated on a cliff, overshadowed by dark cypress, or waving ash. Emerging +from the deep recesses of the woods, the glade opened to the distant +landscape, where the rich pastures and vine-covered slopes of Gascony +gradually declined to the plains; and there, on the winding shores of +the Garonne, groves, and hamlets, and villas--their outlines softened by +distance, melted from the eye into one rich harmonious tint. + +This, too, was the favourite retreat of St. Aubert, to which he +frequently withdrew from the fervour of noon, with his wife, his +daughter, and his books; or came at the sweet evening hour to welcome +the silent dusk, or to listen for the music of the nightingale. +Sometimes, too, he brought music of his own, and awakened every fairy +echo with the tender accents of his oboe; and often have the tones of +Emily's voice drawn sweetness from the waves, over which they trembled. + +It was in one of these excursions to this spot, that she observed the +following lines written with a pencil on a part of the wainscot: + + SONNET + + Go, pencil! faithful to thy master's sighs! + Go--tell the Goddess of the fairy scene, + When next her light steps wind these wood-walks green, + Whence all his tears, his tender sorrows, rise; + Ah! paint her form, her soul-illumin'd eyes, + The sweet expression of her pensive face, + The light'ning smile, the animated grace-- + The portrait well the lover's voice supplies; + Speaks all his heart must feel, his tongue would say: + Yet ah! not all his heart must sadly feel! + How oft the flow'ret's silken leaves conceal + The drug that steals the vital spark away! + And who that gazes on that angel-smile, + Would fear its charm, or think it could beguile! + +These lines were not inscribed to any person; Emily therefore could not +apply them to herself, though she was undoubtedly the nymph of these +shades. Having glanced round the little circle of her acquaintance +without being detained by a suspicion as to whom they could be +addressed, she was compelled to rest in uncertainty; an uncertainty +which would have been more painful to an idle mind than it was to hers. +She had no leisure to suffer this circumstance, trifling at first, to +swell into importance by frequent remembrance. The little vanity it had +excited (for the incertitude which forbade her to presume upon having +inspired the sonnet, forbade her also to disbelieve it) passed away, +and the incident was dismissed from her thoughts amid her books, her +studies, and the exercise of social charities. + +Soon after this period, her anxiety was awakened by the indisposition of +her father, who was attacked with a fever; which, though not thought to +be of a dangerous kind, gave a severe shock to his constitution. +Madame St. Aubert and Emily attended him with unremitting care; but +his recovery was very slow, and, as he advanced towards health, Madame +seemed to decline. + +The first scene he visited, after he was well enough to take the +air, was his favourite fishing-house. A basket of provisions was sent +thither, with books, and Emily's lute; for fishing-tackle he had no use, +for he never could find amusement in torturing or destroying. + +After employing himself, for about an hour, in botanizing, dinner was +served. It was a repast, to which gratitude, for being again permitted +to visit this spot, gave sweetness; and family happiness once more +smiled beneath these shades. Monsieur St. Aubert conversed with unusual +cheerfulness; every object delighted his senses. The refreshing pleasure +from the first view of nature, after the pain of illness, and the +confinement of a sick-chamber, is above the conceptions, as well as +the descriptions, of those in health. The green woods and pastures; the +flowery turf; the blue concave of the heavens; the balmy air; the murmur +of the limpid stream; and even the hum of every little insect of the +shade, seem to revivify the soul, and make mere existence bliss. + +Madame St. Aubert, reanimated by the cheerfulness and recovery of her +husband, was no longer sensible of the indisposition which had lately +oppressed her; and, as she sauntered along the wood-walks of this +romantic glen, and conversed with him, and with her daughter, she often +looked at them alternately with a degree of tenderness, that filled her +eyes with tears. St. Aubert observed this more than once, and gently +reproved her for the emotion; but she could only smile, clasp his hand, +and that of Emily, and weep the more. He felt the tender enthusiasm +stealing upon himself in a degree that became almost painful; his +features assumed a serious air, and he could not forbear secretly +sighing--'Perhaps I shall some time look back to these moments, as to +the summit of my happiness, with hopeless regret. But let me not misuse +them by useless anticipation; let me hope I shall not live to mourn the +loss of those who are dearer to me than life.' + +To relieve, or perhaps to indulge, the pensive temper of his mind, he +bade Emily fetch the lute she knew how to touch with such sweet pathos. +As she drew near the fishing-house, she was surprised to hear the tones +of the instrument, which were awakened by the hand of taste, and uttered +a plaintive air, whose exquisite melody engaged all her attention. She +listened in profound silence, afraid to move from the spot, lest the +sound of her steps should occasion her to lose a note of the music, or +should disturb the musician. Every thing without the building was still, +and no person appeared. She continued to listen, till timidity succeeded +to surprise and delight; a timidity, increased by a remembrance of the +pencilled lines she had formerly seen, and she hesitated whether to +proceed, or to return. + +While she paused, the music ceased; and, after a momentary hesitation, +she re-collected courage to advance to the fishing-house, which she +entered with faltering steps, and found unoccupied! Her lute lay on the +table; every thing seemed undisturbed, and she began to believe it was +another instrument she had heard, till she remembered, that, when she +followed M. and Madame St. Aubert from this spot, her lute was left on +a window seat. She felt alarmed, yet knew not wherefore; the melancholy +gloom of evening, and the profound stillness of the place, interrupted +only by the light trembling of leaves, heightened her fanciful +apprehensions, and she was desirous of quitting the building, but +perceived herself grow faint, and sat down. As she tried to recover +herself, the pencilled lines on the wainscot met her eye; she started, +as if she had seen a stranger; but, endeavouring to conquer the tremor +of her spirits, rose, and went to the window. To the lines before +noticed she now perceived that others were added, in which her name +appeared. + +Though no longer suffered to doubt that they were addressed to herself, +she was as ignorant, as before, by whom they could be written. While she +mused, she thought she heard the sound of a step without the building, +and again alarmed, she caught up her lute, and hurried away. Monsieur +and Madame St. Aubert she found in a little path that wound along the +sides of the glen. + +Having reached a green summit, shadowed by palm-trees, and overlooking +the vallies and plains of Gascony, they seated themselves on the turf; +and while their eyes wandered over the glorious scene, and they inhaled +the sweet breath of flowers and herbs that enriched the grass, Emily +played and sung several of their favourite airs, with the delicacy of +expression in which she so much excelled. + +Music and conversation detained them in this enchanting spot, till the +sun's last light slept upon the plains; till the white sails that glided +beneath the mountains, where the Garonne wandered, became dim, and the +gloom of evening stole over the landscape. It was a melancholy but not +unpleasing gloom. St. Aubert and his family rose, and left the place +with regret; alas! Madame St. Aubert knew not that she left it for ever. + +When they reached the fishing-house she missed her bracelet, and +recollected that she had taken it from her arm after dinner, and had +left it on the table when she went to walk. After a long search, in +which Emily was very active, she was compelled to resign herself to the +loss of it. What made this bracelet valuable to her was a miniature of +her daughter to which it was attached, esteemed a striking resemblance, +and which had been painted only a few months before. When Emily was +convinced that the bracelet was really gone, she blushed, and became +thoughtful. That some stranger had been in the fishing-house, during +her absence, her lute, and the additional lines of a pencil, had already +informed her: from the purport of these lines it was not unreasonable +to believe, that the poet, the musician, and the thief were the same +person. But though the music she had heard, the written lines she had +seen, and the disappearance of the picture, formed a combination of +circumstances very remarkable, she was irresistibly restrained from +mentioning them; secretly determining, however, never again to visit the +fishing-house without Monsieur or Madame St. Aubert. + +They returned pensively to the chateau, Emily musing on the incident +which had just occurred; St. Aubert reflecting, with placid gratitude, +on the blessings he possessed; and Madame St. Aubert somewhat disturbed, +and perplexed, by the loss of her daughter's picture. As they drew near +the house, they observed an unusual bustle about it; the sound of voices +was distinctly heard, servants and horses were seen passing between the +trees, and, at length, the wheels of a carriage rolled along. Having +come within view of the front of the chateau, a landau, with smoking +horses, appeared on the little lawn before it. St. Aubert perceived the +liveries of his brother-in-law, and in the parlour he found Monsieur and +Madame Quesnel already entered. They had left Paris some days before, +and were on the way to their estate, only ten leagues distant from La +Vallee, and which Monsieur Quesnel had purchased several years before +of St. Aubert. This gentleman was the only brother of Madame St. +Aubert; but the ties of relationship having never been strengthened by +congeniality of character, the intercourse between them had not been +frequent. M. Quesnel had lived altogether in the world; his aim had been +consequence; splendour was the object of his taste; and his address +and knowledge of character had carried him forward to the attainment of +almost all that he had courted. By a man of such a disposition, it is +not surprising that the virtues of St. Aubert should be overlooked; or +that his pure taste, simplicity, and moderated wishes, were considered +as marks of a weak intellect, and of confined views. The marriage of his +sister with St. Aubert had been mortifying to his ambition, for he had +designed that the matrimonial connection she formed should assist him +to attain the consequence which he so much desired; and some offers were +made her by persons whose rank and fortune flattered his warmest hope. +But his sister, who was then addressed also by St. Aubert, perceived, or +thought she perceived, that happiness and splendour were not the same, +and she did not hesitate to forego the last for the attainment of the +former. Whether Monsieur Quesnel thought them the same, or not, he would +readily have sacrificed his sister's peace to the gratification of his +own ambition; and, on her marriage with St. Aubert, expressed in private +his contempt of her spiritless conduct, and of the connection which it +permitted. Madame St. Aubert, though she concealed this insult from her +husband, felt, perhaps, for the first time, resentment lighted in +her heart; and, though a regard for her own dignity, united with +considerations of prudence, restrained her expression of this +resentment, there was ever after a mild reserve in her manner towards M. +Quesnel, which he both understood and felt. + +In his own marriage he did not follow his sister's example. His lady was +an Italian, and an heiress by birth; and, by nature and education, was a +vain and frivolous woman. + +They now determined to pass the night with St. Aubert; and as the +chateau was not large enough to accommodate their servants, the latter +were dismissed to the neighbouring village. When the first compliments +were over, and the arrangements for the night made M. Quesnel began the +display of his intelligence and his connections; while St. Aubert, who +had been long enough in retirement to find these topics recommended by +their novelty, listened, with a degree of patience and attention, +which his guest mistook for the humility of wonder. The latter, indeed, +described the few festivities which the turbulence of that period +permitted to the court of Henry the Third, with a minuteness, that +somewhat recompensed for his ostentation; but, when he came to speak of +the character of the Duke de Joyeuse, of a secret treaty, which he knew +to be negotiating with the Porte, and of the light in which Henry of +Navarre was received, M. St. Aubert recollected enough of his former +experience to be assured, that his guest could be only of an inferior +class of politicians; and that, from the importance of the subjects +upon which he committed himself, he could not be of the rank to which he +pretended to belong. The opinions delivered by M. Quesnel, were such as +St. Aubert forebore to reply to, for he knew that his guest had neither +humanity to feel, nor discernment to perceive, what is just. + +Madame Quesnel, meanwhile, was expressing to Madame St. Aubert her +astonishment, that she could bear to pass her life in this remote corner +of the world, as she called it, and describing, from a wish, probably, +of exciting envy, the splendour of the balls, banquets, and processions +which had just been given by the court, in honour of the nuptials of the +Duke de Joyeuse with Margaretta of Lorrain, the sister of the Queen. She +described with equal minuteness the magnificence she had seen, and that +from which she had been excluded; while Emily's vivid fancy, as she +listened with the ardent curiosity of youth, heightened the scenes she +heard of; and Madame St. Aubert, looking on her family, felt, as a tear +stole to her eye, that though splendour may grace happiness, virtue only +can bestow it. + +'It is now twelve years, St. Aubert,' said M. Quesnel, 'since I +purchased your family estate.'--'Somewhere thereabout,' replied St. +Aubert, suppressing a sigh. 'It is near five years since I have been +there,' resumed Quesnel; 'for Paris and its neighbourhood is the only +place in the world to live in, and I am so immersed in politics, and +have so many affairs of moment on my hands, that I find it difficult +to steal away even for a month or two.' St. Aubert remaining silent, M. +Quesnel proceeded: 'I have sometimes wondered how you, who have lived +in the capital, and have been accustomed to company, can exist +elsewhere;--especially in so remote a country as this, where you can +neither hear nor see any thing, and can in short be scarcely conscious +of life.' + +'I live for my family and myself,' said St. Aubert; 'I am now contented +to know only happiness;--formerly I knew life.' + +'I mean to expend thirty or forty thousand livres on improvements,' said +M. Quesnel, without seeming to notice the words of St. Aubert; 'for I +design, next summer, to bring here my friends, the Duke de Durefort and +the Marquis Ramont, to pass a month or two with me.' To St. Aubert's +enquiry, as to these intended improvements, he replied, that he should +take down the whole east wing of the chateau, and raise upon the site +a set of stables. 'Then I shall build,' said he, 'a SALLE A MANGER, a +SALON, a SALLE AU COMMUNE, and a number of rooms for servants; for at +present there is not accommodation for a third part of my own people.' + +'It accommodated our father's household,' said St. Aubert, grieved that +the old mansion was to be thus improved, 'and that was not a small one.' + +'Our notions are somewhat enlarged since those days,' said M. +Quesnel;--'what was then thought a decent style of living would not now +be endured.' Even the calm St. Aubert blushed at these words, but +his anger soon yielded to contempt. 'The ground about the chateau is +encumbered with trees; I mean to cut some of them down.' + +'Cut down the trees too!' said St. Aubert. + +'Certainly. Why should I not? they interrupt my prospects. There is a +chesnut which spreads its branches before the whole south side of the +chateau, and which is so ancient that they tell me the hollow of its +trunk will hold a dozen men. Your enthusiasm will scarcely contend that +there can be either use, or beauty, in such a sapless old tree as this.' + +'Good God!' exclaimed St. Aubert, 'you surely will not destroy that +noble chesnut, which has flourished for centuries, the glory of the +estate! It was in its maturity when the present mansion was built. How +often, in my youth, have I climbed among its broad branches, and sat +embowered amidst a world of leaves, while the heavy shower has pattered +above, and not a rain drop reached me! How often I have sat with a book +in my hand, sometimes reading, and sometimes looking out between the +branches upon the wide landscape, and the setting sun, till twilight +came, and brought the birds home to their little nests among the leaves! +How often--but pardon me,' added St. Aubert, recollecting that he was +speaking to a man who could neither comprehend, nor allow his feelings, +'I am talking of times and feelings as old-fashioned as the taste that +would spare that venerable tree.' + +'It will certainly come down,' said M. Quesnel; 'I believe I shall plant +some Lombardy poplars among the clumps of chesnut, that I shall leave +of the avenue; Madame Quesnel is partial to the poplar, and tells me how +much it adorns a villa of her uncle, not far from Venice.' + +'On the banks of the Brenta, indeed,' continued St. Aubert, 'where its +spiry form is intermingled with the pine, and the cypress, and where +it plays over light and elegant porticos and colonnades, it, +unquestionably, adorns the scene; but among the giants of the forest, +and near a heavy gothic mansion--' + +'Well, my good sir,' said M. Quesnel, 'I will not dispute with you. You +must return to Paris before our ideas can at all agree. But A-PROPOS of +Venice, I have some thoughts of going thither, next summer; events may +call me to take possession of that same villa, too, which they tell me +is the most charming that can be imagined. In that case I shall leave +the improvements I mention to another year, and I may, perhaps, be +tempted to stay some time in Italy.' + +Emily was somewhat surprised to hear him talk of being tempted to remain +abroad, after he had mentioned his presence to be so necessary at Paris, +that it was with difficulty he could steal away for a month or two; but +St. Aubert understood the self-importance of the man too well to wonder +at this trait; and the possibility, that these projected improvements +might be deferred, gave him a hope, that they might never take place. + +Before they separated for the night, M. Quesnel desired to speak with +St. Aubert alone, and they retired to another room, where they remained +a considerable time. The subject of this conversation was not known; +but, whatever it might be, St. Aubert, when he returned to the +supper-room, seemed much disturbed, and a shade of sorrow sometimes fell +upon his features that alarmed Madame St. Aubert. When they were alone +she was tempted to enquire the occasion of it, but the delicacy of mind, +which had ever appeared in his conduct, restrained her: she considered +that, if St. Aubert wished her to be acquainted with the subject of his +concern, he would not wait on her enquiries. + +On the following day, before M. Quesnel departed, he had a second +conference with St. Aubert. + +The guests, after dining at the chateau, set out in the cool of the day +for Epourville, whither they gave him and Madame St. Aubert a pressing +invitation, prompted rather by the vanity of displaying their splendour, +than by a wish to make their friends happy. + +Emily returned, with delight, to the liberty which their presence had +restrained, to her books, her walks, and the rational conversation of +M. and Madame St. Aubert, who seemed to rejoice, no less, that they were +delivered from the shackles, which arrogance and frivolity had imposed. + +Madame St. Aubert excused herself from sharing their usual evening walk, +complaining that she was not quite well, and St. Aubert and Emily went +out together. + +They chose a walk towards the mountains, intending to visit some old +pensioners of St. Aubert, which, from his very moderate income, he +contrived to support, though it is probable M. Quesnel, with his very +large one, could not have afforded this. + +After distributing to his pensioners their weekly stipends, listening +patiently to the complaints of some, redressing the grievances of +others, and softening the discontents of all, by the look of sympathy, +and the smile of benevolence, St. Aubert returned home through the +woods, + + where + At fall of eve the fairy-people throng, + In various games and revelry to pass + The summer night, as village stories tell.* + *Thomson + + +'The evening gloom of woods was always delightful to me,' said St. +Aubert, whose mind now experienced the sweet calm, which results from +the consciousness of having done a beneficent action, and which disposes +it to receive pleasure from every surrounding object. 'I remember that +in my youth this gloom used to call forth to my fancy a thousand fairy +visions, and romantic images; and, I own, I am not yet wholly insensible +of that high enthusiasm, which wakes the poet's dream: I can linger, +with solemn steps, under the deep shades, send forward a transforming +eye into the distant obscurity, and listen with thrilling delight to the +mystic murmuring of the woods.' + +'O my dear father,' said Emily, while a sudden tear started to her eye, +'how exactly you describe what I have felt so often, and which I thought +nobody had ever felt but myself! But hark! here comes the sweeping sound +over the wood-tops;--now it dies away;--how solemn the stillness that +succeeds! Now the breeze swells again. It is like the voice of some +supernatural being--the voice of the spirit of the woods, that watches +over them by night. Ah! what light is yonder? But it is gone. And now it +gleams again, near the root of that large chestnut: look, sir!' + +'Are you such an admirer of nature,' said St. Aubert, 'and so little +acquainted with her appearances as not to know that for the glow-worm? +But come,' added he gaily, 'step a little further, and we shall see +fairies, perhaps; they are often companions. The glow-worm lends his +light, and they in return charm him with music, and the dance. Do you +see nothing tripping yonder?' + +Emily laughed. 'Well, my dear sir,' said she, 'since you allow of this +alliance, I may venture to own I have anticipated you; and almost dare +venture to repeat some verses I made one evening in these very woods.' + +'Nay,' replied St. Aubert, 'dismiss the ALMOST, and venture quite; let +us hear what vagaries fancy has been playing in your mind. If she has +given you one of her spells, you need not envy those of the fairies.' + +'If it is strong enough to enchant your judgment, sir,' said Emily, +'while I disclose her images, I need NOT envy them. The lines go in a +sort of tripping measure, which I thought might suit the subject well +enough, but I fear they are too irregular.' + + THE GLOW-WORM + + How pleasant is the green-wood's deep-matted shade + On a mid-summer's eve, when the fresh rain is o'er; + When the yellow beams slope, and sparkle thro' the glade, + And swiftly in the thin air the light swallows soar! + + But sweeter, sweeter still, when the sun sinks to rest, + And twilight comes on, with the fairies so gay + Tripping through the forest-walk, where flow'rs, unprest, + Bow not their tall heads beneath their frolic play. + + To music's softest sounds they dance away the hour, + Till moon-light steals down among the trembling leaves, + And checquers all the ground, and guides them to the bow'r, + The long haunted bow'r, where the nightingale grieves. + + Then no more they dance, till her sad song is done, + But, silent as the night, to her mourning attend; + And often as her dying notes their pity have won, + They vow all her sacred haunts from mortals to defend. + + When, down among the mountains, sinks the ev'ning star, + And the changing moon forsakes this shadowy sphere, + How cheerless would they be, tho' they fairies are, + If I, with my pale light, came not near! + + Yet cheerless tho' they'd be, they're ungrateful to my love! + For, often when the traveller's benighted on his way, + And I glimmer in his path, and would guide him thro' the grove, + They bind me in their magic spells to lead him far astray; + + And in the mire to leave him, till the stars are all burnt out, + While, in strange-looking shapes, they frisk about the ground, + And, afar in the woods, they raise a dismal shout, + Till I shrink into my cell again for terror of the sound! + + But, see where all the tiny elves come dancing in a ring, + With the merry, merry pipe, and the tabor, and the horn, + And the timbrel so clear, and the lute with dulcet string; + Then round about the oak they go till peeping of the morn. + + Down yonder glade two lovers steal, to shun the fairy-queen, + Who frowns upon their plighted vows, and jealous is of me, + That yester-eve I lighted them, along the dewy green, + To seek the purple flow'r, whose juice from all her spells can +free. + + And now, to punish me, she keeps afar her jocund band, + With the merry, merry pipe, and the tabor, and the lute; + If I creep near yonder oak she will wave her fairy wand, + And to me the dance will cease, and the music all be mute. + + O! had I but that purple flow'r whose leaves her charms can foil, + And knew like fays to draw the juice, and throw it on the wind, + I'd be her slave no longer, nor the traveller beguile, + And help all faithful lovers, nor fear the fairy kind! + + But soon the VAPOUR OF THE WOODS will wander afar, + And the fickle moon will fade, and the stars disappear, + Then, cheerless will they be, tho' they fairies are, + If I, with my pale light, come not near! + +Whatever St. Aubert might think of the stanzas, he would not deny his +daughter the pleasure of believing that he approved them; and, having +given his commendation, he sunk into a reverie, and they walked on in +silence. + + A faint erroneous ray + Glanc'd from th' imperfect surfaces of things, + Flung half an image on the straining eye; + While waving woods, and villages, and streams, + And rocks, and mountain-tops, that long retain + The ascending gleam, are all one swimming scene, + Uncertain if beheld.* + *Thomson. + + +St. Aubert continued silent till he reached the chateau, where his wife +had retired to her chamber. The languor and dejection, that had lately +oppressed her, and which the exertion called forth by the arrival of +her guests had suspended, now returned with increased effect. On the +following day, symptoms of fever appeared, and St. Aubert, having sent +for medical advice, learned, that her disorder was a fever of the same +nature as that, from which he had lately recovered. She had, indeed, +taken the infection, during her attendance upon him, and, her +constitution being too weak to throw out the disease immediately, it had +lurked in her veins, and occasioned the heavy languor of which she had +complained. St. Aubert, whose anxiety for his wife overcame every other +consideration, detained the physician in his house. He remembered the +feelings and the reflections that had called a momentary gloom upon his +mind, on the day when he had last visited the fishing-house, in company +with Madame St. Aubert, and he now admitted a presentiment, that this +illness would be a fatal one. But he effectually concealed this from +her, and from his daughter, whom he endeavoured to re-animate with hopes +that her constant assiduities would not be unavailing. The physician, +when asked by St. Aubert for his opinion of the disorder, replied, +that the event of it depended upon circumstances which he could not +ascertain. Madame St. Aubert seemed to have formed a more decided one; +but her eyes only gave hints of this. She frequently fixed them upon her +anxious friends with an expression of pity, and of tenderness, as if she +anticipated the sorrow that awaited them, and that seemed to say, it was +for their sakes only, for their sufferings, that she regretted life. On +the seventh day, the disorder was at its crisis. The physician assumed +a graver manner, which she observed, and took occasion, when her family +had once quitted the chamber, to tell him, that she perceived her death +was approaching. 'Do not attempt to deceive me,' said she, 'I feel that +I cannot long survive. I am prepared for the event, I have long, I hope, +been preparing for it. Since I have not long to live, do not suffer a +mistaken compassion to induce you to flatter my family with false hopes. +If you do, their affliction will only be the heavier when it arrives: I +will endeavour to teach them resignation by my example.' + +The physician was affected; he promised to obey her, and told St. +Aubert, somewhat abruptly, that there was nothing to expect. The latter +was not philosopher enough to restrain his feelings when he received +this information; but a consideration of the increased affliction which +the observance of his grief would occasion his wife, enabled him, +after some time, to command himself in her presence. Emily was at first +overwhelmed with the intelligence; then, deluded by the strength of her +wishes, a hope sprung up in her mind that her mother would yet recover, +and to this she pertinaciously adhered almost to the last hour. + +The progress of this disorder was marked, on the side of Madame St. +Aubert, by patient suffering, and subjected wishes. The composure, with +which she awaited her death, could be derived only from the retrospect +of a life governed, as far as human frailty permits, by a consciousness +of being always in the presence of the Deity, and by the hope of a +higher world. But her piety could not entirely subdue the grief of +parting from those whom she so dearly loved. During these her last +hours, she conversed much with St. Aubert and Emily, on the prospect of +futurity, and on other religious topics. The resignation she expressed, +with the firm hope of meeting in a future world the friends she left in +this, and the effort which sometimes appeared to conceal her sorrow at +this temporary separation, frequently affected St. Aubert so much as to +oblige him to leave the room. Having indulged his tears awhile, he would +dry them and return to the chamber with a countenance composed by an +endeavour which did but increase his grief. + +Never had Emily felt the importance of the lessons, which had taught her +to restrain her sensibility, so much as in these moments, and never had +she practised them with a triumph so complete. But when the last was +over, she sunk at once under the pressure of her sorrow, and then +perceived that it was hope, as well as fortitude, which had hitherto +supported her. St. Aubert was for a time too devoid of comfort himself +to bestow any on his daughter. + + + +CHAPTER II + + + I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word + Would harrow up thy soul. + SHAKESPEARE + + +Madame St. Aubert was interred in the neighbouring village church; her +husband and daughter attended her to the grave, followed by a long train +of the peasantry, who were sincere mourners of this excellent woman. + +On his return from the funeral, St. Aubert shut himself in his chamber. +When he came forth, it was with a serene countenance, though pale in +sorrow. He gave orders that his family should attend him. Emily only was +absent; who, overcome with the scene she had just witnessed, had retired +to her closet to weep alone. St. Aubert followed her thither: he took +her hand in silence, while she continued to weep; and it was some +moments before he could so far command his voice as to speak. It +trembled while he said, 'My Emily, I am going to prayers with my family; +you will join us. We must ask support from above. Where else ought we to +seek it--where else can we find it?' + +Emily checked her tears, and followed her father to the parlour, where, +the servants being assembled, St. Aubert read, in a low and solemn +voice, the evening service, and added a prayer for the soul of the +departed. During this, his voice often faltered, his tears fell upon the +book, and at length he paused. But the sublime emotions of pure devotion +gradually elevated his views above this world, and finally brought +comfort to his heart. + +When the service was ended, and the servants were withdrawn, he tenderly +kissed Emily, and said, 'I have endeavoured to teach you, from your +earliest youth, the duty of self-command; I have pointed out to you the +great importance of it through life, not only as it preserves us in +the various and dangerous temptations that call us from rectitude and +virtue, but as it limits the indulgences which are termed virtuous, +yet which, extended beyond a certain boundary, are vicious, for their +consequence is evil. All excess is vicious; even that sorrow, which is +amiable in its origin, becomes a selfish and unjust passion, if indulged +at the expence of our duties--by our duties I mean what we owe to +ourselves, as well as to others. The indulgence of excessive grief +enervates the mind, and almost incapacitates it for again partaking of +those various innocent enjoyments which a benevolent God designed to be +the sun-shine of our lives. My dear Emily, recollect and practise the +precepts I have so often given you, and which your own experience has so +often shewn you to be wise. + +'Your sorrow is useless. Do not receive this as merely a commonplace +remark, but let reason THEREFORE restrain sorrow. I would not annihilate +your feelings, my child, I would only teach you to command them; for +whatever may be the evils resulting from a too susceptible heart, +nothing can be hoped from an insensible one; that, on the other hand, +is all vice--vice, of which the deformity is not softened, or the effect +consoled for, by any semblance or possibility of good. You know my +sufferings, and are, therefore, convinced that mine are not the light +words which, on these occasions, are so often repeated to destroy even +the sources of honest emotion, or which merely display the selfish +ostentation of a false philosophy. I will shew my Emily, that I can +practise what I advise. I have said thus much, because I cannot bear to +see you wasting in useless sorrow, for want of that resistance which +is due from mind; and I have not said it till now, because there is +a period when all reasoning must yield to nature; that is past: and +another, when excessive indulgence, having sunk into habit, weighs +down the elasticity of the spirits so as to render conquest nearly +impossible; this is to come. You, my Emily, will shew that you are +willing to avoid it.' + +Emily smiled through her tears upon her father: 'Dear sir,' said she, +and her voice trembled; she would have added, 'I will shew myself worthy +of being your daughter;' but a mingled emotion of gratitude, affection, +and grief overcame her. St. Aubert suffered her to weep without +interruption, and then began to talk on common topics. + +The first person who came to condole with St. Aubert was a M. Barreaux, +an austere and seemingly unfeeling man. A taste for botany had +introduced them to each other, for they had frequently met in their +wanderings among the mountains. M. Barreaux had retired from the world, +and almost from society, to live in a pleasant chateau, on the skirts of +the woods, near La Vallee. He also had been disappointed in his opinion +of mankind; but he did not, like St. Aubert, pity and mourn for them; +he felt more indignation at their vices, than compassion for their +weaknesses. + +St. Aubert was somewhat surprised to see him; for, though he had often +pressed him to come to the chateau, he had never till now accepted the +invitation; and now he came without ceremony or reserve, entering the +parlour as an old friend. The claims of misfortune appeared to have +softened down all the ruggedness and prejudices of his heart. St. Aubert +unhappy, seemed to be the sole idea that occupied his mind. It was in +manners, more than in words, that he appeared to sympathize with his +friends: he spoke little on the subject of their grief; but the minute +attention he gave them, and the modulated voice, and softened look that +accompanied it, came from his heart, and spoke to theirs. + +At this melancholy period St. Aubert was likewise visited by Madame +Cheron, his only surviving sister, who had been some years a widow, and +now resided on her own estate near Tholouse. The intercourse between +them had not been very frequent. In her condolements, words were not +wanting; she understood not the magic of the look that speaks at once +to the soul, or the voice that sinks like balm to the heart: but she +assured St. Aubert that she sincerely sympathized with him, praised the +virtues of his late wife, and then offered what she considered to be +consolation. Emily wept unceasingly while she spoke; St. Aubert was +tranquil, listened to what she said in silence, and then turned the +discourse upon another subject. + +At parting she pressed him and her niece to make her an early visit. +'Change of place will amuse you,' said she, 'and it is wrong to give way +to grief.' St. Aubert acknowledged the truth of these words of course; +but, at the same time, felt more reluctant than ever to quit the spot +which his past happiness had consecrated. The presence of his wife +had sanctified every surrounding scene, and, each day, as it gradually +softened the acuteness of his suffering, assisted the tender enchantment +that bound him to home. + +But there were calls which must be complied with, and of this kind was +the visit he paid to his brother-in-law M. Quesnel. An affair of an +interesting nature made it necessary that he should delay this visit no +longer, and, wishing to rouse Emily from her dejection, he took her with +him to Epourville. + +As the carriage entered upon the forest that adjoined his paternal +domain, his eyes once more caught, between the chesnut avenue, the +turreted corners of the chateau. He sighed to think of what had passed +since he was last there, and that it was now the property of a man who +neither revered nor valued it. At length he entered the avenue, whose +lofty trees had so often delighted him when a boy, and whose melancholy +shade was now so congenial with the tone of his spirits. Every feature +of the edifice, distinguished by an air of heavy grandeur, appeared +successively between the branches of the trees--the broad turret, the +arched gate-way that led into the courts, the drawbridge, and the dry +fosse which surrounded the whole. + +The sound of carriage wheels brought a troop of servants to the great +gate, where St. Aubert alighted, and from which he led Emily into the +gothic hall, now no longer hung with the arms and ancient banners of the +family. These were displaced, and the oak wainscotting, and beams that +crossed the roof, were painted white. The large table, too, that used to +stretch along the upper end of the hall, where the master of the mansion +loved to display his hospitality, and whence the peal of laughter, and +the song of conviviality, had so often resounded, was now removed; even +the benches that had surrounded the hall were no longer there. The heavy +walls were hung with frivolous ornaments, and every thing that appeared +denoted the false taste and corrupted sentiments of the present owner. + +St. Aubert followed a gay Parisian servant to a parlour, where sat Mons. +and Madame Quesnel, who received him with a stately politeness, and, +after a few formal words of condolement, seemed to have forgotten that +they ever had a sister. + +Emily felt tears swell into her eyes, and then resentment checked them. +St. Aubert, calm and deliberate, preserved his dignity without assuming +importance, and Quesnel was depressed by his presence without exactly +knowing wherefore. + +After some general conversation, St. Aubert requested to speak with him +alone; and Emily, being left with Madame Quesnel, soon learned that a +large party was invited to dine at the chateau, and was compelled to +hear that nothing which was past and irremediable ought to prevent the +festivity of the present hour. + +St. Aubert, when he was told that company were expected, felt a mixed +emotion of disgust and indignation against the insensibility of Quesnel, +which prompted him to return home immediately. But he was informed, that +Madame Cheron had been asked to meet him; and, when he looked at Emily, +and considered that a time might come when the enmity of her uncle would +be prejudicial to her, he determined not to incur it himself, by conduct +which would be resented as indecorous, by the very persons who now +showed so little sense of decorum. + +Among the visitors assembled at dinner were two Italian gentlemen, of +whom one was named Montoni, a distant relation of Madame Quesnel, a man +about forty, of an uncommonly handsome person, with features manly and +expressive, but whose countenance exhibited, upon the whole, more of the +haughtiness of command, and the quickness of discernment, than of any +other character. + +Signor Cavigni, his friend, appeared to be about thirty--inferior in +dignity, but equal to him in penetration of countenance, and superior in +insinuation of manner. + +Emily was shocked by the salutation with which Madame Cheron met her +father--'Dear brother,' said she, 'I am concerned to see you look so +very ill; do, pray, have advice!' St. Aubert answered, with a melancholy +smile, that he felt himself much as usual; but Emily's fears made her +now fancy that her father looked worse than he really did. + +Emily would have been amused by the new characters she saw, and the +varied conversation that passed during dinner, which was served in a +style of splendour she had seldom seen before, had her spirits been less +oppressed. Of the guests, Signor Montoni was lately come from Italy, and +he spoke of the commotions which at that period agitated the country; +talked of party differences with warmth, and then lamented the probable +consequences of the tumults. His friend spoke with equal ardour, of +the politics of his country; praised the government and prosperity +of Venice, and boasted of its decided superiority over all the other +Italian states. He then turned to the ladies, and talked with the same +eloquence, of Parisian fashions, the French opera, and French manners; +and on the latter subject he did not fail to mingle what is so +particularly agreeable to French taste. The flattery was not detected +by those to whom it was addressed, though its effect, in producing +submissive attention, did not escape his observation. When he could +disengage himself from the assiduities of the other ladies, he sometimes +addressed Emily: but she knew nothing of Parisian fashions, or Parisian +operas; and her modesty, simplicity, and correct manners formed a +decided contrast to those of her female companions. + +After dinner, St. Aubert stole from the room to view once more the old +chesnut which Quesnel talked of cutting down. As he stood under its +shade, and looked up among its branches, still luxuriant, and saw here +and there the blue sky trembling between them; the pursuits and events +of his early days crowded fast to his mind, with the figures and +characters of friends--long since gone from the earth; and he now felt +himself to be almost an insulated being, with nobody but his Emily for +his heart to turn to. + +He stood lost amid the scenes of years which fancy called up, till the +succession closed with the picture of his dying wife, and he started +away, to forget it, if possible, at the social board. + +St. Aubert ordered his carriage at an early hour, and Emily observed, +that he was more than usually silent and dejected on the way home; but +she considered this to be the effect of his visit to a place which spoke +so eloquently of former times, nor suspected that he had a cause of +grief which he concealed from her. + +On entering the chateau she felt more depressed than ever, for she more +than ever missed the presence of that dear parent, who, whenever she +had been from home, used to welcome her return with smiles and fondness; +now, all was silent and forsaken. + +But what reason and effort may fail to do, time effects. Week after week +passed away, and each, as it passed, stole something from the harshness +of her affliction, till it was mellowed to that tenderness which the +feeling heart cherishes as sacred. St. Aubert, on the contrary, visibly +declined in health; though Emily, who had been so constantly with him, +was almost the last person who observed it. His constitution had never +recovered from the late attack of the fever, and the succeeding shock +it received from Madame St. Aubert's death had produced its present +infirmity. His physician now ordered him to travel; for it was +perceptible that sorrow had seized upon his nerves, weakened as they had +been by the preceding illness; and variety of scene, it was probable, +would, by amusing his mind, restore them to their proper tone. + +For some days Emily was occupied in preparations to attend him; and he, +by endeavours to diminish his expences at home during the journey--a +purpose which determined him at length to dismiss his domestics. Emily +seldom opposed her father's wishes by questions or remonstrances, or she +would now have asked why he did not take a servant, and have represented +that his infirm health made one almost necessary. But when, on the eve +of their departure, she found that he had dismissed Jacques, Francis, +and Mary, and detained only Theresa the old housekeeper, she was +extremely surprised, and ventured to ask his reason for having done so. +'To save expences, my dear,' he replied--'we are going on an expensive +excursion.' + +The physician had prescribed the air of Languedoc and Provence; and St. +Aubert determined, therefore, to travel leisurely along the shores of +the Mediterranean, towards Provence. + +They retired early to their chamber on the night before their departure; +but Emily had a few books and other things to collect, and the clock had +struck twelve before she had finished, or had remembered that some of +her drawing instruments, which she meant to take with her, were in the +parlour below. As she went to fetch these, she passed her father's +room, and, perceiving the door half open, concluded that he was in his +study--for, since the death of Madame St. Aubert, it had been frequently +his custom to rise from his restless bed, and go thither to compose his +mind. When she was below stairs she looked into this room, but without +finding him; and as she returned to her chamber, she tapped at his door, +and receiving no answer, stepped softly in, to be certain whether he was +there. + +The room was dark, but a light glimmered through some panes of glass +that were placed in the upper part of a closet-door. Emily believed her +father to be in the closet, and, surprised that he was up at so late +an hour, apprehended he was unwell, and was going to enquire; but, +considering that her sudden appearance at this hour might alarm him, +she removed her light to the stair-case, and then stepped softly to the +closet. On looking through the panes of glass, she saw him seated at a +small table, with papers before him, some of which he was reading with +deep attention and interest, during which he often wept and sobbed +aloud. Emily, who had come to the door to learn whether her father was +ill, was now detained there by a mixture of curiosity and tenderness. +She could not witness his sorrow, without being anxious to know the +subject of; and she therefore continued to observe him in silence, +concluding that those papers were letters of her late mother. Presently +he knelt down, and with a look so solemn as she had seldom seen him +assume, and which was mingled with a certain wild expression, that +partook more of horror than of any other character, he prayed silently +for a considerable time. + +When he rose, a ghastly paleness was on his countenance. Emily was +hastily retiring; but she saw him turn again to the papers, and she +stopped. He took from among them a small case, and from thence a +miniature picture. The rays of light fell strongly upon it, and she +perceived it to be that of a lady, but not of her mother. + +St. Aubert gazed earnestly and tenderly upon his portrait, put it to his +lips, and then to his heart, and sighed with a convulsive force. Emily +could scarcely believe what she saw to be real. She never knew till now +that he had a picture of any other lady than her mother, much less +that he had one which he evidently valued so highly; but having looked +repeatedly, to be certain that it was not the resemblance of Madame St. +Aubert, she became entirely convinced that it was designed for that of +some other person. + +At length St. Aubert returned the picture to its case; and Emily, +recollecting that she was intruding upon his private sorrows, softly +withdrew from the chamber. + + + +CHAPTER III + + + O how canst thou renounce the boundless store + Of charms which nature to her vot'ry yields! + The warbling woodland, the resounding shore, + The pomp of groves, and garniture of fields; + All that the genial ray of morning gilds, + And all that echoes to the song of even; + All that the mountain's shelt'ring bosom shields, + And all the dread magnificence of heaven; + O how canst thou renounce, and hope to be forgiven! +..... These charms shall work thy soul's eternal health, + And love, and gentleness, and joy, impart. + THE MINSTREL + +St. Aubert, instead of taking the more direct road, that ran along the +feet of the Pyrenees to Languedoc, chose one that, winding over the +heights, afforded more extensive views and greater variety of romantic +scenery. He turned a little out of his way to take leave of M. Barreaux, +whom he found botanizing in the wood near his chateau, and who, when +he was told the purpose of St. Aubert's visit, expressed a degree of +concern, such as his friend had thought it was scarcely possible for him +to feel on any similar occasion. They parted with mutual regret. + +'If any thing could have tempted me from my retirement,' said M. +Barreaux, 'it would have been the pleasure of accompanying you on this +little tour. I do not often offer compliments; you may, therefore, +believe me, when I say, that I shall look for your return with +impatience.' + +The travellers proceeded on their journey. As they ascended the heights, +St. Aubert often looked back upon the chateau, in the plain below; +tender images crowded to his mind; his melancholy imagination suggested +that he should return no more; and though he checked this wandering +thought, still he continued to look, till the haziness of distance +blended his home with the general landscape, and St. Aubert seemed to + + Drag at each remove a lengthening chain. + +He and Emily continued sunk in musing silence for some leagues, from +which melancholy reverie Emily first awoke, and her young fancy, struck +with the grandeur of the objects around, gradually yielded to delightful +impressions. The road now descended into glens, confined by stupendous +walls of rock, grey and barren, except where shrubs fringed their +summits, or patches of meagre vegetation tinted their recesses, in which +the wild goat was frequently browsing. And now, the way led to the +lofty cliffs, from whence the landscape was seen extending in all its +magnificence. + +Emily could not restrain her transport as she looked over the pine +forests of the mountains upon the vast plains, that, enriched with +woods, towns, blushing vines, and plantations of almonds, palms, and +olives, stretched along, till their various colours melted in distance +into one harmonious hue, that seemed to unite earth with heaven. +Through the whole of this glorious scene the majestic Garonne wandered; +descending from its source among the Pyrenees, and winding its blue +waves towards the Bay of Biscay. + +The ruggedness of the unfrequented road often obliged the wanderers to +alight from their little carriage, but they thought themselves amply +repaid for this inconvenience by the grandeur of the scenes; and, +while the muleteer led his animals slowly over the broken ground, the +travellers had leisure to linger amid these solitudes, and to indulge +the sublime reflections, which soften, while they elevate, the heart, +and fill it with the certainty of a present God! Still the enjoyment +of St. Aubert was touched with that pensive melancholy, which gives +to every object a mellower tint, and breathes a sacred charm over all +around. + +They had provided against part of the evil to be encountered from a want +of convenient inns, by carrying a stock of provisions in the carriage, +so that they might take refreshment on any pleasant spot, in the open +air, and pass the nights wherever they should happen to meet with a +comfortable cottage. For the mind, also, they had provided, by a work on +botany, written by M. Barreaux, and by several of the Latin and Italian +poets; while Emily's pencil enabled her to preserve some of those +combinations of forms, which charmed her at every step. + +The loneliness of the road, where, only now and then, a peasant was seen +driving his mule, or some mountaineer-children at play among the rocks, +heightened the effect of the scenery. St. Aubert was so much struck with +it, that he determined, if he could hear of a road, to penetrate further +among the mountains, and, bending his way rather more to the south, to +emerge into Rousillon, and coast the Mediterranean along part of that +country to Languedoc. + +Soon after mid-day, they reached the summit of one of those cliffs, +which, bright with the verdure of palm-trees, adorn, like gems, the +tremendous walls of the rocks, and which overlooked the greater part of +Gascony, and part of Languedoc. Here was shade, and the fresh water of +a spring, that, gliding among the turf, under the trees, thence +precipitated itself from rock to rock, till its dashing murmurs were +lost in the abyss, though its white foam was long seen amid the darkness +of the pines below. + +This was a spot well suited for rest, and the travellers alighted to +dine, while the mules were unharnessed to browse on the savoury herbs +that enriched this summit. + +It was some time before St. Aubert or Emily could withdraw their +attention from the surrounding objects, so as to partake of their little +repast. Seated in the shade of the palms, St. Aubert pointed out to her +observation the course of the rivers, the situation of great towns, and +the boundaries of provinces, which science, rather than the eye, enabled +him to describe. Notwithstanding this occupation, when he had talked +awhile he suddenly became silent, thoughtful, and tears often swelled to +his eyes, which Emily observed, and the sympathy of her own heart told +her their cause. The scene before them bore some resemblance, though it +was on a much grander scale, to a favourite one of the late Madame St. +Aubert, within view of the fishing-house. They both observed this, and +thought how delighted she would have been with the present landscape, +while they knew that her eyes must never, never more open upon this +world. St. Aubert remembered the last time of his visiting that spot in +company with her, and also the mournfully presaging thoughts which had +then arisen in his mind, and were now, even thus soon, realized! The +recollections subdued him, and he abruptly rose from his seat, and +walked away to where no eye could observe his grief. + +When he returned, his countenance had recovered its usual serenity; he +took Emily's hand, pressed it affectionately, without speaking, and soon +after called to the muleteer, who sat at a little distance, concerning +a road among the mountains towards Rousillon. Michael said, there were +several that way, but he did not know how far they extended, or even +whether they were passable; and St. Aubert, who did not intend to travel +after sun-set, asked what village they could reach about that time. The +muleteer calculated that they could easily reach Mateau, which was in +their present road; but that, if they took a road that sloped more to +the south, towards Rousillon, there was a hamlet, which he thought they +could gain before the evening shut in. + +St. Aubert, after some hesitation, determined to take the latter course, +and Michael, having finished his meal, and harnessed his mules, again +set forward, but soon stopped; and St. Aubert saw him doing homage to a +cross, that stood on a rock impending over their way. Having concluded +his devotions, he smacked his whip in the air, and, in spite of the +rough road, and the pain of his poor mules, which he had been lately +lamenting, rattled, in a full gallop, along the edge of a precipice, +which it made the eye dizzy to look down. Emily was terrified almost +to fainting; and St. Aubert, apprehending still greater danger from +suddenly stopping the driver, was compelled to sit quietly, and trust +his fate to the strength and discretion of the mules, who seemed to +possess a greater portion of the latter quality than their master; for +they carried the travellers safely into the valley, and there stopped +upon the brink of the rivulet that watered it. + +Leaving the splendour of extensive prospects, they now entered this +narrow valley screened by + + Rocks on rocks piled, as if by magic spell, + Here scorch'd by lightnings, there with ivy green. + +The scene of barrenness was here and there interrupted by the spreading +branches of the larch and cedar, which threw their gloom over the cliff, +or athwart the torrent that rolled in the vale. No living creature +appeared, except the izard, scrambling among the rocks, and often +hanging upon points so dangerous, that fancy shrunk from the view of +them. This was such a scene as SALVATOR would have chosen, had he then +existed, for his canvas; St. Aubert, impressed by the romantic character +of the place, almost expected to see banditti start from behind some +projecting rock, and he kept his hand upon the arms with which he always +travelled. + +As they advanced, the valley opened; its savage features gradually +softened, and, towards evening, they were among heathy mountains, +stretched in far perspective, along which the solitary sheep-bell was +heard, and the voice of the shepherd calling his wandering flocks to the +nightly fold. His cabin, partly shadowed by the cork-tree and the ilex, +which St. Aubert observed to flourish in higher regions of the air than +any other trees, except the fir, was all the human habitation that yet +appeared. Along the bottom of this valley the most vivid verdure was +spread; and, in the little hollow recesses of the mountains, under the +shade of the oak and chestnut, herds of cattle were grazing. Groups +of them, too, were often seen reposing on the banks of the rivulet, or +laving their sides in the cool stream, and sipping its wave. + +The sun was now setting upon the valley; its last light gleamed upon the +water, and heightened the rich yellow and purple tints of the heath and +broom, that overspread the mountains. St. Aubert enquired of Michael +the distance to the hamlet he had mentioned, but the man could not with +certainty tell; and Emily began to fear that he had mistaken the road. +Here was no human being to assist, or direct them; they had left the +shepherd and his cabin far behind, and the scene became so obscured in +twilight, that the eye could not follow the distant perspective of the +valley in search of a cottage, or a hamlet. A glow of the horizon still +marked the west, and this was of some little use to the travellers. +Michael seemed endeavouring to keep up his courage by singing; his +music, however, was not of a kind to disperse melancholy; he sung, in a +sort of chant, one of the most dismal ditties his present auditors had +ever heard, and St. Aubert at length discovered it to be a vesper-hymn +to his favourite saint. + +They travelled on, sunk in that thoughtful melancholy, with which +twilight and solitude impress the mind. Michael had now ended his ditty, +and nothing was heard but the drowsy murmur of the breeze among the +woods, and its light flutter, as it blew freshly into the carriage. They +were at length roused by the sound of fire-arms. St. Aubert called to +the muleteer to stop, and they listened. The noise was not repeated; but +presently they heard a rustling among the brakes. St. Aubert drew forth +a pistol, and ordered Michael to proceed as fast as possible; who had +not long obeyed, before a horn sounded, that made the mountains ring. He +looked again from the window, and then saw a young man spring from the +bushes into the road, followed by a couple of dogs. The stranger was in +a hunter's dress. His gun was slung across his shoulders, the hunter's +horn hung from his belt, and in his hand was a small pike, which, as +he held it, added to the manly grace of his figure, and assisted the +agility of his steps. + +After a moment's hesitation, St. Aubert again stopped the carriage, and +waited till he came up, that they might enquire concerning the hamlet +they were in search of. The stranger informed him, that it was only half +a league distant, that he was going thither himself, and would readily +shew the way. St. Aubert thanked him for the offer, and, pleased with +his chevalier-like air and open countenance, asked him to take a seat +in the carriage; which the stranger, with an acknowledgment, declined, +adding that he would keep pace with the mules. 'But I fear you will be +wretchedly accommodated,' said he: 'the inhabitants of these mountains +are a simple people, who are not only without the luxuries of life, +but almost destitute of what in other places are held to be its +necessaries.' + +'I perceive you are not one of its inhabitants, sir,' said St. Aubert. + +'No, sir, I am only a wanderer here.' + +The carriage drove on, and the increasing dusk made the travellers very +thankful that they had a guide; the frequent glens, too, that now opened +among the mountains, would likewise have added to their perplexity. +Emily, as she looked up one of these, saw something at a great distance +like a bright cloud in the air. 'What light is yonder, sir?' said she. + +St. Aubert looked, and perceived that it was the snowy summit of a +mountain, so much higher than any around it, that it still reflected the +sun's rays, while those below lay in deep shade. + +At length, the village lights were seen to twinkle through the dusk, +and, soon after, some cottages were discovered in the valley, or rather +were seen by reflection in the stream, on whose margin they stood, and +which still gleamed with the evening light. + +The stranger now came up, and St. Aubert, on further enquiry, found not +only that there was no inn in the place, but not any sort of house of +public reception. The stranger, however, offered to walk on, and enquire +for a cottage to accommodate them; for which further civility St. Aubert +returned his thanks, and said, that, as the village was so near, he +would alight, and walk with him. Emily followed slowly in the carriage. + +On the way, St. Aubert asked his companion what success he had had +in the chase. 'Not much, sir,' he replied, 'nor do I aim at it. I am +pleased with the country, and mean to saunter away a few weeks among +its scenes. My dogs I take with me more for companionship than for game. +This dress, too, gives me an ostensible business, and procures me that +respect from the people, which would, perhaps, be refused to a lonely +stranger, who had no visible motive for coming among them.' + +'I admire your taste,' said St. Aubert, 'and, if I was a younger man, +should like to pass a few weeks in your way exceedingly. I, too, am a +wanderer, but neither my plan nor pursuits are exactly like yours--I go +in search of health, as much as of amusement.' St. Aubert sighed, and +paused; and then, seeming to recollect himself, he resumed: 'If I can +hear of a tolerable road, that shall afford decent accommodation, it +is my intention to pass into Rousillon, and along the sea-shore to +Languedoc. You, sir, seem to be acquainted with the country, and can, +perhaps, give me information on the subject.' + +The stranger said, that what information he could give was entirely at +his service; and then mentioned a road rather more to the east, which +led to a town, whence it would be easy to proceed into Rousillon. + +They now arrived at the village, and commenced their search for a +cottage, that would afford a night's lodging. In several, which they +entered, ignorance, poverty, and mirth seemed equally to prevail; and +the owners eyed St. Aubert with a mixture of curiosity and timidity. +Nothing like a bed could be found, and he had ceased to enquire for +one, when Emily joined him, who observed the languor of her father's +countenance, and lamented, that he had taken a road so ill provided +with the comforts necessary for an invalid. Other cottages, which they +examined, seemed somewhat less savage than the former, consisting of +two rooms, if such they could be called; the first of these occupied by +mules and pigs, the second by the family, which generally consisted of +six or eight children, with their parents, who slept on beds of skins +and dried beech leaves, spread upon a mud floor. Here, light was +admitted, and smoke discharged, through an aperture in the roof; and +here the scent of spirits (for the travelling smugglers, who haunted the +Pyrenees, had made this rude people familiar with the use of liquors) +was generally perceptible enough. Emily turned from such scenes, and +looked at her father with anxious tenderness, which the young stranger +seemed to observe; for, drawing St. Aubert aside, he made him an offer +of his own bed. 'It is a decent one,' said he, 'when compared with +what we have just seen, yet such as in other circumstances I should be +ashamed to offer you.' St. Aubert acknowledged how much he felt himself +obliged by this kindness, but refused to accept it, till the young +stranger would take no denial. 'Do not give me the pain of knowing, +sir,' said he, 'that an invalid, like you, lies on hard skins, while +I sleep in a bed. Besides, sir, your refusal wounds my pride; I must +believe you think my offer unworthy your acceptance. Let me shew you the +way. I have no doubt my landlady can accommodate this young lady also.' + +St. Aubert at length consented, that, if this could be done, he would +accept his kindness, though he felt rather surprised, that the stranger +had proved himself so deficient in gallantry, as to administer to the +repose of an infirm man, rather than to that of a very lovely young +woman, for he had not once offered the room for Emily. But she thought +not of herself, and the animated smile she gave him, told how much she +felt herself obliged for the preference of her father. + +On their way, the stranger, whose name was Valancourt, stepped on first +to speak to his hostess, and she came out to welcome St. Aubert into a +cottage, much superior to any he had seen. This good woman seemed very +willing to accommodate the strangers, who were soon compelled to accept +the only two beds in the place. Eggs and milk were the only food the +cottage afforded; but against scarcity of provisions St. Aubert had +provided, and he requested Valancourt to stay, and partake with him of +less homely fare; an invitation, which was readily accepted, and they +passed an hour in intelligent conversation. St. Aubert was much pleased +with the manly frankness, simplicity, and keen susceptibility to the +grandeur of nature, which his new acquaintance discovered; and, indeed, +he had often been heard to say, that, without a certain simplicity of +heart, this taste could not exist in any strong degree. + +The conversation was interrupted by a violent uproar without, in which +the voice of the muleteer was heard above every other sound. Valancourt +started from his seat, and went to enquire the occasion; but the dispute +continued so long afterwards, that St. Aubert went himself, and found +Michael quarrelling with the hostess, because she had refused to let his +mules lie in a little room where he and three of her sons were to pass +the night. The place was wretched enough, but there was no other for +these people to sleep in; and, with somewhat more of delicacy than was +usual among the inhabitants of this wild tract of country, she persisted +in refusing to let the animals have the same BED-CHAMBER with her +children. This was a tender point with the muleteer; his honour was +wounded when his mules were treated with disrespect, and he would have +received a blow, perhaps, with more meekness. He declared that his +beasts were as honest beasts, and as good beasts, as any in the whole +province; and that they had a right to be well treated wherever they +went. 'They are as harmless as lambs,' said he, 'if people don't affront +them. I never knew them behave themselves amiss above once or twice in +my life, and then they had good reason for doing so. Once, indeed, they +kicked at a boy's leg that lay asleep in the stable, and broke it; but +I told them they were out there, and by St. Anthony! I believe they +understood me, for they never did so again.' + +He concluded this eloquent harangue with protesting, that they should +share with him, go where he would. + +The dispute was at length settled by Valancourt, who drew the hostess +aside, and desired she would let the muleteer and his beasts have the +place in question to themselves, while her sons should have the bed of +skins designed for him, for that he would wrap himself in his cloak, and +sleep on the bench by the cottage door. But this she thought it her +duty to oppose, and she felt it to be her inclination to disappoint the +muleteer. Valancourt, however, was positive, and the tedious affair was +at length settled. + +It was late when St. Aubert and Emily retired to their rooms, and +Valancourt to his station at the door, which, at this mild season, he +preferred to a close cabin and a bed of skins. St. Aubert was somewhat +surprised to find in his room volumes of Homer, Horace, and Petrarch; +but the name of Valancourt, written in them, told him to whom they +belonged. + + + +CHAPTER IV + + + In truth he was a strange and wayward wight, + Fond of each gentle, and each dreadful scene, + In darkness, and in storm he found delight; + Nor less than when on ocean-wave serene + The southern sun diffus'd his dazzling sheen. + Even sad vicissitude amus'd his soul; + And if a sigh would sometimes intervene, + And down his cheek a tear of pity roll, + A sigh, a tear, so sweet, he wish'd not to controul. + THE MINSTREL + +St. Aubert awoke at an early hour, refreshed by sleep, and desirous to +set forward. He invited the stranger to breakfast with him; and, talking +again of the road, Valancourt said, that, some months past, he had +travelled as far as Beaujeu, which was a town of some consequence on the +way to Rousillon. He recommended it to St. Aubert to take that route, +and the latter determined to do so. + +'The road from this hamlet,' said Valancourt, 'and that to Beaujeu, part +at the distance of about a league and a half from hence; if you will +give me leave, I will direct your muleteer so far. I must wander +somewhere, and your company would make this a pleasanter ramble than any +other I could take.' + +St. Aubert thankfully accepted his offer, and they set out together, the +young stranger on foot, for he refused the invitation of St. Aubert to +take a seat in his little carriage. + +The road wound along the feet of the mountains through a pastoral +valley, bright with verdure, and varied with groves of dwarf oak, +beech and sycamore, under whose branches herds of cattle reposed. The +mountain-ash too, and the weeping birch, often threw their pendant +foliage over the steeps above, where the scanty soil scarcely concealed +their roots, and where their light branches waved to every breeze that +fluttered from the mountains. + +The travellers were frequently met at this early hour, for the sun had +not yet risen upon the valley, by shepherds driving immense flocks from +their folds to feed upon the hills. St. Aubert had set out thus early, +not only that he might enjoy the first appearance of sunrise, but that +he might inhale the first pure breath of morning, which above all things +is refreshing to the spirits of the invalid. In these regions it was +particularly so, where an abundance of wild flowers and aromatic herbs +breathed forth their essence on the air. + +The dawn, which softened the scenery with its peculiar grey tint, now +dispersed, and Emily watched the progress of the day, first trembling on +the tops of the highest cliffs, then touching them with splendid light, +while their sides and the vale below were still wrapt in dewy mist. +Meanwhile, the sullen grey of the eastern clouds began to blush, then to +redden, and then to glow with a thousand colours, till the golden light +darted over all the air, touched the lower points of the mountain's +brow, and glanced in long sloping beams upon the valley and its stream. +All nature seemed to have awakened from death into life; the spirit of +St. Aubert was renovated. His heart was full; he wept, and his thoughts +ascended to the Great Creator. + +Emily wished to trip along the turf, so green and bright with dew, and +to taste the full delight of that liberty, which the izard seemed to +enjoy as he bounded along the brow of the cliffs; while Valancourt often +stopped to speak with the travellers, and with social feeling to point +out to them the peculiar objects of his admiration. St. Aubert was +pleased with him: 'Here is the real ingenuousness and ardour of youth,' +said he to himself; 'this young man has never been at Paris.' + +He was sorry when they came to the spot where the roads parted, and his +heart took a more affectionate leave of him than is usual after so short +an acquaintance. Valancourt talked long by the side of the carriage; +seemed more than once to be going, but still lingered, and appeared to +search anxiously for topics of conversation to account for his delay. At +length he took leave. As he went, St. Aubert observed him look with an +earnest and pensive eye at Emily, who bowed to him with a countenance +full of timid sweetness, while the carriage drove on. St. Aubert, for +whatever reason, soon after looked from the window, and saw Valancourt +standing upon the bank of the road, resting on his pike with folded +arms, and following the carriage with his eyes. He waved his hand, and +Valancourt, seeming to awake from his reverie, returned the salute, and +started away. + +The aspect of the country now began to change, and the travellers soon +found themselves among mountains covered from their base nearly to their +summits with forests of gloomy pine, except where a rock of granite shot +up from the vale, and lost its snowy top in the clouds. The rivulet, +which had hitherto accompanied them, now expanded into a river; and, +flowing deeply and silently along, reflected, as in a mirror, the +blackness of the impending shades. Sometimes a cliff was seen lifting +its bold head above the woods and the vapours, that floated mid-way down +the mountains; and sometimes a face of perpendicular marble rose from +the water's edge, over which the larch threw his gigantic arms, here +scathed with lightning, and there floating in luxuriant foliage. + +They continued to travel over a rough and unfrequented road, seeing now +and then at a distance the solitary shepherd, with his dog, stalking +along the valley, and hearing only the dashing of torrents, which the +woods concealed from the eye, the long sullen murmur of the breeze, +as it swept over the pines, or the notes of the eagle and the vulture, +which were seen towering round the beetling cliff. + +Often, as the carriage moved slowly over uneven ground, St. Aubert +alighted, and amused himself with examining the curious plants that grew +on the banks of the road, and with which these regions abound; while +Emily, wrapt in high enthusiasm, wandered away under the shades, +listening in deep silence to the lonely murmur of the woods. + +Neither village nor hamlet was seen for many leagues; the goat-herd's or +the hunter's cabin, perched among the cliffs of the rocks, were the only +human habitations that appeared. + +The travellers again took their dinner in the open air, on a pleasant +spot in the valley, under the spreading shade of cedars; and then set +forward towards Beaujeu. + +The road now began to descend, and, leaving the pine forests behind, +wound among rocky precipices. The evening twilight again fell over the +scene, and the travellers were ignorant how far they might yet be from +Beaujeu. St. Aubert, however, conjectured that the distance could not be +very great, and comforted himself with the prospect of travelling on a +more frequented road after reaching that town, where he designed to pass +the night. Mingled woods, and rocks, and heathy mountains were now seen +obscurely through the dusk; but soon even these imperfect images faded +in darkness. Michael proceeded with caution, for he could scarcely +distinguish the road; his mules, however, seemed to have more sagacity, +and their steps were sure. + +On turning the angle of a mountain, a light appeared at a distance, that +illumined the rocks, and the horizon to a great extent. It was evidently +a large fire, but whether accidental, or otherwise, there were no means +of knowing. St. Aubert thought it was probably kindled by some of the +numerous banditti, that infested the Pyrenees, and he became watchful +and anxious to know whether the road passed near this fire. He had arms +with him, which, on an emergency, might afford some protection, though +certainly a very unequal one, against a band of robbers, so desperate +too as those usually were who haunted these wild regions. While many +reflections rose upon his mind, he heard a voice shouting from the road +behind, and ordering the muleteer to stop. St. Aubert bade him proceed +as fast as possible; but either Michael, or his mules were obstinate, +for they did not quit the old pace. Horses' feet were now heard; a man +rode up to the carriage, still ordering the driver to stop; and St. +Aubert, who could no longer doubt his purpose, was with difficulty able +to prepare a pistol for his defence, when his hand was upon the door of +the chaise. The man staggered on his horse, the report of the pistol was +followed by a groan, and St. Aubert's horror may be imagined, when in +the next instant he thought he heard the faint voice of Valancourt. +He now himself bade the muleteer stop; and, pronouncing the name of +Valancourt, was answered in a voice, that no longer suffered him to +doubt. St. Aubert, who instantly alighted and went to his assistance, +found him still sitting on his horse, but bleeding profusely, and +appearing to be in great pain, though he endeavoured to soften the +terror of St. Aubert by assurances that he was not materially hurt, the +wound being only in his arm. St. Aubert, with the muleteer, assisted him +to dismount, and he sat down on the bank of the road, where St. Aubert +tried to bind up his arm, but his hands trembled so excessively that he +could not accomplish it; and, Michael being now gone in pursuit of the +horse, which, on being disengaged from his rider, had galloped off, +he called Emily to his assistance. Receiving no answer, he went to the +carriage, and found her sunk on the seat in a fainting fit. Between the +distress of this circumstance and that of leaving Valancourt bleeding, +he scarcely knew what he did; he endeavoured, however, to raise her, +and called to Michael to fetch water from the rivulet that flowed by the +road, but Michael was gone beyond the reach of his voice. Valancourt, +who heard these calls, and also the repeated name of Emily, instantly +understood the subject of his distress; and, almost forgetting his own +condition, he hastened to her relief. She was reviving when he +reached the carriage; and then, understanding that anxiety for him had +occasioned her indisposition, he assured her, in a voice that trembled, +but not from anguish, that his wound was of no consequence. While he +said this St. Aubert turned round, and perceiving that he was still +bleeding, the subject of his alarm changed again, and he hastily formed +some handkerchiefs into a bandage. This stopped the effusion of the +blood; but St. Aubert, dreading the consequence of the wound, enquired +repeatedly how far they were from Beaujeu; when, learning that it was +at two leagues' distance, his distress increased, since he knew not how +Valancourt, in his present state, would bear the motion of the carriage, +and perceived that he was already faint from loss of blood. When he +mentioned the subject of his anxiety, Valancourt entreated that he would +not suffer himself to be thus alarmed on his account, for that he had no +doubt he should be able to support himself very well; and then he talked +of the accident as a slight one. The muleteer being now returned with +Valancourt's horse, assisted him into the chaise; and, as Emily was now +revived, they moved slowly on towards Beaujeu. + +St. Aubert, when he had recovered from the terror occasioned him by this +accident, expressed surprise on seeing Valancourt, who explained +his unexpected appearance by saying, 'You, sir, renewed my taste for +society; when you had left the hamlet, it did indeed appear a solitude. +I determined, therefore, since my object was merely amusement, to change +the scene; and I took this road, because I knew it led through a more +romantic tract of mountains than the spot I have left. Besides,' added +he, hesitating for an instant, 'I will own, and why should I not? that I +had some hope of overtaking you.' + +'And I have made you a very unexpected return for the compliment,' +said St. Aubert, who lamented again the rashness which had produced +the accident, and explained the cause of his late alarm. But Valancourt +seemed anxious only to remove from the minds of his companions every +unpleasant feeling relative to himself; and, for that purpose, still +struggled against a sense of pain, and tried to converse with gaiety. +Emily meanwhile was silent, except when Valancourt particularly +addressed her, and there was at those times a tremulous tone in his +voice that spoke much. + +They were now so near the fire, which had long flamed at a distance on +the blackness of night, that it gleamed upon the road, and they could +distinguish figures moving about the blaze. The way winding still +nearer, they perceived in the valley one of those numerous bands of +gipsies, which at that period particularly haunted the wilds of the +Pyrenees, and lived partly by plundering the traveller. Emily looked +with some degree of terror on the savage countenances of these people, +shewn by the fire, which heightened the romantic effects of the scenery, +as it threw a red dusky gleam upon the rocks and on the foliage of the +trees, leaving heavy masses of shade and regions of obscurity, which the +eye feared to penetrate. + +They were preparing their supper; a large pot stood by the fire, over +which several figures were busy. The blaze discovered a rude kind of +tent, round which many children and dogs were playing, and the whole +formed a picture highly grotesque. The travellers saw plainly their +danger. Valancourt was silent, but laid his hand on one of St. Aubert's +pistols; St. Aubert drew forth another, and Michael was ordered to +proceed as fast as possible. They passed the place, however, +without being attacked; the rovers being probably unprepared for the +opportunity, and too busy about their supper to feel much interest, at +the moment, in any thing besides. + +After a league and a half more, passed in darkness, the travellers +arrived at Beaujeu, and drove up to the only inn the place afforded; +which, though superior to any they had seen since they entered the +mountains, was bad enough. + +The surgeon of the town was immediately sent for, if a surgeon he could +be called, who prescribed for horses as well as for men, and shaved +faces at least as dexterously as he set bones. After examining +Valancourt's arm, and perceiving that the bullet had passed through +the flesh without touching the bone, he dressed it, and left him with +a solemn prescription of quiet, which his patient was not inclined to +obey. The delight of ease had now succeeded to pain; for ease may be +allowed to assume a positive quality when contrasted with anguish; and, +his spirits thus re-animated, he wished to partake of the conversation +of St. Aubert and Emily, who, released from so many apprehensions, were +uncommonly cheerful. Late as it was, however, St. Aubert was obliged to +go out with the landlord to buy meat for supper; and Emily, who, during +this interval, had been absent as long as she could, upon excuses of +looking to their accommodation, which she found rather better than she +expected, was compelled to return, and converse with Valancourt alone. +They talked of the character of the scenes they had passed, of the +natural history of the country, of poetry, and of St. Aubert; a subject +on which Emily always spoke and listened to with peculiar pleasure. + +The travellers passed an agreeable evening; but St. Aubert was fatigued +with his journey; and, as Valancourt seemed again sensible of pain, they +separated soon after supper. + +In the morning St. Aubert found that Valancourt had passed a restless +night; that he was feverish, and his wound very painful. The surgeon, +when he dressed it, advised him to remain quietly at Beaujeu; advice +which was too reasonable to be rejected. St. Aubert, however, had no +favourable opinion of this practitioner, and was anxious to commit +Valancourt into more skilful hands; but learning, upon enquiry, that +there was no town within several leagues which seemed more likely to +afford better advice, he altered the plan of his journey, and determined +to await the recovery of Valancourt, who, with somewhat more ceremony +than sincerity, made many objections to this delay. + +By order of his surgeon, Valancourt did not go out of the house that +day; but St. Aubert and Emily surveyed with delight the environs of +the town, situated at the feet of the Pyrenean Alps, that rose, some +in abrupt precipices, and others swelling with woods of cedar, fir, and +cypress, which stretched nearly to their highest summits. The cheerful +green of the beech and mountain-ash was sometimes seen, like a gleam of +light, amidst the dark verdure of the forest; and sometimes a torrent +poured its sparkling flood, high among the woods. + +Valancourt's indisposition detained the travellers at Beaujeu several +days, during which interval St. Aubert had observed his disposition and +his talents with the philosophic inquiry so natural to him. He saw +a frank and generous nature, full of ardour, highly susceptible of +whatever is grand and beautiful, but impetuous, wild, and somewhat +romantic. Valancourt had known little of the world. His perceptions were +clear, and his feelings just; his indignation of an unworthy, or his +admiration of a generous action, were expressed in terms of equal +vehemence. St. Aubert sometimes smiled at his warmth, but seldom checked +it, and often repeated to himself, 'This young man has never been at +Paris.' A sigh sometimes followed this silent ejaculation. He determined +not to leave Valancourt till he should be perfectly recovered; and, as +he was now well enough to travel, though not able to manage his horse, +St. Aubert invited him to accompany him for a few days in the carriage. +This he the more readily did, since he had discovered that Valancourt +was of a family of the same name in Gascony, with whose respectability +he was well acquainted. The latter accepted the offer with great +pleasure, and they again set forward among these romantic wilds about +Rousillon. + +They travelled leisurely; stopping wherever a scene uncommonly grand +appeared; frequently alighting to walk to an eminence, whither the mules +could not go, from which the prospect opened in greater magnificence; +and often sauntering over hillocks covered with lavender, wild thyme, +juniper, and tamarisc; and under the shades of woods, between those +boles they caught the long mountain-vista, sublime beyond any thing that +Emily had ever imagined. + +St. Aubert sometimes amused himself with botanizing, while Valancourt +and Emily strolled on; he pointing out to her notice the objects that +particularly charmed him, and reciting beautiful passages from such of +the Latin and Italian poets as he had heard her admire. In the pauses of +conversation, when he thought himself not observed, he frequently fixed +his eyes pensively on her countenance, which expressed with so much +animation the taste and energy of her mind; and when he spoke again, +there was a peculiar tenderness in the tone of his voice, that defeated +any attempt to conceal his sentiments. By degrees these silent pauses +became more frequent; till Emily, only, betrayed an anxiety to interrupt +them; and she; who had been hitherto reserved, would now talk again, +and again, of the woods and the vallies and the mountains, to avoid the +danger of sympathy and silence. + +From Beaujeu the road had constantly ascended, conducting the travellers +into the higher regions of the air, where immense glaciers exhibited +their frozen horrors, and eternal snow whitened the summits of the +mountains. They often paused to contemplate these stupendous scenes, +and, seated on some wild cliff, where only the ilex or the larch could +flourish, looked over dark forests of fir, and precipices where human +foot had never wandered, into the glen--so deep, that the thunder of the +torrent, which was seen to foam along the bottom, was scarcely heard to +murmur. Over these crags rose others of stupendous height, and fantastic +shape; some shooting into cones; others impending far over their base, +in huge masses of granite, along whose broken ridges was often lodged +a weight of snow, that, trembling even to the vibration of a sound, +threatened to bear destruction in its course to the vale. Around, on +every side, far as the eye could penetrate, were seen only forms of +grandeur--the long perspective of mountain-tops, tinged with ethereal +blue, or white with snow; vallies of ice, and forests of gloomy fir. +The serenity and clearness of the air in these high regions were +particularly delightful to the travellers; it seemed to inspire them +with a finer spirit, and diffused an indescribable complacency over +their minds. They had no words to express the sublime emotions they +felt. A solemn expression characterized the feelings of St. Aubert; +tears often came to his eyes, and he frequently walked away from his +companions. Valancourt now and then spoke, to point to Emily's notice +some feature of the scene. The thinness of the atmosphere, through which +every object came so distinctly to the eye, surprised and deluded her; +who could scarcely believe that objects, which appeared so near, were, +in reality, so distant. The deep silence of these solitudes was broken +only at intervals by the scream of the vultures, seen cowering round +some cliff below, or by the cry of the eagle sailing high in the air; +except when the travellers listened to the hollow thunder that sometimes +muttered at their feet. While, above, the deep blue of the heavens was +unobscured by the lightest cloud, half way down the mountains, long +billows of vapour were frequently seen rolling, now wholly excluding the +country below, and now opening, and partially revealing its features. +Emily delighted to observe the grandeur of these clouds as they changed +in shape and tints, and to watch their various effect on the lower +world, whose features, partly veiled, were continually assuming new +forms of sublimity. + +After traversing these regions for many leagues, they began to descend +towards Rousillon, and features of beauty then mingled with the scene. +Yet the travellers did not look back without some regret to the sublime +objects they had quitted; though the eye, fatigued with the extension +of its powers, was glad to repose on the verdure of woods and pastures, +that now hung on the margin of the river below; to view again the humble +cottage shaded by cedars, the playful group of mountaineer-children, and +the flowery nooks that appeared among the hills. + +As they descended, they saw at a distance, on the right, one of the +grand passes of the Pyrenees into Spain, gleaming with its battlements +and towers to the splendour of the setting rays, yellow tops of woods +colouring the steeps below, while far above aspired the snowy points of +the mountains, still reflecting a rosy hue. + +St. Aubert began to look out for the little town he had been directed to +by the people of Beaujeu, and where he meant to pass the night; but no +habitation yet appeared. Of its distance Valancourt could not assist him +to judge, for he had never been so far along this chain of Alps before. +There was, however, a road to guide them; and there could be little +doubt that it was the right one; for, since they had left Beaujeu, there +had been no variety of tracks to perplex or mislead. + +The sun now gave his last light, and St. Aubert bade the muleteer +proceed with all possible dispatch. He found, indeed, the lassitude of +illness return upon him, after a day of uncommon fatigue, both of body +and mind, and he longed for repose. His anxiety was not soothed by +observing a numerous train, consisting of men, horses, and loaded +mules, winding down the steeps of an opposite mountain, appearing and +disappearing at intervals among the woods, so that its numbers could not +be judged of. Something bright, like arms, glanced in the setting ray, +and the military dress was distinguishable upon the men who were in the +van, and on others scattered among the troop that followed. As these +wound into the vale, the rear of the party emerged from the woods, and +exhibited a band of soldiers. St. Aubert's apprehensions now subsided; +he had no doubt that the train before him consisted of smugglers, who, +in conveying prohibited goods over the Pyrenees, had been encountered, +and conquered by a party of troops. + +The travellers had lingered so long among the sublimer scenes of +these mountains, that they found themselves entirely mistaken in their +calculation that they could reach Montigny at sun-set; but, as they +wound along the valley, the saw, on a rude Alpine bridge, that united +two lofty crags of the glen, a group of mountaineer-children, amusing +themselves with dropping pebbles into a torrent below, and watching the +stones plunge into the water, that threw up its white spray high in the +air as it received them, and returned a sullen sound, which the echoes +of the mountains prolonged. Under the bridge was seen a perspective of +the valley, with its cataract descending among the rocks, and a cottage +on a cliff, overshadowed with pines. It appeared, that they could not +be far from some small town. St. Aubert bade the muleteer stop, and +then called to the children to enquire if he was near Montigny; but the +distance, and the roaring of the waters, would not suffer his voice to +be heard; and the crags, adjoining the bridge, were of such tremendous +height and steepness, that to have climbed either would have been +scarcely practicable to a person unacquainted with the ascent. St. +Aubert, therefore, did not waste more moments in delay. They continued +to travel long after twilight had obscured the road, which was so +broken, that, now thinking it safer to walk than to ride, they all +alighted. The moon was rising, but her light was yet too feeble to +assist them. While they stepped carefully on, they heard the vesper-bell +of a convent. The twilight would not permit them to distinguish anything +like a building, but the sounds seemed to come from some woods, that +overhung an acclivity to the right. Valancourt proposed to go in +search of this convent. 'If they will not accommodate us with a night's +lodging,' said he, 'they may certainly inform us how far we are from +Montigny, and direct us towards it.' He was bounding forward, without +waiting St. Aubert's reply, when the latter stopped him. 'I am very +weary,' said St. Aubert, 'and wish for nothing so much as for immediate +rest. We will all go to the convent; your good looks would defeat our +purpose; but when they see mine and Emily's exhausted countenances, they +will scarcely deny us repose.' + +As he said this, he took Emily's arm within his, and, telling Michael to +wait awhile in the road with the carriage, they began to ascend towards +the woods, guided by the bell of the convent. His steps were feeble, and +Valancourt offered him his arm, which he accepted. The moon now threw +a faint light over their path, and, soon after, enabled them to +distinguish some towers rising above the tops of the woods. Still +following the note of the bell, they entered the shade of those woods, +lighted only by the moonbeams, that glided down between the leaves, +and threw a tremulous uncertain gleam upon the steep track they were +winding. The gloom and the silence that prevailed, except when the bell +returned upon the air, together with the wildness of the surrounding +scene, struck Emily with a degree of fear, which, however, the voice and +conversation of Valancourt somewhat repressed. When they had been some +time ascending, St. Aubert complained of weariness, and they stopped to +rest upon a little green summit, where the trees opened, and admitted +the moon-light. He sat down upon the turf, between Emily and Valancourt. +The bell had now ceased, and the deep repose of the scene was +undisturbed by any sound, for the low dull murmur of some distant +torrents might be said to sooth, rather than to interrupt, the silence. + +Before them, extended the valley they had quitted; its rocks, and woods +to the left, just silvered by the rays, formed a contrast to the deep +shadow, that involved the opposite cliffs, whose fringed summits only +were tipped with light; while the distant perspective of the valley was +lost in the yellow mist of moon-light. The travellers sat for some time +wrapt in the complacency which such scenes inspire. + +'These scenes,' said Valancourt, at length, 'soften the heart, like the +notes of sweet music, and inspire that delicious melancholy which no +person, who had felt it once, would resign for the gayest pleasures. +They waken our best and purest feelings, disposing us to benevolence, +pity, and friendship. Those whom I love--I always seem to love more in +such an hour as this.' His voice trembled, and he paused. + +St. Aubert was silent; Emily perceived a warm tear fall upon the hand he +held; she knew the object of his thoughts; hers too had, for some time, +been occupied by the remembrance of her mother. He seemed by an effort +to rouse himself. 'Yes,' said he, with an half-suppressed sigh, 'the +memory of those we love--of times for ever past! in such an hour as this +steals upon the mind, like a strain of distant music in the stillness +of night;--all tender and harmonious as this landscape, sleeping in the +mellow moon-light.' After the pause of a moment, St. Aubert added, 'I +have always fancied, that I thought with more clearness, and precision, +at such an hour than at any other, and that heart must be insensible +in a great degree, that does not soften to its influence. But many such +there are.' + +Valancourt sighed. + +'Are there, indeed, many such?' said Emily. + +'A few years hence, my Emily,' replied St. Aubert, 'and you may smile at +the recollection of that question--if you do not weep to it. But come, I +am somewhat refreshed, let us proceed.' + +Having emerged from the woods, they saw, upon a turfy hillock above, the +convent of which they were in search. A high wall, that surrounded it, +led them to an ancient gate, at which they knocked; and the poor monk, +who opened it, conducted them into a small adjoining room, where he +desired they would wait while he informed the superior of their request. +In this interval, several friars came in separately to look at them; +and at length the first monk returned, and they followed him to a room, +where the superior was sitting in an arm-chair, with a large folio +volume, printed in black letter, open on a desk before him. He received +them with courtesy, though he did not rise from his seat; and, having +asked them a few questions, granted their request. After a short +conversation, formal and solemn on the part of the superior, they +withdrew to the apartment where they were to sup, and Valancourt, whom +one of the inferior friars civilly desired to accompany, went to seek +Michael and his mules. They had not descended half way down the cliffs, +before they heard the voice of the muleteer echoing far and wide. +Sometimes he called on St. Aubert, and sometimes on Valancourt; who +having, at length, convinced him that he had nothing to fear either for +himself, or his master; and having disposed of him, for the night, in a +cottage on the skirts of the woods, returned to sup with his friends, +on such sober fare as the monks thought it prudent to set before them. +While St. Aubert was too much indisposed to share it, Emily, in her +anxiety for her father, forgot herself; and Valancourt, silent and +thoughtful, yet never inattentive to them, appeared particularly +solicitous to accommodate and relieve St. Aubert, who often observed, +while his daughter was pressing him to eat, or adjusting the pillow she +had placed in the back of his arm-chair, that Valancourt fixed on her a +look of pensive tenderness, which he was not displeased to understand. + +They separated at an early hour, and retired to their respective +apartments. Emily was shown to hers by a nun of the convent, whom she +was glad to dismiss, for her heart was melancholy, and her attention +so much abstracted, that conversation with a stranger was painful. She +thought her father daily declining, and attributed his present fatigue +more to the feeble state of his frame, than to the difficulty of the +journey. A train of gloomy ideas haunted her mind, till she fell asleep. + +In about two hours after, she was awakened by the chiming of a bell, and +then heard quick steps pass along the gallery, into which her chamber +opened. She was so little accustomed to the manners of a convent, as to +be alarmed by this circumstance; her fears, ever alive for her father, +suggested that he was very ill, and she rose in haste to go to him. +Having paused, however, to let the persons in the gallery pass before +she opened her door, her thoughts, in the mean time, recovered from the +confusion of sleep, and she understood that the bell was the call of +the monks to prayers. It had now ceased, and, all being again still, +she forbore to go to St. Aubert's room. Her mind was not disposed +for immediate sleep, and the moon-light, that shone into her chamber, +invited her to open the casement, and look out upon the country. + +It was a still and beautiful night, the sky was unobscured by any cloud, +and scarce a leaf of the woods beneath trembled in the air. As she +listened, the mid-night hymn of the monks rose softly from a chapel, +that stood on one of the lower cliffs, an holy strain, that seemed to +ascend through the silence of night to heaven, and her thoughts ascended +with it. From the consideration of His works, her mind arose to the +adoration of the Deity, in His goodness and power; wherever she turned +her view, whether on the sleeping earth, or to the vast regions of +space, glowing with worlds beyond the reach of human thought, the +sublimity of God, and the majesty of His presence appeared. Her eyes +were filled with tears of awful love and admiration; and she felt that +pure devotion, superior to all the distinctions of human system, which +lifts the soul above this world, and seems to expand it into a nobler +nature; such devotion as can, perhaps, only be experienced, when +the mind, rescued, for a moment, from the humbleness of earthly +considerations, aspires to contemplate His power in the sublimity of His +works, and His goodness in the infinity of His blessings. + + Is it not now the hour, + The holy hour, when to the cloudless height + Of yon starred concave climbs the full-orbed moon, + And to this nether world in solemn stillness, + Gives sign, that, to the list'ning ear of Heaven + Religion's voice should plead? The very babe + Knows this, and, chance awak'd, his little hands + Lifts to the gods, and on his innocent couch + Calls down a blessing.* + *Caractacus + + +The midnight chant of the monks soon after dropped into silence; but +Emily remained at the casement, watching the setting moon, and the +valley sinking into deep shade, and willing to prolong her present state +of mind. At length she retired to her mattress, and sunk into tranquil +slumber. + + + +CHAPTER V + + + While in the rosy vale + Love breath'd his infant sighs, from anguish free. + Thomson + +St. Aubert, sufficiently restored by a night's repose to pursue his +journey, set out in the morning, with his family and Valancourt, for +Rousillon, which he hoped to reach before night-fall. The scenes, +through which they now passed, were as wild and romantic, as any they +had yet observed, with this difference, that beauty, every now and then, +softened the landscape into smiles. Little woody recesses appeared among +the mountains, covered with bright verdure and flowers; or a pastoral +valley opened its grassy bosom in the shade of the cliffs, with flocks +and herds loitering along the banks of a rivulet, that refreshed it +with perpetual green. St. Aubert could not repent the having taken this +fatiguing road, though he was this day, also, frequently obliged to +alight, to walk along the rugged precipice, and to climb the steep and +flinty mountain. The wonderful sublimity and variety of the prospects +repaid him for all this, and the enthusiasm, with which they were viewed +by his young companions, heightened his own, and awakened a remembrance +of all the delightful emotions of his early days, when the sublime +charms of nature were first unveiled to him. He found great pleasure in +conversing with Valancourt, and in listening to his ingenuous +remarks. The fire and simplicity of his manners seemed to render him +a characteristic figure in the scenes around them; and St. Aubert +discovered in his sentiments the justness and the dignity of an elevated +mind, unbiased by intercourse with the world. He perceived, that his +opinions were formed, rather than imbibed; were more the result of +thought, than of learning. Of the world he seemed to know nothing; for +he believed well of all mankind, and this opinion gave him the reflected +image of his own heart. + +St. Aubert, as he sometimes lingered to examine the wild plants in his +path, often looked forward with pleasure to Emily and Valancourt, as +they strolled on together; he, with a countenance of animated delight, +pointing to her attention some grand feature of the scene; and she, +listening and observing with a look of tender seriousness, that spoke +the elevation of her mind. They appeared like two lovers who had +never strayed beyond these their native mountains; whose situation had +secluded them from the frivolities of common life, whose ideas were +simple and grand, like the landscapes among which they moved, and who +knew no other happiness, than in the union of pure and affectionate +hearts. St. Aubert smiled, and sighed at the romantic picture of +felicity his fancy drew; and sighed again to think, that nature and +simplicity were so little known to the world, as that their pleasures +were thought romantic. + +'The world,' said he, pursuing this train of thought, 'ridicules a +passion which it seldom feels; its scenes, and its interests, distract +the mind, deprave the taste, corrupt the heart, and love cannot exist +in a heart that has lost the meek dignity of innocence. Virtue and taste +are nearly the same, for virtue is little more than active taste, and +the most delicate affections of each combine in real love. How then are +we to look for love in great cities, where selfishness, dissipation, and +insincerity supply the place of tenderness, simplicity and truth?' + +It was near noon, when the travellers, having arrived at a piece of +steep and dangerous road, alighted to walk. The road wound up an ascent, +that was clothed with wood, and, instead of following the carriage, they +entered the refreshing shade. A dewy coolness was diffused upon the air, +which, with the bright verdure of turf, that grew under the trees, the +mingled fragrance of flowers and of balm, thyme, and lavender, that +enriched it, and the grandeur of the pines, beech, and chestnuts, that +overshadowed them, rendered this a most delicious retreat. Sometimes, +the thick foliage excluded all view of the country; at others, it +admitted some partial catches of the distant scenery, which gave +hints to the imagination to picture landscapes more interesting, more +impressive, than any that had been presented to the eye. The wanderers +often lingered to indulge in these reveries of fancy. + +The pauses of silence, such as had formerly interrupted the +conversations of Valancourt and Emily, were more frequent today than +ever. Valancourt often dropped suddenly from the most animating vivacity +into fits of deep musing, and there was, sometimes, an unaffected +melancholy in his smile, which Emily could not avoid understanding, for +her heart was interested in the sentiment it spoke. + +St. Aubert was refreshed by the shades, and they continued to saunter +under them, following, as nearly as they could guess, the direction of +the road, till they perceived that they had totally lost it. They had +continued near the brow of the precipice, allured by the scenery +it exhibited, while the road wound far away over the cliff above. +Valancourt called loudly to Michael, but heard no voice, except his own, +echoing among the rocks, and his various efforts to regain the road were +equally unsuccessful. While they were thus circumstanced, they perceived +a shepherd's cabin, between the boles of the trees at some distance, and +Valancourt bounded on first to ask assistance. When he reached it, he +saw only two little children, at play, on the turf before the door. He +looked into the hut, but no person was there, and the eldest of the boys +told him that their father was with his flocks, and their mother was +gone down into the vale, but would be back presently. As he stood, +considering what was further to be done, on a sudden he heard Michael's +voice roaring forth most manfully among the cliffs above, till he +made their echoes ring. Valancourt immediately answered the call, and +endeavoured to make his way through the thicket that clothed the steeps, +following the direction of the sound. After much struggle over brambles +and precipices, he reached Michael, and at length prevailed with him to +be silent, and to listen to him. The road was at a considerable distance +from the spot where St. Aubert and Emily were; the carriage could not +easily return to the entrance of the wood, and, since it would be very +fatiguing for St. Aubert to climb the long and steep road to the place +where it now stood, Valancourt was anxious to find a more easy ascent, +by the way he had himself passed. + +Meanwhile St. Aubert and Emily approached the cottage, and rested +themselves on a rustic bench, fastened between two pines, which +overshadowed it, till Valancourt, whose steps they had observed, should +return. + +The eldest of the children desisted from his play, and stood still to +observe the strangers, while the younger continued his little gambols, +and teased his brother to join in them. St. Aubert looked with pleasure +upon this picture of infantine simplicity, till it brought to his +remembrance his own boys, whom he had lost about the age of these, and +their lamented mother; and he sunk into a thoughtfulness, which Emily +observing, she immediately began to sing one of those simple and lively +airs he was so fond of, and which she knew how to give with the most +captivating sweetness. St. Aubert smiled on her through his tears, took +her hand and pressed it affectionately, and then tried to dissipate the +melancholy reflections that lingered in his mind. + +While she sung, Valancourt approached, who was unwilling to interrupt +her, and paused at a little distance to listen. When she had concluded, +he joined the party, and told them, that he had found Michael, as +well as a way, by which he thought they could ascend the cliff to +the carriage. He pointed to the woody steeps above, which St. Aubert +surveyed with an anxious eye. He was already wearied by his walk, and +this ascent was formidable to him. He thought, however, it would be less +toilsome than the long and broken road, and he determined to attempt it; +but Emily, ever watchful of his ease, proposing that he should rest, and +dine before they proceeded further, Valancourt went to the carriage for +the refreshments deposited there. + +On his return, he proposed removing a little higher up the mountain, to +where the woods opened upon a grand and extensive prospect; and +thither they were preparing to go, when they saw a young woman join the +children, and caress and weep over them. + +The travellers, interested by her distress, stopped to observe her. +She took the youngest of the children in her arms, and, perceiving the +strangers, hastily dried her tears, and proceeded to the cottage. +St. Aubert, on enquiring the occasion of her sorrow, learned that her +husband, who was a shepherd, and lived here in the summer months to +watch over the flocks he led to feed upon these mountains, had lost, on +the preceding night, his little all. A gang of gipsies, who had for some +time infested the neighbourhood, had driven away several of his master's +sheep. 'Jacques,' added the shepherd's wife, 'had saved a little money, +and had bought a few sheep with it, and now they must go to his master +for those that are stolen; and what is worse than all, his master, when +he comes to know how it is, will trust him no longer with the care of +his flocks, for he is a hard man! and then what is to become of our +children!' + +The innocent countenance of the woman, and the simplicity of her manner +in relating her grievance, inclined St. Aubert to believe her story; and +Valancourt, convinced that it was true, asked eagerly what was the value +of the stolen sheep; on hearing which he turned away with a look of +disappointment. St. Aubert put some money into her hand, Emily too gave +something from her little purse, and they walked towards the cliff; but +Valancourt lingered behind, and spoke to the shepherd's wife, who was +now weeping with gratitude and surprise. He enquired how much money was +yet wanting to replace the stolen sheep, and found, that it was a +sum very little short of all he had about him. He was perplexed and +distressed. 'This sum then,' said he to himself, 'would make this poor +family completely happy--it is in my power to give it--to make them +completely happy! But what is to become of me?--how shall I contrive +to reach home with the little money that will remain?' For a moment he +stood, unwilling to forego the luxury of raising a family from ruin to +happiness, yet considering the difficulties of pursuing his journey with +so small a sum as would be left. + +While he was in this state of perplexity, the shepherd himself appeared: +his children ran to meet him; he took one of them in his arms, and, with +the other clinging to his coat, came forward with a loitering step. His +forlorn and melancholy look determined Valancourt at once; he threw down +all the money he had, except a very few louis, and bounded away +after St. Aubert and Emily, who were proceeding slowly up the steep. +Valancourt had seldom felt his heart so light as at this moment; his +gay spirits danced with pleasure; every object around him appeared more +interesting, or beautiful, than before. St. Aubert observed the uncommon +vivacity of his countenance: 'What has pleased you so much?' said he. +'O what a lovely day,' replied Valancourt, 'how brightly the sun +shines, how pure is this air, what enchanting scenery!' 'It is indeed +enchanting,' said St. Aubert, whom early experience had taught to +understand the nature of Valancourt's present feelings. 'What pity that +the wealthy, who can command such sunshine, should ever pass their days +in gloom--in the cold shade of selfishness! For you, my young friend, +may the sun always shine as brightly as at this moment; may your own +conduct always give you the sunshine of benevolence and reason united!' + +Valancourt, highly flattered by this compliment, could make no reply but +by a smile of gratitude. + +They continued to wind under the woods, between the grassy knolls of the +mountain, and, as they reached the shady summit, which he had pointed +out, the whole party burst into an exclamation. Behind the spot +where they stood, the rock rose perpendicularly in a massy wall to a +considerable height, and then branched out into overhanging crags. Their +grey tints were well contrasted by the bright hues of the plants and +wild flowers, that grew in their fractured sides, and were deepened by +the gloom of the pines and cedars, that waved above. The steeps below, +over which the eye passed abruptly to the valley, were fringed with +thickets of alpine shrubs; and, lower still, appeared the tufted tops of +the chesnut woods, that clothed their base, among which peeped forth the +shepherd's cottage, just left by the travellers, with its blueish smoke +curling high in the air. On every side appeared the majestic summits +of the Pyrenees, some exhibiting tremendous crags of marble, whose +appearance was changing every instant, as the varying lights fell upon +their surface; others, still higher, displaying only snowy points, while +their lower steeps were covered almost invariably with forests of pine, +larch, and oak, that stretched down to the vale. This was one of +the narrow vallies, that open from the Pyrenees into the country of +Rousillon, and whose green pastures, and cultivated beauty, form a +decided and wonderful contrast to the romantic grandeur that environs +it. Through a vista of the mountains appeared the lowlands of Rousillon, +tinted with the blue haze of distance, as they united with the waters of +the Mediterranean; where, on a promontory, which marked the boundary of +the shore, stood a lonely beacon, over which were seen circling flights +of sea-fowl. Beyond, appeared, now and then, a stealing sail, white with +the sun-beam, and whose progress was perceivable by its approach to the +light-house. Sometimes, too, was seen a sail so distant, that it served +only to mark the line of separation between the sky and the waves. + +On the other side of the valley, immediately opposite to the spot where +the travellers rested, a rocky pass opened toward Gascony. Here no sign +of cultivation appeared. The rocks of granite, that screened the glen, +rose abruptly from their base, and stretched their barren points to the +clouds, unvaried with woods, and uncheered even by a hunter's cabin. +Sometimes, indeed, a gigantic larch threw its long shade over the +precipice, and here and there a cliff reared on its brow a monumental +cross, to tell the traveller the fate of him who had ventured thither +before. This spot seemed the very haunt of banditti; and Emily, as she +looked down upon it, almost expected to see them stealing out from +some hollow cave to look for their prey. Soon after an object not less +terrific struck her,--a gibbet standing on a point of rock near the +entrance of the pass, and immediately over one of the crosses she had +before observed. These were hieroglyphics that told a plain and dreadful +story. She forbore to point it out to St. Aubert, but it threw a gloom +over her spirits, and made her anxious to hasten forward, that +they might with certainty reach Rousillon before night-fall. It was +necessary, however, that St. Aubert should take some refreshment, and, +seating themselves on the short dry turf, they opened the basket of +provisions, while + + by breezy murmurs cool'd, + Broad o'er THEIR heads the verdant cedars wave, + And high palmetos lift their graceful shade. + -----THEY draw + Ethereal soul, there drink reviving gales + Profusely breathing from the piney groves, + And vales of fragrance; there at a distance hear + The roaring floods, and cataracts.* + *Thomson + + +St. Aubert was revived by rest, and by the serene air of this summit; +and Valancourt was so charmed with all around, and with the conversation +of his companions, that he seemed to have forgotten he had any further +to go. Having concluded their simple repast, they gave a long farewell +look to the scene, and again began to ascend. St. Aubert rejoiced when +he reached the carriage, which Emily entered with him; but Valancourt, +willing to take a more extensive view of the enchanting country, into +which they were about to descend, than he could do from a carriage, +loosened his dogs, and once more bounded with them along the banks of +the road. He often quitted it for points that promised a wider prospect, +and the slow pace, at which the mules travelled, allowed him to overtake +them with ease. Whenever a scene of uncommon magnificence appeared, he +hastened to inform St. Aubert, who, though he was too much tired to +walk himself, sometimes made the chaise wait, while Emily went to the +neighbouring cliff. + +It was evening when they descended the lower alps, that bind Rousillon, +and form a majestic barrier round that charming country, leaving it open +only on the east to the Mediterranean. The gay tints of cultivation once +more beautified the landscape; for the lowlands were coloured with the +richest hues, which a luxuriant climate, and an industrious people can +awaken into life. Groves of orange and lemon perfumed the air, their +ripe fruit glowing among the foliage; while, sloping to the plains, +extensive vineyards spread their treasures. Beyond these, woods and +pastures, and mingled towns and hamlets stretched towards the sea, on +whose bright surface gleamed many a distant sail; while, over the whole +scene, was diffused the purple glow of evening. This landscape with the +surrounding alps did, indeed, present a perfect picture of the lovely +and the sublime, of 'beauty sleeping in the lap of horror.' + +The travellers, having reached the plains, proceeded, between hedges +of flowering myrtle and pomegranate, to the town of Arles, where +they proposed to rest for the night. They met with simple, but neat +accommodation, and would have passed a happy evening, after the toils +and the delights of this day, had not the approaching separation thrown +a gloom over their spirit. It was St. Aubert's plan to proceed, on the +morrow, to the borders of the Mediterranean, and travel along its shores +into Languedoc; and Valancourt, since he was now nearly recovered, and +had no longer a pretence for continuing with his new friends, resolved +to leave them here. St. Aubert, who was much pleased with him, invited +him to go further, but did not repeat the invitation, and Valancourt +had resolution enough to forego the temptation of accepting it, that +he might prove himself not unworthy of the favour. On the following +morning, therefore, they were to part, St. Aubert to pursue his way to +Languedoc, and Valancourt to explore new scenes among the mountains, on +his return home. During this evening he was often silent and thoughtful; +St. Aubert's manner towards him was affectionate, though grave, and +Emily was serious, though she made frequent efforts to appear cheerful. +After one of the most melancholy evenings they had yet passed together, +they separated for the night. + + + +CHAPTER VI + + + I care not, Fortune! what you me deny; + You cannot rob me of free nature's grace; + You cannot shut the windows of the sky, + Through which Aurora shews her brightening face; + You cannot bar my constant feet to trace + The woods and lawns, by living stream, at eve: + Let health my nerves and finer fibres brace, + And I their toys to the great children leave: + Of fancy, reason, virtue, nought can me bereave. + THOMSON + +In the morning, Valancourt breakfasted with St. Aubert and Emily, +neither of whom seemed much refreshed by sleep. The languor of illness +still hung over St. Aubert, and to Emily's fears his disorder appeared +to be increasing fast upon him. She watched his looks with anxious +affection, and their expression was always faithfully reflected in her +own. + +At the commencement of their acquaintance, Valancourt had made known his +name and family. St. Aubert was not a stranger to either, for the +family estates, which were now in the possession of an elder brother of +Valancourt, were little more than twenty miles distant from La +Vallee, and he had sometimes met the elder Valancourt on visits in the +neighbourhood. This knowledge had made him more willingly receive his +present companion; for, though his countenance and manners would have +won him the acquaintance of St. Aubert, who was very apt to trust to the +intelligence of his own eyes, with respect to countenances, he would +not have accepted these, as sufficient introductions to that of his +daughter. + +The breakfast was almost as silent as the supper of the preceding night; +but their musing was at length interrupted by the sound of the carriage +wheels, which were to bear away St. Aubert and Emily. Valancourt started +from his chair, and went to the window; it was indeed the carriage, and +he returned to his seat without speaking. The moment was now come when +they must part. St. Aubert told Valancourt, that he hoped he would +never pass La Vallee without favouring him with a visit; and Valancourt, +eagerly thanking him, assured him that he never would; as he said which +he looked timidly at Emily, who tried to smile away the seriousness of +her spirits. They passed a few minutes in interesting conversation, +and St. Aubert then led the way to the carriage, Emily and Valancourt +following in silence. The latter lingered at the door several minutes +after they were seated, and none of the party seemed to have courage +enough to say--Farewell. At length, St. Aubert pronounced the melancholy +word, which Emily passed to Valancourt, who returned it, with a dejected +smile, and the carriage drove on. + +The travellers remained, for some time, in a state of tranquil +pensiveness, which is not unpleasing. St. Aubert interrupted it by +observing, 'This is a very promising young man; it is many years since I +have been so much pleased with any person, on so short an acquaintance. +He brings back to my memory the days of my youth, when every scene was +new and delightful!' St. Aubert sighed, and sunk again into a reverie; +and, as Emily looked back upon the road they had passed, Valancourt was +seen, at the door of the little inn, following them with his eyes. Her +perceived her, and waved his hand; and she returned the adieu, till the +winding road shut her from his sight. + +'I remember when I was about his age,' resumed St. Aubert, 'and I +thought, and felt exactly as he does. The world was opening upon me +then, now--it is closing.' + +'My dear sir, do not think so gloomily,' said Emily in a trembling +voice, 'I hope you have many, many years to live--for your own sake--for +MY sake.' + +'Ah, my Emily!' replied St. Aubert, 'for thy sake! Well--I hope it is +so.' He wiped away a tear, that was stealing down his cheek, threw a +smile upon his countenance, and said in a cheering voice, 'there +is something in the ardour and ingenuousness of youth, which is +particularly pleasing to the contemplation of an old man, if his +feelings have not been entirely corroded by the world. It is cheering +and reviving, like the view of spring to a sick person; his mind catches +somewhat of the spirit of the season, and his eyes are lighted up with a +transient sunshine. Valancourt is this spring to me.' + +Emily, who pressed her father's hand affectionately, had never before +listened with so much pleasure to the praises he bestowed; no, not even +when he had bestowed them on herself. + +They travelled on, among vineyards, woods, and pastures, delighted with +the romantic beauty of the landscape, which was bounded, on one side, by +the grandeur of the Pyrenees, and, on the other, by the ocean; and, +soon after noon, they reached the town of Colioure, situated on the +Mediterranean. Here they dined, and rested till towards the cool of +day, when they pursued their way along the shores--those enchanting +shores!--which extend to Languedoc. Emily gazed with enthusiasm on the +vastness of the sea, its surface varying, as the lights and shadows +fell, and on its woody banks, mellowed with autumnal tints. + +St. Aubert was impatient to reach Perpignan, where he expected letters +from M. Quesnel; and it was the expectation of these letters, that +had induced him to leave Colioure, for his feeble frame had required +immediate rest. After travelling a few miles, he fell asleep; and Emily, +who had put two or three books into the carriage, on leaving La Vallee, +had now the leisure for looking into them. She sought for one, in which +Valancourt had been reading the day before, and hoped for the pleasure +of re-tracing a page, over which the eyes of a beloved friend had +lately passed, of dwelling on the passages, which he had admired, and of +permitting them to speak to her in the language of his own mind, and to +bring himself to her presence. On searching for the book, she could find +it no where, but in its stead perceived a volume of Petrarch's poems, +that had belonged to Valancourt, whose name was written in it, and from +which he had frequently read passages to her, with all the pathetic +expression, that characterized the feelings of the author. She hesitated +in believing, what would have been sufficiently apparent to almost any +other person, that he had purposely left this book, instead of the +one she had lost, and that love had prompted the exchange; but, having +opened it with impatient pleasure, and observed the lines of his pencil +drawn along the various passages he had read aloud, and under others +more descriptive of delicate tenderness than he had dared to trust +his voice with, the conviction came, at length, to her mind. For some +moments she was conscious only of being beloved; then, a recollection +of all the variations of tone and countenance, with which he had recited +these sonnets, and of the soul, which spoke in their expression, pressed +to her memory, and she wept over the memorial of his affection. + +They arrived at Perpignan soon after sunset, where St. Aubert found, +as he had expected, letters from M. Quesnel, the contents of which +so evidently and grievously affected him, that Emily was alarmed, +and pressed him, as far as her delicacy would permit, to disclose +the occasion of his concern; but he answered her only by tears, and +immediately began to talk on other topics. Emily, though she forbore +to press the one most interesting to her, was greatly affected by her +father's manner, and passed a night of sleepless solicitude. + +In the morning they pursued their journey along the coast towards +Leucate, another town on the Mediterranean, situated on the borders of +Languedoc and Rousillon. On the way, Emily renewed the subject of the +preceding night, and appeared so deeply affected by St. Aubert's silence +and dejection, that he relaxed from his reserve. 'I was unwilling, my +dear Emily,' said he, 'to throw a cloud over the pleasure you receive +from these scenes, and meant, therefore, to conceal, for the present, +some circumstances, with which, however, you must at length have been +made acquainted. But your anxiety has defeated my purpose; you suffer as +much from this, perhaps, as you will do from a knowledge of the facts I +have to relate. M. Quesnel's visit proved an unhappy one to me; he came +to tell me part of the news he has now confirmed. You may have heard me +mention a M. Motteville, of Paris, but you did not know that the +chief of my personal property was invested in his hands. I had great +confidence in him, and I am yet willing to believe, that he is not +wholly unworthy of my esteem. A variety of circumstances have concurred +to ruin him, and--I am ruined with him.' + +St. Aubert paused to conceal his emotion. + +'The letters I have just received from M. Quesnel,' resumed he, +struggling to speak with firmness, 'enclosed others from Motteville, +which confirmed all I dreaded.' + +'Must we then quit La Vallee?' said Emily, after a long pause of +silence. 'That is yet uncertain,' replied St. Aubert, 'it will depend +upon the compromise Motteville is able to make with his creditors. My +income, you know, was never large, and now it will be reduced to +little indeed! It is for you, Emily, for you, my child, that I am most +afflicted.' His last words faltered; Emily smiled tenderly upon him +through her tears, and then, endeavouring to overcome her emotion, 'My +dear father,' said she, 'do not grieve for me, or for yourself; we may +yet be happy;--if La Vallee remains for us, we must be happy. We will +retain only one servant, and you shall scarcely perceive the change in +your income. Be comforted, my dear sir; we shall not feel the want of +those luxuries, which others value so highly, since we never had a taste +for them; and poverty cannot deprive us of many consolations. It cannot +rob us of the affection we have for each other, or degrade us in our own +opinion, or in that of any person, whose opinion we ought to value.' + +St. Aubert concealed his face with his handkerchief, and was unable +to speak; but Emily continued to urge to her father the truths, which +himself had impressed upon her mind. + +'Besides, my dear sir, poverty cannot deprive us of intellectual +delights. It cannot deprive you of the comfort of affording me examples +of fortitude and benevolence; nor me of the delight of consoling a +beloved parent. It cannot deaden our taste for the grand, and the +beautiful, or deny us the means of indulging it; for the scenes +of nature--those sublime spectacles, so infinitely superior to all +artificial luxuries! are open for the enjoyment of the poor, as well as +of the rich. Of what, then, have we to complain, so long as we are not +in want of necessaries? Pleasures, such as wealth cannot buy, will still +be ours. We retain, then, the sublime luxuries of nature, and lose only +the frivolous ones of art.' + +St. Aubert could not reply: he caught Emily to his bosom, their tears +flowed together, but--they were not tears of sorrow. After this language +of the heart, all other would have been feeble, and they remained silent +for some time. Then, St. Aubert conversed as before; for, if his mind +had not recovered its natural tranquillity, it at least assumed the +appearance of it. + +They reached the romantic town of Leucate early in the day, but St. +Aubert was weary, and they determined to pass the night there. In the +evening, he exerted himself so far as to walk with his daughter to view +the environs that overlook the lake of Leucate, the Mediterranean, part +of Rousillon, with the Pyrenees, and a wide extent of the luxuriant +province of Languedoc, now blushing with the ripened vintage, which the +peasants were beginning to gather. St. Aubert and Emily saw the busy +groups, caught the joyous song, that was wafted on the breeze, and +anticipated, with apparent pleasure, their next day's journey over this +gay region. He designed, however, still to wind along the sea-shore. +To return home immediately was partly his wish, but from this he was +withheld by a desire to lengthen the pleasure, which the journey gave +his daughter, and to try the effect of the sea air on his own disorder. + +On the following day, therefore, they recommenced their journey through +Languedoc, winding the shores of the Mediterranean; the Pyrenees still +forming the magnificent back-ground of their prospects, while on their +right was the ocean, and, on their left, wide extended plains melting +into the blue horizon. St. Aubert was pleased, and conversed much with +Emily, yet his cheerfulness was sometimes artificial, and sometimes a +shade of melancholy would steal upon his countenance, and betray him. +This was soon chased away by Emily's smile; who smiled, however, with an +aching heart, for she saw that his misfortunes preyed upon his mind, and +upon his enfeebled frame. + +It was evening when they reached a small village of Upper Languedoc, +where they meant to pass the night, but the place could not afford +them beds; for here, too, it was the time of the vintage, and they +were obliged to proceed to the next post. The languor of illness and of +fatigue, which returned upon St. Aubert, required immediate repose, +and the evening was now far advanced; but from necessity there was no +appeal, and he ordered Michael to proceed. + +The rich plains of Languedoc, which exhibited all the glories of the +vintage, with the gaieties of a French festival, no longer awakened St. +Aubert to pleasure, whose condition formed a mournful contrast to the +hilarity and youthful beauty which surrounded him. As his languid eyes +moved over the scene, he considered, that they would soon, perhaps, be +closed for ever on this world. 'Those distant and sublime mountains,' +said he secretly, as he gazed on a chain of the Pyrenees that stretched +towards the west, 'these luxuriant plains, this blue vault, the cheerful +light of day, will be shut from my eyes! The song of the peasant, the +cheering voice of man--will no longer sound for me!' + +The intelligent eyes of Emily seemed to read what passed in the mind of +her father, and she fixed them on his face, with an expression of such +tender pity, as recalled his thoughts from every desultory object of +regret, and he remembered only, that he must leave his daughter without +protection. This reflection changed regret to agony; he sighed deeply, +and remained silent, while she seemed to understand that sigh, for +she pressed his hand affectionately, and then turned to the window to +conceal her tears. The sun now threw a last yellow gleam on the waves of +the Mediterranean, and the gloom of twilight spread fast over the scene, +till only a melancholy ray appeared on the western horizon, marking the +point where the sun had set amid the vapours of an autumnal evening. A +cool breeze now came from the shore, and Emily let down the glass; but +the air, which was refreshing to health, was as chilling to sickness, +and St. Aubert desired, that the window might be drawn up. Increasing +illness made him now more anxious than ever to finish the day's journey, +and he stopped the muleteer to enquire how far they had yet to go to the +next post. He replied, 'Nine miles.' 'I feel I am unable to proceed much +further,' said St. Aubert; 'enquire, as you go, if there is any house on +the road that would accommodate us for the night.' He sunk back in +the carriage, and Michael, cracking his whip in the air, set off, and +continued on the full gallop, till St. Aubert, almost fainting, called +to him to stop. Emily looked anxiously from the window, and saw a +peasant walking at some little distance on the road, for whom they +waited, till he came up, when he was asked, if there was any house in +the neighbourhood that accommodated travellers. He replied, that he knew +of none. 'There is a chateau, indeed, among those woods on the right,' +added he, 'but I believe it receives nobody, and I cannot show you the +way, for I am almost a stranger here.' St. Aubert was going to ask +him some further question concerning the chateau, but the man abruptly +passed on. After some consideration, he ordered Michael to proceed +slowly to the woods. Every moment now deepened the twilight, and +increased the difficulty of finding the road. Another peasant soon after +passed. 'Which is the way to the chateau in the woods?' cried Michael. + +'The chateau in the woods!' exclaimed the peasant--'Do you mean that +with the turret, yonder?' + +'I don't know as for the turret, as you call it,' said Michael, 'I mean +that white piece of a building, that we see at a distance there, among +the trees.' + +'Yes, that is the turret; why, who are you, that you are going thither?' +said the man with surprise. + +St. Aubert, on hearing this odd question, and observing the peculiar +tone in which it was delivered, looked out from the carriage. 'We are +travellers,' said he, 'who are in search of a house of accommodation for +the night; is there any hereabout?' + +'None, Monsieur, unless you have a mind to try your luck yonder,' +replied the peasant, pointing to the woods, 'but I would not advise you +to go there.' + +'To whom does the chateau belong?' + +'I scarcely know myself, Monsieur.' + +'It is uninhabited, then?' 'No, not uninhabited; the steward and +housekeeper are there, I believe.' + +On hearing this, St. Aubert determined to proceed to the chateau, and +risque the refusal of being accommodated for the night; he therefore +desired the countryman would shew Michael the way, and bade him expect +reward for his trouble. The man was for a moment silent, and then said, +that he was going on other business, but that the road could not be +missed, if they went up an avenue to the right, to which he pointed. St. +Aubert was going to speak, but the peasant wished him good night, and +walked on. + +The carriage now moved towards the avenue, which was guarded by a gate, +and Michael having dismounted to open it, they entered between rows of +ancient oak and chesnut, whose intermingled branches formed a lofty arch +above. There was something so gloomy and desolate in the appearance of +this avenue, and its lonely silence, that Emily almost shuddered as +she passed along; and, recollecting the manner in which the peasant had +mentioned the chateau, she gave a mysterious meaning to his words, such +as she had not suspected when he uttered them. These apprehensions, +however, she tried to check, considering that they were probably the +effect of a melancholy imagination, which her father's situation, and +a consideration of her own circumstances, had made sensible to every +impression. + +They passed slowly on, for they were now almost in darkness, which, +together with the unevenness of the ground, and the frequent roots of +old trees, that shot up above the soil, made it necessary to proceed +with caution. On a sudden Michael stopped the carriage; and, as St. +Aubert looked from the window to enquire the cause, he perceived a +figure at some distance moving up the avenue. The dusk would not permit +him to distinguish what it was, but he bade Michael go on. + +'This seems a wild place,' said Michael; 'there is no house hereabout, +don't your honour think we had better turn back?' + +'Go a little farther, and if we see no house then, we will return to the +road,' replied St. Aubert. + +Michael proceeded with reluctance, and the extreme slowness of his pace +made St. Aubert look again from the window to hasten him, when again he +saw the same figure. He was somewhat startled: probably the gloominess +of the spot made him more liable to alarm than usual; however this +might be, he now stopped Michael, and bade him call to the person in the +avenue. + +'Please your honour, he may be a robber,' said Michael. 'It does not +please me,' replied St. Aubert, who could not forbear smiling at the +simplicity of his phrase, 'and we will, therefore, return to the road, +for I see no probability of meeting here with what we seek.' + +Michael turned about immediately, and was retracing his way with +alacrity, when a voice was heard from among the trees on the left. It +was not the voice of command, or distress, but a deep hollow tone, which +seemed to be scarcely human. The man whipped his mules till they went as +fast as possible, regardless of the darkness, the broken ground, and +the necks of the whole party, nor once stopped till he reached the gate, +which opened from the avenue into the high-road, where he went into a +more moderate pace. + +'I am very ill,' said St. Aubert, taking his daughter's hand. 'You are +worse, then, sir!' said Emily, extremely alarmed by his manner, 'you +are worse, and here is no assistance. Good God! what is to be done!' He +leaned his head on her shoulder, while she endeavoured to support him +with her arm, and Michael was again ordered to stop. When the rattling +of the wheels had ceased, music was heard on their air; it was to Emily +the voice of Hope. 'Oh! we are near some human habitation!' said she, +'help may soon be had.' + +She listened anxiously; the sounds were distant, and seemed to come from +a remote part of the woods that bordered the road; and, as she looked +towards the spot whence they issued, she perceived in the faint +moon-light something like a chateau. It was difficult, however, to reach +this; St. Aubert was now too ill to bear the motion of the carriage; +Michael could not quit his mules; and Emily, who still supported her +father, feared to leave him, and also feared to venture alone to such a +distance, she knew not whither, or to whom. Something, however, it was +necessary to determine upon immediately; St. Aubert, therefore, told +Michael to proceed slowly; but they had not gone far, when he fainted, +and the carriage was again stopped. He lay quite senseless.--'My dear, +dear father!' cried Emily in great agony, who began to fear that he was +dying, 'speak, if it is only one word to let me hear the sound of your +voice!' But no voice spoke in reply. In the agony of terror she bade +Michael bring water from the rivulet, that flowed along the road; +and, having received some in the man's hat, with trembling hands she +sprinkled it over her father's face, which, as the moon's rays now +fell upon it, seemed to bear the impression of death. Every emotion of +selfish fear now gave way to a stronger influence, and, committing St. +Aubert to the care of Michael, who refused to go far from his mules, +she stepped from the carriage in search of the chateau she had seen at +a distance. It was a still moon-light night, and the music, which yet +sounded on the air, directed her steps from the high road, up a shadowy +lane, that led to the woods. Her mind was for some time so entirely +occupied by anxiety and terror for her father, that she felt none for +herself, till the deepening gloom of the overhanging foliage, which now +wholly excluded the moon-light, and the wildness of the place, recalled +her to a sense of her adventurous situation. The music had ceased, +and she had no guide but chance. For a moment she paused in terrified +perplexity, till a sense of her father's condition again overcoming +every consideration for herself, she proceeded. The lane terminated in +the woods, but she looked round in vain for a house, or a human being, +and as vainly listened for a sound to guide her. She hurried on, +however, not knowing whither, avoiding the recesses of the woods, and +endeavouring to keep along their margin, till a rude kind of avenue, +which opened upon a moon-light spot, arrested her attention. The +wildness of this avenue brought to her recollection the one leading to +the turreted chateau, and she was inclined to believe, that this was a +part of the same domain, and probably led to the same point. While she +hesitated, whether to follow it or not, a sound of many voices in loud +merriment burst upon her ear. It seemed not the laugh of cheerfulness, +but of riot, and she stood appalled. While she paused, she heard a +distant voice, calling from the way she had come, and not doubting but +it was that of Michael, her first impulse was to hasten back; but a +second thought changed her purpose; she believed that nothing less than +the last extremity could have prevailed with Michael to quit his mules, +and fearing that her father was now dying, she rushed forward, with a +feeble hope of obtaining assistance from the people in the woods. Her +heart beat with fearful expectation, as she drew near the spot whence +the voices issued, and she often startled when her steps disturbed the +fallen leaves. The sounds led her towards the moon-light glade she had +before noticed; at a little distance from which she stopped, and saw, +between the boles of the trees, a small circular level of green turf, +surrounded by the woods, on which appeared a group of figures. On +drawing nearer, she distinguished these, by their dress, to be peasants, +and perceived several cottages scattered round the edge of the woods, +which waved loftily over this spot. While she gazed, and endeavoured +to overcome the apprehensions that withheld her steps, several peasant +girls came out of a cottage; music instantly struck up, and the dance +began. It was the joyous music of the vintage! the same she had before +heard upon the air. Her heart, occupied with terror for her father, +could not feel the contrast, which this gay scene offered to her own +distress; she stepped hastily forward towards a group of elder peasants, +who were seated at the door of a cottage, and, having explained her +situation, entreated their assistance. Several of them rose with +alacrity, and, offering any service in their power, followed Emily, who +seemed to move on the wind, as fast as they could towards the road. + +When she reached the carriage she found St. Aubert restored to +animation. On the recovery of his senses, having heard from Michael +whither his daughter was gone, anxiety for her overcame every regard for +himself, and he had sent him in search of her. He was, however, still +languid, and, perceiving himself unable to travel much farther, he +renewed his enquiries for an inn, and concerning the chateau in the +woods. 'The chateau cannot accommodate you, sir,' said a venerable +peasant who had followed Emily from the woods, 'it is scarcely +inhabited; but, if you will do me the honour to visit my cottage, you +shall be welcome to the best bed it affords.' + +St. Aubert was himself a Frenchman; he therefore was not surprised at +French courtesy; but, ill as he was, he felt the value of the offer +enhanced by the manner which accompanied it. He had too much delicacy +to apologize, or to appear to hesitate about availing himself of +the peasant's hospitality, but immediately accepted it with the same +frankness with which it was offered. + +The carriage again moved slowly on; Michael following the peasants up +the lane, which Emily had just quitted, till they came to the moon-light +glade. St. Aubert's spirits were so far restored by the courtesy of +his host, and the near prospect of repose, that he looked with a sweet +complacency upon the moon-light scene, surrounded by the shadowy +woods, through which, here and there, an opening admitted the streaming +splendour, discovering a cottage, or a sparkling rivulet. He listened, +with no painful emotion, to the merry notes of the guitar and tamborine; +and, though tears came to his eyes, when he saw the debonnaire dance of +the peasants, they were not merely tears of mournful regret. With Emily +it was otherwise; immediate terror for her father had now subsided into +a gentle melancholy, which every note of joy, by awakening comparison, +served to heighten. + +The dance ceased on the approach of the carriage, which was a phenomenon +in these sequestered woods, and the peasantry flocked round it with +eager curiosity. On learning that it brought a sick stranger, several +girls ran across the turf, and returned with wine and baskets of grapes, +which they presented to the travellers, each with kind contention +pressing for a preference. At length, the carriage stopped at a neat +cottage, and his venerable conductor, having assisted St. Aubert to +alight, led him and Emily to a small inner room, illuminated only by +moon-beams, which the open casement admitted. St. Aubert, rejoicing in +rest, seated himself in an arm-chair, and his senses were refreshed by +the cool and balmy air, that lightly waved the embowering honeysuckles, +and wafted their sweet breath into the apartment. His host, who was +called La Voisin, quitted the room, but soon returned with fruits, +cream, and all the pastoral luxury his cottage afforded; having set down +which, with a smile of unfeigned welcome, he retired behind the chair of +his guest. St. Aubert insisted on his taking a seat at the table, and, +when the fruit had allayed the fever of his palate, and he found himself +somewhat revived, he began to converse with his host, who communicated +several particulars concerning himself and his family, which were +interesting, because they were spoken from the heart, and delineated +a picture of the sweet courtesies of family kindness. Emily sat by her +father, holding his hand, and, while she listened to the old man, her +heart swelled with the affectionate sympathy he described, and her +tears fell to the mournful consideration, that death would probably +soon deprive her of the dearest blessing she then possessed. The soft +moon-light of an autumnal evening, and the distant music, which now +sounded a plaintive strain, aided the melancholy of her mind. The old +man continued to talk of his family, and St. Aubert remained silent. +'I have only one daughter living,' said La Voisin, 'but she is happily +married, and is every thing to me. When I lost my wife,' he added with +a sigh, 'I came to live with Agnes, and her family; she has several +children, who are all dancing on the green yonder, as merry as +grasshoppers--and long may they be so! I hope to die among them, +monsieur. I am old now, and cannot expect to live long, but there is +some comfort in dying surrounded by one's children.' + +'My good friend,' said St. Aubert, while his voice trembled, 'I hope you +will long live surrounded by them.' + +'Ah, sir! at my age I must not expect that!' replied the old man, and he +paused: 'I can scarcely wish it,' he resumed, 'for I trust that whenever +I die I shall go to heaven, where my poor wife is gone before me. I can +sometimes almost fancy I see her of a still moon-light night, walking +among these shades she loved so well. Do you believe, monsieur, that +we shall be permitted to revisit the earth, after we have quitted the +body?' + +Emily could no longer stifle the anguish of her heart; her tears fell +fast upon her father's hand, which she yet held. He made an effort to +speak, and at length said in a low voice, 'I hope we shall be permitted +to look down on those we have left on the earth, but I can only hope it. +Futurity is much veiled from our eyes, and faith and hope are our only +guides concerning it. We are not enjoined to believe, that disembodied +spirits watch over the friends they have loved, but we may innocently +hope it. It is a hope which I will never resign,' continued he, while +he wiped the tears from his daughter's eyes, 'it will sweeten the bitter +moments of death!' Tears fell slowly on his cheeks; La Voisin wept too, +and there was a pause of silence. Then, La Voisin, renewing the subject, +said, 'But you believe, sir, that we shall meet in another world the +relations we have loved in this; I must believe this.' 'Then do +believe it,' replied St. Aubert, 'severe, indeed, would be the pangs of +separation, if we believed it to be eternal. Look up, my dear Emily, +we shall meet again!' He lifted his eyes towards heaven, and a gleam +of moon-light, which fell upon his countenance, discovered peace and +resignation, stealing on the lines of sorrow. + +La Voisin felt that he had pursued the subject too far, and he dropped +it, saying, 'We are in darkness, I forgot to bring a light.' + +'No,' said St. Aubert, 'this is a light I love. Sit down, my good +friend. Emily, my love, I find myself better than I have been all day; +this air refreshes me. I can enjoy this tranquil hour, and that music, +which floats so sweetly at a distance. Let me see you smile. Who touches +that guitar so tastefully? are there two instruments, or is it an echo I +hear?' + +'It is an echo, monsieur, I fancy. That guitar is often heard at night, +when all is still, but nobody knows who touches it, and it is sometimes +accompanied by a voice so sweet, and so sad, one would almost think the +woods were haunted.' 'They certainly are haunted,' said St. Aubert with +a smile, 'but I believe it is by mortals.' 'I have sometimes heard it +at midnight, when I could not sleep,' rejoined La Voisin, not seeming to +notice this remark, 'almost under my window, and I never heard any music +like it. It has often made me think of my poor wife till I cried. I have +sometimes got up to the window to look if I could see anybody, but as +soon as I opened the casement all was hushed, and nobody to be seen; and +I have listened, and listened till I have been so timorous, that even +the trembling of the leaves in the breeze has made me start. They say +it often comes to warn people of their death, but I have heard it these +many years, and outlived the warning.' + +Emily, though she smiled at the mention of this ridiculous superstition, +could not, in the present tone of her spirits, wholly resist its +contagion. + +'Well, but, my good friend,' said St. Aubert, 'has nobody had courage to +follow the sounds? If they had, they would probably have discovered who +is the musician.' 'Yes, sir, they have followed them some way into the +woods, but the music has still retreated, and seemed as distant as ever, +and the people have at last been afraid of being led into harm, and +would go no further. It is very seldom that I have heard these sounds so +early in the evening. They usually come about midnight, when that bright +planet, which is rising above the turret yonder, sets below the woods on +the left.' + +'What turret?' asked St. Aubert with quickness, 'I see none.' + +'Your pardon, monsieur, you do see one indeed, for the moon shines full +upon it;--up the avenue yonder, a long way off; the chateau it belongs +to is hid among the trees.' + +'Yes, my dear sir,' said Emily, pointing, 'don't you see something +glitter above the dark woods? It is a fane, I fancy, which the rays fall +upon.' + +'O yes, I see what you mean; and who does the chateau belong to?' + +'The Marquis de Villeroi was its owner,' replied La Voisin, +emphatically. + +'Ah!' said St. Aubert, with a deep sigh, 'are we then so near Le-Blanc!' +He appeared much agitated. + +'It used to be the Marquis's favourite residence,' resumed La Voisin, +'but he took a dislike to the place, and has not been there for many +years. We have heard lately that he is dead, and that it is fallen into +other hands.' St. Aubert, who had sat in deep musing, was roused by the +last words. 'Dead!' he exclaimed, 'Good God! when did he die?' + +'He is reported to have died about five weeks since,' replied La Voisin. +'Did you know the Marquis, sir?' + +'This is very extraordinary!' said St. Aubert without attending to the +question. 'Why is it so, my dear sir?' said Emily, in a voice of timid +curiosity. He made no reply, but sunk again into a reverie; and in a +few moments, when he seemed to have recovered himself, asked who had +succeeded to the estates. 'I have forgot his title, monsieur,' said La +Voisin; 'but my lord resides at Paris chiefly; I hear no talk of his +coming hither.' + +'The chateau is shut up then, still?' + +'Why, little better, sir; the old housekeeper, and her husband the +steward, have the care of it, but they live generally in a cottage hard +by.' + +'The chateau is spacious, I suppose,' said Emily, 'and must be desolate +for the residence of only two persons.' + +'Desolate enough, mademoiselle,' replied La Voisin, 'I would not pass +one night in the chateau, for the value of the whole domain.' + +'What is that?' said St. Aubert, roused again from thoughtfulness. As +his host repeated his last sentence, a groan escaped from St. Aubert, +and then, as if anxious to prevent it from being noticed, he hastily +asked La Voisin how long he had lived in this neighbourhood. 'Almost +from my childhood, sir,' replied his host. + +'You remember the late marchioness, then?' said St. Aubert in an altered +voice. + +'Ah, monsieur!--that I do well. There are many besides me who remember +her.' + +'Yes--' said St. Aubert, 'and I am one of those.' + +'Alas, sir! you remember, then, a most beautiful and excellent lady. She +deserved a better fate.' + +Tears stood in St. Aubert's eyes; 'Enough,' said he, in a voice almost +stifled by the violence of his emotions,--'it is enough, my friend.' + +Emily, though extremely surprised by her father's manner, forbore to +express her feelings by any question. La Voisin began to apologize, but +St. Aubert interrupted him; 'Apology is quite unnecessary,' said he, +'let us change the topic. You was speaking of the music we just now +heard.' + +'I was, monsieur--but hark!--it comes again; listen to that voice!' They +were all silent; + + At last a soft and solemn-breathing sound + Rose, like a stream of rich distilled perfumes, + And stole upon the air, that even Silence + Was took ere she was 'ware, and wished she might + Deny her nature, and be never more + Still, to be so displaced.* + *Milton. + + +In a few moments the voice died into air, and the instrument, which had +been heard before, sounded in low symphony. St. Aubert now observed, +that it produced a tone much more full and melodious than that of a +guitar, and still more melancholy and soft than the lute. They continued +to listen, but the sounds returned no more. 'This is strange!' said St. +Aubert, at length interrupting the silence. 'Very strange!' said Emily. +'It is so,' rejoined La Voisin, and they were again silent. + +After a long pause, 'It is now about eighteen years since I first heard +that music,' said La Voisin; 'I remember it was on a fine summer's +night, much like this, but later, that I was walking in the woods, and +alone. I remember, too, that my spirits were very low, for one of my +boys was ill, and we feared we should lose him. I had been watching at +his bed-side all the evening while his mother slept; for she had sat +up with him the night before. I had been watching, and went out for a +little fresh air, the day had been very sultry. As I walked under the +shades and mused, I heard music at a distance, and thought it was +Claude playing upon his flute, as he often did of a fine evening, at +the cottage door. But, when I came to a place where the trees opened, (I +shall never forget it!) and stood looking up at the north-lights, which +shot up the heaven to a great height, I heard all of a sudden such +sounds!--they came so as I cannot describe. It was like the music of +angels, and I looked up again almost expecting to see them in the sky. +When I came home, I told what I had heard, but they laughed at me, and +said it must be some of the shepherds playing on their pipes, and I +could not persuade them to the contrary. A few nights after, however, my +wife herself heard the same sounds, and was as much surprised as I was, +and Father Denis frightened her sadly by saying, that it was music come +to warn her of her child's death, and that music often came to houses +where there was a dying person.' + +Emily, on hearing this, shrunk with a superstitious dread entirely new +to her, and could scarcely conceal her agitation from St. Aubert. + +'But the boy lived, monsieur, in spite of Father Denis.' + +'Father Denis!' said St. Aubert, who had listened to 'narrative old age' +with patient attention, 'are we near a convent, then?' + +'Yes, sir; the convent of St. Clair stands at no great distance, on the +sea shore yonder.' + +'Ah!' said St. Aubert, as if struck with some sudden remembrance, 'the +convent of St. Clair!' Emily observed the clouds of grief, mingled with +a faint expression of horror, gathering on his brow; his countenance +became fixed, and, touched as it now was by the silver whiteness of +the moon-light, he resembled one of those marble statues of a monument, +which seem to bend, in hopeless sorrow, over the ashes of the dead, +shewn + + by the blunted light + That the dim moon through painted casements lends.* + * The Emigrants. + + +'But, my dear sir,' said Emily, anxious to dissipate his thoughts, 'you +forget that repose is necessary to you. If our kind host will give me +leave, I will prepare your bed, for I know how you like it to be made.' +St. Aubert, recollecting himself, and smiling affectionately, desired +she would not add to her fatigue by that attention; and La Voisin, whose +consideration for his guest had been suspended by the interests +which his own narrative had recalled, now started from his seat, and, +apologizing for not having called Agnes from the green, hurried out of +the room. + +In a few moments he returned with his daughter, a young woman of +pleasing countenance, and Emily learned from her, what she had not +before suspected, that, for their accommodation, it was necessary +part of La Voisin's family should leave their beds; she lamented this +circumstance, but Agnes, by her reply, fully proved that she inherited, +at least, a share of her father's courteous hospitality. It was settled, +that some of her children and Michael should sleep in the neighbouring +cottage. + +'If I am better, to-morrow, my dear,' said St. Aubert when Emily +returned to him, 'I mean to set out at an early hour, that we may rest, +during the heat of the day, and will travel towards home. In the present +state of my health and spirits I cannot look on a longer journey with +pleasure, and I am also very anxious to reach La Vallee.' Emily, though +she also desired to return, was grieved at her father's sudden wish to +do so, which she thought indicated a greater degree of indisposition +than he would acknowledge. St. Aubert now retired to rest, and Emily to +her little chamber, but not to immediate repose. Her thoughts returned +to the late conversation, concerning the state of departed spirits; a +subject, at this time, particularly affecting to her, when she had every +reason to believe that her dear father would ere long be numbered with +them. She leaned pensively on the little open casement, and in deep +thought fixed her eyes on the heaven, whose blue unclouded concave was +studded thick with stars, the worlds, perhaps, of spirits, unsphered +of mortal mould. As her eyes wandered along the boundless aether, her +thoughts rose, as before, towards the sublimity of the Deity, and to the +contemplation of futurity. No busy note of this world interrupted the +course of her mind; the merry dance had ceased, and every cottager had +retired to his home. The still air seemed scarcely to breathe upon the +woods, and, now and then, the distant sound of a solitary sheep-bell, +or of a closing casement, was all that broke on silence. At length, even +this hint of human being was heard no more. Elevated and enwrapt, while +her eyes were often wet with tears of sublime devotion and solemn awe, +she continued at the casement, till the gloom of mid-night hung over the +earth, and the planet, which La Voisin had pointed out, sunk below the +woods. She then recollected what he had said concerning this planet, and +the mysterious music; and, as she lingered at the window, half +hoping and half fearing that it would return, her mind was led to the +remembrance of the extreme emotion her father had shewn on mention of +the Marquis La Villeroi's death, and of the fate of the Marchioness, +and she felt strongly interested concerning the remote cause of this +emotion. Her surprise and curiosity were indeed the greater, because she +did not recollect ever to have heard him mention the name of Villeroi. + +No music, however, stole on the silence of the night, and Emily, +perceiving the lateness of the hour, returned to a scene of fatigue, +remembered that she was to rise early in the morning, and withdrew from +the window to repose. + + + +CHAPTER VII + + + Let those deplore their doom, + Whose hope still grovels in this dark sojourn. + But lofty souls can look beyond the tomb, + Can smile at fate, and wonder how they mourn. + Shall Spring to these sad scenes no more return? + Is yonder wave the sun's eternal bed?-- + Soon shall the orient with new lustre burn, + And Spring shall soon her vital influence shed, + Again attune the grove, again adorn the mead! + BEATTIE + +Emily, called, as she had requested, at an early hour, awoke, little +refreshed by sleep, for uneasy dreams had pursued her, and marred the +kindest blessing of the unhappy. But, when she opened her casement, +looked out upon the woods, bright with the morning sun, and inspired the +pure air, her mind was soothed. The scene was filled with that cheering +freshness, which seems to breathe the very spirit of health, and she +heard only sweet and PICTURESQUE sounds, if such an expression may be +allowed--the matin-bell of a distant convent, the faint murmur of the +sea-waves, the song of birds, and the far-off low of cattle, which +she saw coming slowly on between the trunks of trees. Struck with +the circumstances of imagery around her, she indulged the pensive +tranquillity which they inspired; and while she leaned on her window, +waiting till St. Aubert should descend to breakfast, her ideas arranged +themselves in the following lines: + +THE FIRST HOUR OF MORNING + + How sweet to wind the forest's tangled shade, + When early twilight, from the eastern bound, + Dawns on the sleeping landscape in the glade, + And fades as morning spreads her blush around! + + When ev'ry infant flower, that wept in night, + Lifts its chill head soft glowing with a tear, + Expands its tender blossom to the light, + And gives its incense to the genial air. + + How fresh the breeze that wafts the rich perfume, + And swells the melody of waking birds; + The hum of bees, beneath the verdant gloom, + And woodman's song, and low of distant herds! + + Then, doubtful gleams the mountain's hoary head, + Seen through the parting foliage from afar; + And, farther still, the ocean's misty bed, + With flitting sails, that partial sun-beams share. + + But, vain the sylvan shade--the breath of May, + The voice of music floating on the gale, + And forms, that beam through morning's dewy veil, + If health no longer bid the heart be gay! + O balmy hour! 'tis thine her wealth to give, + Here spread her blush, and bid the parent live! + +Emily now heard persons moving below in the cottage, and presently the +voice of Michael, who was talking to his mules, as he led them forth +from a hut adjoining. As she left her room, St. Aubert, who was now +risen, met her at the door, apparently as little restored by sleep as +herself. She led him down stairs to the little parlour, in which they +had supped on the preceding night, where they found a neat breakfast set +out, while the host and his daughter waited to bid them good-morrow. + +'I envy you this cottage, my good friends,' said St. Aubert, as he met +them, 'it is so pleasant, so quiet, and so neat; and this air, that one +breathes--if any thing could restore lost health, it would surely be +this air.' + +La Voisin bowed gratefully, and replied, with the gallantry of a +Frenchman, 'Our cottage may be envied, sir, since you and Mademoiselle +have honoured it with your presence.' St. Aubert gave him a friendly +smile for his compliment, and sat down to a table, spread with cream, +fruit, new cheese, butter, and coffee. Emily, who had observed her +father with attention and thought he looked very ill, endeavoured to +persuade him to defer travelling till the afternoon; but he seemed very +anxious to be at home, and his anxiety he expressed repeatedly, and with +an earnestness that was unusual with him. He now said, he found himself +as well as he had been of late, and that he could bear travelling better +in the cool hour of the morning, than at any other time. But, while +he was talking with his venerable host, and thanking him for his kind +attentions, Emily observed his countenance change, and, before she could +reach him, he fell back in his chair. In a few moments he recovered from +the sudden faintness that had come over him, but felt so ill, that +he perceived himself unable to set out, and, having remained a little +while, struggling against the pressure of indisposition, he begged he +might be helped up stairs to bed. This request renewed all the terror +which Emily had suffered on the preceding evening; but, though scarcely +able to support herself, under the sudden shock it gave her, she tried +to conceal her apprehensions from St. Aubert, and gave her trembling arm +to assist him to the door of his chamber. + +When he was once more in bed, he desired that Emily, who was then +weeping in her own room, might be called; and, as she came, he waved his +hand for every other person to quit the apartment. When they were alone, +he held out his hand to her, and fixed his eyes upon her countenance, +with an expression so full of tenderness and grief, that all her +fortitude forsook her, and she burst into an agony of tears. St. Aubert +seemed struggling to acquire firmness, but was still unable to speak; he +could only press her hand, and check the tears that stood trembling in +his eyes. At length he commanded his voice, 'My dear child,' said he, +trying to smile through his anguish, 'my dear Emily!'--and paused again. +He raised his eyes to heaven, as if in prayer, and then, in a firmer +tone, and with a look, in which the tenderness of the father was +dignified by the pious solemnity of the saint, he said, 'My dear child, +I would soften the painful truth I have to tell you, but I find myself +quite unequal to the art. Alas! I would, at this moment, conceal it from +you, but that it would be most cruel to deceive you. It cannot be +long before we must part; let us talk of it, that our thoughts and our +prayers may prepare us to bear it.' His voice faltered, while Emily, +still weeping, pressed his hand close to her heart, which swelled with a +convulsive sigh, but she could not look up. + +'Let me not waste these moments,' said St. Aubert, recovering himself, +'I have much to say. There is a circumstance of solemn consequence, +which I have to mention, and a solemn promise to obtain from you; when +this is done I shall be easier. You have observed, my dear, how anxious +I am to reach home, but know not all my reasons for this. Listen to what +I am going to say.--Yet stay--before I say more give me this promise, a +promise made to your dying father!'--St. Aubert was interrupted; Emily, +struck by his last words, as if for the first time, with a conviction of +his immediate danger, raised her head; her tears stopped, and, gazing +at him for a moment with an expression of unutterable anguish, a slight +convulsion seized her, and she sunk senseless in her chair. St. +Aubert's cries brought La Voisin and his daughter to the room, and +they administered every means in their power to restore her, but, for a +considerable time, without effect. When she recovered, St. Aubert was so +exhausted by the scene he had witnessed, that it was many minutes +before he had strength to speak; he was, however, somewhat revived by +a cordial, which Emily gave him; and, being again alone with her, he +exerted himself to tranquilize her spirits, and to offer her all the +comfort of which her situation admitted. She threw herself into his +arms, wept on his neck, and grief made her so insensible to all he said, +that he ceased to offer the alleviations, which he himself could not, at +this moment, feel, and mingled his silent tears with hers. Recalled, at +length, to a sense of duty, she tried to spare her father from a farther +view of her suffering; and, quitting his embrace, dried her tears, +and said something, which she meant for consolation. 'My dear Emily,' +replied St. Aubert, 'my dear child, we must look up with humble +confidence to that Being, who has protected and comforted us in every +danger, and in every affliction we have known; to whose eye every moment +of our lives has been exposed; he will not, he does not, forsake us now; +I feel his consolations in my heart. I shall leave you, my child, still +in his care; and, though I depart from this world, I shall be still in +his presence. Nay, weep not again, my Emily. In death there is nothing +new, or surprising, since we all know, that we are born to die; and +nothing terrible to those, who can confide in an all-powerful God. +Had my life been spared now, after a very few years, in the course +of nature, I must have resigned it; old age, with all its train of +infirmity, its privations and its sorrows, would have been mine; and +then, at last, death would have come, and called forth the tears you now +shed. Rather, my child, rejoice, that I am saved from such suffering, +and that I am permitted to die with a mind unimpaired, and sensible of +the comforts of faith and resignation.' St. Aubert paused, fatigued with +speaking. Emily again endeavoured to assume an air of composure; and, in +replying to what he had said, tried to sooth him with a belief, that he +had not spoken in vain. + +When he had reposed a while, he resumed the conversation. 'Let me +return,' said he, 'to a subject, which is very near my heart. I said I +had a solemn promise to receive from you; let me receive it now, before +I explain the chief circumstance which it concerns; there are others, +of which your peace requires that you should rest in ignorance. Promise, +then, that you will perform exactly what I shall enjoin.' + +Emily, awed by the earnest solemnity of his manner, dried her tears, +that had begun again to flow, in spite of her efforts to suppress them; +and, looking eloquently at St. Aubert, bound herself to do whatever he +should require by a vow, at which she shuddered, yet knew not why. + +He proceeded: 'I know you too well, my Emily, to believe, that you would +break any promise, much less one thus solemnly given; your assurance +gives me peace, and the observance of it is of the utmost importance to +your tranquillity. Hear, then, what I am going to tell you. The closet, +which adjoins my chamber at La Vallee, has a sliding board in the floor. +You will know it by a remarkable knot in the wood, and by its being the +next board, except one, to the wainscot, which fronts the door. At the +distance of about a yard from that end, nearer the window, you will +perceive a line across it, as if the plank had been joined;--the way to +open it is this:--Press your foot upon the line; the end of the board +will then sink, and you may slide it with ease beneath the other. Below, +you will see a hollow place.' St. Aubert paused for breath, and Emily +sat fixed in deep attention. 'Do you understand these directions, my +dear?' said he. Emily, though scarcely able to speak, assured him that +she did. + +'When you return home, then,' he added with a deep sigh-- + +At the mention of her return home, all the melancholy circumstances, +that must attend this return, rushed upon her fancy; she burst into +convulsive grief, and St. Aubert himself, affected beyond the resistance +of the fortitude which he had, at first, summoned, wept with her. +After some moments, he composed himself. 'My dear child,' said he, 'be +comforted. When I am gone, you will not be forsaken--I leave you only in +the more immediate care of that Providence, which has never yet forsaken +me. Do not afflict me with this excess of grief; rather teach me by +your example to bear my own.' He stopped again, and Emily, the more she +endeavoured to restrain her emotion, found it the less possible to do +so. + +St. Aubert, who now spoke with pain, resumed the subject. 'That closet, +my dear,--when you return home, go to it; and, beneath the board I have +described, you will find a packet of written papers. Attend to me now, +for the promise you have given particularly relates to what I shall +direct. These papers you must burn--and, solemnly I command you, WITHOUT +EXAMINING THEM.' + +Emily's surprise, for a moment, overcame her grief, and she ventured to +ask, why this must be? St. Aubert replied, that, if it had been right +for him to explain his reasons, her late promise would have been +unnecessarily exacted. 'It is sufficient for you, my love, to have a +deep sense of the importance of observing me in this instance.' St. +Aubert proceeded. 'Under that board you will also find about two hundred +louis d'ors, wrapped in a silk purse; indeed, it was to secure whatever +money might be in the chateau, that this secret place was contrived, +at a time when the province was over-run by troops of men, who took +advantage of the tumults, and became plunderers. + +'But I have yet another promise to receive from you, which is--that +you will never, whatever may be your future circumstances, SELL the +chateau.' St. Aubert even enjoined her, whenever she might marry, to +make it an article in the contract, that the chateau should always +be hers. He then gave her a more minute account of his present +circumstances than he had yet done, adding, 'The two hundred louis, with +what money you will now find in my purse, is all the ready money I have +to leave you. I have told you how I am circumstanced with M. Motteville, +at Paris. Ah, my child! I leave you poor--but not destitute,' he added, +after a long pause. Emily could make no reply to any thing he now said, +but knelt at the bed-side, with her face upon the quilt, weeping over +the hand she held there. + +After this conversation, the mind of St. Aubert appeared to be much more +at ease; but, exhausted by the effort of speaking, he sunk into a kind +of doze, and Emily continued to watch and weep beside him, till a gentle +tap at the chamber-door roused her. It was La Voisin, come to say, that +a confessor from the neighbouring convent was below, ready to attend St. +Aubert. Emily would not suffer her father to be disturbed, but desired, +that the priest might not leave the cottage. When St. Aubert awoke from +this doze, his senses were confused, and it was some moments before he +recovered them sufficiently to know, that it was Emily who sat beside +him. He then moved his lips, and stretched forth his hand to her; as she +received which, she sunk back in her chair, overcome by the impression +of death on his countenance. In a few minutes he recovered his voice, +and Emily then asked, if he wished to see the confessor; he replied, +that he did; and, when the holy father appeared, she withdrew. They +remained alone together above half an hour; when Emily was called in, +she found St. Aubert more agitated than when she had left him, and she +gazed, with a slight degree of resentment, at the friar, as the cause +of this; who, however, looked mildly and mournfully at her, and turned +away. St. Aubert, in a tremulous voice, said, he wished her to join in +prayer with him, and asked if La Voisin would do so too. The old man and +his daughter came; they both wept, and knelt with Emily round the bed, +while the holy father read in a solemn voice the service for the dying. +St. Aubert lay with a serene countenance, and seemed to join fervently +in the devotion, while tears often stole from beneath his closed +eyelids, and Emily's sobs more than once interrupted the service. + +When it was concluded, and extreme unction had been administered, +the friar withdrew. St. Aubert then made a sign for La Voisin to come +nearer. He gave him his hand, and was, for a moment, silent. At length, +he said, in a trembling voice, 'My good friend, our acquaintance has +been short, but long enough to give you an opportunity of shewing me +much kind attention. I cannot doubt, that you will extend this kindness +to my daughter, when I am gone; she will have need of it. I entrust her +to your care during the few days she will remain here. I need say no +more--you know the feelings of a father, for you have children; mine +would be, indeed, severe if I had less confidence in you.' He paused. La +Voisin assured him, and his tears bore testimony to his sincerity, that +he would do all he could to soften her affliction, and that, if St. +Aubert wished it, he would even attend her into Gascony; an offer so +pleasing to St. Aubert, that he had scarcely words to acknowledge his +sense of the old man's kindness, or to tell him, that he accepted it. +The scene, that followed between St. Aubert and Emily, affected La +Voisin so much, that he quitted the chamber, and she was again left +alone with her father, whose spirits seemed fainting fast, but neither +his senses, or his voice, yet failed him; and, at intervals, he employed +much of these last awful moments in advising his daughter, as to her +future conduct. Perhaps, he never had thought more justly, or expressed +himself more clearly, than he did now. + +'Above all, my dear Emily,' said he, 'do not indulge in the pride of +fine feeling, the romantic error of amiable minds. Those, who really +possess sensibility, ought early to be taught, that it is a dangerous +quality, which is continually extracting the excess of misery, or +delight, from every surrounding circumstance. And, since, in our passage +through this world, painful circumstances occur more frequently than +pleasing ones, and since our sense of evil is, I fear, more acute than +our sense of good, we become the victims of our feelings, unless we can +in some degree command them. I know you will say, (for you are young, my +Emily) I know you will say, that you are contented sometimes to suffer, +rather than to give up your refined sense of happiness, at others; +but, when your mind has been long harassed by vicissitude, you will be +content to rest, and you will then recover from your delusion. You will +perceive, that the phantom of happiness is exchanged for the substance; +for happiness arises in a state of peace, not of tumult. It is of a +temperate and uniform nature, and can no more exist in a heart, that is +continually alive to minute circumstances, than in one that is dead to +feeling. You see, my dear, that, though I would guard you against the +dangers of sensibility, I am not an advocate for apathy. At your age +I should have said THAT is a vice more hateful than all the errors of +sensibility, and I say so still. I call it a VICE, because it leads to +positive evil; in this, however, it does no more than an ill-governed +sensibility, which, by such a rule, might also be called a vice; but +the evil of the former is of more general consequence. I have exhausted +myself,' said St. Aubert, feebly, 'and have wearied you, my Emily; but, +on a subject so important to your future comfort, I am anxious to be +perfectly understood.' + +Emily assured him, that his advice was most precious to her, and that +she would never forget it, or cease from endeavouring to profit by it. +St. Aubert smiled affectionately and sorrowfully upon her. 'I repeat +it,' said he, 'I would not teach you to become insensible, if I could; +I would only warn you of the evils of susceptibility, and point out +how you may avoid them. Beware, my love, I conjure you, of that +self-delusion, which has been fatal to the peace of so many persons; +beware of priding yourself on the gracefulness of sensibility; if you +yield to this vanity, your happiness is lost for ever. Always remember +how much more valuable is the strength of fortitude, than the grace of +sensibility. Do not, however, confound fortitude with apathy; apathy +cannot know the virtue. Remember, too, that one act of beneficence, +one act of real usefulness, is worth all the abstract sentiment in the +world. Sentiment is a disgrace, instead of an ornament, unless it lead +us to good actions. The miser, who thinks himself respectable, merely +because he possesses wealth, and thus mistakes the means of doing good, +for the actual accomplishment of it, is not more blameable than the man +of sentiment, without active virtue. You may have observed persons, who +delight so much in this sort of sensibility to sentiment, which excludes +that to the calls of any practical virtue, that they turn from +the distressed, and, because their sufferings are painful to be +contemplated, do not endeavour to relieve them. How despicable is that +humanity, which can be contented to pity, where it might assuage!' + +St. Aubert, some time after, spoke of Madame Cheron, his sister. 'Let +me inform you of a circumstance, that nearly affects your welfare,' he +added. 'We have, you know, had little intercourse for some years, but, +as she is now your only female relation, I have thought it proper to +consign you to her care, as you will see in my will, till you are of +age, and to recommend you to her protection afterwards. She is not +exactly the person, to whom I would have committed my Emily, but I had +no alternative, and I believe her to be upon the whole--a good kind of +woman. I need not recommend it to your prudence, my love, to endeavour +to conciliate her kindness; you will do this for his sake, who has often +wished to do so for yours.' + +Emily assured him, that, whatever he requested she would religiously +perform to the utmost of her ability. 'Alas!' added she, in a voice +interrupted by sighs, 'that will soon be all which remains for me; it +will be almost my only consolation to fulfil your wishes.' + +St. Aubert looked up silently in her face, as if would have spoken, but +his spirit sunk a while, and his eyes became heavy and dull. She felt +that look at her heart. 'My dear father!' she exclaimed; and then, +checking herself, pressed his hand closer, and hid her face with +her handkerchief. Her tears were concealed, but St. Aubert heard her +convulsive sobs. His spirits returned. 'O my child!' said he, faintly, +'let my consolations be yours. I die in peace; for I know, that I +am about to return to the bosom of my Father, who will still be your +Father, when I am gone. Always trust in him, my love, and he will +support you in these moments, as he supports me.' + +Emily could only listen, and weep; but the extreme composure of his +manner, and the faith and hope he expressed, somewhat soothed her +anguish. Yet, whenever she looked upon his emaciated countenance, and +saw the lines of death beginning to prevail over it--saw his sunk eyes, +still bent on her, and their heavy lids pressing to a close, there was a +pang in her heart, such as defied expression, though it required filial +virtue, like hers, to forbear the attempt. + +He desired once more to bless her; 'Where are you, my dear?' said he, +as he stretched forth his hands. Emily had turned to the window, that he +might not perceive her anguish; she now understood, that his sight had +failed him. When he had given her his blessing, and it seemed to be the +last effort of expiring life, he sunk back on his pillow. She kissed +his forehead; the damps of death had settled there, and, forgetting her +fortitude for a moment, her tears mingled with them. St. Aubert lifted +up his eyes; the spirit of a father returned to them, but it quickly +vanished, and he spoke no more. + +St. Aubert lingered till about three o'clock in the afternoon, and, thus +gradually sinking into death, he expired without a struggle, or a sigh. + +Emily was led from the chamber by La Voisin and his daughter, who did +what they could to comfort her. The old man sat and wept with her. Agnes +was more erroneously officious. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + + O'er him, whose doom thy virtues grieve, + Aerial forms shall sit at eve, + and bend the pensive head. + COLLINS + +The monk, who had before appeared, returned in the evening to offer +consolation to Emily, and brought a kind message from the lady abbess, +inviting her to the convent. Emily, though she did not accept the offer, +returned an answer expressive of her gratitude. The holy conversation +of the friar, whose mild benevolence of manners bore some resemblance to +those of St. Aubert, soothed the violence of her grief, and lifted her +heart to the Being, who, extending through all place and all eternity, +looks on the events of this little world as on the shadows of a moment, +and beholds equally, and in the same instant, the soul that has passed +the gates of death, and that, which still lingers in the body. 'In the +sight of God,' said Emily, 'my dear father now exists, as truly as he +yesterday existed to me; it is to me only that he is dead; to God and to +himself he yet lives!' + +The good monk left her more tranquil than she had been since St. Aubert +died; and, before she retired to her little cabin for the night, she +trusted herself so far as to visit the corpse. Silent, and without +weeping, she stood by its side. The features, placid and serene, told +the nature of the last sensations, that had lingered in the now deserted +frame. For a moment she turned away, in horror of the stillness in which +death had fixed that countenance, never till now seen otherwise +than animated; then gazed on it with a mixture of doubt and awful +astonishment. Her reason could scarcely overcome an involuntary and +unaccountable expectation of seeing that beloved countenance still +susceptible. She continued to gaze wildly; took up the cold hand; +spoke; still gazed, and then burst into a transport of grief. La Voisin, +hearing her sobs, came into the room to lead her away, but she heard +nothing, and only begged that he would leave her. + +Again alone, she indulged her tears, and, when the gloom of evening +obscured the chamber, and almost veiled from her eyes the object of her +distress, she still hung over the body; till her spirits, at length, +were exhausted, and she became tranquil. La Voisin again knocked at the +door, and entreated that she would come to the common apartment. Before +she went, she kissed the lips of St. Aubert, as she was wont to do when +she bade him good night. Again she kissed them; her heart felt as if it +would break, a few tears of agony started to her eyes, she looked up to +heaven, then at St. Aubert, and left the room. + +Retired to her lonely cabin, her melancholy thoughts still hovered +round the body of her deceased parent; and, when she sunk into a kind +of slumber, the images of her waking mind still haunted her fancy. She +thought she saw her father approaching her with a benign countenance; +then, smiling mournfully and pointing upwards, his lips moved, but, +instead of words, she heard sweet music borne on the distant air, and +presently saw his features glow with the mild rapture of a superior +being. The strain seemed to swell louder, and she awoke. The vision +was gone, but music yet came to her ear in strains such as angels might +breathe. She doubted, listened, raised herself in the bed, and again +listened. It was music, and not an illusion of her imagination. After +a solemn steady harmony, it paused; then rose again, in mournful +sweetness, and then died, in a cadence, that seemed to bear away the +listening soul to heaven. She instantly remembered the music of the +preceding night, with the strange circumstances, related by La Voisin, +and the affecting conversation it had led to, concerning the state of +departed spirits. All that St. Aubert had said, on that subject, now +pressed upon her heart, and overwhelmed it. What a change in a few +hours! He, who then could only conjecture, was now made acquainted with +truth; was himself become one of the departed! As she listened, she was +chilled with superstitious awe, her tears stopped; and she rose, and +went to the window. All without was obscured in shade; but Emily, +turning her eyes from the massy darkness of the woods, whose waving +outline appeared on the horizon, saw, on the left, that effulgent +planet, which the old man had pointed out, setting over the woods. She +remembered what he had said concerning it, and, the music now coming +at intervals on the air, she unclosed the casement to listen to the +strains, that soon gradually sunk to a greater distance, and tried +to discover whence they came. The obscurity prevented her from +distinguishing any object on the green platform below; and the sounds +became fainter and fainter, till they softened into silence. She +listened, but they returned no more. Soon after, she observed the +planet trembling between the fringed tops of the woods, and, in the next +moment, sink behind them. Chilled with a melancholy awe, she retired +once more to her bed, and, at length, forgot for a while her sorrows in +sleep. + +On the following morning, she was visited by a sister of the convent, +who came, with kind offices and a second invitation from the lady +abbess; and Emily, though she could not forsake the cottage, while the +remains of her father were in it, consented, however painful such a +visit must be, in the present state of her spirits, to pay her respects +to the abbess, in the evening. + +About an hour before sun-set, La Voisin shewed her the way through the +woods to the convent, which stood in a small bay of the Mediterranean, +crowned by a woody amphitheatre; and Emily, had she been less unhappy, +would have admired the extensive sea view, that appeared from the green +slope, in front of the edifice, and the rich shores, hung with woods +and pastures, that extended on either hand. But her thoughts were +now occupied by one sad idea, and the features of nature were to her +colourless and without form. The bell for vespers struck, as she passed +the ancient gate of the convent, and seemed the funereal note for St. +Aubert. Little incidents affect a mind, enervated by sorrow; Emily +struggled against the sickening faintness, that came over her, and was +led into the presence of the abbess, who received her with an air of +maternal tenderness; an air of such gentle solicitude and consideration, +as touched her with an instantaneous gratitude; her eyes were filled +with tears, and the words she would have spoken faltered on her lips. +The abbess led her to a seat, and sat down beside her, still holding +her hand and regarding her in silence, as Emily dried her tears and +attempted to speak. 'Be composed, my daughter,' said the abbess in +a soothing voice, 'do not speak yet; I know all you would say. Your +spirits must be soothed. We are going to prayers;--will you attend +our evening service? It is comfortable, my child, to look up in our +afflictions to a father, who sees and pities us, and who chastens in his +mercy.' + +Emily's tears flowed again, but a thousand sweet emotions mingled with +them. The abbess suffered her to weep without interruption, and watched +over her with a look of benignity, that might have characterized the +countenance of a guardian angel. Emily, when she became tranquil, was +encouraged to speak without reserve, and to mention the motive, that +made her unwilling to quit the cottage, which the abbess did not oppose +even by a hint; but praised the filial piety of her conduct, and added a +hope, that she would pass a few days at the convent, before she returned +to La Vallee. 'You must allow yourself a little time to recover from +your first shock, my daughter, before you encounter a second; I will not +affect to conceal from you how much I know your heart must suffer, on +returning to the scene of your former happiness. Here, you will have +all, that quiet and sympathy and religion can give, to restore your +spirits. But come,' added she, observing the tears swell in Emily's +eyes, 'we will go to the chapel.' + +Emily followed to the parlour, where the nuns were assembled, to whom +the abbess committed her, saying, 'This is a daughter, for whom I have +much esteem; be sisters to her.' + +They passed on in a train to the chapel, where the solemn devotion, with +which the service was performed, elevated her mind, and brought to it +the comforts of faith and resignation. + +Twilight came on, before the abbess's kindness would suffer Emily to +depart, when she left the convent, with a heart much lighter than she +had entered it, and was reconducted by La Voisin through the woods, the +pensive gloom of which was in unison with the temper of her mind; and +she pursued the little wild path, in musing silence, till her guide +suddenly stopped, looked round, and then struck out of the path into the +high grass, saying he had mistaken the road. He now walked on quickly, +and Emily, proceeding with difficulty over the obscured and uneven +ground, was left at some distance, till her voice arrested him, who +seemed unwilling to stop, and still hurried on. 'If you are in doubt +about the way,' said Emily, 'had we not better enquire it at the chateau +yonder, between the trees?' + +'No,' replied La Voisin, 'there is no occasion. When we reach that +brook, ma'amselle, (you see the light upon the water there, beyond the +woods) when we reach that brook, we shall be at home presently. I don't +know how I happened to mistake the path; I seldom come this way after +sun-set.' + +'It is solitary enough,' said Emily, 'but you have no banditti here.' + +'No, ma'amselle--no banditti.' + +'What are you afraid of then, my good friend? you are not +superstitious?' 'No, not superstitious; but, to tell you the truth, +lady, nobody likes to go near that chateau, after dusk.' 'By whom is it +inhabited,' said Emily, 'that it is so formidable?' 'Why, ma'amselle, +it is scarcely inhabited, for our lord the Marquis, and the lord of all +these find woods, too, is dead. He had not once been in it, for these +many years, and his people, who have the care of it, live in a cottage +close by.' Emily now understood this to be the chateau, which La Voisin +had formerly pointed out, as having belonged to the Marquis Villeroi, on +the mention of which her father had appeared so much affected. + +'Ah! it is a desolate place now,' continued La Voisin, 'and such a +grand, fine place, as I remember it!' Emily enquired what had occasioned +this lamentable change; but the old man was silent, and Emily, whose +interest was awakened by the fear he had expressed, and above all by +a recollection of her father's agitation, repeated the question, and +added, 'If you are neither afraid of the inhabitants, my good friend, +nor are superstitious, how happens it, that you dread to pass near that +chateau in the dark?' + +'Perhaps, then, I am a little superstitious, ma'amselle; and, if you +knew what I do, you might be so too. Strange things have happened +there. Monsieur, your good father, appeared to have known the late +Marchioness.' 'Pray inform me what did happen?' said Emily, with much +emotion. + +'Alas! ma'amselle,' answered La Voisin, 'enquire no further; it is not +for me to lay open the domestic secrets of my lord.'--Emily, surprised +by the old man's words, and his manner of delivering them, forbore to +repeat her question; a nearer interest, the remembrance of St. Aubert, +occupied her thoughts, and she was led to recollect the music she heard +on the preceding night, which she mentioned to La Voisin. 'You was not +alone, ma'amselle, in this,' he replied, 'I heard it too; but I have so +often heard it, at the same hour, that I was scarcely surprised.' + +'You doubtless believe this music to have some connection with the +chateau,' said Emily suddenly, 'and are, therefore, superstitious.' 'It +may be so, ma'amselle, but there are other circumstances, belonging to +that chateau, which I remember, and sadly too.' A heavy sigh followed: +but Emily's delicacy restrained the curiosity these words revived, and +she enquired no further. + +On reaching the cottage, all the violence of her grief returned; it +seemed as if she had escaped its heavy pressure only while she was +removed from the object of it. She passed immediately to the chamber, +where the remains of her father were laid, and yielded to all the +anguish of hopeless grief. La Voisin, at length, persuaded her to +leave the room, and she returned to her own, where, exhausted by +the sufferings of the day, she soon fell into deep sleep, and awoke +considerably refreshed. + +When the dreadful hour arrived, in which the remains of St. Aubert were +to be taken from her for ever, she went alone to the chamber to look +upon his countenance yet once again, and La Voisin, who had waited +patiently below stairs, till her despair should subside, with the +respect due to grief, forbore to interrupt the indulgence of it, till +surprise, at the length of her stay, and then apprehension overcame his +delicacy, and he went to lead her from the chamber. Having tapped gently +at the door, without receiving an answer, he listened attentively, but +all was still; no sigh, no sob of anguish was heard. Yet more alarmed by +this silence, he opened the door, and found Emily lying senseless across +the foot of the bed, near which stood the coffin. His calls procured +assistance, and she was carried to her room, where proper applications, +at length, restored her. + +During her state of insensibility, La Voisin had given directions for +the coffin to be closed, and he succeeded in persuading Emily to forbear +revisiting the chamber. She, indeed, felt herself unequal to this, and +also perceived the necessity of sparing her spirits, and recollecting +fortitude sufficient to bear her through the approaching scene. St. +Aubert had given a particular injunction, that his remains should be +interred in the church of the convent of St. Clair, and, in mentioning +the north chancel, near the ancient tomb of the Villerois, had pointed +out the exact spot, where he wished to be laid. The superior had granted +this place for the interment, and thither, therefore, the sad procession +now moved, which was met, at the gates, by the venerable priest, +followed by a train of friars. Every person, who heard the solemn chant +of the anthem, and the peal of the organ, that struck up, when the +body entered the church, and saw also the feeble steps, and the assumed +tranquillity of Emily, gave her involuntary tears. She shed none, +but walked, her face partly shaded by a thin black veil, between two +persons, who supported her, preceded by the abbess, and followed by +nuns, whose plaintive voices mellowed the swelling harmony of the dirge. +When the procession came to the grave the music ceased. Emily drew the +veil entirely over her face, and, in a momentary pause, between the +anthem and the rest of the service, her sobs were distinctly audible. +The holy father began the service, and Emily again commanded her +feelings, till the coffin was let down, and she heard the earth rattle +on its lid. Then, as she shuddered, a groan burst from her heart, and +she leaned for support on the person who stood next to her. In a few +moments she recovered; and, when she heard those affecting and sublime +words: 'His body is buried in peace, and his soul returns to Him that +gave it,' her anguish softened into tears. + +The abbess led her from the church into her own parlour, and there +administered all the consolations, that religion and gentle sympathy +can give. Emily struggled against the pressure of grief; but the abbess, +observing her attentively, ordered a bed to be prepared, and recommended +her to retire to repose. She also kindly claimed her promise to remain +a few days at the convent; and Emily, who had no wish to return to +the cottage, the scene of all her sufferings, had leisure, now that no +immediate care pressed upon her attention, to feel the indisposition, +which disabled her from immediately travelling. + +Meanwhile, the maternal kindness of the abbess, and the gentle +attentions of the nuns did all, that was possible, towards soothing her +spirits and restoring her health. But the latter was too deeply wounded, +through the medium of her mind, to be quickly revived. She lingered for +some weeks at the convent, under the influence of a slow fever, wishing +to return home, yet unable to go thither; often even reluctant to +leave the spot where her father's relics were deposited, and sometimes +soothing herself with the consideration, that, if she died here, her +remains would repose beside those of St. Aubert. In the meanwhile, she +sent letters to Madame Cheron and to the old housekeeper, informing them +of the sad event, that had taken place, and of her own situation. +From her aunt she received an answer, abounding more in common-place +condolement, than in traits of real sorrow, which assured her, that a +servant should be sent to conduct her to La Vallee, for that her +own time was so much occupied by company, that she had no leisure to +undertake so long a journey. However Emily might prefer La Vallee to +Tholouse, she could not be insensible to the indecorous and unkind +conduct of her aunt, in suffering her to return thither, where she had +no longer a relation to console and protect her; a conduct, which was +the more culpable, since St. Aubert had appointed Madame Cheron the +guardian of his orphan daughter. + +Madame Cheron's servant made the attendance of the good La Voisin +unnecessary; and Emily, who felt sensibly her obligations to him, for +all his kind attention to her late father, as well as to herself, was +glad to spare him a long, and what, at his time of life, must have been +a troublesome journey. + +During her stay at the convent, the peace and sanctity that reigned +within, the tranquil beauty of the scenery without, and the delicate +attentions of the abbess and the nuns, were circumstances so soothing to +her mind, that they almost tempted her to leave a world, where she had +lost her dearest friends, and devote herself to the cloister, in a spot, +rendered sacred to her by containing the tomb of St. Aubert. The pensive +enthusiasm, too, so natural to her temper, had spread a beautiful +illusion over the sanctified retirement of a nun, that almost hid from +her view the selfishness of its security. But the touches, which a +melancholy fancy, slightly tinctured with superstition, gave to the +monastic scene, began to fade, as her spirits revived, and brought once +more to her heart an image, which had only transiently been banished +thence. By this she was silently awakened to hope and comfort and sweet +affections; visions of happiness gleamed faintly at a distance, and, +though she knew them to be illusions, she could not resolve to shut them +out for ever. It was the remembrance of Valancourt, of his taste, his +genius, and of the countenance which glowed with both, that, perhaps, +alone determined her to return to the world. The grandeur and sublimity +of the scenes, amidst which they had first met, had fascinated her +fancy, and had imperceptibly contributed to render Valancourt more +interesting by seeming to communicate to him somewhat of their own +character. The esteem, too, which St. Aubert had repeatedly expressed +for him, sanctioned this kindness; but, though his countenance and +manner had continually expressed his admiration of her, he had not +otherwise declared it; and even the hope of seeing him again was so +distant, that she was scarcely conscious of it, still less that it +influenced her conduct on this occasion. + +It was several days after the arrival of Madame Cheron's servant before +Emily was sufficiently recovered to undertake the journey to La Vallee. +On the evening preceding her departure, she went to the cottage to take +leave of La Voisin and his family, and to make them a return for their +kindness. The old man she found sitting on a bench at his door, between +his daughter, and his son-in-law, who was just returned from his daily +labour, and who was playing upon a pipe, that, in tone, resembled an +oboe. A flask of wine stood beside the old man, and, before him, a small +table with fruit and bread, round which stood several of his grandsons, +fine rosy children, who were taking their supper, as their mother +distributed it. On the edge of the little green, that spread before +the cottage, were cattle and a few sheep reposing under the trees. The +landscape was touched with the mellow light of the evening sun, whose +long slanting beams played through a vista of the woods, and lighted +up the distant turrets of the chateau. She paused a moment, before she +emerged from the shade, to gaze upon the happy group before her--on the +complacency and ease of healthy age, depictured on the countenance of +La Voisin; the maternal tenderness of Agnes, as she looked upon her +children, and the innocency of infantine pleasures, reflected in their +smiles. Emily looked again at the venerable old man, and at the cottage; +the memory of her father rose with full force upon her mind, and she +hastily stepped forward, afraid to trust herself with a longer pause. +She took an affectionate and affecting leave of La Voisin and his +family; he seemed to love her as his daughter, and shed tears; Emily +shed many. She avoided going into the cottage, since she knew it would +revive emotions, such as she could not now endure. + +One painful scene yet awaited her, for she determined to visit again her +father's grave; and that she might not be interrupted, or observed in +the indulgence of her melancholy tenderness, she deferred her visit, +till every inhabitant of the convent, except the nun who promised +to bring her the key of the church, should be retired to rest. Emily +remained in her chamber, till she heard the convent bell strike twelve, +when the nun came, as she had appointed, with the key of a private door, +that opened into the church, and they descended together the narrow +winding stair-case, that led thither. The nun offered to accompany Emily +to the grave, adding, 'It is melancholy to go alone at this hour;' but +the former, thanking her for the consideration, could not consent to +have any witness of her sorrow; and the sister, having unlocked the +door, gave her the lamp. 'You will remember, sister,' said she, 'that in +the east aisle, which you must pass, is a newly opened grave; hold the +light to the ground, that you may not stumble over the loose earth.' +Emily, thanking her again, took the lamp, and, stepping into the church, +sister Mariette departed. But Emily paused a moment at the door; +a sudden fear came over her, and she returned to the foot of the +stair-case, where, as she heard the steps of the nun ascending, and, +while she held up the lamp, saw her black veil waving over the spiral +balusters, she was tempted to call her back. While she hesitated, the +veil disappeared, and, in the next moment, ashamed of her fears, she +returned to the church. The cold air of the aisles chilled her, and +their deep silence and extent, feebly shone upon by the moon-light, that +streamed through a distant gothic window, would at any other time have +awed her into superstition; now, grief occupied all her attention. She +scarcely heard the whispering echoes of her own steps, or thought of the +open grave, till she found herself almost on its brink. A friar of the +convent had been buried there on the preceding evening, and, as she had +sat alone in her chamber at twilight, she heard, at distance, the monks +chanting the requiem for his soul. This brought freshly to her memory +the circumstances of her father's death; and, as the voices, mingling +with a low querulous peal of the organ, swelled faintly, gloomy and +affecting visions had arisen upon her mind. Now she remembered them, +and, turning aside to avoid the broken ground, these recollections made +her pass on with quicker steps to the grave of St. Aubert, when in the +moon-light, that fell athwart a remote part of the aisle, she thought +she saw a shadow gliding between the pillars. She stopped to listen, +and, not hearing any footstep, believed that her fancy had deceived her, +and, no longer apprehensive of being observed, proceeded. St. Aubert was +buried beneath a plain marble, bearing little more than his name and the +date of his birth and death, near the foot of the stately monument of +the Villerois. Emily remained at his grave, till a chime, that called +the monks to early prayers, warned her to retire; then, she wept over +it a last farewel, and forced herself from the spot. After this hour of +melancholy indulgence, she was refreshed by a deeper sleep, than she +had experienced for a long time, and, on awakening, her mind was more +tranquil and resigned, than it had been since St. Aubert's death. + +But, when the moment of her departure from the convent arrived, all her +grief returned; the memory of the dead, and the kindness of the living +attached her to the place; and for the sacred spot, where her father's +remains were interred, she seemed to feel all those tender affections +which we conceive for home. The abbess repeated many kind assurances of +regard at their parting, and pressed her to return, if ever she should +find her condition elsewhere unpleasant; many of the nuns also expressed +unaffected regret at her departure, and Emily left the convent with many +tears, and followed by sincere wishes for her happiness. + +She had travelled several leagues, before the scenes of the country, +through which she passed, had power to rouse her for a moment from the +deep melancholy, into which she was sunk, and, when they did, it was +only to remind her, that, on her last view of them, St. Aubert was at +her side, and to call up to her remembrance the remarks he had delivered +on similar scenery. Thus, without any particular occurrence, passed +the day in languor and dejection. She slept that night in a town on the +skirts of Languedoc, and, on the following morning, entered Gascony. + +Towards the close of this day, Emily came within view of the plains in +the neighbourhood of La Vallee, and the well-known objects of former +times began to press upon her notice, and with them recollections, that +awakened all her tenderness and grief. Often, while she looked through +her tears upon the wild grandeur of the Pyrenees, now varied with the +rich lights and shadows of evening, she remembered, that, when last she +saw them, her father partook with her of the pleasure they inspired. +Suddenly some scene, which he had particularly pointed out to her, would +present itself, and the sick languor of despair would steal upon her +heart. 'There!' she would exclaim, 'there are the very cliffs, there the +wood of pines, which he looked at with such delight, as we passed this +road together for the last time. There, too, under the crag of that +mountain, is the cottage, peeping from among the cedars, which he bade +me remember, and copy with my pencil. O my father, shall I never see you +more!' + +As she drew near the chateau, these melancholy memorials of past times +multiplied. At length, the chateau itself appeared, amid the glowing +beauty of St. Aubert's favourite landscape. This was an object, which +called for fortitude, not for tears; Emily dried hers, and prepared to +meet with calmness the trying moment of her return to that home, where +there was no longer a parent to welcome her. 'Yes,' said she, 'let me +not forget the lessons he has taught me! How often he has pointed out +the necessity of resisting even virtuous sorrow; how often we have +admired together the greatness of a mind, that can at once suffer and +reason! O my father! if you are permitted to look down upon your +child, it will please you to see, that she remembers, and endeavours to +practise, the precepts you have given her.' + +A turn on the road now allowed a nearer view of the chateau, the +chimneys, tipped with light, rising from behind St. Aubert's favourite +oaks, whose foliage partly concealed the lower part of the building. +Emily could not suppress a heavy sigh. 'This, too, was his favourite +hour,' said she, as she gazed upon the long evening shadows, stretched +athwart the landscape. 'How deep the repose, how lovely the scene! +lovely and tranquil as in former days!' + +Again she resisted the pressure of sorrow, till her ear caught the gay +melody of the dance, which she had so often listened to, as she walked +with St. Aubert, on the margin of the Garonne, when all her fortitude +forsook her, and she continued to weep, till the carriage stopped at the +little gate, that opened upon what was now her own territory. She raised +her eyes on the sudden stopping of the carriage, and saw her father's +old housekeeper coming to open the gate. Manchon also came running, and +barking before her; and when his young mistress alighted, fawned, and +played round her, gasping with joy. + +'Dear ma'amselle!' said Theresa, and paused, and looked as if she +would have offered something of condolement to Emily, whose tears now +prevented reply. The dog still fawned and ran round her, and then flew +towards the carriage, with a short quick bark. 'Ah, ma'amselle!--my +poor master!' said Theresa, whose feelings were more awakened than her +delicacy, 'Manchon's gone to look for him.' Emily sobbed aloud; and, on +looking towards the carriage, which still stood with the door open, saw +the animal spring into it, and instantly leap out, and then with his +nose on the ground run round the horses. + +'Don't cry so, ma'amselle,' said Theresa, 'it breaks my heart to see +you.' The dog now came running to Emily, then returned to the carriage, +and then back again to her, whining and discontented. 'Poor rogue!' said +Theresa, 'thou hast lost thy master, thou mayst well cry! But come, my +dear young lady, be comforted. What shall I get to refresh you?' Emily +gave her hand to the old servant, and tried to restrain her grief, +while she made some kind enquiries concerning her health. But she still +lingered in the walk which led to the chateau, for within was no +person to meet her with the kiss of affection; her own heart no longer +palpitated with impatient joy to meet again the well-known smile, and +she dreaded to see objects, which would recall the full remembrance of +her former happiness. She moved slowly towards the door, paused, went +on, and paused again. How silent, how forsaken, how forlorn did the +chateau appear! Trembling to enter it, yet blaming herself for delaying +what she could not avoid, she, at length, passed into the hall; crossed +it with a hurried step, as if afraid to look round, and opened the door +of that room, which she was wont to call her own. The gloom of evening +gave solemnity to its silent and deserted air. The chairs, the tables, +every article of furniture, so familiar to her in happier times, +spoke eloquently to her heart. She seated herself, without immediately +observing it, in a window, which opened upon the garden, and where St. +Aubert had often sat with her, watching the sun retire from the rich and +extensive prospect, that appeared beyond the groves. + +Having indulged her tears for some time, she became more composed; and, +when Theresa, after seeing the baggage deposited in her lady's room, +again appeared, she had so far recovered her spirits, as to be able to +converse with her. + +'I have made up the green bed for you, ma'amselle,' said Theresa, as she +set the coffee upon the table. 'I thought you would like it better than +your own now; but I little thought this day month, that you would come +back alone. A-well-a-day! the news almost broke my heart, when it did +come. Who would have believed, that my poor master, when he went +from home, would never return again!' Emily hid her face with her +handkerchief, and waved her hand. + +'Do taste the coffee,' said Theresa. 'My dear young lady, be +comforted--we must all die. My dear master is a saint above.' Emily +took the handkerchief from her face, and raised her eyes full of tears +towards heaven; soon after she dried them, and, in a calm, but tremulous +voice, began to enquire concerning some of her late father's pensioners. + +'Alas-a-day!' said Theresa, as she poured out the coffee, and handed +it to her mistress, 'all that could come, have been here every day to +enquire after you and my master.' She then proceeded to tell, that +some were dead whom they had left well; and others, who were ill, had +recovered. 'And see, ma'amselle,' added Theresa, 'there is old Mary +coming up the garden now; she has looked every day these three years as +if she would die, yet she is alive still. She has seen the chaise at the +door, and knows you are come home.' + +The sight of this poor old woman would have been too much for Emily, and +she begged Theresa would go and tell her, that she was too ill to see +any person that night. 'To-morrow I shall be better, perhaps; but give +her this token of my remembrance.' + +Emily sat for some time, given up to sorrow. Not an object, on which her +eye glanced, but awakened some remembrance, that led immediately to the +subject of her grief. Her favourite plants, which St. Aubert had taught +her to nurse; the little drawings, that adorned the room, which his +taste had instructed her to execute; the books, that he had selected +for her use, and which they had read together; her musical instruments, +whose sounds he loved so well, and which he sometimes awakened +himself--every object gave new force to sorrow. At length, she roused +herself from this melancholy indulgence, and, summoning all her +resolution, stepped forward to go into those forlorn rooms, which, +though she dreaded to enter, she knew would yet more powerfully affect +her, if she delayed to visit them. + +Having passed through the green-house, her courage for a moment forsook +her, when she opened the door of the library; and, perhaps, the shade, +which evening and the foliage of the trees near the windows threw across +the room, heightened the solemnity of her feelings on entering that +apartment, where every thing spoke of her father. There was an arm +chair, in which he used to sit; she shrunk when she observed it, for +she had so often seen him seated there, and the idea of him rose so +distinctly to her mind, that she almost fancied she saw him before her. +But she checked the illusions of a distempered imagination, though she +could not subdue a certain degree of awe, which now mingled with her +emotions. She walked slowly to the chair, and seated herself in it; +there was a reading-desk before it, on which lay a book open, as it +had been left by her father. It was some moments before she recovered +courage enough to examine it; and, when she looked at the open page, +she immediately recollected, that St. Aubert, on the evening before his +departure from the chateau, had read to her some passages from this +his favourite author. The circumstance now affected her extremely; she +looked at the page, wept, and looked again. To her the book appeared +sacred and invaluable, and she would not have moved it, or closed the +page, which he had left open, for the treasures of the Indies. Still +she sat before the desk, and could not resolve to quit it, though the +increasing gloom, and the profound silence of the apartment, revived +a degree of painful awe. Her thoughts dwelt on the probable state of +departed spirits, and she remembered the affecting conversation, which +had passed between St. Aubert and La Voisin, on the night preceding his +death. + +As she mused she saw the door slowly open, and a rustling sound in a +remote part of the room startled her. Through the dusk she thought she +perceived something move. The subject she had been considering, and the +present tone of her spirits, which made her imagination respond to +every impression of her senses, gave her a sudden terror of something +supernatural. She sat for a moment motionless, and then, her dissipated +reason returning, 'What should I fear?' said she. 'If the spirits of +those we love ever return to us, it is in kindness.' + +The silence, which again reigned, made her ashamed of her late fears, +and she believed, that her imagination had deluded her, or that she had +heard one of those unaccountable noises, which sometimes occur in old +houses. The same sound, however, returned; and, distinguishing something +moving towards her, and in the next instant press beside her into the +chair, she shrieked; but her fleeting senses were instantly recalled, +on perceiving that it was Manchon who sat by her, and who now licked her +hands affectionately. + +Perceiving her spirits unequal to the task she had assigned herself of +visiting the deserted rooms of the chateau this night, when she left +the library, she walked into the garden, and down to the terrace, that +overhung the river. The sun was now set; but, under the dark branches +of the almond trees, was seen the saffron glow of the west, spreading +beyond the twilight of middle air. The bat flitted silently by; and, +now and then, the mourning note of the nightingale was heard. The +circumstances of the hour brought to her recollection some lines, which +she had once heard St. Aubert recite on this very spot, and she had now +a melancholy pleasure in repeating them. + + SONNET + + Now the bat circles on the breeze of eve, + That creeps, in shudd'ring fits, along the wave, + And trembles 'mid the woods, and through the cave + Whose lonely sighs the wanderer deceive; + For oft, when melancholy charms his mind, + He thinks the Spirit of the rock he hears, + Nor listens, but with sweetly-thrilling fears, + To the low, mystic murmurs of the wind! + Now the bat circles, and the twilight-dew + Falls silent round, and, o'er the mountain-cliff, + The gleaming wave, and far-discover'd skiff, + Spreads the gray veil of soft, harmonious hue. + So falls o'er Grief the dew of pity's tear + Dimming her lonely visions of despair. + +Emily, wandering on, came to St. Aubert's favourite plane-tree, where so +often, at this hour, they had sat beneath the shade together, and with +her dear mother so often had conversed on the subject of a future state. +How often, too, had her father expressed the comfort he derived from +believing, that they should meet in another world! Emily, overcome by +these recollections, left the plane-tree, and, as she leaned pensively +on the wall of the terrace, she observed a group of peasants dancing +gaily on the banks of the Garonne, which spread in broad expanse below, +and reflected the evening light. What a contrast they formed to the +desolate, unhappy Emily! They were gay and debonnaire, as they were wont +to be when she, too, was gay--when St. Aubert used to listen to their +merry music, with a countenance beaming pleasure and benevolence. Emily, +having looked for a moment on this sprightly band, turned away, unable +to bear the remembrances it excited; but where, alas! could she turn, +and not meet new objects to give acuteness to grief? + +As she walked slowly towards the house, she was met by Theresa. 'Dear +ma'amselle,' said she, 'I have been seeking you up and down this half +hour, and was afraid some accident had happened to you. How can you like +to wander about so in this night air! Do come into the house. Think what +my poor master would have said, if he could see you. I am sure, when my +dear lady died, no gentleman could take it more to heart than he did, +yet you know he seldom shed a tear.' + +'Pray, Theresa, cease,' said Emily, wishing to interrupt this +ill-judged, but well-meaning harangue; Theresa's loquacity, however, +was not to be silenced so easily. 'And when you used to grieve so,' she +added, 'he often told you how wrong it was--for that my mistress was +happy. And, if she was happy, I am sure he is so too; for the prayers of +the poor, they say, reach heaven.' During this speech, Emily had walked +silently into the chateau, and Theresa lighted her across the hall +into the common sitting parlour, where she had laid the cloth, with one +solitary knife and fork, for supper. Emily was in the room before she +perceived that it was not her own apartment, but she checked the emotion +which inclined her to leave it, and seated herself quietly by the little +supper table. Her father's hat hung upon the opposite wall; while she +gazed at it, a faintness came over her. Theresa looked at her, and then +at the object, on which her eyes were settled, and went to remove it; +but Emily waved her hand--'No,' said she, 'let it remain. I am going +to my chamber.' 'Nay, ma'amselle, supper is ready.' 'I cannot take it,' +replied Emily, 'I will go to my room, and try to sleep. Tomorrow I shall +be better.' + +'This is poor doings!' said Theresa. 'Dear lady! do take some food! I +have dressed a pheasant, and a fine one it is. Old Monsieur Barreaux +sent it this morning, for I saw him yesterday, and told him you were +coming. And I know nobody that seemed more concerned, when he heard the +sad news, then he.' + +'Did he?' said Emily, in a tender voice, while she felt her poor heart +warmed for a moment by a ray of sympathy. + +At length, her spirits were entirely overcome, and she retired to her +room. + + + +CHAPTER IX + + + Can Music's voice, can Beauty's eye, + Can Painting's glowing hand supply + A charm so suited to my mind, + As blows this hollow gust of wind? + As drops this little weeping rill, + Soft tinkling down the moss-grown hill; + While, through the west, where sinks the crimson day, + Meek Twilight slowly sails, and waves her banners gray? + MASON + +Emily, some time after her return to La Vallee, received letters from +her aunt, Madame Cheron, in which, after some common-place condolement +and advice, she invited her to Tholouse, and added, that, as her late +brother had entrusted Emily's EDUCATION to her, she should consider +herself bound to overlook her conduct. Emily, at this time, wished +only to remain at La Vallee, in the scenes of her early happiness, now +rendered infinitely dear to her, as the late residence of those, whom +she had lost for ever, where she could weep unobserved, retrace their +steps, and remember each minute particular of their manners. But she was +equally anxious to avoid the displeasure of Madame Cheron. + +Though her affection would not suffer her to question, even a moment, +the propriety of St. Aubert's conduct in appointing Madame Cheron for +her guardian, she was sensible, that this step had made her happiness +depend, in a great degree, on the humour of her aunt. In her reply, she +begged permission to remain, at present, at La Vallee, mentioning the +extreme dejection of her spirits, and the necessity she felt for quiet +and retirement to restore them. These she knew were not to be found at +Madame Cheron's, whose inclinations led her into a life of dissipation, +which her ample fortune encouraged; and, having given her answer, she +felt somewhat more at ease. + +In the first days of her affliction, she was visited by Monsieur +Barreaux, a sincere mourner for St. Aubert. 'I may well lament my +friend,' said he, 'for I shall never meet with his resemblance. If I +could have found such a man in what is called society, I should not have +left it.' + +M. Barreaux's admiration of her father endeared him extremely to Emily, +whose heart found almost its first relief in conversing of her parents, +with a man, whom she so much revered, and who, though with such an +ungracious appearance, possessed to much goodness of heart and delicacy +of mind. + +Several weeks passed away in quiet retirement, and Emily's affliction +began to soften into melancholy. She could bear to read the books she +had before read with her father; to sit in his chair in the library--to +watch the flowers his hand had planted--to awaken the tones of that +instrument his fingers had pressed, and sometimes even to play his +favourite air. + +When her mind had recovered from the first shock of affliction, +perceiving the danger of yielding to indolence, and that activity alone +could restore its tone, she scrupulously endeavoured to pass all her +hours in employment. And it was now that she understood the full value +of the education she had received from St. Aubert, for in cultivating +her understanding he had secured her an asylum from indolence, without +recourse to dissipation, and rich and varied amusement and information, +independent of the society, from which her situation secluded her. Nor +were the good effects of this education confined to selfish advantages, +since, St. Aubert having nourished every amiable qualify of her heart, +it now expanded in benevolence to all around her, and taught her, when +she could not remove the misfortunes of others, at least to soften them +by sympathy and tenderness;--a benevolence that taught her to feel for +all, that could suffer. + +Madame Cheron returned no answer to Emily's letter, who began to +hope, that she should be permitted to remain some time longer in her +retirement, and her mind had now so far recovered its strength, that she +ventured to view the scenes, which most powerfully recalled the images +of past times. Among these was the fishing-house; and, to indulge still +more the affectionate melancholy of the visit, she took thither her +lute, that she might again hear there the tones, to which St. Aubert and +her mother had so often delighted to listen. She went alone, and at that +still hour of the evening which is so soothing to fancy and to grief. +The last time she had been here she was in company with Monsieur and +Madame St. Aubert, a few days preceding that, on which the latter was +seized with a fatal illness. Now, when Emily again entered the woods, +that surrounded the building, they awakened so forcibly the memory of +former times, that her resolution yielded for a moment to excess of +grief. She stopped, leaned for support against a tree, and wept for some +minutes, before she had recovered herself sufficiently to proceed. The +little path, that led to the building, was overgrown with grass and the +flowers which St. Aubert had scattered carelessly along the border +were almost choked with weeds--the tall thistle--the fox-glove, and the +nettle. She often paused to look on the desolate spot, now so silent and +forsaken, and when, with a trembling hand, she opened the door of the +fishing-house, 'Ah!' said she, 'every thing--every thing remains as when +I left it last--left it with those who never must return!' She went to +a window, that overhung the rivulet, and, leaning over it, with her eyes +fixed on the current, was soon lost in melancholy reverie. The lute +she had brought lay forgotten beside her; the mournful sighing of the +breeze, as it waved the high pines above, and its softer whispers among +the osiers, that bowed upon the banks below, was a kind of music more +in unison with her feelings. It did not vibrate on the chords of +unhappy memory, but was soothing to the heart as the voice of Pity. She +continued to muse, unconscious of the gloom of evening, and that the +sun's last light trembled on the heights above, and would probably have +remained so much longer, if a sudden footstep, without the building, +had not alarmed her attention, and first made her recollect that she was +unprotected. In the next moment, a door opened, and a stranger appeared, +who stopped on perceiving Emily, and then began to apologize for his +intrusion. But Emily, at the sound of his voice, lost her fear in a +stronger emotion: its tones were familiar to her ear, and, though she +could not readily distinguish through the dusk the features of the +person who spoke, she felt a remembrance too strong to be distrusted. + +He repeated his apology, and Emily then said something in reply, when +the stranger eagerly advancing, exclaimed, 'Good God! can it be--surely +I am not mistaken--ma'amselle St. Aubert?--is it not?' + +'It is indeed,' said Emily, who was confirmed in her first conjecture, +for she now distinguished the countenance of Valancourt, lighted up with +still more than its usual animation. A thousand painful recollections +crowded to her mind, and the effort, which she made to support herself, +only served to increase her agitation. Valancourt, meanwhile, having +enquired anxiously after her health, and expressed his hopes, that M. +St. Aubert had found benefit from travelling, learned from the flood of +tears, which she could no longer repress, the fatal truth. He led her +to a seat, and sat down by her, while Emily continued to weep, and +Valancourt to hold the hand, which she was unconscious he had taken, +till it was wet with the tears, which grief for St. Aubert and sympathy +for herself had called forth. + +'I feel,' said he at length, 'I feel how insufficient all attempt at +consolation must be on this subject. I can only mourn with you, for I +cannot doubt the source of your tears. Would to God I were mistaken!' + +Emily could still answer only by tears, till she rose, and begged they +might leave the melancholy spot, when Valancourt, though he saw her +feebleness, could not offer to detain her, but took her arm within his, +and led her from the fishing-house. They walked silently through the +woods, Valancourt anxious to know, yet fearing to ask any particulars +concerning St. Aubert; and Emily too much distressed to converse. +After some time, however, she acquired fortitude enough to speak of her +father, and to give a brief account of the manner of his death; during +which recital Valancourt's countenance betrayed strong emotion, and, +when he heard that St. Aubert had died on the road, and that Emily +had been left among strangers, he pressed her hand between his, and +involuntarily exclaimed, 'Why was I not there!' but in the next moment +recollected himself, for he immediately returned to the mention of her +father; till, perceiving that her spirits were exhausted, he gradually +changed the subject, and spoke of himself. Emily thus learned that, +after they had parted, he had wandered, for some time, along the shores +of the Mediterranean, and had then returned through Languedoc into +Gascony, which was his native province, and where he usually resided. + +When he had concluded his little narrative, he sunk into a silence, +which Emily was not disposed to interrupt, and it continued, till they +reached the gate of the chateau, when he stopped, as if he had known +this to be the limit of his walk. Here, saying, that it was his +intention to return to Estuviere on the following day, he asked her if +she would permit him to take leave of her in the morning; and Emily, +perceiving that she could not reject an ordinary civility, without +expressing by her refusal an expectation of something more, was +compelled to answer, that she should be at home. + +She passed a melancholy evening, during which the retrospect of all +that had happened, since she had seen Valancourt, would rise to her +imagination; and the scene of her father's death appeared in tints +as fresh, as if it had passed on the preceding day. She remembered +particularly the earnest and solemn manner, in which he had required her +to destroy the manuscript papers, and, awakening from the lethargy, +in which sorrow had held her, she was shocked to think she had not yet +obeyed him, and determined, that another day should not reproach her +with the neglect. + + + +CHAPTER X + + + Can such things be, + And overcome us like a summer's cloud, + Without our special wonder? + MACBETH + +On the next morning, Emily ordered a fire to be lighted in the stove +of the chamber, where St. Aubert used to sleep; and, as soon as she had +breakfasted, went thither to burn the papers. Having fastened the +door to prevent interruption, she opened the closet where they were +concealed, as she entered which, she felt an emotion of unusual awe, +and stood for some moments surveying it, trembling, and almost afraid to +remove the board. There was a great chair in one corner of the closet, +and, opposite to it, stood the table, at which she had seen her father +sit, on the evening that preceded his departure, looking over, with so +much emotion, what she believed to be these very papers. + +The solitary life, which Emily had led of late, and the melancholy +subjects, on which she had suffered her thoughts to dwell, had rendered +her at times sensible to the 'thick-coming fancies' of a mind greatly +enervated. It was lamentable, that her excellent understanding should +have yielded, even for a moment, to the reveries of superstition, or +rather to those starts of imagination, which deceive the senses into +what can be called nothing less than momentary madness. Instances of +this temporary failure of mind had more than once occurred since her +return home; particularly when, wandering through this lonely mansion in +the evening twilight, she had been alarmed by appearances, which would +have been unseen in her more cheerful days. To this infirm state of her +nerves may be attributed what she imagined, when, her eyes glancing +a second time on the arm-chair, which stood in an obscure part of the +closet, the countenance of her dead father appeared there. Emily stood +fixed for a moment to the floor, after which she left the closet. +Her spirits, however, soon returned; she reproached herself with the +weakness of thus suffering interruption in an act of serious importance, +and again opened the door. By the directions which St. Aubert had given +her, she readily found the board he had described in an opposite corner +of the closet, near the window; she distinguished also the line he +had mentioned, and, pressing it as he had bade her, it slid down, and +disclosed the bundle of papers, together with some scattered ones, and +the purse of louis. With a trembling hand she removed them, replaced the +board, paused a moment, and was rising from the floor, when, on looking +up, there appeared to her alarmed fancy the same countenance in the +chair. The illusion, another instance of the unhappy effect which +solitude and grief had gradually produced upon her mind, subdued her +spirits; she rushed forward into the chamber, and sunk almost senseless +into a chair. Returning reason soon overcame the dreadful, but pitiable +attack of imagination, and she turned to the papers, though still with +so little recollection, that her eyes involuntarily settled on the +writing of some loose sheets, which lay open; and she was unconscious, +that she was transgressing her father's strict injunction, till a +sentence of dreadful import awakened her attention and her memory +together. She hastily put the papers from her; but the words, which had +roused equally her curiosity and terror, she could not dismiss from her +thoughts. So powerfully had they affected her, that she even could not +resolve to destroy the papers immediately; and the more she dwelt on the +circumstance, the more it inflamed her imagination. Urged by the most +forcible, and apparently the most necessary, curiosity to enquire +farther, concerning the terrible and mysterious subject, to which she +had seen an allusion, she began to lament her promise to destroy the +papers. For a moment, she even doubted, whether it could justly be +obeyed, in contradiction to such reasons as there appeared to be for +further information. But the delusion was momentary. + +'I have given a solemn promise,' said she, 'to observe a solemn +injunction, and it is not my business to argue, but to obey. Let me +hasten to remove the temptation, that would destroy my innocence, and +embitter my life with the consciousness of irremediable guilt, while I +have strength to reject it.' + +Thus re-animated with a sense of her duty, she completed the triumph +of her integrity over temptation, more forcible than any she had ever +known, and consigned the papers to the flames. Her eyes watched them as +they slowly consumed, she shuddered at the recollection of the sentence +she had just seen, and at the certainty, that the only opportunity of +explaining it was then passing away for ever. + +It was long after this, that she recollected the purse; and as she was +depositing it, unopened, in a cabinet, perceiving that it contained +something of a size larger than coin, she examined it. 'His hand +deposited them here,' said she, as she kissed some pieces of the coin, +and wetted them with her tears, 'his hand--which is now dust!' At the +bottom of the purse was a small packet, having taken out which, and +unfolded paper after paper, she found to be an ivory case, containing +the miniature of a--lady! She started--'The same,' said she, 'my father +wept over!' On examining the countenance she could recollect no person +that it resembled. It was of uncommon beauty, and was characterized +by an expression of sweetness, shaded with sorrow, and tempered by +resignation. + +St. Aubert had given no directions concerning this picture, nor had even +named it; she, therefore, thought herself justified in preserving +it. More than once remembering his manner, when he had spoken of the +Marchioness of Villeroi, she felt inclined to believe that this was her +resemblance; yet there appeared no reason why he should have preserved a +picture of that lady, or, having preserved it, why he should lament over +it in a manner so striking and affecting as she had witnessed on the +night preceding his departure. + +Emily still gazed on the countenance, examining its features, but she +knew not where to detect the charm that captivated her attention, +and inspired sentiments of such love and pity. Dark brown hair played +carelessly along the open forehead; the nose was rather inclined to +aquiline; the lips spoke in a smile, but it was a melancholy one; the +eyes were blue, and were directed upwards with an expression of peculiar +meekness, while the soft cloud of the brow spoke of the fine sensibility +of the temper. + +Emily was roused from the musing mood into which the picture had thrown +her, by the closing of the garden gate; and, on turning her eyes to +the window, she saw Valancourt coming towards the chateau. Her spirits +agitated by the subjects that had lately occupied her mind, she felt +unprepared to see him, and remained a few moments in the chamber to +recover herself. + +When she met him in the parlour, she was struck with the change that +appeared in his air and countenance since they had parted in Rousillon, +which twilight and the distress she suffered on the preceding evening +had prevented her from observing. But dejection and languor disappeared, +for a moment, in the smile that now enlightened his countenance, on +perceiving her. 'You see,' said he, 'I have availed myself of the +permission with which you honoured me--of bidding YOU farewell, whom I +had the happiness of meeting only yesterday.' + +Emily smiled faintly, and, anxious to say something, asked if he had +been long in Gascony. 'A few days only,' replied Valancourt, while a +blush passed over his cheek. 'I engaged in a long ramble after I had the +misfortune of parting with the friends who had made my wanderings among +the Pyrenees so delightful.' + +A tear came to Emily's eye, as Valancourt said this, which he observed; +and, anxious to draw off her attention from the remembrance that had +occasioned it, as well as shocked at his own thoughtlessness, he began +to speak on other subjects, expressing his admiration of the chateau, +and its prospects. Emily, who felt somewhat embarrassed how to support +a conversation, was glad of such an opportunity to continue it on +indifferent topics. They walked down to the terrace, where Valancourt +was charmed with the river scenery, and the views over the opposite +shores of Guienne. + +As he leaned on the wall of the terrace, watching the rapid current of +the Garonne, 'I was a few weeks ago,' said he, 'at the source of this +noble river; I had not then the happiness of knowing you, or I should +have regretted your absence--it was a scene so exactly suited to +your taste. It rises in a part of the Pyrenees, still wilder and more +sublime, I think, than any we passed in the way to Rousillon.' He then +described its fall among the precipices of the mountains, where its +waters, augmented by the streams that descend from the snowy summits +around, rush into the Vallee d'Aran, between whose romantic heights it +foams along, pursuing its way to the north west till it emerges upon the +plains of Languedoc. Then, washing the walls of Tholouse, and turning +again to the north west, it assumes a milder character, as it fertilizes +the pastures of Gascony and Guienne, in its progress to the Bay of +Biscay. + +Emily and Valancourt talked of the scenes they had passed among +the Pyrenean Alps; as he spoke of which there was often a tremulous +tenderness in his voice, and sometimes he expatiated on them with all +the fire of genius, sometimes would appear scarcely conscious of the +topic, though he continued to speak. This subject recalled forcibly to +Emily the idea of her father, whose image appeared in every landscape, +which Valancourt particularized, whose remarks dwelt upon her memory, +and whose enthusiasm still glowed in her heart. Her silence, at length, +reminded Valancourt how nearly his conversation approached to the +occasion of her grief, and he changed the subject, though for one +scarcely less affecting to Emily. When he admired the grandeur of the +plane-tree, that spread its wide branches over the terrace, and under +whose shade they now sat, she remembered how often she had sat thus with +St. Aubert, and heard him express the same admiration. + +'This was a favourite tree with my dear father,' said she; 'he used to +love to sit under its foliage with his family about him, in the fine +evenings of summer.' + +Valancourt understood her feelings, and was silent; had she raised her +eyes from the ground she would have seen tears in his. He rose, and +leaned on the wall of the terrace, from which, in a few moments, he +returned to his seat, then rose again, and appeared to be greatly +agitated; while Emily found her spirits so much depressed, that several +of her attempts to renew the conversation were ineffectual. Valancourt +again sat down, but was still silent, and trembled. At length he said, +with a hesitating voice, 'This lovely scene!--I am going to leave--to +leave you--perhaps for ever! These moments may never return; I cannot +resolve to neglect, though I scarcely dare to avail myself of them. Let +me, however, without offending the delicacy of your sorrow, venture to +declare the admiration I must always feel of your goodness--O! that at +some future period I might be permitted to call it love!' + +Emily's emotion would not suffer her to reply; and Valancourt, who now +ventured to look up, observing her countenance change, expected to see +her faint, and made an involuntary effort to support her, which recalled +Emily to a sense of her situation, and to an exertion of her spirits. +Valancourt did not appear to notice her indisposition, but, when he +spoke again, his voice told the tenderest love. 'I will not presume,' he +added, 'to intrude this subject longer upon your attention at this time, +but I may, perhaps, be permitted to mention, that these parting moments +would lose much of their bitterness if I might be allowed to hope the +declaration I have made would not exclude me from your presence in +future.' + +Emily made another effort to overcome the confusion of her thoughts, +and to speak. She feared to trust the preference her heart acknowledged +towards Valancourt, and to give him any encouragement for hope, on so +short an acquaintance. For though in this narrow period she had observed +much that was admirable in his taste and disposition, and though these +observations had been sanctioned by the opinion of her father, they were +not sufficient testimonies of his general worth to determine her upon a +subject so infinitely important to her future happiness as that, which +now solicited her attention. Yet, though the thought of dismissing +Valancourt was so very painful to her, that she could scarcely endure to +pause upon it, the consciousness of this made her fear the partiality of +her judgment, and hesitate still more to encourage that suit, for which +her own heart too tenderly pleaded. The family of Valancourt, if not +his circumstances, had been known to her father, and known to be +unexceptionable. Of his circumstances, Valancourt himself hinted as far +as delicacy would permit, when he said he had at present little else to +offer but an heart, that adored her. He had solicited only for a distant +hope, and she could not resolve to forbid, though she scarcely dared to +permit it; at length, she acquired courage to say, that she must think +herself honoured by the good opinion of any person, whom her father had +esteemed. + +'And was I, then, thought worthy of his esteem?' said Valancourt, in +a voice trembling with anxiety; then checking himself, he added, 'But +pardon the question; I scarcely know what I say. If I might dare to +hope, that you think me not unworthy such honour, and might be permitted +sometimes to enquire after your health, I should now leave you with +comparative tranquillity.' + +Emily, after a moment's silence, said, 'I will be ingenuous with you, +for I know you will understand, and allow for my situation; you will +consider it as a proof of my--my esteem that I am so. Though I live +here in what was my father's house, I live here alone. I have, alas! no +longer a parent--a parent, whose presence might sanction your visits. +It is unnecessary for me to point out the impropriety of my receiving +them.' + +'Nor will I affect to be insensible of this,' replied Valancourt, adding +mournfully--'but what is to console me for my candour? I distress you, +and would now leave the subject, if I might carry with me a hope of +being some time permitted to renew it, of being allowed to make myself +known to your family.' + +Emily was again confused, and again hesitated what to reply; she felt +most acutely the difficulty--the forlornness of her situation, which did +not allow her a single relative, or friend, to whom she could turn +for even a look, that might support and guide her in the present +embarrassing circumstances. Madame Cheron, who was her only relative, +and ought to have been this friend, was either occupied by her own +amusements, or so resentful of the reluctance her niece had shewn to +quit La Vallee, that she seemed totally to have abandoned her. + +'Ah! I see,' said Valancourt, after a long pause, during which Emily had +begun, and left unfinished two or three sentences, 'I see that I have +nothing to hope; my fears were too just, you think me unworthy of your +esteem. That fatal journey! which I considered as the happiest period of +my life--those delightful days were to embitter all my future ones. How +often I have looked back to them with hope and fear--yet never till +this moment could I prevail with myself to regret their enchanting +influence.' + +His voice faltered, and he abruptly quitted his seat and walked on the +terrace. There was an expression of despair on his countenance, that +affected Emily. The pleadings of her heart overcame, in some degree, her +extreme timidity, and, when he resumed his seat, she said, in an accent +that betrayed her tenderness, 'You do both yourself and me injustice +when you say I think you unworthy of my esteem; I will acknowledge that +you have long possessed it, and--and--' + +Valancourt waited impatiently for the conclusion of the sentence, +but the words died on her lips. Her eyes, however, reflected all the +emotions of her heart. Valancourt passed, in an instant, from the +impatience of despair, to that of joy and tenderness. 'O Emily!' he +exclaimed, 'my own Emily--teach me to sustain this moment! Let me seal +it as the most sacred of my life!' + +He pressed her hand to his lips, it was cold and trembling; and, raising +her eyes, he saw the paleness of her countenance. Tears came to her +relief, and Valancourt watched in anxious silence over her. In a few +moments, she recovered herself, and smiling faintly through her tears, +said, 'Can you excuse this weakness? My spirits have not yet, I believe, +recovered from the shock they lately received.' + +'I cannot excuse myself,' said Valancourt, 'but I will forbear to renew +the subject, which may have contributed to agitate them, now that I can +leave you with the sweet certainty of possessing your esteem.' + +Then, forgetting his resolution, he again spoke of himself. 'You know +not,' said he, 'the many anxious hours I have passed near you lately, +when you believed me, if indeed you honoured me with a thought, far +away. I have wandered, near the chateau, in the still hours of the +night, when no eye could observe me. It was delightful to know I was so +near you, and there was something particularly soothing in the thought, +that I watched round your habitation, while you slept. These grounds are +not entirely new to me. Once I ventured within the fence, and spent one +of the happiest, and yet most melancholy hours of my life in walking +under what I believed to be your window.' + +Emily enquired how long Valancourt had been in the neighbourhood. +'Several days,' he replied. 'It was my design to avail myself of the +permission M. St. Aubert had given me. I scarcely know how to account +for it; but, though I anxiously wished to do this, my resolution always +failed, when the moment approached, and I constantly deferred my visit. +I lodged in a village at some distance, and wandered with my dogs, among +the scenes of this charming country, wishing continually to meet you, +yet not daring to visit you.' + +Having thus continued to converse, without perceiving the flight of +time, Valancourt, at length, seemed to recollect himself. 'I must go,' +said he mournfully, 'but it is with the hope of seeing you again, of +being permitted to pay my respects to your family; let me hear this hope +confirmed by your voice.' 'My family will be happy to see any friend +of my dear father,' said Emily. Valancourt kissed her hand, and still +lingered, unable to depart, while Emily sat silently, with her eyes bent +on the ground; and Valancourt, as he gazed on her, considered that it +would soon be impossible for him to recall, even to his memory, the +exact resemblance of the beautiful countenance he then beheld; at this +moment an hasty footstep approached from behind the plane-tree, and, +turning her eyes, Emily saw Madame Cheron. She felt a blush steal upon +her cheek, and her frame trembled with the emotion of her mind; but she +instantly rose to meet her visitor. 'So, niece!' said Madame Cheron, +casting a look of surprise and enquiry on Valancourt, 'so niece, how +do you do? But I need not ask, your looks tell me you have already +recovered your loss.' + +'My looks do me injustice then, Madame, my loss I know can never be +recovered.' + +'Well--well! I will not argue with you; I see you have exactly your +father's disposition; and let me tell you it would have been much +happier for him, poor man! if it had been a different one.' + +A look of dignified displeasure, with which Emily regarded Madame +Cheron, while she spoke, would have touched almost any other heart; +she made no other reply, but introduced Valancourt, who could scarcely +stifle the resentment he felt, and whose bow Madame Cheron returned with +a slight curtsy, and a look of supercilious examination. After a few +moments he took leave of Emily, in a manner, that hastily expressed his +pain both at his own departure, and at leaving her to the society of +Madame Cheron. + +'Who is that young man?' said her aunt, in an accent which equally +implied inquisitiveness and censure. 'Some idle admirer of yours I +suppose; but I believed niece you had a greater sense of propriety, than +to have received the visits of any young man in your present unfriended +situation. Let me tell you the world will observe those things, and it +will talk, aye and very freely too.' + +Emily, extremely shocked at this coarse speech, attempted to interrupt +it; but Madame Cheron would proceed, with all the self-importance of a +person, to whom power is new. + +'It is very necessary you should be under the eye of some person more +able to guide you than yourself. I, indeed, have not much leisure for +such a task; however, since your poor father made it his last request, +that I should overlook your conduct--I must even take you under my care. +But this let me tell you niece, that, unless you will determine to be +very conformable to my direction, I shall not trouble myself longer +about you.' + +Emily made no attempt to interrupt Madame Cheron a second time, grief +and the pride of conscious innocence kept her silent, till her aunt +said, 'I am now come to take you with me to Tholouse; I am sorry +to find, that your poor father died, after all, in such indifferent +circumstances; however, I shall take you home with me. Ah! poor man, he +was always more generous than provident, or he would not have left his +daughter dependent on his relations.' + +'Nor has he done so, I hope, madam,' said Emily calmly, 'nor did his +pecuniary misfortunes arise from that noble generosity, which always +distinguished him. The affairs of M. de Motteville may, I trust, yet +be settled without deeply injuring his creditors, and in the meantime I +should be very happy to remain at La Vallee.' + +'No doubt you would,' replied Madame Cheron, with a smile of irony, 'and +I shall no doubt consent to this, since I see how necessary tranquillity +and retirement are to restore your spirits. I did not think you capable +of so much duplicity, niece; when you pleaded this excuse for remaining +here, I foolishly believed it to be a just one, nor expected to have +found with you so agreeable a companion as this M. La Val--, I forget +his name.' + +Emily could no longer endure these cruel indignities. 'It was a just +one, madam,' said she; 'and now, indeed, I feel more than ever the value +of the retirement I then solicited; and, if the purport of your visit +is only to add insult to the sorrows of your brother's child, she could +well have spared it.' + +'I see that I have undertaken a very troublesome task,' said Madame +Cheron, colouring highly. 'I am sure, madam,' said Emily mildly, and +endeavouring to restrain her tears, 'I am sure my father did not mean it +should be such. I have the happiness to reflect, that my conduct under +his eye was such as he often delighted to approve. It would be very +painful to me to disobey the sister of such a parent, and, if you +believe the task will really be so troublesome, I must lament, that it +is yours.' + +'Well! niece, fine speaking signifies little. I am willing, in +consideration of my poor brother, to overlook the impropriety of your +late conduct, and to try what your future will be.' + +Emily interrupted her, to beg she would explain what was the impropriety +she alluded to. + +'What impropriety! why that of receiving the visits of a lover unknown +to your family,' replied Madame Cheron, not considering the impropriety +of which she had herself been guilty, in exposing her niece to the +possibility of conduct so erroneous. + +A faint blush passed over Emily's countenance; pride and anxiety +struggled in her breast; and, till she recollected, that appearances +did, in some degree, justify her aunt's suspicions, she could not +resolve to humble herself so far as to enter into the defence of a +conduct, which had been so innocent and undesigning on her part. She +mentioned the manner of Valancourt's introduction to her father; the +circumstances of his receiving the pistol-shot, and of their afterwards +travelling together; with the accidental way, in which she had met him, +on the preceding evening. She owned he had declared a partiality for +her, and that he had asked permission to address her family. + +'And who is this young adventurer, pray?' said Madame Cheron, 'and what +are his pretensions?' 'These he must himself explain, madam,' replied +Emily. 'Of his family my father was not ignorant, and I believe it is +unexceptionable.' She then proceeded to mention what she knew concerning +it. + +'Oh, then, this it seems is a younger brother,' exclaimed her aunt, 'and +of course a beggar. A very fine tale indeed! And so my brother took a +fancy to this young man after only a few days acquaintance!--but that +was so like him! In his youth he was always taking these likes and +dislikes, when no other person saw any reason for them at all; nay, +indeed, I have often thought the people he disapproved were much more +agreeable than those he admired;--but there is no accounting for tastes. +He was always so much influenced by people's countenances; now I, for my +part, have no notion of this, it is all ridiculous enthusiasm. What has +a man's face to do with his character? Can a man of good character +help having a disagreeable face?'--which last sentence Madame Cheron +delivered with the decisive air of a person who congratulates herself +on having made a grand discovery, and believes the question to be +unanswerably settled. + +Emily, desirous of concluding the conversation, enquired if her aunt +would accept some refreshment, and Madame Cheron accompanied her to the +chateau, but without desisting from a topic, which she discussed with so +much complacency to herself, and severity to her niece. + +'I am sorry to perceive, niece,' said she, in allusion to somewhat that +Emily had said, concerning physiognomy, 'that you have a great many of +your father's prejudices, and among them those sudden predilections for +people from their looks. I can perceive, that you imagine yourself to be +violently in love with this young adventurer, after an acquaintance of +only a few days. There was something, too, so charmingly romantic in the +manner of your meeting!' + +Emily checked the tears, that trembled in her eyes, while she said, +'When my conduct shall deserve this severity, madam, you will do well +to exercise it; till then justice, if not tenderness, should surely +restrain it. I have never willingly offended you; now I have lost my +parents, you are the only person to whom I can look for kindness. Let me +not lament more than ever the loss of such parents.' The last words were +almost stifled by her emotions, and she burst into tears. Remembering +the delicacy and the tenderness of St. Aubert, the happy, happy days +she had passed in these scenes, and contrasting them with the coarse +and unfeeling behaviour of Madame Cheron, and from the future hours +of mortification she must submit to in her presence--a degree of grief +seized her, that almost reached despair. Madame Cheron, more offended +by the reproof which Emily's words conveyed, than touched by the +sorrow they expressed, said nothing, that might soften her grief; but, +notwithstanding an apparent reluctance to receive her niece, she desired +her company. The love of sway was her ruling passion, and she knew it +would be highly gratified by taking into her house a young orphan, who +had no appeal from her decisions, and on whom she could exercise without +controul the capricious humour of the moment. + +On entering the chateau, Madame Cheron expressed a desire, that she +would put up what she thought necessary to take to Tholouse, as she +meant to set off immediately. Emily now tried to persuade her to defer +the journey, at least till the next day, and, at length, with much +difficulty, prevailed. + +The day passed in the exercise of petty tyranny on the part of Madame +Cheron, and in mournful regret and melancholy anticipation on that of +Emily, who, when her aunt retired to her apartment for the night, went +to take leave of every other room in this her dear native home, which +she was now quitting for she knew not how long, and for a world, to +which she was wholly a stranger. She could not conquer a presentiment, +which frequently occurred to her, this night--that she should never more +return to La Vallee. Having passed a considerable time in what had been +her father's study, having selected some of his favourite authors, to +put up with her clothes, and shed many tears, as she wiped the dust from +their covers, she seated herself in his chair before the reading desk, +and sat lost in melancholy reflection, till Theresa opened the door to +examine, as was her custom before she went to bed, if was all safe. She +started, on observing her young lady, who bade her come in, and then +gave her some directions for keeping the chateau in readiness for her +reception at all times. + +'Alas-a-day! that you should leave it!' said Theresa, 'I think you would +be happier here than where you are going, if one may judge.' Emily made +no reply to this remark; the sorrow Theresa proceeded to express at +her departure affected her, but she found some comfort in the simple +affection of this poor old servant, to whom she gave such directions as +might best conduce to her comfort during her own absence. + +Having dismissed Theresa to bed, Emily wandered through every lonely +apartment of the chateau, lingering long in what had been her father's +bed-room, indulging melancholy, yet not unpleasing, emotions, and, +having often returned within the door to take another look at it, she +withdrew to her own chamber. From her window she gazed upon the +garden below, shewn faintly by the moon, rising over the tops of the +palm-trees, and, at length, the calm beauty of the night increased a +desire of indulging the mournful sweetness of bidding farewel to the +beloved shades of her childhood, till she was tempted to descend. +Throwing over her the light veil, in which she usually walked, she +silently passed into the garden, and, hastening towards the distant +groves, was glad to breathe once more the air of liberty, and to sigh +unobserved. The deep repose of the scene, the rich scents, that floated +on the breeze, the grandeur of the wide horizon and of the clear +blue arch, soothed and gradually elevated her mind to that sublime +complacency, which renders the vexations of this world so insignificant +and mean in our eyes, that we wonder they have had power for a moment to +disturb us. Emily forgot Madame Cheron and all the circumstances of +her conduct, while her thoughts ascended to the contemplation of those +unnumbered worlds, that lie scattered in the depths of aether, thousands +of them hid from human eyes, and almost beyond the flight of human +fancy. As her imagination soared through the regions of space, and +aspired to that Great First Cause, which pervades and governs all being, +the idea of her father scarcely ever left her; but it was a pleasing +idea, since she resigned him to God in the full confidence of a pure and +holy faith. She pursued her way through the groves to the terrace, +often pausing as memory awakened the pang of affection, and as reason +anticipated the exile, into which she was going. + +And now the moon was high over the woods, touching their summits with +yellow light, and darting between the foliage long level beams; while on +the rapid Garonne below the trembling radiance was faintly obscured by +the lightest vapour. Emily long watched the playing lustre, listened to +the soothing murmur of the current, and the yet lighter sounds of the +air, as it stirred, at intervals, the lofty palm-trees. 'How delightful +is the sweet breath of these groves,' said she. 'This lovely scene!--how +often shall I remember and regret it, when I am far away. Alas! +what events may occur before I see it again! O, peaceful, happy +shades!--scenes of my infant delights, of parental tenderness now lost +for ever!--why must I leave ye!--In your retreats I should still find +safety and repose. Sweet hours of my childhood--I am now to leave even +your last memorials! No objects, that would revive your impressions, +will remain for me!' + +Then drying her tears and looking up, her thoughts rose again to the +sublime subject she had contemplated; the same divine complacency stole +over her heart, and, hushing its throbs, inspired hope and confidence +and resignation to the will of the Deity, whose works filled her mind +with adoration. + +Emily gazed long on the plane-tree, and then seated herself, for the +last time, on the bench under its shade, where she had so often sat with +her parents, and where, only a few hours before, she had conversed +with Valancourt, at the remembrance of whom, thus revived, a mingled +sensation of esteem, tenderness and anxiety rose in her breast. With +this remembrance occurred a recollection of his late confession--that he +had often wandered near her habitation in the night, having even passed +the boundary of the garden, and it immediately occurred to her, that +he might be at this moment in the grounds. The fear of meeting him, +particularly after the declaration he had made, and of incurring a +censure, which her aunt might so reasonably bestow, if it was known, +that she was met by her lover, at this hour, made her instantly leave +her beloved plane-tree, and walk towards the chateau. She cast an +anxious eye around, and often stopped for a moment to examine the +shadowy scene before she ventured to proceed, but she passed on without +perceiving any person, till, having reached a clump of almond trees, not +far from the house, she rested to take a retrospect of the garden, and +to sigh forth another adieu. As her eyes wandered over the landscape she +thought she perceived a person emerge from the groves, and pass slowly +along a moon-light alley that led between them; but the distance, and +the imperfect light would not suffer her to judge with any degree of +certainty whether this was fancy or reality. She continued to gaze for +some time on the spot, till on the dead stillness of the air she heard +a sudden sound, and in the next instant fancied she distinguished +footsteps near her. Wasting not another moment in conjecture, she +hurried to the chateau, and, having reached it, retired to her chamber, +where, as she closed her window she looked upon the garden, and then +again thought she distinguished a figure, gliding between the almond +trees she had just left. She immediately withdrew from the casement, +and, though much agitated, sought in sleep the refreshment of a short +oblivion. + + + +CHAPTER XI + + + I leave that flowery path for eye + Of childhood, where I sported many a day, + Warbling and sauntering carelessly along; + Where every face was innocent and gay, + Each vale romantic, tuneful every tongue, + Sweet, wild, and artless all. + THE MINSTREL + +At an early hour, the carriage, which was to take Emily and Madame +Cheron to Tholouse, appeared at the door of the chateau, and Madame was +already in the breakfast-room, when her niece entered it. The repast +was silent and melancholy on the part of Emily; and Madame Cheron, whose +vanity was piqued on observing her dejection, reproved her in a manner +that did not contribute to remove it. It was with much reluctance, that +Emily's request to take with her the dog, which had been a favourite +of her father, was granted. Her aunt, impatient to be gone, ordered the +carriage to draw up; and, while she passed to the hall door, Emily gave +another look into the library, and another farewell glance over the +garden, and then followed. Old Theresa stood at the door to take leave +of her young lady. 'God for ever keep you, ma'amselle!' said she, while +Emily gave her hand in silence, and could answer only with a pressure of +her hand, and a forced smile. + +At the gate, which led out of the grounds, several of her father's +pensioners were assembled to bid her farewell, to whom she would have +spoken, if her aunt would have suffered the driver to stop; and, having +distributed to them almost all the money she had about her, she sunk +back in the carriage, yielding to the melancholy of her heart. Soon +after, she caught, between the steep banks of the road, another view of +the chateau, peeping from among the high trees, and surrounded by green +slopes and tufted groves, the Garonne winding its way beneath their +shades, sometimes lost among the vineyards, and then rising in greater +majesty in the distant pastures. The towering precipices of the +Pyrenees, that rose to the south, gave Emily a thousand interesting +recollections of her late journey; and these objects of her former +enthusiastic admiration, now excited only sorrow and regret. Having +gazed on the chateau and its lovely scenery, till the banks again closed +upon them, her mind became too much occupied by mournful reflections, to +permit her to attend to the conversation, which Madame Cheron had begun +on some trivial topic, so that they soon travelled in profound silence. + +Valancourt, mean while, was returned to Estuviere, his heart occupied +with the image of Emily; sometimes indulging in reveries of future +happiness, but more frequently shrinking with dread of the opposition +he might encounter from her family. He was the younger son of an ancient +family of Gascony; and, having lost his parents at an early period +of his life, the care of his education and of his small portion had +devolved to his brother, the Count de Duvarney, his senior by nearly +twenty years. Valancourt had been educated in all the accomplishments +of his age, and had an ardour of spirit, and a certain grandeur of +mind, that gave him particular excellence in the exercises then thought +heroic. His little fortune had been diminished by the necessary expences +of his education; but M. La Valancourt, the elder, seemed to think that +his genius and accomplishments would amply supply the deficiency of his +inheritance. They offered flattering hopes of promotion in the military +profession, in those times almost the only one in which a gentleman +could engage without incurring a stain on his name; and La Valancourt +was of course enrolled in the army. The general genius of his mind was +but little understood by his brother. That ardour for whatever is great +and good in the moral world, as well as in the natural one, displayed +itself in his infant years; and the strong indignation, which he felt +and expressed at a criminal, or a mean action, sometimes drew upon him +the displeasure of his tutor; who reprobated it under the general +term of violence of temper; and who, when haranguing on the virtues of +mildness and moderation, seemed to forget the gentleness and compassion, +which always appeared in his pupil towards objects of misfortune. + +He had now obtained leave of absence from his regiment when he made the +excursion into the Pyrenees, which was the means of introducing him to +St. Aubert; and, as this permission was nearly expired, he was the more +anxious to declare himself to Emily's family, from whom he reasonably +apprehended opposition, since his fortune, though, with a moderate +addition from hers, it would be sufficient to support them, would not +satisfy the views, either of vanity, or ambition. Valancourt was not +without the latter, but he saw golden visions of promotion in the army; +and believed, that with Emily he could, in the mean time, be delighted +to live within the limits of his humble income. His thoughts were now +occupied in considering the means of making himself known to her family, +to whom, however, he had yet no address, for he was entirely ignorant of +Emily's precipitate departure from La Vallee, of whom he hoped to obtain +it. + +Meanwhile, the travellers pursued their journey; Emily making frequent +efforts to appear cheerful, and too often relapsing into silence and +dejection. Madame Cheron, attributing her melancholy solely to the +circumstance of her being removed to a distance from her lover, and +believing, that the sorrow, which her niece still expressed for the +loss of St. Aubert, proceeded partly from an affectation of sensibility, +endeavoured to make it appear ridiculous to her, that such deep regret +should continue to be felt so long after the period usually allowed for +grief. + +At length, these unpleasant lectures were interrupted by the arrival of +the travellers at Tholouse; and Emily, who had not been there for many +years, and had only a very faint recollection of it, was surprised at +the ostentatious style exhibited in her aunt's house and furniture; the +more so, perhaps, because it was so totally different from the modest +elegance, to which she had been accustomed. She followed Madame Cheron +through a large hall, where several servants in rich liveries appeared, +to a kind of saloon, fitted up with more shew than taste; and her aunt, +complaining of fatigue, ordered supper immediately. 'I am glad to find +myself in my own house again,' said she, throwing herself on a large +settee, 'and to have my own people about me. I detest travelling; +though, indeed, I ought to like it, for what I see abroad always makes +me delighted to return to my own chateau. What makes you so silent, +child?--What is it that disturbs you now?' + +Emily suppressed a starting tear, and tried to smile away the expression +of an oppressed heart; she was thinking of HER home, and felt too +sensibly the arrogance and ostentatious vanity of Madame Cheron's +conversation. 'Can this be my father's sister!' said she to herself; and +then the conviction that she was so, warming her heart with something +like kindness towards her, she felt anxious to soften the harsh +impression her mind had received of her aunt's character, and to shew +a willingness to oblige her. The effort did not entirely fail; she +listened with apparent cheerfulness, while Madame Cheron expatiated +on the splendour of her house, told of the numerous parties she +entertained, and what she should expect of Emily, whose diffidence +assumed the air of a reserve, which her aunt, believing it to be that +of pride and ignorance united, now took occasion to reprehend. She knew +nothing of the conduct of a mind, that fears to trust its own powers; +which, possessing a nice judgment, and inclining to believe, that every +other person perceives still more critically, fears to commit itself +to censure, and seeks shelter in the obscurity of silence. Emily had +frequently blushed at the fearless manners, which she had seen admired, +and the brilliant nothings, which she had heard applauded; yet this +applause, so far from encouraging her to imitate the conduct that had +won it, rather made her shrink into the reserve, that would protect her +from such absurdity. + +Madame Cheron looked on her niece's diffidence with a feeling very near +to contempt, and endeavoured to overcome it by reproof, rather than to +encourage it by gentleness. + +The entrance of supper somewhat interrupted the complacent discourse of +Madame Cheron and the painful considerations, which it had forced +upon Emily. When the repast, which was rendered ostentatious by the +attendance of a great number of servants, and by a profusion of plate, +was over, Madame Cheron retired to her chamber, and a female servant +came to shew Emily to hers. Having passed up a large stair-case, and +through several galleries, they came to a flight of back stairs, which +led into a short passage in a remote part of the chateau, and there +the servant opened the door of a small chamber, which she said was +Ma'amselle Emily's, who, once more alone, indulged the tears she had +long tried to restrain. + +Those, who know, from experience, how much the heart becomes attached +even to inanimate objects, to which it has been long accustomed, how +unwillingly it resigns them; how with the sensations of an old friend it +meets them, after temporary absence, will understand the forlornness +of Emily's feelings, of Emily shut out from the only home she had +known from her infancy, and thrown upon a scene, and among persons, +disagreeable for more qualities than their novelty. Her father's +favourite dog, now in the chamber, thus seemed to acquire the character +and importance of a friend; and, as the animal fawned over her when she +wept, and licked her hands, 'Ah, poor Manchon!' said she, 'I have nobody +now to love me--but you!' and she wept the more. After some time, her +thoughts returning to her father's injunctions, she remembered how often +he had blamed her for indulging useless sorrow; how often he had pointed +out to her the necessity of fortitude and patience, assuring her, that +the faculties of the mind strengthen by exertion, till they finally +unnerve affliction, and triumph over it. These recollections dried her +tears, gradually soothed her spirits, and inspired her with the sweet +emulation of practising precepts, which her father had so frequently +inculcated. + + + +CHAPTER XII + + + Some pow'r impart the spear and shield, + At which the wizard passions fly, + By which the giant follies die. + COLLINS + +Madame Cheron's house stood at a little distance from the city of +Tholouse, and was surrounded by extensive gardens, in which Emily, who +had risen early, amused herself with wandering before breakfast. From a +terrace, that extended along the highest part of them, was a wide view +over Languedoc. On the distant horizon to the south, she discovered +the wild summits of the Pyrenees, and her fancy immediately painted +the green pastures of Gascony at their feet. Her heart pointed to her +peaceful home--to the neighbourhood where Valancourt was--where St. +Aubert had been; and her imagination, piercing the veil of distance, +brought that home to her eyes in all its interesting and romantic +beauty. She experienced an inexpressible pleasure in believing, that she +beheld the country around it, though no feature could be distinguished, +except the retiring chain of the Pyrenees; and, inattentive to the scene +immediately before her, and to the flight of time, she continued to lean +on the window of a pavilion, that terminated the terrace, with her eyes +fixed on Gascony, and her mind occupied with the interesting ideas which +the view of it awakened, till a servant came to tell her breakfast +was ready. Her thoughts thus recalled to the surrounding objects, +the straight walks, square parterres, and artificial fountains of the +garden, could not fail, as she passed through it, to appear the worse, +opposed to the negligent graces, and natural beauties of the grounds of +La Vallee, upon which her recollection had been so intensely employed. + +'Whither have you been rambling so early?' said Madame Cheron, as her +niece entered the breakfast-room. 'I don't approve of these solitary +walks;' and Emily was surprised, when, having informed her aunt, that +she had been no further than the gardens, she understood these to be +included in the reproof. 'I desire you will not walk there again at +so early an hour unattended,' said Madame Cheron; 'my gardens are very +extensive; and a young woman, who can make assignations by moon-light, +at La Vallee, is not to be trusted to her own inclinations elsewhere.' + +Emily, extremely surprised and shocked, had scarcely power to beg an +explanation of these words, and, when she did, her aunt absolutely +refused to give it, though, by her severe looks, and half sentences, +she appeared anxious to impress Emily with a belief, that she was well +informed of some degrading circumstances of her conduct. Conscious +innocence could not prevent a blush from stealing over Emily's cheek; +she trembled, and looked confusedly under the bold eye of Madame Cheron, +who blushed also; but hers was the blush of triumph, such as sometimes +stains the countenance of a person, congratulating himself on the +penetration which had taught him to suspect another, and who loses both +pity for the supposed criminal, and indignation of his guilt, in the +gratification of his own vanity. + +Emily, not doubting that her aunt's mistake arose from the having +observed her ramble in the garden on the night preceding her departure +from La Vallee, now mentioned the motive of it, at which Madame Cheron +smiled contemptuously, refusing either to accept this explanation, or +to give her reasons for refusing it; and, soon after, she concluded the +subject by saying, 'I never trust people's assertions, I always judge +of them by their actions; but I am willing to try what will be your +behaviour in future.' + +Emily, less surprised by her aunt's moderation and mysterious silence, +than by the accusation she had received, deeply considered the latter, +and scarcely doubted, that it was Valancourt whom she had seen at night +in the gardens of La Vallee, and that he had been observed there by +Madame Cheron; who now passing from one painful topic only to revive +another almost equally so, spoke of the situation of her niece's +property, in the hands of M. Motteville. While she thus talked with +ostentatious pity of Emily's misfortunes, she failed not to inculcate +the duties of humility and gratitude, or to render Emily fully sensible +of every cruel mortification, who soon perceived, that she was to be +considered as a dependant, not only by her aunt, but by her aunt's +servants. + +She was now informed, that a large party were expected to dinner, on +which account Madame Cheron repeated the lesson of the preceding night, +concerning her conduct in company, and Emily wished, that she might have +courage enough to practise it. Her aunt then proceeded to examine the +simplicity of her dress, adding, that she expected to see her attired +with gaiety and taste; after which she condescended to shew Emily the +splendour of her chateau, and to point out the particular beauty, or +elegance, which she thought distinguished each of her numerous suites of +apartments. She then withdrew to her toilet, the throne of her homage, +and Emily to her chamber, to unpack her books, and to try to charm her +mind by reading, till the hour of dressing. + +When the company arrived, Emily entered the saloon with an air of +timidity, which all her efforts could not overcome, and which was +increased by the consciousness of Madame Cheron's severe observation. +Her mourning dress, the mild dejection of her beautiful countenance, and +the retiring diffidence of her manner, rendered her a very interesting +object to many of the company; among whom she distinguished Signor +Montoni, and his friend Cavigni, the late visitors at M. Quesnel's, who +now seemed to converse with Madame Cheron with the familiarity of old +acquaintance, and she to attend to them with particular pleasure. + +This Signor Montoni had an air of conscious superiority, animated +by spirit, and strengthened by talents, to which every person seemed +involuntarily to yield. The quickness of his perceptions was strikingly +expressed on his countenance, yet that countenance could submit +implicitly to occasion; and, more than once in this day, the triumph of +art over nature might have been discerned in it. His visage was long, +and rather narrow, yet he was called handsome; and it was, perhaps, +the spirit and vigour of his soul, sparkling through his features, that +triumphed for him. Emily felt admiration, but not the admiration that +leads to esteem; for it was mixed with a degree of fear she knew not +exactly wherefore. + +Cavigni was gay and insinuating as formerly; and, though he paid almost +incessant attention to Madame Cheron, he found some opportunities of +conversing with Emily, to whom he directed, at first, the sallies of his +wit, but now and then assumed an air of tenderness, which she observed, +and shrunk from. Though she replied but little, the gentleness and +sweetness of her manners encouraged him to talk, and she felt relieved +when a young lady of the party, who spoke incessantly, obtruded herself +on his notice. This lady, who possessed all the sprightliness of +a Frenchwoman, with all her coquetry, affected to understand every +subject, or rather there was no affectation in the case; for, never +looking beyond the limits of her own ignorance, she believed she had +nothing to learn. She attracted notice from all; amused some, disgusted +others for a moment, and was then forgotten. + +This day passed without any material occurrence; and Emily, though +amused by the characters she had seen, was glad when she could retire to +the recollections, which had acquired with her the character of duties. + +A fortnight passed in a round of dissipation and company, and Emily, who +attended Madame Cheron in all her visits, was sometimes entertained, but +oftener wearied. She was struck by the apparent talents and knowledge +displayed in the various conversations she listened to, and it was long +before she discovered, that the talents were for the most part those of +imposture, and the knowledge nothing more than was necessary to assist +them. But what deceived her most, was the air of constant gaiety and +good spirits, displayed by every visitor, and which she supposed to +arise from content as constant, and from benevolence as ready. At +length, from the over-acting of some, less accomplished than the others, +she could perceive, that, though contentment and benevolence are +the only sure sources of cheerfulness, the immoderate and feverish +animation, usually exhibited in large parties, results partly from an +insensibility to the cares, which benevolence must sometimes derive +from the sufferings of others, and partly from a desire to display the +appearance of that prosperity, which they know will command submission +and attention to themselves. + +Emily's pleasantest hours were passed in the pavilion of the terrace, to +which she retired, when she could steal from observation, with a book to +overcome, or a lute to indulge, her melancholy. There, as she sat +with her eyes fixed on the far-distant Pyrenees, and her thoughts on +Valancourt and the beloved scenes of Gascony, she would play the sweet +and melancholy songs of her native province--the popular songs she had +listened to from her childhood. + +One evening, having excused herself from accompanying her aunt abroad, +she thus withdrew to the pavilion, with books and her lute. It was +the mild and beautiful evening of a sultry day, and the windows, which +fronted the west, opened upon all the glory of a setting sun. Its rays +illuminated, with strong splendour, the cliffs of the Pyrenees, and +touched their snowy tops with a roseate hue, that remained, long after +the sun had sunk below the horizon, and the shades of twilight had +stolen over the landscape. Emily touched her lute with that fine +melancholy expression, which came from her heart. The pensive hour and +the scene, the evening light on the Garonne, that flowed at no great +distance, and whose waves, as they passed towards La Vallee, she often +viewed with a sigh,--these united circumstances disposed her mind to +tenderness, and her thoughts were with Valancourt, of whom she had heard +nothing since her arrival at Tholouse, and now that she was removed from +him, and in uncertainty, she perceived all the interest he held in her +heart. Before she saw Valancourt she had never met a mind and taste so +accordant with her own, and, though Madame Cheron told her much of the +arts of dissimulation, and that the elegance and propriety of thought, +which she so much admired in her lover, were assumed for the purpose of +pleasing her, she could scarcely doubt their truth. This possibility, +however, faint as it was, was sufficient to harass her mind with +anxiety, and she found, that few conditions are more painful than that +of uncertainty, as to the merit of a beloved object; an uncertainty, +which she would not have suffered, had her confidence in her own +opinions been greater. + +She was awakened from her musing by the sound of horses' feet along +a road, that wound under the windows of the pavilion, and a gentleman +passed on horseback, whose resemblance to Valancourt, in air and figure, +for the twilight did not permit a view of his features, immediately +struck her. She retired hastily from the lattice, fearing to be seen, +yet wishing to observe further, while the stranger passed on without +looking up, and, when she returned to the lattice, she saw him faintly +through the twilight, winding under the high trees, that led to +Tholouse. This little incident so much disturbed her spirits, that the +temple and its scenery were no longer interesting to her, and, after +walking awhile on the terrace, she returned to the chateau. + +Madame Cheron, whether she had seen a rival admired, had lost at play, +or had witnessed an entertainment more splendid than her own, was +returned from her visit with a temper more than usually discomposed; and +Emily was glad, when the hour arrived, in which she could retire to the +solitude of her own apartment. + +On the following morning, she was summoned to Madame Cheron, whose +countenance was inflamed with resentment, and, as Emily advanced, she +held out a letter to her. + +'Do you know this hand?' said she, in a severe tone, and with a look +that was intended to search her heart, while Emily examined the letter +attentively, and assured her, that she did not. + +'Do not provoke me,' said her aunt; 'you do know it, confess the truth +immediately. I insist upon your confessing the truth instantly.' + +Emily was silent, and turned to leave the room, but Madame called her +back. 'O you are guilty, then,' said she, 'you do know the hand.' 'If +you was before in doubt of this, madam,' replied Emily calmly, 'why did +you accuse me of having told a falsehood.' Madame Cheron did not +blush; but her niece did, a moment after, when she heard the name of +Valancourt. It was not, however, with the consciousness of deserving +reproof, for, if she ever had seen his hand-writing, the present +characters did not bring it to her recollection. + +'It is useless to deny it,' said Madame Cheron, 'I see in your +countenance, that you are no stranger to this letter; and, I dare say, +you have received many such from this impertinent young man, without my +knowledge, in my own house.' + +Emily, shocked at the indelicacy of this accusation, still more than +by the vulgarity of the former, instantly forgot the pride, that +had imposed silence, and endeavoured to vindicate herself from the +aspersion, but Madame Cheron was not to be convinced. + +'I cannot suppose,' she resumed, 'that this young man would have taken +the liberty of writing to me, if you had not encouraged him to do so, +and I must now'--'You will allow me to remind you, madam,' said Emily +timidly, 'of some particulars of a conversation we had at La Vallee. +I then told you truly, that I had only not forbade Monsieur Valancourt +from addressing my family.' + +'I will not be interrupted,' said Madame Cheron, interrupting her niece, +'I was going to say--I--I-have forgot what I was going to say. But +how happened it that you did not forbid him?' Emily was silent. 'How +happened it that you encouraged him to trouble me with this letter?--A +young man that nobody knows;--an utter stranger in the place,--a young +adventurer, no doubt, who is looking out for a good fortune. However, on +that point he has mistaken his aim.' + +'His family was known to my father,' said Emily modestly, and without +appearing to be sensible of the last sentence. + +'O! that is no recommendation at all,' replied her aunt, with her usual +readiness upon this topic; 'he took such strange fancies to people! He +was always judging persons by their countenances, and was continually +deceived.' 'Yet it was but now, madam, that you judged me guilty by my +countenance,' said Emily, with a design of reproving Madame Cheron, to +which she was induced by this disrespectful mention of her father. + +'I called you here,' resumed her aunt, colouring, 'to tell you, that +I will not be disturbed in my own house by any letters, or visits from +young men, who may take a fancy to flatter you. This M. de Valantine--I +think you call him, has the impertinence to beg I will permit him to +pay his respects to me! I shall send him a proper answer. And for you, +Emily, I repeat it once for all--if you are not contented to conform +to my directions, and to my way of live, I shall give up the task of +overlooking your conduct--I shall no longer trouble myself with your +education, but shall send you to board in a convent.' + +'Dear madam,' said Emily, bursting into tears, and overcome by the rude +suspicions her aunt had expressed, 'how have I deserved these reproofs?' +She could say no more; and so very fearful was she of acting with any +degree of impropriety in the affair itself, that, at the present moment, +Madame Cheron might perhaps have prevailed with her to bind herself by +a promise to renounce Valancourt for ever. Her mind, weakened by her +terrors, would no longer suffer her to view him as she had formerly +done; she feared the error of her own judgment, not that of Madame +Cheron, and feared also, that, in her former conversation with him, at +La Vallee, she had not conducted herself with sufficient reserve. She +knew, that she did not deserve the coarse suspicions, which her aunt had +thrown out, but a thousand scruples rose to torment her, such as would +never have disturbed the peace of Madame Cheron. Thus rendered anxious +to avoid every opportunity of erring, and willing to submit to any +restrictions, that her aunt should think proper, she expressed an +obedience, to which Madame Cheron did not give much confidence, and +which she seemed to consider as the consequence of either fear, or +artifice. + +'Well, then,' said she, 'promise me that you will neither see this young +man, nor write to him without my consent.' 'Dear madam,' replied Emily, +'can you suppose I would do either, unknown to you!' 'I don't know +what to suppose; there is no knowing how young women will act. It is +difficult to place any confidence in them, for they have seldom sense +enough to wish for the respect of the world.' + +'Alas, madam!' said Emily, 'I am anxious for my own respect; my father +taught me the value of that; he said if I deserved my own esteem, that +the world would follow of course.' + +'My brother was a good kind of a man,' replied Madame Cheron, 'but he +did not know the world. I am sure I have always felt a proper respect +for myself, yet--' she stopped, but she might have added, that the world +had not always shewn respect to her, and this without impeaching its +judgment. + +'Well!' resumed Madame Cheron, 'you have not give me the promise, +though, that I demand.' Emily readily gave it, and, being then suffered +to withdraw, she walked in the garden; tried to compose her spirits, +and, at length, arrived at her favourite pavilion at the end of the +terrace, where, seating herself at one of the embowered windows, that +opened upon a balcony, the stillness and seclusion of the scene allowed +her to recollect her thoughts, and to arrange them so as to form a +clearer judgment of her former conduct. She endeavoured to review with +exactness all the particulars of her conversation with Valancourt at La +Vallee, had the satisfaction to observe nothing, that could alarm her +delicate pride, and thus to be confirmed in the self-esteem, which was +so necessary to her peace. Her mind then became tranquil, and she saw +Valancourt amiable and intelligent, as he had formerly appeared, and +Madame Cheron neither the one, or the other. The remembrance of her +lover, however, brought with it many very painful emotions, for it by no +means reconciled her to the thought of resigning him; and, Madame Cheron +having already shewn how highly she disapproved of the attachment, she +foresaw much suffering from the opposition of interests; yet with all +this was mingled a degree of delight, which, in spite of reason, partook +of hope. She determined, however, that no consideration should induce +her to permit a clandestine correspondence, and to observe in her +conversation with Valancourt, should they ever meet again, the same +nicety of reserve, which had hitherto marked her conduct. As she +repeated the words--'should we ever meet again!' she shrunk as if this +was a circumstance, which had never before occurred to her, and tears +came to her eyes, which she hastily dried, for she heard footsteps +approaching, and then the door of the pavilion open, and, on turning, +she saw--Valancourt. An emotion of mingled pleasure, surprise and +apprehension pressed so suddenly upon her heart as almost to overcome +her spirits; the colour left her cheeks, then returned brighter than +before, and she was for a moment unable to speak, or to rise from her +chair. His countenance was the mirror, in which she saw her own emotions +reflected, and it roused her to self-command. The joy, which had +animated his features, when he entered the pavilion, was suddenly +repressed, as, approaching, he perceived her agitation, and, in a +tremulous voice, enquired after her health. Recovered from her first +surprise, she answered him with a tempered smile; but a variety of +opposite emotions still assailed her heart, and struggled to subdue +the mild dignity of her manner. It was difficult to tell which +predominated--the joy of seeing Valancourt, or the terror of her aunt's +displeasure, when she should hear of this meeting. After some short and +embarrassed conversation, she led him into the gardens, and enquired if +he had seen Madame Cheron. 'No,' said he, 'I have not yet seen her, for +they told me she was engaged, and as soon as I learned that you were in +the gardens, I came hither.' He paused a moment, in great agitation, and +then added, 'May I venture to tell you the purport of my visit, without +incurring your displeasure, and to hope, that you will not accuse me of +precipitation in now availing myself of the permission you once gave +me of addressing your family?' Emily, who knew not what to reply, was +spared from further perplexity, and was sensible only of fear, when on +raising her eyes, she saw Madame Cheron turn into the avenue. As the +consciousness of innocence returned, this fear was so far dissipated as +to permit her to appear tranquil, and, instead of avoiding her aunt, she +advanced with Valancourt to meet her. The look of haughty and impatient +displeasure, with which Madame Cheron regarded them, made Emily shrink, +who understood from a single glance, that this meeting was believed to +have been more than accidental: having mentioned Valancourt's name, she +became again too much agitated to remain with them, and returned into +the chateau; where she awaited long, in a state of trembling anxiety, +the conclusion of the conference. She knew not how to account for +Valancourt's visit to her aunt, before he had received the permission +he solicited, since she was ignorant of a circumstance, which would have +rendered the request useless, even if Madame Cheron had been inclined to +grant it. Valancourt, in the agitation of his spirits, had forgotten to +date his letter, so that it was impossible for Madame Cheron to return +an answer; and, when he recollected this circumstance, he was, perhaps, +not so sorry for the omission as glad of the excuse it allowed him for +waiting on her before she could send a refusal. + +Madame Cheron had a long conversation with Valancourt, and, when she +returned to the chateau, her countenance expressed ill-humour, but not +the degree of severity, which Emily had apprehended. 'I have dismissed +this young man, at last,' said she, 'and I hope my house will never +again be disturbed with similar visits. He assures me, that your +interview was not preconcerted.' + +'Dear madam!' said Emily in extreme emotion, 'you surely did not ask him +the question!' 'Most certainly I did; you could not suppose I should be +so imprudent as to neglect it.' + +'Good God!' exclaimed Emily, 'what an opinion must he form of me, since +you, Madam, could express a suspicion of such ill conduct!' + +'It is of very little consequence what opinion he may form of you,' +replied her aunt, 'for I have put an end to the affair; but I believe +he will not form a worse opinion of me for my prudent conduct. I let him +see, that I was not to be trifled with, and that I had more delicacy, +than to permit any clandestine correspondence to be carried on in my +house.' + +Emily had frequently heard Madame Cheron use the word delicacy, but she +was now more than usually perplexed to understand how she meant to apply +it in this instance, in which her whole conduct appeared to merit the +very reverse of the term. + +'It was very inconsiderate of my brother,' resumed Madame Cheron, 'to +leave the trouble of overlooking your conduct to me; I wish you was well +settled in life. But if I find, that I am to be further troubled with +such visitors as this M. Valancourt, I shall place you in a convent at +once;--so remember the alternative. This young man has the impertinence +to own to me,--he owns it! that his fortune is very small, and that he +is chiefly dependent on an elder brother and on the profession he has +chosen! He should have concealed these circumstances, at least, if he +expected to succeed with me. Had he the presumption to suppose I would +marry my niece to a person such as he describes himself!' + +Emily dried her tears when she heard of the candid confession of +Valancourt; and, though the circumstances it discovered were afflicting +to her hopes, his artless conduct gave her a degree of pleasure, that +overcame every other emotion. But she was compelled, even thus early +in life, to observe, that good sense and noble integrity are not always +sufficient to cope with folly and narrow cunning; and her heart was pure +enough to allow her, even at this trying moment, to look with more pride +on the defeat of the former, than with mortification on the conquests of +the latter. + +Madame Cheron pursued her triumph. 'He has also thought proper to tell +me, that he will receive his dismission from no person but yourself; +this favour, however, I have absolutely refused him. He shall learn, +that it is quite sufficient, that I disapprove him. And I take this +opportunity of repeating,--that if you concert any means of interview +unknown to me, you shall leave my house immediately.' + +'How little do you know me, madam, that you should think such an +injunction necessary!' said Emily, trying to suppress her emotion, 'how +little of the dear parents, who educated me!' + +Madame Cheron now went to dress for an engagement, which she had made +for the evening; and Emily, who would gladly have been excused from +attending her aunt, did not ask to remain at home lest her request +should be attributed to an improper motive. When she retired to her own +room, the little fortitude, which had supported her in the presence of +her relation, forsook her; she remembered only that Valancourt, whose +character appeared more amiable from every circumstance, that unfolded +it, was banished from her presence, perhaps, for ever, and she passed +the time in weeping, which, according to her aunt's direction, she ought +to have employed in dressing. This important duty was, however, quickly +dispatched; though, when she joined Madame Cheron at table, her eyes +betrayed, that she had been in tears, and drew upon her a severe +reproof. + +Her efforts to appear cheerful did not entirely fail when she joined the +company at the house of Madame Clairval, an elderly widow lady, who had +lately come to reside at Tholouse, on an estate of her late husband. She +had lived many years at Paris in a splendid style; had naturally a gay +temper, and, since her residence at Tholouse, had given some of the most +magnificent entertainments, that had been seen in that neighbourhood. + +These excited not only the envy, but the trifling ambition of Madame +Cheron, who, since she could not rival the splendour of her festivities, +was desirous of being ranked in the number of her most intimate friends. +For this purpose she paid her the most obsequious attention, and made +a point of being disengaged, whenever she received an invitation from +Madame Clairval, of whom she talked, wherever she went, and derived much +self-consequence from impressing a belief on her general acquaintance, +that they were on the most familiar footing. + +The entertainments of this evening consisted of a ball and supper; it +was a fancy ball, and the company danced in groups in the gardens, +which were very extensive. The high and luxuriant trees, under which the +groups assembled, were illuminated with a profusion of lamps, disposed +with taste and fancy. The gay and various dresses of the company, some +of whom were seated on the turf, conversing at their ease, observing +the cotillons, taking refreshments, and sometimes touching sportively a +guitar; the gallant manners of the gentlemen, the exquisitely capricious +air of the ladies; the light fantastic steps of their dances; the +musicians, with the lute, the hautboy, and the tabor, seated at the foot +of an elm, and the sylvan scenery of woods around were circumstances, +that unitedly formed a characteristic and striking picture of French +festivity. Emily surveyed the gaiety of the scene with a melancholy kind +of pleasure, and her emotion may be imagined when, as she stood with her +aunt, looking at one of the groups, she perceived Valancourt; saw him +dancing with a young and beautiful lady, saw him conversing with her +with a mixture of attention and familiarity, such as she had seldom +observed in his manner. She turned hastily from the scene, and attempted +to draw away Madame Cheron, who was conversing with Signor Cavigni, +and neither perceived Valancourt, or was willing to be interrupted. A +faintness suddenly came over Emily, and, unable to support herself, she +sat down on a turf bank beneath the trees, where several other persons +were seated. One of these, observing the extreme paleness of her +countenance, enquired if she was ill, and begged she would allow him to +fetch her a glass of water, for which politeness she thanked him, but +did not accept it. Her apprehension lest Valancourt should observe her +emotion made her anxious to overcome it, and she succeeded so far as +to re-compose her countenance. Madame Cheron was still conversing with +Cavigni; and the Count Bauvillers, who had addressed Emily, made some +observations upon the scene, to which she answered almost unconsciously, +for her mind was still occupied with the idea of Valancourt, to whom +it was with extreme uneasiness that she remained so near. Some remarks, +however, which the Count made upon the dance obliged her to turn her +eyes towards it, and, at that moment, Valancourt's met hers. Her colour +faded again, she felt, that she was relapsing into faintness, and +instantly averted her looks, but not before she had observed the altered +countenance of Valancourt, on perceiving her. She would have left the +spot immediately, had she not been conscious, that this conduct would +have shewn him more obviously the interest he held in her heart; and, +having tried to attend to the Count's conversation, and to join in +it, she, at length, recovered her spirits. But, when he made some +observation on Valancourt's partner, the fear of shewing that she was +interested in the remark, would have betrayed it to him, had not +the Count, while he spoke, looked towards the person of whom he was +speaking. 'The lady,' said he, 'dancing with that young Chevalier, who +appears to be accomplished in every thing, but in dancing, is ranked +among the beauties of Tholouse. She is handsome, and her fortune will be +very large. I hope she will make a better choice in a partner for life +than she has done in a partner for the dance, for I observe he has just +put the set into great confusion; he does nothing but commit blunders. I +am surprised, that, with his air and figure, he has not taken more care +to accomplish himself in dancing.' + +Emily, whose heart trembled at every word, that was now uttered, +endeavoured to turn the conversation from Valancourt, by enquiring +the name of the lady, with whom he danced; but, before the Count could +reply, the dance concluded, and Emily, perceiving that Valancourt was +coming towards her, rose and joined Madame Cheron. + +'Here is the Chevalier Valancourt, madam,' said she in a whisper, 'pray +let us go.' Her aunt immediately moved on, but not before Valancourt had +reached them, who bowed lowly to Madame Cheron, and with an earnest and +dejected look to Emily, with whom, notwithstanding all her effort, an +air of more than common reserve prevailed. The presence of Madame +Cheron prevented Valancourt from remaining, and he passed on with a +countenance, whose melancholy reproached her for having increased it. +Emily was called from the musing fit, into which she had fallen, by the +Count Bauvillers, who was known to her aunt. + +'I have your pardon to beg, ma'amselle,' said he, 'for a rudeness, which +you will readily believe was quite unintentional. I did not know, that +the Chevalier was your acquaintance, when I so freely criticised his +dancing.' Emily blushed and smiled, and Madame Cheron spared her the +difficulty of replying. 'If you mean the person, who has just passed +us,' said she, 'I can assure you he is no acquaintance of either mine, +or ma'amselle St. Aubert's: I know nothing of him.' + +'O! that is the Chevalier Valancourt,' said Cavigni carelessly, and +looking back. 'You know him then?' said Madame Cheron. 'I am not +acquainted with him,' replied Cavigni. 'You don't know, then, the reason +I have to call him impertinent;--he has had the presumption to admire my +niece!' + +'If every man deserves the title of impertinent, who admires +ma'amselle St. Aubert,' replied Cavigni, 'I fear there are a great many +impertinents, and I am willing to acknowledge myself one of the number.' + +'O Signor!' said Madame Cheron, with an affected smile, 'I perceive you +have learnt the art of complimenting, since you came into France. But it +is cruel to compliment children, since they mistake flattery for truth.' + +Cavigni turned away his face for a moment, and then said with a studied +air, 'Whom then are we to compliment, madam? for it would be absurd to +compliment a woman of refined understanding; SHE is above all praise.' +As he finished the sentence he gave Emily a sly look, and the smile, +that had lurked in his eye, stole forth. She perfectly understood it, +and blushed for Madame Cheron, who replied, 'You are perfectly right, +signor, no woman of understanding can endure compliment.' + +'I have heard Signor Montoni say,' rejoined Cavigni, 'that he never knew +but one woman who deserved it.' + +'Well!' exclaimed Madame Cheron, with a short laugh, and a smile of +unutterable complacency, 'and who could she be?' + +'O!' replied Cavigni, 'it is impossible to mistake her, for certainly +there is not more than one woman in the world, who has both the merit to +deserve compliment and the wit to refuse it. Most women reverse the case +entirely.' He looked again at Emily, who blushed deeper than before for +her aunt, and turned from him with displeasure. + +'Well, signor!' said Madame Cheron, 'I protest you are a Frenchman; I +never heard a foreigner say any thing half so gallant as that!' + +'True, madam,' said the Count, who had been some time silent, and with a +low bow, 'but the gallantry of the compliment had been utterly lost, but +for the ingenuity that discovered the application.' + +Madame Cheron did not perceive the meaning of this too satirical +sentence, and she, therefore, escaped the pain, which Emily felt on +her account. 'O! here comes Signor Montoni himself,' said her aunt, 'I +protest I will tell him all the fine things you have been saying to me.' +The Signor, however, passed at this moment into another walk. 'Pray, who +is it, that has so much engaged your friend this evening?' asked Madame +Cheron, with an air of chagrin, 'I have not seen him once.' + +'He had a very particular engagement with the Marquis La Riviere,' +replied Cavigni, 'which has detained him, I perceive, till this moment, +or he would have done himself the honour of paying his respects to you, +madam, sooner, as he commissioned me to say. But, I know not how it +is--your conversation is so fascinating--that it can charm even memory, +I think, or I should certainly have delivered my friend's apology +before.' + +'The apology, sir, would have been more satisfactory from himself,' said +Madame Cheron, whose vanity was more mortified by Montoni's neglect, +than flattered by Cavigni's compliment. Her manner, at this moment, and +Cavigni's late conversation, now awakened a suspicion in Emily's mind, +which, notwithstanding that some recollections served to confirm it, +appeared preposterous. She thought she perceived, that Montoni was +paying serious addresses to her aunt, and that she not only accepted +them, but was jealously watchful of any appearance of neglect on his +part.--That Madame Cheron at her years should elect a second husband was +ridiculous, though her vanity made it not impossible; but that Montoni, +with his discernment, his figure, and pretensions, should make a choice +of Madame Cheron--appeared most wonderful. Her thoughts, however, did +not dwell long on the subject; nearer interests pressed upon them; +Valancourt, rejected of her aunt, and Valancourt dancing with a gay and +beautiful partner, alternately tormented her mind. As she passed along +the gardens she looked timidly forward, half fearing and half hoping +that he might appear in the crowd; and the disappointment she felt on +not seeing him, told her, that she had hoped more than she had feared. + +Montoni soon after joined the party. He muttered over some short speech +about regret for having been so long detained elsewhere, when he knew +he should have the pleasure of seeing Madame Cheron here; and she, +receiving the apology with the air of a pettish girl, addressed herself +entirely to Cavigni, who looked archly at Montoni, as if he would have +said, 'I will not triumph over you too much; I will have the goodness to +bear my honours meekly; but look sharp, Signor, or I shall certainly run +away with your prize.' + +The supper was served in different pavilions in the gardens, as well as +in one large saloon of the chateau, and with more of taste, than either +of splendour, or even of plenty. Madame Cheron and her party supped with +Madame Clairval in the saloon, and Emily, with difficulty, disguised her +emotion, when she saw Valancourt placed at the same table with herself. +There, Madame Cheron having surveyed him with high displeasure, said to +some person who sat next to her, 'Pray, who IS that young man?' 'It is +the Chevalier Valancourt,' was the answer. 'Yes, I am not ignorant +of his name, but who is this Chevalier Valancourt that thus intrudes +himself at this table?' The attention of the person, who whom she spoke, +was called off before she received a second reply. The table, at which +they sat, was very long, and, Valancourt being seated, with his partner, +near the bottom, and Emily near the top, the distance between them may +account for his not immediately perceiving her. She avoided looking to +that end of the table, but whenever her eyes happened to glance towards +it, she observed him conversing with his beautiful companion, and the +observation did not contribute to restore her peace, any more than the +accounts she heard of the fortune and accomplishments of this same lady. + +Madame Cheron, to whom these remarks were sometimes addressed, because +they supported topics for trivial conversation, seemed indefatigable +in her attempts to depreciate Valancourt, towards whom she felt all the +petty resentment of a narrow pride. 'I admire the lady,' said she, 'but +I must condemn her choice of a partner.' 'Oh, the Chevalier Valancourt +is one of the most accomplished young men we have,' replied the lady, +to whom this remark was addressed: 'it is whispered, that Mademoiselle +D'Emery, and her large fortune, are to be his.' + +'Impossible!' exclaimed Madame Cheron, reddening with vexation, 'it is +impossible that she can be so destitute of taste; he has so little the +air of a person of condition, that, if I did not see him at the table +of Madame Clairval, I should never have suspected him to be one. I have +besides particular reasons for believing the report to be erroneous.' + +'I cannot doubt the truth of it,' replied the lady gravely, disgusted +by the abrupt contradiction she had received, concerning her opinion of +Valancourt's merit. 'You will, perhaps, doubt it,' said Madame Cheron, +'when I assure you, that it was only this morning that I rejected his +suit.' This was said without any intention of imposing the meaning it +conveyed, but simply from a habit of considering herself to be the most +important person in every affair that concerned her niece, and because +literally she had rejected Valancourt. 'Your reasons are indeed such as +cannot be doubted,' replied the lady, with an ironical smile. 'Any more +than the discernment of the Chevalier Valancourt,' added Cavigni, who +stood by the chair of Madame Cheron, and had heard her arrogate to +herself, as he thought, a distinction which had been paid to her niece. +'His discernment MAY be justly questioned, Signor,' said Madame Cheron, +who was not flattered by what she understood to be an encomium on Emily. + +'Alas!' exclaimed Cavigni, surveying Madame Cheron with affected +ecstasy, 'how vain is that assertion, while that face--that shape--that +air--combine to refute it! Unhappy Valancourt! his discernment has been +his destruction.' + +Emily looked surprised and embarrassed; the lady, who had lately +spoke, astonished, and Madame Cheron, who, though she did not perfectly +understand this speech, was very ready to believe herself complimented +by it, said smilingly, 'O Signor! you are very gallant; but those, who +hear you vindicate the Chevalier's discernment, will suppose that I am +the object of it.' + +'They cannot doubt it,' replied Cavigni, bowing low. + +'And would not that be very mortifying, Signor?' + +'Unquestionably it would,' said Cavigni. + +'I cannot endure the thought,' said Madame Cheron. + +'It is not to be endured,' replied Cavigni. + +'What can be done to prevent so humiliating a mistake?' rejoined Madame +Cheron. + +'Alas! I cannot assist you,' replied Cavigni, with a deliberating +air. 'Your only chance of refuting the calumny, and of making people +understand what you wish them to believe, is to persist in your +first assertion; for, when they are told of the Chevalier's want of +discernment, it is possible they may suppose he never presumed to +distress you with his admiration.--But then again--that diffidence, +which renders you so insensible to your own perfections--they will +consider this, and Valancourt's taste will not be doubted, though you +arraign it. In short, they will, in spite of your endeavours, continue +to believe, what might very naturally have occurred to them without any +hint of mine--that the Chevalier has taste enough to admire a beautiful +woman.' + +'All this is very distressing!' said Madame Cheron, with a profound +sigh. + +'May I be allowed to ask what is so distressing?' said Madame Clairval, +who was struck with the rueful countenance and doleful accent, with +which this was delivered. + +'It is a delicate subject,' replied Madame Cheron, 'a very mortifying +one to me.' 'I am concerned to hear it,' said Madame Clairval, 'I hope +nothing has occurred, this evening, particularly to distress you?' +'Alas, yes! within this half hour; and I know not where the report may +end;--my pride was never so shocked before, but I assure you the report +is totally void of foundation.' 'Good God!' exclaimed Madame Clairval,' +what can be done? Can you point out any way, by which I can assist, or +console you?' + +'The only way, by which you can do either,' replied Madame Cheron, 'is +to contradict the report wherever you go.' + +'Well! but pray inform me what I am to contradict.' + +'It is so very humiliating, that I know not how to mention it,' +continued Madame Cheron, 'but you shall judge. Do you observe that +young man seated near the bottom of the table, who is conversing with +Mademoiselle D'Emery?' 'Yes, I perceive whom you mean.' 'You observe how +little he has the air of a person of condition; I was saying just now, +that I should not have thought him a gentleman, if I had not seen him +at this table.' 'Well! but the report,' said Madame Clairval, 'let +me understand the subject of your distress.' 'Ah! the subject of my +distress,' replied Madame Cheron; 'this person, whom nobody knows--(I +beg pardon, madam, I did not consider what I said)--this impertinent +young man, having had the presumption to address my niece, has, I fear, +given rise to a report, that he had declared himself my admirer. Now +only consider how very mortifying such a report must be! You, I +know, will feel for my situation. A woman of my condition!--think how +degrading even the rumour of such an alliance must be.' + +'Degrading indeed, my poor friend!' said Madame Clairval. 'You may rely +upon it I will contradict the report wherever I go;' as she said which, +she turned her attention upon another part of the company; and Cavigni, +who had hitherto appeared a grave spectator of the scene, now fearing +he should be unable to smother the laugh, that convulsed him, walked +abruptly away. + +'I perceive you do not know,' said the lady who sat near Madame Cheron, +'that the gentleman you have been speaking of is Madame Clairval's +nephew!' 'Impossible!' exclaimed Madame Cheron, who now began to +perceive, that she had been totally mistaken in her judgment of +Valancourt, and to praise him aloud with as much servility, as she had +before censured him with frivolous malignity. + +Emily, who, during the greater part of this conversation, had been so +absorbed in thought as to be spared the pain of hearing it, was now +extremely surprised by her aunt's praise of Valancourt, with whose +relationship to Madame Clairval she was unacquainted; but she was +not sorry when Madame Cheron, who, though she now tried to appear +unconcerned, was really much embarrassed, prepared to withdraw +immediately after supper. Montoni then came to hand Madame Cheron to her +carriage, and Cavigni, with an arch solemnity of countenance, followed +with Emily, who, as she wished them good night, and drew up the glass, +saw Valancourt among the crowd at the gates. Before the carriage drove +off, he disappeared. Madame Cheron forbore to mention him to Emily, and, +as soon as they reached the chateau, they separated for the night. + +On the following morning, as Emily sat at breakfast with her aunt, a +letter was brought to her, of which she knew the handwriting upon the +cover; and, as she received it with a trembling hand, Madame Cheron +hastily enquired from whom it came. Emily, with her leave, broke the +seal, and, observing the signature of Valancourt, gave it unread to her +aunt, who received it with impatience; and, as she looked it over, Emily +endeavoured to read on her countenance its contents. Having returned +the letter to her niece, whose eyes asked if she might examine it, 'Yes, +read it, child,' said Madame Cheron, in a manner less severe than she +had expected, and Emily had, perhaps, never before so willingly obeyed +her aunt. In this letter Valancourt said little of the interview of the +preceding day, but concluded with declaring, that he would accept his +dismission from Emily only, and with entreating, that she would allow +him to wait upon her, on the approaching evening. When she read this, +she was astonished at the moderation of Madame Cheron, and looked at +her with timid expectation, as she said sorrowfully--'What am I to say, +madam?' + +'Why--we must see the young man, I believe,' replied her aunt, 'and hear +what he has further to say for himself. You may tell him he may come.' +Emily dared scarcely credit what she heard. 'Yet, stay,' added Madame +Cheron, 'I will tell him so myself.' She called for pen and ink; Emily +still not daring to trust the emotions she felt, and almost sinking +beneath them. Her surprise would have been less had she overheard, +on the preceding evening, what Madame Cheron had not forgotten--that +Valancourt was the nephew of Madame Clairval. + +What were the particulars of her aunt's note Emily did not learn, but +the result was a visit from Valancourt in the evening, whom Madame +Cheron received alone, and they had a long conversation before Emily +was called down. When she entered the room, her aunt was conversing with +complacency, and she saw the eyes of Valancourt, as he impatiently rose, +animated with hope. + +'We have been talking over this affair,' said Madame Cheron, 'the +chevalier has been telling me, that the late Monsieur Clairval was the +brother of the Countess de Duvarney, his mother. I only wish he had +mentioned his relationship to Madame Clairval before; I certainly should +have considered that circumstance as a sufficient introduction to my +house.' Valancourt bowed, and was going to address Emily, but her aunt +prevented him. 'I have, therefore, consented that you shall receive his +visits; and, though I will not bind myself by any promise, or say, that +I shall consider him as my nephew, yet I shall permit the intercourse, +and shall look forward to any further connection as an event, which may +possibly take place in a course of years, provided the chevalier rises +in his profession, or any circumstance occurs, which may make it prudent +for him to take a wife. But Mons. Valancourt will observe, and you too, +Emily, that, till that happens, I positively forbid any thoughts of +marrying.' + +Emily's countenance, during this coarse speech, varied every instant, +and, towards its conclusion, her distress had so much increased, +that she was on the point of leaving the room. Valancourt, meanwhile, +scarcely less embarrassed, did not dare to look at her, for whom he +was thus distressed; but, when Madame Cheron was silent, he said, +'Flattering, madam, as your approbation is to me--highly as I am +honoured by it--I have yet so much to fear, that I scarcely dare to +hope.' 'Pray, sir, explain yourself,' said Madame Cheron; an unexpected +requisition, which embarrassed Valancourt again, and almost overcame him +with confusion, at circumstances, on which, had he been only a spectator +of the scene, he would have smiled. + +'Till I receive Mademoiselle St. Aubert's permission to accept your +indulgence,' said he, falteringly--'till she allows me to hope--' + +'O! is that all?' interrupted Madame Cheron. 'Well, I will take upon me +to answer for her. But at the same time, sir, give me leave to observe +to you, that I am her guardian, and that I expect, in every instance, +that my will is hers.' + +As she said this, she rose and quitted the room, leaving Emily and +Valancourt in a state of mutual embarrassment; and, when Valancourt's +hopes enabled him to overcome his fears, and to address her with the +zeal and sincerity so natural to him, it was a considerable time +before she was sufficiently recovered to hear with distinctness his +solicitations and inquiries. + +The conduct of Madame Cheron in this affair had been entirely governed +by selfish vanity. Valancourt, in his first interview, had with great +candour laid open to her the true state of his present circumstances, +and his future expectancies, and she, with more prudence than humanity, +had absolutely and abruptly rejected his suit. She wished her niece to +marry ambitiously, not because she desired to see her in possession of +the happiness, which rank and wealth are usually believed to bestow, but +because she desired to partake the importance, which such an alliance +would give. When, therefore, she discovered that Valancourt was the +nephew of a person of so much consequence as Madame Clairval, she became +anxious for the connection, since the prospect it afforded of future +fortune and distinction for Emily, promised the exaltation she coveted +for herself. Her calculations concerning fortune in this alliance were +guided rather by her wishes, than by any hint of Valancourt, or strong +appearance of probability; and, when she rested her expectation on the +wealth of Madame Clairval, she seemed totally to have forgotten, that +the latter had a daughter. Valancourt, however, had not forgotten this +circumstance, and the consideration of it had made him so modest in +his expectations from Madame Clairval, that he had not even named the +relationship in his first conversation with Madame Cheron. But, whatever +might be the future fortune of Emily, the present distinction, which the +connection would afford for herself, was certain, since the splendour of +Madame Clairval's establishment was such as to excite the general envy +and partial imitation of the neighbourhood. Thus had she consented to +involve her niece in an engagement, to which she saw only a distant and +uncertain conclusion, with as little consideration of her happiness, +as when she had so precipitately forbade it: for though she herself +possessed the means of rendering this union not only certain, but +prudent, yet to do so was no part of her present intention. + +From this period Valancourt made frequent visits to Madame Cheron, and +Emily passed in his society the happiest hours she had known since the +death of her father. They were both too much engaged by the present +moments to give serious consideration to the future. They loved and were +beloved, and saw not, that the very attachment, which formed the delight +of their present days, might possibly occasion the sufferings of years. +Meanwhile, Madame Cheron's intercourse with Madame Clairval became +more frequent than before, and her vanity was already gratified by +the opportunity of proclaiming, wherever she went, the attachment that +subsisted between their nephew and niece. + +Montoni was now also become a daily guest at the chateau, and Emily +was compelled to observe, that he really was a suitor, and a favoured +suitor, to her aunt. + +Thus passed the winter months, not only in peace, but in happiness, +to Valancourt and Emily; the station of his regiment being so near +Tholouse, as to allow this frequent intercourse. The pavilion on the +terrace was the favourite scene of their interviews, and there Emily, +with Madame Cheron, would work, while Valancourt read aloud works of +genius and taste, listened to her enthusiasm, expressed his own, and +caught new opportunities of observing, that their minds were formed to +constitute the happiness of each other, the same taste, the same noble +and benevolent sentiments animating each. + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + + As when a shepherd of the Hebrid-Isles, + Placed far amid the melancholy main, + (Whether it be lone fancy him beguiles, + Or that aerial beings sometimes deign + To stand embodied to our senses plain) + Sees on the naked hill, or valley low, + The whilst in ocean Phoebus dips his wain, + A vast assembly moving to and fro, + Then all at once in air dissolves the wondrous show. + CASTLE OF INDOLENCE + +Madame Cheron's avarice at length yielded to her vanity. Some very +splendid entertainments, which Madame Clairval had given, and the +general adulation, which was paid her, made the former more anxious than +before to secure an alliance, that would so much exalt her in her own +opinion and in that of the world. She proposed terms for the immediate +marriage of her niece, and offered to give Emily a dower, provided +Madame Clairval observed equal terms, on the part of her nephew. Madame +Clairval listened to the proposal, and, considering that Emily was the +apparent heiress of her aunt's wealth, accepted it. Meanwhile, Emily +knew nothing of the transaction, till Madame Cheron informed her, that +she must make preparation for the nuptials, which would be celebrated +without further delay; then, astonished and wholly unable to account for +this sudden conclusion, which Valancourt had not solicited (for he was +ignorant of what had passed between the elder ladies, and had not +dared to hope such good fortune), she decisively objected to it. Madame +Cheron, however, quite as jealous of contradiction now, as she had been +formerly, contended for a speedy marriage with as much vehemence as she +had formerly opposed whatever had the most remote possibility of leading +to it; and Emily's scruples disappeared, when she again saw Valancourt, +who was now informed of the happiness, designed for him, and came to +claim a promise of it from herself. + +While preparations were making for these nuptials, Montoni became the +acknowledged lover of Madame Cheron; and, though Madame Clairval was +much displeased, when she heard of the approaching connection, and was +willing to prevent that of Valancourt with Emily, her conscience told +her, that she had no right thus to trifle with their peace, and Madame +Clairval, though a woman of fashion, was far less advanced than +her friend in the art of deriving satisfaction from distinction and +admiration, rather than from conscience. + +Emily observed with concern the ascendancy, which Montoni had acquired +over Madame Cheron, as well as the increasing frequency of his visits; +and her own opinion of this Italian was confirmed by that of Valancourt, +who had always expressed a dislike of him. As she was, one morning, +sitting at work in the pavilion, enjoying the pleasant freshness of +spring, whose colours were now spread upon the landscape, and listening +to Valancourt, who was reading, but who often laid aside the book to +converse, she received a summons to attend Madame Cheron immediately, +and had scarcely entered the dressing-room, when she observed with +surprise the dejection of her aunt's countenance, and the contrasted +gaiety of her dress. 'So, niece!'--said Madame, and she stopped under +some degree of embarrassment.--'I sent for you--I--I wished to see you; +I have news to tell you. From this hour you must consider the Signor +Montoni as your uncle--we were married this morning.' + +Astonished--not so much at the marriage, as at the secrecy with which +it had been concluded, and the agitation with which it was announced, +Emily, at length, attributed the privacy to the wish of Montoni, rather +than of her aunt. His wife, however, intended, that the contrary should +be believed, and therefore added, 'you see I wished to avoid a bustle; +but now the ceremony is over I shall do so no longer; and I wish to +announce to my servants that they must receive the Signor Montoni for +their master.' Emily made a feeble attempt to congratulate her on these +apparently imprudent nuptials. 'I shall now celebrate my marriage with +some splendour,' continued Madame Montoni, 'and to save time I shall +avail myself of the preparation that has been made for yours, which +will, of course, be delayed a little while. Such of your wedding clothes +as are ready I shall expect you will appear in, to do honour to this +festival. I also wish you to inform Monsieur Valancourt, that I have +changed my name, and he will acquaint Madame Clairval. In a few days +I shall give a grand entertainment, at which I shall request their +presence.' + +Emily was so lost in surprise and various thought, that she made Madame +Montoni scarcely any reply, but, at her desire, she returned to inform +Valancourt of what had passed. Surprise was not his predominant emotion +on hearing of these hasty nuptials; and, when he learned, that they were +to be the means of delaying his own, and that the very ornaments of the +chateau, which had been prepared to grace the nuptial day of his Emily, +were to be degraded to the celebration of Madame Montoni's, grief and +indignation agitated him alternately. He could conceal neither from the +observation of Emily, whose efforts to abstract him from these serious +emotions, and to laugh at the apprehensive considerations, that assailed +him, were ineffectual; and, when, at length, he took leave, there was an +earnest tenderness in his manner, that extremely affected her; she even +shed tears, when he disappeared at the end of the terrace, yet knew not +exactly why she should do so. + +Montoni now took possession of the chateau, and the command of its +inhabitants, with the ease of a man, who had long considered it to be +his own. His friend Cavigni, who had been extremely serviceable, +in having paid Madame Cheron the attention and flattery, which she +required, but from which Montoni too often revolted, had apartments +assigned to him, and received from the domestics an equal degree of +obedience with the master of the mansion. + +Within a few days, Madame Montoni, as she had promised, gave a +magnificent entertainment to a very numerous company, among whom was +Valancourt; but at which Madame Clairval excused herself from attending. +There was a concert, ball and supper. Valancourt was, of course, Emily's +partner, and though, when he gave a look to the decorations of the +apartments, he could not but remember, that they were designed for +other festivities, than those they now contributed to celebrate, he +endeavoured to check his concern by considering, that a little +while only would elapse before they would be given to their original +destination. During this evening, Madame Montoni danced, laughed +and talked incessantly; while Montoni, silent, reserved and somewhat +haughty, seemed weary of the parade, and of the frivolous company it had +drawn together. + +This was the first and the last entertainment, given in celebration +of their nuptials. Montoni, though the severity of his temper and the +gloominess of his pride prevented him from enjoying such festivities, +was extremely willing to promote them. It was seldom, that he could meet +in any company a man of more address, and still seldomer one of more +understanding, than himself; the balance of advantage in such parties, +or in the connections, which might arise from them, must, therefore, be +on his side; and, knowing, as he did, the selfish purposes, for which +they are generally frequented, he had no objection to measure his +talents of dissimulation with those of any other competitor for +distinction and plunder. But his wife, who, when her own interest was +immediately concerned, had sometimes more discernment than vanity, +acquired a consciousness of her inferiority to other women, in personal +attractions, which, uniting with the jealousy natural to the discovery, +counteracted his readiness for mingling with all the parties Tholouse +could afford. Till she had, as she supposed, the affections of an +husband to lose, she had no motive for discovering the unwelcome truth, +and it had never obtruded itself upon her; but, now that it influenced +her policy, she opposed her husband's inclination for company, with the +more eagerness, because she believed him to be really as well received +in the female society of the place, as, during his addresses to her, he +had affected to be. + +A few weeks only had elapsed, since the marriage, when Madame Montoni +informed Emily, that the Signor intended to return to Italy, as soon as +the necessary preparation could be made for so long a journey. 'We shall +go to Venice,' said she, 'where the Signor has a fine mansion, and from +thence to his estate in Tuscany. Why do you look so grave, child?--You, +who are so fond of a romantic country and fine views, will doubtless be +delighted with this journey.' + +'Am I then to be of the party, madam?' said Emily, with extreme surprise +and emotion. 'Most certainly,' replied her aunt, 'how could you imagine +we should leave you behind? But I see you are thinking of the Chevalier; +he is not yet, I believe, informed of the journey, but he very soon +will be so. Signor Montoni is gone to acquaint Madame Clairval of our +journey, and to say, that the proposed connection between the families +must from this time be thought of no more.' + +The unfeeling manner, in which Madame Montoni thus informed her niece, +that she must be separated, perhaps for ever, from the man, with whom +she was on the point of being united for life, added to the dismay, +which she must otherwise have suffered at such intelligence. When +she could speak, she asked the cause of the sudden change in Madame's +sentiments towards Valancourt, but the only reply she could obtain was, +that the Signor had forbade the connection, considering it to be greatly +inferior to what Emily might reasonably expect. + +'I now leave the affair entirely to the Signor,' added Madame Montoni, +'but I must say, that M. Valancourt never was a favourite with me, and +I was overpersuaded, or I should not have given my consent to the +connection. I was weak enough--I am so foolish sometimes!--to suffer +other people's uneasiness to affect me, and so my better judgment +yielded to your affliction. But the Signor has very properly pointed out +the folly of this, and he shall not have to reprove me a second time. I +am determined, that you shall submit to those, who know how to guide you +better than yourself--I am determined, that you shall be conformable.' + +Emily would have been astonished at the assertions of this eloquent +speech, had not her mind been so overwhelmed by the sudden shock it had +received, that she scarcely heard a word of what was latterly addressed +to her. Whatever were the weaknesses of Madame Montoni, she might have +avoided to accuse herself with those of compassion and tenderness to the +feelings of others, and especially to those of Emily. It was the same +ambition, that lately prevailed upon her to solicit an alliance with +Madame Clairval's family, which induced her to withdraw from it, now +that her marriage with Montoni had exalted her self-consequence, and, +with it, her views for her niece. + +Emily was, at this time, too much affected to employ either +remonstrance, or entreaty on this topic; and when, at length, she +attempted the latter, her emotion overcame her speech, and she retired +to her apartment, to think, if in the present state of her mind to think +was possible, upon this sudden and overwhelming subject. It was very +long, before her spirits were sufficiently composed to permit the +reflection, which, when it came, was dark and even terrible. She saw, +that Montoni sought to aggrandise himself in his disposal of her, and +it occurred, that his friend Cavigni was the person, for whom he was +interested. The prospect of going to Italy was still rendered darker, +when she considered the tumultuous situation of that country, then +torn by civil commotion, where every petty state was at war with its +neighbour, and even every castle liable to the attack of an invader. +She considered the person, to whose immediate guidance she would +be committed, and the vast distance, that was to separate her from +Valancourt, and, at the recollection of him, every other image vanished +from her mind, and every thought was again obscured by grief. + +In this perturbed state she passed some hours, and, when she was +summoned to dinner, she entreated permission to remain in her own +apartment; but Madame Montoni was alone, and the request was refused. +Emily and her aunt said little during the repast; the one occupied +by her griefs, the other engrossed by the disappointment, which the +unexpected absence of Montoni occasioned; for not only was her vanity +piqued by the neglect, but her jealousy alarmed by what she considered +as a mysterious engagement. When the cloth was drawn and they were +alone, Emily renewed the mention of Valancourt; but her aunt, neither +softened to pity, or awakened to remorse, became enraged, that her will +should be opposed, and the authority of Montoni questioned, though this +was done by Emily with her usual gentleness, who, after a long, and +torturing conversation, retired in tears. + +As she crossed the hall, a person entered it by the great door, whom, as +her eyes hastily glanced that way, she imagined to be Montoni, and she +was passing on with quicker steps, when she heard the well-known voice +of Valancourt. + +'Emily, O! my Emily!' cried he in a tone faltering with impatience, +while she turned, and, as he advanced, was alarmed at the expression of +his countenance and the eager desperation of his air. 'In tears, Emily! +I would speak with you,' said he, 'I have much to say; conduct me to +where we may converse. But you tremble--you are ill! Let me lead you to +a seat.' + +He observed the open door of an apartment, and hastily took her hand +to lead her thither; but she attempted to withdraw it, and said, with a +languid smile, 'I am better already; if you wish to see my aunt she +is in the dining-parlour.' 'I must speak with YOU, my Emily,' replied +Valancourt, 'Good God! is it already come to this? Are you indeed so +willing to resign me?' But this is an improper place--I am overheard. +Let me entreat your attention, if only for a few minutes.'--'When you +have seen my aunt,' said Emily. 'I was wretched enough when I came +hither,' exclaimed Valancourt, 'do not increase my misery by this +coldness--this cruel refusal.' + +The despondency, with which he spoke this, affected her almost to tears, +but she persisted in refusing to hear him, till he had conversed with +Madame Montoni. 'Where is her husband, where, then, is Montoni?' said +Valancourt, in an altered tone: 'it is he, to whom I must speak.' + +Emily, terrified for the consequence of the indignation, that flashed +in his eyes, tremblingly assured him, that Montoni was not at home, +and entreated he would endeavour to moderate his resentment. At the +tremulous accents of her voice, his eyes softened instantly from +wildness into tenderness. 'You are ill, Emily,' said he, 'they will +destroy us both! Forgive me, that I dared to doubt your affection.' + +Emily no longer opposed him, as he led her into an adjoining parlour; +the manner, in which he had named Montoni, had so much alarmed her +for his own safety, that she was now only anxious to prevent the +consequences of his just resentment. He listened to her entreaties, +with attention, but replied to them only with looks of despondency and +tenderness, concealing, as much as possible, the sentiments he +felt towards Montoni, that he might soothe the apprehensions, which +distressed her. But she saw the veil he had spread over his resentment, +and, his assumed tranquillity only alarming her more, she urged, at +length, the impolicy of forcing an interview with Montoni, and of +taking any measure, which might render their separation irremediable. +Valancourt yielded to these remonstrances, and her affecting entreaties +drew from him a promise, that, however Montoni might persist in his +design of disuniting them, he would not seek to redress his wrongs by +violence. 'For my sake,' said Emily, 'let the consideration of what I +should suffer deter you from such a mode of revenge!' 'For your sake, +Emily,' replied Valancourt, his eyes filling with tears of tenderness +and grief, while he gazed upon her. 'Yes--yes--I shall subdue myself. +But, though I have given you my solemn promise to do this, do not +expect, that I can tamely submit to the authority of Montoni; if I +could, I should be unworthy of you. Yet, O Emily! how long may he +condemn me to live without you,--how long may it be before you return to +France!' + +Emily endeavoured to sooth him with assurances of her unalterable +affection, and by representing, that, in little more than a year, she +should be her own mistress, as far as related to her aunt, from whose +guardianship her age would then release her; assurances, which gave +little consolation to Valancourt, who considered, that she would then +be in Italy and in the power of those, whose dominion over her would not +cease with their rights; but he affected to be consoled by them. +Emily, comforted by the promise she had obtained, and by his apparent +composure, was about to leave him, when her aunt entered the room. +She threw a glance of sharp reproof upon her niece, who immediately +withdrew, and of haughty displeasure upon Valancourt. + +'This is not the conduct I should have expected from you, sir;' said +she, 'I did not expect to see you in my house, after you had been +informed, that your visits were no longer agreeable, much less, that +you would seek a clandestine interview with my niece, and that she would +grant one.' + +Valancourt, perceiving it necessary to vindicate Emily from such a +design, explained, that the purpose of his own visit had been to request +an interview with Montoni, and he then entered upon the subject of it, +with the tempered spirit which the sex, rather than the respectability, +of Madame Montoni, demanded. + +His expostulations were answered with severe rebuke; she lamented again, +that her prudence had ever yielded to what she termed compassion, and +added, that she was so sensible of the folly of her former consent, +that, to prevent the possibility of a repetition, she had committed the +affair entirely to the conduct of Signor Montoni. + +The feeling eloquence of Valancourt, however, at length, made her +sensible in some measure of her unworthy conduct, and she became +susceptible to shame, but not remorse: she hated Valancourt, who +awakened her to this painful sensation, and, in proportion as she grew +dissatisfied with herself, her abhorrence of him increased. This was +also the more inveterate, because his tempered words and manner were +such as, without accusing her, compelled her to accuse herself, and +neither left her a hope, that the odious portrait was the caricature +of his prejudice, or afforded her an excuse for expressing the violent +resentment, with which she contemplated it. At length, her anger rose +to such an height, that Valancourt was compelled to leave the house +abruptly, lest he should forfeit his own esteem by an intemperate reply. +He was then convinced, that from Madame Montoni he had nothing to hope, +for what of either pity, or justice could be expected from a person, who +could feel the pain of guilt, without the humility of repentance? + +To Montoni he looked with equal despondency, since it was nearly +evident, that this plan of separation originated with him, and it was +not probable, that he would relinquish his own views to entreaties, or +remonstrances, which he must have foreseen and have been prepared to +resist. Yet, remembering his promise to Emily, and more solicitous, +concerning his love, than jealous of his consequence, Valancourt was +careful to do nothing that might unnecessarily irritate Montoni, he +wrote to him, therefore, not to demand an interview, but to solicit one, +and, having done this, he endeavoured to wait with calmness his reply. + +Madame Clairval was passive in the affair. When she gave her approbation +to Valancourt's marriage, it was in the belief, that Emily would be the +heiress of Madame Montoni's fortune; and, though, upon the nuptials +of the latter, when she perceived the fallacy of this expectation, her +conscience had withheld her from adopting any measure to prevent the +union, her benevolence was not sufficiently active to impel her towards +any step, that might now promote it. She was, on the contrary, secretly +pleased, that Valancourt was released from an engagement, which she +considered to be as inferior, in point of fortune, to his merit, as +his alliance was thought by Montoni to be humiliating to the beauty of +Emily; and, though her pride was wounded by this rejection of a member +of her family, she disdained to shew resentment otherwise, than by +silence. + +Montoni, in his reply to Valancourt, said, that as an interview could +neither remove the objections of the one, or overcome the wishes of the +other, it would serve only to produce useless altercation between them. +He, therefore, thought proper to refuse it. + +In consideration of the policy, suggested by Emily, and of his promise +to her, Valancourt restrained the impulse, that urged him to the house +of Montoni, to demand what had been denied to his entreaties. He only +repeated his solicitations to see him; seconding them with all the +arguments his situation could suggest. Thus several days passed, in +remonstrance, on one side, and inflexible denial, on the other; for, +whether it was fear, or shame, or the hatred, which results from both, +that made Montoni shun the man he had injured, he was peremptory in +his refusal, and was neither softened to pity by the agony, which +Valancourt's letters pourtrayed, or awakened to a repentance of his +own injustice by the strong remonstrances he employed. At length, +Valancourt's letters were returned unopened, and then, in the first +moments of passionate despair, he forgot every promise to Emily, except +the solemn one, which bound him to avoid violence, and hastened to +Montoni's chateau, determined to see him by whatever other means might +be necessary. Montoni was denied, and Valancourt, when he afterwards +enquired for Madame, and Ma'amselle St. Aubert, was absolutely refused +admittance by the servants. Not choosing to submit himself to a contest +with these, he, at length, departed, and, returning home in a state of +mind approaching to frenzy, wrote to Emily of what had passed, expressed +without restraint all the agony of his heart, and entreated, that, since +he must not otherwise hope to see her immediately, she would allow him +an interview unknown to Montoni. Soon after he had dispatched this, his +passions becoming more temperate, he was sensible of the error he had +committed in having given Emily a new subject of distress in the strong +mention of his own suffering, and would have given half the world, had +it been his, to recover the letter. Emily, however, was spared the +pain she must have received from it by the suspicious policy of Madame +Montoni, who had ordered, that all letters, addressed to her niece, +should be delivered to herself, and who, after having perused this and +indulged the expressions of resentment, which Valancourt's mention of +Montoni provoked, had consigned it to the flames. + +Montoni, meanwhile, every day more impatient to leave France, gave +repeated orders for dispatch to the servants employed in preparations +for the journey, and to the persons, with whom he was transacting some +particular business. He preserved a steady silence to the letters in +which Valancourt, despairing of greater good, and having subdued the +passion, that had transgressed against his policy, solicited only the +indulgence of being allowed to bid Emily farewell. But, when the latter +[Valancourt] learned, that she was really to set out in a very few days, +and that it was designed he should see her no more, forgetting every +consideration of prudence, he dared, in a second letter to Emily, to +propose a clandestine marriage. This also was transmitted to Madame +Montoni, and the last day of Emily's stay at Tholouse arrived, without +affording Valancourt even a line to sooth his sufferings, or a hope, +that he should be allowed a parting interview. + +During this period of torturing suspense to Valancourt, Emily was sunk +into that kind of stupor, with which sudden and irremediable misfortune +sometimes overwhelms the mind. Loving him with the tenderest affection, +and having long been accustomed to consider him as the friend and +companion of all her future days, she had no ideas of happiness, that +were not connected with him. What, then, must have been her suffering, +when thus suddenly they were to be separated, perhaps, for ever, +certainly to be thrown into distant parts of the world, where they could +scarcely hear of each other's existence; and all this in obedience to +the will of a stranger, for such as Montoni, and of a person, who had +but lately been anxious to hasten their nuptials! It was in vain, that +she endeavoured to subdue her grief, and resign herself to an event, +which she could not avoid. The silence of Valancourt afflicted more than +it surprised her, since she attributed it to its just occasion; but, +when the day, preceding that, on which she was to quit Tholouse, +arrived, and she had heard no mention of his being permitted to take +leave of her, grief overcame every consideration, that had made her +reluctant to speak of him, and she enquired of Madame Montoni, whether +this consolation had been refused. Her aunt informed her that it had, +adding, that, after the provocation she had herself received from +Valancourt, in their last interview, and the persecution, which the +Signor had suffered from his letters, no entreaties should avail to +procure it. + +'If the Chevalier expected this favour from us,' said she, 'he should +have conducted himself in a very different manner; he should have waited +patiently, till he knew whether we were disposed to grant it, and not +have come and reproved me, because I did not think proper to bestow +my niece upon him,--and then have persisted in troubling the Signor, +because he did not think proper to enter into any dispute about +so childish an affair. His behaviour throughout has been extremely +presumptuous and impertinent, and I desire, that I may never hear his +name repeated, and that you will get the better of those foolish sorrows +and whims, and look like other people, and not appear with that dismal +countenance, as if you were ready to cry. For, though you say nothing, +you cannot conceal your grief from my penetration. I can see you are +ready to cry at this moment, though I am reproving you for it; aye, even +now, in spite of my commands.' + +Emily, having turned away to hide her tears, quitted the room to indulge +them, and the day was passed in an intensity of anguish, such as she +had, perhaps, never known before. When she withdrew to her chamber for +the night, she remained in the chair where she had placed herself, on +entering the room, absorbed in her grief, till long after every member +of the family, except herself, was retired to rest. She could not divest +herself of a belief, that she had parted with Valancourt to meet no +more; a belief, which did not arise merely from foreseen circumstances, +for, though the length of the journey she was about to commence, +the uncertainty as to the period of her return, together with the +prohibitions she had received, seemed to justify it, she yielded also to +an impression, which she mistook for a pre-sentiment, that she was going +from Valancourt for ever. How dreadful to her imagination, too, was the +distance that would separate them--the Alps, those tremendous barriers! +would rise, and whole countries extend between the regions where each +must exist! To live in adjoining provinces, to live even in the same +country, though without seeing him, was comparative happiness to the +conviction of this dreadful length of distance. + +Her mind was, at length, so much agitated by the consideration of her +state, and the belief, that she had seen Valancourt for the last time, +that she suddenly became very faint, and, looking round the chamber for +something, that might revive her, she observed the casements, and had +just strength to throw one open, near which she seated herself. The air +recalled her spirits, and the still moon-light, that fell upon the +elms of a long avenue, fronting the window, somewhat soothed them, +and determined her to try whether exercise and the open air would not +relieve the intense pain that bound her temples. In the chateau all was +still; and, passing down the great stair-case into the hall, from whence +a passage led immediately to the garden, she softly and unheard, as she +thought, unlocked the door, and entered the avenue. Emily passed on with +steps now hurried, and now faltering, as, deceived by the shadows +among the trees, she fancied she saw some person move in the distant +perspective, and feared, that it was a spy of Madame Montoni. Her +desire, however, to re-visit the pavilion, where she had passed so many +happy hours with Valancourt, and had admired with him the extensive +prospect over Languedoc and her native Gascony, overcame her +apprehension of being observed, and she moved on towards the terrace, +which, running along the upper garden, commanded the whole of the +lower one, and communicated with it by a flight of marble steps, that +terminated the avenue. + +Having reached these steps, she paused a moment to look round, for her +distance from the chateau now increased the fear, which the stillness +and obscurity of the hour had awakened. But, perceiving nothing that +could justify it, she ascended to the terrace, where the moon-light +shewed the long broad walk, with the pavilion at its extremity, while +the rays silvered the foliage of the high trees and shrubs, that +bordered it on the right, and the tufted summits of those, that rose +to a level with the balustrade on the left, from the garden below. Her +distance from the chateau again alarming her, she paused to listen; the +night was so calm, that no sound could have escaped her, but she heard +only the plaintive sweetness of the nightingale, with the light shiver +of the leaves, and she pursued her way towards the pavilion, having +reached which, its obscurity did not prevent the emotion, that a fuller +view of its well-known scene would have excited. The lattices were +thrown back, and shewed beyond their embowered arch the moon-light +landscape, shadowy and soft; its groves, and plains extending gradually +and indistinctly to the eye, its distant mountains catching a stronger +gleam, and the nearer river reflecting the moon, and trembling to her +rays. + +Emily, as she approached the lattice, was sensible of the features of +this scene only as they served to bring Valancourt more immediately to +her fancy. 'Ah!' said she, with a heavy sigh, as she threw herself +into a chair by the window, 'how often have we sat together in this +spot--often have looked upon that landscape! Never, never more shall we +view it together--never--never more, perhaps, shall we look upon each +other!' + +Her tears were suddenly stopped by terror--a voice spoke near her in +the pavilion; she shrieked--it spoke again, and she distinguished the +well-known tones of Valancourt. It was indeed Valancourt who supported +her in his arms! For some moments their emotion would not suffer either +to speak. 'Emily,' said Valancourt at length, as he pressed her hand in +his. 'Emily!' and he was again silent, but the accent, in which he had +pronounced her name, expressed all his tenderness and sorrow. + +'O my Emily!' he resumed, after a long pause, 'I do then see you once +again, and hear again the sound of that voice! I have haunted this +place--these gardens, for many--many nights, with a faint, very faint +hope of seeing you. This was the only chance that remained to me, and +thank heaven! it has at length succeeded--I am not condemned to absolute +despair!' + +Emily said something, she scarcely knew what, expressive of her +unalterable affection, and endeavoured to calm the agitation of +his mind; but Valancourt could for some time only utter incoherent +expressions of his emotions; and, when he was somewhat more composed, he +said, 'I came hither, soon after sun-set, and have been watching in the +gardens, and in this pavilion ever since; for, though I had now given up +all hope of seeing you, I could not resolve to tear myself from a place +so near to you, and should probably have lingered about the chateau till +morning dawned. O how heavily the moments have passed, yet with what +various emotion have they been marked, as I sometimes thought I heard +footsteps, and fancied you were approaching, and then again--perceived +only a dead and dreary silence! But, when you opened the door of the +pavilion, and the darkness prevented my distinguishing with certainty, +whether it was my love--my heart beat so strongly with hopes and fears, +that I could not speak. The instant I heard the plaintive accents of +your voice, my doubts vanished, but not my fears, till you spoke of +me; then, losing the apprehension of alarming you in the excess of my +emotion, I could no longer be silent. O Emily! these are moments, in +which joy and grief struggle so powerfully for pre-eminence, that the +heart can scarcely support the contest!' + +Emily's heart acknowledged the truth of this assertion, but the joy +she felt on thus meeting Valancourt, at the very moment when she was +lamenting, that they must probably meet no more, soon melted into grief, +as reflection stole over her thoughts, and imagination prompted visions +of the future. She struggled to recover the calm dignity of mind, which +was necessary to support her through this last interview, and which +Valancourt found it utterly impossible to attain, for the transports of +his joy changed abruptly into those of suffering, and he expressed in +the most impassioned language his horror of this separation, and his +despair of their ever meeting again. Emily wept silently as she listened +to him, and then, trying to command her own distress, and to sooth his, +she suggested every circumstance that could lead to hope. But the energy +of his fears led him instantly to detect the friendly fallacies, which +she endeavoured to impose on herself and him, and also to conjure up +illusions too powerful for his reason. + +'You are going from me,' said he, 'to a distant country, O how +distant!--to new society, new friends, new admirers, with people too, +who will try to make you forget me, and to promote new connections! How +can I know this, and not know, that you will never return for me--never +can be mine.' His voice was stifled by sighs. + +'You believe, then,' said Emily, 'that the pangs I suffer proceed from a +trivial and temporary interest; you believe--' + +'Suffer!' interrupted Valancourt, 'suffer for me! O Emily--how +sweet--how bitter are those words; what comfort, what anguish do they +give! I ought not to doubt the steadiness of your affection, yet such +is the inconsistency of real love, that it is always awake to suspicion, +however unreasonable; always requiring new assurances from the object +of its interest, and thus it is, that I always feel revived, as by a +new conviction, when your words tell me I am dear to you; and, wanting +these, I relapse into doubt, and too often into despondency.' Then +seeming to recollect himself, he exclaimed, 'But what a wretch am I, +thus to torture you, and in these moments, too! I, who ought to support +and comfort you!' + +This reflection overcame Valancourt with tenderness, but, relapsing into +despondency, he again felt only for himself, and lamented again this +cruel separation, in a voice and words so impassioned, that Emily +could no longer struggle to repress her own grief, or to sooth his. +Valancourt, between these emotions of love and pity, lost the power, and +almost the wish, of repressing his agitation; and, in the intervals of +convulsive sobs, he, at one moment, kissed away her tears, then told +her cruelly, that possibly she might never again weep for him, and then +tried to speak more calmly, but only exclaimed, 'O Emily--my heart will +break!--I cannot--cannot leave you! Now--I gaze upon that countenance, +now I hold you in my arms! a little while, and all this will appear a +dream. I shall look, and cannot see you; shall try to recollect your +features--and the impression will be fled from my imagination;--to hear +the tones of your voice, and even memory will be silent!--I cannot, +cannot leave you! why should we confide the happiness of our whole lives +to the will of people, who have no right to interrupt, and, except in +giving you to me, have no power to promote it? O Emily! venture to trust +your own heart, venture to be mine for ever!' His voice trembled, and +he was silent; Emily continued to weep, and was silent also, when +Valancourt proceeded to propose an immediate marriage, and that at an +early hour on the following morning, she should quit Madame Montoni's +house, and be conducted by him to the church of the Augustines, where a +friar should await to unite them. + +The silence, with which she listened to a proposal, dictated by love and +despair, and enforced at a moment, when it seemed scarcely possible +for her to oppose it;--when her heart was softened by the sorrows of +a separation, that might be eternal, and her reason obscured by the +illusions of love and terror, encouraged him to hope, that it would not +be rejected. 'Speak, my Emily!' said Valancourt eagerly, 'let me hear +your voice, let me hear you confirm my fate.' she spoke not; her cheek +was cold, and her senses seemed to fail her, but she did not faint. To +Valancourt's terrified imagination she appeared to be dying; he called +upon her name, rose to go to the chateau for assistance, and then, +recollecting her situation, feared to go, or to leave her for a moment. + +After a few minutes, she drew a deep sigh, and began to revive. The +conflict she had suffered, between love and the duty she at present owed +to her father's sister; her repugnance to a clandestine marriage, +her fear of emerging on the world with embarrassments, such as +might ultimately involve the object of her affection in misery and +repentance;--all this various interest was too powerful for a mind, +already enervated by sorrow, and her reason had suffered a transient +suspension. But duty, and good sense, however hard the conflict, at +length, triumphed over affection and mournful presentiment; above all, +she dreaded to involve Valancourt in obscurity and vain regret, which +she saw, or thought she saw, must be the too certain consequence of a +marriage in their present circumstances; and she acted, perhaps, with +somewhat more than female fortitude, when she resolved to endure a +present, rather than provoke a distant misfortune. + +With a candour, that proved how truly she esteemed and loved him, +and which endeared her to him, if possible, more than ever, she told +Valancourt all her reasons for rejecting his proposals. Those, which +influenced her concerning his future welfare, he instantly refuted, or +rather contradicted; but they awakened tender considerations for her, +which the frenzy of passion and despair had concealed before, and love, +which had but lately prompted him to propose a clandestine and immediate +marriage, now induced him to renounce it. The triumph was almost too +much for his heart; for Emily's sake, he endeavoured to stifle his +grief, but the swelling anguish would not be restrained. 'O Emily!' said +he, 'I must leave you--I MUST leave you, and I know it is for ever!' + +Convulsive sobs again interrupted his words, and they wept together in +silence, till Emily, recollecting the danger of being discovered, and +the impropriety of prolonging an interview, which might subject her to +censure, summoned all her fortitude to utter a last farewell. + +'Stay!' said Valancourt, 'I conjure you stay, for I have much to tell +you. The agitation of my mind has hitherto suffered me to speak only +on the subject that occupied it;--I have forborne to mention a doubt of +much importance, partly, lest it should appear as if I told it with +an ungenerous view of alarming you into a compliance with my late +proposal.' + +Emily, much agitated, did not leave Valancourt, but she led him from the +pavilion, and, as they walked upon the terrace, he proceeded as follows: + +'This Montoni: I have heard some strange hints concerning him. Are you +certain he is of Madame Quesnel's family, and that his fortune is what +it appears to be?' + +'I have no reason to doubt either,' replied Emily, in a voice of alarm. +'Of the first, indeed, I cannot doubt, but I have no certain means +of judging of the latter, and I entreat you will tell me all you have +heard.' + +'That I certainly will, but it is very imperfect, and unsatisfactory +information. I gathered it by accident from an Italian, who was speaking +to another person of this Montoni. They were talking of his marriage; +the Italian said, that if he was the person he meant, he was not likely +to make Madame Cheron happy. He proceeded to speak of him in general +terms of dislike, and then gave some particular hints, concerning his +character, that excited my curiosity, and I ventured to ask him a few +questions. He was reserved in his replies, but, after hesitating for +some time, he owned, that he had understood abroad, that Montoni was a +man of desperate fortune and character. He said something of a castle +of Montoni's, situated among the Apennines, and of some strange +circumstances, that might be mentioned, as to his former mode of life. +I pressed him to inform me further, but I believe the strong interest I +felt was visible in my manner, and alarmed him; for no entreaties could +prevail with him to give any explanation of the circumstances he had +alluded to, or to mention any thing further concerning Montoni. I +observed to him, that, if Montoni was possessed of a castle in the +Apennines, it appeared from such a circumstance, that he was of some +family, and also seemed to contradict the report, that he was a man of +entirely broken fortunes. He shook his head, and looked as if he could +have said a great deal, but made no reply. + +'A hope of learning something more satisfactory, or more positive, +detained me in his company a considerable time, and I renewed the +subject repeatedly, but the Italian wrapped himself up in reserve, +said--that what he had mentioned he had caught only from a floating +report, and that reports frequently arose from personal malice, and were +very little to be depended upon. I forbore to press the subject farther, +since it was obvious that he was alarmed for the consequence of what +he had already said, and I was compelled to remain in uncertainty on a +point where suspense is almost intolerable. Think, Emily, what I must +suffer to see you depart for a foreign country, committed to the power +of a man of such doubtful character as is this Montoni! But I will not +alarm you unnecessarily;--it is possible, as the Italian said, at first, +that this is not the Montoni he alluded to. Yet, Emily, consider well +before you resolve to commit yourself to him. O! I must not trust +myself to speak--or I shall renounce all the motives, which so lately +influenced me to resign the hope of your becoming mine immediately.' + +Valancourt walked upon the terrace with hurried steps, while Emily +remained leaning on the balustrade in deep thought. The information she +had just received excited, perhaps, more alarm than it could justify, +and raised once more the conflict of contrasted interests. She had never +liked Montoni. The fire and keenness of his eye, its proud exultation, +its bold fierceness, its sullen watchfulness, as occasion, and even +slight occasion, had called forth the latent soul, she had often +observed with emotion; while from the usual expression of his +countenance she had always shrunk. From such observations she was the +more inclined to believe, that it was this Montoni, of whom the Italian +had uttered his suspicious hints. The thought of being solely in his +power, in a foreign land, was terrifying to her, but it was not +by terror alone that she was urged to an immediate marriage with +Valancourt. The tenderest love had already pleaded his cause, but had +been unable to overcome her opinion, as to her duty, her disinterested +considerations for Valancourt, and the delicacy, which made her revolt +from a clandestine union. It was not to be expected, that a vague terror +would be more powerful, than the united influence of love and grief. But +it recalled all their energy, and rendered a second conquest necessary. + +With Valancourt, whose imagination was now awake to the suggestion of +every passion; whose apprehensions for Emily had acquired strength by +the mere mention of them, and became every instant more powerful, as +his mind brooded over them--with Valancourt no second conquest was +attainable. He thought he saw in the clearest light, and love assisted +the fear, that this journey to Italy would involve Emily in misery; he +determined, therefore, to persevere in opposing it, and in conjuring her +to bestow upon him the title of her lawful protector. + +'Emily!' said he, with solemn earnestness, 'this is no time for +scrupulous distinctions, for weighing the dubious and comparatively +trifling circumstances, that may affect our future comfort. I now see, +much more clearly than before, the train of serious dangers you are +going to encounter with a man of Montoni's character. Those dark +hints of the Italian spoke much, but not more than the idea I have of +Montoni's disposition, as exhibited even in his countenance. I think I +see at this moment all that could have been hinted, written there. He is +the Italian, whom I fear, and I conjure you for your own sake, as well +as for mine, to prevent the evils I shudder to foresee. O Emily! let my +tenderness, my arms withhold you from them--give me the right to defend +you!' + +Emily only sighed, while Valancourt proceeded to remonstrate and to +entreat with all the energy that love and apprehension could inspire. +But, as his imagination magnified to her the possible evils she was +going to meet, the mists of her own fancy began to dissipate, and +allowed her to distinguish the exaggerated images, which imposed on his +reason. She considered, that there was no proof of Montoni being the +person, whom the stranger had meant; that, even if he was so, the +Italian had noticed his character and broken fortunes merely from +report; and that, though the countenance of Montoni seemed to give +probability to a part of the rumour, it was not by such circumstances +that an implicit belief of it could be justified. These considerations +would probably not have arisen so distinctly to her mind, at this +time, had not the terrors of Valancourt presented to her such obvious +exaggerations of her danger, as incited her to distrust the fallacies of +passion. But, while she endeavoured in the gentlest manner to convince +him of his error, she plunged him into a new one. His voice and +countenance changed to an expression of dark despair. 'Emily!' said +he, 'this, this moment is the bitterest that is yet come to me. You +do not--cannot love me!--It would be impossible for you to reason thus +coolly, thus deliberately, if you did. I, _I_ am torn with anguish at +the prospect of our separation, and of the evils that may await you in +consequence of it; I would encounter any hazards to prevent it--to save +you. No! Emily, no!--you cannot love me.' + +'We have now little time to waste in exclamation, or assertion,' said +Emily, endeavouring to conceal her emotion: 'if you are yet to learn how +dear you are, and ever must be, to my heart, no assurances of mine can +give you conviction.' + +The last words faltered on her lips, and her tears flowed fast. These +words and tears brought, once more, and with instantaneous force, +conviction of her love to Valancourt. He could only exclaim, 'Emily! +Emily!' and weep over the hand he pressed to his lips; but she, after +some moments, again roused herself from the indulgence of sorrow, and +said, 'I must leave you; it is late, and my absence from the chateau may +be discovered. Think of me--love me--when I am far away; the belief of +this will be my comfort!' + +'Think of you!--love you!' exclaimed Valancourt. + +'Try to moderate these transports,' said Emily, 'for my sake, try.' + +'For your sake!' + +'Yes, for my sake,' replied Emily, in a tremulous voice, 'I cannot leave +you thus!' + +'Then do not leave me!' said Valancourt, with quickness. 'Why should we +part, or part for longer than till to-morrow?' + +'I am, indeed I am, unequal to these moments,' replied Emily, 'you tear +my heart, but I never can consent to this hasty, imprudent proposal!' + +'If we could command our time, my Emily, it should not be thus hasty; we +must submit to circumstances.' + +'We must indeed! I have already told you all my heart--my spirits are +gone. You allowed the force of my objections, till your tenderness +called up vague terrors, which have given us both unnecessary anguish. +Spare me! do not oblige me to repeat the reasons I have already urged.' + +'Spare you!' cried Valancourt, 'I am a wretch--a very wretch, that have +felt only for myself!--I! who ought to have shewn the fortitude of a +man, who ought to have supported you, I! have increased your sufferings +by the conduct of a child! Forgive me, Emily! think of the distraction +of my mind now that I am about to part with all that is dear to me--and +forgive me! When you are gone, I shall recollect with bitter remorse +what I have made you suffer, and shall wish in vain that I could see +you, if only for a moment, that I might sooth your grief.' + +Tears again interrupted his voice, and Emily wept with him. 'I will shew +myself more worthy of your love,' said Valancourt, at length; 'I will +not prolong these moments. My Emily--my own Emily! never forget me! God +knows when we shall meet again! I resign you to his care.--O God!--O +God!--protect and bless her!' + +He pressed her hand to his heart. Emily sunk almost lifeless on his +bosom, and neither wept, nor spoke. Valancourt, now commanding his own +distress, tried to comfort and re-assure her, but she appeared totally +unaffected by what he said, and a sigh, which she uttered, now and then, +was all that proved she had not fainted. + +He supported her slowly towards the chateau, weeping and speaking to +her; but she answered only in sighs, till, having reached the gate, that +terminated the avenue, she seemed to have recovered her consciousness, +and, looking round, perceived how near they were to the chateau. 'We +must part here,' said she, stopping, 'Why prolong these moments? Teach +me the fortitude I have forgot.' + +Valancourt struggled to assume a composed air. 'Farewell, my love!' said +he, in a voice of solemn tenderness--'trust me we shall meet again--meet +for each other--meet to part no more!' His voice faltered, but, +recovering it, he proceeded in a firmer tone. 'You know not what I shall +suffer, till I hear from you; I shall omit no opportunity of conveying +to you my letters, yet I tremble to think how few may occur. And trust +me, love, for your dear sake, I will try to bear this absence with +fortitude. O how little I have shewn to-night!' + +'Farewell!' said Emily faintly. 'When you are gone, I shall think of +many things I would have said to you.' 'And I of many--many!' said +Valancourt; 'I never left you yet, that I did not immediately remember +some question, or some entreaty, or some circumstance, concerning my +love, that I earnestly wished to mention, and feel wretched because I +could not. O Emily! this countenance, on which I now gaze--will, in a +moment, be gone from my eyes, and not all the efforts of fancy will be +able to recall it with exactness. O! what an infinite difference between +this moment and the next! NOW, I am in your presence, can behold you! +THEN, all will be a dreary blank--and I shall be a wanderer, exiled from +my only home!' + +Valancourt again pressed her to his heart, and held her there in +silence, weeping. Tears once again calmed her oppressed mind. They again +bade each other farewell, lingered a moment, and then parted. Valancourt +seemed to force himself from the spot; he passed hastily up the avenue, +and Emily, as she moved slowly towards the chateau, heard his distant +steps. She listened to the sounds, as they sunk fainter and fainter, +till the melancholy stillness of night alone remained; and then +hurried to her chamber, to seek repose, which, alas! was fled from her +wretchedness. + + + + +VOLUME 2 + + + +CHAPTER I + + + Where'er I roam, whatever realms I see, + My heart untravell'd still shall turn to thee. + GOLDSMITH + +The carriages were at the gates at an early hour; the bustle of the +domestics, passing to and fro in the galleries, awakened Emily from +harassing slumbers: her unquiet mind had, during the night, presented +her with terrific images and obscure circumstances, concerning her +affection and her future life. She now endeavoured to chase away the +impressions they had left on her fancy; but from imaginary evils she +awoke to the consciousness of real ones. Recollecting that she had +parted with Valancourt, perhaps for ever, her heart sickened as memory +revived. But she tried to dismiss the dismal forebodings that crowded on +her mind, and to restrain the sorrow which she could not subdue; +efforts which diffused over the settled melancholy of her countenance +an expression of tempered resignation, as a thin veil, thrown over +the features of beauty, renders them more interesting by a partial +concealment. But Madame Montoni observed nothing in this countenance +except its usual paleness, which attracted her censure. She told her +niece, that she had been indulging in fanciful sorrows, and begged she +would have more regard for decorum, than to let the world see that she +could not renounce an improper attachment; at which Emily's pale cheek +became flushed with crimson, but it was the blush of pride, and she made +no answer. Soon after, Montoni entered the breakfast room, spoke little, +and seemed impatient to be gone. + +The windows of this room opened upon the garden. As Emily passed them, +she saw the spot where she had parted with Valancourt on the preceding +night: the remembrance pressed heavily on her heart, and she turned +hastily away from the object that had awakened it. + +The baggage being at length adjusted, the travellers entered their +carriages, and Emily would have left the chateau without one sigh of +regret, had it not been situated in the neighbourhood of Valancourt's +residence. + +From a little eminence she looked back upon Tholouse, and the far-seen +plains of Gascony, beyond which the broken summits of the Pyrenees +appeared on the distant horizon, lighted up by a morning sun. 'Dear +pleasant mountains!' said she to herself, 'how long may it be ere I see +ye again, and how much may happen to make me miserable in the interval! +Oh, could I now be certain, that I should ever return to ye, and find +that Valancourt still lived for me, I should go in peace! He will still +gaze on ye, gaze when I am far away!' + +The trees, that impended over the high banks of the road and formed a +line of perspective with the distant country, now threatened to exclude +the view of them; but the blueish mountains still appeared beyond the +dark foliage, and Emily continued to lean from the coach window, till at +length the closing branches shut them from her sight. + +Another object soon caught her attention. She had scarcely looked at +a person who walked along the bank, with his hat, in which was the +military feather, drawn over his eyes, before, at the sound of wheels, +he suddenly turned, and she perceived that it was Valancourt himself, +who waved his hand, sprung into the road, and through the window of the +carriage put a letter into her hand. He endeavoured to smile through +the despair that overspread his countenance as she passed on. The +remembrance of that smile seemed impressed on Emily's mind for ever. +She leaned from the window, and saw him on a knoll of the broken bank, +leaning against the high trees that waved over him, and pursuing the +carriage with his eyes. He waved his hand, and she continued to gaze +till distance confused his figure, and at length another turn of the +road entirely separated him from her sight. + +Having stopped to take up Signor Cavigni at a chateau on the road, +the travellers, of whom Emily was disrespectfully seated with Madame +Montoni's woman in a second carriage, pursued their way over the plains +of Languedoc. The presence of this servant restrained Emily from reading +Valancourt's letter, for she did not choose to expose the emotions it +might occasion to the observation of any person. Yet such was her wish +to read this his last communication, that her trembling hand was every +moment on the point of breaking the seal. + +At length they reached the village, where they staid only to change +horses, without alighting, and it was not till they stopped to dine, +that Emily had an opportunity of reading the letter. Though she had +never doubted the sincerity of Valancourt's affection, the fresh +assurances she now received of it revived her spirits; she wept over his +letter in tenderness, laid it by to be referred to when they should be +particularly depressed, and then thought of him with much less anguish +than she had done since they parted. Among some other requests, which +were interesting to her, because expressive of his tenderness, and +because a compliance with them seemed to annihilate for a while the pain +of absence, he entreated she would always think of him at sunset. 'You +will then meet me in thought,' said he; 'I shall constantly watch the +sun-set, and I shall be happy in the belief, that your eyes are fixed +upon the same object with mine, and that our minds are conversing. You +know not, Emily, the comfort I promise myself from these moments; but I +trust you will experience it.' + +It is unnecessary to say with what emotion Emily, on this evening, +watched the declining sun, over a long extent of plains, on which she +saw it set without interruption, and sink towards the province which +Valancourt inhabited. After this hour her mind became far more tranquil +and resigned, than it had been since the marriage of Montoni and her +aunt. + +During several days the travellers journeyed over the plains of +Languedoc; and then entering Dauphiny, and winding for some time among +the mountains of that romantic province, they quitted their carriages +and began to ascend the Alps. And here such scenes of sublimity opened +upon them as no colours of language must dare to paint! Emily's mind was +even so much engaged with new and wonderful images, that they sometimes +banished the idea of Valancourt, though they more frequently revived +it. These brought to her recollection the prospects among the Pyrenees, +which they had admired together, and had believed nothing could excel +in grandeur. How often did she wish to express to him the new emotions +which this astonishing scenery awakened, and that he could partake +of them! Sometimes too she endeavoured to anticipate his remarks, and +almost imagined him present. She seemed to have arisen into another +world, and to have left every trifling thought, every trifling +sentiment, in that below; those only of grandeur and sublimity now +dilated her mind, and elevated the affections of her heart. + +With what emotions of sublimity, softened by tenderness, did she meet +Valancourt in thought, at the customary hour of sun-set, when, wandering +among the Alps, she watched the glorious orb sink amid their summits, +his last tints die away on their snowy points, and a solemn obscurity +steal over the scene! And when the last gleam had faded, she turned +her eyes from the west with somewhat of the melancholy regret that is +experienced after the departure of a beloved friend; while these lonely +feelings were heightened by the spreading gloom, and by the low sounds, +heard only when darkness confines attention, which make the general +stillness more impressive--leaves shook by the air, the last sigh of the +breeze that lingers after sun-set, or the murmur of distant streams. + +During the first days of this journey among the Alps, the scenery +exhibited a wonderful mixture of solitude and inhabitation, of +cultivation and barrenness. On the edge of tremendous precipices, and +within the hollow of the cliffs, below which the clouds often floated, +were seen villages, spires, and convent towers; while green pastures +and vineyards spread their hues at the feet of perpendicular rocks +of marble, or of granite, whose points, tufted with alpine shrubs, or +exhibiting only massy crags, rose above each other, till they terminated +in the snow-topt mountain, whence the torrent fell, that thundered along +the valley. + +The snow was not yet melted on the summit of Mount Cenis, over which +the travellers passed; but Emily, as she looked upon its clear lake and +extended plain, surrounded by broken cliffs, saw, in imagination, the +verdant beauty it would exhibit when the snows should be gone, and the +shepherds, leading up the midsummer flocks from Piedmont, to pasture on +its flowery summit, should add Arcadian figures to Arcadian landscape. + +As she descended on the Italian side, the precipices became still more +tremendous, and the prospects still more wild and majestic, over which +the shifting lights threw all the pomp of colouring. Emily delighted to +observe the snowy tops of the mountains under the passing influence of +the day, blushing with morning, glowing with the brightness of noon, or +just tinted with the purple evening. The haunt of man could now only be +discovered by the simple hut of the shepherd and the hunter, or by the +rough pine bridge thrown across the torrent, to assist the latter in his +chase of the chamois over crags where, but for this vestige of man, it +would have been believed only the chamois or the wolf dared to venture. +As Emily gazed upon one of these perilous bridges, with the cataract +foaming beneath it, some images came to her mind, which she afterwards +combined in the following + + STORIED SONNET + + The weary traveller, who, all night long, + Has climb'd among the Alps' tremendous steeps, + Skirting the pathless precipice, where throng + Wild forms of danger; as he onward creeps + If, chance, his anxious eye at distance sees + The mountain-shepherd's solitary home, + Peeping from forth the moon-illumin'd trees, + What sudden transports to his bosom come! + But, if between some hideous chasm yawn, + Where the cleft pine a doubtful bridge displays, + In dreadful silence, on the brink, forlorn + He stands, and views in the faint rays + Far, far below, the torrent's rising surge, + And listens to the wild impetuous roar; + Still eyes the depth, still shudders on the verge, + Fears to return, nor dares to venture o'er. + Desperate, at length the tottering plank he tries, + His weak steps slide, he shrieks, he sinks--he dies! + +Emily, often as she travelled among the clouds, watched in silent awe +their billowy surges rolling below; sometimes, wholly closing upon the +scene, they appeared like a world of chaos, and, at others, spreading +thinly, they opened and admitted partial catches of the landscape--the +torrent, whose astounding roar had never failed, tumbling down the rocky +chasm, huge cliffs white with snow, or the dark summits of the pine +forests, that stretched mid-way down the mountains. But who may describe +her rapture, when, having passed through a sea of vapour, she caught +a first view of Italy; when, from the ridge of one of those tremendous +precipices that hang upon Mount Cenis and guard the entrance of that +enchanting country, she looked down through the lower clouds, and, as +they floated away, saw the grassy vales of Piedmont at her feet, and, +beyond, the plains of Lombardy extending to the farthest distance, at +which appeared, on the faint horizon, the doubtful towers of Turin? + +The solitary grandeur of the objects that immediately surrounded her, +the mountain-region towering above, the deep precipices that fell +beneath, the waving blackness of the forests of pine and oak, which +skirted their feet, or hung within their recesses, the headlong torrents +that, dashing among their cliffs, sometimes appeared like a cloud of +mist, at others like a sheet of ice--these were features which received +a higher character of sublimity from the reposing beauty of the Italian +landscape below, stretching to the wide horizon, where the same melting +blue tint seemed to unite earth and sky. + +Madame Montoni only shuddered as she looked down precipices near whose +edge the chairmen trotted lightly and swiftly, almost, as the chamois +bounded, and from which Emily too recoiled; but with her fears were +mingled such various emotions of delight, such admiration, astonishment, +and awe, as she had never experienced before. + +Meanwhile the carriers, having come to a landing-place, stopped to rest, +and the travellers being seated on the point of a cliff, Montoni and +Cavigni renewed a dispute concerning Hannibal's passage over the Alps, +Montoni contending that he entered Italy by way of Mount Cenis, and +Cavigni, that he passed over Mount St. Bernard. The subject brought +to Emily's imagination the disasters he had suffered in this bold and +perilous adventure. She saw his vast armies winding among the defiles, +and over the tremendous cliffs of the mountains, which at night were +lighted up by his fires, or by the torches which he caused to be carried +when he pursued his indefatigable march. In the eye of fancy, she +perceived the gleam of arms through the duskiness of night, the glitter +of spears and helmets, and the banners floating dimly on the twilight; +while now and then the blast of a distant trumpet echoed along the +defile, and the signal was answered by a momentary clash of arms. She +looked with horror upon the mountaineers, perched on the higher cliffs, +assailing the troops below with broken fragments of the mountain; on +soldiers and elephants tumbling headlong down the lower precipices; and, +as she listened to the rebounding rocks, that followed their fall, +the terrors of fancy yielded to those of reality, and she shuddered to +behold herself on the dizzy height, whence she had pictured the descent +of others. + +Madame Montoni, meantime, as she looked upon Italy, was contemplating in +imagination the splendour of palaces and the grandeur of castles, such +as she believed she was going to be mistress of at Venice and in the +Apennine, and she became, in idea, little less than a princess. Being +no longer under the alarms which had deterred her from giving +entertainments to the beauties of Tholouse, whom Montoni had mentioned +with more eclat to his own vanity than credit to their discretion, or +regard to truth, she determined to give concerts, though she had neither +ear nor taste for music; conversazioni, though she had no talents for +conversation; and to outvie, if possible, in the gaieties of her parties +and the magnificence of her liveries, all the noblesse of Venice. This +blissful reverie was somewhat obscured, when she recollected the Signor, +her husband, who, though he was not averse to the profit which sometimes +results from such parties, had always shewn a contempt of the frivolous +parade that sometimes attends them; till she considered that his pride +might be gratified by displaying, among his own friends, in his native +city, the wealth which he had neglected in France; and she courted again +the splendid illusions that had charmed her before. + +The travellers, as they descended, gradually, exchanged the region of +winter for the genial warmth and beauty of spring. The sky began to +assume that serene and beautiful tint peculiar to the climate of Italy; +patches of young verdure, fragrant shrubs and flowers looked gaily among +the rocks, often fringing their rugged brows, or hanging in tufts +from their broken sides; and the buds of the oak and mountain ash were +expanding into foliage. Descending lower, the orange and the myrtle, +every now and then, appeared in some sunny nook, with their yellow +blossoms peeping from among the dark green of their leaves, and mingling +with the scarlet flowers of the pomegranate and the paler ones of the +arbutus, that ran mantling to the crags above; while, lower still, +spread the pastures of Piedmont, where early flocks were cropping the +luxuriant herbage of spring. + +The river Doria, which, rising on the summit of Mount Cenis, had dashed +for many leagues over the precipices that bordered the road, now began +to assume a less impetuous, though scarcely less romantic character, as +it approached the green vallies of Piedmont, into which the travellers +descended with the evening sun; and Emily found herself once more amid +the tranquil beauty of pastoral scenery; among flocks and herds, and +slopes tufted with woods of lively verdure and with beautiful shrubs, +such as she had often seen waving luxuriantly over the alps above. The +verdure of the pasturage, now varied with the hues of early flowers, +among which were yellow ranunculuses and pansey violets of delicious +fragrance, she had never seen excelled.--Emily almost wished to become +a peasant of Piedmont, to inhabit one of the pleasant embowered cottages +which she saw peeping beneath the cliffs, and to pass her careless hours +among these romantic landscapes. To the hours, the months, she was to +pass under the dominion of Montoni, she looked with apprehension; while +those which were departed she remembered with regret and sorrow. + +In the present scenes her fancy often gave her the figure of Valancourt, +whom she saw on a point of the cliffs, gazing with awe and admiration +on the imagery around him; or wandering pensively along the vale +below, frequently pausing to look back upon the scenery, and then, +his countenance glowing with the poet's fire, pursuing his way to some +overhanging heights. When she again considered the time and the distance +that were to separate them, that every step she now took lengthened this +distance, her heart sunk, and the surrounding landscape charmed her no +more. + +The travellers, passing Novalesa, reached, after the evening had closed, +the small and antient town of Susa, which had formerly guarded this pass +of the Alps into Piedmont. The heights which command it had, since the +invention of artillery, rendered its fortifications useless; but these +romantic heights, seen by moon-light, with the town below, surrounded +by its walls and watchtowers, and partially illumined, exhibited an +interesting picture to Emily. Here they rested for the night at an inn, +which had little accommodation to boast of; but the travellers brought +with them the hunger that gives delicious flavour to the coarsest +viands, and the weariness that ensures repose; and here Emily first +caught a strain of Italian music, on Italian ground. As she sat after +supper at a little window, that opened upon the country, observing an +effect of the moon-light on the broken surface of the mountains, and +remembering that on such a night as this she once had sat with her +father and Valancourt, resting upon a cliff of the Pyrenees, she heard +from below the long-drawn notes of a violin, of such tone and delicacy +of expression, as harmonized exactly with the tender emotions she was +indulging, and both charmed and surprised her. Cavigni, who approached +the window, smiled at her surprise. 'This is nothing extraordinary,' +said he, 'you will hear the same, perhaps, at every inn on our way. It +is one of our landlord's family who plays, I doubt not,' Emily, as she +listened, thought he could be scarcely less than a professor of music +whom she heard; and the sweet and plaintive strains soon lulled her into +a reverie, from which she was very unwillingly roused by the raillery +of Cavigni, and by the voice of Montoni, who gave orders to a servant to +have the carriages ready at an early hour on the following morning; and +added, that he meant to dine at Turin. + +Madame Montoni was exceedingly rejoiced to be once more on level ground; +and, after giving a long detail of the various terrors she had suffered, +which she forgot that she was describing to the companions of her +dangers, she added a hope, that she should soon be beyond the view of +these horrid mountains, 'which all the world,' said she, 'should not +tempt me to cross again.' Complaining of fatigue she soon retired to +rest, and Emily withdrew to her own room, when she understood from +Annette, her aunt's woman, that Cavigni was nearly right in his +conjecture concerning the musician, who had awakened the violin with +so much taste, for that he was the son of a peasant inhabiting the +neighbouring valley. 'He is going to the Carnival at Venice,' added +Annette, 'for they say he has a fine hand at playing, and will get a +world of money; and the Carnival is just going to begin: but for my +part, I should like to live among these pleasant woods and hills, better +than in a town; and they say Ma'moiselle, we shall see no woods, or +hills, or fields, at Venice, for that it is built in the very middle of +the sea.' + +Emily agreed with the talkative Annette, that this young man was making +a change for the worse, and could not forbear silently lamenting, that +he should be drawn from the innocence and beauty of these scenes, to the +corrupt ones of that voluptuous city. + +When she was alone, unable to sleep, the landscapes of her native home, +with Valancourt, and the circumstances of her departure, haunted her +fancy; she drew pictures of social happiness amidst the grand simplicity +of nature, such as she feared she had bade farewel to for ever; and +then, the idea of this young Piedmontese, thus ignorantly sporting with +his happiness, returned to her thoughts, and, glad to escape awhile from +the pressure of nearer interests, she indulged her fancy in composing +the following lines. + + THE PIEDMONTESE + + Ah, merry swain, who laugh'd along the vales, + And with your gay pipe made the mountains ring, + Why leave your cot, your woods, and thymy gales, + And friends belov'd, for aught that wealth can bring? + He goes to wake o'er moon-light seas the string, + Venetian gold his untaught fancy hails! + Yet oft of home his simple carols sing, + And his steps pause, as the last Alp he scales. + Once more he turns to view his native scene-- + Far, far below, as roll the clouds away, + He spies his cabin 'mid the pine-tops green, + The well-known woods, clear brook, and pastures gay; + And thinks of friends and parents left behind, + Of sylvan revels, dance, and festive song; + And hears the faint reed swelling in the wind; + And his sad sighs the distant notes prolong! + Thus went the swain, till mountain-shadows fell, + And dimm'd the landscape to his aching sight; + And must he leave the vales he loves so well! + Can foreign wealth, and shows, his heart delight? + No, happy vales! your wild rocks still shall hear + His pipe, light sounding on the morning breeze; + Still shall he lead the flocks to streamlet clear, + And watch at eve beneath the western trees. + Away, Venetian gold--your charm is o'er! + And now his swift step seeks the lowland bow'rs, + Where, through the leaves, his cottage light ONCE MORE + Guides him to happy friends, and jocund hours. + Ah, merry swain! that laugh along the vales, + And with your gay pipe make the mountains ring, + Your cot, your woods, your thymy-scented gales-- + And friends belov'd--more joy than wealth can bring! + + + +CHAPTER II + + + TITANIA. If you will patiently dance in our round, + And see our moon-light revels, go with us. + MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM + +Early on the following morning, the travellers set out for Turin. +The luxuriant plain, that extends from the feet of the Alps to that +magnificent city, was not then, as now, shaded by an avenue of trees +nine miles in length; but plantations of olives, mulberry and palms, +festooned with vines, mingled with the pastoral scenery, through with +the rapid Po, after its descent from the mountains, wandered to meet +the humble Doria at Turin. As they advanced towards this city, the Alps, +seen at some distance, began to appear in all their awful sublimity; +chain rising over chain in long succession, their higher points darkened +by the hovering clouds, sometimes hid, and at others seen shooting up +far above them; while their lower steeps, broken into fantastic forms, +were touched with blue and purplish tints, which, as they changed in +light and shade, seemed to open new scenes to the eye. To the east +stretched the plains of Lombardy, with the towers of Turin rising at a +distance; and beyond, the Apennines, bounding the horizon. + +The general magnificence of that city, with its vistas of churches and +palaces, branching from the grand square, each opening to a landscape of +the distant Alps or Apennines, was not only such as Emily had never seen +in France, but such as she had never imagined. + +Montoni, who had been often at Turin, and cared little about views of +any kind, did not comply with his wife's request, that they might survey +some of the palaces; but staying only till the necessary refreshments +could be obtained, they set forward for Venice with all possible +rapidity. Montoni's manner, during this journey, was grave, and even +haughty; and towards Madame Montoni he was more especially reserved; but +it was not the reserve of respect so much as of pride and discontent. +Of Emily he took little notice. With Cavigni his conversations were +commonly on political or military topics, such as the convulsed state +of their country rendered at this time particularly interesting, Emily +observed, that, at the mention of any daring exploit, Montoni's eyes +lost their sullenness, and seemed instantaneously to gleam with fire; +yet they still retained somewhat of a lurking cunning, and she sometimes +thought that their fire partook more of the glare of malice than the +brightness of valour, though the latter would well have harmonized with +the high chivalric air of his figure, in which Cavigni, with all his gay +and gallant manners, was his inferior. + +On entering the Milanese, the gentlemen exchanged their French hats for +the Italian cap of scarlet cloth, embroidered; and Emily was somewhat +surprised to observe, that Montoni added to his the military plume, +while Cavigni retained only the feather: which was usually worn with +such caps: but she at length concluded, that Montoni assumed this ensign +of a soldier for convenience, as a means of passing with more safety +through a country over-run with parties of the military. + +Over the beautiful plains of this country the devastations of war +were frequently visible. Where the lands had not been suffered to lie +uncultivated, they were often tracked with the steps of the spoiler; +the vines were torn down from the branches that had supported them, the +olives trampled upon the ground, and even the groves of mulberry trees +had been hewn by the enemy to light fires that destroyed the hamlets and +villages of their owners. Emily turned her eyes with a sigh from +these painful vestiges of contention, to the Alps of the Grison, that +overlooked them to the north, whose awful solitudes seemed to offer to +persecuted man a secure asylum. + +The travellers frequently distinguished troops of soldiers moving at +a distance; and they experienced, at the little inns on the road, the +scarcity of provision and other inconveniences, which are a part of +the consequence of intestine war; but they had never reason to be much +alarmed for their immediate safety, and they passed on to Milan with +little interruption of any kind, where they staid not to survey the +grandeur of the city, or even to view its vast cathedral, which was then +building. + +Beyond Milan, the country wore the aspect of a ruder devastation; and +though every thing seemed now quiet, the repose was like that of +death, spread over features, which retain the impression of the last +convulsions. + +It was not till they had passed the eastern limits of the Milanese, that +the travellers saw any troops since they had left Milan, when, as the +evening was drawing to a close, they descried what appeared to be an +army winding onward along the distant plains, whose spears and other +arms caught the last rays of the sun. As the column advanced through +a part of the road, contracted between two hillocks, some of the +commanders, on horseback, were distinguished on a small eminence, +pointing and making signals for the march; while several of the officers +were riding along the line directing its progress, according to the +signs communicated by those above; and others, separating from the +vanguard, which had emerged from the pass, were riding carelessly along +the plains at some distance to the right of the army. + +As they drew nearer, Montoni, distinguishing the feathers that waved +in their caps, and the banners and liveries of the bands that followed +them, thought he knew this to be the small army commanded by the famous +captain Utaldo, with whom, as well as with some of the other chiefs, he +was personally acquainted. He, therefore, gave orders that the carriages +should draw up by the side of the road, to await their arrival, and +give them the pass. A faint strain of martial music now stole by, and, +gradually strengthening as the troops approached, Emily distinguished +the drums and trumpets, with the clash of cymbals and of arms, that were +struck by a small party, in time to the march. + +Montoni being now certain that these were the bands of the victorious +Utaldo, leaned from the carriage window, and hailed their general +by waving his cap in the air; which compliment the chief returned by +raising his spear, and then letting it down again suddenly, while some +of his officers, who were riding at a distance from the troops, came up +to the carriage, and saluted Montoni as an old acquaintance. The captain +himself soon after arriving, his bands halted while he conversed with +Montoni, whom he appeared much rejoiced to see; and from what he said, +Emily understood that this was a victorious army, returning into their +own principality; while the numerous waggons, that accompanied them, +contained the rich spoils of the enemy, their own wounded soldiers, and +the prisoners they had taken in battle, who were to be ransomed when +the peace, then negociating between the neighbouring states, should be +ratified. The chiefs on the following day were to separate, and each, +taking his share of the spoil, was to return with his own band to his +castle. This was therefore to be an evening of uncommon and general +festivity, in commemoration of the victory they had accomplished +together, and of the farewell which the commanders were about to take of +each other. + +Emily, as these officers conversed with Montoni, observed with +admiration, tinctured with awe, their high martial air, mingled with +the haughtiness of the nobless of those days, and heightened by the +gallantry of their dress, by the plumes towering on their caps, the +armorial coat, Persian sash, and ancient Spanish cloak. Utaldo, telling +Montoni that his army were going to encamp for the night near a village +at only a few miles distance, invited him to turn back and partake +of their festivity, assuring the ladies also, that they should be +pleasantly accommodated; but Montoni excused himself, adding, that +it was his design to reach Verona that evening; and, after some +conversation concerning the state of the country towards that city, they +parted. + +The travellers proceeded without any interruption; but it was some hours +after sun-set before they arrived at Verona, whose beautiful environs +were therefore not seen by Emily till the following morning; when, +leaving that pleasant town at an early hour, they set off for Padua, +where they embarked on the Brenta for Venice. Here the scene was +entirely changed; no vestiges of war, such as had deformed the plains of +the Milanese, appeared; on the contrary, all was peace and elegance. The +verdant banks of the Brenta exhibited a continued landscape of beauty, +gaiety, and splendour. Emily gazed with admiration on the villas of the +Venetian noblesse, with their cool porticos and colonnades, overhung +with poplars and cypresses of majestic height and lively verdure; on +their rich orangeries, whose blossoms perfumed the air, and on the +luxuriant willows, that dipped their light leaves in the wave, and +sheltered from the sun the gay parties whose music came at intervals on +the breeze. The Carnival did, indeed, appear to extend from Venice along +the whole line of these enchanting shores; the river was gay with boats +passing to that city, exhibiting the fantastic diversity of a masquerade +in the dresses of the people within them; and, towards evening, groups +of dancers frequently were seen beneath the trees. + +Cavigni, meanwhile, informed her of the names of the noblemen to whom +the several villas they passed belonged, adding light sketches of their +characters, such as served to amuse rather than to inform, exhibiting +his own wit instead of the delineation of truth. Emily was sometimes +diverted by his conversation; but his gaiety did not entertain Madame +Montoni, as it had formerly done; she was frequently grave, and Montoni +retained his usual reserve. + +Nothing could exceed Emily's admiration on her first view of Venice, +with its islets, palaces, and towers rising out of the sea, whose clear +surface reflected the tremulous picture in all its colours. The sun, +sinking in the west, tinted the waves and the lofty mountains of Friuli, +which skirt the northern shores of the Adriatic, with a saffron glow, +while on the marble porticos and colonnades of St. Mark were thrown +the rich lights and shades of evening. As they glided on, the grander +features of this city appeared more distinctly: its terraces, crowned +with airy yet majestic fabrics, touched, as they now were, with the +splendour of the setting sun, appeared as if they had been called up +from the ocean by the wand of an enchanter, rather than reared by mortal +hands. + +The sun, soon after, sinking to the lower world, the shadow of the earth +stole gradually over the waves, and then up the towering sides of the +mountains of Friuli, till it extinguished even the last upward beams +that had lingered on their summits, and the melancholy purple of evening +drew over them, like a thin veil. How deep, how beautiful was the +tranquillity that wrapped the scene! All nature seemed to repose; the +finest emotions of the soul were alone awake. Emily's eyes filled with +tears of admiration and sublime devotion, as she raised them over the +sleeping world to the vast heavens, and heard the notes of solemn +music, that stole over the waters from a distance. She listened in still +rapture, and no person of the party broke the charm by an enquiry. The +sounds seemed to grow on the air; for so smoothly did the barge glide +along, that its motion was not perceivable, and the fairy city appeared +approaching to welcome the strangers. They now distinguished a female +voice, accompanied by a few instruments, singing a soft and mournful +air; and its fine expression, as sometimes it seemed pleading with the +impassioned tenderness of love, and then languishing into the cadence +of hopeless grief, declared, that it flowed from no feigned sensibility. +Ah! thought Emily, as she sighed and remembered Valancourt, those +strains come from the heart! + +She looked round, with anxious enquiry; the deep twilight, that had +fallen over the scene, admitted only imperfect images to the eye, but, +at some distance on the sea, she thought she perceived a gondola: a +chorus of voices and instruments now swelled on the air--so sweet, so +solemn! it seemed like the hymn of angels descending through the silence +of night! Now it died away, and fancy almost beheld the holy choir +reascending towards heaven; then again it swelled with the breeze, +trembled awhile, and again died into silence. It brought to Emily's +recollection some lines of her late father, and she repeated in a low +voice, + + Oft I hear, + Upon the silence of the midnight air, + Celestial voices swell in holy chorus + That bears the soul to heaven! + +The deep stillness, that succeeded, was as expressive as the strain +that had just ceased. It was uninterrupted for several minutes, till +a general sigh seemed to release the company from their enchantment. +Emily, however, long indulged the pleasing sadness, that had stolen +upon her spirits; but the gay and busy scene that appeared, as the barge +approached St. Mark's Place, at length roused her attention. The rising +moon, which threw a shadowy light upon the terraces, and illumined +the porticos and magnificent arcades that crowned them, discovered the +various company, whose light steps, soft guitars, and softer voices, +echoed through the colonnades. + +The music they heard before now passed Montoni's barge, in one of the +gondolas, of which several were seen skimming along the moon-light sea, +full of gay parties, catching the cool breeze. Most of these had music, +made sweeter by the waves over which it floated, and by the measured +sound of oars, as they dashed the sparkling tide. Emily gazed, and +listened, and thought herself in a fairy scene; even Madame Montoni was +pleased; Montoni congratulated himself on his return to Venice, which +he called the first city in the world, and Cavigni was more gay and +animated than ever. + +The barge passed on to the grand canal, where Montoni's mansion was +situated. And here, other forms of beauty and of grandeur, such as her +imagination had never painted, were unfolded to Emily in the palaces of +Sansovino and Palladio, as she glided along the waves. The air bore no +sounds, but those of sweetness, echoing along each margin of the canal, +and from gondolas on its surface, while groups of masks were seen +dancing on the moon-light terraces, and seemed almost to realize the +romance of fairyland. + +The barge stopped before the portico of a large house, from whence +a servant of Montoni crossed the terrace, and immediately the party +disembarked. From the portico they passed a noble hall to a stair-case +of marble, which led to a saloon, fitted up in a style of magnificence +that surprised Emily. The walls and ceilings were adorned with +historical and allegorical paintings, in fresco; silver tripods, +depending from chains of the same metal, illumined the apartment, the +floor of which was covered with Indian mats painted in a variety of +colours and devices; the couches and drapery of the lattices were of +pale green silk, embroidered and fringed with green and gold. Balcony +lattices opened upon the grand canal, whence rose a confusion of voices +and of musical instruments, and the breeze that gave freshness to the +apartment. Emily, considering the gloomy temper of Montoni, looked upon +the splendid furniture of this house with surprise, and remembered the +report of his being a man of broken fortune, with astonishment. 'Ah!' +said she to herself, 'if Valancourt could but see this mansion, what +peace would it give him! He would then be convinced that the report was +groundless.' + +Madame Montoni seemed to assume the air of a princess; but Montoni was +restless and discontented, and did not even observe the civility of +bidding her welcome to her home. + +Soon after his arrival, he ordered his gondola, and, with Cavigni, went +out to mingle in the scenes of the evening. Madame then became serious +and thoughtful. Emily, who was charmed with every thing she saw, +endeavoured to enliven her; but reflection had not, with Madame Montoni, +subdued caprice and ill-humour, and her answers discovered so much of +both, that Emily gave up the attempt of diverting her, and withdrew to +a lattice, to amuse herself with the scene without, so new and so +enchanting. + +The first object that attracted her notice was a group of dancers on the +terrace below, led by a guitar and some other instruments. The girl, who +struck the guitar, and another, who flourished a tambourine, passed +on in a dancing step, and with a light grace and gaiety of heart, that +would have subdued the goddess of spleen in her worst humour. After +these came a group of fantastic figures, some dressed as gondolieri, +others as minstrels, while others seemed to defy all description. They +sung in parts, their voices accompanied by a few soft instruments. At a +little distance from the portico they stopped, and Emily distinguished +the verses of Ariosto. They sung of the wars of the Moors against +Charlemagne, and then of the woes of Orlando: afterwards the measure +changed, and the melancholy sweetness of Petrarch succeeded. The +magic of his grief was assisted by all that Italian music and Italian +expression, heightened by the enchantments of Venetian moonlight, could +give. + +Emily, as she listened, caught the pensive enthusiasm; her tears flowed +silently, while her fancy bore her far away to France and to Valancourt. +Each succeeding sonnet, more full of charming sadness than the last, +seemed to bind the spell of melancholy: with extreme regret she saw the +musicians move on, and her attention followed the strain till the +last faint warble died in air. She then remained sunk in that pensive +tranquillity which soft music leaves on the mind--a state like that +produced by the view of a beautiful landscape by moon-light, or by the +recollection of scenes marked with the tenderness of friends lost for +ever, and with sorrows, which time has mellowed into mild regret. Such +scenes are indeed, to the mind, like 'those faint traces which the +memory bears of music that is past'. + +Other sounds soon awakened her attention: it was the solemn harmony of +horns, that swelled from a distance; and, observing the gondolas arrange +themselves along the margin of the terraces, she threw on her veil, and, +stepping into the balcony, discerned, in the distant perspective of the +canal, something like a procession, floating on the light surface of +the water: as it approached, the horns and other instruments mingled +sweetly, and soon after the fabled deities of the city seemed to have +arisen from the ocean; for Neptune, with Venice personified as +his queen, came on the undulating waves, surrounded by tritons and +sea-nymphs. The fantastic splendour of this spectacle, together with the +grandeur of the surrounding palaces, appeared like the vision of a poet +suddenly embodied, and the fanciful images, which it awakened in Emily's +mind, lingered there long after the procession had passed away. She +indulged herself in imagining what might be the manners and delights of +a sea-nymph, till she almost wished to throw off the habit of mortality, +and plunge into the green wave to participate them. + +'How delightful,' said she, 'to live amidst the coral bowers and crystal +caverns of the ocean, with my sister nymphs, and listen to the sounding +waters above, and to the soft shells of the tritons! and then, after +sun-set, to skim on the surface of the waves round wild rocks and along +sequestered shores, where, perhaps, some pensive wanderer comes to weep! +Then would I soothe his sorrows with my sweet music, and offer him from +a shell some of the delicious fruit that hangs round Neptune's palace.' + +She was recalled from her reverie to a mere mortal supper, and could +not forbear smiling at the fancies she had been indulging, and at her +conviction of the serious displeasure, which Madame Montoni would have +expressed, could she have been made acquainted with them. + +After supper, her aunt sat late, but Montoni did not return, and she +at length retired to rest. If Emily had admired the magnificence of the +saloon, she was not less surprised, on observing the half-furnished +and forlorn appearance of the apartments she passed in the way to her +chamber, whither she went through long suites of noble rooms, that +seemed, from their desolate aspect, to have been unoccupied for many +years. On the walls of some were the faded remains of tapestry; from +others, painted in fresco, the damps had almost withdrawn both colours +and design. At length she reached her own chamber, spacious, desolate, +and lofty, like the rest, with high lattices that opened towards the +Adriatic. It brought gloomy images to her mind, but the view of the +Adriatic soon gave her others more airy, among which was that of the +sea-nymph, whose delights she had before amused herself with picturing; +and, anxious to escape from serious reflections, she now endeavoured +to throw her fanciful ideas into a train, and concluded the hour with +composing the following lines: + + THE SEA-NYMPH + + Down, down a thousand fathom deep, + Among the sounding seas I go; + Play round the foot of ev'ry steep + Whose cliffs above the ocean grow. + + There, within their secret cares, + I hear the mighty rivers roar; + And guide their streams through Neptune's waves + To bless the green earth's inmost shore: + + And bid the freshen'd waters glide, + For fern-crown'd nymphs of lake, or brook, + Through winding woods and pastures wide, + And many a wild, romantic nook. + + For this the nymphs, at fall of eave, + Oft dance upon the flow'ry banks, + And sing my name, and garlands weave + To bear beneath the wave their thanks. + + In coral bow'rs I love to lie, + And hear the surges roll above, + And through the waters view on high + The proud ships sail, and gay clouds move. + + And oft at midnight's stillest hour, + When summer seas the vessel lave, + I love to prove my charmful pow'r + While floating on the moon-light wave. + + And when deep sleep the crew has bound, + And the sad lover musing leans + O'er the ship's side, I breathe around + Such strains as speak no mortal means! + + O'er the dim waves his searching eye + Sees but the vessel's lengthen'd shade; + Above--the moon and azure sky; + Entranc'd he hears, and half afraid! + + Sometimes, a single note I swell, + That, softly sweet, at distance dies; + Then wake the magic of my shell, + And choral voices round me rise! + + The trembling youth, charm'd by my strain, + Calls up the crew, who, silent, bend + O'er the high deck, but list in vain; + My song is hush'd, my wonders end! + + Within the mountain's woody bay, + Where the tall bark at anchor rides, + At twilight hour, with tritons gay, + I dance upon the lapsing tides: + + And with my sister-nymphs I sport, + Till the broad sun looks o'er the floods; + Then, swift we seek our crystal court, + Deep in the wave, 'mid Neptune's woods. + + In cool arcades and glassy halls + We pass the sultry hours of noon, + Beyond wherever sun-beam falls, + Weaving sea-flowers in gay festoon. + + The while we chant our ditties sweet + To some soft shell that warbles near; + Join'd by the murmuring currents, fleet, + That glide along our halls so clear. + + There, the pale pearl and sapphire blue, + And ruby red, and em'rald green, + Dart from the domes a changing hue, + And sparry columns deck the scene. + + When the dark storm scowls o'er the deep, + And long, long peals of thunder sound, + On some high cliff my watch I keep + O'er all the restless seas around: + + Till on the ridgy wave afar + Comes the lone vessel, labouring slow, + Spreading the white foam in the air, + With sail and top-mast bending low. + + Then, plunge I 'mid the ocean's roar, + My way by quiv'ring lightnings shewn, + To guide the bark to peaceful shore, + And hush the sailor's fearful groan. + + And if too late I reach its side + To save it from the 'whelming surge, + I call my dolphins o'er the tide, + To bear the crew where isles emerge. + + Their mournful spirits soon I cheer, + While round the desert coast I go, + With warbled songs they faintly hear, + Oft as the stormy gust sinks low. + + My music leads to lofty groves, + That wild upon the sea-bank wave; + Where sweet fruits bloom, and fresh spring roves, + And closing boughs the tempest brave. + + Then, from the air spirits obey + My potent voice they love so well, + And, on the clouds, paint visions gay, + While strains more sweet at distance swell. + + And thus the lonely hours I cheat, + Soothing the ship-wreck'd sailor's heart, + Till from the waves the storms retreat, + And o'er the east the day-beams dart. + + Neptune for this oft binds me fast + To rocks below, with coral chain, + Till all the tempest's over-past, + And drowning seamen cry in vain. + + Whoe'er ye are that love my lay, + Come, when red sun-set tints the wave, + To the still sands, where fairies play; + There, in cool seas, I love to lave. + + + +CHAPTER III + + + He is a great observer, and he looks + Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays, + he hears no music; + Seldom he smiles; and smiles in such a sort, + As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his spirit + that could be mov'd to smile at any thing. + Such men as he be never at heart's ease, + While they behold a greater than themselves. + JULIUS CAESAR + +Montoni and his companion did not return home, till many hours after the +dawn had blushed upon the Adriatic. The airy groups, which had danced +all night along the colonnade of St. Mark, dispersed before the morning, +like so many spirits. Montoni had been otherwise engaged; his soul was +little susceptible of light pleasures. He delighted in the energies of +the passions; the difficulties and tempests of life, which wreck the +happiness of others, roused and strengthened all the powers of his +mind, and afforded him the highest enjoyments, of which his nature was +capable. Without some object of strong interest, life was to him little +more than a sleep; and, when pursuits of real interest failed, he +substituted artificial ones, till habit changed their nature, and they +ceased to be unreal. Of this kind was the habit of gaming, which he had +adopted, first, for the purpose of relieving him from the languor of +inaction, but had since pursued with the ardour of passion. In this +occupation he had passed the night with Cavigni and a party of young +men, who had more money than rank, and more vice than either. Montoni +despised the greater part of these for the inferiority of their talents, +rather than for their vicious inclinations, and associated with them +only to make them the instruments of his purposes. Among these, however, +were some of superior abilities, and a few whom Montoni admitted to +his intimacy, but even towards these he still preserved a decisive and +haughty air, which, while it imposed submission on weak and timid minds, +roused the fierce hatred of strong ones. He had, of course, many and +bitter enemies; but the rancour of their hatred proved the degree of his +power; and, as power was his chief aim, he gloried more in such hatred, +than it was possible he could in being esteemed. A feeling so tempered +as that of esteem, he despised, and would have despised himself also had +he thought himself capable of being flattered by it. + +Among the few whom he distinguished, were the Signors Bertolini, +Orsino, and Verezzi. The first was a man of gay temper, strong passions, +dissipated, and of unbounded extravagance, but generous, brave, and +unsuspicious. Orsino was reserved, and haughty; loving power more than +ostentation; of a cruel and suspicious temper; quick to feel an injury, +and relentless in avenging it; cunning and unsearchable in contrivance, +patient and indefatigable in the execution of his schemes. He had a +perfect command of feature and of his passions, of which he had scarcely +any, but pride, revenge and avarice; and, in the gratification of these, +few considerations had power to restrain him, few obstacles to withstand +the depth of his stratagems. This man was the chief favourite of +Montoni. Verezzi was a man of some talent, of fiery imagination, and the +slave of alternate passions. He was gay, voluptuous, and daring; yet had +neither perseverance or true courage, and was meanly selfish in all his +aims. Quick to form schemes, and sanguine in his hope of success, he +was the first to undertake, and to abandon, not only his own plans, +but those adopted from other persons. Proud and impetuous, he revolted +against all subordination; yet those who were acquainted with his +character, and watched the turn of his passions, could lead him like a +child. + +Such were the friends whom Montoni introduced to his family and his +table, on the day after his arrival at Venice. There were also of the +party a Venetian nobleman, Count Morano, and a Signora Livona, whom +Montoni had introduced to his wife, as a lady of distinguished merit, +and who, having called in the morning to welcome her to Venice, had been +requested to be of the dinner party. + +Madame Montoni received with a very ill grace, the compliments of +the Signors. She disliked them, because they were the friends of her +husband; hated them, because she believed they had contributed to detain +him abroad till so late an hour of the preceding morning; and envied +them, since, conscious of her own want of influence, she was convinced, +that he preferred their society to her own. The rank of Count Morano +procured him that distinction which she refused to the rest of the +company. The haughty sullenness of her countenance and manner, and the +ostentatious extravagance of her dress, for she had not yet adopted +the Venetian habit, were strikingly contrasted by the beauty, modesty, +sweetness and simplicity of Emily, who observed, with more attention +than pleasure, the party around her. The beauty and fascinating manners +of Signora Livona, however, won her involuntary regard; while the +sweetness of her accents and her air of gentle kindness awakened with +Emily those pleasing affections, which so long had slumbered. + +In the cool of the evening the party embarked in Montoni's gondola, and +rowed out upon the sea. The red glow of sun-set still touched the waves, +and lingered in the west, where the melancholy gleam seemed slowly +expiring, while the dark blue of the upper aether began to twinkle with +stars. Emily sat, given up to pensive and sweet emotions. The smoothness +of the water, over which she glided, its reflected images--a new heaven +and trembling stars below the waves, with shadowy outlines of towers and +porticos, conspired with the stillness of the hour, interrupted only by +the passing wave, or the notes of distant music, to raise those emotions +to enthusiasm. As she listened to the measured sound of the oars, and to +the remote warblings that came in the breeze, her softened mind returned +to the memory of St. Aubert and to Valancourt, and tears stole to her +eyes. The rays of the moon, strengthening as the shadows deepened, +soon after threw a silvery gleam upon her countenance, which was partly +shaded by a thin black veil, and touched it with inimitable softness. +Hers was the CONTOUR of a Madona, with the sensibility of a Magdalen; +and the pensive uplifted eye, with the tear that glittered on her cheek, +confirmed the expression of the character. + +The last strain of distant music now died in air, for the gondola was +far upon the waves, and the party determined to have music of their own. +The Count Morano, who sat next to Emily, and who had been observing her +for some time in silence, snatched up a lute, and struck the chords +with the finger of harmony herself, while his voice, a fine tenor, +accompanied them in a rondeau full of tender sadness. To him, indeed, +might have been applied that beautiful exhortation of an English poet, +had it then existed: + + Strike up, my master, + But touch the strings with a religious softness! + Teach sounds to languish through the night's dull ear + Till Melancholy starts from off her couch, + And Carelessness grows concert to attention! + +With such powers of expression the Count sung the following + + RONDEAU + + Soft as yon silver ray, that sleeps + Upon the ocean's trembling tide; + Soft as the air, that lightly sweeps + Yon sad, that swells in stately pride: + + Soft as the surge's stealing note, + That dies along the distant shores, + Or warbled strain, that sinks remote-- + So soft the sigh my bosom pours! + + True as the wave to Cynthia's ray, + True as the vessel to the breeze, + True as the soul to music's sway, + Or music to Venetian seas: + + Soft as yon silver beams, that sleep + Upon the ocean's trembling breast; + So soft, so true, fond Love shall weep, + So soft, so true, with THEE shall rest. + +The cadence with which he returned from the last stanza to a repetition +of the first; the fine modulation in which his voice stole upon the +first line, and the pathetic energy with which it pronounced the last, +were such as only exquisite taste could give. When he had concluded, +he gave the lute with a sigh to Emily, who, to avoid any appearance of +affectation, immediately began to play. She sung a melancholy little +air, one of the popular songs of her native province, with a simplicity +and pathos that made it enchanting. But its well-known melody brought +so forcibly to her fancy the scenes and the persons, among which she had +often heard it, that her spirits were overcome, her voice trembled and +ceased--and the strings of the lute were struck with a disordered hand; +till, ashamed of the emotion she had betrayed, she suddenly passed on +to a song so gay and airy, that the steps of the dance seemed almost +to echo to the notes. BRAVISSIMO! burst instantly from the lips of her +delighted auditors, and she was compelled to repeat the air. Among +the compliments that followed, those of the Count were not the least +audible, and they had not concluded, when Emily gave the instrument to +Signora Livona, whose voice accompanied it with true Italian taste. + +Afterwards, the Count, Emily, Cavigni, and the Signora, sung +canzonettes, accompanied by a couple of lutes and a few other +instruments. Sometimes the instruments suddenly ceased, and the voices +dropped from the full swell of harmony into a low chant; then, after a +deep pause, they rose by degrees, the instruments one by one striking +up, till the loud and full chorus soared again to heaven! + +Meanwhile, Montoni, who was weary of this harmony, was considering how +he might disengage himself from his party, or withdraw with such of it +as would be willing to play, to a Casino. In a pause of the music, he +proposed returning to shore, a proposal which Orsino eagerly seconded, +but which the Count and the other gentlemen as warmly opposed. + +Montoni still meditated how he might excuse himself from longer +attendance upon the Count, for to him only he thought excuse necessary, +and how he might get to land, till the gondolieri of an empty boat, +returning to Venice, hailed his people. Without troubling himself longer +about an excuse, he seized this opportunity of going thither, and, +committing the ladies to the care of his friends, departed with Orsino, +while Emily, for the first time, saw him go with regret; for she +considered his presence a protection, though she knew not what she +should fear. He landed at St. Mark's, and, hurrying to a Casino, was +soon lost amidst a crowd of gamesters. + +Meanwhile, the Count having secretly dispatched a servant in Montoni's +boat, for his own gondola and musicians, Emily heard, without knowing +his project, the gay song of gondolieri approaching, as they sat on the +stern of the boat, and saw the tremulous gleam of the moon-light +wave, which their oars disturbed. Presently she heard the sound of +instruments, and then a full symphony swelled on the air, and, the boats +meeting, the gondolieri hailed each other. The count then explaining +himself, the party removed into his gondola, which was embellished with +all that taste could bestow. + +While they partook of a collation of fruits and ice, the whole band, +following at a distance in the other boat, played the most sweet and +enchanting strains, and the Count, who had again seated himself by +Emily, paid her unremitted attention, and sometimes, in a low +but impassioned voice, uttered compliments which she could not +misunderstand. To avoid them she conversed with Signora Livona, and her +manner to the Count assumed a mild reserve, which, though dignified, was +too gentle to repress his assiduities: he could see, hear, speak to no +person, but Emily while Cavigni observed him now and then, with a look +of displeasure, and Emily, with one of uneasiness. She now wished for +nothing so much as to return to Venice, but it was near mid-night before +the gondolas approached St. Mark's Place, where the voice of gaiety +and song was loud. The busy hum of mingling sounds was heard at a +considerable distance on the water, and, had not a bright moon-light +discovered the city, with its terraces and towers, a stranger would +almost have credited the fabled wonders of Neptune's court, and +believed, that the tumult arose from beneath the waves. + +They landed at St. Mark's, where the gaiety of the colonnades and the +beauty of the night, made Madame Montoni willingly submit to the Count's +solicitations to join the promenade, and afterwards to take a supper +with the rest of the party, at his Casino. If any thing could have +dissipated Emily's uneasiness, it would have been the grandeur, gaiety, +and novelty of the surrounding scene, adorned with Palladio's palaces, +and busy with parties of masqueraders. + +At length they withdrew to the Casino, which was fitted up with infinite +taste, and where a splendid banquet was prepared; but here Emily's +reserve made the Count perceive, that it was necessary for his interest +to win the favour of Madame Montoni, which, from the condescension she +had already shewn to him, appeared to be an achievement of no great +difficulty. He transferred, therefore, part of his attention from Emily +to her aunt, who felt too much flattered by the distinction even to +disguise her emotion; and before the party broke up, he had entirely +engaged the esteem of Madame Montoni. Whenever he addressed her, her +ungracious countenance relaxed into smiles, and to whatever he proposed +she assented. He invited her, with the rest of the party, to take +coffee, in his box at the opera, on the following evening, and Emily +heard the invitation accepted, with strong anxiety, concerning the means +of excusing herself from attending Madame Montoni thither. + +It was very late before their gondola was ordered, and Emily's surprise +was extreme, when, on quitting the Casino, she beheld the broad sun +rising out of the Adriatic, while St. Mark's Place was yet crowded with +company. Sleep had long weighed heavily on her eyes, but now the fresh +sea-breeze revived her, and she would have quitted the scene with +regret, had not the Count been present, performing the duty, which he +had imposed upon himself, of escorting them home. There they heard that +Montoni was not yet returned; and his wife, retiring in displeasure +to her apartment, at length released Emily from the fatigue of further +attendance. + +Montoni came home late in the morning, in a very ill humour, having lost +considerably at play, and, before he withdrew to rest, had a private +conference with Cavigni, whose manner, on the following day, seemed to +tell, that the subject of it had not been pleasing to him. + +In the evening, Madame Montoni, who, during the day, had observed a +sullen silence towards her husband, received visits from some Venetian +ladies, with whose sweet manners Emily was particularly charmed. They +had an air of ease and kindness towards the strangers, as if they had +been their familiar friends for years; and their conversation was by +turns tender, sentimental and gay. Madame, though she had no taste +for such conversation, and whose coarseness and selfishness sometimes +exhibited a ludicrous contrast to their excessive refinement, could not +remain wholly insensible to the captivations of their manner. + +In a pause of conversation, a lady who was called Signora Herminia took +up a lute, and began to play and sing, with as much easy gaiety, as if +she had been alone. Her voice was uncommonly rich in tone, and various +in expression; yet she appeared to be entirely unconscious of its +powers, and meant nothing less than to display them. She sung from the +gaiety of her heart, as she sat with her veil half thrown back, holding +gracefully the lute, under the spreading foliage and flowers of some +plants, that rose from baskets, and interlaced one of the lattices of +the saloon. Emily, retiring a little from the company, sketched +her figure, with the miniature scenery around her, and drew a very +interesting picture, which, though it would not, perhaps, have borne +criticism, had spirit and taste enough to awaken both the fancy and +the heart. When she had finished it, she presented it to the beautiful +original, who was delighted with the offering, as well as the sentiment +it conveyed, and assured Emily, with a smile of captivating sweetness, +that she should preserve it as a pledge of her friendship. + +In the evening Cavigni joined the ladies, but Montoni had other +engagements; and they embarked in the gondola for St. Mark's, where the +same gay company seemed to flutter as on the preceding night. The cool +breeze, the glassy sea, the gentle sound of its waves, and the sweeter +murmur of distant music; the lofty porticos and arcades, and the happy +groups that sauntered beneath them; these, with every feature and +circumstance of the scene, united to charm Emily, no longer teased by +the officious attentions of Count Morano. But, as she looked upon the +moon-light sea, undulating along the walls of St. Mark, and, lingering +for a moment over those walls, caught the sweet and melancholy song of +some gondolier as he sat in his boat below, waiting for his master, her +softened mind returned to the memory of her home, of her friends, and of +all that was dear in her native country. + +After walking some time, they sat down at the door of a Casino, and, +while Cavigni was accommodating them with coffee and ice, were joined +by Count Morano. He sought Emily with a look of impatient delight, who, +remembering all the attention he had shewn her on the preceding evening, +was compelled, as before, to shrink from his assiduities into a timid +reserve, except when she conversed with Signora Herminia and the other +ladies of her party. + +It was near midnight before they withdrew to the opera, where Emily +was not so charmed but that, when she remembered the scene she had just +quitted, she felt how infinitely inferior all the splendour of art is +to the sublimity of nature. Her heart was not now affected, tears +of admiration did not start to her eyes, as when she viewed the vast +expanse of ocean, the grandeur of the heavens, and listened to the +rolling waters, and to the faint music that, at intervals, mingled +with their roar. Remembering these, the scene before her faded into +insignificance. + +Of the evening, which passed on without any particular incident, she +wished the conclusion, that she might escape from the attentions of the +Count; and, as opposite qualities frequently attract each other in +our thoughts, thus Emily, when she looked on Count Morano, remembered +Valancourt, and a sigh sometimes followed the recollection. + +Several weeks passed in the course of customary visits, during which +nothing remarkable occurred. Emily was amused by the manners and scenes +that surrounded her, so different from those of France, but where Count +Morano, too frequently for her comfort, contrived to introduce himself. +His manner, figure and accomplishments, which were generally admired, +Emily would, perhaps, have admired also, had her heart been disengaged +from Valancourt, and had the Count forborne to persecute her with +officious attentions, during which she observed some traits in his +character, that prejudiced her against whatever might otherwise be good +in it. + +Soon after his arrival at Venice, Montoni received a packet from M. +Quesnel, in which the latter mentioned the death of his wife's uncle, +at his villa on the Brenta; and that, in consequence of this event, he +should hasten to take possession of that estate and of other effects +bequeathed to him. This uncle was the brother of Madame Quesnel's late +mother; Montoni was related to her by the father's side, and though +he could have had neither claim nor expectation concerning these +possessions, he could scarcely conceal the envy which M. Quesnel's +letter excited. + +Emily had observed with concern, that, since they left France, Montoni +had not even affected kindness towards her aunt, and that, after +treating her, at first, with neglect, he now met her with uniform +ill-humour and reserve. She had never supposed, that her aunt's foibles +could have escaped the discernment of Montoni, or that her mind or +figure were of a kind to deserve his attention. Her surprise, therefore, +at this match, had been extreme; but since he had made the choice, she +did not suspect that he would so openly have discovered his contempt of +it. But Montoni, who had been allured by the seeming wealth of Madame +Cheron, was now severely disappointed by her comparative poverty, and +highly exasperated by the deceit she had employed to conceal it, till +concealment was no longer necessary. He had been deceived in an affair, +wherein he meant to be the deceiver; out-witted by the superior +cunning of a woman, whose understanding he despised, and to whom he had +sacrificed his pride and his liberty, without saving himself from the +ruin, which had impended over his head. Madame Montoni had contrived +to have the greatest part of what she really did possess, settled upon +herself: what remained, though it was totally inadequate both to her +husband's expectations, and to his necessities, he had converted into +money, and brought with him to Venice, that he might a little longer +delude society, and make a last effort to regain the fortunes he had +lost. + +The hints which had been thrown out to Valancourt, concerning Montoni's +character and condition, were too true; but it was now left to time and +occasion, to unfold the circumstances, both of what had, and of what had +not been hinted, and to time and occasion we commit them. + +Madame Montoni was not of a nature to bear injuries with meekness, or to +resent them with dignity: her exasperated pride displayed itself in all +the violence and acrimony of a little, or at least of an ill-regulated +mind. She would not acknowledge, even to herself, that she had in any +degree provoked contempt by her duplicity, but weakly persisted in +believing, that she alone was to be pitied, and Montoni alone to be +censured; for, as her mind had naturally little perception of moral +obligation, she seldom understood its force but when it happened to be +violated towards herself: her vanity had already been severely shocked +by a discovery of Montoni's contempt; it remained to be farther reproved +by a discovery of his circumstances. His mansion at Venice, though its +furniture discovered a part of the truth to unprejudiced persons, told +nothing to those who were blinded by a resolution to believe whatever +they wished. Madame Montoni still thought herself little less than +a princess, possessing a palace at Venice, and a castle among the +Apennines. To the castle di Udolpho, indeed, Montoni sometimes talked of +going for a few weeks to examine into its condition, and to receive some +rents; for it appeared that he had not been there for two years, and +that, during this period, it had been inhabited only by an old servant, +whom he called his steward. + +Emily listened to the mention of this journey with pleasure, for she +not only expected from it new ideas, but a release from the persevering +assiduities of Count Morano. In the country, too, she would have leisure +to think of Valancourt, and to indulge the melancholy, which his image, +and a recollection of the scenes of La Vallee, always blessed with the +memory of her parents, awakened. The ideal scenes were dearer, and more +soothing to her heart, than all the splendour of gay assemblies; they +were a kind of talisman that expelled the poison of temporary evils, +and supported her hopes of happy days: they appeared like a beautiful +landscape, lighted up by a gleam of sun-shine, and seen through a +perspective of dark and rugged rocks. + +But Count Morano did not long confine himself to silent assiduities; +he declared his passion to Emily, and made proposals to Montoni, who +encouraged, though Emily rejected, him: with Montoni for his friend, +and an abundance of vanity to delude him, he did not despair of success. +Emily was astonished and highly disgusted at his perseverance, after she +had explained her sentiments with a frankness that would not allow him +to misunderstand them. + +He now passed the greater part of his time at Montoni's, dining there +almost daily, and attending Madame and Emily wherever they went; and all +this, notwithstanding the uniform reserve of Emily, whose aunt seemed +as anxious as Montoni to promote this marriage; and would never dispense +with her attendance at any assembly where the Count proposed to be +present. + +Montoni now said nothing of his intended journey, of which Emily waited +impatiently to hear; and he was seldom at home but when the Count, or +Signor Orsino, was there, for between himself and Cavigni a coolness +seemed to subsist, though the latter remained in his house. With Orsino, +Montoni was frequently closeted for hours together, and, whatever +might be the business, upon which they consulted, it appeared to be of +consequence, since Montoni often sacrificed to it his favourite passion +for play, and remained at home the whole night. There was somewhat of +privacy, too, in the manner of Orsino's visits, which had never before +occurred, and which excited not only surprise, but some degree of alarm +in Emily's mind, who had unwillingly discovered much of his character +when he had most endeavoured to disguise it. After these visits, Montoni +was often more thoughtful than usual; sometimes the deep workings of his +mind entirely abstracted him from surrounding objects, and threw a gloom +over his visage that rendered it terrible; at others, his eyes seemed +almost to flash fire, and all the energies of his soul appeared to +be roused for some great enterprise. Emily observed these written +characters of his thoughts with deep interest, and not without some +degree of awe, when she considered that she was entirely in his power; +but forbore even to hint her fears, or her observations, to Madame +Montoni, who discerned nothing in her husband, at these times, but his +usual sternness. + +A second letter from M. Quesnel announced the arrival of himself and +his lady at the Villa Miarenti; stated several circumstances of his +good fortune, respecting the affair that had brought him into Italy; and +concluded with an earnest request to see Montoni, his wife and niece, at +his new estate. + +Emily received, about the same period, a much more interesting letter, +and which soothed for a while every anxiety of her heart. Valancourt, +hoping she might be still at Venice, had trusted a letter to the +ordinary post, that told her of his health, and of his unceasing and +anxious affection. He had lingered at Tholouse for some time after her +departure, that he might indulge the melancholy pleasure of wandering +through the scenes where he had been accustomed to behold her, and had +thence gone to his brother's chateau, which was in the neighbourhood of +La Vallee. Having mentioned this, he added, 'If the duty of attending +my regiment did not require my departure, I know not when I should have +resolution enough to quit the neighbourhood of a place which is endeared +by the remembrance of you. The vicinity to La Vallee has alone detained +me thus long at Estuviere: I frequently ride thither early in the +morning, that I may wander, at leisure, through the day, among scenes, +which were once your home, where I have been accustomed to see you, and +to hear you converse. I have renewed my acquaintance with the good old +Theresa, who rejoiced to see me, that she might talk of you: I need +not say how much this circumstance attached me to her, or how eagerly +I listened to her upon her favourite subject. You will guess the motive +that first induced me to make myself known to Theresa: it was, indeed, +no other than that of gaining admittance into the chateau and gardens, +which my Emily had so lately inhabited: here, then, I wander, and meet +your image under every shade: but chiefly I love to sit beneath the +spreading branches of your favourite plane, where once, Emily, we sat +together; where I first ventured to tell you, that I loved. O Emily! +the remembrance of those moments overcomes me--I sit lost in reverie--I +endeavour to see you dimly through my tears, in all the heaven of +peace and innocence, such as you then appeared to me; to hear again the +accents of that voice, which then thrilled my heart with tenderness and +hope. I lean on the wall of the terrace, where we together watched the +rapid current of the Garonne below, while I described the wild scenery +about its source, but thought only of you. O Emily! are these moments +passed for ever--will they never more return?' + +In another part of his letter he wrote thus. 'You see my letter is dated +on many different days, and, if you look back to the first, you will +perceive, that I began to write soon after your departure from France. +To write was, indeed, the only employment that withdrew me from my own +melancholy, and rendered your absence supportable, or rather, it seemed +to destroy absence; for, when I was conversing with you on paper, +and telling you every sentiment and affection of my heart, you almost +appeared to be present. This employment has been from time to time my +chief consolation, and I have deferred sending off my packet, merely +for the comfort of prolonging it, though it was certain, that what I +had written, was written to no purpose till you received it. Whenever my +mind has been more than usually depressed I have come to pour forth its +sorrows to you, and have always found consolation; and, when any little +occurrence has interested my heart, and given a gleam of joy to my +spirits, I have hastened to communicate it to you, and have received +reflected satisfaction. Thus, my letter is a kind of picture of my life +and of my thoughts for the last month, and thus, though it has been +deeply interesting to me, while I wrote it, and I dare hope will, for +the same reason, be not indifferent to you, yet to other readers it +would seem to abound only in frivolities. Thus it is always, when we +attempt to describe the finer movements of the heart, for they are too +fine to be discerned, they can only be experienced, and are therefore +passed over by the indifferent observer, while the interested one feels, +that all description is imperfect and unnecessary, except as it may +prove the sincerity of the writer, and sooth his own sufferings. You +will pardon all this egotism--for I am a lover.' + +'I have just heard of a circumstance, which entirely destroys all my +fairy paradise of ideal delight, and which will reconcile me to the +necessity of returning to my regiment, for I must no longer wander +beneath the beloved shades, where I have been accustomed to meet you +in thought.--La Vallee is let! I have reason to believe this is without +your knowledge, from what Theresa told me this morning, and, therefore, +I mention the circumstance. She shed tears, while she related, that she +was going to leave the service of her dear mistress, and the chateau +where she had lived so many happy years; and all this, added she, +without even a letter from Mademoiselle to soften the news; but it is +all Mons. Quesnel's doings, and I dare say she does not even know what +is going forward.' + +'Theresa added, That she had received a letter from him, informing +her the chateau was let, and that, as her services would no longer be +required, she must quit the place, on that day week, when the new tenant +would arrive.' + +'Theresa had been surprised by a visit from M. Quesnel, some time before +the receipt of this letter, who was accompanied by a stranger that +viewed the premises with much curiosity.' + +Towards the conclusion of his letter, which is dated a week after this +sentence, Valancourt adds, 'I have received a summons from my regiment, +and I join it without regret, since I am shut out from the scenes that +are so interesting to my heart. I rode to La Vallee this morning, and +heard that the new tenant was arrived, and that Theresa was gone. I +should not treat the subject thus familiarly if I did not believe you +to be uninformed of this disposal of your house; for your satisfaction I +have endeavoured to learn something of the character and fortune of your +tenant, but without success. He is a gentleman, they say, and this is +all I can hear. The place, as I wandered round the boundaries, appeared +more melancholy to my imagination, than I had ever seen it. I wished +earnestly to have got admittance, that I might have taken another leave +of your favourite plane-tree, and thought of you once more beneath +its shade: but I forbore to tempt the curiosity of strangers: the +fishing-house in the woods, however, was still open to me; thither I +went, and passed an hour, which I cannot even look back upon without +emotion. O Emily! surely we are not separated for ever--surely we shall +live for each other!' + +This letter brought many tears to Emily's eyes; tears of tenderness and +satisfaction on learning that Valancourt was well, and that time and +absence had in no degree effaced her image from his heart. There were +passages in this letter which particularly affected her, such as those +describing his visits to La Vallee, and the sentiments of delicate +affection that its scenes had awakened. It was a considerable time +before her mind was sufficiently abstracted from Valancourt to feel +the force of his intelligence concerning La Vallee. That Mons. Quesnel +should let it, without even consulting her on the measure, both +surprised and shocked her, particularly as it proved the absolute +authority he thought himself entitled to exercise in her affairs. It is +true, he had proposed, before she left France, that the chateau should +be let, during her absence, and to the oeconomical prudence of this she +had nothing to object; but the committing what had been her father's +villa to the power and caprice of strangers, and the depriving herself +of a sure home, should any unhappy circumstances make her look back to +her home as an asylum, were considerations that made her, even then, +strongly oppose the measure. Her father, too, in his last hour, had +received from her a solemn promise never to dispose of La Vallee; and +this she considered as in some degree violated if she suffered the place +to be let. But it was now evident with how little respect M. Quesnel +had regarded these objections, and how insignificant he considered every +obstacle to pecuniary advantage. It appeared, also, that he had not even +condescended to inform Montoni of the step he had taken, since no motive +was evident for Montoni's concealing the circumstance from her, if it +had been made known to him: this both displeased and surprised her; but +the chief subjects of her uneasiness were--the temporary disposal of +La Vallee, and the dismission of her father's old and faithful +servant.--'Poor Theresa,' said Emily, 'thou hadst not saved much in thy +servitude, for thou wast always tender towards the poor, and believd'st +thou shouldst die in the family, where thy best years had been spent. +Poor Theresa!--now thou art turned out in thy old age to seek thy +bread!' + +Emily wept bitterly as these thoughts passed over her mind, and she +determined to consider what could be done for Theresa, and to talk very +explicitly to M. Quesnel on the subject; but she much feared that his +cold heart could feel only for itself. She determined also to enquire +whether he had made any mention of her affairs, in his letter to +Montoni, who soon gave her the opportunity she sought, by desiring +that she would attend him in his study. She had little doubt, that the +interview was intended for the purpose of communicating to her a part +of M. Quesnel's letter concerning the transactions at La Vallee, and she +obeyed him immediately. Montoni was alone. + +'I have just been writing to Mons. Quesnel,' said he when Emily +appeared, 'in reply to the letter I received from him a few days ago, +and I wished to talk to you upon a subject that occupied part of it.' + +'I also wished to speak with you on this topic, sir,' said Emily. + +'It is a subject of some interest to you, undoubtedly,' rejoined +Montoni, 'and I think you must see it in the light that I do; indeed +it will not bear any other. I trust you will agree with me, that any +objection founded on sentiment, as they call it, ought to yield to +circumstances of solid advantage.' + +'Granting this, sir,' replied Emily, modestly, 'those of humanity ought +surely to be attended to. But I fear it is now too late to deliberate +upon this plan, and I must regret, that it is no longer in my power to +reject it.' + +'It is too late,' said Montoni; 'but since it is so, I am pleased to +observe, that you submit to reason and necessity without indulging +useless complaint. I applaud this conduct exceedingly, the more, +perhaps, since it discovers a strength of mind seldom observable in your +sex. When you are older you will look back with gratitude to the friends +who assisted in rescuing you from the romantic illusions of sentiment, +and will perceive, that they are only the snares of childhood, and +should be vanquished the moment you escape from the nursery. I have not +closed my letter, and you may add a few lines to inform your uncle of +your acquiescence. You will soon see him, for it is my intention to take +you, with Madame Montoni, in a few days to Miarenti, and you can then +talk over the affair.' + +Emily wrote on the opposite page of the paper as follows: + +'It is now useless, sir, for me to remonstrate upon the circumstances +of which Signor Montoni informs me that he has written. I could +have wished, at least, that the affair had been concluded with +less precipitation, that I might have taught myself to subdue some +prejudices, as the Signor calls them, which still linger in my heart. As +it is, I submit. In point of prudence nothing certainly can be objected; +but, though I submit, I have yet much to say on some other points of the +subject, when I shall have the honour of seeing you. In the meantime I +entreat you will take care of Theresa, for the sake of, Sir, + Your affectionate niece, + EMILY ST. AUBERT.' + +Montoni smiled satirically at what Emily had written, but did not object +to it, and she withdrew to her own apartment, where she sat down to +begin a letter to Valancourt, in which she related the particulars +of her journey, and her arrival at Venice, described some of the most +striking scenes in the passage over the Alps; her emotions on her first +view of Italy; the manners and characters of the people around her, and +some few circumstances of Montoni's conduct. But she avoided even naming +Count Morano, much more the declaration he had made, since she well knew +how tremblingly alive to fear is real love, how jealously watchful of +every circumstance that may affect its interest; and she scrupulously +avoided to give Valancourt even the slightest reason for believing he +had a rival. + +On the following day Count Morano dined again at Montoni's. He was in +an uncommon flow of spirits, and Emily thought there was somewhat of +exultation in his manner of addressing her, which she had never observed +before. She endeavoured to repress this by more than her usual reserve, +but the cold civility of her air now seemed rather to encourage than to +depress him. He appeared watchful of an opportunity of speaking with her +alone, and more than once solicited this; but Emily always replied, that +she could hear nothing from him which he would be unwilling to repeat +before the whole company. + +In the evening, Madame Montoni and her party went out upon the sea, and +as the Count led Emily to his zendaletto, he carried her hand to his +lips, and thanked her for the condescension she had shown him. Emily, +in extreme surprise and displeasure, hastily withdrew her hand, and +concluded that he had spoken ironically; but, on reaching the steps +of the terrace, and observing by the livery, that it was the Count's +zendaletto which waited below, while the rest of the party, having +arranged themselves in the gondolas, were moving on, she determined +not to permit a separate conversation, and, wishing him a good evening, +returned to the portico. The Count followed to expostulate and entreat, +and Montoni, who then came out, rendered solicitation unnecessary, for, +without condescending to speak, he took her hand, and led her to the +zendaletto. Emily was not silent; she entreated Montoni, in a low voice, +to consider the impropriety of these circumstances, and that he would +spare her the mortification of submitting to them; he, however, was +inflexible. + +'This caprice is intolerable,' said he, 'and shall not be indulged: +there is no impropriety in the case.' + +At this moment, Emily's dislike of Count Morano rose to abhorrence. That +he should, with undaunted assurance, thus pursue her, notwithstanding +all she had expressed on the subject of his addresses, and think, as it +was evident he did, that her opinion of him was of no consequence, so +long as his pretensions were sanctioned by Montoni, added indignation to +the disgust which she had felt towards him. She was somewhat relieved by +observing that Montoni was to be of the party, who seated himself on one +side of her, while Morano placed himself on the other. There was a +pause for some moments as the gondolieri prepared their oars, and Emily +trembled from apprehension of the discourse that might follow this +silence. At length she collected courage to break it herself, in the +hope of preventing fine speeches from Morano, and reproof from Montoni. +To some trivial remark which she made, the latter returned a short +and disobliging reply; but Morano immediately followed with a general +observation, which he contrived to end with a particular compliment, +and, though Emily passed it without even the notice of a smile, he was +not discouraged. + +'I have been impatient,' said he, addressing Emily, 'to express my +gratitude; to thank you for your goodness; but I must also thank Signor +Montoni, who has allowed me this opportunity of doing so.' + +Emily regarded the Count with a look of mingled astonishment and +displeasure. + +'Why,' continued he, 'should you wish to diminish the delight of this +moment by that air of cruel reserve?--Why seek to throw me again into +the perplexities of doubt, by teaching your eyes to contradict the +kindness of your late declaration? You cannot doubt the sincerity, +the ardour of my passion; it is therefore unnecessary, charming +Emily! surely unnecessary, any longer to attempt a disguise of your +sentiments.' + +'If I ever had disguised them, sir,' said Emily, with recollected +spirit, 'it would certainly be unnecessary any longer to do so. I had +hoped, sir, that you would have spared me any farther necessity of +alluding to them; but, since you do not grant this, hear me declare, and +for the last time, that your perseverance has deprived you even of the +esteem, which I was inclined to believe you merited.' + +'Astonishing!' exclaimed Montoni: 'this is beyond even my expectation, +though I have hitherto done justice to the caprice of the sex! But +you will observe, Mademoiselle Emily, that I am no lover, though Count +Morano is, and that I will not be made the amusement of your capricious +moments. Here is the offer of an alliance, which would do honour to any +family; yours, you will recollect, is not noble; you long resisted my +remonstrances, but my honour is now engaged, and it shall not be trifled +with.--You shall adhere to the declaration, which you have made me an +agent to convey to the Count.' + +'I must certainly mistake you, sir,' said Emily; 'my answers on the +subject have been uniform; it is unworthy of you to accuse me of +caprice. If you have condescended to be my agent, it is an honour I +did not solicit. I myself have constantly assured Count Morano, and you +also, sir, that I never can accept the honour he offers me, and I now +repeat the declaration.' + +The Count looked with an air of surprise and enquiry at Montoni, whose +countenance also was marked with surprise, but it was surprise mingled +with indignation. + +'Here is confidence, as well as caprice!' said the latter. 'Will you +deny your own words, Madam?' + +'Such a question is unworthy of an answer, sir;' said Emily blushing; +'you will recollect yourself, and be sorry that you have asked it.' + +'Speak to the point,' rejoined Montoni, in a voice of increasing +vehemence. 'Will you deny your own words; will you deny, that you +acknowledged, only a few hours ago, that it was too late to recede from +your engagements, and that you accepted the Count's hand?' + +'I will deny all this, for no words of mine ever imported it.' + +'Astonishing! Will you deny what you wrote to Mons. Quesnel, your uncle? +if you do, your own hand will bear testimony against you. What have you +now to say?' continued Montoni, observing the silence and confusion of +Emily. + +'I now perceive, sir, that you are under a very great error, and that I +have been equally mistaken.' + +'No more duplicity, I entreat; be open and candid, if it be possible.' + +'I have always been so, sir; and can claim no merit in such conduct, for +I have had nothing to conceal.' + +'How is this, Signor?' cried Morano, with trembling emotion. + +'Suspend your judgment, Count,' replied Montoni, 'the wiles of a female +heart are unsearchable. Now, Madame, your EXPLANATION.' + +'Excuse me, sir, if I withhold my explanation till you appear willing +to give me your confidence; assertion as present can only subject me to +insult.' + +'Your explanation, I entreat you!' said Morano. + +'Well, well,' rejoined Montoni, 'I give you my confidence; let us hear +this explanation.' + +'Let me lead to it then, by asking a question.' + +'As many as you please,' said Montoni, contemptuously. + +'What, then, was the subject of your letter to Mons. Quesnel?' + +'The same that was the subject of your note to him, certainly. You did +well to stipulate for my confidence before you demanded that question.' + +'I must beg you will be more explicit, sir; what was that subject?' + +'What could it be, but the noble offer of Count Morano,' said Montoni. + +'Then, sir, we entirely misunderstood each other,' replied Emily. + +'We entirely misunderstood each other too, I suppose,' rejoined Montoni, +'in the conversation which preceded the writing of that note? I must do +you the justice to own, that you are very ingenious at this same art of +misunderstanding.' + +Emily tried to restrain the tears that came to her eyes, and to answer +with becoming firmness. 'Allow me, sir, to explain myself fully, or to +be wholly silent.' + +'The explanation may now be dispensed with; it is anticipated. If Count +Morano still thinks one necessary, I will give him an honest one--You +have changed your intention since our last conversation; and, if he +can have patience and humility enough to wait till to-morrow, he will +probably find it changed again: but as I have neither the patience or +the humility, which you expect from a lover, I warn you of the effect of +my displeasure!' + +'Montoni, you are too precipitate,' said the Count, who had listened +to this conversation in extreme agitation and impatience;--'Signora, I +entreat your own explanation of this affair!' + +'Signor Montoni has said justly,' replied Emily, 'that all explanation +may now be dispensed with; after what has passed I cannot suffer myself +to give one. It is sufficient for me, and for you, sir, that I repeat my +late declaration; let me hope this is the last time it will be necessary +for me to repeat it--I never can accept the honour of your alliance.' + +'Charming Emily!' exclaimed the Count in an impassioned tone, 'let +not resentment make you unjust; let me not suffer for the offence of +Montoni!--Revoke--' + +'Offence!' interrupted Montoni--'Count, this language is ridiculous, +this submission is childish!--speak as becomes a man, not as the slave +of a pretty tyrant.' + +'You distract me, Signor; suffer me to plead my own cause; you have +already proved insufficient to it.' + +'All conversation on this subject, sir,' said Emily, 'is worse than +useless, since it can bring only pain to each of us: if you would oblige +me, pursue it no farther.' + +'It is impossible, Madam, that I can thus easily resign the object of +a passion, which is the delight and torment of my life.--I must still +love--still pursue you with unremitting ardour;--when you shall be +convinced of the strength and constancy of my passion, your heart must +soften into pity and repentance.' + +'Is this generous, sir? is this manly? can it either deserve or obtain +the esteem you solicit, thus to continue a persecution from which I have +no present means of escaping?' + +A gleam of moonlight that fell upon Morano's countenance, revealed the +strong emotions of his soul; and, glancing on Montoni discovered the +dark resentment, which contrasted his features. + +'By heaven this is too much!' suddenly exclaimed the Count; 'Signor +Montoni, you treat me ill; it is from you that I shall look for +explanation.' + +'From me, sir! you shall have it;' muttered Montoni, 'if your +discernment is indeed so far obscured by passion, as to make explanation +necessary. And for you, Madam, you should learn, that a man of honour is +not to be trifled with, though you may, perhaps, with impunity, treat a +BOY like a puppet.' + +This sarcasm roused the pride of Morano, and the resentment which he +had felt at the indifference of Emily, being lost in indignation of the +insolence of Montoni, he determined to mortify him, by defending her. + +'This also,' said he, replying to Montoni's last words, 'this also, +shall not pass unnoticed. I bid you learn, sir, that you have a stronger +enemy than a woman to contend with: I will protect Signora St. Aubert +from your threatened resentment. You have misled me, and would revenge +your disappointed views upon the innocent.' + +'Misled you!' retorted Montoni with quickness, 'is my conduct--my +word'--then pausing, while he seemed endeavouring to restrain the +resentment, that flashed in his eyes, in the next moment he added, in a +subdued voice, 'Count Morano, this is a language, a sort of conduct to +which I am not accustomed: it is the conduct of a passionate boy--as +such, I pass it over in contempt.' + +'In contempt, Signor?' + +'The respect I owe myself,' rejoined Montoni, 'requires, that I should +converse more largely with you upon some points of the subject in +dispute. Return with me to Venice, and I will condescend to convince you +of your error.' + +'Condescend, sir! but I will not condescend to be so conversed with.' + +Montoni smiled contemptuously; and Emily, now terrified for the +consequences of what she saw and heard, could no longer be silent. She +explained the whole subject upon which she had mistaken Montoni in the +morning, declaring, that she understood him to have consulted her solely +concerning the disposal of La Vallee, and concluding with entreating, +that he would write immediately to M. Quesnel, and rectify the mistake. + +But Montoni either was, or affected to be, still incredulous; and +Count Morano was still entangled in perplexity. While she was speaking, +however, the attention of her auditors had been diverted from the +immediate occasion of their resentment, and their passion consequently +became less. Montoni desired the Count would order his servants to row +back to Venice, that he might have some private conversation with him; +and Morano, somewhat soothed by his softened voice and manner, and eager +to examine into the full extent of his difficulties, complied. + +Emily, comforted by this prospect of release, employed the present +moments in endeavouring, with conciliating care, to prevent any fatal +mischief between the persons who so lately had persecuted and insulted +her. + +Her spirits revived, when she heard once more the voice of song and +laughter, resounding from the grand canal, and at length entered +again between its stately piazzas. The zendaletto stopped at Montoni's +mansion, and the Count hastily led her into the hall, where Montoni took +his arm, and said something in a low voice, on which Morano kissed +the hand he held, notwithstanding Emily's effort to disengage it, +and, wishing her a good evening, with an accent and look she could not +misunderstand, returned to his zendaletto with Montoni. + +Emily, in her own apartment, considered with intense anxiety all the +unjust and tyrannical conduct of Montoni, the dauntless perseverance +of Morano, and her own desolate situation, removed from her friends and +country. She looked in vain to Valancourt, confined by his profession +to a distant kingdom, as her protector; but it gave her comfort to know, +that there was, at least, one person in the world, who would sympathize +in her afflictions, and whose wishes would fly eagerly to release her. +Yet she determined not to give him unavailing pain by relating the +reasons she had to regret the having rejected his better judgment +concerning Montoni; reasons, however, which could not induce her to +lament the delicacy and disinterested affection that had made her reject +his proposal for a clandestine marriage. The approaching interview with +her uncle she regarded with some degree of hope, for she determined to +represent to him the distresses of her situation, and to entreat that he +would allow her to return to France with him and Madame Quesnel. Then, +suddenly remembering that her beloved La Vallee, her only home, was no +longer at her command, her tears flowed anew, and she feared that she +had little pity to expect from a man who, like M. Quesnel, could dispose +of it without deigning to consult with her, and could dismiss an aged +and faithful servant, destitute of either support or asylum. But, though +it was certain, that she had herself no longer a home in France, and +few, very few friends there, she determined to return, if possible, +that she might be released from the power of Montoni, whose particularly +oppressive conduct towards herself, and general character as to others, +were justly terrible to her imagination. She had no wish to reside with +her uncle, M. Quesnel, since his behaviour to her late father and to +herself, had been uniformly such as to convince her, that in flying to +him she could only obtain an exchange of oppressors; neither had she the +slightest intention of consenting to the proposal of Valancourt for an +immediate marriage, though this would give her a lawful and a generous +protector, for the chief reasons, which had formerly influenced her +conduct, still existed against it, while others, which seemed to justify +the step, would not be done away; and his interest, his fame were at all +times too dear to her, to suffer her to consent to a union, which, at +this early period of their lives, would probably defeat both. One sure, +and proper asylum, however, would still be open to her in France. +She knew that she could board in the convent, where she had formerly +experienced so much kindness, and which had an affecting and solemn +claim upon her heart, since it contained the remains of her late father. +Here she could remain in safety and tranquillity, till the term, for +which La Vallee might be let, should expire; or, till the arrangement +of M. Motteville's affairs enabled her so far to estimate the remains of +her fortune, as to judge whether it would be prudent for her to reside +there. + +Concerning Montoni's conduct with respect to his letters to M. Quesnel, +she had many doubts; however he might be at first mistaken on the +subject, she much suspected that he wilfully persevered in his error, as +a means of intimidating her into a compliance with his wishes of uniting +her to Count Morano. Whether this was or was not the fact, she was +extremely anxious to explain the affair to M. Quesnel, and looked +forward with a mixture of impatience, hope and fear, to her approaching +visit. + +On the following day, Madame Montoni, being alone with Emily, introduced +the mention of Count Morano, by expressing her surprise, that she had +not joined the party on the water the preceding evening, and at +her abrupt departure to Venice. Emily then related what had passed, +expressed her concern for the mutual mistake that had occurred between +Montoni and herself, and solicited her aunt's kind offices in urging him +to give a decisive denial to the count's further addresses; but she +soon perceived, that Madame Montoni had not been ignorant of the late +conversation, when she introduced the present. + +'You have no encouragement to expect from me,' said her aunt, 'in these +notions. I have already given my opinion on the subject, and think +Signor Montoni right in enforcing, by any means, your consent. If young +persons will be blind to their interest, and obstinately oppose it, why, +the greatest blessings they can have are friends, who will oppose their +folly. Pray what pretensions of any kind do you think you have to such a +match as is now offered you?' + +'Not any whatever, Madam,' replied Emily, 'and, therefore, at least, +suffer me to be happy in my humility.' + +'Nay, niece, it cannot be denied, that you have pride enough; my poor +brother, your father, had his share of pride too; though, let me add, +his fortune did not justify it.' + +Emily, somewhat embarrassed by the indignation, which this malevolent +allusion to her father excited, and by the difficulty of rendering her +answer as temperate as it should be reprehensive, hesitated for some +moments, in a confusion, which highly gratified her aunt. At length she +said, 'My father's pride, Madam, had a noble object--the happiness which +he knew could be derived only from goodness, knowledge and charity. +As it never consisted in his superiority, in point of fortune, to some +persons, it was not humbled by his inferiority, in that respect, to +others. He never disdained those, who were wretched by poverty +and misfortune; he did sometimes despise persons, who, with many +opportunities of happiness, rendered themselves miserable by vanity, +ignorance and cruelty. I shall think it my highest glory to emulate such +pride.' + +'I do not pretend to understand any thing of these high-flown +sentiments, niece; you have all that glory to yourself: I would teach +you a little plain sense, and not have you so wise as to despise +happiness.' + +'That would indeed not be wisdom, but folly,' said Emily, 'for wisdom +can boast no higher attainment than happiness; but you will allow, +Madam, that our ideas of happiness may differ. I cannot doubt, that you +wish me to be happy, but I must fear you are mistaken in the means of +making me so.' + +'I cannot boast of a learned education, niece, such as your father +thought proper to give you, and, therefore, do not pretend to understand +all these fine speeches about happiness. I must be contented to +understand only common sense, and happy would it have been for you and +your father, if that had been included in his education.' + +Emily was too much shocked by these reflections on her father's memory, +to despise this speech as it deserved. + +Madame Montoni was about to speak, but Emily quitted the room, and +retired to her own, where the little spirit she had lately exerted +yielded to grief and vexation, and left her only to her tears. From +every review of her situation she could derive, indeed, only new sorrow. +To the discovery, which had just been forced upon her, of Montoni's +unworthiness, she had now to add, that of the cruel vanity, for the +gratification of which her aunt was about to sacrifice her; of the +effrontery and cunning, with which, at the time that she meditated the +sacrifice, she boasted of her tenderness, or insulted her victim; and of +the venomous envy, which, as it did not scruple to attack her father's +character, could scarcely be expected to withhold from her own. + +During the few days that intervened between this conversation and the +departure for Miarenti, Montoni did not once address himself to Emily. +His looks sufficiently declared his resentment; but that he should +forbear to renew a mention of the subject of it, exceedingly surprised +her, who was no less astonished, that, during three days, Count Morano +neither visited Montoni, or was named by him. Several conjectures arose +in her mind. Sometimes she feared that the dispute between them had been +revived, and had ended fatally to the Count. Sometimes she was inclined +to hope, that weariness, or disgust at her firm rejection of his suit +had induced him to relinquish it; and, at others, she suspected that +he had now recourse to stratagem, and forbore his visits, and prevailed +with Montoni to forbear the repetition of his name, in the expectation +that gratitude and generosity would prevail with her to give him the +consent, which he could not hope from love. + +Thus passed the time in vain conjecture, and alternate hopes and fears, +till the day arrived when Montoni was to set out for the villa of +Miarenti, which, like the preceding ones, neither brought the Count, or +the mention of him. + +Montoni having determined not to leave Venice, till towards evening, +that he might avoid the heats, and catch the cool breezes of night, +embarked about an hour before sun-set, with his family, in a barge, for +the Brenta. Emily sat alone near the stern of the vessel, and, as it +floated slowly on, watched the gay and lofty city lessening from her +view, till its palaces seemed to sink in the distant waves, while its +loftier towers and domes, illumined by the declining sun, appeared on +the horizon, like those far-seen clouds which, in more northern climes, +often linger on the western verge, and catch the last light of a +summer's evening. Soon after, even these grew dim, and faded in distance +from her sight; but she still sat gazing on the vast scene of +cloudless sky, and mighty waters, and listening in pleasing awe to +the deep-sounding waves, while, as her eyes glanced over the Adriatic, +towards the opposite shores, which were, however, far beyond the reach +of sight, she thought of Greece, and, a thousand classical remembrances +stealing to her mind, she experienced that pensive luxury which is felt +on viewing the scenes of ancient story, and on comparing their present +state of silence and solitude with that of their former grandeur and +animation. The scenes of the Illiad illapsed in glowing colours to her +fancy--scenes, once the haunt of heroes--now lonely, and in ruins; +but which still shone, in the poet's strain, in all their youthful +splendour. + +As her imagination painted with melancholy touches, the deserted plains +of Troy, such as they appeared in this after-day, she reanimated the +landscape with the following little story. + + STANZAS + + O'er Ilion's plains, where once the warrior bled, + And once the poet rais'd his deathless strain, + O'er Ilion's plains a weary driver led + His stately camels: For the ruin'd fane + + Wide round the lonely scene his glance he threw, + For now the red cloud faded in the west, + And twilight o'er the silent landscape drew + Her deep'ning veil; eastward his course he prest: + + There, on the grey horizon's glimm'ring bound, + Rose the proud columns of deserted Troy, + And wandering shepherds now a shelter found + Within those walls, where princes wont to joy. + + Beneath a lofty porch the driver pass'd, + Then, from his camels heav'd the heavy load; + Partook with them the simple, cool repast, + And in short vesper gave himself to God. + + From distant lands with merchandise he came, + His all of wealth his patient servants bore; + Oft deep-drawn sighs his anxious wish proclaim + To reach, again, his happy cottage door; + + For there, his wife, his little children, dwell; + Their smiles shall pay the toil of many an hour: + Ev'n now warm tears to expectation swell, + As fancy o'er his mind extends her pow'r. + + A death-like stillness reign'd, where once the song, + The song of heroes, wak'd the midnight air, + Save, when a solemn murmur roll'd along, + That seem'd to say--'for future worlds prepare.' + + For Time's imperious voice was frequent heard + Shaking the marble temple to its fall, + (By hands he long had conquer'd, vainly rear'd), + And distant ruins answer'd to his call. + + While Hamet slept, his camels round him lay, + Beneath him, all his store of wealth was piled; + And here, his cruse and empty wallet lay, + And there, the flute that chear'd him in the wild. + + The robber Tartar on his slumber stole, + For o'er the waste, at eve, he watch'd his train; + Ah! who his thirst of plunder shall control? + Who calls on him for mercy--calls in vain! + + A poison'd poignard in his belt he wore, + A crescent sword depended at his side, + The deathful quiver at his back he bore, + And infants--at his very look had died! + + The moon's cold beam athwart the temple fell, + And to his sleeping prey the Tartar led; + But soft!--a startled camel shook his bell, + Then stretch'd his limbs, and rear'd his drowsy head. + + Hamet awoke! the poignard glitter'd high! + Swift from his couch he sprung, and 'scap'd the blow; + When from an unknown hand the arrows fly, + That lay the ruffian, in his vengeance, low. + + He groan'd, he died! from forth a column'd gate + A fearful shepherd, pale and silent, crept, + Who, as he watch'd his folded flock star-late, + Had mark'd the robber steal where Hamet slept. + + He fear'd his own, and sav'd a stranger's life! + Poor Hamet clasp'd him to his grateful heart; + Then, rous'd his camels for the dusty strife, + And, with the shepherd, hasten'd to depart. + + And now, aurora breathes her fresh'ning gale, + And faintly trembles on the eastern cloud; + And now, the sun, from under twilight's veil, + Looks gaily forth, and melts her airy shroud. + + Wide o'er the level plains, his slanting beams + Dart their long lines on Ilion's tower'd site; + The distant Hellespont with morning gleams, + And old Scamander winds his waves in light. + + All merry sound the camel bells, so gay, + And merry beats fond Hamet's heart, for he, + E'er the dim evening steals upon the day, + His children, wife and happy home shall see. + +As Emily approached the shores of Italy she began to discriminate the +rich features and varied colouring of the landscape--the purple hills, +groves of orange pine and cypress, shading magnificent villas, and towns +rising among vineyards and plantations. The noble Brenta, pouring its +broad waves into the sea, now appeared, and, when she reached its mouth, +the barge stopped, that the horses might be fastened which were now to +tow it up the stream. This done, Emily gave a last look to the Adriatic, +and to the dim sail, + + that from the sky-mix'd wave + Dawns on the sight, + +and the barge slowly glided between the green and luxuriant slopes +of the river. The grandeur of the Palladian villas, that adorn these +shores, was considerably heightened by the setting rays, which threw +strong contrasts of light and shade upon the porticos and long arcades, +and beamed a mellow lustre upon the orangeries and the tall groves of +pine and cypress, that overhung the buildings. The scent of oranges, of +flowering myrtles, and other odoriferous plants was diffused upon the +air, and often, from these embowered retreats, a strain of music stole +on the calm, and 'softened into silence.' + +The sun now sunk below the horizon, twilight fell over the landscape, +and Emily, wrapt in musing silence, continued to watch its features +gradually vanishing into obscurity. She remembered her many happy +evenings, when with St. Aubert she had observed the shades of twilight +steal over a scene as beautiful as this, from the gardens of La Vallee, +and a tear fell to the memory of her father. Her spirits were softened +into melancholy by the influence of the hour, by the low murmur of +the wave passing under the vessel, and the stillness of the air, that +trembled only at intervals with distant music:--why else should she, at +these moments, have looked on her attachment to Valancourt with presages +so very afflicting, since she had but lately received letters from him, +that had soothed for a while all her anxieties? It now seemed to her +oppressed mind, that she had taken leave of him for ever, and that the +countries, which separated them, would never more be re-traced by her. +She looked upon Count Morano with horror, as in some degree the cause +of this; but apart from him, a conviction, if such that may be called, +which arises from no proof, and which she knew not how to account for, +seized her mind--that she should never see Valancourt again. Though she +knew, that neither Morano's solicitations, nor Montoni's commands +had lawful power to enforce her obedience, she regarded both with a +superstitious dread, that they would finally prevail. + +Lost in this melancholy reverie, and shedding frequent tears, Emily was +at length roused by Montoni, and she followed him to the cabin, where +refreshments were spread, and her aunt was seated alone. The countenance +of Madame Montoni was inflamed with resentment, that appeared to be +the consequence of some conversation she had held with her husband, who +regarded her with a kind of sullen disdain, and both preserved, for some +time, a haughty silence. Montoni then spoke to Emily of Mons. Quesnel: +'You will not, I hope, persist in disclaiming your knowledge of the +subject of my letter to him?' + +'I had hoped, sir, that it was no longer necessary for me to disclaim +it,' said Emily, 'I had hoped, from your silence, that you was convinced +of your error.' + +'You have hoped impossibilities then,' replied Montoni; 'I might as +reasonably have expected to find sincerity and uniformity of conduct in +one of your sex, as you to convict me of error in this affair.' + +Emily blushed, and was silent; she now perceived too clearly, that she +had hoped an impossibility, for, where no mistake had been committed no +conviction could follow; and it was evident, that Montoni's conduct had +not been the consequence of mistake, but of design. + +Anxious to escape from conversation, which was both afflicting and +humiliating to her, she soon returned to the deck, and resumed her +station near the stern, without apprehension of cold, for no vapour rose +from the water, and the air was dry and tranquil; here, at least, the +benevolence of nature allowed her the quiet which Montoni had denied her +elsewhere. It was now past midnight. The stars shed a kind of twilight, +that served to shew the dark outline of the shores on either hand, and +the grey surface of the river; till the moon rose from behind a high +palm grove, and shed her mellow lustre over the scene. The vessel glided +smoothly on: amid the stillness of the hour Emily heard, now and then, +the solitary voice of the barge-men on the bank, as they spoke to their +horses; while, from a remote part of the vessel, with melancholy song, + + The sailor sooth'd, + Beneath the trembling moon, the midnight wave. + +Emily, meanwhile, anticipated her reception by Mons, and Madame Quesnel; +considered what she should say on the subject of La Vallee; and then, to +with-hold her mind from more anxious topics, tried to amuse herself by +discriminating the faint-drawn features of the landscape, reposing in +the moon-light. While her fancy thus wandered, she saw, at a distance, +a building peeping between the moon-light trees, and, as the barge +approached, heard voices speaking, and soon distinguished the lofty +portico of a villa, overshadowed by groves of pine and sycamore, which +she recollected to be the same, that had formerly been pointed out to +her, as belonging to Madame Quesnel's relative. + +The barge stopped at a flight of marble steps, which led up the bank to +a lawn. Lights appeared between some pillars beyond the portico. Montoni +sent forward his servant, and then disembarked with his family. They +found Mons. and Madame Quesnel, with a few friends, seated on sofas in +the portico, enjoying the cool breeze of the night, and eating fruits +and ices, while some of their servants at a little distance, on +the river's bank, were performing a simple serenade. Emily was now +accustomed to the way of living in this warm country, and was not +surprised to find Mons. and Madame Quesnel in their portico, two hours +after midnight. + +The usual salutations being over, the company seated themselves in the +portico, and refreshments were brought them from the adjoining hall, +where a banquet was spread, and servants attended. When the bustle +of this meeting had subsided, and Emily had recovered from the little +flutter into which it had thrown her spirits, she was struck with the +singular beauty of the hall, so perfectly accommodated to the luxuries +of the season. It was of white marble, and the roof, rising into an +open cupola, was supported by columns of the same material. Two opposite +sides of the apartment, terminating in open porticos, admitted to the +hall a full view of the gardens, and of the river scenery; in the centre +a fountain continually refreshed the air, and seemed to heighten the +fragrance, that breathed from the surrounding orangeries, while its +dashing waters gave an agreeable and soothing sound. Etruscan lamps, +suspended from the pillars, diffused a brilliant light over the interior +part of the hall, leaving the remoter porticos to the softer lustre of +the moon. + +Mons. Quesnel talked apart to Montoni of his own affairs, in his usual +strain of self-importance; boasted of his new acquisitions, and +then affected to pity some disappointments, which Montoni had lately +sustained. Meanwhile, the latter, whose pride at least enabled him to +despise such vanity as this, and whose discernment at once detected +under this assumed pity, the frivolous malignity of Quesnel's mind, +listened to him in contemptuous silence, till he named his niece, and +then they left the portico, and walked away into the gardens. + +Emily, however, still attended to Madame Quesnel, who spoke of France +(for even the name of her native country was dear to her) and she found +some pleasure in looking at a person, who had lately been in it. That +country, too, was inhabited by Valancourt, and she listened to the +mention of it, with a faint hope, that he also would be named. Madame +Quesnel, who, when she was in France, had talked with rapture of Italy, +now, that she was in Italy, talked with equal praise of France, and +endeavoured to excite the wonder and the envy of her auditors by +accounts of places, which they had not been happy enough to see. In +these descriptions she not only imposed upon them, but upon herself, for +she never thought a present pleasure equal to one, that was passed; +and thus the delicious climate, the fragrant orangeries and all the +luxuries, which surrounded her, slept unnoticed, while her fancy +wandered over the distant scenes of a northern country. + +Emily listened in vain for the name of Valancourt. Madame Montoni spoke +in her turn of the delights of Venice, and of the pleasure she expected +from visiting the fine castle of Montoni, on the Apennine; which latter +mention, at least, was merely a retaliating boast, for Emily well knew, +that her aunt had no taste for solitary grandeur, and, particularly, +for such as the castle of Udolpho promised. Thus the party continued to +converse, and, as far as civility would permit, to torture each other +by mutual boasts, while they reclined on sofas in the portico, and were +environed with delights both from nature and art, by which any honest +minds would have been tempered to benevolence, and happy imaginations +would have been soothed into enchantment. + +The dawn, soon after, trembled in the eastern horizon, and the light +tints of morning, gradually expanding, shewed the beautifully declining +forms of the Italian mountains and the gleaming landscapes, stretched +at their feet. Then the sun-beams, shooting up from behind the hills, +spread over the scene that fine saffron tinge, which seems to impart +repose to all it touches. The landscape no longer gleamed; all its +glowing colours were revealed, except that its remoter features were +still softened and united in the mist of distance, whose sweet effect +was heightened to Emily by the dark verdure of the pines and cypresses, +that over-arched the foreground of the river. + +The market people, passing with their boats to Venice, now formed a +moving picture on the Brenta. Most of these had little painted awnings, +to shelter their owners from the sun-beams, which, together with +the piles of fruit and flowers, displayed beneath, and the tasteful +simplicity of the peasant girls, who watched the rural treasures, +rendered them gay and striking objects. The swift movement of the boats +down the current, the quick glance of oars in the water, and now and +then the passing chorus of peasants, who reclined under the sail of +their little bark, or the tones of some rustic instrument, played by +a girl, as she sat near her sylvan cargo, heightened the animation and +festivity of the scene. + +When Montoni and M. Quesnel had joined the ladies, the party left +the portico for the gardens, where the charming scenery soon withdrew +Emily's thoughts from painful subjects. The majestic forms and rich +verdure of cypresses she had never seen so perfect before: groves of +cedar, lemon, and orange, the spiry clusters of the pine and poplar, the +luxuriant chesnut and oriental plane, threw all their pomp of shade over +these gardens; while bowers of flowering myrtle and other spicy shrubs +mingled their fragrance with that of flowers, whose vivid and various +colouring glowed with increased effect beneath the contrasted umbrage of +the groves. The air also was continually refreshed by rivulets, which, +with more taste than fashion, had been suffered to wander among the +green recesses. + +Emily often lingered behind the party, to contemplate the distant +landscape, that closed a vista, or that gleamed beneath the dark foliage +of the foreground;--the spiral summits of the mountains, touched with +a purple tint, broken and steep above, but shelving gradually to their +base; the open valley, marked by no formal lines of art; and the tall +groves of cypress, pine and poplar, sometimes embellished by a ruined +villa, whose broken columns appeared between the branches of a pine, +that seemed to droop over their fall. + +From other parts of the gardens, the character of the view was entirely +changed, and the fine solitary beauty of the landscape shifted for the +crowded features and varied colouring of inhabitation. + +The sun was now gaining fast upon the sky, and the party quitted the +gardens, and retired to repose. + + + +CHAPTER IV + + + And poor Misfortune feels the lash of Vice. + THOMSON + +Emily seized the first opportunity of conversing alone with Mons. +Quesnel, concerning La Vallee. His answers to her enquiries were +concise, and delivered with the air of a man, who is conscious of +possessing absolute power and impatient of hearing it questioned. He +declared, that the disposal of the place was a necessary measure; and +that she might consider herself indebted to his prudence for even the +small income that remained for her. 'But, however,' added he, 'when +this Venetian Count (I have forgot his name) marries you, your present +disagreeable state of dependence will cease. As a relation to you I +rejoice in the circumstance, which is so fortunate for you, and, I may +add, so unexpected by your friends.' For some moments Emily was chilled +into silence by this speech; and, when she attempted to undeceive him, +concerning the purport of the note she had inclosed in Montoni's letter, +he appeared to have some private reason for disbelieving her assertion, +and, for a considerable time, persevered in accusing her of capricious +conduct. Being, at length, however, convinced that she really disliked +Morano and had positively rejected his suit, his resentment was +extravagant, and he expressed it in terms equally pointed and inhuman; +for, secretly flattered by the prospect of a connection with a nobleman, +whose title he had affected to forget, he was incapable of feeling +pity for whatever sufferings of his niece might stand in the way of his +ambition. + +Emily saw at once in his manner all the difficulties, that awaited +her, and, though no oppression could have power to make her renounce +Valancourt for Morano, her fortitude now trembled at an encounter with +the violent passions of her uncle. + +She opposed his turbulence and indignation only by the mild dignity of +a superior mind; but the gentle firmness of her conduct served to +exasperate still more his resentment, since it compelled him to feel +his own inferiority, and, when he left her, he declared, that, if she +persisted in her folly, both himself and Montoni would abandon her to +the contempt of the world. + +The calmness she had assumed in his presence failed Emily, when alone, +and she wept bitterly, and called frequently upon the name of her +departed father, whose advice to her from his death-bed she then +remembered. 'Alas!' said she, 'I do indeed perceive how much more +valuable is the strength of fortitude than the grace of sensibility, +and I will also endeavour to fulfil the promise I then made; I will +not indulge in unavailing lamentation, but will try to endure, with +firmness, the oppression I cannot elude.' + +Somewhat soothed by the consciousness of performing a part of St. +Aubert's last request, and of endeavouring to pursue the conduct which +he would have approved, she overcame her tears, and, when the company +met at dinner, had recovered her usual serenity of countenance. + +In the cool of the evening, the ladies took the FRESCO along the bank of +the Brenta in Madame Quesnel's carriage. The state of Emily's mind was +in melancholy contrast with the gay groups assembled beneath the shades +that overhung this enchanting stream. Some were dancing under the trees, +and others reclining on the grass, taking ices and coffee and calmly +enjoying the effect of a beautiful evening, on a luxuriant landscape. +Emily, when she looked at the snow-capt Apennines, ascending in the +distance, thought of Montoni's castle, and suffered some terror, lest he +should convey her thither, for the purpose of enforcing her obedience; +but the thought vanished, when she considered, that she was as much in +his power at Venice as she could be elsewhere. + +It was moonlight before the party returned to the villa, where supper +was spread in the airy hall, which had so much enchanted Emily's fancy, +on the preceding night. The ladies seated themselves in the portico, +till Mons. Quesnel, Montoni, and other gentlemen should join them at +table, and Emily endeavoured to resign herself to the tranquillity of +the hour. Presently, a barge stopped at the steps that led into the +gardens, and, soon after, she distinguished the voices of Montoni and +Quesnel, and then that of Morano, who, in the next moment, appeared. His +compliments she received in silence, and her cold air seemed at first to +discompose him; but he soon recovered his usual gaiety of manner, +though the officious kindness of M. and Madame Quesnel Emily perceived +disgusted him. Such a degree of attention she had scarcely believed +could be shewn by M. Quesnel, for she had never before seen him +otherwise than in the presence of his inferiors or equals. + +When she could retire to her own apartment, her mind almost +involuntarily dwelt on the most probable means of prevailing with the +Count to withdraw his suit, and to her liberal mind none appeared more +probable, than that of acknowledging to him a prior attachment and +throwing herself upon his generosity for a release. When, however, +on the following day, he renewed his addresses, she shrunk from the +adoption of the plan she had formed. There was something so repugnant to +her just pride, in laying open the secret of her heart to such a man +as Morano, and in suing to him for compassion, that she impatiently +rejected this design and wondered, that she could have paused upon +it for a moment. The rejection of his suit she repeated in the most +decisive terms she could select, mingling with it a severe censure +of his conduct; but, though the Count appeared mortified by this, he +persevered in the most ardent professions of admiration, till he was +interrupted and Emily released by the presence of Madame Quesnel. + +During her stay at this pleasant villa, Emily was thus rendered +miserable by the assiduities of Morano, together with the cruelly +exerted authority of M. Quesnel and Montoni, who, with her aunt, seemed +now more resolutely determined upon this marriage than they had even +appeared to be at Venice. M. Quesnel, finding, that both argument and +menace were ineffectual in enforcing an immediate conclusion to it, at +length relinquished his endeavours, and trusted to the power of Montoni +and to the course of events at Venice. Emily, indeed, looked to Venice +with hope, for there she would be relieved in some measure from the +persecution of Morano, who would no longer be an inhabitant of the same +house with herself, and from that of Montoni, whose engagements would +not permit him to be continually at home. But amidst the pressure of her +own misfortunes, she did not forget those of poor Theresa, for whom she +pleaded with courageous tenderness to Quesnel, who promised, in slight +and general terms, that she should not be forgotten. + +Montoni, in a long conversation with M. Quesnel, arranged the plan to +be pursued respecting Emily, and M. Quesnel proposed to be at Venice, as +soon as he should be informed, that the nuptials were concluded. + +It was new to Emily to part with any person, with whom she was +connected, without feeling of regret; the moment, however, in which she +took leave of M. and Madame Quesnel, was, perhaps, the only satisfactory +one she had known in their presence. + +Morano returned in Montoni's barge, and Emily, as she watched her +gradual approach to that magic city, saw at her side the only person, +who occasioned her to view it with less than perfect delight. They +arrived there about midnight, when Emily was released from the presence +of the Count, who, with Montoni, went to a Casino, and she was suffered +to retire to her own apartment. + +On the following day, Montoni, in a short conversation, which he held +with Emily, informed her, that he would no longer be TRIFLED with, and +that, since her marriage with the Count would be so highly advantageous +to her, that folly only could object to it, and folly of such extent +as was incapable of conviction, it should be celebrated without further +delay, and, if that was necessary, without her consent. + +Emily, who had hitherto tried remonstrance, had now recourse to +supplication, for distress prevented her from foreseeing, that, with a +man of Montoni's disposition, supplication would be equally useless. She +afterwards enquired by what right he exerted this unlimited authority +over her? a question, which her better judgment would have with-held +her, in a calmer moment, from making, since it could avail her nothing, +and would afford Montoni another opportunity of triumphing over her +defenceless condition. + +'By what right!' cried Montoni, with a malicious smile, 'by the right of +my will; if you can elude that, I will not inquire by what right you do +so. I now remind you, for the last time, that you are a stranger, in a +foreign country, and that it is your interest to make me your friend; +you know the means; if you compel me to become your enemy--I will +venture to tell you, that the punishment shall exceed your expectation. +You may know _I_ am not to be trifled with.' + +Emily continued, for some time after Montoni had left her, in a state of +despair, or rather stupefaction; a consciousness of misery was all that +remained in her mind. In this situation Madame Montoni found her, at the +sound of whose voice Emily looked up, and her aunt, somewhat softened by +the expression of despair, that fixed her countenance, spoke in a manner +more kind than she had ever yet done. Emily's heart was touched; she +shed tears, and, after weeping for some time, recovered sufficient +composure to speak on the subject of her distress, and to endeavour to +interest Madame Montoni in her behalf. But, though the compassion of her +aunt had been surprised, her ambition was not to be overcome, and +her present object was to be the aunt of a Countess. Emily's efforts, +therefore, were as unsuccessful as they had been with Montoni, and she +withdrew to her apartment to think and weep alone. How often did she +remember the parting scene with Valancourt, and wish, that the Italian +had mentioned Montoni's character with less reserve! When her mind, +however, had recovered from the first shock of this behaviour, she +considered, that it would be impossible for him to compel her alliance +with Morano, if she persisted in refusing to repeat any part of the +marriage ceremony; and she persevered in her resolution to await +Montoni's threatened vengeance rather than give herself for life to a +man, whom she must have despised for his present conduct, had she never +even loved Valancourt; yet she trembled at the revenge she thus resolved +to brave. + +An affair, however, soon after occurred, which somewhat called off +Montoni's attention from Emily. The mysterious visits of Orsino were +renewed with more frequency since the return of the former to Venice. +There were others, also, besides Orsino, admitted to these midnight +councils, and among them Cavigni and Verezzi. Montoni became more +reserved and austere in his manner than ever; and Emily, if her own +interests had not made her regardless of his, might have perceived, that +something extraordinary was working in his mind. + +One night, on which a council was not held, Orsino came in great +agitation of spirits, and dispatched his confidential servant to +Montoni, who was at a Casino, desiring that he would return home +immediately; but charging the servant not to mention his name. Montoni +obeyed the summons, and, on meeting Orsino, was informed of the +circumstances, that occasioned his visit and his visible alarm, with a +part of which he was already acquainted. + +A Venetian nobleman, who had, on some late occasion, provoked the hatred +of Orsino, had been way-laid and poniarded by hired assassins: and, as +the murdered person was of the first connections, the Senate had +taken up the affair. One of the assassins was now apprehended, who had +confessed, that Orsino was his employer in the atrocious deed; and the +latter, informed of his danger, had now come to Montoni to consult on +the measures necessary to favour his escape. He knew, that, at this +time, the officers of the police were upon the watch for him, all over +the city; to leave it, at present, therefore, was impracticable, and +Montoni consented to secrete him for a few days till the vigilance of +justice should relax, and then to assist him in quitting Venice. He knew +the danger he himself incurred by permitting Orsino to remain in his +house, but such was the nature of his obligations to this man, that he +did not think it prudent to refuse him an asylum. + +Such was the person whom Montoni had admitted to his confidence, and for +whom he felt as much friendship as was compatible with his character. + +While Orsino remained concealed in his house, Montoni was unwilling to +attract public observation by the nuptials of Count Morano; but this +obstacle was, in a few days, overcome by the departure of his criminal +visitor, and he then informed Emily, that her marriage was to be +celebrated on the following morning. To her repeated assurances, that +it should not take place, he replied only by a malignant smile; and, +telling her that the Count and a priest would be at his house, early +in the morning, he advised her no further to dare his resentment, by +opposition to his will and to her own interest. 'I am now going out for +the evening,' said he, 'remember, that I shall give your hand to Count +Morano in the morning.' Emily, having, ever since his late threats, +expected, that her trials would at length arrive to this crisis, was +less shocked by the declaration, that she otherwise would have been, +and she endeavoured to support herself by the belief, that the marriage +could not be valid, so long as she refused before the priest to repeat +any part of the ceremony. Yet, as the moment of trial approached, her +long-harassed spirits shrunk almost equally from the encounter of his +vengeance, and from the hand of Count Morano. She was not even perfectly +certain of the consequence of her steady refusal at the altar, and +she trembled, more than ever, at the power of Montoni, which seemed +unlimited as his will, for she saw, that he would not scruple to +transgress any law, if, by so doing, he could accomplish his project. + +While her mind was thus suffering and in a state little short of +distraction, she was informed that Morano asked permission to see +her, and the servant had scarcely departed with an excuse, before she +repented that she had sent one. In the next moment, reverting to +her former design, and determining to try, whether expostulation and +entreaty would not succeed, where a refusal and a just disdain had +failed, she recalled the servant, and, sending a different message, +prepared to go down to the Count. + +The dignity and assumed composure with which she met him, and the +kind of pensive resignation, that softened her countenance, were +circumstances not likely to induce him to relinquish her, serving, +as they did, to heighten a passion, which had already intoxicated his +judgment. He listened to all she said with an appearance of complacency +and of a wish to oblige her; but his resolution remained invariably the +same, and he endeavoured to win her admiration by every insinuating art +he so well knew how to practise. Being, at length, assured, that she +had nothing to hope from his justice, she repeated, in a solemn and +impressive manner, her absolute rejection of his suit, and quitted him +with an assurance, that her refusal would be effectually maintained +against every circumstance, that could be imagined for subduing it. A +just pride had restrained her tears in his presence, but now they flowed +from the fulness of her heart. She often called upon the name of her +late father, and often dwelt with unutterable anguish on the idea of +Valancourt. + +She did not go down to supper, but remained alone in her apartment, +sometimes yielding to the influence of grief and terror, and, at others, +endeavouring to fortify her mind against them, and to prepare herself +to meet, with composed courage, the scene of the following morning, when +all the stratagem of Morano and the violence of Montoni would be united +against her. + +The evening was far advanced, when Madame Montoni came to her chamber +with some bridal ornaments, which the Count had sent to Emily. She +had, this day, purposely avoided her niece; perhaps, because her usual +insensibility failed her, and she feared to trust herself with a view of +Emily's distress; or possibly, though her conscience was seldom audible, +it now reproached her with her conduct to her brother's orphan child, +whose happiness had been entrusted to her care by a dying father. + +Emily could not look at these presents, and made a last, though almost +hopeless, effort to interest the compassion of Madame Montoni, who, if +she did feel any degree of pity, or remorse, successfully concealed it, +and reproached her niece with folly in being miserable, concerning a +marriage, which ought only to make her happy. 'I am sure,' said she, 'if +I was unmarried, and the Count had proposed to me, I should have been +flattered by the distinction: and if I should have been so, I am sure, +niece, you, who have no fortune, ought to feel yourself highly honoured, +and shew a proper gratitude and humility towards the Count, for his +condescension. I am often surprised, I must own, to observe how humbly +he deports himself to you, notwithstanding the haughty airs you give +yourself; I wonder he has patience to humour you so: if I was he, +I know, I should often be ready to reprehend you, and make you know +yourself a little better. I would not have flattered you, I can tell +you, for it is this absurd flattery that makes you fancy yourself of +so much consequence, that you think nobody can deserve you, and I often +tell the Count so, for I have no patience to hear him pay you such +extravagant compliments, which you believe every word of!' + +'Your patience, madam, cannot suffer more cruelly on such occasions, +than my own,' said Emily. + +'O! that is all mere affectation,' rejoined her aunt. 'I know that his +flattery delights you, and makes you so vain, that you think you may +have the whole world at your feet. But you are very much mistaken; I +can assure you, niece, you will not meet with many such suitors as the +Count: every other person would have turned upon his heel, and left you +to repent at your leisure, long ago.' + +'O that the Count had resembled every other person, then!' said Emily, +with a heavy sigh. + +'It is happy for you, that he does not,' rejoined Madame Montoni; +'and what I am now saying is from pure kindness. I am endeavouring to +convince you of your good fortune, and to persuade you to submit to +necessity with a good grace. It is nothing to me, you know, whether you +like this marriage or not, for it must be; what I say, therefore, is +from pure kindness. I wish to see you happy, and it is your own fault if +you are not so. I would ask you, now, seriously and calmly, what kind of +a match you can expect, since a Count cannot content your ambition?' + +'I have no ambition whatever, madam,' replied Emily, 'my only wish is to +remain in my present station.' + +'O! that is speaking quite from the purpose,' said her aunt, 'I see +you are still thinking of Mons. Valancourt. Pray get rid of all +those fantastic notions about love, and this ridiculous pride, and be +something like a reasonable creature. But, however, this is nothing to +the purpose--for your marriage with the Count takes place tomorrow, you +know, whether you approve it or not. The Count will be trifled with no +longer.' + +Emily made no attempt to reply to this curious speech; she felt it +would be mean, and she knew it would be useless. Madame Montoni laid the +Count's presents upon the table, on which Emily was leaning, and then, +desiring she would be ready early in the morning, bade her good-night. +'Good-night, madam,' said Emily, with a deep sigh, as the door closed +upon her aunt, and she was left once more to her own sad reflections. +For some time she sat so lost in thought, as to be wholly unconscious +where she was; at length, raising her head, and looking round the room, +its gloom and profound stillness awed her. She fixed her eyes on the +door, through which her aunt had disappeared, and listened anxiously for +some sound, that might relieve the deep dejection of her spirits; but it +was past midnight, and all the family except the servant, who sat up for +Montoni, had retired to bed. Her mind, long harassed by distress, now +yielded to imaginary terrors; she trembled to look into the obscurity +of her spacious chamber, and feared she knew not what; a state of mind, +which continued so long, that she would have called up Annette, her +aunt's woman, had her fears permitted her to rise from her chair, and to +cross the apartment. + +These melancholy illusions at length began to disperse, and she retired +to her bed, not to sleep, for that was scarcely possible, but to try, at +least, to quiet her disturbed fancy, and to collect strength of spirits +sufficient to bear her through the scene of the approaching morning. + + + +CHAPTER V + + + Dark power! with shudd'ring, meek submitted thought + Be mine to read the visions old + Which thy awak'ning bards have told, + And, lest they meet my blasted view, + Hold each strange tale devoutly true. + COLLINS' ODE TO FEAR + +Emily was recalled from a kind of slumber, into which she had, at +length, sunk, by a quick knocking at her chamber door. She started up +in terror, for Montoni and Count Morano instantly came to her mind; but, +having listened in silence for some time, and recognizing the voice +of Annette, she rose and opened the door. 'What brings you hither so +early?' said Emily, trembling excessively. She was unable to support +herself, and sat down on the bed. + +'Dear ma'amselle!' said Annette, 'do not look so pale. I am quite +frightened to see you. Here is a fine bustle below stairs, all the +servants running to and fro, and none of them fast enough! Here is a +bustle, indeed, all of a sudden, and nobody knows for what!' + +'Who is below besides them?' said Emily, 'Annette, do not trifle with +me!' + +'Not for the world, ma'amselle, I would not trifle for the world; but +one cannot help making one's remarks, and there is the Signor in such +a bustle, as I never saw him before; and he has sent me to tell you, +ma'am, to get ready immediately.' + +'Good God support me!' cried Emily, almost fainting, 'Count Morano is +below, then!' + +'No, ma'amselle, he is not below that I know of,' replied Annette, 'only +his excellenza sent me to desire you would get ready directly to leave +Venice, for that the gondolas would be at the steps of the canal in a +few minutes: but I must hurry back to my lady, who is just at her wits +end, and knows not which way to turn for haste.' + +'Explain, Annette, explain the meaning of all this before you go,' said +Emily, so overcome with surprise and timid hope, that she had scarcely +breath to speak. + +'Nay, ma'amselle, that is more than I can do. I only know that the +Signor is just come home in a very ill humour, that he has had us +all called out of our beds, and tells us we are all to leave Venice +immediately.' + +'Is Count Morano to go with the signor?' said Emily, 'and whither are we +going?' + +'I know neither, ma'am, for certain; but I heard Ludovico say something +about going, after we get to terra-firma, to the signor's castle among +some mountains, that he talked of.' + +'The Apennines!' said Emily, eagerly, 'O! then I have little to hope!' + +'That is the very place, ma'am. But cheer up, and do not take it so much +to heart, and think what a little time you have to get ready in, and how +impatient the Signor is. Holy St. Mark! I hear the oars on the canal; +and now they come nearer, and now they are dashing at the steps below; +it is the gondola, sure enough.' + +Annette hastened from the room; and Emily prepared for this unexpected +flight, as fast as her trembling hands would permit, not perceiving, +that any change in her situation could possibly be for the worse. She +had scarcely thrown her books and clothes into her travelling +trunk, when, receiving a second summons, she went down to her aunt's +dressing-room, where she found Montoni impatiently reproving his wife +for delay. He went out, soon after, to give some further orders to his +people, and Emily then enquired the occasion of this hasty journey; but +her aunt appeared to be as ignorant as herself, and to undertake the +journey with more reluctance. + +The family at length embarked, but neither Count Morano, nor Cavigni, +was of the party. Somewhat revived by observing this, Emily, when the +gondolieri dashed their oars in the water, and put off from the steps +of the portico, felt like a criminal, who receives a short reprieve. Her +heart beat yet lighter, when they emerged from the canal into the ocean, +and lighter still, when they skimmed past the walls of St. Mark, without +having stopped to take up Count Morano. + +The dawn now began to tint the horizon, and to break upon the shores of +the Adriatic. Emily did not venture to ask any questions of Montoni, who +sat, for some time, in gloomy silence, and then rolled himself up in his +cloak, as if to sleep, while Madame Montoni did the same; but Emily, who +could not sleep, undrew one of the little curtains of the gondola, +and looked out upon the sea. The rising dawn now enlightened the +mountain-tops of Friuli, but their lower sides, and the distant waves, +that rolled at their feet, were still in deep shadow. Emily, sunk in +tranquil melancholy, watched the strengthening light spreading upon the +ocean, shewing successively Venice and her islets, and the shores of +Italy, along which boats, with their pointed latin sails, began to move. + +The gondolieri were frequently hailed, at this early hour, by the +market-people, as they glided by towards Venice, and the lagune +soon displayed a gay scene of innumerable little barks, passing from +terra-firma with provisions. Emily gave a last look to that splendid +city, but her mind was then occupied by considering the probable events, +that awaited her, in the scenes, to which she was removing, and with +conjectures, concerning the motive of this sudden journey. It appeared, +upon calmer consideration, that Montoni was removing her to his secluded +castle, because he could there, with more probability of success, +attempt to terrify her into obedience; or, that, should its gloomy and +sequestered scenes fail of this effect, her forced marriage with the +Count could there be solemnized with the secrecy, which was necessary +to the honour of Montoni. The little spirit, which this reprieve had +recalled, now began to fail, and, when Emily reached the shore, her mind +had sunk into all its former depression. + +Montoni did not embark on the Brenta, but pursued his way in carriages +across the country, towards the Apennine; during which journey, his +manner to Emily was so particularly severe, that this alone would have +confirmed her late conjecture, had any such confirmation been necessary. +Her senses were now dead to the beautiful country, through which she +travelled. Sometimes she was compelled to smile at the naivete of +Annette, in her remarks on what she saw, and sometimes to sigh, as a +scene of peculiar beauty recalled Valancourt to her thoughts, who was +indeed seldom absent from them, and of whom she could never hope to hear +in the solitude, to which she was hastening. + +At length, the travellers began to ascend among the Apennines. The +immense pine-forests, which, at that period, overhung these mountains, +and between which the road wound, excluded all view but of the cliffs +aspiring above, except, that, now and then, an opening through the dark +woods allowed the eye a momentary glimpse of the country below. The +gloom of these shades, their solitary silence, except when the breeze +swept over their summits, the tremendous precipices of the mountains, +that came partially to the eye, each assisted to raise the solemnity of +Emily's feelings into awe; she saw only images of gloomy grandeur, or of +dreadful sublimity, around her; other images, equally gloomy and equally +terrible, gleamed on her imagination. She was going she scarcely +knew whither, under the dominion of a person, from whose arbitrary +disposition she had already suffered so much, to marry, perhaps, a man +who possessed neither her affection, or esteem; or to endure, beyond the +hope of succour, whatever punishment revenge, and that Italian revenge, +might dictate.--The more she considered what might be the motive of the +journey, the more she became convinced, that it was for the purpose of +concluding her nuptials with Count Morano, with that secrecy, which +her resolute resistance had made necessary to the honour, if not to +the safety, of Montoni. From the deep solitudes, into which she was +immerging, and from the gloomy castle, of which she had heard +some mysterious hints, her sick heart recoiled in despair, and she +experienced, that, though her mind was already occupied by peculiar +distress, it was still alive to the influence of new and local +circumstance; why else did she shudder at the idea of this desolate +castle? + +As the travellers still ascended among the pine forests, steep rose over +steep, the mountains seemed to multiply, as they went, and what was the +summit of one eminence proved to be only the base of another. At length, +they reached a little plain, where the drivers stopped to rest the +mules, whence a scene of such extent and magnificence opened below, as +drew even from Madame Montoni a note of admiration. Emily lost, for a +moment, her sorrows, in the immensity of nature. Beyond the amphitheatre +of mountains, that stretched below, whose tops appeared as numerous +almost, as the waves of the sea, and whose feet were concealed by the +forests--extended the campagna of Italy, where cities and rivers, and +woods and all the glow of cultivation were mingled in gay confusion. The +Adriatic bounded the horizon, into which the Po and the Brenta, after +winding through the whole extent of the landscape, poured their fruitful +waves. Emily gazed long on the splendours of the world she was quitting, +of which the whole magnificence seemed thus given to her sight only to +increase her regret on leaving it; for her, Valancourt alone was in that +world; to him alone her heart turned, and for him alone fell her bitter +tears. + +From this sublime scene the travellers continued to ascend among the +pines, till they entered a narrow pass of the mountains, which shut out +every feature of the distant country, and, in its stead, exhibited only +tremendous crags, impending over the road, where no vestige of humanity, +or even of vegetation, appeared, except here and there the trunk and +scathed branches of an oak, that hung nearly headlong from the rock, +into which its strong roots had fastened. This pass, which led into the +heart of the Apennine, at length opened to day, and a scene of mountains +stretched in long perspective, as wild as any the travellers had yet +passed. Still vast pine-forests hung upon their base, and crowned the +ridgy precipice, that rose perpendicularly from the vale, while, above, +the rolling mists caught the sun-beams, and touched their cliffs +with all the magical colouring of light and shade. The scene seemed +perpetually changing, and its features to assume new forms, as the +winding road brought them to the eye in different attitudes; while the +shifting vapours, now partially concealing their minuter beauties and +now illuminating them with splendid tints, assisted the illusions of the +sight. + +Though the deep vallies between these mountains were, for the most part, +clothed with pines, sometimes an abrupt opening presented a perspective +of only barren rocks, with a cataract flashing from their summit among +broken cliffs, till its waters, reaching the bottom, foamed along with +unceasing fury; and sometimes pastoral scenes exhibited their 'green +delights' in the narrow vales, smiling amid surrounding horror. There +herds and flocks of goats and sheep, browsing under the shade of hanging +woods, and the shepherd's little cabin, reared on the margin of a clear +stream, presented a sweet picture of repose. + +Wild and romantic as were these scenes, their character had far less +of the sublime, that had those of the Alps, which guard the entrance +of Italy. Emily was often elevated, but seldom felt those emotions +of indescribable awe which she had so continually experienced, in her +passage over the Alps. + +Towards the close of day, the road wound into a deep valley. Mountains, +whose shaggy steeps appeared to be inaccessible, almost surrounded +it. To the east, a vista opened, that exhibited the Apennines in their +darkest horrors; and the long perspective of retiring summits, rising +over each other, their ridges clothed with pines, exhibited a stronger +image of grandeur, than any that Emily had yet seen. The sun had just +sunk below the top of the mountains she was descending, whose long +shadow stretched athwart the valley, but his sloping rays, shooting +through an opening of the cliffs, touched with a yellow gleam the +summits of the forest, that hung upon the opposite steeps, and streamed +in full splendour upon the towers and battlements of a castle, that +spread its extensive ramparts along the brow of a precipice above. The +splendour of these illumined objects was heightened by the contrasted +shade, which involved the valley below. + +'There,' said Montoni, speaking for the first time in several hours, 'is +Udolpho.' + +Emily gazed with melancholy awe upon the castle, which she understood to +be Montoni's; for, though it was now lighted up by the setting sun, the +gothic greatness of its features, and its mouldering walls of dark grey +stone, rendered it a gloomy and sublime object. As she gazed, the light +died away on its walls, leaving a melancholy purple tint, which spread +deeper and deeper, as the thin vapour crept up the mountain, while the +battlements above were still tipped with splendour. From those, too, +the rays soon faded, and the whole edifice was invested with the solemn +duskiness of evening. Silent, lonely, and sublime, it seemed to stand +the sovereign of the scene, and to frown defiance on all, who dared to +invade its solitary reign. As the twilight deepened, its features +became more awful in obscurity, and Emily continued to gaze, till its +clustering towers were alone seen, rising over the tops of the woods, +beneath whose thick shade the carriages soon after began to ascend. + +The extent and darkness of these tall woods awakened terrific images in +her mind, and she almost expected to see banditti start up from under +the trees. At length, the carriages emerged upon a heathy rock, and, +soon after, reached the castle gates, where the deep tone of the portal +bell, which was struck upon to give notice of their arrival, increased +the fearful emotions, that had assailed Emily. While they waited till +the servant within should come to open the gates, she anxiously +surveyed the edifice: but the gloom, that overspread it, allowed her to +distinguish little more than a part of its outline, with the massy walls +of the ramparts, and to know, that it was vast, ancient and dreary. From +the parts she saw, she judged of the heavy strength and extent of the +whole. The gateway before her, leading into the courts, was of gigantic +size, and was defended by two round towers, crowned by overhanging +turrets, embattled, where, instead of banners, now waved long grass and +wild plants, that had taken root among the mouldering stones, and which +seemed to sigh, as the breeze rolled past, over the desolation around +them. The towers were united by a curtain, pierced and embattled also, +below which appeared the pointed arch of a huge portcullis, surmounting +the gates: from these, the walls of the ramparts extended to other +towers, overlooking the precipice, whose shattered outline, appearing on +a gleam, that lingered in the west, told of the ravages of war.--Beyond +these all was lost in the obscurity of evening. + +While Emily gazed with awe upon the scene, footsteps were heard within +the gates, and the undrawing of bolts; after which an ancient servant of +the castle appeared, forcing back the huge folds of the portal, to admit +his lord. As the carriage-wheels rolled heavily under the portcullis, +Emily's heart sunk, and she seemed, as if she was going into her prison; +the gloomy court, into which she passed, served to confirm the idea, +and her imagination, ever awake to circumstance, suggested even more +terrors, than her reason could justify. + +Another gate delivered them into the second court, grass-grown, and more +wild than the first, where, as she surveyed through the twilight its +desolation--its lofty walls, overtopt with briony, moss and nightshade, +and the embattled towers that rose above,--long-suffering and murder +came to her thoughts. One of those instantaneous and unaccountable +convictions, which sometimes conquer even strong minds, impressed her +with its horror. The sentiment was not diminished, when she entered an +extensive gothic hall, obscured by the gloom of evening, which a light, +glimmering at a distance through a long perspective of arches, only +rendered more striking. As a servant brought the lamp nearer partial +gleams fell upon the pillars and the pointed arches, forming a strong +contrast with their shadows, that stretched along the pavement and the +walls. + +The sudden journey of Montoni had prevented his people from making any +other preparations for his reception, than could be had in the short +interval, since the arrival of the servant, who had been sent forward +from Venice; and this, in some measure, may account for the air of +extreme desolation, that everywhere appeared. + +The servant, who came to light Montoni, bowed in silence, and the +muscles of his countenance relaxed with no symptom of joy.--Montoni +noticed the salutation by a slight motion of his hand, and passed on, +while his lady, following, and looking round with a degree of surprise +and discontent, which she seemed fearful of expressing, and Emily, +surveying the extent and grandeur of the hall in timid wonder, +approached a marble stair-case. The arches here opened to a lofty vault, +from the centre of which hung a tripod lamp, which a servant was hastily +lighting; and the rich fret-work of the roof, a corridor, leading into +several upper apartments, and a painted window, stretching nearly from +the pavement to the ceiling of the hall, became gradually visible. + +Having crossed the foot of the stair-case, and passed through an +ante-room, they entered a spacious apartment, whose walls, wainscoted +with black larch-wood, the growth of the neighbouring mountains, were +scarcely distinguishable from darkness itself. 'Bring more light,' +said Montoni, as he entered. The servant, setting down his lamp, was +withdrawing to obey him, when Madame Montoni observing, that the evening +air of this mountainous region was cold, and that she should like a +fire, Montoni ordered that wood might be brought. + +While he paced the room with thoughtful steps, and Madame Montoni sat +silently on a couch, at the upper end of it, waiting till the servant +returned, Emily was observing the singular solemnity and desolation of +the apartment, viewed, as it now was, by the glimmer of the single lamp, +placed near a large Venetian mirror, that duskily reflected the scene, +with the tall figure of Montoni passing slowly along, his arms folded, +and his countenance shaded by the plume, that waved in his hat. + +From the contemplation of this scene, Emily's mind proceeded to the +apprehension of what she might suffer in it, till the remembrance of +Valancourt, far, far distant! came to her heart, and softened it into +sorrow. A heavy sigh escaped her: but, trying to conceal her tears, she +walked away to one of the high windows, that opened upon the ramparts, +below which, spread the woods she had passed in her approach to the +castle. But the night-shade sat deeply on the mountains beyond, and +their indented outline alone could be faintly traced on the horizon, +where a red streak yet glimmered in the west. The valley between was +sunk in darkness. + +The scene within, upon which Emily turned on the opening of the door, +was scarcely less gloomy. The old servant, who had received them at the +gates, now entered, bending under a load of pine-branches, while two of +Montoni's Venetian servants followed with lights. + +'Your excellenza is welcome to the castle,' said the old man, as he +raised himself from the hearth, where he had laid the wood: 'it has been +a lonely place a long while; but you will excuse it, Signor, knowing we +had but short notice. It is near two years, come next feast of St. Mark, +since your excellenza was within these walls.' + +'You have a good memory, old Carlo,' said Montoni: 'it is there-about; +and how hast thou contrived to live so long?' + +'A-well-a-day, sir, with much ado; the cold winds, that blow through the +castle in winter, are almost too much for me; and I thought sometimes of +asking your excellenza to let me leave the mountains, and go down into +the lowlands. But I don't know how it is--I am loth to quit these old +walls I have lived in so long.' + +'Well, how have you gone on in the castle, since I left it?' said +Montoni. + +'Why much as usual, Signor, only it wants a good deal of repairing. +There is the north tower--some of the battlements have tumbled down, and +had liked one day to have knocked my poor wife (God rest her soul!) on +the head. Your excellenza must know'-- + +'Well, but the repairs,' interrupted Montoni. + +'Aye, the repairs,' said Carlo: 'a part of the roof of the great hall +has fallen in, and all the winds from the mountains rushed through it +last winter, and whistled through the whole castle so, that there was no +keeping one's self warm, be where one would. There, my wife and I used +to sit shivering over a great fire in one corner of the little hall, +ready to die with cold, and'-- + +'But there are no more repairs wanted,' said Montoni, impatiently. + +'O Lord! Your excellenza, yes--the wall of the rampart has tumbled down +in three places; then, the stairs, that lead to the west gallery, have +been a long time so bad, that it is dangerous to go up them; and the +passage leading to the great oak chamber, that overhangs the north +rampart--one night last winter I ventured to go there by myself, and +your excellenza'-- + +'Well, well, enough of this,' said Montoni, with quickness: 'I will talk +more with thee to-morrow.' + +The fire was now lighted; Carlo swept the hearth, placed chairs, wiped +the dust from a large marble table that stood near it, and then left the +room. + +Montoni and his family drew round the fire. Madame Montoni made several +attempts at conversation, but his sullen answers repulsed her, while +Emily sat endeavouring to acquire courage enough to speak to him. At +length, in a tremulous voice, she said, 'May I ask, sir, the motive +of this sudden journey?'--After a long pause, she recovered sufficient +courage to repeat the question. + +'It does not suit me to answer enquiries,' said Montoni, 'nor does it +become you to make them; time may unfold them all: but I desire I may +be no further harassed, and I recommend it to you to retire to your +chamber, and to endeavour to adopt a more rational conduct, than that +of yielding to fancies, and to a sensibility, which, to call it by the +gentlest name, is only a weakness.' + +Emily rose to withdraw. 'Good night, madam,' said she to her aunt, with +an assumed composure, that could not disguise her emotion. + +'Good night, my dear,' said Madame Montoni, in a tone of kindness, which +her niece had never before heard from her; and the unexpected endearment +brought tears to Emily's eyes. She curtsied to Montoni, and was +retiring; 'But you do not know the way to your chamber,' said her aunt. +Montoni called the servant, who waited in the ante-room, and bade +him send Madame Montoni's woman, with whom, in a few minutes, Emily +withdrew. + +'Do you know which is my room?' said she to Annette, as they crossed the +hall. + +'Yes, I believe I do, ma'amselle; but this is such a strange rambling +place! I have been lost in it already: they call it the double chamber, +over the south rampart, and I went up this great stair-case to it. My +lady's room is at the other end of the castle.' + +Emily ascended the marble staircase, and came to the corridor, as they +passed through which, Annette resumed her chat--'What a wild lonely +place this is, ma'am! I shall be quite frightened to live in it. How +often, and often have I wished myself in France again! I little thought, +when I came with my lady to see the world, that I should ever be shut up +in such a place as this, or I would never have left my own country! +This way, ma'amselle, down this turning. I can almost believe in giants +again, and such like, for this is just like one of their castles; and, +some night or other, I suppose I shall see fairies too, hopping about +in that great old hall, that looks more like a church, with its huge +pillars, than any thing else.' + +'Yes,' said Emily, smiling, and glad to escape from more serious +thought, 'if we come to the corridor, about midnight, and look down into +the hall, we shall certainly see it illuminated with a thousand lamps, +and the fairies tripping in gay circles to the sound of delicious music; +for it is in such places as this, you know, that they come to hold +their revels. But I am afraid, Annette, you will not be able to pay the +necessary penance for such a sight: and, if once they hear your voice, +the whole scene will vanish in an instant.' + +'O! if you will bear me company, ma'amselle, I will come to the +corridor, this very night, and I promise you I will hold my tongue; it +shall not be my fault if the show vanishes.--But do you think they will +come?' + +'I cannot promise that with certainty, but I will venture to say, it +will not be your fault if the enchantment should vanish.' + +'Well, ma'amselle, that is saying more than I expected of you: but I am +not so much afraid of fairies, as of ghosts, and they say there are a +plentiful many of them about the castle: now I should be frightened to +death, if I should chance to see any of them. But hush! ma'amselle, walk +softly! I have thought, several times, something passed by me.' + +'Ridiculous!' said Emily, 'you must not indulge such fancies.' + +'O ma'am! they are not fancies, for aught I know; Benedetto says these +dismal galleries and halls are fit for nothing but ghosts to live +in; and I verily believe, if I LIVE long in them I shall turn to one +myself!' + +'I hope,' said Emily, 'you will not suffer Signor Montoni to hear of +these weak fears; they would highly displease him.' + +'What, you know then, ma'amselle, all about it!' rejoined Annette. 'No, +no, I do know better than to do so; though, if the Signor can sleep +sound, nobody else in the castle has any right to lie awake, I am sure.' +Emily did not appear to notice this remark. + +'Down this passage, ma'amselle; this leads to a back stair-case. O! if I +see any thing, I shall be frightened out of my wits!' + +'That will scarcely be possible,' said Emily smiling, as she followed +the winding of the passage, which opened into another gallery: and then +Annette, perceiving that she had missed her way, while she had been +so eloquently haranguing on ghosts and fairies, wandered about through +other passages and galleries, till, at length, frightened by their +intricacies and desolation, she called aloud for assistance: but they +were beyond the hearing of the servants, who were on the other side of +the castle, and Emily now opened the door of a chamber on the left. + +'O! do not go in there, ma'amselle,' said Annette, 'you will only lose +yourself further.' + +'Bring the light forward,' said Emily, 'we may possibly find our way +through these rooms.' + +Annette stood at the door, in an attitude of hesitation, with the light +held up to shew the chamber, but the feeble rays spread through not half +of it. 'Why do you hesitate?' said Emily, 'let me see whither this room +leads.' + +Annette advanced reluctantly. It opened into a suite of spacious and +ancient apartments, some of which were hung with tapestry, and others +wainscoted with cedar and black larch-wood. What furniture there was, +seemed to be almost as old as the rooms, and retained an appearance +of grandeur, though covered with dust, and dropping to pieces with the +damps, and with age. + +'How cold these rooms are, ma'amselle!' said Annette: 'nobody has lived +in them for many, many years, they say. Do let us go.' + +'They may open upon the great stair-case, perhaps,' said Emily, passing +on till she came to a chamber, hung with pictures, and took the light +to examine that of a soldier on horseback in a field of battle.--He was +darting his spear upon a man, who lay under the feet of the horse, and +who held up one hand in a supplicating attitude. The soldier, +whose beaver was up, regarded him with a look of vengeance, and the +countenance, with that expression, struck Emily as resembling Montoni. +She shuddered, and turned from it. Passing the light hastily over +several other pictures, she came to one concealed by a veil of black +silk. The singularity of the circumstance struck her, and she stopped +before it, wishing to remove the veil, and examine what could thus +carefully be concealed, but somewhat wanting courage. 'Holy Virgin! what +can this mean?' exclaimed Annette. 'This is surely the picture they told +me of at Venice.' + +'What picture?' said Emily. 'Why a picture--a picture,' replied Annette, +hesitatingly--'but I never could make out exactly what it was about, +either.' + +'Remove the veil, Annette.' + +'What! I, ma'amselle!--I! not for the world!' Emily, turning round, saw +Annette's countenance grow pale. 'And pray, what have you heard of +this picture, to terrify you so, my good girl?' said she. 'Nothing, +ma'amselle: I have heard nothing, only let us find our way out.' + +'Certainly: but I wish first to examine the picture; take the light, +Annette, while I lift the veil.' Annette took the light, and immediately +walked away with it, disregarding Emily's call to stay, who, not +choosing to be left alone in the dark chamber, at length followed her. +'What is the reason of this, Annette?' said Emily, when she overtook +her, 'what have you heard concerning that picture, which makes you so +unwilling to stay when I bid you?' + +'I don't know what is the reason, ma'amselle, replied Annette, 'nor +any thing about the picture, only I have heard there is something very +dreadful belonging to it--and that it has been covered up in black EVER +SINCE--and that nobody has looked at it for a great many years--and it +somehow has to do with the owner of this castle before Signor Montoni +came to the possession of it--and'--- + +'Well, Annette,' said Emily, smiling, 'I perceive it is as you say--that +you know nothing about the picture.' + +'No, nothing, indeed, ma'amselle, for they made me promise never to +tell:--but'-- + +'Well,' rejoined Emily, who observed that she was struggling between +her inclination to reveal a secret, and her apprehension for the +consequence, 'I will enquire no further'--- + +'No, pray, ma'am, do not.' + +'Lest you should tell all,' interrupted Emily. + +Annette blushed, and Emily smiled, and they passed on to the extremity +of this suite of apartments, and found themselves, after some further +perplexity, once more at the top of the marble stair-case, where Annette +left Emily, while she went to call one of the servants of the castle to +shew them to the chamber, for which they had been seeking. + +While she was absent, Emily's thoughts returned to the picture; an +unwillingness to tamper with the integrity of a servant, had checked her +enquiries on this subject, as well as concerning some alarming hints, +which Annette had dropped respecting Montoni; though her curiosity +was entirely awakened, and she had perceived, that her questions might +easily be answered. She was now, however, inclined to go back to the +apartment and examine the picture; but the loneliness of the hour and +of the place, with the melancholy silence that reigned around her, +conspired with a certain degree of awe, excited by the mystery attending +this picture, to prevent her. She determined, however, when day-light +should have re-animated her spirits, to go thither and remove the veil. +As she leaned from the corridor, over the stair-case, and her eyes +wandered round, she again observed, with wonder, the vast strength of +the walls, now somewhat decayed, and the pillars of solid marble, that +rose from the hall, and supported the roof. + +A servant now appeared with Annette, and conducted Emily to her chamber, +which was in a remote part of the castle, and at the very end of the +corridor, from whence the suite of apartments opened, through which they +had been wandering. The lonely aspect of her room made Emily unwilling +that Annette should leave her immediately, and the dampness of it +chilled her with more than fear. She begged Caterina, the servant of the +castle, to bring some wood and light a fire. + +'Aye, lady, it's many a year since a fire was lighted here,' said +Caterina. + +'You need not tell us that, good woman,' said Annette; 'every room in +the castle feels like a well. I wonder how you contrive to live here; +for my part, I wish myself at Venice again.' Emily waved her hand for +Caterina to fetch the wood. + +'I wonder, ma'am, why they call this the double chamber?' said Annette, +while Emily surveyed it in silence and saw that it was lofty and +spacious, like the others she had seen, and, like many of them, too, had +its walls lined with dark larch-wood. The bed and other furniture was +very ancient, and had an air of gloomy grandeur, like all that she +had seen in the castle. One of the high casements, which she opened, +overlooked a rampart, but the view beyond was hid in darkness. + +In the presence of Annette, Emily tried to support her spirits, and to +restrain the tears, which, every now and then, came to her eyes. She +wished much to enquire when Count Morano was expected at the castle, +but an unwillingness to ask unnecessary questions, and to mention family +concerns to a servant, withheld her. Meanwhile, Annette's thoughts were +engaged upon another subject: she dearly loved the marvellous, and +had heard of a circumstance, connected with the castle, that highly +gratified this taste. Having been enjoined not to mention it, her +inclination to tell it was so strong, that she was every instant on the +point of speaking what she had heard. Such a strange circumstance, too, +and to be obliged to conceal it, was a severe punishment; but she knew, +that Montoni might impose one much severer, and she feared to incur it +by offending him. + +Caterina now brought the wood, and its bright blaze dispelled, for a +while, the gloom of the chamber. She told Annette, that her lady +had enquired for her, and Emily was once again left to her own sad +reflections. Her heart was not yet hardened against the stern manners +of Montoni, and she was nearly as much shocked now, as she had been when +she first witnessed them. The tenderness and affection, to which she had +been accustomed, till she lost her parents, had made her particularly +sensible to any degree of unkindness, and such a reverse as this no +apprehension had prepared her to support. + +To call off her attention from subjects, that pressed heavily on her +spirits, she rose and again examined her room and its furniture. As +she walked round it, she passed a door, that was not quite shut, and, +perceiving, that it was not the one, through which she entered, she +brought the light forward to discover whither it led. She opened it, +and, going forward, had nearly fallen down a steep, narrow stair-case +that wound from it, between two stone walls. She wished to know to what +it led, and was the more anxious, since it communicated so immediately +with her apartment; but, in the present state of her spirits, she wanted +courage to venture into the darkness alone. Closing the door, therefore, +she endeavoured to fasten it, but, upon further examination, perceived, +that it had no bolts on the chamber side, though it had two on the +other. By placing a heavy chair against it, she in some measure remedied +the defect; yet she was still alarmed at the thought of sleeping in this +remote room alone, with a door opening she knew not whither, and which +could not be perfectly fastened on the inside. Sometimes she wished to +entreat of Madame Montoni, that Annette might have leave to remain with +her all night, but was deterred by an apprehension of betraying what +would be thought childish fears, and by an unwillingness to increase the +apt terrors of Annette. + +Her gloomy reflections were, soon after, interrupted by a footstep in +the corridor, and she was glad to see Annette enter with some supper, +sent by Madame Montoni. Having a table near the fire, she made the good +girl sit down and sup with her; and, when their little repast was over, +Annette, encouraged by her kindness and stirring the wood into a blaze, +drew her chair upon the hearth, nearer to Emily, and said--'Did you ever +hear, ma'amselle, of the strange accident, that made the Signor lord of +this castle?' + +'What wonderful story have you now to tell?' said Emily, concealing the +curiosity, occasioned by the mysterious hints she had formerly heard on +that subject. + +'I have heard all about it, ma'amselle,' said Annette, looking round +the chamber and drawing closer to Emily; 'Benedetto told it me as we +travelled together: says he, "Annette, you don't know about this castle +here, that we are going to?" No, says I, Mr. Benedetto, pray what do you +know? But, ma'amselle, you can keep a secret, or I would not tell it +you for the world; for I promised never to tell, and they say, that the +Signor does not like to have it talked of.' + +'If you promised to keep this secret,' said Emily, 'you do right not to +mention it.' + +Annette paused a moment, and then said, 'O, but to you, ma'amselle, to +you I may tell it safely, I know.' + +Emily smiled, 'I certainly shall keep it as faithful as yourself, +Annette.' + +Annette replied very gravely, that would do, and proceeded--'This +castle, you must know, ma'amselle, is very old, and very strong, and +has stood out many sieges as they say. Now it was not Signor Montoni's +always, nor his father's; no; but, by some law or other, it was to come +to the Signor, if the lady died unmarried.' + +'What lady?' said Emily. + +'I am not come to that yet,' replied Annette, 'it is the lady I am going +to tell you about, ma'amselle: but, as I was saying, this lady lived in +the castle, and had everything very grand about her, as you may suppose, +ma'amselle. The Signor used often to come to see her, and was in love +with her, and offered to marry her; for, though he was somehow related, +that did not signify. But she was in love with somebody else, and would +not have him, which made him very angry, as they say, and you know, +ma'amselle, what an ill-looking gentleman he is, when he is angry. +Perhaps she saw him in a passion, and therefore would not have him. But, +as I was saying, she was very melancholy and unhappy, and all that, for +a long while, and--Holy Virgin! what noise is that? did not you hear a +sound, ma'amselle?' + +'It was only the wind,' said Emily, 'but do come to the end of your +story.' + +'As I was saying--O, where was I?--as I was saying--she was very +melancholy and unhappy a long while, and used to walk about upon the +terrace, there, under the windows, by herself, and cry so! it would have +done your heart good to hear her. That is--I don't mean good, but it +would have made you cry too, as they tell me.' + +'Well, but, Annette, do tell me the substance of your tale.' + +'All in good time, ma'am; all this I heard before at Venice, but what is +to come I never heard till to-day. This happened a great many years ago, +when Signor Montoni was quite a young man. The lady--they called her +Signora Laurentini, was very handsome, but she used to be in great +passions, too, sometimes, as well as the Signor. Finding he could not +make her listen to him--what does he do, but leave the castle, and never +comes near it for a long time! but it was all one to her; she was just +as unhappy whether he was here or not, till one evening, Holy St. Peter! +ma'amselle,' cried Annette, 'look at that lamp, see how blue it burns!' +She looked fearfully round the chamber. 'Ridiculous girl!' said Emily, +'why will you indulge those fancies? Pray let me hear the end of your +story, I am weary.' + +Annette still kept her eyes on the lamp, and proceeded in a lower voice. +'It was one evening, they say, at the latter end of the year, it +might be about the middle of September, I suppose, or the beginning of +October; nay, for that matter, it might be November, for that, too, is +the latter end of the year, but that I cannot say for certain, because +they did not tell me for certain themselves. However, it was at the +latter end of the year, this grand lady walked out of the castle into +the woods below, as she had often done before, all alone, only her maid +was with her. The wind blew cold, and strewed the leaves about, and +whistled dismally among those great old chesnut trees, that we passed, +ma'amselle, as we came to the castle--for Benedetto shewed me the +trees as he was talking--the wind blew cold, and her woman would have +persuaded her to return: but all would not do, for she was fond of +walking in the woods, at evening time, and, if the leaves were falling +about her, so much the better. + +'Well, they saw her go down among the woods, but night came, and she +did not return: ten o'clock, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock came, and no +lady! Well, the servants thought to be sure, some accident had befallen +her, and they went out to seek her. They searched all night long, but +could not find her, or any trace of her; and, from that day to this, +ma'amselle, she has never been heard of.' + +'Is this true, Annette?' said Emily, in much surprise. + +'True, ma'am!' said Annette, with a look of horror, 'yes, it is true, +indeed. But they do say,' she added, lowering her voice, 'they do say, +that the Signora has been seen, several times since, walking in the +woods and about the castle in the night: several of the old servants, +who remained here some time after, declare they saw her; and, since +then, she has been seen by some of the vassals, who have happened to be +in the castle, at night. Carlo, the old steward, could tell such things, +they say, if he would.' + +'How contradictory is this, Annette!' said Emily, 'you say nothing has +been since known of her, and yet she has been seen!' + +'But all this was told me for a great secret,' rejoined Annette, without +noticing the remark, 'and I am sure, ma'am, you would not hurt either +me or Benedetto, so much as to go and tell it again.' Emily remained +silent, and Annette repeated her last sentence. + +'You have nothing to fear from my indiscretion,' replied Emily, 'and let +me advise you, my good Annette, be discreet yourself, and never mention +what you have just told me to any other person. Signor Montoni, as +you say, may be angry if he hears of it. But what inquiries were made +concerning the lady?' + +'O! a great deal, indeed, ma'amselle, for the Signor laid claim to the +castle directly, as being the next heir, and they said, that is, the +judges, or the senators, or somebody of that sort, said, he could not +take possession of it till so many years were gone by, and then, if, +after all, the lady could not be found, why she would be as good as +dead, and the castle would be his own; and so it is his own. But the +story went round, and many strange reports were spread, so very strange, +ma'amselle, that I shall not tell them.' + +'That is stranger still, Annette,' said Emily, smiling, and rousing +herself from her reverie. 'But, when Signora Laurentini was afterwards +seen in the castle, did nobody speak to her?' + +'Speak--speak to her!' cried Annette, with a look of terror; 'no, to be +sure.' + +'And why not?' rejoined Emily, willing to hear further. + +'Holy Mother! speak to a spirit!' + +'But what reason had they to conclude it was a spirit, unless they had +approached, and spoken to it?' 'O ma'amselle, I cannot tell. How can you +ask such shocking questions? But nobody ever saw it come in, or go out +of the castle; and it was in one place now, and then the next minute in +quite another part of the castle; and then it never spoke, and, if it +was alive, what should it do in the castle if it never spoke? Several +parts of the castle have never been gone into since, they say, for that +very reason.' + +'What, because it never spoke?' said Emily, trying to laugh away the +fears that began to steal upon her.--'No, ma'amselle, no;' replied +Annette, rather angrily 'but because something has been seen there. They +say, too, there is an old chapel adjoining the west side of the castle, +where, any time at midnight, you may hear such groans!--it makes one +shudder to think of them!--and strange sights have been seen there--' + +'Pr'ythee, Annette, no more of these silly tales,' said Emily. + +'Silly tales, ma'amselle! O, but I will tell you one story about this, +if you please, that Caterina told me. It was one cold winter's night +that Caterina (she often came to the castle then, she says, to keep old +Carlo and his wife company, and so he recommended her afterwards to the +Signor, and she has lived here ever since) Caterina was sitting with +them in the little hall, says Carlo, "I wish we had some of those figs +to roast, that lie in the store-closet, but it is a long way off, and I +am loath to fetch them; do, Caterina," says he, "for you are young and +nimble, do bring us some, the fire is in nice trim for roasting them; +they lie," says he, "in such a corner of the store-room, at the end of +the north-gallery; here, take the lamp," says he, "and mind, as you go +up the great stair-case, that the wind, through the roof, does not blow +it out." So, with that, Caterina took the lamp--Hush! ma'amselle, I +surely heard a noise!' + +Emily, whom Annette had now infected with her own terrors, listened +attentively; but every thing was still, and Annette proceeded: + +'Caterina went to the north-gallery, that is the wide gallery we passed, +ma'am, before we came to the corridor, here. As she went with the lamp +in her hand, thinking of nothing at all--There, again!' cried Annette +suddenly--'I heard it again!--it was not fancy, ma'amselle!' + +'Hush!' said Emily, trembling. They listened, and, continuing to sit +quite still, Emily heard a low knocking against the wall. It came +repeatedly. Annette then screamed loudly, and the chamber door slowly +opened.--It was Caterina, come to tell Annette, that her lady wanted +her. Emily, though she now perceived who it was, could not immediately +overcome her terror; while Annette, half laughing, half crying, scolded +Caterina heartily for thus alarming them; and was also terrified lest +what she had told had been overheard.--Emily, whose mind was deeply +impressed by the chief circumstance of Annette's relation, was unwilling +to be left alone, in the present state of her spirits; but, to avoid +offending Madame Montoni, and betraying her own weakness, she struggled +to overcome the illusions of fear, and dismissed Annette for the night. + +When she was alone, her thoughts recurred to the strange history of +Signora Laurentini and then to her own strange situation, in the wild +and solitary mountains of a foreign country, in the castle, and the +power of a man, to whom, only a few preceding months, she was an entire +stranger; who had already exercised an usurped authority over her, and +whose character she now regarded, with a degree of terror, apparently +justified by the fears of others. She knew, that he had invention equal +to the conception and talents to the execution of any project, and +she greatly feared he had a heart too void of feeling to oppose the +perpetration of whatever his interest might suggest. She had long +observed the unhappiness of Madame Montoni, and had often been witness +to the stern and contemptuous behaviour she received from her husband. +To these circumstances, which conspired to give her just cause for +alarm, were now added those thousand nameless terrors, which exist only +in active imaginations, and which set reason and examination equally at +defiance. + +Emily remembered all that Valancourt had told her, on the eve of her +departure from Languedoc, respecting Montoni, and all that he had said +to dissuade her from venturing on the journey. His fears had often since +appeared to her prophetic--now they seemed confirmed. Her heart, as +it gave her back the image of Valancourt, mourned in vain regret, but +reason soon came with a consolation which, though feeble at first, +acquired vigour from reflection. She considered, that, whatever might be +her sufferings, she had withheld from involving him in misfortune, and +that, whatever her future sorrows could be, she was, at least, free from +self-reproach. + +Her melancholy was assisted by the hollow sighings of the wind along the +corridor and round the castle. The cheerful blaze of the wood had long +been extinguished, and she sat with her eyes fixed on the dying embers, +till a loud gust, that swept through the corridor, and shook the doors +and casements, alarmed her, for its violence had moved the chair she had +placed as a fastening, and the door, leading to the private stair-case +stood half open. Her curiosity and her fears were again awakened. She +took the lamp to the top of the steps, and stood hesitating whether to +go down; but again the profound stillness and the gloom of the place +awed her, and, determining to enquire further, when day-light might +assist the search, she closed the door, and placed against it a stronger +guard. + +She now retired to her bed, leaving the lamp burning on the table; but +its gloomy light, instead of dispelling her fear, assisted it; for, +by its uncertain rays, she almost fancied she saw shapes flit past her +curtains and glide into the remote obscurity of her chamber.--The castle +clock struck one before she closed her eyes to sleep. + + + +CHAPTER VI + + + I think it is the weakness of mine eyes, + That shapes this monstrous apparition. + It comes upon me! + JULIUS CAESAR + +Daylight dispelled from Emily's mind the glooms of superstition, but +not those of apprehension. The Count Morano was the first image, that +occurred to her waking thoughts, and then came a train of anticipated +evils, which she could neither conquer, nor avoid. She rose, and, to +relieve her mind from the busy ideas, that tormented it, compelled +herself to notice external objects. From her casement she looked out +upon the wild grandeur of the scene, closed nearly on all sides by +alpine steeps, whose tops, peeping over each other, faded from the eye +in misty hues, while the promontories below were dark with woods, that +swept down to their base, and stretched along the narrow vallies. The +rich pomp of these woods was particularly delightful to Emily; and she +viewed with astonishment the fortifications of the castle spreading +along a vast extent of rock, and now partly in decay, the grandeur of +the ramparts below, and the towers and battlements and various features +of the fabric above. From these her sight wandered over the cliffs and +woods into the valley, along which foamed a broad and rapid stream, seen +falling among the crags of an opposite mountain, now flashing in the +sun-beams, and now shadowed by over-arching pines, till it was entirely +concealed by their thick foliage. Again it burst from beneath this +darkness in one broad sheet of foam, and fell thundering into the vale. +Nearer, towards the west, opened the mountain-vista, which Emily had +viewed with such sublime emotion, on her approach to the castle: a thin +dusky vapour, that rose from the valley, overspread its features with a +sweet obscurity. As this ascended and caught the sun-beams, it kindled +into a crimson tint, and touched with exquisite beauty the woods and +cliffs, over which it passed to the summit of the mountains; then, as +the veil drew up, it was delightful to watch the gleaming objects, that +progressively disclosed themselves in the valley--the green turf--dark +woods--little rocky recesses--a few peasants' huts--the foaming +stream--a herd of cattle, and various images of pastoral beauty. Then, +the pine-forests brightened, and then the broad breast of the mountains, +till, at length, the mist settled round their summit, touching them with +a ruddy glow. The features of the vista now appeared distinctly, and the +broad deep shadows, that fell from the lower cliffs, gave strong effect +to the streaming splendour above; while the mountains, gradually sinking +in the perspective, appeared to shelve into the Adriatic sea, for such +Emily imagined to be the gleam of blueish light, that terminated the +view. + +Thus she endeavoured to amuse her fancy, and was not unsuccessful. +The breezy freshness of the morning, too, revived her. She raised her +thoughts in prayer, which she felt always most disposed to do, when +viewing the sublimity of nature, and her mind recovered its strength. + +When she turned from the casement, her eyes glanced upon the door she +had so carefully guarded, on the preceding night, and she now determined +to examine whither it led; but, on advancing to remove the chairs, +she perceived, that they were already moved a little way. Her surprise +cannot be easily imagined, when, in the next minute, she perceived that +the door was fastened.--She felt, as if she had seen an apparition. The +door of the corridor was locked as she had left it, but this door, which +could be secured only on the outside, must have been bolted, during the +night. She became seriously uneasy at the thought of sleeping again in +a chamber, thus liable to intrusion, so remote, too, as it was from +the family, and she determined to mention the circumstance to Madame +Montoni, and to request a change. + +After some perplexity she found her way into the great hall, and to the +room, which she had left, on the preceding night, where breakfast was +spread, and her aunt was alone, for Montoni had been walking over the +environs of the castle, examining the condition of its fortifications, +and talking for some time with Carlo. Emily observed that her aunt had +been weeping, and her heart softened towards her, with an affection, +that shewed itself in her manner, rather than in words, while she +carefully avoided the appearance of having noticed, that she was +unhappy. She seized the opportunity of Montoni's absence to mention the +circumstance of the door, to request that she might be allowed another +apartment, and to enquire again, concerning the occasion of their +sudden journey. On the first subject her aunt referred her to Montoni, +positively refusing to interfere in the affair; on the last, she +professed utter ignorance. + +Emily, then, with a wish of making her aunt more reconciled to her +situation, praised the grandeur of the castle and the surrounding +scenery, and endeavoured to soften every unpleasing circumstance +attending it. But, though misfortune had somewhat conquered the +asperities of Madame Montoni's temper, and, by increasing her cares +for herself, had taught her to feel in some degree for others, the +capricious love of rule, which nature had planted and habit had +nourished in her heart, was not subdued. She could not now deny herself +the gratification of tyrannizing over the innocent and helpless Emily, +by attempting to ridicule the taste she could not feel. + +Her satirical discourse was, however, interrupted by the entrance of +Montoni, and her countenance immediately assumed a mingled expression of +fear and resentment, while he seated himself at the breakfast-table, as +if unconscious of there being any person but himself in the room. + +Emily, as she observed him in silence, saw, that his countenance was +darker and sterner than usual. 'O could I know,' said she to herself, +'what passes in that mind; could I know the thoughts, that are known +there, I should no longer be condemned to this torturing suspense!' +Their breakfast passed in silence, till Emily ventured to request, that +another apartment might be allotted to her, and related the circumstance +which made her wish it. + +'I have no time to attend to these idle whims,' said Montoni, 'that +chamber was prepared for you, and you must rest contented with it. It +is not probable, that any person would take the trouble of going to that +remote stair-case, for the purpose of fastening a door. If it was not +fastened, when you entered the chamber, the wind, perhaps, shook the +door and made the bolts slide. But I know not why I should undertake to +account for so trifling an occurrence.' + +This explanation was by no means satisfactory to Emily, who had +observed, that the bolts were rusted, and consequently could not be thus +easily moved; but she forbore to say so, and repeated her request. + + +'If you will not release yourself from the slavery of these fears,' said +Montoni, sternly, 'at least forbear to torment others by the mention +of them. Conquer such whims, and endeavour to strengthen your mind. No +existence is more contemptible than that, which is embittered by fear.' +As he said this, his eye glanced upon Madame Montoni, who coloured +highly, but was still silent. Emily, wounded and disappointed, thought +her fears were, in this instance, too reasonable to deserve ridicule; +but, perceiving, that, however they might oppress her, she must endure +them, she tried to withdraw her attention from the subject. + +Carlo soon after entered with some fruit: + +'Your excellenza is tired after your long ramble,' said he, as he set +the fruit upon the table; 'but you have more to see after breakfast. +There is a place in the vaulted passage leading to--' + +Montoni frowned upon him, and waved his hand for him to leave the +room. Carlo stopped, looked down, and then added, as he advanced to the +breakfast-table, and took up the basket of fruit, 'I made bold, your +excellenza, to bring some cherries, here, for my honoured lady and +my young mistress. Will your ladyship taste them, madam?' said Carlo, +presenting the basket, 'they are very fine ones, though I gathered them +myself, and from an old tree, that catches all the south sun; they are +as big as plums, your ladyship.' + +'Very well, old Carlo,' said Madame Montoni; 'I am obliged to you.' + +'And the young Signora, too, she may like some of them,' rejoined Carlo, +turning with the basket to Emily, 'it will do me good to see her eat +some.' + +'Thank you, Carlo,' said Emily, taking some cherries, and smiling +kindly. + +'Come, come,' said Montoni, impatiently, 'enough of this. Leave the +room, but be in waiting. I shall want you presently.' + +Carlo obeyed, and Montoni, soon after, went out to examine further into +the state of the castle; while Emily remained with her aunt, patiently +enduring her ill humour, and endeavouring, with much sweetness, to +soothe her affliction, instead of resenting its effect. + +When Madame Montoni retired to her dressing-room, Emily endeavoured to +amuse herself by a view of the castle. Through a folding door she passed +from the great hall to the ramparts, which extended along the brow of +the precipice, round three sides of the edifice; the fourth was guarded +by the high walls of the courts, and by the gateway, through which +she had passed, on the preceding evening. The grandeur of the broad +ramparts, and the changing scenery they overlooked, excited her high +admiration; for the extent of the terraces allowed the features of the +country to be seen in such various points of view, that they appeared to +form new landscapes. She often paused to examine the gothic magnificence +of Udolpho, its proud irregularity, its lofty towers and battlements, +its high-arched casements, and its slender watch-towers, perched upon +the corners of turrets. Then she would lean on the wall of the terrace, +and, shuddering, measure with her eye the precipice below, till the +dark summits of the woods arrested it. Wherever she turned, appeared +mountain-tops, forests of pine and narrow glens, opening among the +Apennines and retiring from the sight into inaccessible regions. + +While she thus leaned, Montoni, followed by two men, appeared, ascending +a winding path, cut in the rock below. He stopped upon a cliff, and, +pointing to the ramparts, turned to his followers, and talked with much +eagerness of gesticulation.--Emily perceived, that one of these men was +Carlo; the other was in the dress of a peasant, and he alone seemed to +be receiving the directions of Montoni. + +She withdrew from the walls, and pursued her walk, till she heard at +a distance the sound of carriage wheels, and then the loud bell of +the portal, when it instantly occurred to her, that Count Morano was +arrived. As she hastily passed the folding doors from the terrace, +towards her own apartment, several persons entered the hall by an +opposite door. She saw them at the extremities of the arcades, and +immediately retreated; but the agitation of her spirits, and the extent +and duskiness of the hall, had prevented her from distinguishing the +persons of the strangers. Her fears, however, had but one object, and +they had called up that object to her fancy:--she believed that she had +seen Count Morano. + +When she thought that they had passed the hall, she ventured again to +the door, and proceeded, unobserved, to her room, where she remained, +agitated with apprehensions, and listening to every distant sound. At +length, hearing voices on the rampart, she hastened to her window, +and observed Montoni, with Signor Cavigni, walking below, conversing +earnestly, and often stopping and turning towards each other, at which +time their discourse seemed to be uncommonly interesting. + +Of the several persons who had appeared in the hall, here was Cavigni +alone: but Emily's alarm was soon after heightened by the steps of some +one in the corridor, who, she apprehended, brought a message from the +Count. In the next moment, Annette appeared. + +'Ah! ma'amselle,' said she, 'here is the Signor Cavigni arrived! I am +sure I rejoiced to see a christian person in this place; and then he is +so good natured too, he always takes so much notice of me!--And here is +also Signor Verezzi, and who do you think besides, ma'amselle?' + +'I cannot guess, Annette; tell me quickly.' + +'Nay, ma'am, do guess once.' + +'Well, then,' said Emily, with assumed composure, 'it is--Count Morano, +I suppose.' + +'Holy Virgin!' cried Annette, 'are you ill, ma'amselle? you are going to +faint! let me get some water.' + +Emily sunk into a chair. 'Stay, Annette,' said she, feebly, 'do not +leave me--I shall soon be better; open the casement.--The Count, you +say--he is come, then?' + +'Who, I!--the Count! No, ma'amselle, I did not say so.' 'He is NOT come +then?' said Emily eagerly. 'No, ma'amselle.' + +'You are sure of it?' + +'Lord bless me!' said Annette, 'you recover very suddenly, ma'am! why, I +thought you was dying, just now.' + +'But the Count--you are sure, is not come?' + +'O yes, quite sure of that, ma'amselle. Why, I was looking out through +the grate in the north turret, when the carriages drove into the +court-yard, and I never expected to see such a goodly sight in this +dismal old castle! but here are masters and servants, too, enough to +make the place ring again. O! I was ready to leap through the rusty old +bars for joy!--O! who would ever have thought of seeing a christian +face in this huge dreary house? I could have kissed the very horses that +brought them.' + +'Well, Annette, well, I am better now.' + +'Yes, ma'amselle, I see you are. O! all the servants will lead merry +lives here, now; we shall have singing and dancing in the little hall, +for the Signor cannot hear us there--and droll stories--Ludovico's come, +ma'am; yes, there is Ludovico come with them! You remember Ludovico, +ma'am--a tall, handsome young man--Signor Cavigni's lacquey--who always +wears his cloak with such a grace, thrown round his left arm, and his +hat set on so smartly, all on one side, and--' + +'No,' said Emily, who was wearied by her loquacity. + +'What, ma'amselle, don't you remember Ludovico--who rowed the +Cavaliero's gondola, at the last regatta, and won the prize? And +who used to sing such sweet verses about Orlandos and about the +Black-a-moors, too; and Charly--Charly--magne, yes, that was the name, +all under my lattice, in the west portico, on the moon-light nights at +Venice? O! I have listened to him!'--- + +'I fear, to thy peril, my good Annette,' said Emily; 'for it seems his +verses have stolen thy heart. But let me advise you; if it is so, keep +the secret; never let him know it.' + +'Ah--ma'amselle!--how can one keep such a secret as that?' + +'Well, Annette, I am now so much better, that you may leave me.' + +'O, but, ma'amselle, I forgot to ask--how did you sleep in this +dreary old chamber last night?'--'As well as usual.'--'Did you hear +no noises?'--'None.'--'Nor see anything?'--'Nothing.'--'Well, that is +surprising!'--'Not in the least: and now tell me, why you ask these +questions.' + +'O, ma'amselle! I would not tell you for the world, nor all I have heard +about this chamber, either; it would frighten you so.' + +'If that is all, you have frightened me already, and may therefore tell +me what you know, without hurting your conscience.' + +'O Lord! they say the room is haunted, and has been so these many +years.' + +'It is by a ghost, then, who can draw bolts,' said Emily, endeavouring +to laugh away her apprehensions; 'for I left the door open, last night, +and found it fastened this morning.' + +Annette turned pale, and said not a word. + +'Do you know whether any of the servants fastened this door in the +morning, before I rose?' + +'No, ma'am, that I will be bound they did not; but I don't know: shall +I go and ask, ma'amselle?' said Annette, moving hastily towards the +corridor. + +'Stay, Annette, I have another question to ask; tell me what you have +heard concerning this room, and whither that stair-case leads.' + +'I will go and ask it all directly, ma'am; besides, I am sure my lady +wants me. I cannot stay now, indeed, ma'am.' + +She hurried from the room, without waiting Emily's reply, whose heart, +lightened by the certainty, that Morano was not arrived, allowed her +to smile at the superstitious terror, which had seized on Annette; for, +though she sometimes felt its influence herself, she could smile at it, +when apparent in other persons. + +Montoni having refused Emily another chamber, she determined to bear +with patience the evil she could not remove, and, in order to make the +room as comfortable as possible, unpacked her books, her sweet delight +in happier days, and her soothing resource in the hours of moderate +sorrow: but there were hours when even these failed of their effect; +when the genius, the taste, the enthusiasm of the sublimest writers were +felt no longer. + +Her little library being arranged on a high chest, part of the furniture +of the room, she took out her drawing utensils, and was tranquil enough +to be pleased with the thought of sketching the sublime scenes, beheld +from her windows; but she suddenly checked this pleasure, remembering +how often she had soothed herself by the intention of obtaining +amusement of this kind, and had been prevented by some new circumstance +of misfortune. + +'How can I suffer myself to be deluded by hope,' said she, 'and, because +Count Morano is not yet arrived, feel a momentary happiness? Alas! what +is it to me, whether he is here to-day, or to-morrow, if he comes at +all?--and that he will come--it were weakness to doubt.' + +To withdraw her thoughts, however, from the subject of her misfortunes, +she attempted to read, but her attention wandered from the page, and, +at length, she threw aside the book, and determined to explore the +adjoining chambers of the castle. Her imagination was pleased with the +view of ancient grandeur, and an emotion of melancholy awe awakened all +its powers, as she walked through rooms, obscure and desolate, where no +footsteps had passed probably for many years, and remembered the strange +history of the former possessor of the edifice. This brought to her +recollection the veiled picture, which had attracted her curiosity, +on the preceding night, and she resolved to examine it. As she passed +through the chambers, that led to this, she found herself somewhat +agitated; its connection with the late lady of the castle, and the +conversation of Annette, together with the circumstance of the veil, +throwing a mystery over the subject, that excited a faint degree of +terror. But a terror of this nature, as it occupies and expands the +mind, and elevates it to high expectation, is purely sublime, and leads +us, by a kind of fascination, to seek even the object, from which we +appear to shrink. + +Emily passed on with faltering steps, and having paused a moment at +the door, before she attempted to open it, she then hastily entered the +chamber, and went towards the picture, which appeared to be enclosed +in a frame of uncommon size, that hung in a dark part of the room. +She paused again, and then, with a timid hand, lifted the veil; but +instantly let it fall--perceiving that what it had concealed was no +picture, and, before she could leave the chamber, she dropped senseless +on the floor. + +When she recovered her recollection, the remembrance of what she had +seen had nearly deprived her of it a second time. She had scarcely +strength to remove from the room, and regain her own; and, when arrived +there, wanted courage to remain alone. Horror occupied her mind, and +excluded, for a time, all sense of past, and dread of future misfortune: +she seated herself near the casement, because from thence she heard +voices, though distant, on the terrace, and might see people pass, and +these, trifling as they were, were reviving circumstances. When her +spirits had recovered their tone, she considered, whether she should +mention what she had seen to Madame Montoni, and various and important +motives urged her to do so, among which the least was the hope of the +relief, which an overburdened mind finds in speaking of the subject of +its interest. But she was aware of the terrible consequences, which such +a communication might lead to; and, dreading the indiscretion of her +aunt, at length, endeavoured to arm herself with resolution to observe a +profound silence, on the subject. Montoni and Verezzi soon after passed +under the casement, speaking cheerfully, and their voices revived her. +Presently the Signors Bertolini and Cavigni joined the party on the +terrace, and Emily, supposing that Madame Montoni was then alone, went +to seek her; for the solitude of her chamber, and its proximity to that +where she had received so severe a shock, again affected her spirit. + +She found her aunt in her dressing-room, preparing for dinner. Emily's +pale and affrighted countenance alarmed even Madame Montoni; but she had +sufficient strength of mind to be silent on the subject, that still made +her shudder, and which was ready to burst from her lips. In her aunt's +apartment she remained, till they both descended to dinner. There she +met the gentlemen lately arrived, who had a kind of busy seriousness in +their looks, which was somewhat unusual with them, while their thoughts +seemed too much occupied by some deep interest, to suffer them to bestow +much attention either on Emily, or Madame Montoni. They spoke little, +and Montoni less. Emily, as she now looked on him, shuddered. The horror +of the chamber rushed on her mind. Several times the colour faded from +her cheeks, and she feared, that illness would betray her emotions, +and compel her to leave the room; but the strength of her resolution +remedied the weakness of her frame; she obliged herself to converse, and +even tried to look cheerful. + +Montoni evidently laboured under some vexation, such as would probably +have agitated a weaker mind, or a more susceptible heart, but which +appeared, from the sternness of his countenance, only to bend up his +faculties to energy and fortitude. + +It was a comfortless and silent meal. The gloom of the castle seemed to +have spread its contagion even over the gay countenance of Cavigni, and +with this gloom was mingled a fierceness, such as she had seldom seen +him indicate. Count Morano was not named, and what conversation there +was, turned chiefly upon the wars, which at that time agitated the +Italian states, the strength of the Venetian armies, and the characters +of their generals. + +After dinner, when the servants had withdrawn, Emily learned, that the +cavalier, who had drawn upon himself the vengeance of Orsino, had since +died of his wounds, and that strict search was still making for his +murderer. The intelligence seemed to disturb Montoni, who mused, and +then enquired, where Orsino had concealed himself. His guests, who all, +except Cavigni, were ignorant, that Montoni had himself assisted him +to escape from Venice, replied, that he had fled in the night with such +precipitation and secrecy, that his most intimate companions knew not +whither. Montoni blamed himself for having asked the question, for a +second thought convinced him, that a man of Orsino's suspicious temper +was not likely to trust any of the persons present with the knowledge +of his asylum. He considered himself, however, as entitled to his utmost +confidence, and did not doubt, that he should soon hear of him. + +Emily retired with Madame Montoni, soon after the cloth was withdrawn, +and left the cavaliers to their secret councils, but not before the +significant frowns of Montoni had warned his wife to depart, who passed +from the hall to the ramparts, and walked, for some time, in silence, +which Emily did not interrupt, for her mind was also occupied by +interests of its own. It required all her resolution, to forbear +communicating to Madame Montoni the terrible subject, which still +thrilled her every nerve with horror; and sometimes she was on the point +of doing so, merely to obtain the relief of a moment; but she knew +how wholly she was in the power of Montoni, and, considering, that the +indiscretion of her aunt might prove fatal to them both, she compelled +herself to endure a present and an inferior evil, rather than to tempt a +future and a heavier one. A strange kind of presentiment frequently, on +this day, occurred to her;--it seemed as if her fate rested here, and +was by some invisible means connected with this castle. + +'Let me not accelerate it,' said she to herself: 'for whatever I may be +reserved, let me, at least, avoid self-reproach.' + +As she looked on the massy walls of the edifice, her melancholy spirits +represented it to be her prison; and she started as at a new suggestion, +when she considered how far distant she was from her native country, +from her little peaceful home, and from her only friend--how remote was +her hope of happiness, how feeble the expectation of again seeing him! +Yet the idea of Valancourt, and her confidence in his faithful love, had +hitherto been her only solace, and she struggled hard to retain them. +A few tears of agony started to her eyes, which she turned aside to +conceal. + +While she afterwards leaned on the wall of the rampart, some peasants, +at a little distance, were seen examining a breach, before which lay +a heap of stones, as if to repair it, and a rusty old cannon, that +appeared to have fallen from its station above. Madame Montoni stopped +to speak to the men, and enquired what they were going to do. 'To repair +the fortifications, your ladyship,' said one of them; a labour which +she was somewhat surprised, that Montoni should think necessary, +particularly since he had never spoken of the castle, as of a place, at +which he meant to reside for any considerable time; but she passed on +towards a lofty arch, that led from the south to the east rampart, +and which adjoined the castle, on one side, while, on the other, it +supported a small watch-tower, that entirely commanded the deep valley +below. As she approached this arch, she saw, beyond it, winding along +the woody descent of a distant mountain, a long troop of horse and foot, +whom she knew to be soldiers, only by the glitter of their pikes and +other arms, for the distance did not allow her to discover the colour +of their liveries. As she gazed, the vanguard issued from the woods into +the valley, but the train still continued to pour over the remote +summit of the mountain, in endless succession; while, in the front, +the military uniform became distinguishable, and the commanders, riding +first, and seeming, by their gestures, to direct the march of those that +followed, at length, approached very near to the castle. + +Such a spectacle, in these solitary regions, both surprised and alarmed +Madame Montoni, and she hastened towards some peasants, who were +employed in raising bastions before the south rampart, where the rock +was less abrupt than elsewhere. These men could give no satisfactory +answers to her enquiries, but, being roused by them, gazed in stupid +astonishment upon the long cavalcade. Madame Montoni, then thinking it +necessary to communicate further the object of her alarm, sent Emily to +say, that she wished to speak to Montoni; an errand her niece did not +approve, for she dreaded his frowns, which she knew this message would +provoke; but she obeyed in silence. + +As she drew near the apartment, in which he sat with his guests, +she heard them in earnest and loud dispute, and she paused a moment, +trembling at the displeasure, which her sudden interruption would +occasion. In the next, their voices sunk all together; she then ventured +to open the door, and, while Montoni turned hastily and looked at her, +without speaking, she delivered her message. + +'Tell Madam Montoni I am engaged,' said he. + +Emily then thought it proper to mention the subject of her alarm. +Montoni and his companions rose instantly and went to the windows, but, +these not affording them a view of the troops, they at length proceeded +to the ramparts, where Cavigni conjectured it to be a legion of +condottieri, on their march towards Modena. + +One part of the cavalcade now extended along the valley, and another +wound among the mountains towards the north, while some troops still +lingered on the woody precipices, where the first had appeared, so that +the great length of the procession seemed to include an whole army. +While Montoni and his family watched its progress, they heard the sound +of trumpets and the clash of cymbals in the vale, and then others, +answering from the heights. Emily listened with emotion to the shrill +blast, that woke the echoes of the mountains, and Montoni explained the +signals, with which he appeared to be well acquainted, and which meant +nothing hostile. The uniforms of the troops, and the kind of arms +they bore, confirmed to him the conjecture of Cavigni, and he had the +satisfaction to see them pass by, without even stopping to gaze upon his +castle. He did not, however, leave the rampart, till the bases of +the mountains had shut them from his view, and the last murmur of the +trumpet floated away on the wind. Cavigni and Verezzi were inspirited +by this spectacle, which seemed to have roused all the fire of their +temper; Montoni turned into the castle in thoughtful silence. + +Emily's mind had not yet sufficiently recovered from its late shock, +to endure the loneliness of her chamber, and she remained upon the +ramparts; for Madame Montoni had not invited her to her dressing-room, +whither she had gone evidently in low spirits, and Emily, from her +late experience, had lost all wish to explore the gloomy and mysterious +recesses of the castle. The ramparts, therefore, were almost her only +retreat, and here she lingered, till the gray haze of evening was again +spread over the scene. + +The cavaliers supped by themselves, and Madame Montoni remained in her +apartment, whither Emily went, before she retired to her own. She found +her aunt weeping, and in much agitation. The tenderness of Emily was +naturally so soothing, that it seldom failed to give comfort to the +drooping heart: but Madame Montoni's was torn, and the softest accents +of Emily's voice were lost upon it. With her usual delicacy, she did +not appear to observe her aunt's distress, but it gave an involuntary +gentleness to her manners, and an air of solicitude to her countenance, +which Madame Montoni was vexed to perceive, who seemed to feel the pity +of her niece to be an insult to her pride, and dismissed her as soon +as she properly could. Emily did not venture to mention again the +reluctance she felt to her gloomy chamber, but she requested that +Annette might be permitted to remain with her till she retired to rest; +and the request was somewhat reluctantly granted. Annette, however, was +now with the servants, and Emily withdrew alone. + +With light and hasty steps she passed through the long galleries, while +the feeble glimmer of the lamp she carried only shewed the gloom +around her, and the passing air threatened to extinguish it. The lonely +silence, that reigned in this part of the castle, awed her; now and +then, indeed, she heard a faint peal of laughter rise from a remote part +of the edifice, where the servants were assembled, but it was soon lost, +and a kind of breathless stillness remained. As she passed the suite of +rooms which she had visited in the morning, her eyes glanced fearfully +on the door, and she almost fancied she heard murmuring sounds within, +but she paused not a moment to enquire. + +Having reached her own apartment, where no blazing wood on the +hearth dissipated the gloom, she sat down with a book, to enliven her +attention, till Annette should come, and a fire could be kindled. She +continued to read till her light was nearly expired, but Annette did not +appear, and the solitude and obscurity of her chamber again affected her +spirits, the more, because of its nearness to the scene of horror, that +she had witnessed in the morning. Gloomy and fantastic images came to +her mind. She looked fearfully towards the door of the stair-case, and +then, examining whether it was still fastened, found that it was so. +Unable to conquer the uneasiness she felt at the prospect of sleeping +again in this remote and insecure apartment, which some person seemed to +have entered during the preceding night, her impatience to see Annette, +whom she had bidden to enquire concerning this circumstance, became +extremely painful. She wished also to question her, as to the object, +which had excited so much horror in her own mind, and which Annette on +the preceding evening had appeared to be in part acquainted with, though +her words were very remote from the truth, and it appeared plainly to +Emily, that the girl had been purposely misled by a false report: above +all she was surprised, that the door of the chamber, which contained +it, should be left unguarded. Such an instance of negligence almost +surpassed belief. But her light was now expiring; the faint flashes it +threw upon the walls called up all the terrors of fancy, and she rose +to find her way to the habitable part of the castle, before it was quite +extinguished. As she opened the chamber door, she heard remote voices, +and, soon after, saw a light issue upon the further end of the corridor, +which Annette and another servant approached. 'I am glad you are +come,' said Emily: 'what has detained you so long? Pray light me a fire +immediately.' + +'My lady wanted me, ma'amselle,' replied Annette in some confusion; 'I +will go and get the wood.' + +'No,' said Caterina, 'that is my business,' and left the room instantly, +while Annette would have followed; but, being called back, she began +to talk very loud, and laugh, and seemed afraid to trust a pause of +silence. + +Caterina soon returned with the wood, and then, when the cheerful blaze +once more animated the room, and this servant had withdrawn, Emily +asked Annette, whether she had made the enquiry she bade her. 'Yes, +ma'amselle,' said Annette, 'but not a soul knows any thing about the +matter: and old Carlo--I watched him well, for they say he knows strange +things--old Carlo looked so as I don't know how to tell, and he asked me +again and again, if I was sure the door was ever unfastened. Lord, says +I--am I sure I am alive? And as for me, ma'am, I am all astounded, as +one may say, and would no more sleep in this chamber, than I would on +the great cannon at the end of the east rampart.' + +'And what objection have you to that cannon, more than to any of the +rest?' said Emily smiling: 'the best would be rather a hard bed.' + +'Yes, ma'amselle, any of them would be hard enough for that matter; but +they do say, that something has been seen in the dead of night, standing +beside the great cannon, as if to guard it.' + +'Well! my good Annette, the people who tell such stories, are happy in +having you for an auditor, for I perceive you believe them all.' + +'Dear ma'amselle! I will shew you the very cannon; you can see it from +these windows!' + +'Well,' said Emily, 'but that does not prove, that an apparition guards +it.' + +'What! not if I shew you the very cannon! Dear ma'am, you will believe +nothing.' + +'Nothing probably upon this subject, but what I see,' said +Emily.--'Well, ma'am, but you shall see it, if you will only step this +way to the casement.'--Emily could not forbear laughing, and Annette +looked surprised. Perceiving her extreme aptitude to credit the +marvellous, Emily forbore to mention the subject she had intended, lest +it should overcome her with idle terrors, and she began to speak on a +lively topic--the regattas of Venice. + +'Aye, ma'amselle, those rowing matches,' said Annette, 'and the fine +moon-light nights, are all, that are worth seeing in Venice. To be sure +the moon is brighter than any I ever saw; and then to hear such sweet +music, too, as Ludovico has often and often sung under the lattice by +the west portico! Ma'amselle, it was Ludovico, that told me about that +picture, which you wanted so to look at last night, and---' + +'What picture?' said Emily, wishing Annette to explain herself. + +'O! that terrible picture with the black veil over it.' + +'You never saw it, then?' said Emily. + +'Who, I!--No, ma'amselle, I never did. But this morning,' continued +Annette, lowering her voice, and looking round the room, 'this morning, +as it was broad daylight, do you know, ma'am, I took a strange fancy to +see it, as I had heard such odd hints about it, and I got as far as the +door, and should have opened it, if it had not been locked!' + +Emily, endeavouring to conceal the emotion this circumstance occasioned, +enquired at what hour she went to the chamber, and found, that it was +soon after herself had been there. She also asked further questions, and +the answers convinced her, that Annette, and probably her informer, were +ignorant of the terrible truth, though in Annette's account something +very like the truth, now and then, mingled with the falsehood. Emily now +began to fear, that her visit to the chamber had been observed, since +the door had been closed, so immediately after her departure; and +dreaded lest this should draw upon her the vengeance of Montoni. Her +anxiety, also, was excited to know whence, and for what purpose, the +delusive report, which had been imposed upon Annette, had originated, +since Montoni could only have wished for silence and secrecy; but she +felt, that the subject was too terrible for this lonely hour, and she +compelled herself to leave it, to converse with Annette, whose chat, +simple as it was, she preferred to the stillness of total solitude. + +Thus they sat, till near midnight, but not without many hints from +Annette, that she wished to go. The embers were now nearly burnt out; +and Emily heard, at a distance, the thundering sound of the hall doors, +as they were shut for the night. She, therefore, prepared for rest, but +was still unwilling that Annette should leave her. At this instant, the +great bell of the portal sounded. They listened in fearful expectation, +when, after a long pause of silence, it sounded again. Soon after, they +heard the noise of carriage wheels in the court-yard. Emily sunk almost +lifeless in her chair; 'It is the Count,' said she. + +'What, at this time of night, ma'am!' said Annette: 'no, my dear lady. +But, for that matter, it is a strange time of night for any body to +come!' + +'Nay, pr'ythee, good Annette, stay not talking,' said Emily in a voice +of agony--'Go, pr'ythee, go, and see who it is.' + +Annette left the room, and carried with her the light, leaving Emily in +darkness, which a few moments before would have terrified her in this +room, but was now scarcely observed by her. She listened and waited, in +breathless expectation, and heard distant noises, but Annette did not +return. Her patience, at length, exhausted, she tried to find her way +to the corridor, but it was long before she could touch the door of the +chamber, and, when she had opened it, the total darkness without made +her fear to proceed. Voices were now heard, and Emily even thought she +distinguished those of Count Morano, and Montoni. Soon after, she +heard steps approaching, and then a ray of light streamed through the +darkness, and Annette appeared, whom Emily went to meet. + +'Yes, ma'amselle,' said she, 'you was right, it is the Count sure +enough.' + +'It is he!' exclaimed Emily, lifting her eyes towards heaven and +supporting herself by Annette's arm. + +'Good Lord! my dear lady, don't be in such a FLUSTER, and look so pale, +we shall soon hear more.' + +'We shall, indeed!' said Emily, moving as fast as she was able towards +her apartment. 'I am not well; give me air.' Annette opened a casement, +and brought water. The faintness soon left Emily, but she desired +Annette would not go till she heard from Montoni. + +'Dear ma'amselle! he surely will not disturb you at this time of night; +why he must think you are asleep.' + +'Stay with me till I am so, then,' said Emily, who felt temporary relief +from this suggestion, which appeared probable enough, though her fears +had prevented its occurring to her. Annette, with secret reluctance, +consented to stay, and Emily was now composed enough to ask her some +questions; among others, whether she had seen the Count. + +'Yes, ma'am, I saw him alight, for I went from hence to the grate in the +north turret, that overlooks the inner court-yard, you know. There I +saw the Count's carriage, and the Count in it, waiting at the great +door,--for the porter was just gone to bed--with several men on +horseback all by the light of the torches they carried.' Emily was +compelled to smile. 'When the door was opened, the Count said something, +that I could not make out, and then got out, and another gentleman with +him. I thought, to be sure, the Signor was gone to bed, and I hastened +away to my lady's dressing-room, to see what I could hear. But in the +way I met Ludovico, and he told me that the Signor was up, counselling +with his master and the other Signors, in the room at the end of the +north gallery; and Ludovico held up his finger, and laid it on his lips, +as much as to say--There is more going on, than you think of, Annette, +but you must hold your tongue. And so I did hold my tongue, ma'amselle, +and came away to tell you directly.' + +Emily enquired who the cavalier was, that accompanied the Count, and how +Montoni received them; but Annette could not inform her. + +'Ludovico,' she added, 'had just been to call Signor Montoni's valet, +that he might tell him they were arrived, when I met him.' + +Emily sat musing, for some time, and then her anxiety was so much +increased, that she desired Annette would go to the servants' hall, +where it was possible she might hear something of the Count's intention, +respecting his stay at the castle. + +'Yes, ma'am,' said Annette with readiness; 'but how am I to find the +way, if I leave the lamp with you?' + +Emily said she would light her, and they immediately quitted the +chamber. When they had reached the top of the great stair-case, Emily +recollected, that she might be seen by the Count, and, to avoid the +great hall, Annette conducted her through some private passages to a +back stair-case, which led directly to that of the servants. + +As she returned towards her chamber, Emily began to fear, that she +might again lose herself in the intricacies of the castle, and again +be shocked by some mysterious spectacle; and, though she was already +perplexed by the numerous turnings, she feared to open one of the many +doors that offered. While she stepped thoughtfully along, she fancied, +that she heard a low moaning at no great distance, and, having paused a +moment, she heard it again and distinctly. Several doors appeared on the +right hand of the passage. She advanced, and listened. When she came to +the second, she heard a voice, apparently in complaint, within, to which +she continued to listen, afraid to open the door, and unwilling to +leave it. Convulsive sobs followed, and then the piercing accents of an +agonizing spirit burst forth. Emily stood appalled, and looked through +the gloom, that surrounded her, in fearful expectation. The lamentations +continued. Pity now began to subdue terror; it was possible she might +administer comfort to the sufferer, at least, by expressing sympathy, +and she laid her hand on the door. While she hesitated she thought +she knew this voice, disguised as it was by tones of grief. Having, +therefore, set down the lamp in the passage, she gently opened the door, +within which all was dark, except that from an inner apartment a partial +light appeared; and she stepped softly on. Before she reached it, the +appearance of Madame Montoni, leaning on her dressing-table, weeping, +and with a handkerchief held to her eyes, struck her, and she paused. + +Some person was seated in a chair by the fire, but who it was she could +not distinguish. He spoke, now and then, in a low voice, that did not +allow Emily to hear what was uttered, but she thought, that Madame +Montoni, at those times, wept the more, who was too much occupied by her +own distress, to observe Emily, while the latter, though anxious to know +what occasioned this, and who was the person admitted at so late an +hour to her aunt's dressing-room, forbore to add to her sufferings by +surprising her, or to take advantage of her situation, by listening to a +private discourse. She, therefore, stepped softly back, and, after +some further difficulty, found the way to her own chamber, where nearer +interests, at length, excluded the surprise and concern she had felt, +respecting Madame Montoni. + +Annette, however, returned without satisfactory intelligence, for the +servants, among whom she had been, were either entirely ignorant, or +affected to be so, concerning the Count's intended stay at the castle. +They could talk only of the steep and broken road they had just passed, +and of the numerous dangers they had escaped and express wonder how +their lord could choose to encounter all these, in the darkness of +night; for they scarcely allowed, that the torches had served for any +other purpose but that of shewing the dreariness of the mountains. +Annette, finding she could gain no information, left them, making noisy +petitions, for more wood on the fire and more supper on the table. + +'And now, ma'amselle,' added she, 'I am so sleepy!--I am sure, if you +was so sleepy, you would not desire me to sit up with you.' + +Emily, indeed, began to think it was cruel to wish it; she had also +waited so long, without receiving a summons from Montoni, that it +appeared he did not mean to disturb her, at this late hour, and she +determined to dismiss Annette. But, when she again looked round her +gloomy chamber, and recollected certain circumstances, fear seized her +spirits, and she hesitated. + +'And yet it were cruel of me to ask you to stay, till I am asleep, +Annette,' said she, 'for I fear it will be very long before I forget +myself in sleep.' + +'I dare say it will be very long, ma'amselle,' said Annette. + +'But, before you go,' rejoined Emily, 'let me ask you--Had Signor +Montoni left Count Morano, when you quitted the hall?' + +'O no, ma'am, they were alone together.' + +'Have you been in my aunt's dressing-room, since you left me?' + +'No, ma'amselle, I called at the door as I passed, but it was fastened; +so I thought my lady was gone to bed.' + +'Who, then, was with your lady just now?' said Emily, forgetting, in +surprise, her usual prudence. + +'Nobody, I believe, ma'am,' replied Annette, 'nobody has been with her, +I believe, since I left you.' + +Emily took no further notice of the subject, and, after some struggle +with imaginary fears, her good nature prevailed over them so far, that +she dismissed Annette for the night. She then sat, musing upon her own +circumstances and those of Madame Montoni, till her eye rested on the +miniature picture, which she had found, after her father's death, among +the papers he had enjoined her to destroy. It was open upon the table, +before her, among some loose drawings, having, with them, been taken out +of a little box by Emily, some hours before. The sight of it called +up many interesting reflections, but the melancholy sweetness of the +countenance soothed the emotions, which these had occasioned. It was +the same style of countenance as that of her late father, and, while +she gazed on it with fondness on this account, she even fancied +a resemblance in the features. But this tranquillity was suddenly +interrupted, when she recollected the words in the manuscript, that had +been found with this picture, and which had formerly occasioned her +so much doubt and horror. At length, she roused herself from the deep +reverie, into which this remembrance had thrown her; but, when she rose +to undress, the silence and solitude, to which she was left, at this +midnight hour, for not even a distant sound was now heard, conspired +with the impression the subject she had been considering had given to +her mind, to appall her. Annette's hints, too, concerning this chamber, +simple as they were, had not failed to affect her, since they followed +a circumstance of peculiar horror, which she herself had witnessed, and +since the scene of this was a chamber nearly adjoining her own. + +The door of the stair-case was, perhaps, a subject of more reasonable +alarm, and she now began to apprehend, such was the aptitude of her +fears, that this stair-case had some private communication with the +apartment, which she shuddered even to remember. Determined not to +undress, she lay down to sleep in her clothes, with her late father's +dog, the faithful MANCHON, at the foot of the bed, whom she considered +as a kind of guard. + +Thus circumstanced, she tried to banish reflection, but her busy fancy +would still hover over the subjects of her interest, and she heard the +clock of the castle strike two, before she closed her eyes. + +From the disturbed slumber, into which she then sunk, she was soon +awakened by a noise, which seemed to arise within her chamber; but the +silence, that prevailed, as she fearfully listened, inclined her to +believe, that she had been alarmed by such sounds as sometimes occur in +dreams, and she laid her head again upon the pillow. + +A return of the noise again disturbed her; it seemed to come from that +part of the room, which communicated with the private stair-case, and +she instantly remembered the odd circumstance of the door having been +fastened, during the preceding night, by some unknown hand. Her late +alarming suspicion, concerning its communication, also occurred to her. +Her heart became faint with terror. Half raising herself from the bed, +and gently drawing aside the curtain, she looked towards the door of the +stair-case, but the lamp, that burnt on the hearth, spread so feeble a +light through the apartment, that the remote parts of it were lost in +shadow. The noise, however, which, she was convinced, came from the +door, continued. It seemed like that made by the undrawing of rusty +bolts, and often ceased, and was then renewed more gently, as if the +hand, that occasioned it, was restrained by a fear of discovery. + +While Emily kept her eyes fixed on the spot, she saw the door move, +and then slowly open, and perceived something enter the room, but the +extreme duskiness prevented her distinguishing what it was. Almost +fainting with terror, she had yet sufficient command over herself, to +check the shriek, that was escaping from her lips, and, letting the +curtain drop from her hand, continued to observe in silence the motions +of the mysterious form she saw. It seemed to glide along the remote +obscurity of the apartment, then paused, and, as it approached the +hearth, she perceived, in the stronger light, what appeared to be a +human figure. Certain remembrances now struck upon her heart, and almost +subdued the feeble remains of her spirits; she continued, however, to +watch the figure, which remained for some time motionless, but then, +advancing slowly towards the bed, stood silently at the feet, where +the curtains, being a little open, allowed her still to see it; terror, +however, had now deprived her of the power of discrimination, as well as +of that of utterance. + +Having continued there a moment, the form retreated towards the hearth, +when it took the lamp, held it up, surveyed the chamber, for a few +moments, and then again advanced towards the bed. The light at that +instant awakening the dog, that had slept at Emily's feet, he barked +loudly, and, jumping to the floor, flew at the stranger, who struck the +animal smartly with a sheathed sword, and, springing towards the bed, +Emily discovered--Count Morano! + +She gazed at him for a moment in speechless affright, while he, throwing +himself on his knee at the bed-side, besought her to fear nothing, +and, having thrown down his sword, would have taken her hand, when the +faculties, that terror had suspended, suddenly returned, and she +sprung from the bed, in the dress, which surely a kind of prophetic +apprehension had prevented her, on this night, from throwing aside. + +Morano rose, followed her to the door, through which he had entered, +and caught her hand, as she reached the top of the stair-case, but not +before she had discovered, by the gleam of a lamp, another man half-way +down the steps. She now screamed in despair, and, believing herself +given up by Montoni, saw, indeed, no possibility of escape. + +The Count, who still held her hand, led her back into the chamber. + +'Why all this terror?' said he, in a tremulous voice. 'Hear me, Emily: I +come not to alarm you; no, by Heaven! I love you too well--too well for +my own peace.' + +Emily looked at him for a moment, in fearful doubt. + +'Then leave me, sir,' said she, 'leave me instantly.' + +'Hear me, Emily,' resumed Morano, 'hear me! I love, and am in +despair--yes--in despair. How can I gaze upon you, and know, that it +is, perhaps, for the last time, without suffering all the phrensy of +despair? But it shall not be so; you shall be mine, in spite of Montoni +and all his villany.' + +'In spite of Montoni!' cried Emily eagerly: 'what is it I hear?' + +'You hear, that Montoni is a villain,' exclaimed Morano with +vehemence,--'a villain who would have sold you to my love!--Who---' + +'And is he less, who would have bought me?' said Emily, fixing on the +Count an eye of calm contempt. 'Leave the room, sir, instantly,' she +continued in a voice, trembling between joy and fear, 'or I will alarm +the family, and you may receive that from Signor Montoni's vengeance, +which I have vainly supplicated from his pity.' But Emily knew, that she +was beyond the hearing of those, who might protect her. + +'You can never hope any thing from his pity,' said Morano, 'he has used +me infamously, and my vengeance shall pursue him. And for you, Emily, +for you, he has new plans more profitable than the last, no doubt.' +The gleam of hope, which the Count's former speech had revived, was +now nearly extinguished by the latter; and, while Emily's countenance +betrayed the emotions of her mind, he endeavoured to take advantage of +the discovery. + +'I lose time,' said he: 'I came not to exclaim against Montoni; I came +to solicit, to plead--to Emily; to tell her all I suffer, to entreat +her to save me from despair, and herself from destruction. Emily! the +schemes of Montoni are insearchable, but, I warn you, they are terrible; +he has no principle, when interest, or ambition leads. Can I love you, +and abandon you to his power? Fly, then, fly from this gloomy prison, +with a lover, who adores you! I have bribed a servant of the castle to +open the gates, and, before tomorrow's dawn, you shall be far on the way +to Venice.' + +Emily, overcome by the sudden shock she had received, at the moment, +too, when she had begun to hope for better days, now thought she saw +destruction surround her on every side. Unable to reply, and almost to +think, she threw herself into a chair, pale and breathless. That Montoni +had formerly sold her to Morano, was very probable; that he had now +withdrawn his consent to the marriage, was evident from the Count's +present conduct; and it was nearly certain, that a scheme of stronger +interest only could have induced the selfish Montoni to forego a plan, +which he had hitherto so strenuously pursued. These reflections made her +tremble at the hints, which Morano had just given, which she no longer +hesitated to believe; and, while she shrunk from the new scenes of +misery and oppression, that might await her in the castle of Udolpho, +she was compelled to observe, that almost her only means of escaping +them was by submitting herself to the protection of this man, with whom +evils more certain and not less terrible appeared,--evils, upon which +she could not endure to pause for an instant. + +Her silence, though it was that of agony, encouraged the hopes of +Morano, who watched her countenance with impatience, took again the +resisting hand she had withdrawn, and, as he pressed it to his heart, +again conjured her to determine immediately. 'Every moment we lose, will +make our departure more dangerous,' said he: 'these few moments lost may +enable Montoni to overtake us.' + +'I beseech you, sir, be silent,' said Emily faintly: 'I am indeed very +wretched, and wretched I must remain. Leave me--I command you, leave me +to my fate.' + +'Never!' cried the Count vehemently: 'let me perish first! But forgive +my violence! the thought of losing you is madness. You cannot +be ignorant of Montoni's character, you may be ignorant of his +schemes--nay, you must be so, or you would not hesitate between my love +and his power.' + +'Nor do I hesitate,' said Emily. + +'Let us go, then,' said Morano, eagerly kissing her hand, and rising, +'my carriage waits, below the castle walls.' + +'You mistake me, sir,' said Emily. 'Allow me to thank you for the +interest you express in my welfare, and to decide by my own choice. I +shall remain under the protection of Signor Montoni.' + +'Under his protection!' exclaimed Morano, proudly, 'his PROTECTION! +Emily, why will you suffer yourself to be thus deluded? I have already +told you what you have to expect from his PROTECTION.' + +'And pardon me, sir, if, in this instance, I doubt mere assertion, and, +to be convinced, require something approaching to proof.' + +'I have now neither the time, or the means of adducing proof,' replied +the Count. + +'Nor have I, sir, the inclination to listen to it, if you had.' + +'But you trifle with my patience and my distress,' continued Morano. 'Is +a marriage with a man, who adores you, so very terrible in your eyes, +that you would prefer to it all the misery, to which Montoni may +condemn you in this remote prison? Some wretch must have stolen those +affections, which ought to be mine, or you would not thus obstinately +persist in refusing an offer, that would place you beyond the reach +of oppression.' Morano walked about the room, with quick steps, and a +disturbed air. + +'This discourse, Count Morano, sufficiently proves, that my affections +ought not to be yours,' said Emily, mildly, 'and this conduct, that +I should not be placed beyond the reach of oppression, so long as I +remained in your power. If you wish me to believe otherwise, cease to +oppress me any longer by your presence. If you refuse this, you will +compel me to expose you to the resentment of Signor Montoni.' + +'Yes, let him come,' cried Morano furiously, 'and brave MY resentment! +Let him dare to face once more the man he has so courageously injured; +danger shall teach him morality, and vengeance justice--let him come, +and receive my sword in his heart!' + +The vehemence, with which this was uttered, gave Emily new cause of +alarm, who arose from her chair, but her trembling frame refused to +support her, and she resumed her seat;--the words died on her lips, and, +when she looked wistfully towards the door of the corridor, which was +locked, she considered it was impossible for her to leave the apartment, +before Morano would be apprised of, and able to counteract, her +intention. + +Without observing her agitation, he continued to pace the room in the +utmost perturbation of spirits. His darkened countenance expressed +all the rage of jealousy and revenge; and a person, who had seen his +features under the smile of ineffable tenderness, which he so lately +assumed, would now scarcely have believed them to be the same. + +'Count Morano,' said Emily, at length recovering her voice, 'calm, I +entreat you, these transports, and listen to reason, if you will not to +pity. You have equally misplaced your love, and your hatred.--I never +could have returned the affection, with which you honour me, and +certainly have never encouraged it; neither has Signor Montoni injured +you, for you must have known, that he had no right to dispose of my +hand, had he even possessed the power to do so. Leave, then, leave +the castle, while you may with safety. Spare yourself the dreadful +consequences of an unjust revenge, and the remorse of having prolonged +to me these moments of suffering.' + +'Is it for mine, or for Montoni's safety, that you are thus alarmed?' +said Morano, coldly, and turning towards her with a look of acrimony. + +'For both,' replied Emily, in a trembling voice. + +'Unjust revenge!' cried the Count, resuming the abrupt tones of passion. +'Who, that looks upon that face, can imagine a punishment adequate to +the injury he would have done me? Yes, I will leave the castle; but it +shall not be alone. I have trifled too long. Since my prayers and my +sufferings cannot prevail, force shall. I have people in waiting, who +shall convey you to my carriage. Your voice will bring no succour; it +cannot be heard from this remote part of the castle; submit, therefore, +in silence, to go with me.' + +This was an unnecessary injunction, at present; for Emily was too +certain, that her call would avail her nothing; and terror had so +entirely disordered her thoughts, that she knew not how to plead to +Morano, but sat, mute and trembling, in her chair, till he advanced +to lift her from it, when she suddenly raised herself, and, with a +repulsive gesture, and a countenance of forced serenity, said, 'Count +Morano! I am now in your power; but you will observe, that this is not +the conduct which can win the esteem you appear so solicitous to obtain, +and that you are preparing for yourself a load of remorse, in the +miseries of a friendless orphan, which can never leave you. Do you +believe your heart to be, indeed, so hardened, that you can look without +emotion on the suffering, to which you would condemn me?'--- + +Emily was interrupted by the growling of the dog, who now came again +from the bed, and Morano looked towards the door of the stair-case, +where no person appearing, he called aloud, 'Cesario!' + +'Emily,' said the Count, 'why will you reduce me to adopt this conduct? +How much more willingly would I persuade, than compel you to become my +wife! but, by Heaven! I will not leave you to be sold by Montoni. Yet a +thought glances across my mind, that brings madness with it. I know not +how to name it. It is preposterous--it cannot be.--Yet you tremble--you +grow pale! It is! it is so;--you--you--love Montoni!' cried Morano, +grasping Emily's wrist, and stamping his foot on the floor. + +An involuntary air of surprise appeared on her countenance. 'If you have +indeed believed so,' said she, 'believe so still.' + +'That look, those words confirm it,' exclaimed Morano, furiously. 'No, +no, no, Montoni had a richer prize in view, than gold. But he shall not +live to triumph over me!--This very instant---' + +He was interrupted by the loud barking of the dog. + +'Stay, Count Morano,' said Emily, terrified by his words, and by the +fury expressed in his eyes, 'I will save you from this error.--Of all +men, Signor Montoni is not your rival; though, if I find all other means +of saving myself vain, I will try whether my voice may not arouse his +servants to my succour.' + +'Assertion,' replied Morano, 'at such a moment, is not to be depended +upon. How could I suffer myself to doubt, even for an instant, that he +could see you, and not love?--But my first care shall be to convey you +from the castle. Cesario! ho,--Cesario!' + +A man now appeared at the door of the stair-case, and other steps were +heard ascending. Emily uttered a loud shriek, as Morano hurried her +across the chamber, and, at the same moment, she heard a noise at the +door, that opened upon the corridor. The Count paused an instant, as if +his mind was suspended between love and the desire of vengeance; and, +in that instant, the door gave way, and Montoni, followed by the old +steward and several other persons, burst into the room. + +'Draw!' cried Montoni to the Count, who did not pause for a second +bidding, but, giving Emily into the hands of the people, that appeared +from the stair-case, turned fiercely round. 'This in thine heart, +villain!' said he, as he made a thrust at Montoni with his sword, who +parried the blow, and aimed another, while some of the persons, who +had followed him into the room, endeavoured to part the combatants, and +others rescued Emily from the hands of Morano's servants. + +'Was it for this, Count Morano,' said Montoni, in a cool sarcastic tone +of voice, 'that I received you under my roof, and permitted you, though +my declared enemy, to remain under it for the night? Was it, that you +might repay my hospitality with the treachery of a fiend, and rob me of +my niece?' + +'Who talks of treachery?' said Morano, in a tone of unrestrained +vehemence. 'Let him that does, shew an unblushing face of innocence. +Montoni, you are a villain! If there is treachery in this affair, look +to yourself as the author of it. IF--do I say? I--whom you have wronged +with unexampled baseness, whom you have injured almost beyond redress! +But why do I use words?--Come on, coward, and receive justice at my +hands!' + +'Coward!' cried Montoni, bursting from the people who held him, and +rushing on the Count, when they both retreated into the corridor, where +the fight continued so desperately, that none of the spectators dared +approach them, Montoni swearing, that the first who interfered, should +fall by his sword. + +Jealousy and revenge lent all their fury to Morano, while the superior +skill and the temperance of Montoni enabled him to wound his adversary, +whom his servants now attempted to seize, but he would not be +restrained, and, regardless of his wound, continued to fight. He seemed +to be insensible both of pain and loss of blood, and alive only to the +energy of his passions. Montoni, on the contrary, persevered in the +combat, with a fierce, yet wary, valour; he received the point of +Morano's sword on his arm, but, almost in the same instant, severely +wounded and disarmed him. The Count then fell back into the arms of his +servant, while Montoni held his sword over him, and bade him ask his +life. Morano, sinking under the anguish of his wound, had scarcely +replied by a gesture, and by a few words, feebly articulated, that he +would not--when he fainted; and Montoni was then going to have plunged +the sword into his breast, as he lay senseless, but his arm was arrested +by Cavigni. To the interruption he yielded without much difficulty, but +his complexion changed almost to blackness, as he looked upon his fallen +adversary, and ordered, that he should be carried instantly from the +castle. + +In the mean time, Emily, who had been with-held from leaving the chamber +during the affray, now came forward into the corridor, and pleaded a +cause of common humanity, with the feelings of the warmest benevolence, +when she entreated Montoni to allow Morano the assistance in the castle, +which his situation required. But Montoni, who had seldom listened to +pity, now seemed rapacious of vengeance, and, with a monster's cruelty, +again ordered his defeated enemy to be taken from the castle, in +his present state, though there were only the woods, or a solitary +neighbouring cottage, to shelter him from the night. + +The Count's servants having declared, that they would not move him till +he revived, Montoni's stood inactive, Cavigni remonstrating, and Emily, +superior to Montoni's menaces, giving water to Morano, and directing the +attendants to bind up his wound. At length, Montoni had leisure to feel +pain from his own hurt, and he withdrew to examine it. + +The Count, meanwhile, having slowly recovered, the first object he saw, +on raising his eyes, was Emily, bending over him with a countenance +strongly expressive of solicitude. He surveyed her with a look of +anguish. + +'I have deserved this,' said he, 'but not from Montoni. It is from you, +Emily, that I have deserved punishment, yet I receive only pity!' He +paused, for he had spoken with difficulty. After a moment, he proceeded. +'I must resign you, but not to Montoni. Forgive me the sufferings I have +already occasioned you! But for THAT villain--his infamy shall not go +unpunished. Carry me from this place,' said he to his servants. 'I am +in no condition to travel: you must, therefore, take me to the nearest +cottage, for I will not pass the night under his roof, although I may +expire on the way from it.' + +Cesario proposed to go out, and enquire for a cottage, that might +receive his master, before he attempted to remove him: but Morano was +impatient to be gone; the anguish of his mind seemed to be even greater +than that of his wound, and he rejected, with disdain, the offer of +Cavigni to entreat Montoni, that he might be suffered to pass the night +in the castle. Cesario was now going to call up the carriage to the +great gate, but the Count forbade him. 'I cannot bear the motion of a +carriage,' said he: 'call some others of my people, that they may assist +in bearing me in their arms.' + +At length, however, Morano submitted to reason, and consented, that +Cesario should first prepare some cottage to receive him. Emily, +now that he had recovered his senses, was about to withdraw from the +corridor, when a message from Montoni commanded her to do so, and also +that the Count, if he was not already gone, should quit the castle +immediately. Indignation flashed from Morano's eyes, and flushed his +cheeks. + +'Tell Montoni,' said he, 'that I shall go when it suits my own +convenience; that I quit the castle, he dares to call his, as I would +the nest of a serpent, and that this is not the last he shall hear from +me. Tell him, I will not leave ANOTHER murder on his conscience, if I +can help it.' + +'Count Morano! do you know what you say?' said Cavigni. + +'Yes, Signor, I know well what I say, and he will understand well what I +mean. His conscience will assist his understanding, on this occasion.' + +'Count Morano,' said Verezzi, who had hitherto silently observed him, +'dare again to insult my friend, and I will plunge this sword in your +body.' + +'It would be an action worthy the friend of a villain!' said Morano, as +the strong impulse of his indignation enabled him to raise himself from +the arms of his servants; but the energy was momentary, and he sunk +back, exhausted by the effort. Montoni's people, meanwhile, held +Verezzi, who seemed inclined, even in this instant, to execute his +threat; and Cavigni, who was not so depraved as to abet the cowardly +malignity of Verezzi, endeavoured to withdraw him from the corridor; +and Emily, whom a compassionate interest had thus long detained, was +now quitting it in new terror, when the supplicating voice of Morano +arrested her, and, by a feeble gesture, he beckoned her to draw +nearer. She advanced with timid steps, but the fainting languor of his +countenance again awakened her pity, and overcame her terror. + +'I am going from hence for ever,' said he: 'perhaps, I shall never see +you again. I would carry with me your forgiveness, Emily; nay more--I +would also carry your good wishes.' + +'You have my forgiveness, then,' said Emily, 'and my sincere wishes for +your recovery.' + +'And only for my recovery?' said Morano, with a sigh. 'For your general +welfare,' added Emily. + +'Perhaps I ought to be contented with this,' he resumed; 'I certainly +have not deserved more; but I would ask you, Emily, sometimes to think +of me, and, forgetting my offence, to remember only the passion which +occasioned it. I would ask, alas! impossibilities: I would ask you to +love me! At this moment, when I am about to part with you, and that, +perhaps, for ever, I am scarcely myself. Emily--may you never know the +torture of a passion like mine! What do I say? O, that, for me, you +might be sensible of such a passion!' + +Emily looked impatient to be gone. 'I entreat you, Count, to consult +your own safety,' said she, 'and linger here no longer. I tremble +for the consequences of Signor Verezzi's passion, and of Montoni's +resentment, should he learn that you are still here.' + +Morano's face was overspread with a momentary crimson, his eyes +sparkled, but he seemed endeavouring to conquer his emotion, and replied +in a calm voice, 'Since you are interested for my safety, I will regard +it, and be gone. But, before I go, let me again hear you say, that you +wish me well,' said he, fixing on her an earnest and mournful look. + +Emily repeated her assurances. He took her hand, which she scarcely +attempted to withdraw, and put it to his lips. 'Farewell, Count Morano!' +said Emily; and she turned to go, when a second message arrived from +Montoni, and she again conjured Morano, as he valued his life, to quit +the castle immediately. He regarded her in silence, with a look of fixed +despair. But she had no time to enforce her compassionate entreaties, +and, not daring to disobey the second command of Montoni, she left the +corridor, to attend him. + +He was in the cedar parlour, that adjoined the great hall, laid upon +a couch, and suffering a degree of anguish from his wound, which few +persons could have disguised, as he did. His countenance, which was +stern, but calm, expressed the dark passion of revenge, but no symptom +of pain; bodily pain, indeed, he had always despised, and had yielded +only to the strong and terrible energies of the soul. He was attended by +old Carlo and by Signor Bertolini, but Madame Montoni was not with him. + +Emily trembled, as she approached and received his severe rebuke, +for not having obeyed his first summons; and perceived, also, that +he attributed her stay in the corridor to a motive, that had not even +occurred to her artless mind. + +'This is an instance of female caprice,' said he, 'which I ought to have +foreseen. Count Morano, whose suit you obstinately rejected, so long as +it was countenanced by me, you favour, it seems, since you find I have +dismissed him.' + +Emily looked astonished. 'I do not comprehend you, sir,' said she: 'You +certainly do not mean to imply, that the design of the Count to visit +the double-chamber, was founded upon any approbation of mine.' + +'To that I reply nothing,' said Montoni; 'but it must certainly be a +more than common interest, that made you plead so warmly in his cause, +and that could detain you thus long in his presence, contrary to my +express order--in the presence of a man, whom you have hitherto, on all +occasions, most scrupulously shunned!' + +'I fear, sir, it was a more than common interest, that detained me,' +said Emily calmly; 'for of late I have been inclined to think, that of +compassion is an uncommon one. But how could I, could YOU, sir, witness +Count Morano's deplorable condition, and not wish to relieve it?' + +'You add hypocrisy to caprice,' said Montoni, frowning, 'and an attempt +at satire, to both; but, before you undertake to regulate the morals +of other persons, you should learn and practise the virtues, which +are indispensable to a woman--sincerity, uniformity of conduct and +obedience.' + +Emily, who had always endeavoured to regulate her conduct by the nicest +laws, and whose mind was finely sensible, not only of what is just +in morals, but of whatever is beautiful in the female character, was +shocked by these words; yet, in the next moment, her heart swelled with +the consciousness of having deserved praise, instead of censure, and she +was proudly silent. Montoni, acquainted with the delicacy of her mind, +knew how keenly she would feel his rebuke; but he was a stranger to the +luxury of conscious worth, and, therefore, did not foresee the energy of +that sentiment, which now repelled his satire. Turning to a servant who +had lately entered the room, he asked whether Morano had quitted the +castle. The man answered, that his servants were then removing him, on +a couch, to a neighbouring cottage. Montoni seemed somewhat appeased, +on hearing this; and, when Ludovico appeared, a few moments after, +and said, that Morano was gone, he told Emily she might retire to her +apartment. + +She withdrew willingly from his presence; but the thought of passing the +remainder of the night in a chamber, which the door from the stair-case +made liable to the intrusion of any person, now alarmed her more than +ever, and she determined to call at Madame Montoni's room, and request, +that Annette might be permitted to be with her. + +On reaching the great gallery, she heard voices seemingly in +dispute, and, her spirits now apt to take alarm, she paused, but soon +distinguished some words of Cavigni and Verezzi, and went towards them, +in the hope of conciliating their difference. They were alone. Verezzi's +face was still flushed with rage; and, as the first object of it was +now removed from him, he appeared willing to transfer his resentment +to Cavigni, who seemed to be expostulating, rather than disputing, with +him. + +Verezzi was protesting, that he would instantly inform Montoni of the +insult, which Morano had thrown out against him, and above all, that, +wherein he had accused him of murder. + +'There is no answering,' said Cavigni, 'for the words of a man in a +passion; little serious regard ought to be paid to them. If you persist +in your resolution, the consequences may be fatal to both. We have now +more serious interests to pursue, than those of a petty revenge.' + +Emily joined her entreaties to Cavigni's arguments, and they, at length, +prevailed so far, as that Verezzi consented to retire, without seeing +Montoni. + +On calling at her aunt's apartment, she found it fastened. In a few +minutes, however, it was opened by Madame Montoni herself. + +It may be remembered, that it was by a door leading into the bedroom +from a back passage, that Emily had secretly entered a few hours +preceding. She now conjectured, by the calmness of Madame Montoni's +air, that she was not apprised of the accident, which had befallen her +husband, and was beginning to inform her of it, in the tenderest manner +she could, when her aunt interrupted her, by saying, she was acquainted +with the whole affair. + +Emily knew indeed, that she had little reason to love Montoni, but could +scarcely have believed her capable of such perfect apathy, as she now +discovered towards him; having obtained permission, however, for Annette +to sleep in her chamber, she went thither immediately. + +A track of blood appeared along the corridor, leading to it; and on +the spot, where the Count and Montoni had fought, the whole floor was +stained. Emily shuddered, and leaned on Annette, as she passed. When she +reached her apartment, she instantly determined, since the door of the +stair-case had been left open, and that Annette was now with her, to +explore whither it led,--a circumstance now materially connected with +her own safety. Annette accordingly, half curious and half afraid, +proposed to descend the stairs; but, on approaching the door, they +perceived, that it was already fastened without, and their care was then +directed to the securing it on the inside also, by placing against it as +much of the heavy furniture of the room, as they could lift. Emily then +retired to bed, and Annette continued on a chair by the hearth, where +some feeble embers remained. + + + +CHAPTER VII + + + Of aery tongues, that syllable men's names + On sands and shores and desert wildernesses. + MILTON + +It is now necessary to mention some circumstances, which could not be +related amidst the events of Emily's hasty departure from Venice, or +together with those, which so rapidly succeeded to her arrival in the +castle. + +On the morning of her journey, Count Morano had gone at the appointed +hour to the mansion of Montoni, to demand his bride. When he reached +it, he was somewhat surprised by the silence and solitary air of the +portico, where Montoni's lacqueys usually loitered; but surprise +was soon changed to astonishment, and astonishment to the rage of +disappointment, when the door was opened by an old woman, who told his +servants, that her master and his family had left Venice, early in the +morning, for terra-firma. Scarcely believing what his servants told, he +left his gondola, and rushed into the hall to enquire further. The old +woman, who was the only person left in care of the mansion, persisted in +her story, which the silent and deserted apartments soon convinced him +was no fiction. He then seized her with a menacing air, as if he meant +to wreak all his vengeance upon her, at the same time asking her twenty +questions in a breath, and all these with a gesticulation so furious, +that she was deprived of the power of answering them; then suddenly +letting her go, he stamped about the hall, like a madman, cursing +Montoni and his own folly. + +When the good woman was at liberty, and had somewhat recovered from her +fright, she told him all she knew of the affair, which was, indeed, very +little, but enough to enable Morano to discover, that Montoni was gone +to his castle on the Apennine. Thither he followed, as soon as his +servants could complete the necessary preparation for the journey, +accompanied by a friend, and attended by a number of his people, +determined to obtain Emily, or a full revenge on Montoni. When his mind +had recovered from the first effervescence of rage, and his +thoughts became less obscured, his conscience hinted to him certain +circumstances, which, in some measure, explained the conduct of Montoni: +but how the latter could have been led to suspect an intention, which, +he had believed, was known only to himself, he could not even guess. On +this occasion, however, he had been partly betrayed by that sympathetic +intelligence, which may be said to exist between bad minds, and which +teaches one man to judge what another will do in the same circumstances. +Thus it was with Montoni, who had now received indisputable proof of a +truth, which he had some time suspected--that Morano's circumstances, +instead of being affluent, as he had been bidden to believe, were +greatly involved. Montoni had been interested in his suit, by motives +entirely selfish, those of avarice and pride; the last of which would +have been gratified by an alliance with a Venetian nobleman, the former +by Emily's estate in Gascony, which he had stipulated, as the price of +his favour, should be delivered up to him from the day of her marriage. +In the meantime, he had been led to suspect the consequence of the +Count's boundless extravagance; but it was not till the evening, +preceding the intended nuptials, that he obtained certain information +of his distressed circumstances. He did not hesitate then to infer, +that Morano designed to defraud him of Emily's estate; and in this +supposition he was confirmed, and with apparent reason, by the +subsequent conduct of the Count, who, after having appointed to meet him +on that night, for the purpose of signing the instrument, which was to +secure to him his reward, failed in his engagement. Such a circumstance, +indeed, in a man of Morano's gay and thoughtless character, and at a +time when his mind was engaged by the bustle of preparation for his +nuptials, might have been attributed to a cause less decisive, than +design; but Montoni did not hesitate an instant to interpret it his own +way, and, after vainly waiting the Count's arrival, for several hours, +he gave orders for his people to be in readiness to set off at a +moment's notice. By hastening to Udolpho he intended to remove Emily +from the reach of Morano, as well as to break off the affair, without +submitting himself to useless altercation: and, if the Count meant what +he called honourably, he would doubtless follow Emily, and sign the +writings in question. If this was done, so little consideration had +Montoni for her welfare, that he would not have scrupled to sacrifice +her to a man of ruined fortune, since by that means he could enrich +himself; and he forbore to mention to her the motive of his sudden +journey, lest the hope it might revive should render her more +intractable, when submission would be required. + +With these considerations, he had left Venice; and, with others totally +different, Morano had, soon after, pursued his steps across the rugged +Apennines. When his arrival was announced at the castle, Montoni did +not believe, that he would have presumed to shew himself, unless he had +meant to fulfil his engagement, and he, therefore, readily admitted him; +but the enraged countenance and expressions of Morano, as he entered the +apartment, instantly undeceived him; and, when Montoni had explained, in +part, the motives of his abrupt departure from Venice, the Count still +persisted in demanding Emily, and reproaching Montoni, without even +naming the former stipulation. + +Montoni, at length, weary of the dispute, deferred the settling of +it till the morrow, and Morano retired with some hope, suggested by +Montoni's apparent indecision. When, however, in the silence of his own +apartment, he began to consider the past conversation, the character of +Montoni, and some former instances of his duplicity, the hope, which +he had admitted, vanished, and he determined not to neglect the present +possibility of obtaining Emily by other means. To his confidential +valet he told his design of carrying away Emily, and sent him back to +Montoni's servants to find out one among them, who might enable him to +execute it. The choice of this person he entrusted to the fellow's own +discernment, and not imprudently; for he discovered a man, whom Montoni +had, on some former occasion, treated harshly, and who was now ready +to betray him. This man conducted Cesario round the castle, through a +private passage, to the stair-case, that led to Emily's chamber; then +shewed him a short way out of the building, and afterwards procured him +the keys, that would secure his retreat. The man was well rewarded for +his trouble; how the Count was rewarded for his treachery, had already +appeared. + +Meanwhile, old Carlo had overheard two of Morano's servants, who had +been ordered to be in waiting with the carriage, beyond the castle +walls, expressing their surprise at their master's sudden, and secret +departure, for the valet had entrusted them with no more of Morano's +designs, than it was necessary for them to execute. They, however, +indulged themselves in surmises, and in expressing them to each other; +and from these Carlo had drawn a just conclusion. But, before he +ventured to disclose his apprehensions to Montoni, he endeavoured to +obtain further confirmation of them, and, for this purpose, placed +himself, with one of his fellow-servants, at the door of Emily's +apartment, that opened upon the corridor. He did not watch long in vain, +though the growling of the dog had once nearly betrayed him. When he was +convinced, that Morano was in the room, and had listened long enough +to his conversation, to understand his scheme, he immediately alarmed +Montoni, and thus rescued Emily from the designs of the Count. + +Montoni, on the following morning, appeared as usual, except that +he wore his wounded arm in a sling; he went out upon the ramparts; +overlooked the men employed in repairing them; gave orders for +additional workmen, and then came into the castle to give audience +to several persons, who were just arrived, and who were shewn into a +private apartment, where he communicated with them, for near an hour. +Carlo was then summoned, and ordered to conduct the strangers to a part +of the castle, which, in former times, had been occupied by the upper +servants of the family, and to provide them with every necessary +refreshment.--When he had done this, he was bidden to return to his +master. + +Meanwhile, the Count remained in a cottage in the skirts of the woods +below, suffering under bodily and mental pain, and meditating deep +revenge against Montoni. His servant, whom he had dispatched for a +surgeon to the nearest town, which was, however, at a considerable +distance, did not return till the following day, when, his wounds being +examined and dressed, the practitioner refused to deliver any positive +opinion, concerning the degree of danger attending them; but giving his +patient a composing draught and ordering him to be quiet, remained at +the cottage to watch the event. + +Emily, for the remainder of the late eventful night, had been suffered +to sleep, undisturbed; and, when her mind recovered from the confusion +of slumber, and she remembered, that she was now released from the +addresses of Count Morano, her spirits were suddenly relieved from a +part of the terrible anxiety, that had long oppressed them; that which +remained, arose chiefly from a recollection of Morano's assertions, +concerning the schemes of Montoni. He had said, that plans of the +latter, concerning Emily, were insearchable, yet that he knew them to +be terrible. At the time he uttered this, she almost believed it to be +designed for the purpose of prevailing with her to throw herself into +his protection, and she still thought it might be chiefly so accounted +for; but his assertions had left an impression on her mind, which a +consideration of the character and former conduct of Montoni did not +contribute to efface. She, however, checked her propensity to anticipate +evil; and, determined to enjoy this respite from actual misfortune, +tried to dismiss thought, took her instruments for drawing, and placed +herself at a window, to select into a landscape some features of the +scenery without. + +As she was thus employed, she saw, walking on the rampart below, the +men, who had so lately arrived at the castle. The sight of strangers +surprised her, but still more, of strangers such as these. There was a +singularity in their dress, and a certain fierceness in their air, that +fixed all her attention. She withdrew from the casement, while they +passed, but soon returned to observe them further. Their figures seemed +so well suited to the wildness of the surrounding objects, that, as they +stood surveying the castle, she sketched them for banditti, amid the +mountain-view of her picture, when she had finished which, she was +surprised to observe the spirit of her group. But she had copied from +nature. + +Carlo, when he had placed refreshment before these men in the apartment +assigned to them, returned, as he was ordered, to Montoni, who was +anxious to discover by what servant the keys of the castle had been +delivered to Morano, on the preceding night. But this man, though he was +too faithful to his master quietly to see him injured, would not +betray a fellow-servant even to justice; he, therefore, pretended to be +ignorant who it was, that had conspired with Count Morano, and related, +as before, that he had only overheard some of the strangers describing +the plot. + +Montoni's suspicions naturally fell upon the porter, whom he ordered now +to attend. Carlo hesitated, and then with slow steps went to seek him. + +Barnardine, the porter, denied the accusation with a countenance so +steady and undaunted, that Montoni could scarcely believe him guilty, +though he knew not how to think him innocent. At length, the man was +dismissed from his presence, and, though the real offender, escaped +detection. + +Montoni then went to his wife's apartment, whither Emily followed soon +after, but, finding them in high dispute, was instantly leaving the +room, when her aunt called her back, and desired her to stay.--'You +shall be a witness,' said she, 'of my opposition. Now, sir, repeat the +command, I have so often refused to obey.' + +Montoni turned, with a stern countenance, to Emily, and bade her quit +the apartment, while his wife persisted in desiring, that she would +stay. Emily was eager to escape from this scene of contention, and +anxious, also, to serve her aunt; but she despaired of conciliating +Montoni, in whose eyes the rising tempest of his soul flashed terribly. + +'Leave the room,' said he, in a voice of thunder. Emily obeyed, and, +walking down to the rampart, which the strangers had now left, continued +to meditate on the unhappy marriage of her father's sister, and on her +own desolate situation, occasioned by the ridiculous imprudence of her, +whom she had always wished to respect and love. Madame Montoni's conduct +had, indeed, rendered it impossible for Emily to do either; but +her gentle heart was touched by her distress, and, in the pity thus +awakened, she forgot the injurious treatment she had received from her. + +As she sauntered on the rampart, Annette appeared at the hall door, +looked cautiously round, and then advanced to meet her. + +'Dear ma'amselle, I have been looking for you all over the castle,' said +she. 'If you will step this way, I will shew you a picture.' + +'A picture!' exclaimed Emily, and shuddered. + +'Yes, ma'am, a picture of the late lady of this place. Old Carlo just +now told me it was her, and I thought you would be curious to see it. As +to my lady, you know, ma'amselle, one cannot talk about such things to +her.'-- + +'And so,' said Emily smilingly, 'as you must talk of them to somebody--' + +'Why, yes, ma'amselle; what can one do in such a place as this, if one +must not talk? If I was in a dungeon, if they would let me talk--it +would be some comfort; nay, I would talk, if it was only to the walls. +But come, ma'amselle, we lose time--let me shew you to the picture.' + +'Is it veiled?' said Emily, pausing. + +'Dear ma'amselle!' said Annette, fixing her eyes on Emily's face, 'what +makes you look so pale?--are you ill?' + +'No, Annette, I am well enough, but I have no desire to see this +picture; return into the hall.' + +'What! ma'am, not to see the lady of this castle?' said the girl--'the +lady, who disappeared to strangely? Well! now, I would have run to the +furthest mountain we can see, yonder, to have got a sight of such a +picture; and, to speak my mind, that strange story is all, that makes +me care about this old castle, though it makes me thrill all over, as it +were, whenever I think of it.' + +'Yes, Annette, you love the wonderful; but do you know, that, unless you +guard against this inclination, it will lead you into all the misery of +superstition?' + +Annette might have smiled in her turn, at this sage observation of +Emily, who could tremble with ideal terrors, as much as herself, and +listen almost as eagerly to the recital of a mysterious story. Annette +urged her request. + +'Are you sure it is a picture?' said Emily, 'Have you seen it?--Is it +veiled?' + +'Holy Maria! ma'amselle, yes, no, yes. I am sure it is a picture--I have +seen it, and it is not veiled!' + +The tone and look of surprise, with which this was uttered, recalled +Emily's prudence; who concealed her emotion under a smile, and bade +Annette lead her to the picture. It was in an obscure chamber, adjoining +that part of the castle, allotted to the servants. Several other +portraits hung on the walls, covered, like this, with dust and cobweb. + +'That is it, ma'amselle,' said Annette, in a low voice, and pointing. +Emily advanced, and surveyed the picture. It represented a lady in the +flower of youth and beauty; her features were handsome and noble, full +of strong expression, but had little of the captivating sweetness, that +Emily had looked for, and still less of the pensive mildness she loved. +It was a countenance, which spoke the language of passion, rather than +that of sentiment; a haughty impatience of misfortune--not the placid +melancholy of a spirit injured, yet resigned. + +'How many years have passed, since this lady disappeared, Annette?' said +Emily. + +'Twenty years, ma'amselle, or thereabout, as they tell me; I know it is +a long while ago.' Emily continued to gaze upon the portrait. + +'I think,' resumed Annette, 'the Signor would do well to hang it in a +better place, than this old chamber. Now, in my mind, he ought to place +the picture of a lady, who gave him all these riches, in the handsomest +room in the castle. But he may have good reasons for what he does: +and some people do say that he has lost his riches, as well as his +gratitude. But hush, ma'am, not a word!' added Annette, laying her +finger on her lips. Emily was too much absorbed in thought, to hear what +she said. + +''Tis a handsome lady, I am sure,' continued Annette: 'the Signor need +not be ashamed to put her in the great apartment, where the veiled +picture hangs.' Emily turned round. 'But for that matter, she would be +as little seen there, as here, for the door is always locked, I find.' + +'Let us leave this chamber,' said Emily: 'and let me caution you again, +Annette; be guarded in your conversation, and never tell, that you know +any thing of that picture.' + +'Holy Mother!' exclaimed Annette, 'it is no secret; why all the servants +have seen it already!' + +Emily started. 'How is this?' said she--'Have seen it! When?--how?' + +'Dear, ma'amselle, there is nothing surprising in that; we had all a +little more CURIOUSNESS than you had.' + +'I thought you told me, the door was kept locked?' said Emily. + +'If that was the case, ma'amselle,' replied Annette, looking about her, +'how could we get here?' + +'Oh, you mean THIS picture,' said Emily, with returning calmness. 'Well, +Annette, here is nothing more to engage my attention; we will go.' + +Emily, as she passed to her own apartment, saw Montoni go down to the +hall, and she turned into her aunt's dressing-room, whom she found +weeping and alone, grief and resentment struggling on her countenance. +Pride had hitherto restrained complaint. Judging of Emily's disposition +from her own, and from a consciousness of what her treatment of her +deserved, she had believed, that her griefs would be cause of triumph +to her niece, rather than of sympathy; that she would despise, not pity +her. But she knew not the tenderness and benevolence of Emily's heart, +that had always taught her to forget her own injuries in the misfortunes +of her enemy. The sufferings of others, whoever they might be, called +forth her ready compassion, which dissipated at once every obscuring +cloud to goodness, that passion or prejudice might have raised in her +mind. + +Madame Montoni's sufferings, at length, rose above her pride, and, when +Emily had before entered the room, she would have told them all, had not +her husband prevented her; now that she was no longer restrained by his +presence, she poured forth all her complaints to her niece. + +'O Emily!' she exclaimed, 'I am the most wretched of women--I am +indeed cruelly treated! Who, with my prospects of happiness, could have +foreseen such a wretched fate as this?--who could have thought, when I +married such a man as the Signor, I should ever have to bewail my lot? +But there is no judging what is for the best--there is no knowing what +is for our good! The most flattering prospects often change--the best +judgments may be deceived--who could have foreseen, when I married the +Signor, that I should ever repent my GENEROSITY?' + +Emily thought she might have foreseen it, but this was not a thought +of triumph. She placed herself in a chair near her aunt, took her +hand, and, with one of those looks of soft compassion, which might +characterize the countenance of a guardian angel, spoke to her in +the tenderest accents. But these did not sooth Madame Montoni, whom +impatience to talk made unwilling to listen. She wanted to complain, not +to be consoled; and it was by exclamations of complaint only, that Emily +learned the particular circumstances of her affliction. + +'Ungrateful man!' said Madame Montoni, 'he has deceived me in every +respect; and now he has taken me from my country and friends, to shut +me up in this old castle; and, here he thinks he can compel me to do +whatever he designs! But he shall find himself mistaken, he shall find +that no threats can alter--But who would have believed! who would have +supposed, that a man of his family and apparent wealth had absolutely +no fortune?--no, scarcely a sequin of his own! I did all for the best; +I thought he was a man of consequence, of great property, or I am sure +I would never have married him,--ungrateful, artful man!' She paused to +take breath. + +'Dear Madam, be composed,' said Emily: 'the Signor may not be so rich as +you had reason to expect, but surely he cannot be very poor, since +this castle and the mansion at Venice are his. May I ask what are the +circumstances, that particularly affect you?' + +'What are the circumstances!' exclaimed Madame Montoni with resentment: +'why is it not sufficient, that he had long ago ruined his own fortune +by play, and that he has since lost what I brought him--and that now he +would compel me to sign away my settlement (it was well I had the chief +of my property settled on myself!) that he may lose this also, or throw +it away in wild schemes, which nobody can understand but himself? And, +and--is not all this sufficient?' + +'It is, indeed,' said Emily, 'but you must recollect, dear madam, that I +knew nothing of all this.' + +'Well, and is it not sufficient,' rejoined her aunt, 'that he is also +absolutely ruined, that he is sunk deeply in debt, and that neither +this castle, or the mansion at Venice, is his own, if all his debts, +honourable and dishonourable, were paid!' + +'I am shocked by what you tell me, madam,' said Emily. + +'And is it not enough,' interrupted Madame Montoni, 'that he has treated +me with neglect, with cruelty, because I refused to relinquish my +settlements, and, instead of being frightened by his menaces, resolutely +defied him, and upbraided him with his shameful conduct? But I bore all +meekly,--you know, niece, I never uttered a word of complaint, till now; +no! That such a disposition as mine should be so imposed upon! That I, +whose only faults are too much kindness, too much generosity, should be +chained for life to such a vile, deceitful, cruel monster!' + +Want of breath compelled Madame Montoni to stop. If any thing could have +made Emily smile in these moments, it would have been this speech of +her aunt, delivered in a voice very little below a scream, and with a +vehemence of gesticulation and of countenance, that turned the whole +into burlesque. Emily saw, that her misfortunes did not admit of real +consolation, and, contemning the commonplace terms of superficial +comfort, she was silent; while Madame Montoni, jealous of her own +consequence, mistook this for the silence of indifference, or of +contempt, and reproached her with want of duty and feeling. + +'O! I suspected what all this boasted sensibility would prove to be!' +rejoined she; 'I thought it would not teach you to feel either duty, +or affection, for your relations, who have treated you like their own +daughter!' + +'Pardon me, madam,' said Emily, mildly, 'it is not natural to me to +boast, and if it was, I am sure I would not boast of sensibility--a +quality, perhaps, more to be feared, than desired.' + +'Well, well, niece, I will not dispute with you. But, as I said, Montoni +threatens me with violence, if I any longer refuse to sign away my +settlements, and this was the subject of our contest, when you came into +the room before. Now, I am determined no power on earth shall make me +do this. Neither will I bear all this tamely. He shall hear his true +character from me; I will tell him all he deserves, in spite of his +threats and cruel treatment.' + +Emily seized a pause of Madame Montoni's voice, to speak. 'Dear madam,' +said she, 'but will not this serve to irritate the Signor unnecessarily? +will it not provoke the harsh treatment you dread?' + +'I do not care,' replied Madame Montoni, 'it does not signify: I will +not submit to such usage. You would have me give up my settlements, too, +I suppose!' + +'No, madam, I do not exactly mean that.' + +'What is it you do mean then?' + +'You spoke of reproaching the Signor,'--said Emily, with hesitation. +'Why, does he not deserve reproaches?' said her aunt. + +'Certainly he does; but will it be prudent in you, madam, to make them?' + +'Prudent!' exclaimed Madame Montoni. 'Is this a time to talk of +prudence, when one is threatened with all sorts of violence?' + +'It is to avoid that violence, that prudence is necessary.' said Emily. + +'Of prudence!' continued Madame Montoni, without attending to her, 'of +prudence towards a man, who does not scruple to break all the common +ties of humanity in his conduct to me! And is it for me to consider +prudence in my behaviour towards him! I am not so mean.' + +'It is for your own sake, not for the Signor's, madam,' said Emily +modestly, 'that you should consult prudence. Your reproaches, however +just, cannot punish him, but they may provoke him to further violence +against you.' + +'What! would you have me submit, then, to whatever he commands--would +you have me kneel down at his feet, and thank him for his cruelties? +Would you have me give up my settlements?' + +'How much you mistake me, madam!' said Emily, 'I am unequal to advise +you on a point so important as the last: but you will pardon me for +saying, that, if you consult your own peace, you will try to conciliate +Signor Montoni, rather than to irritate him by reproaches.' + +'Conciliate indeed! I tell you, niece, it is utterly impossible; I +disdain to attempt it.' + +Emily was shocked to observe the perverted understanding and obstinate +temper of Madame Montoni; but, not less grieved for her sufferings, +she looked round for some alleviating circumstance to offer her. 'Your +situation is, perhaps, not so desperate, dear madam,' said Emily, 'as +you may imagine. The Signor may represent his affairs to be worse than +they are, for the purpose of pleading a stronger necessity for his +possession of your settlement. Besides, so long as you keep this, you +may look forward to it as a resource, at least, that will afford you +a competence, should the Signor's future conduct compel you to sue for +separation.' + +Madame Montoni impatiently interrupted her. 'Unfeeling, cruel girl!' +said she, 'and so you would persuade me, that I have no reason to +complain; that the Signor is in very flourishing circumstances, that my +future prospects promise nothing but comfort, and that my griefs are +as fanciful and romantic as your own! Is it the way to console me, to +endeavour to persuade me out of my senses and my feelings, because you +happen to have no feelings yourself? I thought I was opening my heart +to a person, who could sympathize in my distress, but I find, that your +people of sensibility can feel for nobody but themselves! You may retire +to your chamber.' + +Emily, without replying, immediately left the room, with a mingled +emotion of pity and contempt, and hastened to her own, where she yielded +to the mournful reflections, which a knowledge of her aunt's situation +had occasioned. The conversation of the Italian with Valancourt, in +France, again occurred to her. His hints, respecting the broken fortunes +of Montoni, were now completely justified; those, also, concerning his +character, appeared not less so, though the particular circumstances, +connected with his fame, to which the stranger had alluded, yet remained +to be explained. Notwithstanding, that her own observations and the +words of Count Morano had convinced her, that Montoni's situation was +not what it formerly appeared to be, the intelligence she had just +received from her aunt on this point, struck her with all the force of +astonishment, which was not weakened, when she considered the present +style of Montoni's living, the number of servants he maintained, and the +new expences he was incurring, by repairing and fortifying his castle. +Her anxiety for her aunt and for herself increased with reflection. +Several assertions of Morano, which, on the preceding night, she +had believed were prompted either by interest, or by resentment, now +returned to her mind with the strength of truth. She could not doubt, +that Montoni had formerly agreed to give her to the Count, for a +pecuniary reward;--his character, and his distressed circumstances +justified the belief; these, also, seemed to confirm Morano's assertion, +that he now designed to dispose of her, more advantageously for himself, +to a richer suitor. + +Amidst the reproaches, which Morano had thrown out against Montoni, +he had said--he would not quit the castle HE DARED TO CALL HIS, nor +willingly leave ANOTHER murder on his conscience--hints, which might +have no other origin than the passion of the moment: but Emily was now +inclined to account for them more seriously, and she shuddered to think, +that she was in the hands of a man, to whom it was even possible they +could apply. At length, considering, that reflection could neither +release her from her melancholy situation, or enable her to bear it with +greater fortitude, she tried to divert her anxiety, and took down from +her little library a volume of her favourite Ariosto; but his wild +imagery and rich invention could not long enchant her attention; his +spells did not reach her heart, and over her sleeping fancy they played, +without awakening it. + +She now put aside the book, and took her lute, for it was seldom that +her sufferings refused to yield to the magic of sweet sounds; when they +did so, she was oppressed by sorrow, that came from excess of tenderness +and regret; and there were times, when music had increased such sorrow +to a degree, that was scarcely endurable; when, if it had not suddenly +ceased, she might have lost her reason. Such was the time, when she +mourned for her father, and heard the midnight strains, that floated by +her window near the convent in Languedoc, on the night that followed his +death. + +She continued to play, till Annette brought dinner into her chamber, +at which Emily was surprised, and enquired whose order she obeyed. 'My +lady's, ma'amselle,' replied Annette: 'the Signor ordered her dinner to +be carried to her own apartment, and so she has sent you yours. There +have been sad doings between them, worse than ever, I think.' + +Emily, not appearing to notice what she said, sat down to the little +table, that was spread for her. But Annette was not to be silenced thus +easily. While she waited, she told of the arrival of the men, whom +Emily had observed on the ramparts, and expressed much surprise at their +strange appearance, as well as at the manner, in which they had been +attended by Montoni's order. 'Do they dine with the Signor, then?' said +Emily. + +'No, ma'amselle, they dined long ago, in an apartment at the north end +of the castle, but I know not when they are to go, for the Signor told +old Carlo to see them provided with every thing necessary. They have +been walking all about the castle, and asking questions of the workmen +on the ramparts. I never saw such strange-looking men in my life; I am +frightened whenever I see them.' + +Emily enquired, if she had heard of Count Morano, and whether he was +likely to recover: but Annette only knew, that he was lodged in a +cottage in the wood below, and that every body said he must die. Emily's +countenance discovered her emotion. + +'Dear ma'amselle,' said Annette, 'to see how young ladies will disguise +themselves, when they are in love! I thought you hated the Count, or I +am sure I would not have told you; and I am sure you have cause enough +to hate him.' + +'I hope I hate nobody,' replied Emily, trying to smile; 'but certainly +I do not love Count Morano. I should be shocked to hear of any person +dying by violent means.' + +'Yes, ma'amselle, but it is his own fault.' + +Emily looked displeased; and Annette, mistaking the cause of her +displeasure, immediately began to excuse the Count, in her way. 'To +be sure, it was very ungenteel behaviour,' said she, 'to break into a +lady's room, and then, when he found his discoursing was not agreeable +to her, to refuse to go; and then, when the gentleman of the castle +comes to desire him to walk about his business--to turn round, and draw +his sword, and swear he'll run him through the body!--To be sure it was +very ungenteel behaviour, but then he was disguised in love, and so did +not know what he was about.' + +'Enough of this,' said Emily, who now smiled without an effort; and +Annette returned to a mention of the disagreement between Montoni, and +her lady. 'It is nothing new,' said she: 'we saw and heard enough of +this at Venice, though I never told you of it, ma'amselle.' + +'Well, Annette, it was very prudent of you not to mention it then: be as +prudent now; the subject is an unpleasant one.' + +'Ah dear, ma'amselle!--to see now how considerate you can be about +some folks, who care so little about you! I cannot bear to see you so +deceived, and I must tell you. But it is all for your own good, and not +to spite my lady, though, to speak truth, I have little reason to love +her; but--' + +'You are not speaking thus of my aunt, I hope, Annette?' said Emily, +gravely. + +'Yes, ma'amselle, but I am, though; and if you knew as much as I do, you +would not look so angry. I have often, and often, heard the Signor and +her talking over your marriage with the Count, and she always advised +him never to give up to your foolish whims, as she was pleased to call +them, but to be resolute, and compel you to be obedient, whether you +would, or no. And I am sure, my heart has ached a thousand times, and +I have thought, when she was so unhappy herself, she might have felt a +little for other people, and--' + +'I thank you for your pity, Annette,' said Emily, interrupting her: 'but +my aunt was unhappy then, and that disturbed her temper perhaps, or I +think--I am sure--You may take away, Annette, I have done.' + +'Dear ma'amselle, you have eat nothing at all! Do try, and take a +little bit more. Disturbed her temper truly! why, her temper is always +disturbed, I think. And at Tholouse too I have heard my lady talking of +you and Mons. Valancourt to Madame Merveille and Madame Vaison, often +and often, in a very ill-natured way, as I thought, telling them what +a deal of trouble she had to keep you in order, and what a fatigue and +distress it was to her, and that she believed you would run away with +Mons. Valancourt, if she was not to watch you closely; and that you +connived at his coming about the house at night, and--' + +'Good God!' exclaimed Emily, blushing deeply, 'it is surely impossible +my aunt could thus have represented me!' + +'Indeed, ma'am, I say nothing more than the truth, and not all of +that. But I thought, myself, she might have found something better to +discourse about, than the faults of her own niece, even if you had been +in fault, ma'amselle; but I did not believe a word of what she said. But +my lady does not care what she says against any body, for that matter.' + +'However that may be, Annette,' interrupted Emily, recovering her +composure, 'it does not become you to speak of the faults of my aunt to +me. I know you have meant well, but--say no more.--I have quite dined.' + +Annette blushed, looked down, and then began slowly to clear the table. + +'Is this, then, the reward of my ingenuousness?' said Emily, when she +was alone; 'the treatment I am to receive from a relation--an +aunt--who ought to have been the guardian, not the slanderer of my +reputation,--who, as a woman, ought to have respected the delicacy of +female honour, and, as a relation, should have protected mine! But, to +utter falsehoods on so nice a subject--to repay the openness, and, I +may say with honest pride, the propriety of my conduct, with +slanders--required a depravity of heart, such as I could scarcely +have believed existed, such as I weep to find in a relation. O! what a +contrast does her character present to that of my beloved father; +while envy and low cunning form the chief traits of hers, his was +distinguished by benevolence and philosophic wisdom! But now, let me +only remember, if possible, that she is unfortunate.' + +Emily threw her veil over her, and went down to walk upon the ramparts, +the only walk, indeed, which was open to her, though she often wished, +that she might be permitted to ramble among the woods below, and +still more, that she might sometimes explore the sublime scenes of the +surrounding country. But, as Montoni would not suffer her to pass the +gates of the castle, she tried to be contented with the romantic views +she beheld from the walls. The peasants, who had been employed on the +fortifications, had left their work, and the ramparts were silent and +solitary. Their lonely appearance, together with the gloom of a lowering +sky, assisted the musings of her mind, and threw over it a kind of +melancholy tranquillity, such as she often loved to indulge. She turned +to observe a fine effect of the sun, as his rays, suddenly streaming +from behind a heavy cloud, lighted up the west towers of the castle, +while the rest of the edifice was in deep shade, except, that, through +a lofty gothic arch, adjoining the tower, which led to another terrace, +the beams darted in full splendour, and shewed the three strangers +she had observed in the morning. Perceiving them, she started, and a +momentary fear came over her, as she looked up the long rampart, and saw +no other persons. While she hesitated, they approached. The gate at the +end of the terrace, whither they were advancing, she knew, was always +locked, and she could not depart by the opposite extremity, without +meeting them; but, before she passed them, she hastily drew a thin +veil over her face, which did, indeed, but ill conceal her beauty. They +looked earnestly at her, and spoke to each other in bad Italian, +of which she caught only a few words; but the fierceness of their +countenances, now that she was near enough to discriminate them, struck +her yet more than the wild singularity of their air and dress had +formerly done. It was the countenance and figure of him, who walked +between the other two, that chiefly seized her attention, which +expressed a sullen haughtiness and a kind of dark watchful villany, that +gave a thrill of horror to her heart. All this was so legibly written on +his features, as to be seen by a single glance, for she passed the group +swiftly, and her timid eyes scarcely rested on them a moment. Having +reached the terrace, she stopped, and perceived the strangers standing +in the shadow of one of the turrets, gazing after her, and seemingly, by +their action, in earnest conversation. She immediately left the rampart, +and retired to her apartment. + +In the evening, Montoni sat late, carousing with his guests in the cedar +chamber. His recent triumph over Count Morano, or, perhaps, some other +circumstance, contributed to elevate his spirits to an unusual height. +He filled the goblet often, and gave a loose to merriment and talk. The +gaiety of Cavigni, on the contrary, was somewhat clouded by anxiety. He +kept a watchful eye upon Verezzi, whom, with the utmost difficulty, +he had hitherto restrained from exasperating Montoni further against +Morano, by a mention of his late taunting words. + +One of the company exultingly recurred to the event of the preceding +evening. Verezzi's eyes sparkled. The mention of Morano led to that of +Emily, of whom they were all profuse in the praise, except Montoni, who +sat silent, and then interrupted the subject. + +When the servants had withdrawn, Montoni and his friends entered into +close conversation, which was sometimes checked by the irascible temper +of Verezzi, but in which Montoni displayed his conscious superiority, +by that decisive look and manner, which always accompanied the vigour +of his thought, and to which most of his companions submitted, as to +a power, that they had no right to question, though of each +other's self-importance they were jealously scrupulous. Amidst this +conversation, one of them imprudently introduced again the name of +Morano; and Verezzi, now more heated by wine, disregarded the expressive +looks of Cavigni, and gave some dark hints of what had passed on the +preceding night. These, however, Montoni did not appear to understand, +for he continued silent in his chair, without discovering any emotion, +while, the choler of Verezzi increasing with the apparent insensibility +of Montoni, he at length told the suggestion of Morano, that this castle +did not lawfully belong to him, and that he would not willingly leave +another murder on his conscience. + +'Am I to be insulted at my own table, and by my own friends?' said +Montoni, with a countenance pale in anger. 'Why are the words of that +madman repeated to me?' Verezzi, who had expected to hear Montoni's +indignation poured forth against Morano, and answered by thanks to +himself, looked with astonishment at Cavigni, who enjoyed his confusion. +'Can you be weak enough to credit the assertions of a madman?' rejoined +Montoni, 'or, what is the same thing, a man possessed by the spirit of +vengeance? But he has succeeded too well; you believe what he said.' + +'Signor,' said Verezzi, 'we believe only what we know.'--'How!' +interrupted Montoni, sternly: 'produce your proof.' + +'We believe only what we know,' repeated Verezzi, 'and we know nothing +of what Morano asserts.' Montoni seemed to recover himself. 'I am hasty, +my friends,' said he, 'with respect to my honour; no man shall question +it with impunity--you did not mean to question it. These foolish words +are not worth your remembrance, or my resentment. Verezzi, here is to +your first exploit.' + +'Success to your first exploit,' re-echoed the whole company. + +'Noble Signor,' replied Verezzi, glad to find he had escaped Montoni's +resentment, 'with my good will, you shall build your ramparts of gold.' + +'Pass the goblet,' cried Montoni. 'We will drink to Signora St. Aubert,' +said Cavigni. 'By your leave we will first drink to the lady of the +castle.' said Bertolini.--Montoni was silent. 'To the lady of the +castle,' said his guests. He bowed his head. + +'It much surprises me, Signor,' said Bertolini, 'that you have so long +neglected this castle; it is a noble edifice.' + +'It suits our purpose,' replied Montoni, 'and IS a noble edifice. You +know not, it seems, by what mischance it came to me.' + +'It was a lucky mischance, be it what it may, Signor,' replied +Bertolini, smiling. 'I would, that one so lucky had befallen me.' + +Montoni looked gravely at him. 'If you will attend to what I say,' he +resumed, 'you shall hear the story.' + +The countenances of Bertolini and Verezzi expressed something more than +curiosity; Cavigni, who seemed to feel none, had probably heard the +relation before. + +'It is now near twenty years,' said Montoni, 'since this castle came +into my possession. I inherit it by the female line. The lady, my +predecessor, was only distantly related to me; I am the last of her +family. She was beautiful and rich; I wooed her; but her heart was fixed +upon another, and she rejected me. It is probable, however, that she +was herself rejected of the person, whoever he might be, on whom she +bestowed her favour, for a deep and settled melancholy took possession +of her; and I have reason to believe she put a period to her own life. +I was not at the castle at the time; but, as there are some singular and +mysterious circumstances attending that event, I shall repeat them.' + +'Repeat them!' said a voice. + +Montoni was silent; the guests looked at each other, to know who spoke; +but they perceived, that each was making the same enquiry. Montoni, at +length, recovered himself. 'We are overheard,' said he: 'we will finish +this subject another time. Pass the goblet.' + +The cavaliers looked round the wide chamber. + +'Here is no person, but ourselves,' said Verezzi: 'pray, Signor, +proceed.' + +'Did you hear any thing?' said Montoni. + +'We did,' said Bertolini. + +'It could be only fancy,' said Verezzi, looking round again. 'We see no +person besides ourselves; and the sound I thought I heard seemed within +the room. Pray, Signor, go on.' + +Montoni paused a moment, and then proceeded in a lowered voice, while +the cavaliers drew nearer to attend. + +'Ye are to know, Signors, that the Lady Laurentini had for some months +shewn symptoms of a dejected mind, nay, of a disturbed imagination. Her +mood was very unequal; sometimes she was sunk in calm melancholy, and, +at others, as I have been told, she betrayed all the symptoms of +frantic madness. It was one night in the month of October, after she had +recovered from one of those fits of excess, and had sunk again into her +usual melancholy, that she retired alone to her chamber, and forbade all +interruption. It was the chamber at the end of the corridor, Signors, +where we had the affray, last night. From that hour, she was seen no +more.' + +'How! seen no more!' said Bertolini, 'was not her body found in the +chamber?' + +'Were her remains never found?' cried the rest of the company all +together. + +'Never!' replied Montoni. + +'What reasons were there to suppose she destroyed herself, then?' said +Bertolini.--'Aye, what reasons?' said Verezzi.--'How happened it, that +her remains were never found? Although she killed herself, she could +not bury herself.' Montoni looked indignantly at Verezzi, who began to +apologize. 'Your pardon, Signor,' said he: 'I did not consider, that the +lady was your relative, when I spoke of her so lightly.' + +Montoni accepted the apology. + +'But the Signor will oblige us with the reasons, which urged him to +believe, that the lady committed suicide.' + +'Those I will explain hereafter,' said Montoni: 'at present let me +relate a most extraordinary circumstance. This conversation goes no +further, Signors. Listen, then, to what I am going to say.' + +'Listen!' said a voice. + +They were all again silent, and the countenance of Montoni changed. +'This is no illusion of the fancy,' said Cavigni, at length breaking the +profound silence.--'No,' said Bertolini; 'I heard it myself, now. Yet +here is no person in the room but ourselves!' + +'This is very extraordinary,' said Montoni, suddenly rising. 'This is +not to be borne; here is some deception, some trick. I will know what it +means.' + +All the company rose from their chairs in confusion. + +'It is very odd!' said Bertolini. 'Here is really no stranger in the +room. If it is a trick, Signor, you will do well to punish the author of +it severely.' + +'A trick! what else can it be?' said Cavigni, affecting a laugh. + +The servants were now summoned, and the chamber was searched, but +no person was found. The surprise and consternation of the company +increased. Montoni was discomposed. 'We will leave this room,' said he, +'and the subject of our conversation also; it is too solemn.' His guests +were equally ready to quit the apartment; but the subject had roused +their curiosity, and they entreated Montoni to withdraw to another +chamber, and finish it; no entreaties could, however, prevail with +him. Notwithstanding his efforts to appear at ease, he was visibly and +greatly disordered. + +'Why, Signor, you are not superstitious,' cried Verezzi, jeeringly; +'you, who have so often laughed at the credulity of others!' + +'I am not superstitious,' replied Montoni, regarding him with stern +displeasure, 'though I know how to despise the common-place sentences, +which are frequently uttered against superstition. I will enquire +further into this affair.' He then left the room; and his guests, +separating for the night, retired to their respective apartments. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + + He wears the rose of youth upon his cheek. + SHAKESPEARE + +We now return to Valancourt, who, it may be remembered, remained +at Tholouse, some time after the departure of Emily, restless and +miserable. Each morrow that approached, he designed should carry +him from thence; yet to-morrow and to-morrow came, and still saw him +lingering in the scene of his former happiness. He could not immediately +tear himself from the spot, where he had been accustomed to converse +with Emily, or from the objects they had viewed together, which appeared +to him memorials of her affection, as well as a kind of surety for its +faithfulness; and, next to the pain of bidding her adieu, was that of +leaving the scenes which so powerfully awakened her image. Sometimes he +had bribed a servant, who had been left in the care of Madame Montoni's +chateau, to permit him to visit the gardens, and there he would wander, +for hours together, rapt in a melancholy, not unpleasing. The terrace, +and the pavilion at the end of it, where he had taken leave of Emily, on +the eve of her departure from Tholouse, were his most favourite haunts. +There, as he walked, or leaned from the window of the building, he would +endeavour to recollect all she had said, on that night; to catch the +tones of her voice, as they faintly vibrated on his memory, and to +remember the exact expression of her countenance, which sometimes came +suddenly to his fancy, like a vision; that beautiful countenance, which +awakened, as by instantaneous magic, all the tenderness of his heart, +and seemed to tell with irresistible eloquence--that he had lost her +forever! At these moments, his hurried steps would have discovered to a +spectator the despair of his heart. The character of Montoni, such as +he had received from hints, and such as his fears represented it, would +rise to his view, together with all the dangers it seemed to threaten +to Emily and to his love. He blamed himself, that he had not urged these +more forcibly to her, while it might have been in his power to detain +her, and that he had suffered an absurd and criminal delicacy, as he +termed it, to conquer so soon the reasonable arguments he had opposed to +this journey. Any evil, that might have attended their marriage, seemed +so inferior to those, which now threatened their love, or even to the +sufferings, that absence occasioned, that he wondered how he could have +ceased to urge his suit, till he had convinced her of its propriety; and +he would certainly now have followed her to Italy, if he could have been +spared from his regiment for so long a journey. His regiment, indeed, +soon reminded him, that he had other duties to attend, than those of +love. + +A short time after his arrival at his brother's house, he was summoned +to join his brother officers, and he accompanied a battalion to Paris; +where a scene of novelty and gaiety opened upon him, such as, till then, +he had only a faint idea of. But gaiety disgusted, and company fatigued, +his sick mind; and he became an object of unceasing raillery to his +companions, from whom, whenever he could steal an opportunity, he +escaped, to think of Emily. The scenes around him, however, and the +company with whom he was obliged to mingle, engaged his attention, +though they failed to amuse his fancy, and thus gradually weakened the +habit of yielding to lamentation, till it appeared less a duty to his +love to indulge it. Among his brother-officers were many, who added +to the ordinary character of a French soldier's gaiety some of those +fascinating qualities, which too frequently throw a veil over folly, and +sometimes even soften the features of vice into smiles. To these men +the reserved and thoughtful manners of Valancourt were a kind of tacit +censure on their own, for which they rallied him when present, and +plotted against him when absent; they gloried in the thought of reducing +him to their own level, and, considering it to be a spirited frolic, +determined to accomplish it. + +Valancourt was a stranger to the gradual progress of scheme and +intrigue, against which he could not be on his guard. He had not been +accustomed to receive ridicule, and he could ill endure its sting; he +resented it, and this only drew upon him a louder laugh. To escape from +such scenes, he fled into solitude, and there the image of Emily met +him, and revived the pangs of love and despair. He then sought to renew +those tasteful studies, which had been the delight of his early years; +but his mind had lost the tranquillity, which is necessary for their +enjoyment. To forget himself and the grief and anxiety, which the idea +of her recalled, he would quit his solitude, and again mingle in the +crowd--glad of a temporary relief, and rejoicing to snatch amusement for +the moment. + +Thus passed weeks after weeks, time gradually softening his sorrow, and +habit strengthening his desire of amusement, till the scenes around him +seemed to awaken into a new character, and Valancourt, to have fallen +among them from the clouds. + +His figure and address made him a welcome visitor, wherever he had been +introduced, and he soon frequented the most gay and fashionable circles +of Paris. Among these, was the assembly of the Countess Lacleur, a woman +of eminent beauty and captivating manners. She had passed the spring of +youth, but her wit prolonged the triumph of its reign, and they mutually +assisted the fame of each other; for those, who were charmed by her +loveliness, spoke with enthusiasm of her talents; and others, who +admired her playful imagination, declared, that her personal graces were +unrivalled. But her imagination was merely playful, and her wit, if such +it could be called, was brilliant, rather than just; it dazzled, and its +fallacy escaped the detection of the moment; for the accents, in which +she pronounced it, and the smile, that accompanied them, were a spell +upon the judgment of the auditors. Her petits soupers were the most +tasteful of any in Paris, and were frequented by many of the second +class of literati. She was fond of music, was herself a scientific +performer, and had frequently concerts at her house. Valancourt, who +passionately loved music, and who sometimes assisted at these concerts, +admired her execution, but remembered with a sigh the eloquent +simplicity of Emily's songs and the natural expression of her manner, +which waited not to be approved by the judgment, but found their way at +once to the heart. + +Madame La Comtesse had often deep play at her house, which she affected +to restrain, but secretly encouraged; and it was well known among her +friends, that the splendour of her establishment was chiefly supplied +from the profits of her tables. But her petits soupers were the most +charming imaginable! Here were all the delicacies of the four quarters +of the world, all the wit and the lighter efforts of genius, all the +graces of conversation--the smiles of beauty, and the charm of music; +and Valancourt passed his pleasantest, as well as most dangerous hours +in these parties. + +His brother, who remained with his family in Gascony, had contented +himself with giving him letters of introduction to such of his +relations, residing at Paris, as the latter was not already known to. +All these were persons of some distinction; and, as neither the person, +mind, or manners of Valancourt the younger threatened to disgrace their +alliance, they received him with as much kindness as their nature, +hardened by uninterrupted prosperity, would admit of; but their +attentions did not extend to acts of real friendship; for they were too +much occupied by their own pursuits, to feel any interest in his; and +thus he was set down in the midst of Paris, in the pride of youth, with +an open, unsuspicious temper and ardent affections, without one friend, +to warn him of the dangers, to which he was exposed. Emily, who, had +she been present, would have saved him from these evils by awakening +his heart, and engaging him in worthy pursuits, now only increased +his danger;--it was to lose the grief, which the remembrance of her +occasioned, that he first sought amusement; and for this end he pursued +it, till habit made it an object of abstract interest. + +There was also a Marchioness Champfort, a young widow, at whose +assemblies he passed much of his time. She was handsome, still more +artful, gay and fond of intrigue. The society, which she drew round her, +was less elegant and more vicious, than that of the Countess Lacleur: +but, as she had address enough to throw a veil, though but a slight +one, over the worst part of her character, she was still visited by many +persons of what is called distinction. Valancourt was introduced to her +parties by two of his brother officers, whose late ridicule he had now +forgiven so far, that he could sometimes join in the laugh, which a +mention of his former manners would renew. + +The gaiety of the most splendid court in Europe, the magnificence of +the palaces, entertainments, and equipages, that surrounded him--all +conspired to dazzle his imagination, and re-animate his spirits, and +the example and maxims of his military associates to delude his mind. +Emily's image, indeed, still lived there; but it was no longer the +friend, the monitor, that saved him from himself, and to which he +retired to weep the sweet, yet melancholy, tears of tenderness. When +he had recourse to it, it assumed a countenance of mild reproach, that +wrung his soul, and called forth tears of unmixed misery; his only +escape from which was to forget the object of it, and he endeavoured, +therefore, to think of Emily as seldom as he could. + +Thus dangerously circumstanced was Valancourt, at the time, when Emily +was suffering at Venice, from the persecuting addresses of Count Morano, +and the unjust authority of Montoni; at which period we leave him. + + + +CHAPTER IX + + + The image of a wicked, heinous fault + Lives in his eye; that close aspect of his + Does shew the mood of a much-troubled breast. + KING JOHN + +Leaving the gay scenes of Paris, we return to those of the gloomy +Apennine, where Emily's thoughts were still faithful to Valancourt. +Looking to him as to her only hope, she recollected, with jealous +exactness, every assurance and every proof she had witnessed of his +affection; read again and again the letters she had received from him; +weighed, with intense anxiety, the force of every word, that spoke of +his attachment; and dried her tears, as she trusted in his truth. + +Montoni, meanwhile, had made strict enquiry concerning the strange +circumstance of his alarm, without obtaining information; and was, at +length, obliged to account for it by the reasonable supposition, that +it was a mischievous trick played off by one of his domestics. His +disagreements with Madame Montoni, on the subject of her settlements, +were now more frequent than ever; he even confined her entirely to her +own apartment, and did not scruple to threaten her with much greater +severity, should she persevere in a refusal. + +Reason, had she consulted it, would now have perplexed her in the choice +of a conduct to be adopted. It would have pointed out the danger of +irritating by further opposition a man, such as Montoni had proved +himself to be, and to whose power she had so entirely committed herself; +and it would also have told her, of what extreme importance to her +future comfort it was, to reserve for herself those possessions, which +would enable her to live independently of Montoni, should she ever +escape from his immediate controul. But she was directed by a more +decisive guide than reason--the spirit of revenge, which urged her to +oppose violence to violence, and obstinacy to obstinacy. + +Wholly confined to the solitude of her apartment, she was now reduced +to solicit the society she had lately rejected; for Emily was the only +person, except Annette, with whom she was permitted to converse. + +Generously anxious for her peace, Emily, therefore, tried to persuade, +when she could not convince, and sought by every gentle means to induce +her to forbear that asperity of reply, which so greatly irritated +Montoni. The pride of her aunt did sometimes soften to the soothing +voice of Emily, and there even were moments, when she regarded her +affectionate attentions with goodwill. + +The scenes of terrible contention, to which Emily was frequently +compelled to be witness, exhausted her spirits more than any +circumstances, that had occurred since her departure from Tholouse. The +gentleness and goodness of her parents, together with the scenes of her +early happiness, often stole on her mind, like the visions of a higher +world; while the characters and circumstances, now passing beneath her +eye, excited both terror and surprise. She could scarcely have +imagined, that passions so fierce and so various, as those which Montoni +exhibited, could have been concentrated in one individual; yet what +more surprised her, was, that, on great occasions, he could bend these +passions, wild as they were, to the cause of his interest, and generally +could disguise in his countenance their operation on his mind; but she +had seen him too often, when he had thought it unnecessary to conceal +his nature, to be deceived on such occasions. + +Her present life appeared like the dream of a distempered imagination, +or like one of those frightful fictions, in which the wild genius of +the poets sometimes delighted. Reflection brought only regret, and +anticipation terror. How often did she wish to 'steal the lark's wing, +and mount the swiftest gale,' that Languedoc and repose might once more +be hers! + +Of Count Morano's health she made frequent enquiry; but Annette heard +only vague reports of his danger, and that his surgeon had said he would +never leave the cottage alive; while Emily could not but be shocked to +think, that she, however innocently, might be the means of his death; +and Annette, who did not fail to observe her emotion, interpreted it in +her own way. + +But a circumstance soon occurred, which entirely withdrew Annette's +attention from this subject, and awakened the surprise and curiosity so +natural to her. Coming one day to Emily's apartment, with a countenance +full of importance, 'What can all this mean, ma'amselle?' said she. +'Would I was once safe in Languedoc again, they should never catch me +going on my travels any more! I must think it a fine thing, truly, to +come abroad, and see foreign parts! I little thought I was coming to be +catched up in a old castle, among such dreary mountains, with the chance +of being murdered, or, what is as good, having my throat cut!' + +'What can all this mean, indeed, Annette?' said Emily, in astonishment. + +'Aye, ma'amselle, you may look surprised; but you won't believe it, +perhaps, till they have murdered you, too. You would not believe about +the ghost I told you of, though I shewed you the very place, where it +used to appear!--You will believe nothing, ma'amselle.' + +'Not till you speak more reasonably, Annette; for Heaven's sake, explain +your meaning. You spoke of murder!' + +'Aye, ma'amselle, they are coming to murder us all, perhaps; but what +signifies explaining?--you will not believe.' + +Emily again desired her to relate what she had seen, or heard. + +'O, I have seen enough, ma'am, and heard too much, as Ludovico can +prove. Poor soul! they will murder him, too! I little thought, when +he sung those sweet verses under my lattice, at Venice!'--Emily looked +impatient and displeased. 'Well, ma'amselle, as I was saying, these +preparations about the castle, and these strange-looking people, that +are calling here every day, and the Signor's cruel usage of my lady, and +his odd goings-on--all these, as I told Ludovico, can bode no good. And +he bid me hold my tongue. So, says I, the Signor's strangely altered, +Ludovico, in this gloomy castle, to what he was in France; there, all so +gay! Nobody so gallant to my lady, then; and he could smile, too, upon +a poor servant, sometimes, and jeer her, too, good-naturedly enough. +I remember once, when he said to me, as I was going out of my lady's +dressing-room--Annette, says he--' + +'Never mind what the Signor said,' interrupted Emily; 'but tell me, at +once, the circumstance, which has thus alarmed you.' + +'Aye, ma'amselle,' rejoined Annette, 'that is just what Ludovico said: +says he, Never mind what the Signor says to you. So I told him what I +thought about the Signor. He is so strangely altered, said I: for now he +is so haughty, and so commanding, and so sharp with my lady; and, if he +meets one, he'll scarcely look at one, unless it be to frown. So much +the better, says Ludovico, so much the better. And to tell you the +truth, ma'amselle, I thought this was a very ill-natured speech of +Ludovico: but I went on. And then, says I, he is always knitting his +brows; and if one speaks to him, he does not hear; and then he sits up +counselling so, of a night, with the other Signors--there they are, till +long past midnight, discoursing together! Aye, but says Ludovico, +you don't know what they are counselling about. No, said I, but I +can guess--it is about my young lady. Upon that, Ludovico burst out +a-laughing, quite loud; so he put me in a huff, for I did not like that +either I or you, ma'amselle, should be laughed at; and I turned away +quick, but he stopped me. "Don't be affronted, Annette," said he, "but I +cannot help laughing;" and with that he laughed again. "What!" says he, +"do you think the Signors sit up, night after night, only to counsel +about thy young lady! No, no, there is something more in the wind than +that. And these repairs about the castle, and these preparations about +the ramparts--they are not making about young ladies." Why, surely, said +I, the Signor, my master, is not going to make war? "Make war!" said +Ludovico, "what, upon the mountains and the woods? for here is no living +soul to make war upon that I see." + +'What are these preparations for, then? said I; why surely nobody +is coming to take away my master's castle! "Then there are so many +ill-looking fellows coming to the castle every day," says Ludovico, +without answering my question, "and the Signor sees them all, and talks +with them all, and they all stay in the neighbourhood! By holy St. +Marco! some of them are the most cut-throat-looking dogs I ever set my +eyes upon." + +'I asked Ludovico again, if he thought they were coming to take away my +master's castle; and he said, No, he did not think they were, but he did +not know for certain. "Then yesterday," said he, but you must not tell +this, ma'amselle, "yesterday, a party of these men came, and left all +their horses in the castle stables, where, it seems, they are to +stay, for the Signor ordered them all to be entertained with the +best provender in the manger; but the men are, most of them, in the +neighbouring cottages." + +'So, ma'amselle, I came to tell you all this, for I never heard any +thing so strange in my life. But what can these ill-looking men be come +about, if it is not to murder us? And the Signor knows this, or why +should he be so civil to them? And why should he fortify the castle, and +counsel so much with the other Signors, and be so thoughtful?' + +'Is this all you have to tell, Annette?' said Emily. 'Have you heard +nothing else, that alarms you?' + +'Nothing else, ma'amselle!' said Annette; 'why, is not this enough?' +'Quite enough for my patience, Annette, but not quite enough to convince +me we are all to be murdered, though I acknowledge here is sufficient +food for curiosity.' She forbore to speak her apprehensions, because +she would not encourage Annette's wild terrors; but the present +circumstances of the castle both surprised, and alarmed her. Annette, +having told her tale, left the chamber, on the wing for new wonders. + +In the evening, Emily had passed some melancholy hours with Madame +Montoni, and was retiring to rest, when she was alarmed by a strange and +loud knocking at her chamber door, and then a heavy weight fell against +it, that almost burst it open. She called to know who was there, and +receiving no answer, repeated the call; but a chilling silence followed. +It occurred to her--for, at this moment, she could not reason on the +probability of circumstances--that some one of the strangers, lately +arrived at the castle, had discovered her apartment, and was come with +such intent, as their looks rendered too possible--to rob, perhaps to +murder, her. The moment she admitted this possibility, terror supplied +the place of conviction, and a kind of instinctive remembrance of her +remote situation from the family heightened it to a degree, that almost +overcame her senses. She looked at the door, which led to the staircase, +expecting to see it open, and listening, in fearful silence, for a +return of the noise, till she began to think it had proceeded from this +door, and a wish of escaping through the opposite one rushed upon her +mind. She went to the gallery door, and then, fearing to open it, lest +some person might be silently lurking for her without, she stopped, +but with her eyes fixed in expectation upon the opposite door of the +stair-case. As thus she stood, she heard a faint breathing near her, and +became convinced, that some person was on the other side of the door, +which was already locked. She sought for other fastening, but there was +none. + +While she yet listened, the breathing was distinctly heard, and her +terror was not soothed, when, looking round her wide and lonely chamber, +she again considered her remote situation. As she stood hesitating +whether to call for assistance, the continuance of the stillness +surprised her; and her spirits would have revived, had she not continued +to hear the faint breathing, that convinced her, the person, whoever it +was, had not quitted the door. + +At length, worn out with anxiety, she determined to call loudly for +assistance from her casement, and was advancing to it, when, whether the +terror of her mind gave her ideal sounds, or that real ones did come, +she thought footsteps were ascending the private stair-case; and, +expecting to see its door unclose, she forgot all other cause of alarm, +and retreated towards the corridor. Here she endeavoured to make her +escape, but, on opening the door, was very near falling over a person, +who lay on the floor without. She screamed, and would have passed, but +her trembling frame refused to support her; and the moment, in which she +leaned against the wall of the gallery, allowed her leisure to observe +the figure before her, and to recognise the features of Annette. Fear +instantly yielded to surprise. She spoke in vain to the poor girl, who +remained senseless on the floor, and then, losing all consciousness of +her own weakness, hurried to her assistance. + +When Annette recovered, she was helped by Emily into the chamber, but +was still unable to speak, and looked round her, as if her eyes followed +some person in the room. Emily tried to sooth her disturbed spirits, and +forbore, at present, to ask her any questions; but the faculty of speech +was never long with-held from Annette, and she explained, in broken +sentences, and in her tedious way, the occasion of her disorder. She +affirmed, and with a solemnity of conviction, that almost staggered +the incredulity of Emily, that she had seen an apparition, as she was +passing to her bedroom, through the corridor. + +'I had heard strange stories of that chamber before,' said Annette: +'but as it was so near yours, ma'amselle, I would not tell them to you, +because they would frighten you. The servants had told me, often and +often, that it was haunted, and that was the reason why it was shut up: +nay, for that matter, why the whole string of these rooms, here, are +shut up. I quaked whenever I went by, and I must say, I did sometimes +think I heard odd noises within it. But, as I said, as I was passing +along the corridor, and not thinking a word about the matter, or even +of the strange voice that the Signors heard the other night, all of a +sudden comes a great light, and, looking behind me, there was a tall +figure, (I saw it as plainly, ma'amselle, as I see you at this moment), +a tall figure gliding along (Oh! I cannot describe how!) into the room, +that is always shut up, and nobody has the key of it but the Signor, and +the door shut directly.' + +'Then it doubtless was the Signor,' said Emily. + +'O no, ma'amselle, it could not be him, for I left him busy +a-quarrelling in my lady's dressing-room!' + +'You bring me strange tales, Annette,' said Emily: 'it was but this +morning, that you would have terrified me with the apprehension of +murder; and now you would persuade me, you have seen a ghost! These +wonderful stories come too quickly.' + +'Nay, ma'amselle, I will say no more, only, if I had not been +frightened, I should not have fainted dead away, so. I ran as fast as I +could, to get to your door; but, what was worst of all, I could not call +out; then I thought something must be strangely the matter with me, and +directly I dropt down.' + +'Was it the chamber where the black veil hangs?' said Emily. 'O! no, +ma'amselle, it was one nearer to this. What shall I do, to get to my +room? I would not go out into the corridor again, for the whole world!' +Emily, whose spirits had been severely shocked, and who, therefore, +did not like the thought of passing the night alone, told her she might +sleep where she was. 'O, no, ma'amselle,' replied Annette, 'I would not +sleep in the room, now, for a thousand sequins!' + +Wearied and disappointed, Emily first ridiculed, though she shared, her +fears, and then tried to sooth them; but neither attempt succeeded, and +the girl persisted in believing and affirming, that what she had seen +was nothing human. It was not till some time after Emily had recovered +her composure, that she recollected the steps she had heard on the +stair-case--a remembrance, however, which made her insist that Annette +should pass the night with her, and, with much difficulty, she, at +length, prevailed, assisted by that part of the girl's fear, which +concerned the corridor. + +Early on the following morning, as Emily crossed the hall to the +ramparts, she heard a noisy bustle in the court-yard, and the clatter of +horses' hoofs. Such unusual sounds excited her curiosity; and, instead +of going to the ramparts, she went to an upper casement, from whence +she saw, in the court below, a large party of horsemen, dressed in a +singular, but uniform, habit, and completely, though variously, armed. +They wore a kind of short jacket, composed of black and scarlet, and +several of them had a cloak, of plain black, which, covering the person +entirely, hung down to the stirrups. As one of these cloaks glanced +aside, she saw, beneath, daggers, apparently of different sizes, tucked +into the horseman's belt. She further observed, that these were carried, +in the same manner, by many of the horsemen without cloaks, most of whom +bore also pikes, or javelins. On their heads, were the small Italian +caps, some of which were distinguished by black feathers. Whether these +caps gave a fierce air to the countenance, or that the countenances +they surmounted had naturally such an appearance, Emily thought she had +never, till then, seen an assemblage of faces so savage and terrific. +While she gazed, she almost fancied herself surrounded by banditti; and +a vague thought glanced athwart her fancy--that Montoni was the captain +of the group before her, and that this castle was to be the place of +rendezvous. The strange and horrible supposition was but momentary, +though her reason could supply none more probable, and though she +discovered, among the band, the strangers she had formerly noticed with +so much alarm, who were now distinguished by the black plume. + +While she continued gazing, Cavigni, Verezzi, and Bertolini came forth +from the hall, habited like the rest, except that they wore hats, with +a mixed plume of black and scarlet, and that their arms differed from +those of the rest of the party. As they mounted their horses, Emily was +struck with the exulting joy, expressed on the visage of Verezzi, while +Cavigni was gay, yet with a shade of thought on his countenance; and, as +he managed his horse with dexterity, his graceful and commanding figure, +which exhibited the majesty of a hero, had never appeared to more +advantage. Emily, as she observed him, thought he somewhat resembled +Valancourt, in the spirit and dignity of his person; but she looked in +vain for the noble, benevolent countenance--the soul's intelligence, +which overspread the features of the latter. + +As she was hoping, she scarcely knew why, that Montoni would accompany +the party, he appeared at the hall door, but un-accoutred. Having +carefully observed the horsemen, conversed awhile with the cavaliers, +and bidden them farewel, the band wheeled round the court, and, led by +Verezzi, issued forth under the portcullis; Montoni following to the +portal, and gazing after them for some time. Emily then retired from +the casement, and, now certain of being unmolested, went to walk on the +ramparts, from whence she soon after saw the party winding among the +mountains to the west, appearing and disappearing between the woods, +till distance confused their figures, consolidated their numbers, and +only a dingy mass appeared moving along the heights. + +Emily observed, that no workmen were on the ramparts, and that the +repairs of the fortifications seemed to be completed. While she +sauntered thoughtfully on, she heard distant footsteps, and, raising her +eyes, saw several men lurking under the castle walls, who were evidently +not workmen, but looked as if they would have accorded well with the +party, which was gone. Wondering where Annette had hid herself so +long, who might have explained some of the late circumstances, and then +considering that Madame Montoni was probably risen, she went to her +dressing-room, where she mentioned what had occurred; but Madame Montoni +either would not, or could not, give any explanation of the event. The +Signor's reserve to his wife, on this subject, was probably nothing +more than usual; yet, to Emily, it gave an air of mystery to the whole +affair, that seemed to hint, there was danger, if not villany, in his +schemes. + +Annette presently came, and, as usual, was full of alarm; to her lady's +eager enquiries of what she had heard among the servants, she replied: + +'Ah, madam! nobody knows what it is all about, but old Carlo; he knows +well enough, I dare say, but he is as close as his master. Some say the +Signor is going out to frighten the enemy, as they call it: but where is +the enemy? Then others say, he is going to take away some body's castle: +but I am sure he has room enough in his own, without taking other +people's; and I am sure I should like it a great deal better, if there +were more people to fill it.' + +'Ah! you will soon have your wish, I fear,' replied Madame Montoni. + +'No, madam, but such ill-looking fellows are not worth having. I mean +such gallant, smart, merry fellows as Ludovico, who is always telling +droll stories, to make one laugh. It was but yesterday, he told me such +a HUMOURSOME tale! I can't help laughing at it now.--Says he--' + +'Well, we can dispense with the story,' said her lady. 'Ah!' continued +Annette, 'he sees a great way further than other people! Now he sees +into all the Signor's meaning, without knowing a word about the matter!' + +'How is that?' said Madame Montoni. + +'Why he says--but he made me promise not to tell, and I would not +disoblige him for the world.' + +'What is it he made you promise not to tell?' said her lady, sternly. 'I +insist upon knowing immediately--what is it he made you promise?' + +'O madam,' cried Annette, 'I would not tell for the universe!' 'I insist +upon your telling this instant,' said Madame Montoni. 'O dear madam! +I would not tell for a hundred sequins! You would not have me forswear +myself madam!' exclaimed Annette. + +'I will not wait another moment,' said Madame Montoni. Annette was +silent. + +'The Signor shall be informed of this directly,' rejoined her mistress: +'he will make you discover all.' + +'It is Ludovico, who has discovered,' said Annette: 'but for mercy's +sake, madam, don't tell the Signor, and you shall know all directly.' +Madame Montoni said, that she would not. + +'Well then, madam, Ludovico says, that the Signor, my master, +is--is--that is, he only thinks so, and any body, you know, madam, is +free to think--that the Signor, my master, is--is--' + +'Is what?' said her lady, impatiently. + +'That the Signor, my master, is going to be--a great robber--that is--he +is going to rob on his own account;--to be, (but I am sure I don't +understand what he means) to be a--captain of--robbers.' + +'Art thou in thy senses, Annette?' said Madame Montoni; 'or is this a +trick to deceive me? Tell me, this instant, what Ludovico DID say to +thee;--no equivocation;--this instant.' + +'Nay, madam,' cried Annette, 'if this is all I am to get for having +told the secret'--Her mistress thus continued to insist, and Annette to +protest, till Montoni, himself, appeared, who bade the latter leave the +room, and she withdrew, trembling for the fate of her story. Emily also +was retiring, but her aunt desired she would stay; and Montoni had so +often made her a witness of their contention, that he no longer had +scruples on that account. + +'I insist upon knowing this instant, Signor, what all this means:' said +his wife--'what are all these armed men, whom they tell me of, gone +out about?' Montoni answered her only with a look of scorn; and Emily +whispered something to her. 'It does not signify,' said her aunt: 'I +will know; and I will know, too, what the castle has been fortified +for.' + +'Come, come,' said Montoni, 'other business brought me here. I must +be trifled with no longer. I have immediate occasion for what I +demand--those estates must be given up, without further contention; or I +may find a way--' + +'They never shall be given up,' interrupted Madame Montoni: 'they never +shall enable you to carry on your wild schemes;--but what are these? +I will know. Do you expect the castle to be attacked? Do you expect +enemies? Am I to be shut up here, to be killed in a siege?' + +'Sign the writings,' said Montoni, 'and you shall know more.' + +'What enemy can be coming?' continued his wife. 'Have you entered into +the service of the state? Am I to be blocked up here to die?' + +'That may possibly happen,' said Montoni, 'unless you yield to my +demand: for, come what may, you shall not quit the castle till then.' +Madame Montoni burst into loud lamentation, which she as suddenly +checked, considering, that her husband's assertions might be only +artifices, employed to extort her consent. She hinted this suspicion, +and, in the next moment, told him also, that his designs were not so +honourable as to serve the state, and that she believed he had only +commenced a captain of banditti, to join the enemies of Venice, in +plundering and laying waste the surrounding country. + +Montoni looked at her for a moment with a steady and stern countenance; +while Emily trembled, and his wife, for once, thought she had said too +much. 'You shall be removed, this night,' said he, 'to the east turret: +there, perhaps, you may understand the danger of offending a man, who +has an unlimited power over you.' + +Emily now fell at his feet, and, with tears of terror, supplicated for +her aunt, who sat, trembling with fear, and indignation; now ready to +pour forth execrations, and now to join the intercessions of Emily. +Montoni, however, soon interrupted these entreaties with an horrible +oath; and, as he burst from Emily, leaving his cloak, in her hand, she +fell to the floor, with a force, that occasioned her a severe blow on +the forehead. But he quitted the room, without attempting to raise her, +whose attention was called from herself, by a deep groan from Madame +Montoni, who continued otherwise unmoved in her chair, and had not +fainted. Emily, hastening to her assistance, saw her eyes rolling, and +her features convulsed. + +Having spoken to her, without receiving an answer, she brought +water, and supported her head, while she held it to her lips; but the +increasing convulsions soon compelled Emily to call for assistance. On +her way through the hall, in search of Annette, she met Montoni, whom +she told what had happened, and conjured to return and comfort her aunt; +but he turned silently away, with a look of indifference, and went out +upon the ramparts. At length she found old Carlo and Annette, and they +hastened to the dressing-room, where Madame Montoni had fallen on the +floor, and was lying in strong convulsions. Having lifted her into the +adjoining room, and laid her on the bed, the force of her disorder still +made all their strength necessary to hold her, while Annette trembled +and sobbed, and old Carlo looked silently and piteously on, as his +feeble hands grasped those of his mistress, till, turning his eyes upon +Emily, he exclaimed, 'Good God! Signora, what is the matter?' + +Emily looked calmly at him, and saw his enquiring eyes fixed on her: and +Annette, looking up, screamed loudly; for Emily's face was stained +with blood, which continued to fall slowly from her forehead: but her +attention had been so entirely occupied by the scene before her, that +she had felt no pain from the wound. She now held an handkerchief to +her face, and, notwithstanding her faintness, continued to watch Madame +Montoni, the violence of whose convulsions was abating, till at length +they ceased, and left her in a kind of stupor. + +'My aunt must remain quiet,' said Emily. 'Go, good Carlo; if we should +want your assistance, I will send for you. In the mean time, if you have +an opportunity, speak kindly of your mistress to your master.' + +'Alas!' said Carlo, 'I have seen too much! I have little influence with +the Signor. But do, dear young lady, take some care of yourself; that is +an ugly wound, and you look sadly.' + +'Thank you, my friend, for your consideration,' said Emily, smiling +kindly: 'the wound is trifling, it came by a fall.' + +Carlo shook his head, and left the room; and Emily, with Annette, +continued to watch by her aunt. 'Did my lady tell the Signor what +Ludovico said, ma'amselle?' asked Annette in a whisper; but Emily +quieted her fears on the subject. + +'I thought what this quarrelling would come to,' continued Annette: 'I +suppose the Signor has been beating my lady.' + +'No, no, Annette, you are totally mistaken, nothing extra-ordinary has +happened.' + +'Why, extraordinary things happen here so often, ma'amselle, that there +is nothing in them. Here is another legion of those ill-looking fellows, +come to the castle, this morning.' + +'Hush! Annette, you will disturb my aunt; we will talk of that by and +bye.' + +They continued watching silently, till Madame Montoni uttered a low +sigh, when Emily took her hand, and spoke soothingly to her; but the +former gazed with unconscious eyes, and it was long before she knew her +niece. Her first words then enquired for Montoni; to which Emily replied +by an entreaty, that she would compose her spirits, and consent to be +kept quiet, adding, that, if she wished any message to be conveyed to +him, she would herself deliver it. 'No,' said her aunt faintly, 'no--I +have nothing new to tell him. Does he persist in saying I shall be +removed from my chamber?' + +Emily replied, that he had not spoken, on the subject, since Madame +Montoni heard him; and then she tried to divert her attention to some +other topic; but her aunt seemed to be inattentive to what she said, and +lost in secret thoughts. Emily, having brought her some refreshment, now +left her to the care of Annette, and went in search of Montoni, whom she +found on a remote part of the rampart, conversing among a group of +the men described by Annette. They stood round him with fierce, yet +subjugated, looks, while he, speaking earnestly, and pointing to the +walls, did not perceive Emily, who remained at some distance, waiting +till he should be at leisure, and observing involuntarily the appearance +of one man, more savage than his fellows, who stood resting on his pike, +and looking, over the shoulders of a comrade, at Montoni, to whom he +listened with uncommon earnestness. This man was apparently of low +condition; yet his looks appeared not to acknowledge the superiority of +Montoni, as did those of his companions; and sometimes they even assumed +an air of authority, which the decisive manner of the Signor could not +repress. Some few words of Montoni then passed in the wind; and, as the +men were separating, she heard him say, 'This evening, then, begin the +watch at sun-set.' + +'At sun-set, Signor,' replied one or two of them, and walked away; while +Emily approached Montoni, who appeared desirous of avoiding her: but, +though she observed this, she had courage to proceed. She endeavoured to +intercede once more for her aunt, represented to him her sufferings, +and urged the danger of exposing her to a cold apartment in her present +state. 'She suffers by her own folly,' said Montoni, 'and is not to be +pitied;--she knows how she may avoid these sufferings in future--if she +is removed to the turret, it will be her own fault. Let her be obedient, +and sign the writings you heard of, and I will think no more of it.' + +When Emily ventured still to plead, he sternly silenced and rebuked her +for interfering in his domestic affairs, but, at length, dismissed her +with this concession--That he would not remove Madame Montoni, on the +ensuing night, but allow her till the next to consider, whether she +would resign her settlements, or be imprisoned in the east turret of +the castle, 'where she shall find,' he added, 'a punishment she may not +expect.' + +Emily then hastened to inform her aunt of this short respite and of the +alternative, that awaited her, to which the latter made no reply, +but appeared thoughtful, while Emily, in consideration of her extreme +languor, wished to sooth her mind by leading it to less interesting +topics: and, though these efforts were unsuccessful, and Madame Montoni +became peevish, her resolution, on the contended point, seemed somewhat +to relax, and Emily recommended, as her only means of safety, that she +should submit to Montoni's demand. 'You know not what you advise,' said +her aunt. 'Do you understand, that these estates will descend to you at +my death, if I persist in a refusal?' + +'I was ignorant of that circumstance, madam,' replied Emily, 'but the +knowledge of it cannot with-hold me from advising you to adopt the +conduct, which not only your peace, but, I fear, your safety requires, +and I entreat, that you will not suffer a consideration comparatively so +trifling, to make you hesitate a moment in resigning them.' + +'Are you sincere, niece?' 'Is it possible you can doubt it, madam?' Her +aunt appeared to be affected. 'You are not unworthy of these estates, +niece,' said she: 'I would wish to keep them for your sake--you shew a +virtue I did not expect.' + +'How have I deserved this reproof, madam?' said Emily sorrowfully. + +'Reproof!' replied Madame Montoni: 'I meant to praise your virtue.' + +'Alas! here is no exertion of virtue,' rejoined Emily, 'for here is no +temptation to be overcome.' + +'Yet Monsieur Valancourt'--said her aunt. 'O, madam!' interrupted Emily, +anticipating what she would have said, 'do not let me glance on that +subject: do not let my mind be stained with a wish so shockingly +self-interested.' She immediately changed the topic, and continued with +Madame Montoni, till she withdrew to her apartment for the night. + +At that hour, the castle was perfectly still, and every inhabitant of +it, except herself, seemed to have retired to rest. As she passed along +the wide and lonely galleries, dusky and silent, she felt forlorn +and apprehensive of--she scarcely knew what; but when, entering the +corridor, she recollected the incident of the preceding night, a dread +seized her, lest a subject of alarm, similar to that, which had befallen +Annette, should occur to her, and which, whether real, or ideal, would, +she felt, have an almost equal effect upon her weakened spirits. The +chamber, to which Annette had alluded, she did not exactly know, but +understood it to be one of those she must pass in the way to her own; +and, sending a fearful look forward into the gloom, she stepped lightly +and cautiously along, till, coming to a door, from whence issued a low +sound, she hesitated and paused; and, during the delay of that moment, +her fears so much increased, that she had no power to move from the +spot. Believing, that she heard a human voice within, she was somewhat +revived; but, in the next moment, the door was opened, and a person, +whom she conceived to be Montoni, appeared, who instantly started back, +and closed it, though not before she had seen, by the light that burned +in the chamber, another person, sitting in a melancholy attitude by the +fire. Her terror vanished, but her astonishment only began, which was +now roused by the mysterious secrecy of Montoni's manner, and by +the discovery of a person, whom he thus visited at midnight, in an +apartment, which had long been shut up, and of which such extraordinary +reports were circulated. + +While she thus continued hesitating, strongly prompted to watch +Montoni's motions, yet fearing to irritate him by appearing to notice +them, the door was again opened cautiously, and as instantly closed as +before. She then stepped softly to her chamber, which was the next +but one to this, but, having put down her lamp, returned to an obscure +corner of the corridor, to observe the proceedings of this half-seen +person, and to ascertain, whether it was indeed Montoni. + +Having waited in silent expectation for a few minutes, with her eyes +fixed on the door, it was again opened, and the same person appeared, +whom she now knew to be Montoni. He looked cautiously round, without +perceiving her, then, stepping forward, closed the door, and left the +corridor. Soon after, Emily heard the door fastened on the inside, and +she withdrew to her chamber, wondering at what she had witnessed. + +It was now twelve o'clock. As she closed her casement, she heard +footsteps on the terrace below, and saw imperfectly, through the gloom, +several persons advancing, who passed under the casement. She then +heard the clink of arms, and, in the next moment, the watch-word; when, +recollecting the command she had overheard from Montoni, and the hour +of the night, she understood, that these men were, for the first time, +relieving guard in the castle. Having listened till all was again still, +she retired to sleep. + + + +CHAPTER X + + + And shall no lay of death + With pleasing murmur sooth + Her parted soul? + Shall no tear wet her grave? + SAYERS + +On the following morning, Emily went early to the apartment of Madame +Montoni, who had slept well, and was much recovered. Her spirits had +also returned with her health, and her resolution to oppose Montoni's +demands revived, though it yet struggled with her fears, which Emily, +who trembled for the consequence of further opposition, endeavoured to +confirm. + +Her aunt, as has been already shewn, had a disposition, which delighted +in contradiction, and which taught her, when unpleasant circumstances +were offered to her understanding, not to enquire into their truth, but +to seek for arguments, by which she might make them appear false. Long +habit had so entirely confirmed this natural propensity, that she +was not conscious of possessing it. Emily's remonstrances and +representations, therefore, roused her pride, instead of alarming, or +convincing her judgment, and she still relied upon the discovery of +some means, by which she might yet avoid submitting to the demand of her +husband. Considering, that, if she could once escape from his castle, +she might defy his power, and, obtaining a decisive separation, live in +comfort on the estates, that yet remained for her, she mentioned this to +her niece, who accorded with her in the wish, but differed from her, as +to the probability of its completion. She represented the impossibility +of passing the gates, secured and guarded as they were, and the extreme +danger of committing her design to the discretion of a servant, who +might either purposely betray, or accidentally disclose it.--Montoni's +vengeance would also disdain restraint, if her intention was detected: +and, though Emily wished, as fervently as she could do, to regain her +freedom, and return to France, she consulted only Madame Montoni's +safety, and persevered in advising her to relinquish her settlement, +without braving further outrage. + +The struggle of contrary emotions, however, continued to rage in her +aunt's bosom, and she still brooded over the chance of effecting an +escape. While she thus sat, Montoni entered the room, and, without +noticing his wife's indisposition, said, that he came to remind her of +the impolicy of trifling with him, and that he gave her only till the +evening to determine, whether she would consent to his demand, or compel +him, by a refusal, to remove her to the east turret. He added, that a +party of cavaliers would dine with him, that day, and that he expected +that she would sit at the head of the table, where Emily, also, must +be present. Madame Montoni was now on the point of uttering an absolute +refusal, but, suddenly considering, that her liberty, during this +entertainment, though circumscribed, might favour her further plans, she +acquiesced, with seeming reluctance, and Montoni, soon after, left the +apartment. His command struck Emily with surprise and apprehension, who +shrank from the thought of being exposed to the gaze of strangers, such +as her fancy represented these to be, and the words of Count Morano, now +again recollected, did not sooth her fears. + +When she withdrew to prepare for dinner, she dressed herself with even +more simplicity than usual, that she might 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 +utmost advantage. In it, her beautiful chestnut tresses were negligently +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 Emily's unaffected beauty never had +appeared more captivatingly. She had now only to hope, that Montoni's +order was prompted, not by any extraordinary design, but by an +ostentation of displaying his family, richly attired, to the eyes +of strangers; yet nothing 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 mind threw a faint blush over +her countenance, and heightened its interesting expression; for timidity +had made her linger in her apartment, till the utmost moment, and, +when she entered the hall, in which a kind of state dinner was spread, +Montoni and his guests were already seated at the table. She was then +going to place herself by her aunt; but Montoni waved his hand, and two +of the cavaliers rose, and seated her between them. + +The eldest of these was a tall man, with strong Italian features, an +aquiline nose, and dark penetrating eyes, that flashed with fire, when +his mind was agitated, and, even in its state of rest, retained somewhat +of the wildness of the passions. His visage was long and narrow, and his +complexion of a sickly yellow. + +The other, who appeared to be about forty, had features of a different +cast, yet Italian, and his look was slow, subtle and penetrating; his +eyes, of a dark grey, were small, and hollow; his complexion was a +sun-burnt brown, and the contour of his face, though inclined to oval, +was irregular and ill-formed. + +Eight other guests sat round the table, who were all dressed in an +uniform, and had all an expression, more or less, of wild fierceness, +of subtle design, or of licentious passions. As Emily timidly surveyed +them, she remembered the scene of the preceding morning, and again +almost fancied herself surrounded by banditti; then, looking back to +the tranquillity of her early life, she felt scarcely less astonishment, +than grief, at her present situation. The scene, in which they sat, +assisted the illusion; it was an antient hall, gloomy from the style +of its architecture, from its great extent, and because almost the only +light it received was from one large gothic window, and from a pair of +folding doors, which, being open, admitted likewise a view of the west +rampart, with the wild mountains of the Apennine beyond. + +The middle compartment of this hall rose into a vaulted roof, enriched +with fretwork, and supported, on three sides, by pillars of marble; +beyond these, long colonnades retired in gloomy grandeur, till their +extent was lost in twilight. The lightest footsteps of the servants, +as they advanced through these, were returned in whispering echoes, +and their figures, seen at a distance imperfectly through the dusk, +frequently awakened Emily's imagination. She looked alternately +at Montoni, at his guests and on the surrounding scene; and then, +remembering her dear native province, her pleasant home and the +simplicity and goodness of the friends, whom she had lost, grief and +surprise again occupied her mind. + +When her thoughts could return from these considerations, she fancied +she observed an air of authority towards his guests, such as she had +never before seen him assume, though he had always been distinguished +by an haughty carriage; there was something also in the manners of the +strangers, that seemed perfectly, though not servilely, to acknowledge +his superiority. + +During dinner, the conversation was chiefly on war and politics. They +talked with energy of the state of Venice, its dangers, the character of +the reigning Doge and of the chief senators; and then spoke of the state +of Rome. When the repast was over, they rose, and, each filling his +goblet with wine from the gilded ewer, that stood beside him, drank +'Success to our exploits!' Montoni was lifting his goblet to his lips to +drink this toast, when suddenly the wine hissed, rose to the brim, and, +as he held the glass from him, it burst into a thousand pieces. + +To him, who constantly used that sort of Venice glass, which had the +quality of breaking, upon receiving poisoned liquor, a suspicion, that +some of his guests had endeavoured to betray him, instantly occurred, +and he ordered all the gates to be closed, drew his sword, and, looking +round on them, who stood in silent amazement, exclaimed, 'Here is a +traitor among us; let those, that are innocent, assist in discovering +the guilty.' + +Indignation flashed from the eyes of the cavaliers, who all drew their +swords; and Madame Montoni, terrified at what might ensue, was hastening +from the hall, when her husband commanded her to stay; but his further +words could not now be distinguished, for the voice of every person rose +together. His order, that all the servants should appear, was at length +obeyed, and they declared their ignorance of any deceit--a protestation +which could not be believed; for it was evident, that, as Montoni's +liquor, and his only, had been poisoned, a deliberate design had been +formed against his life, which could not have been carried so far +towards its accomplishment, without the connivance of the servant, who +had the care of the wine ewers. + +This man, with another, whose face betrayed either the consciousness +of guilt, or the fear of punishment, Montoni ordered to be chained +instantly, and confined in a strong room, which had formerly been used +as a prison. Thither, likewise, he would have sent all his guests, +had he not foreseen the consequence of so bold and unjustifiable a +proceeding. As to those, therefore, he contented himself with swearing, +that no man should pass the gates, till this extraordinary affair +had been investigated, and then sternly bade his wife retire to her +apartment, whither he suffered Emily to attend her. + +In about half an hour, he followed to the dressing-room; and Emily +observed, with horror, his dark countenance and quivering lip, and heard +him denounce vengeance on her aunt. + +'It will avail you nothing,' said he to his wife, 'to deny the fact; +I have proof of your guilt. Your only chance of mercy rests on a full +confession;--there is nothing to hope from sullenness, or falsehood; +your accomplice has confessed all.' + +Emily's fainting spirits were roused by astonishment, as she heard her +aunt accused of a crime so atrocious, and she could not, for a moment, +admit the possibility of her guilt. Meanwhile Madame Montoni's agitation +did not permit her to reply; alternately her complexion varied from +livid paleness to a crimson flush; and she trembled,--but, whether with +fear, or with indignation, it were difficult to decide. + +'Spare your words,' said Montoni, seeing her about to speak, 'your +countenance makes full confession of your crime.--You shall be instantly +removed to the east turret.' + +'This accusation,' said Madame Montoni, speaking with difficulty, 'is +used only as an excuse for your cruelty; I disdain to reply to it. You +do not believe me guilty.' + +'Signor!' said Emily solemnly, 'this dreadful charge, I would answer +with my life, is false. Nay, Signor,' she added, observing the severity +of his countenance, 'this is no moment for restraint, on my part; I do +not scruple to tell you, that you are deceived--most wickedly deceived, +by the suggestion of some person, who aims at the ruin of my aunt:--it +is impossible, that you could yourself have imagined a crime so +hideous.' + +Montoni, his lips trembling more than before, replied only, 'If you +value your own safety,' addressing Emily, 'you will be silent. I shall +know how to interpret your remonstrances, should you persevere in them.' + +Emily raised her eyes calmly to heaven. 'Here is, indeed, then, nothing +to hope!' said she. + +'Peace!' cried Montoni, 'or you shall find there is something to fear.' + +He turned to his wife, who had now recovered her spirits, and who +vehemently and wildly remonstrated upon this mysterious suspicion: but +Montoni's rage heightened with her indignation, and Emily, dreading +the event of it, threw herself between them, and clasped his knees in +silence, looking up in his face with an expression, that might have +softened the heart of a fiend. Whether his was hardened by a conviction +of Madame Montoni's guilt, or that a bare suspicion of it made him +eager to exercise vengeance, he was totally and alike insensible to the +distress of his wife, and to the pleading looks of Emily, whom he made +no attempt to raise, but was vehemently menacing both, when he was +called out of the room by some person at the door. As he shut the door, +Emily heard him turn the lock and take out the key; so that Madame +Montoni and herself were now prisoners; and she saw that his designs +became more and more terrible. Her endeavours to explain his motives +for this circumstance were almost as ineffectual as those to sooth the +distress of her aunt, whose innocence she could not doubt; but she, at +length, accounted for Montoni's readiness to suspect his wife by his own +consciousness of cruelty towards her, and for the sudden violence of +his present conduct against both, before even his suspicions could be +completely formed, by his general eagerness to effect suddenly whatever +he was led to desire and his carelessness of justice, or humanity, in +accomplishing it. + +Madame Montoni, after some time, again looked round, in search of a +possibility of escape from the castle, and conversed with Emily on the +subject, who was now willing to encounter any hazard, though she forbore +to encourage a hope in her aunt, which she herself did not admit. How +strongly the edifice was secured, and how vigilantly guarded, she knew +too well; and trembled to commit their safety to the caprice of +the servant, whose assistance they must solicit. Old Carlo was +compassionate, but he seemed to be too much in his master's interest to +be trusted by them; Annette could of herself do little, and Emily knew +Ludovico only from her report. At present, however, these considerations +were useless, Madame Montoni and her niece being shut up from all +intercourse, even with the persons, whom there might be these reasons to +reject. + +In the hall, confusion and tumult still reigned. Emily, as she listened +anxiously to the murmur, that sounded along the gallery, sometimes +fancied she heard the clashing of swords, and, when she considered the +nature of the provocation, given by Montoni, and his impetuosity, it +appeared probable, that nothing less than arms would terminate the +contention. Madame Montoni, having exhausted all her expressions of +indignation, and Emily, hers of comfort, they remained silent, in that +kind of breathless stillness, which, in nature, often succeeds to the +uproar of conflicting elements; a stillness, like the morning, that +dawns upon the ruins of an earthquake. + +An uncertain kind of terror pervaded Emily's mind; the circumstances +of the past hour still came dimly and confusedly to her memory; and her +thoughts were various and rapid, though without tumult. + +From this state of waking visions she was recalled by a knocking at the +chamber-door, and, enquiring who was there, heard the whispering voice +of Annette. + +'Dear madam, let me come in, I have a great deal to say,' said the poor +girl. + +'The door is locked,' answered the lady. + +'Yes, ma'am, but do pray open it.' + +'The Signor has the key,' said Madame Montoni. + +'O blessed Virgin! what will become of us?' exclaimed Annette. + +'Assist us to escape,' said her mistress. 'Where is Ludovico?' + +'Below in the hall, ma'am, amongst them all, fighting with the best of +them!' + +'Fighting! Who are fighting?' cried Madame Montoni. + +'Why the Signor, ma'am, and all the Signors, and a great many more.' + +'Is any person much hurt?' said Emily, in a tremulous voice. 'Hurt! +Yes, ma'amselle,--there they lie bleeding, and the swords are clashing, +and--O holy saints! Do let me in, ma'am, they are coming this way--I +shall be murdered!' + +'Fly!' cried Emily, 'fly! we cannot open the door.' + +Annette repeated, that they were coming, and in the same moment fled. + +'Be calm, madam,' said Emily, turning to her aunt, 'I entreat you to be +calm, I am not frightened--not frightened in the least, do not you be +alarmed.' + +'You can scarcely support yourself,' replied her aunt; 'Merciful God! +what is it they mean to do with us?' + +'They come, perhaps, to liberate us,' said Emily, 'Signor Montoni +perhaps is--is conquered.' + +The belief of his death gave her spirits a sudden shock, and she grew +faint as she saw him in imagination, expiring at her feet. + +'They are coming!' cried Madame Montoni--'I hear their steps--they are +at the door!' + +Emily turned her languid eyes to the door, but terror deprived her of +utterance. The key sounded in the lock; the door opened, and Montoni +appeared, followed by three ruffian-like men. 'Execute your orders,' +said he, turning to them, and pointing to his wife, who shrieked, but +was immediately carried from the room; while Emily sunk, senseless, on +a couch, by which she had endeavoured to support herself. When she +recovered, she was alone, and recollected only, that Madame Montoni had +been there, together with some unconnected particulars of the preceding +transaction, which were, however, sufficient to renew all her terror. +She looked wildly round the apartment, as if in search of some means of +intelligence, concerning her aunt, while neither her own danger, or an +idea of escaping from the room, immediately occurred. + +When her recollection was more complete, she raised herself and went, +but with only a faint hope, to examine whether the door was unfastened. +It was so, and she then stepped timidly out into the gallery, but paused +there, uncertain which way she should proceed. Her first wish was to +gather some information, as to her aunt, and she, at length, turned her +steps to go to the lesser hall, where Annette and the other servants +usually waited. + +Every where, as she passed, she heard, from a distance, the uproar of +contention, and the figures and faces, which she met, hurrying along the +passages, struck her mind with dismay. Emily might now have appeared, +like an angel of light, encompassed by fiends. At length, she reached +the lesser hall, which was silent and deserted, but, panting for breath, +she sat down to recover herself. The total stillness of this place was +as awful as the tumult, from which she had escaped: but she had now time +to recall her scattered thoughts, to remember her personal danger, and +to consider of some means of safety. She perceived, that it was useless +to seek Madame Montoni, through the wide extent and intricacies of the +castle, now, too, when every avenue seemed to be beset by ruffians; in +this hall she could not resolve to stay, for she knew not how soon it +might become their place of rendezvous; and, though she wished to go to +her chamber, she dreaded again to encounter them on the way. + +Thus she sat, trembling and hesitating, when a distant murmur broke on +the silence, and grew louder and louder, till she distinguished voices +and steps approaching. She then rose to go, but the sounds came along +the only passage, by which she could depart, and she was compelled to +await in the hall, the arrival of the persons, whose steps she heard. +As these advanced, she distinguished groans, and then saw a man borne +slowly along by four others. Her spirits faltered at the sight, and she +leaned against the wall for support. The bearers, meanwhile, entered the +hall, and, being too busily occupied to detain, or even notice Emily, +she attempted to leave it, but her strength failed, and she again sat +down on the bench. A damp chillness came over her; her sight became +confused; she knew not what had passed, or where she was, yet the groans +of the wounded person still vibrated on her heart. In a few moments, the +tide of life seemed again to flow; she began to breathe more freely, and +her senses revived. She had not fainted, nor had ever totally lost her +consciousness, but had contrived to support herself on the bench; still +without courage to turn her eyes upon the unfortunate object, which +remained near her, and about whom the men were yet too much engaged to +attend to her. + +When her strength returned, she rose, and was suffered to leave +the hall, though her anxiety, having produced some vain enquiries, +concerning Madame Montoni, had thus made a discovery of herself. Towards +her chamber she now hastened, as fast as her steps would bear her, for +she still perceived, upon her passage, the sounds of confusion at a +distance, and she endeavoured, by taking her way through some obscure +rooms, to avoid encountering the persons, whose looks had terrified her +before, as well as those parts of the castle, where the tumult might +still rage. + +At length, she reached her chamber, and, having secured the door of the +corridor, felt herself, for a moment, in safety. A profound stillness +reigned in this remote apartment, which not even the faint murmur of +the most distant sounds now reached. She sat down, near one of the +casements, and, as she gazed on the mountain-view beyond, the deep +repose of its beauty struck her with all the force of contrast, and she +could scarcely believe herself so near a scene of savage discord. The +contending elements seemed to have retired from their natural spheres, +and to have collected themselves into the minds of men, for there alone +the tempest now reigned. + +Emily tried to tranquillize her spirits, but anxiety made her constantly +listen for some sound, and often look out upon the ramparts, where all, +however, was lonely and still. As a sense of her own immediate danger +had decreased, her apprehension concerning Madame Montoni heightened, +who, she remembered, had been fiercely threatened with confinement in +the east turret, and it was possible, that her husband had satisfied his +present vengeance with this punishment. She, therefore, determined, when +night should return, and the inhabitants of the castle should be asleep, +to explore the way to the turret, which, as the direction it stood in +was mentioned, appeared not very difficult to be done. She knew, indeed, +that although her aunt might be there, she could afford her no effectual +assistance, but it might give her some comfort even to know, that she +was discovered, and to hear the sound of her niece's voice; for +herself, any certainty, concerning Madame Montoni's fate, appeared more +tolerable, than this exhausting suspense. + +Meanwhile, Annette did not appear, and Emily was surprised, and somewhat +alarmed for her, whom, in the confusion of the late scene, various +accidents might have befallen, and it was improbable, that she would +have failed to come to her apartment, unless something unfortunate had +happened. + +Thus the hours passed in solitude, in silence, and in anxious +conjecturing. Being not once disturbed by a message, or a sound, it +appeared, that Montoni had wholly forgotten her, and it gave her some +comfort to find, that she could be so unnoticed. She endeavoured to +withdraw her thoughts from the anxiety, that preyed upon them, but they +refused controul; she could neither read, or draw, and the tones of her +lute were so utterly discordant with the present state of her feelings, +that she could not endure them for a moment. + +The sun, at length, set behind the western mountains; his fiery beams +faded from the clouds, and then a dun melancholy purple drew over them, +and gradually involved the features of the country below. Soon after, +the sentinels passed on the rampart to commence the watch. + +Twilight had now spread its gloom over every object; the dismal +obscurity of her chamber recalled fearful thoughts, but she remembered, +that to procure a light she must pass through a great extent of the +castle, and, above all, through the halls, where she had already +experienced so much horror. Darkness, indeed, in the present state of +her spirits, made silence and solitude terrible to her; it would also +prevent the possibility of her finding her way to the turret, and +condemn her to remain in suspense, concerning the fate of her aunt; yet +she dared not to venture forth for a lamp. + +Continuing at the casement, that she might catch the last lingering +gleam of evening, a thousand vague images of fear floated on her fancy. +'What if some of these ruffians,' said she, 'should find out the private +stair-case, and in the darkness of night steal into my chamber!' Then, +recollecting the mysterious inhabitant of the neighbouring apartment, +her terror changed its object. 'He is not a prisoner,' said she, 'though +he remains in one chamber, for Montoni did not fasten the door, when he +left it; the unknown person himself did this; it is certain, therefore, +he can come out when he pleases.' + +She paused, for, notwithstanding the terrors of darkness, she considered +it to be very improbable, whoever he was, that he could have any +interest in intruding upon her retirement; and again the subject of her +emotion changed, when, remembering her nearness to the chamber, where +the veil had formerly disclosed a dreadful spectacle, she doubted +whether some passage might not communicate between it and the insecure +door of the stair-case. + +It was now entirely dark, and she left the casement. As she sat with +her eyes fixed on the hearth, she thought she perceived there a spark +of light; it twinkled and disappeared, and then again was visible. At +length, with much care, she fanned the embers of a wood fire, that had +been lighted in the morning, into flame, and, having communicated it to +a lamp, which always stood in her room, felt a satisfaction not to be +conceived, without a review of her situation. Her first care was to +guard the door of the stair-case, for which purpose she placed against +it all the furniture she could move, and she was thus employed, for +some time, at the end of which she had another instance how much more +oppressive misfortune is to the idle, than to the busy; for, having then +leisure to think over all the circumstances of her present afflictions, +she imagined a thousand evils for futurity, and these real and ideal +subjects of distress alike wounded her mind. + +Thus heavily moved the hours till midnight, when she counted the sullen +notes of the great clock, as they rolled along the rampart, unmingled +with any sound, except the distant foot-fall of a sentinel, who came +to relieve guard. She now thought she might venture towards the turret, +and, having gently opened the chamber door to examine the corridor, and +to listen if any person was stirring in the castle, found all around +in perfect stillness. Yet no sooner had she left the room, than she +perceived a light flash on the walls of the corridor, and, without +waiting to see by whom it was carried, she shrunk back, and closed her +door. No one approaching, she conjectured, that it was Montoni going to +pay his mid-night visit to her unknown neighbour, and she determined to +wait, till he should have retired to his own apartment. + +When the chimes had tolled another half hour, she once more opened +the door, and, perceiving that no person was in the corridor, hastily +crossed into a passage, that led along the south side of the castle +towards the stair-case, whence she believed she could easily find her +way to the turret. Often pausing on her way, listening apprehensively to +the murmurs of the wind, and looking fearfully onward into the gloom of +the long passages, she, at length, reached the stair-case; but there her +perplexity began. Two passages appeared, of which she knew not how to +prefer one, and was compelled, at last, to decide by chance, rather than +by circumstances. That she entered, opened first into a wide gallery, +along which she passed lightly and swiftly; for the lonely aspect of the +place awed her, and she started at the echo of her own steps. + +On a sudden, she thought she heard a voice, and, not distinguishing +from whence it came, feared equally to proceed, or to return. For some +moments, she stood in an attitude of listening expectation, shrinking +almost from herself and scarcely daring to look round her. The voice +came again, but, though it was now near her, terror did not allow her to +judge exactly whence it proceeded. She thought, however, that it was the +voice of complaint, and her belief was soon confirmed by a low moaning +sound, that seemed to proceed from one of the chambers, opening into +the gallery. It instantly occurred to her, that Madame Montoni might be +there confined, and she advanced to the door to speak, but was checked +by considering, that she was, perhaps, going to commit herself to a +stranger, who might discover her to Montoni; for, though this person, +whoever it was, seemed to be in affliction, it did not follow, that he +was a prisoner. + +While these thoughts passed over her mind, and left her still in +hesitation, the voice spoke again, and, calling 'Ludovico,' she then +perceived it to be that of Annette; on which, no longer hesitating, she +went in joy to answer her. + +'Ludovico!' cried Annette, sobbing--'Ludovico!' + +'It is not Ludovico, it is I--Mademoiselle Emily.' + +Annette ceased sobbing, and was silent. + +'If you can open the door, let me in,' said Emily, 'here is no person to +hurt you.' + +'Ludovico!--O, Ludovico!' cried Annette. + +Emily now lost her patience, and her fear of being overheard increasing, +she was even nearly about to leave the door, when she considered, that +Annette might, possibly, know something of the situation of Madame +Montoni, or direct her to the turret. At length, she obtained a reply, +though little satisfactory, to her questions, for Annette knew nothing +of Madame Montoni, and only conjured Emily to tell her what was become +of Ludovico. Of him she had no information to give, and she again asked +who had shut Annette up. + +'Ludovico,' said the poor girl, 'Ludovico shut me up. When I ran away +from the dressing-room door to-day, I went I scarcely knew where, for +safety; and, in this gallery, here, I met Ludovico, who hurried me into +this chamber, and locked me up to keep me out of harm, as he said. But +he was in such a hurry himself, he hardly spoke ten words, but he told +me he would come, and let me out, when all was quiet, and he took away +the key with him. Now all these hours are passed, and I have neither +seen, or heard a word of him; they have murdered him--I know they have!' + +Emily suddenly remembered the wounded person, whom she had seen borne +into the servants' hall, and she scarcely doubted, that he was Ludovico, +but she concealed the circumstance from Annette, and endeavoured to +comfort her. Then, impatient to learn something of her aunt, she again +enquired the way to the turret. + +'O! you are not going, ma'amselle,' said Annette, 'for Heaven's sake, do +not go, and leave me here by myself.' + +'Nay, Annette, you do not think I can wait in the gallery all night,' +replied Emily. 'Direct me to the turret; in the morning I will endeavour +to release you.' + +'O holy Mary!' exclaimed Annette, 'am I to stay here by myself all +night! I shall be frightened out of my senses, and I shall die of +hunger; I have had nothing to eat since dinner!' + +Emily could scarcely forbear smiling at the heterogeneous distresses of +Annette, though she sincerely pitied them, and said what she could to +sooth her. At length, she obtained something like a direction to the +east turret, and quitted the door, from whence, after many intricacies +and perplexities, she reached the steep and winding stairs of the +turret, at the foot of which she stopped to rest, and to re-animate her +courage with a sense of her duty. As she surveyed this dismal place, she +perceived a door on the opposite side of the stair-case, and, anxious +to know whether it would lead her to Madame Montoni, she tried to undraw +the bolts, which fastened it. A fresher air came to her face, as she +unclosed the door, which opened upon the east rampart, and the sudden +current had nearly extinguished her light, which she now removed to a +distance; and again, looking out upon the obscure terrace, she perceived +only the faint outline of the walls and of some towers, while, above, +heavy clouds, borne along the wind, seemed to mingle with the stars, and +wrap the night in thicker darkness. As she gazed, now willing to defer +the moment of certainty, from which she expected only confirmation of +evil, a distant footstep reminded her, that she might be observed by +the men on watch, and, hastily closing the door, she took her lamp, +and passed up the stair-case. Trembling came upon her, as she ascended +through the gloom. To her melancholy fancy this seemed to be a place of +death, and the chilling silence, that reigned, confirmed its character. +Her spirits faltered. 'Perhaps,' said she, 'I am come hither only to +learn a dreadful truth, or to witness some horrible spectacle; I feel +that my senses would not survive such an addition of horror.' + +The image of her aunt murdered--murdered, perhaps, by the hand of +Montoni, rose to her mind; she trembled, gasped for breath--repented +that she had dared to venture hither, and checked her steps. But, after +she had paused a few minutes, the consciousness of her duty returned, +and she went on. Still all was silent. At length a track of blood, upon +a stair, caught her eye; and instantly she perceived, that the wall and +several other steps were stained. She paused, again struggled to support +herself, and the lamp almost fell from her trembling hand. Still +no sound was heard, no living being seemed to inhabit the turret; a +thousand times she wished herself again in her chamber; dreaded to +enquire farther--dreaded to encounter some horrible spectacle, and +yet could not resolve, now that she was so near the termination of her +efforts, to desist from them. Having again collected courage to proceed, +after ascending about half way up the turret, she came to another door, +but here again she stopped in hesitation; listened for sounds within, +and then, summoning all her resolution, unclosed it, and entered a +chamber, which, as her lamp shot its feeble rays through the darkness, +seemed to exhibit only dew-stained and deserted walls. As she stood +examining it, in fearful expectation of discovering the remains of her +unfortunate aunt, she perceived something lying in an obscure corner of +the room, and, struck with an horrible conviction, she became, for +an instant, motionless and nearly insensible. Then, with a kind of +desperate resolution, she hurried towards the object that excited her +terror, when, perceiving the clothes of some person, on the floor, +she caught hold of them, and found in her grasp the old uniform of a +soldier, beneath which appeared a heap of pikes and other arms. Scarcely +daring to trust her sight, she continued, for some moments, to gaze +on the object of her late alarm, and then left the chamber, so much +comforted and occupied by the conviction, that her aunt was not there, +that she was going to descend the turret, without enquiring farther; +when, on turning to do so, she observed upon some steps on the second +flight an appearance of blood, and remembering, that there was yet +another chamber to be explored, she again followed the windings of +the ascent. Still, as she ascended, the track of blood glared upon the +stairs. + +It led her to the door of a landing-place, that terminated them, but she +was unable to follow it farther. Now that she was so near the sought-for +certainty, she dreaded to know it, even more than before, and had not +fortitude sufficient to speak, or to attempt opening the door. + +Having listened, in vain, for some sound, that might confirm, or destroy +her fears, she, at length, laid her hand on the lock, and, finding it +fastened, called on Madame Montoni; but only a chilling silence ensued. + +'She is dead!' she cried,--'murdered!--her blood is on the stairs!' + +Emily grew very faint; could support herself no longer, and had scarcely +presence of mind to set down the lamp, and place herself on a step. + +When her recollection returned, she spoke again at the door, and again +attempted to open it, and, having lingered for some time, without +receiving any answer, or hearing a sound, she descended the turret, +and, with all the swiftness her feebleness would permit, sought her own +apartment. + +As she turned into the corridor, the door of a chamber opened, from +whence Montoni came forth; but Emily, more terrified than ever to behold +him, shrunk back into the passage soon enough to escape being noticed, +and heard him close the door, which she had perceived was the same she +formerly observed. Having here listened to his departing steps, till +their faint sound was lost in distance, she ventured to her apartment, +and, securing it once again, retired to her bed, leaving the lamp +burning on the hearth. But sleep was fled from her harassed mind, to +which images of horror alone occurred. She endeavoured to think it +possible, that Madame Montoni had not been taken to the turret; but, +when she recollected the former menaces of her husband and the terrible +spirit of vengeance, which he had displayed on a late occasion; when she +remembered his general character, the looks of the men, who had forced +Madame Montoni from her apartment, and the written traces on the stairs +of the turret--she could not doubt, that her aunt had been carried +thither, and could scarcely hope, that she had not been carried to be +murdered. + +The grey of morning had long dawned through her casements, before Emily +closed her eyes in sleep; when wearied nature, at length, yielded her a +respite from suffering. + + + +CHAPTER XI + + + Who rears the bloody hand? + SAYERS + +Emily remained in her chamber, on the following morning, without +receiving any notice from Montoni, or seeing a human being, except the +armed men, who sometimes passed on the terrace below. Having tasted no +food since the dinner of the preceding day, extreme faintness made her +feel the necessity of quitting the asylum of her apartment to obtain +refreshment, and she was also very anxious to procure liberty for +Annette. Willing, however, to defer venturing forth, as long as +possible, and considering, whether she should apply to Montoni, or to +the compassion of some other person, her excessive anxiety concerning +her aunt, at length, overcame her abhorrence of his presence, and she +determined to go to him, and to entreat, that he would suffer her to see +Madame Montoni. + +Meanwhile, it was too certain, from the absence of Annette, that some +accident had befallen Ludovico, and that she was still in confinement; +Emily, therefore, resolved also to visit the chamber, where she had +spoken to her, on the preceding night, and, if the poor girl was yet +there, to inform Montoni of her situation. + +It was near noon, before she ventured from her apartment, and went +first to the south gallery, whither she passed without meeting a single +person, or hearing a sound, except, now and then, the echo of a distant +footstep. + +It was unnecessary to call Annette, whose lamentations were audible +upon the first approach to the gallery, and who, bewailing her own and +Ludovico's fate, told Emily, that she should certainly be starved to +death, if she was not let out immediately. Emily replied, that she +was going to beg her release of Montoni; but the terrors of hunger now +yielded to those of the Signor, and, when Emily left her, she was loudly +entreating, that her place of refuge might be concealed from him. + +As Emily drew near the great hall, the sounds she heard and the people +she met in the passages renewed her alarm. The latter, however, were +peaceable, and did not interrupt her, though they looked earnestly at +her, as she passed, and sometimes spoke. On crossing the hall towards +the cedar room, where Montoni usually sat, she perceived, on the +pavement, fragments of swords, some tattered garments stained with +blood, and almost expected to have seen among them a dead body; but +from such a spectacle she was, at present, spared. As she approached +the room, the sound of several voices issued from within, and a dread +of appearing before many strangers, as well as of irritating Montoni +by such an intrusion, made her pause and falter from her purpose. She +looked up through the long arcades of the hall, in search of a servant, +who might bear a message, but no one appeared, and the urgency of what +she had to request made her still linger near the door. The voices +within were not in contention, though she distinguished those of several +of the guests of the preceding day; but still her resolution failed, +whenever she would have tapped at the door, and she had determined to +walk in the hall, till some person should appear, who might call Montoni +from the room, when, as she turned from the door, it was suddenly opened +by himself. Emily trembled, and was confused, while he almost started +with surprise, and all the terrors of his countenance unfolded +themselves. She forgot all she would have said, and neither enquired for +her aunt, or entreated for Annette, but stood silent and embarrassed. + +After closing the door he reproved her for a meanness, of which she had +not been guilty, and sternly questioned her what she had overheard; an +accusation, which revived her recollection so far, that she assured +him she had not come thither with an intention to listen to his +conversation, but to entreat his compassion for her aunt, and for +Annette. Montoni seemed to doubt this assertion, for he regarded her +with a scrutinizing look; and the doubt evidently arose from no trifling +interest. Emily then further explained herself, and concluded with +entreating him to inform her, where her aunt was placed, and to permit, +that she might visit her; but he looked upon her only with a malignant +smile, which instantaneously confirmed her worst fears for her aunt, +and, at that moment, she had not courage to renew her entreaties. + +'For Annette,' said he,--'if you go to Carlo, he will release the +girl; the foolish fellow, who shut her up, died yesterday.' Emily +shuddered.--'But my aunt, Signor'--said she, 'O tell me of my aunt!' + +'She is taken care of,' replied Montoni hastily, 'I have no time to +answer idle questions.' + +He would have passed on, but Emily, in a voice of agony, that could not +be wholly resisted, conjured him to tell her, where Madame Montoni was; +while he paused, and she anxiously watched his countenance, a trumpet +sounded, and, in the next moment, she heard the heavy gates of the +portal open, and then the clattering of horses' hoofs in the court, with +the confusion of many voices. She stood for a moment hesitating whether +she should follow Montoni, who, at the sound of the trumpet, had passed +through the hall, and, turning her eyes whence it came, she saw through +the door, that opened beyond a long perspective of arches into the +courts, a party of horsemen, whom she judged, as well as the distance +and her embarrassment would allow, to be the same she had seen depart, a +few days before. But she staid not to scrutinize, for, when the trumpet +sounded again, the chevaliers rushed out of the cedar room, and men came +running into the hall from every quarter of the castle. Emily once more +hurried for shelter to her own apartment. Thither she was still pursued +by images of horror. She re-considered Montoni's manner and words, when +he had spoken of his wife, and they served only to confirm her most +terrible suspicions. Tears refused any longer to relieve her distress, +and she had sat for a considerable time absorbed in thought, when a +knocking at the chamber door aroused her, on opening which she found old +Carlo. + +'Dear young lady,' said he, 'I have been so flurried, I never once +thought of you till just now. I have brought you some fruit and wine, +and I am sure you must stand in need of them by this time.' + +'Thank you, Carlo,' said Emily, 'this is very good of you Did the Signor +remind you of me?' + +'No, Signora,' replied Carlo, 'his excellenza has business enough on his +hands.' Emily then renewed her enquiries, concerning Madame Montoni, but +Carlo had been employed at the other end of the castle, during the time, +that she was removed, and he had heard nothing since, concerning her. + +While he spoke, Emily looked steadily at him, for she scarcely knew +whether he was really ignorant, or concealed his knowledge of the truth +from a fear of offending his master. To several questions, concerning +the contentions of yesterday, he gave very limited answers; but told, +that the disputes were now amicably settled, and that the Signor +believed himself to have been mistaken in his suspicions of his guests. +'The fighting was about that, Signora,' said Carlo; 'but I trust I shall +never see such another day in this castle, though strange things are +about to be done.' + +On her enquiring his meaning, 'Ah, Signora!' added he, 'it is not for me +to betray secrets, or tell all I think, but time will tell.' + +She then desired him to release Annette, and, having described the +chamber in which the poor girl was confined, he promised to obey her +immediately, and was departing, when she remembered to ask who were the +persons just arrived. Her late conjecture was right; it was Verezzi, +with his party. + +Her spirits were somewhat soothed by this short conversation with Carlo; +for, in her present circumstances, it afforded some comfort to hear the +accents of compassion, and to meet the look of sympathy. + +An hour passed before Annette appeared, who then came weeping and +sobbing. 'O Ludovico--Ludovico!' cried she. + +'My poor Annette!' said Emily, and made her sit down. + +'Who could have foreseen this, ma'amselle? O miserable, wretched, +day--that ever I should live to see it!' and she continued to moan and +lament, till Emily thought it necessary to check her excess of grief. +'We are continually losing dear friends by death,' said she, with +a sigh, that came from her heart. 'We must submit to the will of +Heaven--our tears, alas! cannot recall the dead!' + +Annette took the handkerchief from her face. + +'You will meet Ludovico in a better world, I hope,' added Emily. + +'Yes--yes,--ma'amselle,' sobbed Annette, 'but I hope I shall meet him +again in this--though he is so wounded!' + +'Wounded!' exclaimed Emily, 'does he live?' + +'Yes, ma'am, but--but he has a terrible wound, and could not come to +let me out. They thought him dead, at first, and he has not been rightly +himself, till within this hour.' + +'Well, Annette, I rejoice to hear he lives.' + +'Lives! Holy Saints! why he will not die, surely!' + +Emily said she hoped not, but this expression of hope Annette thought +implied fear, and her own increased in proportion, as Emily endeavoured +to encourage her. To enquiries, concerning Madame Montoni, she could +give no satisfactory answers. + +'I quite forgot to ask among the servants, ma'amselle,' said she, 'for I +could think of nobody but poor Ludovico.' + +Annette's grief was now somewhat assuaged, and Emily sent her to make +enquiries, concerning her lady, of whom, however, she could obtain no +intelligence, some of the people she spoke with being really ignorant of +her fate, and others having probably received orders to conceal it. + +This day passed with Emily in continued grief and anxiety for her aunt; +but she was unmolested by any notice from Montoni; and, now that Annette +was liberated, she obtained food, without exposing herself to danger, or +impertinence. + +Two following days passed in the same manner, unmarked by any +occurrence, during which she obtained no information of Madame Montoni. +On the evening of the second, having dismissed Annette, and retired to +bed, her mind became haunted by the most dismal images, such as her long +anxiety, concerning her aunt, suggested; and, unable to forget herself, +for a moment, or to vanquish the phantoms, that tormented her, she +rose from her bed, and went to one of the casements of her chamber, to +breathe a freer air. + +All without was silent and dark, unless that could be called light, +which was only the faint glimmer of the stars, shewing imperfectly +the outline of the mountains, the western towers of the castle and the +ramparts below, where a solitary sentinel was pacing. What an image of +repose did this scene present! The fierce and terrible passions, too, +which so often agitated the inhabitants of this edifice, seemed now +hushed in sleep;--those mysterious workings, that rouse the elements of +man's nature into tempest--were calm. Emily's heart was not so; but her +sufferings, though deep, partook of the gentle character of her mind. +Hers was a silent anguish, weeping, yet enduring; not the wild energy of +passion, inflaming imagination, bearing down the barriers of reason and +living in a world of its own. + +The air refreshed her, and she continued at the casement, looking on the +shadowy scene, over which the planets burned with a clear light, amid +the deep blue aether, as they silently moved in their destined course. +She remembered how often she had gazed on them with her dear father, how +often he had pointed out their way in the heavens, and explained their +laws; and these reflections led to others, which, in an almost equal +degree, awakened her grief and astonishment. + +They brought a retrospect of all the strange and mournful events, which +had occurred since she lived in peace with her parents. And to Emily, +who had been so tenderly educated, so tenderly loved, who once knew +only goodness and happiness--to her, the late events and her present +situation--in a foreign land--in a remote castle--surrounded by vice +and violence--seemed more like the visions of a distempered imagination, +than the circumstances of truth. She wept to think of what her parents +would have suffered, could they have foreseen the events of her future +life. + +While she raised her streaming eyes to heaven, she observed the same +planet, which she had seen in Languedoc, on the night, preceding her +father's death, rise above the eastern towers of the castle, while she +remembered the conversation, which has passed, concerning the probable +state of departed souls; remembered, also, the solemn music she had +heard, and to which the tenderness of her spirits had, in spite of her +reason, given a superstitious meaning. At these recollections she wept +again, and continued musing, when suddenly the notes of sweet music +passed on the air. A superstitious dread stole over her; she stood +listening, for some moments, in trembling expectation, and then +endeavoured to re-collect her thoughts, and to reason herself into +composure; but human reason cannot establish her laws on subjects, lost +in the obscurity of imagination, any more than the eye can ascertain the +form of objects, that only glimmer through the dimness of night. + +Her surprise, on hearing such soothing and delicious sounds, was, at +least, justifiable; for it was long--very long, since she had listened +to any thing like melody. The fierce trumpet and the shrill fife were +the only instruments she had heard, since her arrival at Udolpho. + +When her mind was somewhat more composed, she tried to ascertain from +what quarter the sounds proceeded, and thought they came from below; but +whether from a room of the castle, or from the terrace, she could not +with certainty judge. Fear and surprise now yielded to the enchantment +of a strain, that floated on the silent night, with the most soft +and melancholy sweetness. Suddenly, it seemed removed to a distance, +trembled faintly, and then entirely ceased. + +She continued to listen, sunk in that pleasing repose, which soft music +leaves on the mind--but it came no more. Upon this strange circumstance +her thoughts were long engaged, for strange it certainly was to hear +music at midnight, when every inhabitant of the castle had long since +retired to rest, and in a place, where nothing like harmony had been +heard before, probably, for many years. Long-suffering had made her +spirits peculiarly sensible to terror, and liable to be affected by the +illusions of superstition.--It now seemed to her, as if her dead father +had spoken to her in that strain, to inspire her with comfort and +confidence, on the subject, which had then occupied her mind. Yet reason +told her, that this was a wild conjecture, and she was inclined to +dismiss it; but, with the inconsistency so natural, when imagination +guides the thoughts, she then wavered towards a belief as wild. She +remembered the singular event, connected with the castle, which had +given it into the possession of its present owner; and, when she +considered the mysterious manner, in which its late possessor had +disappeared, and that she had never since been heard of, her mind was +impressed with an high degree of solemn awe; so that, though there +appeared no clue to connect that event with the late music, she was +inclined fancifully to think they had some relation to each other. At +this conjecture, a sudden chillness ran through her frame; she looked +fearfully upon the duskiness of her chamber, and the dead silence, that +prevailed there, heightened to her fancy its gloomy aspect. + +At length, she left the casement, but her steps faltered, as she +approached the bed, and she stopped and looked round. The single lamp, +that burned in her spacious chamber, was expiring; for a moment, she +shrunk from the darkness beyond; and then, ashamed of the weakness, +which, however, she could not wholly conquer, went forward to the bed, +where her mind did not soon know the soothings of sleep. She still mused +on the late occurrence, and looked with anxiety to the next night, when, +at the same hour, she determined to watch whether the music returned. +'If those sounds were human,' said she, 'I shall probably hear them +again.' + + + +CHAPTER XII + + + Then, oh, you blessed ministers above, + Keep me in patience; and, in ripen'd time, + Unfold the evil which is here wrapt up + In countenance. + SHAKESPEARE + +Annette came almost breathless to Emily's apartment in the morning. 'O +ma'amselle!' said she, in broken sentences, 'what news I have to tell! I +have found out who the prisoner is--but he was no prisoner, neither;--he +that was shut up in the chamber I told you of. I must think him a ghost, +forsooth!' + +'Who was the prisoner?' enquired Emily, while her thoughts glanced back +to the circumstance of the preceding night. + +'You mistake, ma'am,' said Annette; 'he was not a prisoner, after all.' + +'Who is the person, then?' + +'Holy Saints!' rejoined Annette; 'How I was surprised! I met him just +now, on the rampart below, there. I never was so surprised in my life! +Ah! ma'amselle! this is a strange place! I should never have done +wondering, if I was to live here an hundred years. But, as I was saying, +I met him just now on the rampart, and I was thinking of nobody less +than of him.' + +'This trifling is insupportable,' said Emily; 'prythee, Annette, do not +torture my patience any longer.' + +'Nay, ma'amselle, guess--guess who it was; it was somebody you know very +well.' + +'I cannot guess,' said Emily impatiently. + +'Nay, ma'amselle, I'll tell you something to guess by--A tall Signor, +with a longish face, who walks so stately, and used to wear such a high +feather in his hat; and used often to look down upon the ground, when +people spoke to him; and to look at people from under his eyebrows, as +it were, all so dark and frowning. You have seen him, often and often, +at Venice, ma'am. Then he was so intimate with the Signor, too. And, now +I think of it, I wonder what he could be afraid of in this lonely old +castle, that he should shut himself up for. But he is come abroad now, +for I met him on the rampart just this minute. I trembled when I saw +him, for I always was afraid of him, somehow; but I determined I would +not let him see it; so I went up to him, and made him a low curtesy, +"You are welcome to the castle, Signor Orsino," said I.' + +'O, it was Signor Orsino, then!' said Emily. + +'Yes, ma'amselle, Signor Orsino, himself, who caused that Venetian +gentleman to be killed, and has been popping about from place to place, +ever since, as I hear.' + +'Good God!' exclaimed Emily, recovering from the shock of this +intelligence; 'and is HE come to Udolpho! He does well to endeavour to +conceal himself.' + +'Yes, ma'amselle, but if that was all, this desolate place would conceal +him, without his shutting himself up in one room. Who would think of +coming to look for him here? I am sure I should as soon think of going +to look for any body in the other world.' + +'There is some truth in that,' said Emily, who would now have concluded +it was Orsino's music, which she had heard, on the preceding night, +had she not known, that he had neither taste, or skill in the art. But, +though she was unwilling to add to the number of Annette's surprises, by +mentioning the subject of her own, she enquired, whether any person in +the castle played on a musical instrument? + +'O yes, ma'amselle! there is Benedetto plays the great drum to +admiration; and then, there is Launcelot the trumpeter; nay, for that +matter, Ludovico himself can play on the trumpet;--but he is ill now. I +remember once'-- + +Emily interrupted her; 'Have you heard no other music since you came to +the castle--none last night?' + +'Why, did YOU hear any last night, ma'amselle?' + +Emily evaded this question, by repeating her own. + +'Why, no, ma'am,' replied Annette; 'I never heard any music here, I +must say, but the drums and the trumpet; and, as for last night, I did +nothing but dream I saw my late lady's ghost.' + +'Your LATE lady's,' said Emily in a tremulous voice; 'you have heard +more, then. Tell me--tell me all, Annette, I entreat; tell me the worst +at once.' + +'Nay, ma'amselle, you know the worst already.' + +'I know nothing,' said Emily. + +'Yes, you do, ma'amselle; you know, that nobody knows any thing about +her; and it is plain, therefore, she is gone, the way of the first lady +of the castle--nobody ever knew any thing about her.' + +Emily leaned her head upon her hand, and was, for some time, silent; +then, telling Annette she wished to be alone, the latter left the room. + +The remark of Annette had revived Emily's terrible suspicion, concerning +the fate of Madame Montoni; and she resolved to make another effort to +obtain certainty on this subject, by applying to Montoni once more. + +When Annette returned, a few hours after, she told Emily, that the +porter of the castle wished very much to speak with her, for that he had +something of importance to say; her spirits had, however, of late been +so subject to alarm, that any new circumstance excited it; and this +message from the porter, when her first surprise was over, made her look +round for some lurking danger, the more suspiciously, perhaps, because +she had frequently remarked the unpleasant air and countenance of this +man. She now hesitated, whether to speak with him, doubting even, that +this request was only a pretext to draw her into some danger; but a +little reflection shewed her the improbability of this, and she blushed +at her weak fears. + +'I will speak to him, Annette,' said she; 'desire him to come to the +corridor immediately.' + +Annette departed, and soon after returned. + +'Barnardine, ma'amselle,' said she, 'dare not come to the corridor, lest +he should be discovered, it is so far from his post; and he dare not +even leave the gates for a moment now; but, if you will come to him +at the portal, through some roundabout passages he told me of, without +crossing the courts, he has that to tell, which will surprise you. But +you must not come through the courts, lest the Signor should see you.' + +Emily, neither approving these 'roundabout passage,' nor the other part +of the request, now positively refused to go. 'Tell him,' said she, +'if he has any thing of consequence to impart, I will hear him in the +corridor, whenever he has an opportunity of coming thither.' + +Annette went to deliver this message, and was absent a considerable +time. When she returned, 'It won't do, ma'amselle,' said she. +'Barnardine has been considering all this time what can be done, for it +is as much as his place is worth to leave his post now. But, if you will +come to the east rampart in the dusk of the evening, he can, perhaps, +steal away, and tell you all he has to say.' + +Emily was surprised and alarmed, at the secrecy which this man seemed +to think so necessary, and hesitated whether to meet him, till, +considering, that he might mean to warn her of some serious danger, she +resolved to go. + +'Soon after sun-set,' said she, 'I will be at the end of the east +rampart. But then the watch will be set,' she added, recollecting +herself, 'and how can Barnardine pass unobserved?' + +'That is just what I said to him, ma'am, and he answered me, that he had +the key of the gate, at the end of the rampart, that leads towards +the courts, and could let himself through that way; and as for the +sentinels, there were none at this end of the terrace, because the place +is guarded enough by the high walls of the castle, and the east turret; +and he said those at the other end were too far off to see him, if it +was pretty duskyish.' + +'Well,' said Emily, 'I must hear what he has to tell; and, therefore, +desire you will go with me to the terrace, this evening.' + +'He desired it might be pretty duskyish, ma'amselle,' repeated Annette, +'because of the watch.' + +Emily paused, and then said she would be on the terrace, an hour after +sun-set;--'and tell Barnardine,' she added, 'to be punctual to the +time; for that I, also, may be observed by Signor Montoni. Where is the +Signor? I would speak with him.' + +'He is in the cedar chamber, ma'am, counselling with the other Signors. +He is going to give them a sort of treat to-day, to make up for what +passed at the last, I suppose; the people are all very busy in the +kitchen.' + +Emily now enquired, if Montoni expected any new guests? and Annette +believed that he did not. 'Poor Ludovico!' added she, 'he would be as +merry as the best of them, if he was well; but he may recover yet. Count +Morano was wounded as bad, as he, and he is got well again, and is gone +back to Venice.' + +'Is he so?' said Emily, 'when did you hear this?' + +'I heard it, last night, ma'amselle, but I forgot to tell it.' + +Emily asked some further questions, and then, desiring Annette would +observe and inform her, when Montoni was alone, the girl went to deliver +her message to Barnardine. + +Montoni was, however, so much engaged, during the whole day, that Emily +had no opportunity of seeking a release from her terrible suspense, +concerning her aunt. Annette was employed in watching his steps, and in +attending upon Ludovico, whom she, assisted by Caterina, nursed with +the utmost care; and Emily was, of course, left much alone. Her +thoughts dwelt often on the message of the porter, and were employed +in conjecturing the subject, that occasioned it, which she sometimes +imagined concerned the fate of Madame Montoni; at others, that it +related to some personal danger, which threatened herself. The cautious +secrecy which Barnardine observed in his conduct, inclined her to +believe the latter. + +As the hour of appointment drew near, her impatience increased. At +length, the sun set; she heard the passing steps of the sentinels going +to their posts; and waited only for Annette to accompany her to the +terrace, who, soon after, came, and they descended together. When Emily +expressed apprehensions of meeting Montoni, or some of his guests, 'O, +there is no fear of that, ma'amselle,' said Annette, 'they are all set +in to feasting yet, and that Barnardine knows.' + +They reached the first terrace, where the sentinels demanded who passed; +and Emily, having answered, walked on to the east rampart, at the +entrance of which they were again stopped; and, having again replied, +were permitted to proceed. But Emily did not like to expose herself to +the discretion of these men, at such an hour; and, impatient to withdraw +from the situation, she stepped hastily on in search of Barnardine. He +was not yet come. She leaned pensively on the wall of the rampart, +and waited for him. The gloom of twilight sat deep on the surrounding +objects, blending in soft confusion the valley, the mountains, and the +woods, whose tall heads, stirred by the evening breeze, gave the only +sounds, that stole on silence, except a faint, faint chorus of distant +voices, that arose from within the castle. + +'What voices are those?' said Emily, as she fearfully listened. + +'It is only the Signor and his guests, carousing,' replied Annette. + +'Good God!' thought Emily, 'can this man's heart be so gay, when he has +made another being so wretched; if, indeed, my aunt is yet suffered to +feel her wretchedness? O! whatever are my own sufferings, may my heart +never, never be hardened against those of others!' + +She looked up, with a sensation of horror, to the east turret, near +which she then stood; a light glimmered through the grates of the lower +chamber, but those of the upper one were dark. Presently, she perceived +a person moving with a lamp across the lower room; but this circumstance +revived no hope, concerning Madame Montoni, whom she had vainly +sought in that apartment, which had appeared to contain only soldiers' +accoutrements. Emily, however, determined to attempt the outer door +of the turret, as soon as Barnardine should withdraw; and, if it was +unfastened, to make another effort to discover her aunt. + +The moments passed, but still Barnardine did not appear; and Emily, +becoming uneasy, hesitated whether to wait any longer. She would have +sent Annette to the portal to hasten him, but feared to be left alone, +for it was now almost dark, and a melancholy streak of red, that still +lingered in the west, was the only vestige of departed day. The strong +interest, however, which Barnardine's message had awakened, overcame +other apprehensions, and still detained her. + +While she was conjecturing with Annette what could thus occasion his +absence, they heard a key turn in the lock of the gate near them, and +presently saw a man advancing. It was Barnardine, of whom Emily hastily +enquired what he had to communicate, and desired, that he would tell her +quickly, 'for I am chilled with this evening air,' said she. + +'You must dismiss your maid, lady,' said the man in a voice, the deep +tone of which shocked her, 'what I have to tell is to you only.' + +Emily, after some hesitation, desired Annette to withdraw to a little +distance. 'Now, my friend, what would you say?' + +He was silent a moment, as if considering, and then said,-- + +'That which would cost me my place, at least, if it came to the Signor's +ears. You must promise, lady, that nothing shall ever make you tell a +syllable of the matter; I have been trusted in this affair, and, if it +was known, that I betrayed my trust, my life, perhaps, might answer +it. But I was concerned for you, lady, and I resolved to tell you.' He +paused.-- + +Emily thanked him, assured him that he might repose on her discretion, +and entreated him to dispatch. + +'Annette told us in the hall how unhappy you was about Signora Montoni, +and how much you wished to know what was become of her.' + +'Most true,' said Emily eagerly, 'and you can inform me. I conjure you +tell me the worst, without hesitation.' She rested her trembling arm +upon the wall. + +'I can tell you,' said Barnardine, and paused.-- + +Emily had no power to enforce her entreaties. + +'I CAN tell you,' resumed Barnardine,--'but'-- + +'But what?' exclaimed Emily, recovering her resolution. + +'Here I am, ma'amselle,' said Annette, who, having heard the eager tone, +in which Emily pronounced these words, came running towards her. + +'Retire!' said Barnardine, sternly; 'you are not wanted;' and, as Emily +said nothing, Annette obeyed. + +'I CAN tell you,' repeated the porter,--'but I know not how--you was +afflicted before.'-- + +'I am prepared for the worst, my friend,' said Emily, in a firm and +solemn voice. 'I can support any certainty better than this suspense.' + +'Well, Signora, if that is the case, you shall hear.--You know, I +suppose, that the Signor and his lady used sometimes to disagree. It is +none of my concerns to enquire what it was about, but I believe you know +it was so.' + +'Well,' said Emily, 'proceed.' + +'The Signor, it seems, had lately been very wrath against her. I saw +all, and heard all,--a great deal more than people thought for; but it +was none of my business, so I said nothing. A few days ago, the Signor +sent for me. "Barnardine," says he, "you are--an honest man, I think I +can trust you." I assured his excellenza that he could. "Then," says he, +as near as I can remember, "I have an affair in hand, which I want you +to assist me in."--Then he told me what I was to do; but that I shall +say nothing about--it concerned only the Signora.' + +'O Heavens!' exclaimed Emily--'what have you done?' + +Barnardine hesitated, and was silent. + +'What fiend could tempt him, or you, to such an act!' cried Emily, +chilled with horror, and scarcely able to support her fainting spirits. + +'It was a fiend,' said Barnardine in a gloomy tone of voice. They +were now both silent;--Emily had not courage to enquire further, and +Barnardine seemed to shrink from telling more. At length he said, 'It +is of no use to think of the past; the Signor was cruel enough, but he +would be obeyed. What signified my refusing? He would have found others, +who had no scruples.' + +'You have murdered her, then!' said Emily, in a hollow and inward +voice--'I am talking with a murderer!' Barnardine stood silent; while +Emily turned from him, and attempted to leave the place. + +'Stay, lady!' said he, 'You deserve to think so still--since you can +believe me capable of such a deed.' + +'If you are innocent, tell me quickly,' said Emily, in faint accents, +'for I feel I shall not be able to hear you long.' + +'I will tell you no more,' said he, and walked away. Emily had just +strength enough to bid him stay, and then to call Annette, on whose arm +she leaned, and they walked slowly up the rampart, till they heard steps +behind them. It was Barnardine again. + +'Send away the girl,' said he, 'and I will tell you more.' + +'She must not go,' said Emily; 'what you have to say, she may hear.' + +'May she so, lady?' said he. 'You shall know no more, then;' and he was +going, though slowly, when Emily's anxiety, overcoming the resentment +and fear, which the man's behaviour had roused, she desired him to stay, +and bade Annette retire. + +'The Signora is alive,' said he, 'for me. She is my prisoner, though; +his excellenza has shut her up in the chamber over the great gates of +the court, and I have the charge of her. I was going to have told you, +you might see her--but now--' + +Emily, relieved from an unutterable load of anguish by this speech, had +now only to ask Barnardine's forgiveness, and to conjure, that he would +let her visit her aunt. + +He complied with less reluctance, than she expected, and told her, that, +if she would repair, on the following night, when the Signor was retired +to rest, to the postern-gate of the castle, she should, perhaps, see +Madame Montoni. + +Amid all the thankfulness, which Emily felt for this concession, +she thought she observed a malicious triumph in his manner, when he +pronounced the last words; but, in the next moment, she dismissed the +thought, and, having again thanked him, commended her aunt to his +pity, and assured him, that she would herself reward him, and would +be punctual to her appointment, she bade him good night, and retired, +unobserved, to her chamber. It was a considerable time, before +the tumult of joy, which Barnardine's unexpected intelligence had +occasioned, allowed Emily to think with clearness, or to be conscious of +the real dangers, that still surrounded Madame Montoni and herself. +When this agitation subsided, she perceived, that her aunt was yet the +prisoner of a man, to whose vengeance, or avarice, she might fall a +sacrifice; and, when she further considered the savage aspect of the +person, who was appointed to guard Madame Montoni, her doom appeared to +be already sealed, for the countenance of Barnardine seemed to bear the +stamp of a murderer; and, when she had looked upon it, she felt inclined +to believe, that there was no deed, however black, which he might not be +prevailed upon to execute. These reflections brought to her remembrance +the tone of voice, in which he had promised to grant her request to +see his prisoner; and she mused upon it long in uneasiness and doubt. +Sometimes, she even hesitated, whether to trust herself with him at the +lonely hour he had appointed; and once, and only once, it struck her, +that Madame Montoni might be already murdered, and that this ruffian was +appointed to decoy herself to some secret place, where her life also +was to be sacrificed to the avarice of Montoni, who then would claim +securely the contested estates in Languedoc. The consideration of the +enormity of such guilt did, at length, relieve her from the belief +of its probability, but not from all the doubts and fears, which a +recollection of Barnardine's manner had occasioned. From these subjects, +her thoughts, at length, passed to others; and, as the evening advanced, +she remembered, with somewhat more than surprise, the music she had +heard, on the preceding night, and now awaited its return, with more +than curiosity. + +She distinguished, till a late hour, the distant carousals of Montoni +and his companions--the loud contest, the dissolute laugh and the choral +song, that made the halls re-echo. At length, she heard the heavy gates +of the castle shut for the night, and those sounds instantly sunk into +a silence, which was disturbed only by the whispering steps of persons, +passing through the galleries to their remote rooms. Emily now judging +it to be about the time, when she had heard the music, on the preceding +night, dismissed Annette, and gently opened the casement to watch +for its return. The planet she had so particularly noticed, at the +recurrence of the music, was not yet risen; but, with superstitious +weakness, she kept her eyes fixed on that part of the hemisphere, where +it would rise, almost expecting, that, when it appeared, the sounds +would return. At length, it came, serenely bright, over the eastern +towers of the castle. Her heart trembled, when she perceived it, and she +had scarcely courage to remain at the casement, lest the returning +music should confirm her terror, and subdue the little strength she yet +retained. The clock soon after struck one, and, knowing this to be about +the time, when the sounds had occurred, she sat down in a chair, near +the casement, and endeavoured to compose her spirits; but the anxiety +of expectation yet disturbed them. Every thing, however, remained still; +she heard only the solitary step of a sentinel, and the lulling murmur +of the woods below, and she again leaned from the casement, and again +looked, as if for intelligence, to the planet, which was now risen high +above the towers. + +Emily continued to listen, but no music came. 'Those were surely no +mortal sounds!' said she, recollecting their entrancing melody. 'No +inhabitant of this castle could utter such; and, where is the feeling, +that could modulate such exquisite expression? We all know, that it +has been affirmed celestial sounds have sometimes been heard on earth. +Father Pierre and Father Antoine declared, that they had sometimes heard +them in the stillness of night, when they alone were waking to offer +their orisons to heaven. Nay, my dear father himself, once said, that, +soon after my mother's death, as he lay watchful in grief, sounds of +uncommon sweetness called him from his bed; and, on opening his window, +he heard lofty music pass along the midnight air. It soothed him, he +said; he looked up with confidence to heaven, and resigned her to his +God.' + +Emily paused to weep at this recollection. 'Perhaps,' resumed she, +'perhaps, those strains I heard were sent to comfort,--to encourage me! +Never shall I forget those I heard, at this hour, in Languedoc! +Perhaps, my father watches over me, at this moment!' She wept again in +tenderness. Thus passed the hour in watchfulness and solemn thought; but +no sounds returned; and, after remaining at the casement, till the +light tint of dawn began to edge the mountain-tops and steal upon the +night-shade, she concluded, that they would not return, and retired +reluctantly to repose. + + + + +VOLUME 3 + + + +CHAPTER I + + + I will advise you where to plant yourselves; + Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' the time, + The moment on 't; for 't must be done to-night. + MACBETH + +Emily was somewhat surprised, on the following day, to find that Annette +had heard of Madame Montoni's confinement in the chamber over the +portal, as well as of her purposed visit there, on the approaching +night. That the circumstance, which Barnardine had so solemnly enjoined +her to conceal, he had himself told to so indiscreet an hearer as +Annette, appeared very improbable, though he had now charged her with +a message, concerning the intended interview. He requested, that Emily +would meet him, unattended, on the terrace, at a little after midnight, +when he himself would lead her to the place he had promised; a proposal, +from which she immediately shrunk, for a thousand vague fears darted +athwart her mind, such as had tormented her on the preceding night, +and which she neither knew how to trust, or to dismiss. It frequently +occurred to her, that Barnardine might have deceived her, concerning +Madame Montoni, whose murderer, perhaps, he really was; and that he had +deceived her by order of Montoni, the more easily to draw her into some +of the desperate designs of the latter. The terrible suspicion, that +Madame Montoni no longer lived, thus came, accompanied by one not less +dreadful for herself. Unless the crime, by which the aunt had suffered, +was instigated merely by resentment, unconnected with profit, a motive, +upon which Montoni did not appear very likely to act, its object must be +unattained, till the niece was also dead, to whom Montoni knew that +his wife's estates must descend. Emily remembered the words, which had +informed her, that the contested estates in France would devolve to her, +if Madame Montoni died, without consigning them to her husband, and the +former obstinate perseverance of her aunt made it too probable, that +she had, to the last, withheld them. At this instant, recollecting +Barnardine's manner, on the preceding night, she now believed, what she +had then fancied, that it expressed malignant triumph. She shuddered at +the recollection, which confirmed her fears, and determined not to +meet him on the terrace. Soon after, she was inclined to consider these +suspicions as the extravagant exaggerations of a timid and harassed +mind, and could not believe Montoni liable to such preposterous +depravity as that of destroying, from one motive, his wife and her +niece. She blamed herself for suffering her romantic imagination to +carry her so far beyond the bounds of probability, and determined to +endeavour to check its rapid flights, lest they should sometimes extend +into madness. Still, however, she shrunk from the thought of meeting +Barnardine, on the terrace, at midnight; and still the wish to be +relieved from this terrible suspense, concerning her aunt, to see her, +and to sooth her sufferings, made her hesitate what to do. + +'Yet how is it possible, Annette, I can pass to the terrace at that +hour?' said she, recollecting herself, 'the sentinels will stop me, and +Signor Montoni will hear of the affair.' + +'O ma'amselle! that is well thought of,' replied Annette. 'That is +what Barnardine told me about. He gave me this key, and bade me say it +unlocks the door at the end of the vaulted gallery, that opens near the +end of the east rampart, so that you need not pass any of the men on +watch. He bade me say, too, that his reason for requesting you to come +to the terrace was, because he could take you to the place you want +to go to, without opening the great doors of the hall, which grate so +heavily.' + +Emily's spirits were somewhat calmed by this explanation, which seemed +to be honestly given to Annette. 'But why did he desire I would come +alone, Annette?' said she. + +'Why that was what I asked him myself, ma'amselle. Says I, Why is my +young lady to come alone?--Surely I may come with her!--What harm can I +do? But he said "No--no--I tell you not," in his gruff way. Nay, says I, +I have been trusted in as great affairs as this, I warrant, and it's a +hard matter if _I_ can't keep a secret now. Still he would say nothing +but--"No--no--no." Well, says I, if you will only trust me, I will +tell you a great secret, that was told me a month ago, and I have never +opened my lips about it yet--so you need not be afraid of telling me. +But all would not do. Then, ma'amselle, I went so far as to offer him a +beautiful new sequin, that Ludovico gave me for a keep sake, and I would +not have parted with it for all St. Marco's Place; but even that would +not do! Now what can be the reason of this? But I know, you know, ma'am, +who you are going to see.' + +'Pray did Barnardine tell you this?' + +'He! No, ma'amselle, that he did not.' + +Emily enquired who did, but Annette shewed, that she COULD keep a +secret. + +During the remainder of the day, Emily's mind was agitated with doubts +and fears and contrary determinations, on the subject of meeting this +Barnardine on the rampart, and submitting herself to his guidance, +she scarcely knew whither. Pity for her aunt and anxiety for herself +alternately swayed her determination, and night came, before she +had decided upon her conduct. She heard the castle clock strike +eleven--twelve--and yet her mind wavered. The time, however, was now +come, when she could hesitate no longer: and then the interest she felt +for her aunt overcame other considerations, and, bidding Annette follow +her to the outer door of the vaulted gallery, and there await her +return, she descended from her chamber. The castle was perfectly +still, and the great hall, where so lately she had witnessed a scene of +dreadful contention, now returned only the whispering footsteps of the +two solitary figures gliding fearfully between the pillars, and gleamed +only to the feeble lamp they carried. Emily, deceived by the long +shadows of the pillars and by the catching lights between, often +stopped, imagining she saw some person, moving in the distant obscurity +of the perspective; and, as she passed these pillars, she feared to turn +her eyes toward them, almost expecting to see a figure start out from +behind their broad shaft. She reached, however, the vaulted gallery, +without interruption, but unclosed its outer door with a trembling hand, +and, charging Annette not to quit it and to keep it a little open, that +she might be heard if she called, she delivered to her the lamp, which +she did not dare to take herself because of the men on watch, and, +alone, stepped out upon the dark terrace. Every thing was so still, +that she feared, lest her own light steps should be heard by the distant +sentinels, and she walked cautiously towards the spot, where she had +before met Barnardine, listening for a sound, and looking onward through +the gloom in search of him. At length, she was startled by a deep voice, +that spoke near her, and she paused, uncertain whether it was his, till +it spoke again, and she then recognized the hollow tones of Barnardine, +who had been punctual to the moment, and was at the appointed place, +resting on the rampart wall. After chiding her for not coming sooner, +and saying, that he had been waiting nearly half an hour, he desired +Emily, who made no reply, to follow him to the door, through which he +had entered the terrace. + +While he unlocked it, she looked back to that she had left, and, +observing the rays of the lamp stream through a small opening, was +certain, that Annette was still there. But her remote situation could +little befriend Emily, after she had quitted the terrace; and, when +Barnardine unclosed the gate, the dismal aspect of the passage beyond, +shewn by a torch burning on the pavement, made her shrink from following +him alone, and she refused to go, unless Annette might accompany her. +This, however, Barnardine absolutely refused to permit, mingling at the +same time with his refusal such artful circumstances to heighten the +pity and curiosity of Emily towards her aunt, that she, at length, +consented to follow him alone to the portal. + +He then took up the torch, and led her along the passage, at the +extremity of which he unlocked another door, whence they descended, +a few steps, into a chapel, which, as Barnardine held up the torch +to light her, Emily observed to be in ruins, and she immediately +recollected a former conversation of Annette, concerning it, with very +unpleasant emotions. She looked fearfully on the almost roofless walls, +green with damps, and on the gothic points of the windows, where the ivy +and the briony had long supplied the place of glass, and ran mantling +among the broken capitals of some columns, that had once supported the +roof. Barnardine stumbled over the broken pavement, and his voice, as he +uttered a sudden oath, was returned in hollow echoes, that made it more +terrific. Emily's heart sunk; but she still followed him, and he turned +out of what had been the principal aisle of the chapel. 'Down these +steps, lady,' said Barnardine, as he descended a flight, which appeared +to lead into the vaults; but Emily paused on the top, and demanded, in a +tremulous tone, whither he was conducting her. + +'To the portal,' said Barnardine. + +'Cannot we go through the chapel to the portal?' said Emily. + +'No, Signora, that leads to the inner court, which I don't choose to +unlock. This way, and we shall reach the outer court presently.' + +Emily still hesitated; fearing not only to go on, but, since she had +gone thus far, to irritate Barnardine by refusing to go further. + +'Come, lady,' said the man, who had nearly reached the bottom of the +flight, 'make a little haste; I cannot wait here all night.' + +'Whither do these steps lead?' said Emily, yet pausing. + +'To the portal,' repeated Barnardine, in an angry tone, 'I will wait no +longer.' As he said this, he moved on with the light, and Emily, fearing +to provoke him by further delay, reluctantly followed. From the steps, +they proceeded through a passage, adjoining the vaults, the walls of +which were dropping with unwholesome dews, and the vapours, that crept +along the ground, made the torch burn so dimly, that Emily expected +every moment to see it extinguished, and Barnardine could scarcely find +his way. As they advanced, these vapours thickened, and Barnardine, +believing the torch was expiring, stopped for a moment to trim it. As he +then rested against a pair of iron gates, that opened from the passage, +Emily saw, by uncertain flashes of light, the vaults beyond, and, near +her, heaps of earth, that seemed to surround an open grave. Such an +object, in such a scene, would, at any time, have disturbed her; but +now she was shocked by an instantaneous presentiment, that this was the +grave of her unfortunate aunt, and that the treacherous Barnardine was +leading herself to destruction. The obscure and terrible place, to which +he had conducted her, seemed to justify the thought; it was a place +suited for murder, a receptacle for the dead, where a deed of horror +might be committed, and no vestige appear to proclaim it. Emily was so +overwhelmed with terror, that, for a moment, she was unable to determine +what conduct to pursue. She then considered, that it would be vain to +attempt an escape from Barnardine, by flight, since the length and the +intricacy of the way she had passed would soon enable him to overtake +her, who was unacquainted with the turnings, and whose feebleness +would not suffer her to run long with swiftness. She feared equally +to irritate him by a disclosure of her suspicions, which a refusal to +accompany him further certainly would do; and, since she was already +as much in his power as it was possible she could be, if she proceeded, +she, at length, determined to suppress, as far as she could, the +appearance of apprehension, and to follow silently whither he designed +to lead her. Pale with horror and anxiety, she now waited till +Barnardine had trimmed the torch, and, as her sight glanced again upon +the grave, she could not forbear enquiring, for whom it was prepared. +He took his eyes from the torch, and fixed them upon her face without +speaking. She faintly repeated the question, but the man, shaking the +torch, passed on; and she followed, trembling, to a second flight of +steps, having ascended which, a door delivered them into the first court +of the castle. As they crossed it, the light shewed the high black walls +around them, fringed with long grass and dank weeds, that found a scanty +soil among the mouldering stones; the heavy buttresses, with, here and +there, between them, a narrow grate, that admitted a freer circulation +of air to the court, the massy iron gates, that led to the castle, whose +clustering turrets appeared above, and, opposite, the huge towers and +arch of the portal itself. In this scene the large, uncouth person of +Barnardine, bearing the torch, formed a characteristic figure. This +Barnardine was wrapt in a long dark cloak, which scarcely allowed +the kind of half-boots, or sandals, that were laced upon his legs, to +appear, and shewed only the point of a broad sword, which he usually +wore, slung in a belt across his shoulders. On his head was a heavy flat +velvet cap, somewhat resembling a turban, in which was a short feather; +the visage beneath it shewed strong features, and a countenance furrowed +with the lines of cunning and darkened by habitual discontent. + +The view of the court, however, reanimated Emily, who, as she crossed +silently towards the portal, began to hope, that her own fears, and not +the treachery of Barnardine, had deceived her. She looked anxiously +up at the first casement, that appeared above the lofty arch of the +portcullis; but it was dark, and she enquired, whether it belonged to +the chamber, where Madame Montoni was confined. Emily spoke low, and +Barnardine, perhaps, did not hear her question, for he returned no +answer; and they, soon after, entered the postern door of the gate-way, +which brought them to the foot of a narrow stair-case, that wound up one +of the towers. + +'Up this stair-case the Signora lies,' said Barnardine. + +'Lies!' repeated Emily faintly, as she began to ascend. + +'She lies in the upper chamber,' said Barnardine. + +As they passed up, the wind, which poured through the narrow cavities in +the wall, made the torch flare, and it threw a stronger gleam upon the +grim and sallow countenance of Barnardine, and discovered more fully the +desolation of the place--the rough stone walls, the spiral stairs, black +with age, and a suit of antient armour, with an iron visor, that hung +upon the walls, and appeared a trophy of some former victory. + +Having reached a landing-place, 'You may wait here, lady,' said he, +applying a key to the door of a chamber, 'while I go up, and tell the +Signora you are coming.' + +'That ceremony is unnecessary,' replied Emily, 'my aunt will rejoice to +see me.' + +'I am not so sure of that,' said Barnardine, pointing to the room he had +opened: 'Come in here, lady, while I step up.' + +Emily, surprised and somewhat shocked, did not dare to oppose him +further, but, as he was turning away with the torch, desired he would +not leave her in darkness. He looked around, and, observing a tripod +lamp, that stood on the stairs, lighted and gave it to Emily, who +stepped forward into a large old chamber, and he closed the door. As +she listened anxiously to his departing steps, she thought he descended, +instead of ascending, the stairs; but the gusts of wind, that whistled +round the portal, would not allow her to hear distinctly any other +sound. Still, however, she listened, and, perceiving no step in the +room above, where he had affirmed Madame Montoni to be, her anxiety +increased, though she considered, that the thickness of the floor in +this strong building might prevent any sound reaching her from the upper +chamber. The next moment, in a pause of the wind, she distinguished +Barnardine's step descending to the court, and then thought she heard +his voice; but, the rising gust again overcoming other sounds, Emily, to +be certain on this point, moved softly to the door, which, on attempting +to open it, she discovered was fastened. All the horrid apprehensions, +that had lately assailed her, returned at this instant with redoubled +force, and no longer appeared like the exaggerations of a timid spirit, +but seemed to have been sent to warn her of her fate. She now did not +doubt, that Madame Montoni had been murdered, perhaps in this very +chamber; or that she herself was brought hither for the same purpose. +The countenance, the manners and the recollected words of Barnardine, +when he had spoken of her aunt, confirmed her worst fears. For some +moments, she was incapable of considering of any means, by which she +might attempt an escape. Still she listened, but heard footsteps neither +on the stairs, or in the room above; she thought, however, that she +again distinguished Barnardine's voice below, and went to a grated +window, that opened upon the court, to enquire further. Here, she +plainly heard his hoarse accents, mingling with the blast, that swept +by, but they were lost again so quickly, that their meaning could not be +interpreted; and then the light of a torch, which seemed to issue from +the portal below, flashed across the court, and the long shadow of a +man, who was under the arch-way, appeared upon the pavement. Emily, +from the hugeness of this sudden portrait, concluded it to be that +of Barnardine; but other deep tones, which passed in the wind, soon +convinced her he was not alone, and that his companion was not a person +very liable to pity. + +When her spirits had overcome the first shock of her situation, she +held up the lamp to examine, if the chamber afforded a possibility of an +escape. It was a spacious room, whose walls, wainscoted with rough oak, +shewed no casement but the grated one, which Emily had left, and no +other door than that, by which she had entered. The feeble rays of the +lamp, however, did not allow her to see at once its full extent; she +perceived no furniture, except, indeed, an iron chair, fastened in the +centre of the chamber, immediately over which, depending on a chain from +the ceiling, hung an iron ring. Having gazed upon these, for some time, +with wonder and horror, she next observed iron bars below, made for the +purpose of confining the feet, and on the arms of the chair were rings +of the same metal. As she continued to survey them, she concluded, that +they were instruments of torture, and it struck her, that some poor +wretch had once been fastened in this chair, and had there been starved +to death. She was chilled by the thought; but, what was her agony, when, +in the next moment, it occurred to her, that her aunt might have been +one of these victims, and that she herself might be the next! An acute +pain seized her head, she was scarcely able to hold the lamp, and, +looking round for support, was seating herself, unconsciously, in the +iron chair itself; but suddenly perceiving where she was, she started +from it in horror, and sprung towards a remote end of the room. Here +again she looked round for a seat to sustain her, and perceived only a +dark curtain, which, descending from the ceiling to the floor, was drawn +along the whole side of the chamber. Ill as she was, the appearance of +this curtain struck her, and she paused to gaze upon it, in wonder and +apprehension. + +It seemed to conceal a recess of the chamber; she wished, yet dreaded, +to lift it, and to discover what it veiled: twice she was withheld by +a recollection of the terrible spectacle her daring hand had formerly +unveiled in an apartment of the castle, till, suddenly conjecturing, +that it concealed the body of her murdered aunt, she seized it, in a fit +of desperation, and drew it aside. Beyond, appeared a corpse, stretched +on a kind of low couch, which was crimsoned with human blood, as was +the floor beneath. The features, deformed by death, were ghastly and +horrible, and more than one livid wound appeared in the face. Emily, +bending over the body, gazed, for a moment, with an eager, frenzied eye; +but, in the next, the lamp dropped from her hand, and she fell senseless +at the foot of the couch. + +When her senses returned, she found herself surrounded by men, among +whom was Barnardine, who were lifting her from the floor, and then bore +her along the chamber. She was sensible of what passed, but the extreme +languor of her spirits did not permit her to speak, or move, or even to +feel any distinct fear. They carried her down the stair-case, by which +she had ascended; when, having reached the arch-way, they stopped, and +one of the men, taking the torch from Barnardine, opened a small door, +that was cut in the great gate, and, as he stepped out upon the road, +the light he bore shewed several men on horseback, in waiting. Whether +it was the freshness of the air, that revived Emily, or that the objects +she now saw roused the spirit of alarm, she suddenly spoke, and made an +ineffectual effort to disengage herself from the grasp of the ruffians, +who held her. + +Barnardine, meanwhile, called loudly for the torch, while distant voices +answered, and several persons approached, and, in the same instant, a +light flashed upon the court of the castle. Again he vociferated for the +torch, and the men hurried Emily through the gate. At a short distance, +under the shelter of the castle walls, she perceived the fellow, who had +taken the light from the porter, holding it to a man, busily employed +in altering the saddle of a horse, round which were several horsemen, +looking on, whose harsh features received the full glare of the torch; +while the broken ground beneath them, the opposite walls, with the +tufted shrubs, that overhung their summits, and an embattled watch-tower +above, were reddened with the gleam, which, fading gradually away, left +the remoter ramparts and the woods below to the obscurity of night. + +'What do you waste time for, there?' said Barnardine with an oath, as he +approached the horsemen. 'Dispatch--dispatch!' + +'The saddle will be ready in a minute,' replied the man who was buckling +it, at whom Barnardine now swore again, for his negligence, and Emily, +calling feebly for help, was hurried towards the horses, while the +ruffians disputed on which to place her, the one designed for her not +being ready. At this moment a cluster of lights issued from the great +gates, and she immediately heard the shrill voice of Annette above +those of several other persons, who advanced. In the same moment, she +distinguished Montoni and Cavigni, followed by a number of ruffian-faced +fellows, to whom she no longer looked with terror, but with hope, for, +at this instant, she did not tremble at the thought of any dangers, that +might await her within the castle, whence so lately, and so anxiously +she had wished to escape. Those, which threatened her from without, had +engrossed all her apprehensions. + +A short contest ensued between the parties, in which that of Montoni, +however, were presently victors, and the horsemen, perceiving that +numbers were against them, and being, perhaps, not very warmly +interested in the affair they had undertaken, galloped off, while +Barnardine had run far enough to be lost in the darkness, and Emily was +led back into the castle. As she re-passed the courts, the remembrance +of what she had seen in the portal-chamber came, with all its horror, to +her mind; and when, soon after, she heard the gate close, that shut +her once more within the castle walls, she shuddered for herself, and, +almost forgetting the danger she had escaped, could scarcely think, that +any thing less precious than liberty and peace was to be found beyond +them. + +Montoni ordered Emily to await him in the cedar parlour, whither he soon +followed, and then sternly questioned her on this mysterious affair. +Though she now viewed him with horror, as the murderer of her aunt, and +scarcely knew what she said in reply to his impatient enquiries, her +answers and her manner convinced him, that she had not taken a voluntary +part in the late scheme, and he dismissed her upon the appearance of his +servants, whom he had ordered to attend, that he might enquire further +into the affair, and discover those, who had been accomplices in it. + +Emily had been some time in her apartment, before the tumult of her mind +allowed her to remember several of the past circumstances. Then, again, +the dead form, which the curtain in the portal-chamber had disclosed, +came to her fancy, and she uttered a groan, which terrified Annette the +more, as Emily forbore to satisfy her curiosity, on the subject of +it, for she feared to trust her with so fatal a secret, lest her +indiscretion should call down the immediate vengeance of Montoni on +herself. + +Thus compelled to bear within her own mind the whole horror of the +secret, that oppressed it, her reason seemed to totter under the +intolerable weight. She often fixed a wild and vacant look on Annette, +and, when she spoke, either did not hear her, or answered from the +purpose. Long fits of abstraction succeeded; Annette spoke repeatedly, +but her voice seemed not to make any impression on the sense of the long +agitated Emily, who sat fixed and silent, except that, now and then, she +heaved a heavy sigh, but without tears. + +Terrified at her condition, Annette, at length, left the room, to inform +Montoni of it, who had just dismissed his servants, without having made +any discoveries on the subject of his enquiry. The wild description, +which this girl now gave of Emily, induced him to follow her immediately +to the chamber. + +At the sound of his voice, Emily turned her eyes, and a gleam of +recollection seemed to shoot athwart her mind, for she immediately rose +from her seat, and moved slowly to a remote part of the room. He spoke +to her in accents somewhat softened from their usual harshness, but +she regarded him with a kind of half curious, half terrified look, +and answered only 'yes,' to whatever he said. Her mind still seemed to +retain no other impression, than that of fear. + +Of this disorder Annette could give no explanation, and Montoni, having +attempted, for some time, to persuade Emily to talk, retired, after +ordering Annette to remain with her, during the night, and to inform +him, in the morning, of her condition. + +When he was gone, Emily again came forward, and asked who it was, that +had been there to disturb her. Annette said it was the Signor-Signor +Montoni. Emily repeated the name after her, several times, as if she +did not recollect it, and then suddenly groaned, and relapsed into +abstraction. + +With some difficulty, Annette led her to the bed, which Emily examined +with an eager, frenzied eye, before she lay down, and then, pointing, +turned with shuddering emotion, to Annette, who, now more terrified, +went towards the door, that she might bring one of the female servants +to pass the night with them; but Emily, observing her going, called her +by name, and then in the naturally soft and plaintive tone of her voice, +begged, that she, too, would not forsake her.--'For since my father +died,' added she, sighing, 'every body forsakes me.' + +'Your father, ma'amselle!' said Annette, 'he was dead before you knew +me.' + +'He was, indeed!' rejoined Emily, and her tears began to flow. She now +wept silently and long, after which, becoming quite calm, she at length +sunk to sleep, Annette having had discretion enough not to interrupt +her tears. This girl, as affectionate as she was simple, lost in these +moments all her former fears of remaining in the chamber, and watched +alone by Emily, during the whole night. + + + +CHAPTER II + + + unfold + What worlds, or what vast regions, hold + Th' immortal mind, that hath forsook + Her mansion in this fleshly nook! + IL PENSEROSO + +Emily's mind was refreshed by sleep. On waking in the morning, she +looked with surprise on Annette, who sat sleeping in a chair beside the +bed, and then endeavoured to recollect herself; but the circumstances of +the preceding night were swept from her memory, which seemed to retain +no trace of what had passed, and she was still gazing with surprise on +Annette, when the latter awoke. + +'O dear ma'amselle! do you know me?' cried she. + +'Know you! Certainly,' replied Emily, 'you are Annette; but why are you +sitting by me thus?' + +'O you have been very ill, ma'amselle,--very ill indeed! and I am sure I +thought--' + +'This is very strange!' said Emily, still trying to recollect the +past.--'But I think I do remember, that my fancy has been haunted by +frightful dreams. Good God!' she added, suddenly starting--'surely it +was nothing more than a dream!' + +She fixed a terrified look upon Annette, who, intending to quiet her, +said 'Yes, ma'amselle, it was more than a dream, but it is all over +now.' + +'She IS murdered, then!' said Emily in an inward voice, and shuddering +instantaneously. Annette screamed; for, being ignorant of the +circumstance to which Emily referred, she attributed her manner to a +disordered fancy; but, when she had explained to what her own speech +alluded, Emily, recollecting the attempt that had been made to carry her +off, asked if the contriver of it had been discovered. Annette replied, +that he had not, though he might easily be guessed at; and then told +Emily she might thank her for her deliverance, who, endeavouring to +command the emotion, which the remembrance of her aunt had occasioned, +appeared calmly to listen to Annette, though, in truth, she heard +scarcely a word that was said. + +'And so, ma'amselle,' continued the latter, 'I was determined to be even +with Barnardine for refusing to tell me the secret, by finding it out +myself; so I watched you, on the terrace, and, as soon as he had opened +the door at the end, I stole out from the castle, to try to follow you; +for, says I, I am sure no good can be planned, or why all this secrecy? +So, sure enough, he had not bolted the door after him, and, when I +opened it, I saw, by the glimmer of the torch, at the other end of the +passage, which way you were going. I followed the light, at a distance, +till you came to the vaults of the chapel, and there I was afraid to go +further, for I had heard strange things about these vaults. But then, +again, I was afraid to go back, all in darkness, by myself; so by the +time Barnardine had trimmed the light, I had resolved to follow you, and +I did so, till you came to the great court, and there I was afraid he +would see me; so I stopped at the door again, and watched you across to +the gates, and, when you was gone up the stairs, I whipt after. There, +as I stood under the gate-way, I heard horses' feet without, and several +men talking; and I heard them swearing at Barnardine for not bringing +you out, and just then, he had like to have caught me, for he came down +the stairs again, and I had hardly time to get out of his way. But I had +heard enough of his secret now, and I determined to be even with him, +and to save you, too, ma'amselle, for I guessed it to be some new scheme +of Count Morano, though he was gone away. I ran into the castle, but I +had hard work to find my way through the passage under the chapel, and +what is very strange, I quite forgot to look for the ghosts they had +told me about, though I would not go into that place again by myself for +all the world! Luckily the Signor and Signor Cavigni were up, so we had +soon a train at our heels, sufficient to frighten that Barnardine and +his rogues, all together.' + +Annette ceased to speak, but Emily still appeared to listen. At length +she said, suddenly, 'I think I will go to him myself;--where is he?' + +Annette asked who was meant. + +'Signor Montoni,' replied Emily. 'I would speak with him;' and Annette, +now remembering the order he had given, on the preceding night, +respecting her young lady, rose, and said she would seek him herself. + +This honest girl's suspicions of Count Morano were perfectly just; +Emily, too, when she thought on the scheme, had attributed it to +him; and Montoni, who had not a doubt on this subject, also, began +to believe, that it was by the direction of Morano, that poison had +formerly been mingled with his wine. + +The professions of repentance, which Morano had made to Emily, under the +anguish of his wound, was sincere at the moment he offered them; but +he had mistaken the subject of his sorrow, for, while he thought he was +condemning the cruelty of his late design, he was lamenting only the +state of suffering, to which it had reduced him. As these sufferings +abated, his former views revived, till, his health being re-established, +he again found himself ready for enterprise and difficulty. The porter +of the castle, who had served him, on a former occasion, willingly +accepted a second bribe; and, having concerted the means of drawing +Emily to the gates, Morano publicly left the hamlet, whither he had been +carried after the affray, and withdrew with his people to another +at several miles distance. From thence, on a night agreed upon by +Barnardine, who had discovered from the thoughtless prattle of Annette, +the most probable means of decoying Emily, the Count sent back his +servants to the castle, while he awaited her arrival at the hamlet, with +an intention of carrying her immediately to Venice. How this, his second +scheme, was frustrated, has already appeared; but the violent, and +various passions with which this Italian lover was now agitated, on his +return to that city, can only be imagined. + +Annette having made her report to Montoni of Emily's health and of her +request to see him, he replied, that she might attend him in the cedar +room, in about an hour. It was on the subject, that pressed so heavily +on her mind, that Emily wished to speak to him, yet she did not +distinctly know what good purpose this could answer, and sometimes +she even recoiled in horror from the expectation of his presence. She +wished, also, to petition, though she scarcely dared to believe the +request would be granted, that he would permit her, since her aunt was +no more, to return to her native country. + +As the moment of interview approached, her agitation increased so much, +that she almost resolved to excuse herself under what could scarcely +be called a pretence of illness; and, when she considered what could +be said, either concerning herself, or the fate of her aunt, she was +equally hopeless as to the event of her entreaty, and terrified as +to its effect upon the vengeful spirit of Montoni. Yet, to pretend +ignorance of her death, appeared, in some degree, to be sharing its +criminality, and, indeed, this event was the only ground, on which Emily +could rest her petition for leaving Udolpho. + +While her thoughts thus wavered, a message was brought, importing, that +Montoni could not see her, till the next day; and her spirits were +then relieved, for a moment, from an almost intolerable weight of +apprehension. Annette said, she fancied the Chevaliers were going out +to the wars again, for the court-yard was filled with horses, and she +heard, that the rest of the party, who went out before, were expected at +the castle. 'And I heard one of the soldiers, too,' added she, 'say +to his comrade, that he would warrant they'd bring home a rare deal of +booty.--So, thinks I, if the Signor can, with a safe conscience, send +his people out a-robbing--why it is no business of mine. I only wish +I was once safe out of this castle; and, if it had not been for poor +Ludovico's sake, I would have let Count Morano's people run away with +us both, for it would have been serving you a good turn, ma'amselle, as +well as myself.' + +Annette might have continued thus talking for hours for any interruption +she would have received from Emily, who was silent, inattentive, +absorbed in thought, and passed the whole of this day in a kind +of solemn tranquillity, such as is often the result of faculties +overstrained by suffering. + +When night returned, Emily recollected the mysterious strains of music, +that she had lately heard, in which she still felt some degree of +interest, and of which she hoped to hear again the soothing sweetness. +The influence of superstition now gained on the weakness of her +long-harassed mind; she looked, with enthusiastic expectation, to the +guardian spirit of her father, and, having dismissed Annette for the +night, determined to watch alone for their return. It was not yet, +however, near the time when she had heard the music on a former night, +and anxious to call off her thoughts from distressing subjects, she sat +down with one of the few books, that she had brought from France; but +her mind, refusing controul, became restless and agitated, and she went +often to the casement to listen for a sound. Once, she thought she heard +a voice, but then, every thing without the casement remaining still, she +concluded, that her fancy had deceived her. + +Thus passed the time, till twelve o'clock, soon after which the distant +sounds, that murmured through the castle, ceased, and sleep seemed to +reign over all. Emily then seated herself at the casement, where she +was soon recalled from the reverie, into which she sunk, by very unusual +sounds, not of music, but like the low mourning of some person in +distress. As she listened, her heart faltered in terror, and she became +convinced, that the former sound was more than imaginary. Still, +at intervals, she heard a kind of feeble lamentation, and sought to +discover whence it came. There were several rooms underneath, adjoining +the rampart, which had been long shut up, and, as the sound probably +rose from one of these, she leaned from the casement to observe, whether +any light was visible there. The chambers, as far as she could perceive, +were quite dark, but, at a little distance, on the rampart below, she +thought she saw something moving. + +The faint twilight, which the stars shed, did not enable her to +distinguish what it was; but she judged it to be a sentinel, on watch, +and she removed her light to a remote part of the chamber, that she +might escape notice, during her further observation. + +The same object still appeared. Presently, it advanced along the +rampart, towards her window, and she then distinguished something like +a human form, but the silence, with which it moved, convinced her it +was no sentinel. As it drew near, she hesitated whether to retire; a +thrilling curiosity inclined her to stay, but a dread of she scarcely +knew what warned her to withdraw. + +While she paused, the figure came opposite to her casement, and was +stationary. Every thing remained quiet; she had not heard even a +foot-fall; and the solemnity of this silence, with the mysterious form +she saw, subdued her spirits, so that she was moving from the casement, +when, on a sudden, she observed the figure start away, and glide down +the rampart, after which it was soon lost in the obscurity of night. +Emily continued to gaze, for some time, on the way it had passed, and +then retired within her chamber, musing on this strange circumstance, +and scarcely doubting, that she had witnessed a supernatural appearance. + +When her spirits recovered composure, she looked round for some other +explanation. Remembering what she had heard of the daring enterprises of +Montoni, it occurred to her, that she had just seen some unhappy +person, who, having been plundered by his banditti, was brought hither a +captive; and that the music she had formerly heard, came from him. +Yet, if they had plundered him, it still appeared improbable, that they +should have brought him to the castle, and it was also more consistent +with the manners of banditti to murder those they rob, than to make them +prisoners. But what, more than any other circumstance, contradicted +the supposition, that it was a prisoner, was that it wandered on the +terrace, without a guard: a consideration, which made her dismiss +immediately her first surmise. + +Afterwards, she was inclined to believe, that Count Morano had obtained +admittance into the castle; but she soon recollected the difficulties +and dangers, that must have opposed such an enterprise, and that, if he +had so far succeeded, to come alone and in silence to her casement at +midnight was not the conduct he would have adopted, particularly since +the private stair-case, communicating with her apartment, was known to +him; neither would he have uttered the dismal sounds she had heard. + +Another suggestion represented, that this might be some person, who had +designs upon the castle; but the mournful sounds destroyed, also, that +probability. Thus, enquiry only perplexed her. Who, or what, it could be +that haunted this lonely hour, complaining in such doleful accents and +in such sweet music (for she was still inclined to believe, that the +former strains and the late appearance were connected,) she had no means +of ascertaining; and imagination again assumed her empire, and roused +the mysteries of superstition. + +She determined, however, to watch on the following night, when her +doubts might, perhaps, be cleared up; and she almost resolved to address +the figure, if it should appear again. + + + +CHAPTER III + + + Such are those thick and gloomy shadows damp, + Oft seen in charnel-vaults and sepulchres, + Lingering, and sitting, by a new-made grave. + MILTON + +On the following day, Montoni sent a second excuse to Emily, who was +surprised at the circumstance. 'This is very strange!' said she to +herself. 'His conscience tells him the purport of my visit, and he +defers it, to avoid an explanation.' She now almost resolved to throw +herself in his way, but terror checked the intention, and this day +passed, as the preceding one, with Emily, except that a degree of awful +expectation, concerning the approaching night, now somewhat disturbed +the dreadful calmness that had pervaded her mind. + +Towards evening, the second part of the band, which had made the first +excursion among the mountains, returned to the castle, where, as they +entered the courts, Emily, in her remote chamber, heard their loud +shouts and strains of exultation, like the orgies of furies over +some horrid sacrifice. She even feared they were about to commit some +barbarous deed; a conjecture from which, however, Annette soon relieved +her, by telling, that the people were only exulting over the plunder +they had brought with them. This circumstance still further confirmed +her in the belief, that Montoni had really commenced to be a captain of +banditti, and meant to retrieve his broken fortunes by the plunder of +travellers! Indeed, when she considered all the circumstances of his +situation--in an armed, and almost inaccessible castle, retired far +among the recesses of wild and solitary mountains, along whose distant +skirts were scattered towns, and cities, whither wealthy travellers were +continually passing--this appeared to be the situation of all others +most suited for the success of schemes of rapine, and she yielded to +the strange thought, that Montoni was become a captain of robbers. His +character also, unprincipled, dauntless, cruel and enterprising, seemed +to fit him for the situation. Delighting in the tumult and in the +struggles of life, he was equally a stranger to pity and to fear; his +very courage was a sort of animal ferocity; not the noble impulse of +a principle, such as inspirits the mind against the oppressor, in the +cause of the oppressed; but a constitutional hardiness of nerve, that +cannot feel, and that, therefore, cannot fear. + +Emily's supposition, however natural, was in part erroneous, for she was +a stranger to the state of this country and to the circumstances, under +which its frequent wars were partly conducted. The revenues of the many +states of Italy being, at that time, insufficient to the support of +standing armies, even during the short periods, which the turbulent +habits both of the governments and the people permitted to pass in +peace, an order of men arose not known in our age, and but faintly +described in the history of their own. Of the soldiers, disbanded at +the end of every war, few returned to the safe, but unprofitable +occupations, then usual in peace. Sometimes they passed into other +countries, and mingled with armies, which still kept the field. +Sometimes they formed themselves into bands of robbers, and occupied +remote fortresses, where their desperate character, the weakness of the +governments which they offended, and the certainty, that they could +be recalled to the armies, when their presence should be again wanted, +prevented them from being much pursued by the civil power; and, +sometimes, they attached themselves to the fortunes of a popular chief, +by whom they were led into the service of any state, which could settle +with him the price of their valour. From this latter practice arose +their name--CONDOTTIERI; a term formidable all over Italy, for a period, +which concluded in the earlier part of the seventeenth century, but of +which it is not so easy to ascertain the commencement. + +Contests between the smaller states were then, for the most part, +affairs of enterprize alone, and the probabilities of success were +estimated, not from the skill, but from the personal courage of the +general, and the soldiers. The ability, which was necessary to the +conduct of tedious operations, was little valued. It was enough to +know how a party might be led towards their enemies, with the greatest +secrecy, or conducted from them in the compactest order. The officer was +to precipitate himself into a situation, where, but for his example, +the soldiers might not have ventured; and, as the opposed parties knew +little of each other's strength, the event of the day was frequently +determined by the boldness of the first movements. In such services the +condottieri were eminent, and in these, where plunder always followed +success, their characters acquired a mixture of intrepidity and +profligacy, which awed even those whom they served. + +When they were not thus engaged, their chief had usually his own +fortress, in which, or in its neighbourhood, they enjoyed an irksome +rest; and, though their wants were, at one time, partly supplied from +the property of the inhabitants, the lavish distribution of their +plunder at others, prevented them from being obnoxious; and the peasants +of such districts gradually shared the character of their warlike +visitors. The neighbouring governments sometimes professed, but seldom +endeavoured, to suppress these military communities; both because it was +difficult to do so, and because a disguised protection of them ensured, +for the service of their wars, a body of men, who could not otherwise +be so cheaply maintained, or so perfectly qualified. The commanders +sometimes even relied so far upon this policy of the several powers, as +to frequent their capitals; and Montoni, having met them in the gaming +parties of Venice and Padua, conceived a desire to emulate their +characters, before his ruined fortunes tempted him to adopt their +practices. It was for the arrangement of his present plan of life, that +the midnight councils were held at his mansion in Venice, and at which +Orsino and some other members of the present community then assisted +with suggestions, which they had since executed with the wreck of their +fortunes. + +On the return of night, Emily resumed her station at the casement. There +was now a moon; and, as it rose over the tufted woods, its yellow light +served to shew the lonely terrace and the surrounding objects, more +distinctly, than the twilight of the stars had done, and promised Emily +to assist her observations, should the mysterious form return. On this +subject, she again wavered in conjecture, and hesitated whether to speak +to the figure, to which a strong and almost irresistible interest urged +her; but terror, at intervals, made her reluctant to do so. + +'If this is a person who has designs upon the castle,' said she, 'my +curiosity may prove fatal to me; yet the mysterious music, and the +lamentations I heard, must surely have proceeded from him: if so, he +cannot be an enemy.' + +She then thought of her unfortunate aunt, and, shuddering with grief +and horror, the suggestions of imagination seized her mind with all +the force of truth, and she believed, that the form she had seen was +supernatural. She trembled, breathed with difficulty, an icy coldness +touched her cheeks, and her fears for a while overcame her judgment. +Her resolution now forsook her, and she determined, if the figure should +appear, not to speak to it. + +Thus the time passed, as she sat at her casement, awed by expectation, +and by the gloom and stillness of midnight; for she saw obscurely in +the moon-light only the mountains and woods, a cluster of towers, that +formed the west angle of the castle, and the terrace below; and heard +no sound, except, now and then, the lonely watch-word, passed by the +centinels on duty, and afterwards the steps of the men who came to +relieve guard, and whom she knew at a distance on the rampart by their +pikes, that glittered in the moonbeam, and then, by the few short words, +in which they hailed their fellows of the night. Emily retired within +her chamber, while they passed the casement. When she returned to +it, all was again quiet. It was now very late, she was wearied with +watching, and began to doubt the reality of what she had seen on the +preceding night; but she still lingered at the window, for her mind was +too perturbed to admit of sleep. The moon shone with a clear lustre, +that afforded her a complete view of the terrace; but she saw only a +solitary centinel, pacing at one end of it; and, at length, tired with +expectation, she withdrew to seek rest. + +Such, however, was the impression, left on her mind by the music, and +the complaining she had formerly heard, as well as by the figure, which +she fancied she had seen, that she determined to repeat the watch, on +the following night. + +Montoni, on the next day, took no notice of Emily's appointed visit, but +she, more anxious than before to see him, sent Annette to enquire, at +what hour he would admit her. He mentioned eleven o'clock, and Emily +was punctual to the moment; at which she called up all her fortitude +to support the shock of his presence and the dreadful recollections it +enforced. He was with several of his officers, in the cedar room; +on observing whom she paused; and her agitation increased, while he +continued to converse with them, apparently not observing her, till some +of his officers, turning round, saw Emily, and uttered an exclamation. +She was hastily retiring, when Montoni's voice arrested her, and, in a +faultering accent, she said,--'I would speak with you, Signor Montoni, +if you are at leisure.' + +'These are my friends,' he replied, 'whatever you would say, they may +hear.' + +Emily, without replying, turned from the rude gaze of the chevaliers, +and Montoni then followed her to the hall, whence he led her to a small +room, of which he shut the door with violence. As she looked on his dark +countenance, she again thought she saw the murderer of her aunt; and +her mind was so convulsed with horror, that she had not power to recall +thought enough to explain the purport of her visit; and to trust herself +with the mention of Madame Montoni was more than she dared. + +Montoni at length impatiently enquired what she had to say? 'I have no +time for trifling,' he added, 'my moments are important.' + +Emily then told him, that she wished to return to France, and came to +beg, that he would permit her to do so.--But when he looked surprised, +and enquired for the motive of the request, she hesitated, became paler +than before, trembled, and had nearly sunk at his feet. He observed +her emotion, with apparent indifference, and interrupted the silence +by telling her, he must be gone. Emily, however, recalled her spirits +sufficiently to enable her to repeat her request. And, when Montoni +absolutely refused it, her slumbering mind was roused. + +'I can no longer remain here with propriety, sir,' said she, 'and I may +be allowed to ask, by what right you detain me.' + +'It is my will that you remain here,' said Montoni, laying his hand on +the door to go; 'let that suffice you.' + +Emily, considering that she had no appeal from this will, forbore to +dispute his right, and made a feeble effort to persuade him to be +just. 'While my aunt lived, sir,' said she, in a tremulous voice, 'my +residence here was not improper; but now, that she is no more, I may +surely be permitted to depart. My stay cannot benefit you, sir, and will +only distress me.' + +'Who told you, that Madame Montoni was dead?' said Montoni, with an +inquisitive eye. Emily hesitated, for nobody had told her so, and +she did not dare to avow the having seen that spectacle in the +portal-chamber, which had compelled her to the belief. + +'Who told you so?' he repeated, more sternly. + +'Alas! I know it too well,' replied Emily: 'spare me on this terrible +subject!' + +She sat down on a bench to support herself. + +'If you wish to see her,' said Montoni, 'you may; she lies in the east +turret.' + +He now left the room, without awaiting her reply, and returned to the +cedar chamber, where such of the chevaliers as had not before seen +Emily, began to rally him, on the discovery they had made; but Montoni +did not appear disposed to bear this mirth, and they changed the +subject. + +Having talked with the subtle Orsino, on the plan of an excursion, which +he meditated for a future day, his friend advised, that they should lie +in wait for the enemy, which Verezzi impetuously opposed, reproached +Orsino with want of spirit, and swore, that, if Montoni would let him +lead on fifty men, he would conquer all that should oppose him. + +Orsino smiled contemptuously; Montoni smiled too, but he also listened. +Verezzi then proceeded with vehement declamation and assertion, till he +was stopped by an argument of Orsino, which he knew not how to answer +better than by invective. His fierce spirit detested the cunning caution +of Orsino, whom he constantly opposed, and whose inveterate, though +silent, hatred he had long ago incurred. And Montoni was a calm observer +of both, whose different qualifications he knew, and how to bend their +opposite character to the perfection of his own designs. But Verezzi, +in the heat of opposition, now did not scruple to accuse Orsino of +cowardice, at which the countenance of the latter, while he made no +reply, was overspread with a livid paleness; and Montoni, who watched +his lurking eye, saw him put his hand hastily into his bosom. But +Verezzi, whose face, glowing with crimson, formed a striking contrast to +the complexion of Orsino, remarked not the action, and continued boldly +declaiming against cowards to Cavigni, who was slily laughing at his +vehemence, and at the silent mortification of Orsino, when the latter, +retiring a few steps behind, drew forth a stilletto to stab his +adversary in the back. Montoni arrested his half-extended arm, and, with +a significant look, made him return the poinard into his bosom, unseen +by all except himself; for most of the party were disputing at a +distant window, on the situation of a dell where they meant to form an +ambuscade. + +When Verezzi had turned round, the deadly hatred, expressed on the +features of his opponent, raising, for the first time, a suspicion +of his intention, he laid his hand on his sword, and then, seeming to +recollect himself, strode up to Montoni. + +'Signor,' said he, with a significant look at Orsino, 'we are not a +band of assassins; if you have business for brave men employ me on this +expedition: you shall have the last drop of my blood; if you have +only work for cowards--keep him,' pointing to Orsino, 'and let me quit +Udolpho.' + +Orsino, still more incensed, again drew forth his stilletto, and rushed +towards Verezzi, who, at the same instant, advanced with his sword, when +Montoni and the rest of the party interfered and separated them. + +'This is the conduct of a boy,' said Montoni to Verezzi, 'not of a man: +be more moderate in your speech.' + +'Moderation is the virtue of cowards,' retorted Verezzi; 'they are +moderate in every thing--but in fear.' + +'I accept your words,' said Montoni, turning upon him with a fierce and +haughty look, and drawing his sword out of the scabbard. + +'With all my heart,' cried Verezzi, 'though I did not mean them for +you.' + +He directed a pass at Montoni; and, while they fought, the villain +Orsino made another attempt to stab Verezzi, and was again prevented. + +The combatants were, at length, separated; and, after a very long and +violent dispute, reconciled. Montoni then left the room with Orsino, +whom he detained in private consultation for a considerable time. + +Emily, meanwhile, stunned by the last words of Montoni, forgot, for the +moment, his declaration, that she should continue in the castle, while +she thought of her unfortunate aunt, who, he had said, was laid in +the east turret. In suffering the remains of his wife to lie thus long +unburied, there appeared a degree of brutality more shocking than she +had suspected even Montoni could practise. + +After a long struggle, she determined to accept his permission to visit +the turret, and to take a last look of her ill-fated aunt: with which +design she returned to her chamber, and, while she waited for Annette +to accompany her, endeavoured to acquire fortitude sufficient to support +her through the approaching scene; for, though she trembled to encounter +it, she knew that to remember the performance of this last act of duty +would hereafter afford her consoling satisfaction. + +Annette came, and Emily mentioned her purpose, from which the former +endeavoured to dissuade her, though without effect, and Annette was, +with much difficulty, prevailed upon to accompany her to the turret; but +no consideration could make her promise to enter the chamber of death. + +They now left the corridor, and, having reached the foot of the +stair-case, which Emily had formerly ascended, Annette declared she +would go no further, and Emily proceeded alone. When she saw the track +of blood, which she had before observed, her spirits fainted, and, being +compelled to rest on the stairs, she almost determined to proceed no +further. The pause of a few moments restored her resolution, and she +went on. + +As she drew near the landing-place, upon which the upper chamber opened, +she remembered, that the door was formerly fastened, and apprehended, +that it might still be so. In this expectation, however, she was +mistaken; for the door opened at once, into a dusky and silent chamber, +round which she fearfully looked, and then slowly advanced, when a +hollow voice spoke. Emily, who was unable to speak, or to move from +the spot, uttered no sound of terror. The voice spoke again; and, then, +thinking that it resembled that of Madame Montoni, Emily's spirits were +instantly roused; she rushed towards a bed, that stood in a remote part +of the room, and drew aside the curtains. Within, appeared a pale and +emaciated face. She started back, then again advanced, shuddered as she +took up the skeleton hand, that lay stretched upon the quilt; then let +it drop, and then viewed the face with a long, unsettled gaze. It +was that of Madame Montoni, though so changed by illness, that the +resemblance of what it had been, could scarcely be traced in what it now +appeared. She was still alive, and, raising her heavy eyes, she turned +them on her niece. + +'Where have you been so long?' said she, in the same tone, 'I +thought you had forsaken me.' + +'Do you indeed live,' said Emily, at length, 'or is this but a terrible +apparition?' she received no answer, and again she snatched up the hand. +'This is substance,' she exclaimed, 'but it is cold--cold as marble!' +She let it fall. 'O, if you really live, speak!' said Emily, in a voice +of desperation, 'that I may not lose my senses--say you know me!' + +'I do live,' replied Madame Montoni, 'but--I feel that I am about to +die.' + +Emily clasped the hand she held, more eagerly, and groaned. They were +both silent for some moments. Then Emily endeavoured to soothe her, and +enquired what had reduced her to this present deplorable state. + +Montoni, when he removed her to the turret under the improbable +suspicion of having attempted his life, had ordered the men employed on +the occasion, to observe a strict secrecy concerning her. To this he was +influenced by a double motive. He meant to debar her from the comfort +of Emily's visits, and to secure an opportunity of privately dispatching +her, should any new circumstances occur to confirm the present +suggestions of his suspecting mind. His consciousness of the hatred he +deserved it was natural enough should at first led him to attribute to +her the attempt that had been made upon his life; and, though there +was no other reason to believe that she was concerned in that atrocious +design, his suspicions remained; he continued to confine her in the +turret, under a strict guard; and, without pity or remorse, had suffered +her to lie, forlorn and neglected, under a raging fever, till it had +reduced her to the present state. + +The track of blood, which Emily had seen on the stairs, had flowed from +the unbound wound of one of the men employed to carry Madame Montoni, +and which he had received in the late affray. At night these men, having +contented themselves with securing the door of their prisoner's room, +had retired from guard; and then it was, that Emily, at the time of her +first enquiry, had found the turret so silent and deserted. + +When she had attempted to open the door of the chamber, her aunt was +sleeping, and this occasioned the silence, which had contributed to +delude her into a belief, that she was no more; yet had her terror +permitted her to persevere longer in the call, she would probably +have awakened Madame Montoni, and have been spared much suffering. The +spectacle in the portal-chamber, which afterwards confirmed Emily's +horrible suspicion, was the corpse of a man, who had fallen in the +affray, and the same which had been borne into the servants' hall, where +she took refuge from the tumult. This man had lingered under his wounds +for some days; and, soon after his death, his body had been removed +on the couch, on which he died, for interment in the vault beneath the +chapel, through which Emily and Barnardine had passed to the chamber. + +Emily, after asking Madame Montoni a thousand questions concerning +herself, left her, and sought Montoni; for the more solemn interest +she felt for her aunt, made her now regardless of the resentment her +remonstrances might draw upon herself, and of the improbability of his +granting what she meant to entreat. + +'Madame Montoni is now dying, sir,' said Emily, as soon as she saw +him--'Your resentment, surely will not pursue her to the last moment! +Suffer her to be removed from that forlorn room to her own apartment, +and to have necessary comforts administered.' + +'Of what service will that be, if she is dying?' said Montoni, with +apparent indifference. + +'The service, at leave, of saving you, sir, from a few of those pangs +of conscience you must suffer, when you shall be in the same situation,' +said Emily, with imprudent indignation, of which Montoni soon made her +sensible, by commanding her to quit his presence. Then, forgetting her +resentment, and impressed only by compassion for the piteous state of +her aunt, dying without succour, she submitted to humble herself to +Montoni, and to adopt every persuasive means, that might induce him to +relent towards his wife. + +For a considerable time he was proof against all she said, and all she +looked; but at length the divinity of pity, beaming in Emily's eyes, +seemed to touch his heart. He turned away, ashamed of his better +feelings, half sullen and half relenting; but finally consented, that +his wife should be removed to her own apartment, and that Emily should +attend her. Dreading equally, that this relief might arrive too late, +and that Montoni might retract his concession, Emily scarcely staid to +thank him for it, but, assisted by Annette, she quickly prepared Madame +Montoni's bed, and they carried her a cordial, that might enable her +feeble frame to sustain the fatigue of a removal. + +Madame was scarcely arrived in her own apartment, when an order was +given by her husband, that she should remain in the turret; but Emily, +thankful that she had made such dispatch, hastened to inform him of it, +as well as that a second removal would instantly prove fatal, and he +suffered his wife to continue where she was. + +During this day, Emily never left Madame Montoni, except to prepare such +little nourishing things as she judged necessary to sustain her, and +which Madame Montoni received with quiet acquiescence, though she seemed +sensible that they could not save her from approaching dissolution, and +scarcely appeared to wish for life. Emily meanwhile watched over her +with the most tender solicitude, no longer seeing her imperious aunt in +the poor object before her, but the sister of her late beloved father, +in a situation that called for all her compassion and kindness. When +night came, she determined to sit up with her aunt, but this the latter +positively forbade, commanding her to retire to rest, and Annette alone +to remain in her chamber. Rest was, indeed, necessary to Emily, whose +spirits and frame were equally wearied by the occurrences and exertions +of the day; but she would not leave Madame Montoni, till after the turn +of midnight, a period then thought so critical by the physicians. + +Soon after twelve, having enjoined Annette to be wakeful, and to call +her, should any change appear for the worse, Emily sorrowfully bade +Madame Montoni good night, and withdrew to her chamber. Her spirits were +more than usually depressed by the piteous condition of her aunt, whose +recovery she scarcely dared to expect. To her own misfortunes she saw no +period, inclosed as she was, in a remote castle, beyond the reach of any +friends, had she possessed such, and beyond the pity even of strangers; +while she knew herself to be in the power of a man capable of any +action, which his interest, or his ambition, might suggest. + +Occupied by melancholy reflections and by anticipations as sad, she +did not retire immediately to rest, but leaned thoughtfully on her open +casement. The scene before her of woods and mountains, reposing in the +moon-light, formed a regretted contrast with the state of her mind; +but the lonely murmur of these woods, and the view of this sleeping +landscape, gradually soothed her emotions and softened her to tears. + +She continued to weep, for some time, lost to every thing, but to +a gentle sense of her misfortunes. When she, at length, took the +handkerchief from her eyes, she perceived, before her, on the terrace +below, the figure she had formerly observed, which stood fixed and +silent, immediately opposite to her casement. On perceiving it, she +started back, and terror for some time overcame curiosity;--at length, +she returned to the casement, and still the figure was before it, which +she now compelled herself to observe, but was utterly unable to speak, +as she had formerly intended. The moon shone with a clear light, and +it was, perhaps, the agitation of her mind, that prevented her +distinguishing, with any degree of accuracy, the form before her. It +was still stationary, and she began to doubt, whether it was really +animated. + +Her scattered thoughts were now so far returned as to remind her, that +her light exposed her to dangerous observation, and she was stepping +back to remove it, when she perceived the figure move, and then wave +what seemed to be its arm, as if to beckon her; and, while she gazed, +fixed in fear, it repeated the action. She now attempted to speak, but +the words died on her lips, and she went from the casement to remove her +light; as she was doing which, she heard, from without, a faint groan. +Listening, but not daring to return, she presently heard it repeated. + +'Good God!--what can this mean!' said she. + +Again she listened, but the sound came no more; and, after a long +interval of silence, she recovered courage enough to go to the casement, +when she again saw the same appearance! It beckoned again, and again +uttered a low sound. + +'That groan was surely human!' said she. 'I WILL speak.' 'Who is it,' +cried Emily in a faint voice, 'that wanders at this late hour?' + +The figure raised its head but suddenly started away, and glided down +the terrace. She watched it, for a long while, passing swiftly in +the moon-light, but heard no footstep, till a sentinel from the other +extremity of the rampart walked slowly along. The man stopped under +her window, and, looking up, called her by name. She was retiring +precipitately, but, a second summons inducing her to reply, the +soldier then respectfully asked if she had seen any thing pass. On +her answering, that she had; he said no more, but walked away down the +terrace, Emily following him with her eyes, till he was lost in the +distance. But, as he was on guard, she knew he could not go beyond the +rampart, and, therefore, resolved to await his return. + +Soon after, his voice was heard, at a distance, calling loudly; and +then a voice still more distant answered, and, in the next moment, the +watch-word was given, and passed along the terrace. As the soldiers +moved hastily under the casement, she called to enquire what had +happened, but they passed without regarding her. + +Emily's thoughts returning to the figure she had seen, 'It cannot be a +person, who has designs upon the castle,' said she; 'such an one would +conduct himself very differently. He would not venture where sentinels +were on watch, nor fix himself opposite to a window, where he perceived +he must be observed; much less would he beckon, or utter a sound of +complaint. Yet it cannot be a prisoner, for how could he obtain the +opportunity to wander thus?' + +If she had been subject to vanity, she might have supposed this figure +to be some inhabitant of the castle, who wandered under her casement in +the hope of seeing her, and of being allowed to declare his admiration; +but this opinion never occurred to Emily, and, if it had, she would have +dismissed it as improbable, on considering, that, when the opportunity +of speaking had occurred, it had been suffered to pass in silence; and +that, even at the moment in which she had spoken, the form had abruptly +quitted the place. + +While she mused, two sentinels walked up the rampart in earnest +conversation, of which she caught a few words, and learned from these, +that one of their comrades had fallen down senseless. Soon after, three +other soldiers appeared slowly advancing from the bottom of the terrace, +but she heard only a low voice, that came at intervals. As they drew +near, she perceived this to be the voice of him, who walked in the +middle, apparently supported by his comrades; and she again called +to them, enquiring what had happened. At the sound of her voice, they +stopped, and looked up, while she repeated her question, and was told, +that Roberto, their fellow of the watch, had been seized with a fit, and +that his cry, as he fell, had caused a false alarm. + +'Is he subject to fits?' said Emily. + +'Yes, Signora,' replied Roberto; 'but if I had not, what I saw was +enough to have frightened the Pope himself.' + +'What was it?' enquired Emily, trembling. + +'I cannot tell what it was, lady, or what I saw, or how it vanished,' +replied the soldier, who seemed to shudder at the recollection. + +'Was it the person, whom you followed down the rampart, that has +occasioned you this alarm?' said Emily, endeavouring to conceal her own. + +'Person!' exclaimed the man,--'it was the devil, and this is not the +first time I have seen him!' + +'Nor will it be the last,' observed one of his comrades, laughing. + +'No, no, I warrant not,' said another. + +'Well,' rejoined Roberto, 'you may be as merry now, as you please; you +was none so jocose the other night, Sebastian, when you was on watch +with Launcelot.' + +'Launcelot need not talk of that,' replied Sebastian, 'let him remember +how he stood trembling, and unable to give the WORD, till the man was +gone, If the man had not come so silently upon us, I would have seized +him, and soon made him tell who he was.' + +'What man?' enquired Emily. + +'It was no man, lady,' said Launcelot, who stood by, 'but the devil +himself, as my comrade says. What man, who does not live in the castle, +could get within the walls at midnight? Why, I might just as well +pretend to march to Venice, and get among all the Senators, when they +are counselling; and I warrant I should have more chance of getting +out again alive, than any fellow, that we should catch within the gates +after dark. So I think I have proved plainly enough, that this can be +nobody that lives out of the castle; and now I will prove, that it can +be nobody that lives in the castle--for, if he did--why should he be +afraid to be seen? So after this, I hope nobody will pretend to tell +me it was anybody. No, I say again, by holy Pope! it was the devil, and +Sebastian, there, knows this is not the first time we have seen him.' + +'When did you see the figure, then, before?' said Emily half smiling, +who, though she thought the conversation somewhat too much, felt an +interest, which would not permit her to conclude it. + +'About a week ago, lady,' said Sebastian, taking up the story. + +'And where?' + +'On the rampart, lady, higher up.' + +'Did you pursue it, that it fled?' + +'No, Signora. Launcelot and I were on watch together, and every thing +was so still, you might have heard a mouse stir, when, suddenly, +Launcelot says--Sebastian! do you see nothing? I turned my head a +little to the left, as it might be--thus. No, says I. Hush! said +Launcelot,--look yonder--just by the last cannon on the rampart! I +looked, and then thought I did see something move; but there being no +light, but what the stars gave, I could not be certain. We stood quite +silent, to watch it, and presently saw something pass along the castle +wall just opposite to us!' + +'Why did you not seize it, then?' cried a soldier, who had scarcely +spoken till now. + +'Aye, why did you not seize it?' said Roberto. + +'You should have been there to have done that,' replied Sebastian. 'You +would have been bold enough to have taken it by the throat, though it +had been the devil himself; we could not take such a liberty, perhaps, +because we are not so well acquainted with him, as you are. But, as I +was saying, it stole by us so quickly, that we had not time to get rid +of our surprise, before it was gone. Then, we knew it was in vain to +follow. We kept constant watch all that night, but we saw it no more. +Next morning, we told some of our comrades, who were on duty on other +parts of the ramparts, what we had seen; but they had seen nothing, and +laughed at us, and it was not till to-night, that the same figure walked +again.' + +'Where did you lose it, friend?' said Emily to Roberto. + +'When I left you, lady,' replied the man, 'you might see me go down the +rampart, but it was not till I reached the east terrace, that I saw +any thing. Then, the moon shining bright, I saw something like a shadow +flitting before me, as it were, at some distance. I stopped, when I +turned the corner of the east tower, where I had seen this figure not +a moment before,--but it was gone! As I stood, looking through the +old arch, which leads to the east rampart, and where I am sure it had +passed, I heard, all of a sudden, such a sound!--it was not like a +groan, or a cry, or a shout, or any thing I ever heard in my life. I +heard it only once, and that was enough for me; for I know nothing that +happened after, till I found my comrades, here, about me.' + +'Come,' said Sebastian, 'let us go to our posts--the moon is setting. +Good night, lady!' + +'Aye, let us go,' rejoined Roberto. 'Good night, lady.' + +'Good night; the holy mother guard you!' said Emily, as she closed her +casement and retired to reflect upon the strange circumstance that had +just occurred, connecting which with what had happened on former nights, +she endeavoured to derive from the whole something more positive, than +conjecture. But her imagination was inflamed, while her judgment was not +enlightened, and the terrors of superstition again pervaded her mind. + + + +CHAPTER IV + + + There is one within, + Besides the things, that we have heard and seen, + Recounts most horrid sights, seen by the watch. + JULIUS CAESAR + +In the morning, Emily found Madame Montoni nearly in the same condition, +as on the preceding night; she had slept little, and that little had +not refreshed her; she smiled on her niece, and seemed cheered by her +presence, but spoke only a few words, and never named Montoni, who, +however, soon after, entered the room. His wife, when she understood +that he was there, appeared much agitated, but was entirely silent, till +Emily rose from a chair at the bed-side, when she begged, in a feeble +voice, that she would not leave her. + +The visit of Montoni was not to sooth his wife, whom he knew to be +dying, or to console, or to ask her forgiveness, but to make a last +effort to procure that signature, which would transfer her estates in +Languedoc, after her death, to him rather than to Emily. This was a +scene, that exhibited, on his part, his usual inhumanity, and, on that +of Madame Montoni, a persevering spirit, contending with a feeble frame; +while Emily repeatedly declared to him her willingness to resign all +claim to those estates, rather than that the last hours of her aunt +should be disturbed by contention. Montoni, however, did not leave the +room, till his wife, exhausted by the obstinate dispute, had fainted, +and she lay so long insensible, that Emily began to fear that the spark +of life was extinguished. At length, she revived, and, looking feebly +up at her niece, whose tears were falling over her, made an effort to +speak, but her words were unintelligible, and Emily again apprehended +she was dying. Afterwards, however, she recovered her speech, and, being +somewhat restored by a cordial, conversed for a considerable time, on +the subject of her estates in France, with clearness and precision. She +directed her niece where to find some papers relative to them, which she +had hitherto concealed from the search of Montoni, and earnestly charged +her never to suffer these papers to escape her. + +Soon after this conversation, Madame Montoni sunk into a dose, and +continued slumbering, till evening, when she seemed better than she +had been since her removal from the turret. Emily never left her, for a +moment, till long after midnight, and even then would not have quitted +the room, had not her aunt entreated, that she would retire to rest. She +then obeyed, the more willingly, because her patient appeared somewhat +recruited by sleep; and, giving Annette the same injunction, as on the +preceding night, she withdrew to her own apartment. But her spirits +were wakeful and agitated, and, finding it impossible to sleep, she +determined to watch, once more, for the mysterious appearance, that had +so much interested and alarmed her. + +It was now the second watch of the night, and about the time when +the figure had before appeared. Emily heard the passing steps of the +sentinels, on the rampart, as they changed guard; and, when all was +again silent, she took her station at the casement, leaving her lamp in +a remote part of the chamber, that she might escape notice from without. +The moon gave a faint and uncertain light, for heavy vapours surrounded +it, and, often rolling over the disk, left the scene below in total +darkness. It was in one of these moments of obscurity, that she observed +a small and lambent flame, moving at some distance on the terrace. While +she gazed, it disappeared, and, the moon again emerging from the lurid +and heavy thunder clouds, she turned her attention to the heavens, where +the vivid lightnings darted from cloud to cloud, and flashed silently on +the woods below. She loved to catch, in the momentary gleam, the gloomy +landscape. Sometimes, a cloud opened its light upon a distant mountain, +and, while the sudden splendour illumined all its recesses of rock and +wood, the rest of the scene remained in deep shadow; at others, partial +features of the castle were revealed by the glimpse--the antient arch +leading to the east rampart, the turret above, or the fortifications +beyond; and then, perhaps, the whole edifice with all its towers, its +dark massy walls and pointed casements would appear, and vanish in an +instant. + +Emily, looking again upon the rampart, perceived the flame she had +seen before; it moved onward; and, soon after, she thought she heard a +footstep. The light appeared and disappeared frequently, while, as she +watched, it glided under her casements, and, at the same instant, she +was certain, that a footstep passed, but the darkness did not permit her +to distinguish any object except the flame. It moved away, and then, by +a gleam of lightning, she perceived some person on the terrace. All the +anxieties of the preceding night returned. This person advanced, and the +playing flame alternately appeared and vanished. Emily wished to speak, +to end her doubts, whether this figure were human or supernatural; but +her courage failed as often as she attempted utterance, till the light +moved again under the casement, and she faintly demanded, who passed. + +'A friend,' replied a voice. + +'What friend?' said Emily, somewhat encouraged 'who are you, and what is +that light you carry?' + +'I am Anthonio, one of the Signor's soldiers,' replied the voice. + +'And what is that tapering light you bear?' said Emily, 'see how it +darts upwards,--and now it vanishes!' + +'This light, lady,' said the soldier, 'has appeared to-night as you see +it, on the point of my lance, ever since I have been on watch; but what +it means I cannot tell.' + +'This is very strange!' said Emily. + +'My fellow-guard,' continued the man, 'has the same flame on his arms; +he says he has sometimes seen it before. I never did; I am but lately +come to the castle, for I have not been long a soldier.' + +'How does your comrade account for it?' said Emily. + +'He says it is an omen, lady, and bodes no good.' + +'And what harm can it bode?' rejoined Emily. + +'He knows not so much as that, lady.' + +Whether Emily was alarmed by this omen, or not, she certainly was +relieved from much terror by discovering this man to be only a soldier +on duty, and it immediately occurred to her, that it might be he, +who had occasioned so much alarm on the preceding night. There were, +however, some circumstances, that still required explanation. As far +as she could judge by the faint moon-light, that had assisted her +observation, the figure she had seen did not resemble this man either +in shape or size; besides, she was certain it had carried no arms. The +silence of its steps, if steps it had, the moaning sounds, too, which +it had uttered, and its strange disappearance, were circumstances of +mysterious import, that did not apply, with probability, to a soldier +engaged in the duty of his guard. + +She now enquired of the sentinel, whether he had seen any person besides +his fellow watch, walking on the terrace, about midnight; and then +briefly related what she had herself observed. + +'I was not on guard that night, lady,' replied the man, 'but I heard of +what happened. There are amongst us, who believe strange things. Strange +stories, too, have long been told of this castle, but it is no business +of mine to repeat them; and, for my part, I have no reason to complain; +our Chief does nobly by us.' + +'I commend your prudence,' said Emily. 'Good night, and accept this from +me,' she added, throwing him a small piece of coin, and then closing the +casement to put an end to the discourse. + +When he was gone, she opened it again, listened with a gloomy pleasure +to the distant thunder, that began to murmur among the mountains, and +watched the arrowy lightnings, which broke over the remoter scene. The +pealing thunder rolled onward, and then, reverbed by the mountains, +other thunder seemed to answer from the opposite horizon; while the +accumulating clouds, entirely concealing the moon, assumed a red +sulphureous tinge, that foretold a violent storm. + +Emily remained at her casement, till the vivid lightning, that now, +every instant, revealed the wide horizon and the landscape below, made +it no longer safe to do so, and she went to her couch; but, unable +to compose her mind to sleep, still listened in silent awe to the +tremendous sounds, that seemed to shake the castle to its foundation. + +She had continued thus for a considerable time, when, amidst the uproar +of the storm, she thought she heard a voice, and, raising herself to +listen, saw the chamber door open, and Annette enter with a countenance +of wild affright. + +'She is dying, ma'amselle, my lady is dying!' said she. + +Emily started up, and ran to Madame Montoni's room. When she entered, +her aunt appeared to have fainted, for she was quite still, and +insensible; and Emily with a strength of mind, that refused to yield to +grief, while any duty required her activity, applied every means that +seemed likely to restore her. But the last struggle was over--she was +gone for ever. + +When Emily perceived, that all her efforts were ineffectual, she +interrogated the terrified Annette, and learned, that Madame Montoni +had fallen into a doze soon after Emily's departure, in which she had +continued, until a few minutes before her death. + +'I wondered, ma'amselle,' said Annette, 'what was the reason my lady did +not seem frightened at the thunder, when I was so terrified, and I went +often to the bed to speak to her, but she appeared to be asleep; till +presently I heard a strange noise, and, on going to her, saw she was +dying.' + +Emily, at this recital, shed tears. She had no doubt but that the +violent change in the air, which the tempest produced, had effected this +fatal one, on the exhausted frame of Madame Montoni. + +After some deliberation, she determined that Montoni should not be +informed of this event till the morning, for she considered, that he +might, perhaps, utter some inhuman expressions, such as in the present +temper of her spirits she could not bear. With Annette alone, therefore, +whom she encouraged by her own example, she performed some of the last +solemn offices for the dead, and compelled herself to watch during the +night, by the body of her deceased aunt. During this solemn period, +rendered more awful by the tremendous storm that shook the air, she +frequently addressed herself to Heaven for support and protection, and +her pious prayers, we may believe, were accepted of the God, that giveth +comfort. + + + +CHAPTER V + + + The midnight clock has toll'd; and hark, the bell + Of Death beats slow! heard ye the note profound? + It pauses now; and now, with rising knell, + Flings to the hollow gale its sullen sound. + MASON + +When Montoni was informed of the death of his wife, and considered +that she had died without giving him the signature so necessary to +the accomplishment of his wishes, no sense of decency restrained the +expression of his resentment. Emily anxiously avoided his presence, and +watched, during two days and two nights, with little intermission, by +the corpse of her late aunt. Her mind deeply impressed with the unhappy +fate of this object, she forgot all her faults, her unjust and imperious +conduct to herself; and, remembering only her sufferings, thought of +her only with tender compassion. Sometimes, however, she could not avoid +musing upon the strange infatuation that had proved so fatal to her +aunt, and had involved herself in a labyrinth of misfortune, from which +she saw no means of escaping,--the marriage with Montoni. But, when +she considered this circumstance, it was 'more in sorrow than in +anger,'--more for the purpose of indulging lamentation, than reproach. + +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 ivyed +battlements of the ruin, or perceived the still flittings of the bat, +which frequently crossed her way. But, when, having entered the chapel, +and passed between the mouldering pillars of the aisles, the bearers +stopped at a flight of steps, that led down to a low arched door, and, +their comrade having descended to unlock it, she saw imperfectly the +gloomy abyss beyond;--saw the corpse of her aunt carried down these +steps, and the ruffian-like figure, that stood with a torch at the +bottom to receive it--all her fortitude was lost in emotions of +inexpressible grief and terror. She turned to lean upon Annette, who was +cold and trembling like herself, and she lingered so long on the summit +of the flight, that the gleam of the torch began to die away on the +pillars of the chapel, and the men were almost beyond her view. Then, +the gloom around her awakening other fears, and a sense of what she +considered to be her duty overcoming her reluctance, she descended to +the vaults, following the echo of footsteps and the faint ray, that +pierced the darkness, till the harsh grating of a distant door, that was +opened to receive the corpse, again appalled her. + +After the pause of a moment, she went on, and, as she entered the +vaults, saw between the arches, at some distance, the men lay down the +body near the edge of an open grave, where stood another of Montoni's +men and a priest, whom she did not observe, till he began the burial +service; then, lifting her eyes from the ground, she saw the venerable +figure of the friar, and heard him in a low voice, equally solemn and +affecting, perform the service for the dead. At the moment, in which +they let down the body into the earth, the scene was such as only the +dark pencil of a Domenichino, perhaps, could have done justice to. The +fierce features and wild dress of the condottieri, bending with their +torches over the grave, into which the corpse was descending, were +contrasted by the venerable figure of the monk, wrapt in long black +garments, his cowl thrown back from his pale face, on which the light +gleaming strongly shewed the lines of affliction softened by piety, and +the few grey locks, which time had spared on his temples: while, +beside him, stood the softer form of Emily, who leaned for support upon +Annette; her face half averted, and shaded by a thin veil, that fell +over her figure; and her mild and beautiful countenance fixed in +grief so solemn as admitted not of tears, while she thus saw committed +untimely to the earth her last relative and friend. The gleams, thrown +between the arches of the vaults, where, here and there, the broken +ground marked the spots in which other bodies had been recently +interred, and the general obscurity beyond were circumstances, that +alone would have led on the imagination of a spectator to scenes +more horrible, than even that, which was pictured at the grave of the +misguided and unfortunate Madame Montoni. + +When the service was over, the friar regarded Emily with attention and +surprise, and looked as if he wished to speak to her, but was restrained +by the presence of the condottieri, who, as they now led the way to +the courts, amused themselves with jokes upon his holy order, which +he endured in silence, demanding only to be conducted safely to his +convent, and to which Emily listened with concern and even horror. When +they reached the court, the monk gave her his blessing, and, after a +lingering look of pity, turned away to the portal, whither one of the +men carried a torch; while Annette, lighting another, preceded Emily to +her apartment. The appearance of the friar and the expression of tender +compassion, with which he had regarded her, had interested Emily, who, +though it was at her earnest supplication, that Montoni had consented +to allow a priest to perform the last rites for his deceased wife, knew +nothing concerning this person, till Annette now informed her, that he +belonged to a monastery, situated among the mountains at a few miles +distance. The Superior, who regarded Montoni and his associates, not +only with aversion, but with terror, had probably feared to offend him +by refusing his request, and had, therefore, ordered a monk to officiate +at the funeral, who, with the meek spirit of a christian, had overcome +his reluctance to enter the walls of such a castle, by the wish of +performing what he considered to be his duty, and, as the chapel was +built on consecrated ground, had not objected to commit to it the +remains of the late unhappy Madame Montoni. + +Several days passed with Emily in total seclusion, and in a state of +mind partaking both of terror for herself, and grief for the departed. +She, at length, determined to make other efforts to persuade Montoni to +permit her return to France. Why he should wish to detain her, she could +scarcely dare to conjecture; but it was too certain that he did so, and +the absolute refusal he had formerly given to her departure allowed her +little hope, that he would now consent to it. But the horror, which his +presence inspired, made her defer, from day to day, the mention of this +subject; and at last she was awakened from her inactivity only by a +message from him, desiring her attendance at a certain hour. She began +to hope he meant to resign, now that her aunt was no more, the authority +he had usurped over her; till she recollected, that the estates, which +had occasioned so much contention, were now hers, and she then feared +Montoni was about to employ some stratagem for obtaining them, and +that he would detain her his prisoner, till he succeeded. This thought, +instead of overcoming her with despondency, roused all the latent +powers of her fortitude into action; and the property, which she would +willingly have resigned to secure the peace of her aunt, she resolved, +that no common sufferings of her own should ever compel her to give to +Montoni. For Valancourt's sake also she determined to preserve these +estates, since they would afford that competency, by which she hoped to +secure the comfort of their future lives. As she thought of this, she +indulged the tenderness of tears, and anticipated the delight of that +moment, when, with affectionate generosity, she might tell him they +were his own. She saw the smile, that lighted up his features--the +affectionate regard, which spoke at once his joy and thanks; and, at +this instant, she believed she could brave any suffering, which the evil +spirit of Montoni might be preparing for her. Remembering then, for the +first time since her aunt's death, the papers relative to the estates +in question, she determined to search for them, as soon as her interview +with Montoni was over. + +With these resolutions she met him at the appointed time, and waited to +hear his intention before she renewed her request. With him were Orsino +and another officer, and both were standing near a table, covered with +papers, which he appeared to be examining. + +'I sent for you, Emily,' said Montoni, raising his head, 'that you might +be a witness in some business, which I am transacting with my friend +Orsino. All that is required of you will be to sign your name to this +paper:' he then took one up, hurried unintelligibly over some lines, +and, laying it before her on the table, offered her a pen. She took it, +and was going to write--when the design of Montoni came upon her mind +like a flash of lightning; she trembled, let the pen fall, and refused +to sign what she had not read. Montoni affected to laugh at her +scruples, and, taking up the paper, again pretended to read; but Emily, +who still trembled on perceiving her danger, and was astonished, that +her own credulity had so nearly betrayed her, positively refused to sign +any paper whatever. Montoni, for some time, persevered in affecting +to ridicule this refusal; but, when he perceived by her steady +perseverance, that she understood his design, he changed his manner, and +bade her follow him to another room. There he told her, that he had been +willing to spare himself and her the trouble of useless contest, in an +affair, where his will was justice, and where she should find it law; +and had, therefore, endeavoured to persuade, rather than to compel, her +to the practice of her duty. + +'I, as the husband of the late Signora Montoni,' he added, 'am the heir +of all she possessed; the estates, therefore, which she refused to me +in her life-time, can no longer be withheld, and, for your own sake, I +would undeceive you, respecting a foolish assertion she once made to you +in my hearing--that these estates would be yours, if she died without +resigning them to me. She knew at that moment, she had no power to +withhold them from me, after her decease; and I think you have more +sense, than to provoke my resentment by advancing an unjust claim. I +am not in the habit of flattering, and you will, therefore, receive, +as sincere, the praise I bestow, when I say, that you possess an +understanding superior to that of your sex; and that you have none +of those contemptible foibles, that frequently mark the female +character--such as avarice and the love of power, which latter makes +women delight to contradict and to tease, when they cannot conquer. If +I understand your disposition and your mind, you hold in sovereign +contempt these common failings of your sex.' + +Montoni paused; and Emily remained silent and expecting; for she knew +him too well, to believe he would condescend to such flattery, unless he +thought it would promote his own interest; and, though he had forborne +to name vanity among the foibles of women, it was evident, that he +considered it to be a predominant one, since he designed to sacrifice to +hers the character and understanding of her whole sex. + +'Judging as I do,' resumed Montoni, 'I cannot believe you will oppose, +where you know you cannot conquer, or, indeed, that you would wish to +conquer, or be avaricious of any property, when you have not justice +on your side. I think it proper, however, to acquaint you with the +alternative. If you have a just opinion of the subject in question, you +shall be allowed a safe conveyance to France, within a short period; +but, if you are so unhappy as to be misled by the late assertion of the +Signora, you shall remain my prisoner, till you are convinced of your +error.' + +Emily calmly said, + +'I am not so ignorant, Signor, of the laws on this subject, as to be +misled by the assertion of any person. The law, in the present instance, +gives me the estates in question, and my own hand shall never betray my +right.' + +'I have been mistaken in my opinion of you, it appears,' rejoined +Montoni, sternly. 'You speak boldly, and presumptuously, upon a subject, +which you do not understand. For once, I am willing to pardon the +conceit of ignorance; the weakness of your sex, too, from which, it +seems, you are not exempt, claims some allowance; but, if you persist in +this strain--you have every thing to fear from my justice.' + +'From your justice, Signor,' rejoined Emily, 'I have nothing to fear--I +have only to hope.' + +Montoni looked at her with vexation, and seemed considering what to +say. 'I find that you are weak enough,' he resumed, 'to credit the idle +assertion I alluded to! For your own sake I lament this; as to me, it +is of little consequence. Your credulity can punish only yourself; and I +must pity the weakness of mind, which leads you to so much suffering as +you are compelling me to prepare for you.' + +'You may find, perhaps, Signor,' said Emily, with mild dignity, 'that +the strength of my mind is equal to the justice of my cause; and that I +can endure with fortitude, when it is in resistance of oppression.' + +'You speak like a heroine,' said Montoni, contemptuously; 'we shall see +whether you can suffer like one.' + +Emily was silent, and he left the room. + +Recollecting, that it was for Valancourt's sake she had thus resisted, +she now smiled complacently upon the threatened sufferings, and retired +to the spot, which her aunt had pointed out as the repository of the +papers, relative to the estates, where she found them as described; and, +since she knew of no better place of concealment, than this, returned +them, without examining their contents, being fearful of discovery, +while she should attempt a perusal. + +To her own solitary chamber she once more returned, and there thought +again of the late conversation with Montoni, and of the evil she might +expect from opposition to his will. But his power did not appear so +terrible to her imagination, as it was wont to do: a sacred pride was +in her heart, that taught it to swell against the pressure of injustice, +and almost to glory in the quiet sufferance of ills, in a cause, which +had also the interest of Valancourt for its object. For the first time, +she felt the full extent of her own superiority to Montoni, and despised +the authority, which, till now, she had only feared. + +As she sat musing, a peal of laughter rose from the terrace, and, on +going to the casement, she saw, with inexpressible surprise, three +ladies, dressed in the gala habit of Venice, walking with several +gentlemen below. She gazed in an astonishment that made her remain at +the window, regardless of being observed, till the group passed under +it; and, one of the strangers looking up, she perceived the features of +Signora Livona, with whose manners she had been so much charmed, the day +after her arrival at Venice, and who had been there introduced at the +table of Montoni. This discovery occasioned her an emotion of doubtful +joy; for it was matter of joy and comfort to know, that a person, of a +mind so gentle, as that of Signora Livona seemed to be, was near her; +yet there was something so extraordinary in her being at this castle, +circumstanced as it now was, and evidently, by the gaiety of her air, +with her own consent, that a very painful surmise arose, concerning her +character. But the thought was so shocking to Emily, whose affection the +fascinating manners of the Signora had won, and appeared so improbable, +when she remembered these manners, that she dismissed it almost +instantly. + +On Annette's appearance, however, she enquired, concerning these +strangers; and the former was as eager to tell, as Emily was to learn. + +'They are just come, ma'amselle,' said Annette, 'with two Signors from +Venice, and I was glad to see such Christian faces once again.--But +what can they mean by coming here? They must surely be stark mad to come +freely to such a place as this! Yet they do come freely, for they seem +merry enough, I am sure.' + +'They were taken prisoners, perhaps?' said Emily. + +'Taken prisoners!' exclaimed Annette; 'no, indeed, ma'amselle, not they. +I remember one of them very well at Venice: she came two or three times, +to the Signor's you know, ma'amselle, and it was said, but I did not +believe a word of it--it was said, that the Signor liked her better than +he should do. Then why, says I, bring her to my lady? Very true, said +Ludovico; but he looked as if he knew more, too.' + +Emily desired Annette would endeavour to learn who these ladies were, as +well as all she could concerning them; and she then changed the subject, +and spoke of distant France. + +'Ah, ma'amselle! we shall never see it more!' said Annette, almost +weeping.--'I must come on my travels, forsooth!' + +Emily tried to sooth and to cheer her, with a hope, in which she +scarcely herself indulged. + +'How--how, ma'amselle, could you leave France, and leave Mons. +Valancourt, too?' said Annette, sobbing. 'I--I--am sure, if Ludovico had +been in France, I would never have left it.' + +'Why do you lament quitting France, then?' said Emily, trying to smile, +'since, if you had remained there, you would not have found Ludovico.' + +'Ah, ma'amselle! I only wish I was out of this frightful castle, serving +you in France, and I would care about nothing else!' + +'Thank you, my good Annette, for your affectionate regard; the time will +come, I hope, when you may remember the expression of that wish with +pleasure.' + +Annette departed on her business, and Emily sought to lose the sense of +her own cares, in the visionary scenes of the poet; but she had again to +lament the irresistible force of circumstances over the taste and powers +of the mind; and that it requires a spirit at ease to be sensible even +to the abstract pleasures of pure intellect. The enthusiasm of genius, +with all its pictured scenes, now appeared cold, and dim. As she mused +upon the book before her, she involuntarily exclaimed, 'Are these, +indeed, the passages, that have so often given me exquisite delight? +Where did the charm exist?--Was it in my mind, or in the imagination +of the poet? It lived in each,' said she, pausing. 'But the fire of the +poet is vain, if the mind of his reader is not tempered like his own, +however it may be inferior to his in power.' + +Emily would have pursued this train of thinking, because it relieved her +from more painful reflection, but she found again, that thought cannot +always be controlled by will; and hers returned to the consideration of +her own situation. + +In the evening, not choosing to venture down to the ramparts, where she +would be exposed to the rude gaze of Montoni's associates, she walked +for air in the gallery, adjoining her chamber; on reaching the further +end of which she heard distant sounds of merriment and laughter. It was +the wild uproar of riot, not the cheering gaiety of tempered mirth; and +seemed to come from that part of the castle, where Montoni usually was. +Such sounds, at this time, when her aunt had been so few days dead, +particularly shocked her, consistent as they were with the late conduct +of Montoni. + +As she listened, she thought she distinguished female voices mingling +with the laughter, and this confirmed her worst surmise, concerning the +character of Signora Livona and her companions. It was evident, that +they had not been brought hither by compulsion; and she beheld herself +in the remote wilds of the Apennine, surrounded by men, whom she +considered to be little less than ruffians, and their worst associates, +amid scenes of vice, from which her soul recoiled in horror. It was at +this moment, when the scenes of the present and the future opened to her +imagination, that the image of Valancourt failed in its influence, and +her resolution shook with dread. She thought she understood all the +horrors, which Montoni was preparing for her, and shrunk from an +encounter with such remorseless vengeance, as he could inflict. The +disputed estates she now almost determined to yield at once, whenever +he should again call upon her, that she might regain safety and freedom; +but then, the remembrance of Valancourt would steal to her heart, and +plunge her into the distractions of doubt. + +She continued walking in the gallery, till evening threw its melancholy +twilight through the painted casements, and deepened the gloom of +the oak wainscoting around her; while the distant perspective of +the corridor was so much obscured, as to be discernible only by the +glimmering window, that terminated it. + +Along the vaulted halls and passages below, peals of laughter echoed +faintly, at intervals, to this remote part of the castle, and seemed to +render the succeeding stillness more dreary. Emily, however, unwilling +to return to her more forlorn chamber, whither Annette was not yet come, +still paced the gallery. As she passed the door of the apartment, where +she had once dared to lift the veil, which discovered to her a spectacle +so horrible, that she had never after remembered it, but with emotions +of indescribable awe, this remembrance suddenly recurred. It now brought +with it reflections more terrible, than it had yet done, which the late +conduct of Montoni occasioned; and, hastening to quit the gallery, while +she had power to do so, she heard a sudden step behind her.--It might +be that of Annette; but, turning fearfully to look, she saw, through the +gloom, a tall figure following her, and all the horrors of that chamber +rushed upon her mind. In the next moment, she found herself clasped in +the arms of some person, and heard a deep voice murmur in her ear. + +When she had power to speak, or to distinguish articulated sounds, she +demanded who detained her. + +'It is I,' replied the voice--'Why are you thus alarmed?' + +She looked on the face of the person who spoke, but the feeble light, +that gleamed through the high casement at the end of the gallery, did +not permit her to distinguish the features. + +'Whoever you are,' said Emily, in a trembling voice, 'for heaven's sake +let me go!' + +'My charming Emily,' said the man, 'why will you shut yourself up in +this obscure place, when there is so much gaiety below? Return with +me to the cedar parlour, where you will be the fairest ornament of the +party;--you shall not repent the exchange.' + +Emily disdained to reply, and still endeavoured to liberate herself. + +'Promise, that you will come,' he continued, 'and I will release you +immediately; but first give me a reward for so doing.' + +'Who are you?' demanded Emily, in a tone of mingled terror and +indignation, while she still struggled for liberty--'who are you, that +have the cruelty thus to insult me?' + +'Why call me cruel?' said the man, 'I would remove you from this dreary +solitude to a merry party below. Do you not know me?' + +Emily now faintly remembered, that he was one of the officers who were +with Montoni when she attended him in the morning. 'I thank you for +the kindness of your intention,' she replied, without appearing to +understand him, 'but I wish for nothing so much as that you would leave +me.' + +'Charming Emily!' said he, 'give up this foolish whim for solitude, and +come with me to the company, and eclipse the beauties who make part of +it; you, only, are worthy of my love.' He attempted to kiss her hand, +but the strong impulse of her indignation gave her power to liberate +herself, and she fled towards the chamber. She closed the door, before +he reached it, having secured which, she sunk in a chair, overcome by +terror and by the exertion she had made, while she heard his voice, +and his attempts to open the door, without having the power to raise +herself. At length, she perceived him depart, and had remained, +listening, for a considerable time, and was somewhat revived by not +hearing any sound, when suddenly she remembered the door of the private +stair-case, and that he might enter that way, since it was fastened only +on the other side. She then employed herself in endeavouring to secure +it, in the manner she had formerly done. It appeared to her, that +Montoni had already commenced his scheme of vengeance, by withdrawing +from her his protection, and she repented of the rashness, that had made +her brave the power of such a man. To retain the estates seemed to be +now utterly impossible, and to preserve her life, perhaps her honour, +she resolved, if she should escape the horrors of this night, to give up +all claims to the estates, on the morrow, provided Montoni would suffer +her to depart from Udolpho. + +When she had come to this decision, her mind became more composed, +though she still anxiously listened, and often started at ideal sounds, +that appeared to issue from the stair-case. + +Having sat in darkness for some hours, during all which time Annette did +not appear, she began to have serious apprehensions for her; but, not +daring to venture down into the castle, was compelled to remain in +uncertainty, as to the cause of this unusual absence. + +Emily often stole to the stair-case door, to listen if any step +approached, but still no sound alarmed her: determining, however, to +watch, during the night, she once more rested on her dark and desolate +couch, and bathed the pillow with innocent tears. She thought of her +deceased parents and then of the absent Valancourt, and frequently +called upon their names; for the profound stillness, that now reigned, +was propitious to the musing sorrow of her mind. + +While she thus remained, her ear suddenly caught the notes of distant +music, to which she listened attentively, and, soon perceiving this +to be the instrument she had formerly heard at midnight, she rose, and +stepped softly to the casement, to which the sounds appeared to come +from a lower room. + +In a few moments, their soft melody was accompanied by a voice so full +of pathos, that it evidently sang not of imaginary sorrows. Its sweet +and peculiar tones she thought she had somewhere heard before; yet, if +this was not fancy, it was, at most, a very faint recollection. It +stole over her mind, amidst the anguish of her present suffering, like a +celestial strain, soothing, and re-assuring her;--'Pleasant as the gale +of spring, that sighs on the hunter's ear, when he awakens from dreams +of joy, and has heard the music of the spirits of the hill.'* + +(*Ossian. [A. R.]) + + +But her emotion can scarcely be imagined, when she heard sung, with the +taste and simplicity of true feeling, one of the popular airs of her +native province, to which she had so often listened with delight, when +a child, and which she had so often heard her father repeat! To this +well-known song, never, till now, heard but in her native country, her +heart melted, while the memory of past times returned. The pleasant, +peaceful scenes of Gascony, the tenderness and goodness of her parents, +the taste and simplicity of her former life--all rose to her fancy, and +formed a picture, so sweet and glowing, so strikingly contrasted +with the scenes, the characters and the dangers, which now surrounded +her--that her mind could not bear to pause upon the retrospect, and +shrunk at the acuteness of its own sufferings. + +Her sighs were deep and convulsed; she could no longer listen to the +strain, that had so often charmed her to tranquillity, and she withdrew +from the casement to a remote part of the chamber. But she was not yet +beyond the reach of the music; she heard the measure change, and the +succeeding air called her again to the window, for she immediately +recollected it to be the same she had formerly heard in the +fishing-house in Gascony. Assisted, perhaps, by the mystery, which had +then accompanied this strain, it had made so deep an impression on her +memory, that she had never since entirely forgotten it; and the manner, +in which it was now sung, convinced her, however unaccountable the +circumstances appeared, that this was the same voice she had then +heard. Surprise soon yielded to other emotions; a thought darted, +like lightning, upon her mind, which discovered a train of hopes, that +revived all her spirits. Yet these hopes were so new, so unexpected, +so astonishing, that she did not dare to trust, though she could not +resolve to discourage them. She sat down by the casement, breathless, +and overcome with the alternate emotions of hope and fear; then rose +again, leaned from the window, that she might catch a nearer sound, +listened, now doubting and then believing, softly exclaimed the name of +Valancourt, and then sunk again into the chair. Yes, it was possible, +that Valancourt was near her, and she recollected circumstances, +which induced her to believe it was his voice she had just heard. She +remembered he had more than once said that the fishing-house, where +she had formerly listened to this voice and air, and where she had seen +pencilled sonnets, addressed to herself, had been his favourite haunt, +before he had been made known to her; there, too, she had herself +unexpectedly met him. It appeared, from these circumstances, more +than probable, that he was the musician, who had formerly charmed her +attention, and the author of the lines, which had expressed such tender +admiration;--who else, indeed, could it be? She was unable, at +that time, to form a conjecture, as to the writer, but, since +her acquaintance with Valancourt, whenever he had mentioned the +fishing-house to have been known to him, she had not scrupled to believe +that he was the author of the sonnets. + +As these considerations passed over her mind, joy, fear and tenderness +contended at her heart; she leaned again from the casement to catch the +sounds, which might confirm, or destroy her hope, though she did +not recollect to have ever heard him sing; but the voice, and the +instrument, now ceased. + +She considered for a moment whether she should venture to speak: then, +not choosing, lest it should be he, to mention his name, and yet too +much interested to neglect the opportunity of enquiring, she called from +the casement, 'Is that song from Gascony?' Her anxious attention was +not cheered by any reply; every thing remained silent. Her impatience +increasing with her fears, she repeated the question; but still no sound +was heard, except the sighings of the wind among the battlements above; +and she endeavoured to console herself with a belief, that the stranger, +whoever he was, had retired, before she had spoken, beyond the reach +of her voice, which, it appeared certain, had Valancourt heard and +recognized, he would instantly have replied to. Presently, however, she +considered, that a motive of prudence, and not an accidental removal, +might occasion his silence; but the surmise, that led to this +reflection, suddenly changed her hope and joy to terror and grief; for, +if Valancourt were in the castle, it was too probable, that he was here +a prisoner, taken with some of his countrymen, many of whom were at that +time engaged in the wars of Italy, or intercepted in some attempt to +reach her. Had he even recollected Emily's voice, he would have feared, +in these circumstances, to reply to it, in the presence of the men, who +guarded his prison. + +What so lately she had eagerly hoped she now believed she +dreaded;--dreaded to know, that Valancourt was near her; and, while she +was anxious to be relieved from her apprehension for his safety, she +still was unconscious, that a hope of soon seeing him, struggled with +the fear. + +She remained listening at the casement, till the air began to freshen, +and one high mountain in the east to glimmer with the morning; when, +wearied with anxiety, she retired to her couch, where she found +it utterly impossible to sleep, for joy, tenderness, doubt and +apprehension, distracted her during the whole night. Now she rose from +the couch, and opened the casement to listen; then she would pace the +room with impatient steps, and, at length, return with despondence to +her pillow. Never did hours appear to move so heavily, as those of this +anxious night; after which she hoped that Annette might appear, and +conclude her present state of torturing suspense. + + + +CHAPTER VI + + + might we but hear + The folded flocks penn'd in their watled cotes, + Or sound of pastoral reed with oaten stops, + Or whistle from the lodge, or village cock + Count the night watches to his feathery dames, + 'Twould be some solace yet, some little cheering + In this close dungeon of innumerous boughs. + MILTON + +In the morning, Emily was relieved from her fears for Annette, who came +at an early hour. + +'Here were fine doings in the castle, last night, ma'amselle,' said +she, as soon as she entered the room,--'fine doings, indeed! Was you not +frightened, ma'amselle, at not seeing me?' + +'I was alarmed both on your account and on my own,' replied Emily--'What +detained you?' + +'Aye, I said so, I told him so; but it would not do. It was not my +fault, indeed, ma'amselle, for I could not get out. That rogue Ludovico +locked me up again.' + +'Locked you up!' said Emily, with displeasure, 'Why do you permit +Ludovico to lock you up?' + +'Holy Saints!' exclaimed Annette, 'how can I help it! If he will lock +the door, ma'amselle, and take away the key, how am I to get out, unless +I jump through the window? But that I should not mind so much, if the +casements here were not all so high; one can hardly scramble up to them +on the inside, and one should break one's neck, I suppose, going down +on the outside. But you know, I dare say, ma'am, what a hurly-burly the +castle was in, last night; you must have heard some of the uproar.' + +'What, were they disputing, then?' said Emily. + +'No, ma'amselle, nor fighting, but almost as good, for I believe there +was not one of the Signors sober; and what is more, not one of those +fine ladies sober, either. I thought, when I saw them first, that all +those fine silks and fine veils,--why, ma'amselle, their veils were +worked with silver! and fine trimmings--boded no good--I guessed what +they were!' + +'Good God!' exclaimed Emily, 'what will become of me!' + +'Aye, ma'am, Ludovico said much the same thing of me. Good God! said he, +Annette, what is to become of you, if you are to go running about the +castle among all these drunken Signors?' + +'O! says I, for that matter, I only want to go to my young lady's +chamber, and I have only to go, you know, along the vaulted passage and +across the great hall and up the marble stair-case and along the north +gallery and through the west wing of the castle and I am in the corridor +in a minute.' 'Are you so? says he, and what is to become of you, if +you meet any of those noble cavaliers in the way?' 'Well, says I, if you +think there is danger, then, go with me, and guard me; I am never afraid +when you are by.' 'What! says he, when I am scarcely recovered of one +wound, shall I put myself in the way of getting another? for if any of +the cavaliers meet you, they will fall a-fighting with me directly. +No, no, says he, I will cut the way shorter, than through the vaulted +passage and up the marble stair-case, and along the north gallery and +through the west wing of the castle, for you shall stay here, Annette; +you shall not go out of this room, to-night.' 'So, with that I says'-- + +'Well, well,' said Emily, impatiently, and anxious to enquire on another +subject,--'so he locked you up?' + +'Yes, he did indeed, ma'amselle, notwithstanding all I could say to the +contrary; and Caterina and I and he staid there all night. And in a few +minutes after I was not so vexed, for there came Signor Verezzi roaring +along the passage, like a mad bull, and he mistook Ludovico's hall, for +old Carlo's; so he tried to burst open the door, and called out for more +wine, for that he had drunk all the flasks dry, and was dying of thirst. +So we were all as still as night, that he might suppose there was nobody +in the room; but the Signor was as cunning as the best of us, and kept +calling out at the door, "Come forth, my antient hero!" said he, "here +is no enemy at the gate, that you need hide yourself: come forth, my +valorous Signor Steward!" Just then old Carlo opened his door, and he +came with a flask in his hand; for, as soon as the Signor saw him, he +was as tame as could be, and followed him away as naturally as a dog +does a butcher with a piece of meat in his basket. All this I saw +through the key-hole. Well, Annette, said Ludovico, jeeringly, shall I +let you out now? O no, says I, I would not'-- + +'I have some questions to ask you on another subject,' interrupted +Emily, quite wearied by this story. 'Do you know whether there are any +prisoners in the castle, and whether they are confined at this end of +the edifice?' + +'I was not in the way, ma'amselle,' replied Annette, 'when the first +party came in from the mountains, and the last party is not come +back yet, so I don't know, whether there are any prisoners; but it is +expected back to-night, or to-morrow, and I shall know then, perhaps.' + +Emily enquired if she had ever heard the servants talk of prisoners. + +'Ah ma'amselle!' said Annette archly, 'now I dare say you are thinking +of Monsieur Valancourt, and that he may have come among the armies, +which, they say, are come from our country, to fight against this state, +and that he has met with some of OUR people, and is taken captive. O +Lord! how glad I should be, if it was so!' + +'Would you, indeed, be glad?' said Emily, in a tone of mournful +reproach. + +'To be sure I should, ma'am,' replied Annette, 'and would not you be +glad too, to see Signor Valancourt? I don't know any chevalier I like +better, I have a very great regard for the Signor, truly.' + +'Your regard for him cannot be doubted,' said Emily, 'since you wish to +see him a prisoner.' + +'Why no, ma'amselle, not a prisoner either; but one must be glad to see +him, you know. And it was only the other night I dreamt--I dreamt I saw +him drive into the castle-yard all in a coach and six, and dressed out, +with a laced coat and a sword, like a lord as he is.' + +Emily could not forbear smiling at Annette's ideas of Valancourt, +and repeated her enquiry, whether she had heard the servants talk of +prisoners. + +'No, ma'amselle,' replied she, 'never; and lately they have done nothing +but talk of the apparition, that has been walking about of a night on +the ramparts, and that frightened the sentinels into fits. It came among +them like a flash of fire, they say, and they all fell down in a row, +till they came to themselves again; and then it was gone, and nothing to +be seen but the old castle walls; so they helped one another up again as +fast as they could. You would not believe, ma'amselle, though I shewed +you the very cannon, where it used to appear.' + +'And are you, indeed, so simple, Annette,' said Emily, smiling at this +curious exaggeration of the circumstances she had witnessed, 'as to +credit these stories?' + +'Credit them, ma'amselle! why all the world could not persuade me out +of them. Roberto and Sebastian and half a dozen more of them went into +fits! To be sure, there was no occasion for that; I said, myself, there +was no need of that, for, says I, when the enemy comes, what a pretty +figure they will cut, if they are to fall down in fits, all of a row! +The enemy won't be so civil, perhaps, as to walk off, like the ghost, +and leave them to help one another up, but will fall to, cutting and +slashing, till he makes them all rise up dead men. No, no, says I, there +is reason in all things: though I might have fallen down in a fit that +was no rule for them, being, because it is no business of mine to look +gruff, and fight battles.' + +Emily endeavoured to correct the superstitious weakness of Annette, +though she could not entirely subdue her own; to which the latter only +replied, 'Nay, ma'amselle, you will believe nothing; you are almost as +bad as the Signor himself, who was in a great passion when they told +of what had happened, and swore that the first man, who repeated such +nonsense, should be thrown into the dungeon under the east turret. This +was a hard punishment too, for only talking nonsense, as he called it, +but I dare say he had other reasons for calling it so, than you have, +ma'am.' + +Emily looked displeased, and made no reply. As she mused upon the +recollected appearance, which had lately so much alarmed her, and +considered the circumstances of the figure having stationed itself +opposite to her casement, she was for a moment inclined to believe it +was Valancourt, whom she had seen. Yet, if it was he, why did he not +speak to her, when he had the opportunity of doing so--and, if he was a +prisoner in the castle, and he could be here in no other character, how +could he obtain the means of walking abroad on the rampart? Thus she +was utterly unable to decide, whether the musician and the form she had +observed, were the same, or, if they were, whether this was Valancourt. +She, however, desired that Annette would endeavour to learn whether any +prisoners were in the castle, and also their names. + +'O dear, ma'amselle!' said Annette, 'I forget to tell you what you bade +me ask about, the ladies, as they call themselves, who are lately come +to Udolpho. Why that Signora Livona, that the Signor brought to see my +late lady at Venice, is his mistress now, and was little better then, +I dare say. And Ludovico says (but pray be secret, ma'am) that his +excellenza introduced her only to impose upon the world, that had begun +to make free with her character. So when people saw my lady notice her, +they thought what they had heard must be scandal. The other two are the +mistresses of Signor Verezzi and Signor Bertolini; and Signor Montoni +invited them all to the castle; and so, yesterday, he gave a great +entertainment; and there they were, all drinking Tuscany wine and all +sorts, and laughing and singing, till they made the castle ring again. +But I thought they were dismal sounds, so soon after my poor lady's +death too; and they brought to my mind what she would have thought, if +she had heard them--but she cannot hear them now, poor soul! said I.' + +Emily turned away to conceal her emotion, and then desired Annette to +go, and make enquiry, concerning the prisoners, that might be in the +castle, but conjured her to do it with caution, and on no account to +mention her name, or that of Monsieur Valancourt. + +'Now I think of it, ma'amselle,' said Annette, 'I do believe there are +prisoners, for I overheard one of the Signor's men, yesterday, in the +servants hall, talking something about ransoms, and saying what a fine +thing it was for his excellenza to catch up men, and they were as +good booty as any other, because of the ransoms. And the other man was +grumbling, and saying it was fine enough for the Signor, but none so +fine for his soldiers, because, said he, we don't go shares there.' + +This information heightened Emily's impatience to know more, and Annette +immediately departed on her enquiry. + +The late resolution of Emily to resign her estates to Montoni, now gave +way to new considerations; the possibility, that Valancourt was near +her, revived her fortitude, and she determined to brave the threatened +vengeance, at least, till she could be assured whether he was really in +the castle. She was in this temper of mind, when she received a message +from Montoni, requiring her attendance in the cedar parlour, which she +obeyed with trembling, and, on her way thither, endeavoured to animate +her fortitude with the idea of Valancourt. + +Montoni was alone. 'I sent for you,' said he, 'to give you another +opportunity of retracting your late mistaken assertions concerning the +Languedoc estates. I will condescend to advise, where I may command.--If +you are really deluded by an opinion, that you have any right to these +estates, at least, do not persist in the error--an error, which you +may perceive, too late, has been fatal to you. Dare my resentment no +further, but sign the papers.' + +'If I have no right in these estates, sir,' said Emily, 'of what service +can it be to you, that I should sign any papers, concerning them? If +the lands are yours by law, you certainly may possess them, without my +interference, or my consent.' + +'I will have no more argument,' said Montoni, with a look that made +her tremble. 'What had I but trouble to expect, when I condescended +to reason with a baby! But I will be trifled with no longer: let the +recollection of your aunt's sufferings, in consequence of her folly and +obstinacy, teach you a lesson.--Sign the papers.' + +Emily's resolution was for a moment awed:--she shrunk at the +recollections he revived, and from the vengeance he threatened; but +then, the image of Valancourt, who so long had loved her, and who was +now, perhaps, so near her, came to her heart, and, together with the +strong feelings of indignation, with which she had always, from her +infancy, regarded an act of injustice, inspired her with a noble, though +imprudent, courage. + +'Sign the papers,' said Montoni, more impatiently than before. + +'Never, sir,' replied Emily; 'that request would have proved to me the +injustice of your claim, had I even been ignorant of my right.' + +Montoni turned pale with anger, while his quivering lip and lurking eye +made her almost repent the boldness of her speech. + +'Then all my vengeance falls upon you,' he exclaimed, with an horrible +oath. 'And think not it shall be delayed. Neither the estates in +Languedoc, or Gascony, shall be yours; you have dared to question my +right,--now dare to question my power. I have a punishment which you +think not of; it is terrible! This night--this very night'-- + +'This night!' repeated another voice. + +Montoni paused, and turned half round, but, seeming to recollect +himself, he proceeded in a lower tone. + +'You have lately seen one terrible example of obstinacy and folly; yet +this, it appears, has not been sufficient to deter you.--I could tell +you of others--I could make you tremble at the bare recital.' + +He was interrupted by a groan, which seemed to rise from underneath the +chamber they were in; and, as he threw a glance round it, impatience and +rage flashed from his eyes, yet something like a shade of fear passed +over his countenance. Emily sat down in a chair, near the door, for the +various emotions she had suffered, now almost overcame her; but Montoni +paused scarcely an instant, and, commanding his features, resumed his +discourse in a lower, yet sterner voice. + +'I say, I could give you other instances of my power and of my +character, which it seems you do not understand, or you would not defy +me.--I could tell you, that, when once my resolution is taken--but I +am talking to a baby. Let me, however, repeat, that terrible as are the +examples I could recite, the recital could not now benefit you; for, +though your repentance would put an immediate end to opposition, it +would not now appease my indignation.--I will have vengeance as well as +justice.' + +Another groan filled the pause which Montoni made. + +'Leave the room instantly!' said he, seeming not to notice this strange +occurrence. Without power to implore his pity, she rose to go, but found +that she could not support herself; awe and terror overcame her, and she +sunk again into the chair. + +'Quit my presence!' cried Montoni. 'This affectation of fear ill becomes +the heroine who has just dared to brave my indignation.' + +'Did you hear nothing, Signor?' said Emily, trembling, and still unable +to leave the room. + +'I heard my own voice,' rejoined Montoni, sternly. + +'And nothing else?' said Emily, speaking with difficulty.--'There again! +Do you hear nothing now?' + +'Obey my order,' repeated Montoni. 'And for these fool's tricks--I will +soon discover by whom they are practised.' + +Emily again rose, and exerted herself to the utmost to leave the +room, while Montoni followed her; but, instead of calling aloud to his +servants to search the chamber, as he had formerly done on a similar +occurrence, passed to the ramparts. + +As, in her way to the corridor, she rested for a moment at an open +casement, Emily saw a party of Montoni's troops winding down a distant +mountain, whom she noticed no further, than as they brought to her mind +the wretched prisoners they were, perhaps, bringing to the castle. At +length, having reached her apartment, she threw herself upon the couch, +overcome with the new horrors of her situation. Her thoughts lost in +tumult and perplexity, she could neither repent of, or approve, her late +conduct; she could only remember, that she was in the power of a man, +who had no principle of action--but his will; and the astonishment and +terrors of superstition, which had, for a moment, so strongly assailed +her, now yielded to those of reason. + +She was, at length, roused from the reverie, which engaged her, by a +confusion of distant voices, and a clattering of hoofs, that seemed to +come, on the wind, from the courts. A sudden hope, that some good was +approaching, seized her mind, till she remembered the troops she had +observed from the casement, and concluded this to be the party, which +Annette had said were expected at Udolpho. + +Soon after, she heard voices faintly from the halls, and the noise +of horses' feet sunk away in the wind; silence ensued. Emily listened +anxiously for Annette's step in the corridor, but a pause of total +stillness continued, till again the castle seemed to be all tumult and +confusion. She heard the echoes of many footsteps, passing to and fro +in the halls and avenues below, and then busy tongues were loud on the +rampart. Having hurried to her casement, she perceived Montoni, with +some of his officers, leaning on the walls, and pointing from them; +while several soldiers were employed at the further end of the rampart +about some cannon; and she continued to observe them, careless of the +passing time. + +Annette at length appeared, but brought no intelligence of Valancourt, +'For, ma'amselle,' said she, 'all the people pretend to know nothing +about any prisoners. But here is a fine piece of business! The rest of +the party are just arrived, ma'am; they came scampering in, as if they +would have broken their necks; one scarcely knew whether the man, or his +horse would get within the gates first. And they have brought word--and +such news! they have brought word, that a party of the enemy, as they +call them, are coming towards the castle; so we shall have all the +officers of justice, I suppose, besieging it! all those terrible-looking +fellows one used to see at Venice.' + +'Thank God!' exclaimed Emily, fervently, 'there is yet a hope left for +me, then!' + +'What mean you, ma'amselle? Do you wish to fall into the hands of those +sad-looking men! Why I used to shudder as I passed them, and should have +guessed what they were, if Ludovico had not told me.' + +'We cannot be in worse hands than at present,' replied Emily, +unguardedly; 'but what reason have you to suppose these are officers of +justice?' + +'Why OUR people, ma'am, are all in such a fright, and a fuss; and I +don't know any thing but the fear of justice, that could make them so. +I used to think nothing on earth could fluster them, unless, indeed, +it was a ghost, or so; but now, some of them are for hiding down in +the vaults under the castle; but you must not tell the Signor this, +ma'amselle, and I overheard two of them talking--Holy Mother! what makes +you look so sad, ma'amselle? You don't hear what I say!' + +'Yes, I do, Annette; pray proceed.' + +'Well, ma'amselle, all the castle is in such hurly-burly. Some of the +men are loading the cannon, and some are examining the great gates, and +the walls all round, and are hammering and patching up, just as if all +those repairs had never been made, that were so long about. But what is +to become of me and you, ma'amselle, and Ludovico? O! when I hear the +sound of the cannon, I shall die with fright. If I could but catch the +great gate open for one minute, I would be even with it for shutting me +within these walls so long!--it should never see me again.' + +Emily caught the latter words of Annette. 'O! if you could find it open, +but for one moment!' she exclaimed, 'my peace might yet be saved!' +The heavy groan she uttered, and the wildness of her look, terrified +Annette, still more than her words; who entreated Emily to explain the +meaning of them, to whom it suddenly occurred, that Ludovico might be +of some service, if there should be a possibility of escape, and who +repeated the substance of what had passed between Montoni and herself, +but conjured her to mention this to no person except to Ludovico. 'It +may, perhaps, be in his power,' she added, 'to effect our escape. Go to +him, Annette, tell him what I have to apprehend, and what I have +already suffered; but entreat him to be secret, and to lose no time in +attempting to release us. If he is willing to undertake this he shall +be amply rewarded. I cannot speak with him myself, for we might be +observed, and then effectual care would be taken to prevent our flight. +But be quick, Annette, and, above all, be discreet--I will await your +return in this apartment.' + +The girl, whose honest heart had been much affected by the recital, was +now as eager to obey, as Emily was to employ her, and she immediately +quitted the room. + +Emily's surprise increased, as she reflected upon Annette's +intelligence. 'Alas!' said she, 'what can the officers of justice +do against an armed castle? these cannot be such.' Upon further +consideration, however, she concluded, that, Montoni's bands having +plundered the country round, the inhabitants had taken arms, and were +coming with the officers of police and a party of soldiers, to force +their way into the castle. 'But they know not,' thought she, 'its +strength, or the armed numbers within it. Alas! except from flight, I +have nothing to hope!' + +Montoni, though not precisely what Emily apprehended him to be--a +captain of banditti--had employed his troops in enterprises not less +daring, or less atrocious, than such a character would have undertaken. +They had not only pillaged, whenever opportunity offered, the helpless +traveller, but had attacked, and plundered the villas of several +persons, which, being situated among the solitary recesses of the +mountains, were totally unprepared for resistance. In these expeditions +the commanders of the party did not appear, and the men, partly +disguised, had sometimes been mistaken for common robbers, and, at +others, for bands of the foreign enemy, who, at that period, invaded +the country. But, though they had already pillaged several mansions, and +brought home considerable treasures, they had ventured to approach only +one castle, in the attack of which they were assisted by other troops of +their own order; from this, however, they were vigorously repulsed, +and pursued by some of the foreign enemy, who were in league with the +besieged. Montoni's troops fled precipitately towards Udolpho, but were +so closely tracked over the mountains, that, when they reached one of +the heights in the neighbourhood of the castle, and looked back upon the +road, they perceived the enemy winding among the cliffs below, and +at not more than a league distant. Upon this discovery, they hastened +forward with increased speed, to prepare Montoni for the enemy; and it +was their arrival, which had thrown the castle into such confusion and +tumult. + +As Emily awaited anxiously some information from below, she now saw from +her casements a body of troops pour over the neighbouring heights; and, +though Annette had been gone a very short time, and had a difficult and +dangerous business to accomplish, her impatience for intelligence became +painful: she listened; opened her door; and often went out upon the +corridor to meet her. + +At length, she heard a footstep approach her chamber; and, on opening +the door, saw, not Annette, but old Carlo! New fears rushed upon her +mind. He said he came from the Signor, who had ordered him to inform +her, that she must be ready to depart from Udolpho immediately, for that +the castle was about to be besieged; and that mules were preparing to +convey her, with her guides, to a place of safety. + +'Of safety!' exclaimed Emily, thoughtlessly; 'has, then, the Signor so +much consideration for me?' + +Carlo looked upon the ground, and made no reply. A thousand opposite +emotions agitated Emily, successively, as she listened to old Carlo; +those of joy, grief, distrust and apprehension, appeared, and vanished +from her mind, with the quickness of lightning. One moment, it seemed +impossible, that Montoni could take this measure merely for her +preservation; and so very strange was his sending her from the castle +at all, that she could attribute it only to the design of carrying into +execution the new scheme of vengeance, with which he had menaced her. In +the next instant, it appeared so desirable to quit the castle, under any +circumstances, that she could not but rejoice in the prospect, believing +that change must be for the better, till she remembered the probability +of Valancourt being detained in it, when sorrow and regret usurped her +mind, and she wished, much more fervently than she had yet done, that it +might not be his voice which she had heard. + +Carlo having reminded her, that she had no time to lose, for that the +enemy were within sight of the castle, Emily entreated him to inform +her whither she was to go; and, after some hesitation, he said he had +received no orders to tell; but, on her repeating the question, replied, +that he believed she was to be carried into Tuscany.' + +'To Tuscany!' exclaimed Emily--'and why thither?' + +Carlo answered, that he knew nothing further, than that she was to +be lodged in a cottage on the borders of Tuscany, at the feet of the +Apennines--'Not a day's journey distant,' said he. + +Emily now dismissed him; and, with trembling hands, prepared the small +package, that she meant to take with her; while she was employed about +which Annette returned. + +'O ma'amselle!' said she, 'nothing can be done! Ludovico says the new +porter is more watchful even than Barnardine was, and we might as well +throw ourselves in the way of a dragon, as in his. Ludovico is almost as +broken-hearted as you are, ma'am, on my account, he says, and I am sure +I shall never live to hear the cannon fire twice!' + +She now began to weep, but revived upon hearing of what had just +occurred, and entreated Emily to take her with her. + +'That I will do most willingly,' replied Emily, 'if Signor Montoni +permits it;' to which Annette made no reply, but ran out of the room, +and immediately sought Montoni, who was on the terrace, surrounded by +his officers, where she began her petition. He sharply bade her go into +the castle, and absolutely refused her request. Annette, however, not +only pleaded for herself, but for Ludovico; and Montoni had ordered some +of his men to take her from his presence, before she would retire. + +In an agony of disappointment, she returned to Emily, who foreboded +little good towards herself, from this refusal to Annette, and who, soon +after, received a summons to repair to the great court, where the mules, +with her guides, were in waiting. Emily here tried in vain to sooth the +weeping Annette, who persisted in saying, that she should never see her +dear young lady again; a fear, which her mistress secretly thought +too well justified, but which she endeavoured to restrain, while, +with apparent composure, she bade this affectionate servant farewell. +Annette, however, followed to the courts, which were now thronged with +people, busy in preparation for the enemy; and, having seen her mount +her mule and depart, with her attendants, through the portal, turned +into the castle and wept again. + +Emily, meanwhile, as she looked back upon the gloomy courts of the +castle, no longer silent as when she had first entered them, but +resounding with the noise of preparation for their defence, as well as +crowded with soldiers and workmen, hurrying to and fro; and, when she +passed once more under the huge portcullis, which had formerly struck +her with terror and dismay, and, looking round, saw no walls to confine +her steps--felt, in spite of anticipation, the sudden joy of a prisoner, +who unexpectedly finds himself at liberty. This emotion would not suffer +her now to look impartially on the dangers that awaited her without; on +mountains infested by hostile parties, who seized every opportunity for +plunder; and on a journey commended under the guidance of men, whose +countenances certainly did not speak favourably of their dispositions. +In the present moments, she could only rejoice, that she was liberated +from those walls, which she had entered with such dismal forebodings; +and, remembering the superstitious presentiment, which had then seized +her, she could now smile at the impression it had made upon her mind. + +As she gazed, with these emotions, upon the turrets of the castle, +rising high over the woods, among which she wound, the stranger, whom +she believed to be confined there, returned to her remembrance, and +anxiety and apprehension, lest he should be Valancourt, again passed +like a cloud upon her joy. She recollected every circumstance, +concerning this unknown person, since the night, when she had first +heard him play the song of her native province;--circumstances, which +she had so often recollected, and compared before, without extracting +from them any thing like conviction, and which still only prompted her +to believe, that Valancourt was a prisoner at Udolpho. It was possible, +however, that the men, who were her conductors, might afford her +information, on this subject; but, fearing to question them immediately, +lest they should be unwilling to discover any circumstance to her in the +presence of each other, she watched for an opportunity of speaking with +them separately. + +Soon after, a trumpet echoed faintly from a distance; the guides +stopped, and looked toward the quarter whence it came, but the thick +woods, which surrounded them, excluding all view of the country beyond, +one of the men rode on to the point of an eminence, that afforded a +more extensive prospect, to observe how near the enemy, whose trumpet he +guessed this to be, were advanced; the other, meanwhile, remained with +Emily, and to him she put some questions, concerning the stranger at +Udolpho. Ugo, for this was his name, said, that there were several +prisoners in the castle, but he neither recollected their persons, +or the precise time of their arrival, and could therefore give her no +information. There was a surliness in his manner, as he spoke, that made +it probable he would not have satisfied her enquiries, even if he could +have done so. + +Having asked him what prisoners had been taken, about the time, as +nearly as she could remember, when she had first heard the music, 'All +that week,' said Ugo, 'I was out with a party, upon the mountains, and +knew nothing of what was doing at the castle. We had enough upon our +hands, we had warm work of it.' + +Bertrand, the other man, being now returned, Emily enquired no further, +and, when he had related to his companion what he had seen, they +travelled on in deep silence; while Emily often caught, between the +opening woods, partial glimpses of the castle above--the west towers, +whose battlements were now crowded with archers, and the ramparts +below, where soldiers were seen hurrying along, or busy upon the walls, +preparing the cannon. + +Having emerged from the woods, they wound along the valley in an +opposite direction to that, from whence the enemy were approaching. +Emily now had a full view of Udolpho, with its gray walls, towers and +terraces, high over-topping the precipices and the dark woods, and +glittering partially with the arms of the condottieri, as the sun's +rays, streaming through an autumnal cloud, glanced upon a part of +the edifice, whose remaining features stood in darkened majesty. She +continued to gaze, through her tears, upon walls that, perhaps, confined +Valancourt, and which now, as the cloud floated away, were lighted up +with sudden splendour, and then, as suddenly were shrouded in gloom; +while the passing gleam fell on the wood-tops below, and heightened the +first tints of autumn, that had begun to steal upon the foliage. The +winding mountains, at length, shut Udolpho from her view, and she +turned, with mournful reluctance, to other objects. The melancholy +sighing of the wind among the pines, that waved high over the steeps, +and the distant thunder of a torrent assisted her musings, and conspired +with the wild scenery around, to diffuse over her mind emotions solemn, +yet not unpleasing, but which were soon interrupted by the distant roar +of cannon, echoing among the mountains. The sounds rolled along the +wind, and were repeated in faint and fainter reverberation, till they +sunk in sullen murmurs. This was a signal, that the enemy had reached +the castle, and fear for Valancourt again tormented Emily. She turned +her anxious eyes towards that part of the country, where the edifice +stood, but the intervening heights concealed it from her view; still, +however, she saw the tall head of a mountain, which immediately fronted +her late chamber, and on this she fixed her gaze, as if it could have +told her of all that was passing in the scene it overlooked. The guides +twice reminded her, that she was losing time and that they had far to +go, before she could turn from this interesting object, and, even when +she again moved onward, she often sent a look back, till only its blue +point, brightening in a gleam of sunshine, appeared peeping over other +mountains. + +The sound of the cannon affected Ugo, as the blast of the trumpet +does the war-horse; it called forth all the fire of his nature; he +was impatient to be in the midst of the fight, and uttered frequent +execrations against Montoni for having sent him to a distance. The +feelings of his comrade seemed to be very opposite, and adapted rather +to the cruelties, than to the dangers of war. + +Emily asked frequent questions, concerning the place of her destination, +but could only learn, that she was going to a cottage in Tuscany; and, +whenever she mentioned the subject, she fancied she perceived, in the +countenances of these men, an expression of malice and cunning, that +alarmed her. + +It was afternoon, when they had left the castle. During several hours, +they travelled through regions of profound solitude, where no bleat of +sheep, or bark of watch-dog, broke on silence, and they were now too far +off to hear even the faint thunder of the cannon. Towards evening, they +wound down precipices, black with forests of cypress, pine and cedar, +into a glen so savage and secluded, that, if Solitude ever had local +habitation, this might have been 'her place of dearest residence.' To +Emily it appeared a spot exactly suited for the retreat of banditti, +and, in her imagination, she already saw them lurking under the brow of +some projecting rock, whence their shadows, lengthened by the setting +sun, stretched across the road, and warned the traveller of his danger. +She shuddered at the idea, and, looking at her conductors, to observe +whether they were armed, thought she saw in them the banditti she +dreaded! + +It was in this glen, that they proposed to alight, 'For,' said Ugo, +'night will come on presently, and then the wolves will make it +dangerous to stop.' This was a new subject of alarm to Emily, but +inferior to what she suffered from the thought of being left in these +wilds, at midnight, with two such men as her present conductors. Dark +and dreadful hints of what might be Montoni's purpose in sending her +hither, came to her mind. She endeavoured to dissuade the men from +stopping, and enquired, with anxiety, how far they had yet to go. + +'Many leagues yet,' replied Bertrand. 'As for you, Signora, you may do +as you please about eating, but for us, we will make a hearty supper, +while we can. We shall have need of it, I warrant, before we finish +our journey. The sun's going down apace; let us alight under that rock, +yonder.' + +His comrade assented, and, turning the mules out of the road, they +advanced towards a cliff, overhung with cedars, Emily following in +trembling silence. They lifted her from her mule, and, having seated +themselves on the grass, at the foot of the rocks, drew some homely +fare from a wallet, of which Emily tried to eat a little, the better to +disguise her apprehensions. + +The sun was now sunk behind the high mountains in the west, upon which a +purple haze began to spread, and the gloom of twilight to draw over the +surrounding objects. To the low and sullen murmur of the breeze, passing +among the woods, she no longer listened with any degree of pleasure, +for it conspired with the wildness of the scene and the evening hour, to +depress her spirits. + +Suspense had so much increased her anxiety, as to the prisoner at +Udolpho, that, finding it impracticable to speak alone with Bertrand, on +that subject, she renewed her questions in the presence of Ugo; but +he either was, or pretended to be entirely ignorant, concerning the +stranger. When he had dismissed the question, he talked with Ugo on some +subject, which led to the mention of Signor Orsino and of the affair +that had banished him from Venice; respecting which Emily had ventured +to ask a few questions. Ugo appeared to be well acquainted with +the circumstances of that tragical event, and related some minute +particulars, that both shocked and surprised her; for it appeared +very extraordinary how such particulars could be known to any, but to +persons, present when the assassination was committed. + +'He was of rank,' said Bertrand, 'or the State would not have troubled +itself to enquire after his assassins. The Signor has been lucky +hitherto; this is not the first affair of the kind he has had upon his +hands; and to be sure, when a gentleman has no other way of getting +redress--why he must take this.' + +'Aye,' said Ugo, 'and why is not this as good as another? This is the +way to have justice done at once, without more ado. If you go to law, +you must stay till the judges please, and may lose your cause, at last, +Why the best way, then, is to make sure of your right, while you can, +and execute justice yourself.' + +'Yes, yes,' rejoined Bertrand, 'if you wait till justice is done +you--you may stay long enough. Why if I want a friend of mine properly +served, how am I to get my revenge? Ten to one they will tell me he is +in the right, and I am in the wrong. Or, if a fellow has got possession +of property, which I think ought to be mine, why I may wait, till I +starve, perhaps, before the law will give it me, and then, after all, +the judge may say--the estate is his. What is to be done then?--Why the +case is plain enough, I must take it at last.' + +Emily's horror at this conversation was heightened by a suspicion, that +the latter part of it was pointed against herself, and that these men +had been commissioned by Montoni to execute a similar kind of JUSTICE, +in his cause. + +'But I was speaking of Signor Orsino,' resumed Bertrand, 'he is one of +those, who love to do justice at once. I remember, about ten years ago, +the Signor had a quarrel with a cavaliero of Milan. The story was told +me then, and it is still fresh in my head. They quarrelled about a +lady, that the Signor liked, and she was perverse enough to prefer the +gentleman of Milan, and even carried her whim so far as to marry him. +This provoked the Signor, as well it might, for he had tried to talk +reason to her a long while, and used to send people to serenade her, +under her windows, of a night; and used to make verses about her, and +would swear she was the handsomest lady in Milan--But all would not +do--nothing would bring her to reason; and, as I said, she went so far +at last, as to marry this other cavaliero. This made the Signor wrath, +with a vengeance; he resolved to be even with her though, and he watched +his opportunity, and did not wait long, for, soon after the marriage, +they set out for Padua, nothing doubting, I warrant, of what was +preparing for them. The cavaliero thought, to be sure, he was to be +called to no account, but was to go off triumphant; but he was soon made +to know another sort of story.' + +'What then, the lady had promised to have Signor Orsino?' said Ugo. + +'Promised! No,' replied Bertrand, 'she had not wit enough even to tell +him she liked him, as I heard, but the contrary, for she used to say, +from the first, she never meant to have him. And this was what provoked +the Signor, so, and with good reason, for, who likes to be told that he +is disagreeable? and this was saying as good. It was enough to tell him +this; she need not have gone, and married another.' + +'What, she married, then, on purpose to plague the Signor?' said Ugo. + +'I don't know as for that,' replied Bertrand, 'they said, indeed, that +she had had a regard for the other gentleman a great while; but that is +nothing to the purpose, she should not have married him, and then the +Signor would not have been so much provoked. She might have expected +what was to follow; it was not to be supposed he would bear her ill +usage tamely, and she might thank herself for what happened. But, as I +said, they set out for Padua, she and her husband, and the road lay over +some barren mountains like these. This suited the Signor's purpose well. +He watched the time of their departure, and sent his men after them, +with directions what to do. They kept their distance, till they saw +their opportunity, and this did not happen, till the second day's +journey, when, the gentleman having sent his servants forward to +the next town, may be, to have horses in readiness, the Signor's men +quickened their pace, and overtook the carriage, in a hollow, between +two mountains, where the woods prevented the servants from seeing what +passed, though they were then not far off. When we came up, we fired our +tromboni, but missed.' + +Emily turned pale, at these words, and then hoped she had mistaken them; +while Bertrand proceeded: + +'The gentleman fired again, but he was soon made to alight, and it was +as he turned to call his people, that he was struck. It was the most +dexterous feat you ever saw--he was struck in the back with three +stillettos at once. He fell, and was dispatched in a minute; but the +lady escaped, for the servants had heard the firing, and came up before +she could be taken care of. "Bertrand," said the Signor, when his men +returned'-- + +'Bertrand!' exclaimed Emily, pale with horror, on whom not a syllable of +this narrative had been lost. + +'Bertrand, did I say?' rejoined the man, with some confusion--'No, +Giovanni. But I have forgot where I was;--"Bertrand," said the Signor'-- + +'Bertrand, again!' said Emily, in a faltering voice, 'Why do you repeat +that name?' + +Bertrand swore. 'What signifies it,' he proceeded, 'what the man was +called--Bertrand, or Giovanni--or Roberto? it's all one for that. You +have put me out twice with that--question. "Bertrand," or Giovanni--or +what you will--"Bertrand," said the Signor, "if your comrades had done +their duty, as well as you, I should not have lost the lady. Go, my +honest fellow, and be happy with this." He game him a purse of gold--and +little enough too, considering the service he had done him.' + +'Aye, aye,' said Ugo, 'little enough--little enough.' + +Emily now breathed with difficulty, and could scarcely support herself. +When first she saw these men, their appearance and their connection with +Montoni had been sufficient to impress her with distrust; but now, when +one of them had betrayed himself to be a murderer, and she saw herself, +at the approach of night, under his guidance, among wild and solitary +mountains, and going she scarcely knew whither, the most agonizing +terror seized her, which was the less supportable from the necessity +she found herself under of concealing all symptoms of it from her +companions. Reflecting on the character and the menaces of Montoni, +it appeared not improbable, that he had delivered her to them, for the +purpose of having her murdered, and of thus securing to himself, without +further opposition, or delay, the estates, for which he had so long and +so desperately contended. Yet, if this was his design, there appeared +no necessity for sending her to such a distance from the castle; for, +if any dread of discovery had made him unwilling to perpetrate the +deed there, a much nearer place might have sufficed for the purpose of +concealment. These considerations, however, did not immediately occur to +Emily, with whom so many circumstances conspired to rouse terror, that +she had no power to oppose it, or to enquire coolly into its grounds; +and, if she had done so, still there were many appearances which would +too well have justified her most terrible apprehensions. She did not +now dare to speak to her conductors, at the sound of whose voices she +trembled; and when, now and then, she stole a glance at them, their +countenances, seen imperfectly through the gloom of evening, served to +confirm her fears. + +The sun had now been set some time; heavy clouds, whose lower skirts +were tinged with sulphureous crimson, lingered in the west, and threw a +reddish tint upon the pine forests, which sent forth a solemn sound, as +the breeze rolled over them. The hollow moan struck upon Emily's heart, +and served to render more gloomy and terrific every object around +her,--the mountains, shaded in twilight--the gleaming torrent, hoarsely +roaring--the black forests, and the deep glen, broken into rocky +recesses, high overshadowed by cypress and sycamore and winding into +long obscurity. To this glen, Emily, as she sent forth her anxious eye, +thought there was no end; no hamlet, or even cottage, was seen, and +still no distant bark of watch dog, or even faint, far-off halloo +came on the wind. In a tremulous voice, she now ventured to remind the +guides, that it was growing late, and to ask again how far they had to +go: but they were too much occupied by their own discourse to attend +to her question, which she forbore to repeat, lest it should provoke a +surly answer. Having, however, soon after, finished their supper, the +men collected the fragments into their wallet, and proceeded along this +winding glen, in gloomy silence; while Emily again mused upon her own +situation, and concerning the motives of Montoni for involving her in +it. That it was for some evil purpose towards herself, she could not +doubt; and it seemed, that, if he did not intend to destroy her, with a +view of immediately seizing her estates, he meant to reserve her a +while in concealment, for some more terrible design, for one that might +equally gratify his avarice and still more his deep revenge. At this +moment, remembering Signor Brochio and his behaviour in the corridor, +a few preceding nights, the latter supposition, horrible as it was, +strengthened in her belief. Yet, why remove her from the castle, +where deeds of darkness had, she feared, been often executed with +secrecy?--from chambers, perhaps + + With many a foul, and midnight murder stain'd. + +The dread of what she might be going to encounter was now so excessive, +that it sometimes threatened her senses; and, often as she went, she +thought of her late father and of all he would have suffered, could he +have foreseen the strange and dreadful events of her future life; +and how anxiously he would have avoided that fatal confidence, which +committed his daughter to the care of a woman so weak as was Madame +Montoni. So romantic and improbable, indeed, did her present situation +appear to Emily herself, particularly when she compared it with the +repose and beauty of her early days, that there were moments, when she +could almost have believed herself the victim of frightful visions, +glaring upon a disordered fancy. + +Restrained by the presence of her guides from expressing her terrors, +their acuteness was, at length, lost in gloomy despair. The dreadful +view of what might await her hereafter rendered her almost indifferent +to the surrounding dangers. She now looked, with little emotion, on the +wild dingles, and the gloomy road and mountains, whose outlines were +only distinguishable through the dusk;--objects, which but lately had +affected her spirits so much, as to awaken horrid views of the future, +and to tinge these with their own gloom. + +It was now so nearly dark, that the travellers, who proceeded only by +the slowest pace, could scarcely discern their way. The clouds, which +seemed charged with thunder, passed slowly along the heavens, shewing, +at intervals, the trembling stars; while the groves of cypress and +sycamore, that overhung the rocks, waved high in the breeze, as it swept +over the glen, and then rushed among the distant woods. Emily shivered +as it passed. + +'Where is the torch?' said Ugo, 'It grows dark.' + +'Not so dark yet,' replied Bertrand, 'but we may find our way, and 'tis +best not light the torch, before we can help, for it may betray us, if +any straggling party of the enemy is abroad.' + +Ugo muttered something, which Emily did not understand, and they +proceeded in darkness, while she almost wished, that the enemy might +discover them; for from change there was something to hope, since she +could scarcely imagine any situation more dreadful than her present one. + +As they moved slowly along, her attention was surprised by a thin +tapering flame, that appeared, by fits, at the point of the pike, which +Bertrand carried, resembling what she had observed on the lance of the +sentinel, the night Madame Montoni died, and which he had said was +an omen. The event immediately following it appeared to justify the +assertion, and a superstitious impression had remained on Emily's mind, +which the present appearance confirmed. She thought it was an omen of +her own fate, and watched it successively vanish and return, in gloomy +silence, which was at length interrupted by Bertrand. + +'Let us light the torch,' said he, 'and get under shelter of the +woods;--a storm is coming on--look at my lance.' + +He held it forth, with the flame tapering at its point.* + +(*See the Abbe Berthelon on Electricity. [A. R.]) + + +'Aye,' said Ugo, 'you are not one of those, that believe in omens: we +have left cowards at the castle, who would turn pale at such a sight. +I have often seen it before a thunder storm, it is an omen of that, and +one is coming now, sure enough. The clouds flash fast already.' + +Emily was relieved by this conversation from some of the terrors of +superstition, but those of reason increased, as, waiting while Ugo +searched for a flint, to strike fire, she watched the pale lightning +gleam over the woods they were about to enter, and illumine the harsh +countenances of her companions. Ugo could not find a flint, and Bertrand +became impatient, for the thunder sounded hollowly at a distance, and +the lightning was more frequent. Sometimes, it revealed the nearer +recesses of the woods, or, displaying some opening in their summits, +illumined the ground beneath with partial splendour, the thick foliage +of the trees preserving the surrounding scene in deep shadow. + +At length, Ugo found a flint, and the torch was lighted. The men then +dismounted, and, having assisted Emily, led the mules towards the woods, +that skirted the glen, on the left, over broken ground, frequently +interrupted with brush-wood and wild plants, which she was often obliged +to make a circuit to avoid. + +She could not approach these woods, without experiencing keener sense of +her danger. Their deep silence, except when the wind swept among their +branches, and impenetrable glooms shewn partially by the sudden flash, +and then, by the red glare of the torch, which served only to make +'darkness visible,' were circumstances, that contributed to renew all +her most terrible apprehensions; she thought, too, that, at this moment, +the countenances of her conductors displayed more than their usual +fierceness, mingled with a kind of lurking exultation, which they seemed +endeavouring to disguise. To her affrighted fancy it occurred, that they +were leading her into these woods to complete the will of Montoni by +her murder. The horrid suggestion called a groan from her heart, which +surprised her companions, who turned round quickly towards her, and she +demanded why they led her thither, beseeching them to continue their way +along the open glen, which she represented to be less dangerous than the +woods, in a thunder storm. + +'No, no,' said Bertrand, 'we know best where the danger lies. See how +the clouds open over our heads. Besides, we can glide under cover of +the woods with less hazard of being seen, should any of the enemy be +wandering this way. By holy St. Peter and all the rest of them, I've as +stout a heart as the best, as many a poor devil could tell, if he were +alive again--but what can we do against numbers?' + +'What are you whining about?' said Ugo, contemptuously, 'who fears +numbers! Let them come, though they were as many, as the Signor's castle +could hold; I would shew the knaves what fighting is. For you--I would +lay you quietly in a dry ditch, where you might peep out, and see me put +the rogues to flight.--Who talks of fear!' + +Bertrand replied, with an horrible oath, that he did not like such +jesting, and a violent altercation ensued, which was, at length, +silenced by the thunder, whose deep volley was heard afar, rolling +onward till it burst over their heads in sounds, that seemed to shake +the earth to its centre. The ruffians paused, and looked upon each +other. Between the boles of the trees, the blue lightning flashed and +quivered along the ground, while, as Emily looked under the boughs, the +mountains beyond, frequently appeared to be clothed in livid flame. At +this moment, perhaps, she felt less fear of the storm, than did either +of her companions, for other terrors occupied her mind. + +The men now rested under an enormous chesnut-tree, and fixed their +pikes in the ground, at some distance, on the iron points of which Emily +repeatedly observed the lightning play, and then glide down them into +the earth. + +'I would we were well in the Signor's castle!' said Bertrand, 'I know +not why he should send us on this business. Hark! how it rattles above, +there! I could almost find in my heart to turn priest, and pray. Ugo, +hast got a rosary?' + +'No,' replied Ugo, 'I leave it to cowards like thee, to carry +rosaries--I, carry a sword.' + +'And much good may it do thee in fighting against the storm!' said +Bertrand. + +Another peal, which was reverberated in tremendous echoes among the +mountains, silenced them for a moment. As it rolled away, Ugo proposed +going on. 'We are only losing time here,' said he, 'for the thick boughs +of the woods will shelter us as well as this chesnut-tree.' + +They again led the mules forward, between the boles of the trees, and +over pathless grass, that concealed their high knotted roots. The rising +wind was now heard contending with the thunder, as it rushed furiously +among the branches above, and brightened the red flame of the torch, +which threw a stronger light forward among the woods, and shewed their +gloomy recesses to be suitable resorts for the wolves, of which Ugo had +formerly spoken. + +At length, the strength of the wind seemed to drive the storm before it, +for the thunder rolled away into distance, and was only faintly heard. +After travelling through the woods for nearly an hour, during which the +elements seemed to have returned to repose, the travellers, gradually +ascending from the glen, found themselves upon the open brow of a +mountain, with a wide valley, extending in misty moon-light, at their +feet, and above, the blue sky, trembling through the few thin clouds, +that lingered after the storm, and were sinking slowly to the verge of +the horizon. + +Emily's spirits, now that she had quitted the woods, began to revive; +for she considered, that, if these men had received an order to destroy +her, they would probably have executed their barbarous purpose in the +solitary wild, from whence they had just emerged, where the deed would +have been shrouded from every human eye. Reassured by this reflection, +and by the quiet demeanour of her guides, Emily, as they proceeded +silently, in a kind of sheep track, that wound along the skirts of the +woods, which ascended on the right, could not survey the sleeping beauty +of the vale, to which they were declining, without a momentary sensation +of pleasure. It seemed varied with woods, pastures, and sloping grounds, +and was screened to the north and the east by an amphitheatre of the +Apennines, whose outline on the horizon was here broken into varied +and elegant forms; to the west and the south, the landscape extended +indistinctly into the lowlands of Tuscany. + +'There is the sea yonder,' said Bertrand, as if he had known that Emily +was examining the twilight view, 'yonder in the west, though we cannot +see it.' + +Emily already perceived a change in the climate, from that of the wild +and mountainous tract she had left; and, as she continued descending, +the air became perfumed by the breath of a thousand nameless flowers +among the grass, called forth by the late rain. So soothingly beautiful +was the scene around her, and so strikingly contrasted to the gloomy +grandeur of those, to which she had long been confined, and to the +manners of the people, who moved among them, that she could almost have +fancied herself again at La Vallee, and, wondering why Montoni had sent +her hither, could scarcely believe, that he had selected so enchanting +a spot for any cruel design. It was, however, probably not the spot, +but the persons, who happened to inhabit it, and to whose care he could +safely commit the execution of his plans, whatever they might be, that +had determined his choice. + +She now ventured again to enquire, whether they were near the place of +their destination, and was answered by Ugo, that they had not far to go. +'Only to the wood of chesnuts in the valley yonder,' said he, 'there, by +the brook, that sparkles with the moon; I wish I was once at rest there, +with a flask of good wine, and a slice of Tuscany bacon.' + +Emily's spirits revived, when she heard, that the journey was so nearly +concluded, and saw the wood of chesnuts in an open part of the vale, on +the margin of the stream. + +In a short time, they reached the entrance of the wood, and perceived, +between the twinkling leaves, a light, streaming from a distant cottage +window. They proceeded along the edge of the brook to where the trees, +crowding over it, excluded the moon-beams, but a long line of light, +from the cottage above, was seen on its dark tremulous surface. Bertrand +now stepped on first, and Emily heard him knock, and call loudly at +the door. As she reached it, the small upper casement, where the light +appeared, was unclosed by a man, who, having enquired what they wanted, +immediately descended, let them into a neat rustic cot, and called +up his wife to set refreshments before the travellers. As this man +conversed, rather apart, with Bertrand, Emily anxiously surveyed him. He +was a tall, but not robust, peasant, of a sallow complexion, and had a +shrewd and cunning eye; his countenance was not of a character to win +the ready confidence of youth, and there was nothing in his manner, that +might conciliate a stranger. + +Ugo called impatiently for supper, and in a tone as if he knew his +authority here to be unquestionable. 'I expected you an hour ago,' said +the peasant, 'for I have had Signor Montoni's letter these three hours, +and I and my wife had given you up, and gone to bed. How did you fare in +the storm?' + +'Ill enough,' replied Ugo, 'ill enough and we are like to fare ill +enough here, too, unless you will make more haste. Get us more wine, and +let us see what you have to eat.' + +The peasant placed before them all, that his cottage afforded--ham, +wine, figs, and grapes of such size and flavour, as Emily had seldom +tasted. + +After taking refreshment, she was shewn by the peasant's wife to her +little bed-chamber, where she asked some questions concerning Montoni, +to which the woman, whose name was Dorina, gave reserved answers, +pretending ignorance of his excellenza's intention in sending Emily +hither, but acknowledging that her husband had been apprized of +the circumstance. Perceiving, that she could obtain no intelligence +concerning her destination, Emily dismissed Dorina, and retired to +repose; but all the busy scenes of her past and the anticipated ones of +the future came to her anxious mind, and conspired with the sense of her +new situation to banish sleep. + + + +CHAPTER VII + + + Was nought around but images of rest, + Sleep-soothing groves, and quiet lawns between, + And flowery beds that slumbrous influence kept, + From poppies breath'd, and banks of pleasant green, + Where never yet was creeping creature seen. + Meantime unnumbered glittering streamlets play'd, + And hurled every where their water's sheen, + That, as they bicker'd through the sunny glade, + Though restless still themselves, a lulling murmur made. + THOMSON + +When Emily, in the morning, opened her casement, she was surprised +to observe the beauties, that surrounded it. The cottage was nearly +embowered in the woods, which were chiefly of chesnut intermixed +with some cypress, larch and sycamore. Beneath the dark and spreading +branches, appeared, to the north, and to the east, the woody Apennines, +rising in majestic amphitheatre, not black with pines, as she had been +accustomed to see them, but their loftiest summits crowned with antient +forests of chesnut, oak, and oriental plane, now animated with the rich +tints of autumn, and which swept downward to the valley uninterruptedly, +except where some bold rocky promontory looked out from among the +foliage, and caught the passing gleam. Vineyards stretched along the +feet of the mountains, where the elegant villas of the Tuscan nobility +frequently adorned the scene, and overlooked slopes clothed with +groves of olive, mulberry, orange and lemon. The plain, to which these +declined, was coloured with the riches of cultivation, whose mingled +hues were mellowed into harmony by an Italian sun. Vines, their purple +clusters blushing between the russet foliage, hung in luxuriant festoons +from the branches of standard fig and cherry trees, while pastures of +verdure, such as Emily had seldom seen in Italy, enriched the banks of +a stream that, after descending from the mountains, wound along the +landscape, which it reflected, to a bay of the sea. There, far in the +west, the waters, fading into the sky, assumed a tint of the faintest +purple, and the line of separation between them was, now and then, +discernible only by the progress of a sail, brightened with the sunbeam, +along the horizon. + +The cottage, which was shaded by the woods from the intenser rays of the +sun, and was open only to his evening light, was covered entirely with +vines, fig-trees and jessamine, whose flowers surpassed in size and +fragrance any that Emily had seen. These and ripening clusters of grapes +hung round her little casement. The turf, that grew under the woods, was +inlaid with a variety of wild flowers and perfumed herbs, and, on the +opposite margin of the stream, whose current diffused freshness beneath +the shades, rose a grove of lemon and orange trees. This, though nearly +opposite to Emily's window, did not interrupt her prospect, but rather +heightened, by its dark verdure, the effect of the perspective; and +to her this spot was a bower of sweets, whose charms communicated +imperceptibly to her mind somewhat of their own serenity. + +She was soon summoned to breakfast, by the peasant's daughter, a girl +about seventeen, of a pleasant countenance, which, Emily was glad to +observe, seemed animated with the pure affections of nature, though +the others, that surrounded her, expressed, more or less, the worst +qualities--cruelty, ferocity, cunning and duplicity; of the latter style +of countenance, especially, were those of the peasant and his wife. +Maddelina spoke little, but what she said was in a soft voice, and +with an air of modesty and complacency, that interested Emily, who +breakfasted at a separate table with Dorina, while Ugo and Bertrand +were taking a repast of Tuscany bacon and wine with their host, near +the cottage door; when they had finished which, Ugo, rising hastily, +enquired for his mule, and Emily learned that he was to return to +Udolpho, while Bertrand remained at the cottage; a circumstance, which, +though it did not surprise, distressed her. + +When Ugo was departed, Emily proposed to walk in the neighbouring woods; +but, on being told, that she must not quit the cottage, without having +Bertrand for her attendant, she withdrew to her own room. There, as her +eyes settled on the towering Apennines, she recollected the terrific +scenery they had exhibited and the horrors she had suffered, on the +preceding night, particularly at the moment when Bertrand had betrayed +himself to be an assassin; and these remembrances awakened a train of +images, which, since they abstracted her from a consideration of her own +situation, she pursued for some time, and then arranged in the following +lines; pleased to have discovered any innocent means, by which she could +beguile an hour of misfortune. + + THE PILGRIM* + + Slow o'er the Apennine, with bleeding feet, + A patient Pilgrim wound his lonely way, + To deck the Lady of Loretto's seat + With all the little wealth his zeal could pay. + From mountain-tops cold died the evening ray, + And, stretch'd in twilight, slept the vale below; + And now the last, last purple streaks of day + Along the melancholy West fade slow. + High o'er his head, the restless pines complain, + As on their summit rolls the breeze of night; + Beneath, the hoarse stream chides the rocks in vain: + The Pilgrim pauses on the dizzy height. + Then to the vale his cautious step he prest, + For there a hermit's cross was dimly seen, + Cresting the rock, and there his limbs might rest, + Cheer'd in the good man's cave, by faggot's sheen, + On leafy beds, nor guile his sleep molest. + Unhappy Luke! he trusts a treacherous clue! + Behind the cliff the lurking robber stood; + No friendly moon his giant shadow threw + Athwart the road, to save the Pilgrim's blood; + On as he went a vesper-hymn he sang, + The hymn, that nightly sooth'd him to repose. + Fierce on his harmless prey the ruffian sprang! + The Pilgrim bleeds to death, his eye-lids close. + Yet his meek spirit knew no vengeful care, + But, dying, for his murd'rer breath'd--a sainted pray'r! + +(* This poem and that entitled THE TRAVELLER in vol. ii, have already +appeared in a periodical publication. [A. R.]) + + +Preferring the solitude of her room to the company of the persons below +stairs, Emily dined above, and Maddelina was suffered to attend her, +from whose simple conversation she learned, that the peasant and his +wife were old inhabitants of this cottage, which had been purchased for +them by Montoni, in reward of some service, rendered him, many years +before, by Marco, to whom Carlo, the steward at the castle, was nearly +related. 'So many years ago, Signora,' added Maddelina, 'that I know +nothing about it; but my father did the Signor a great good, for my +mother has often said to him, this cottage was the least he ought to +have had.' + +To the mention of this circumstance Emily listened with a painful +interest, since it appeared to give a frightful colour to the character +of Marco, whose service, thus rewarded by Montoni, she could scarcely +doubt have been criminal; and, if so, had too much reason to believe, +that she had been committed into his hands for some desperate +purpose. 'Did you ever hear how many years it is,' said Emily, who was +considering of Signora Laurentini's disappearance from Udolpho, 'since +your father performed the services you spoke of?' + +'It was a little before he came to live at the cottage, Signora,' +replied Maddelina, 'and that is about eighteen years ago.' + +This was near the period, when Signora Laurentini had been said to +disappear, and it occurred to Emily, that Marco had assisted in that +mysterious affair, and, perhaps, had been employed in a murder! This +horrible suggestion fixed her in such profound reverie, that Maddelina +quitted the room, unperceived by her, and she remained unconscious of +all around her, for a considerable time. Tears, at length, came to her +relief, after indulging which, her spirits becoming calmer, she +ceased to tremble at a view of evils, that might never arrive; and had +sufficient resolution to endeavour to withdraw her thoughts from the +contemplation of her own interests. Remembering the few books, which +even in the hurry of her departure from Udolpho she had put into her +little package, she sat down with one of them at her pleasant casement, +whence her eyes often wandered from the page to the landscape, whose +beauty gradually soothed her mind into gentle melancholy. + +Here, she remained alone, till evening, and saw the sun descend the +western sky, throw all his pomp of light and shadow upon the mountains, +and gleam upon the distant ocean and the stealing sails, as he sunk +amidst the waves. Then, at the musing hour of twilight, her softened +thoughts returned to Valancourt; she again recollected every +circumstance, connected with the midnight music, and all that might +assist her conjecture, concerning his imprisonment at the castle, and, +becoming confirmed in the supposition, that it was his voice she had +heard there, she looked back to that gloomy abode with emotions of grief +and momentary regret. + +Refreshed by the cool and fragrant air, and her spirits soothed to a +state of gentle melancholy by the stilly murmur of the brook below and +of the woods around, she lingered at her casement long after the sun +had set, watching the valley sinking into obscurity, till only the +grand outline of the surrounding mountains, shadowed upon the horizon, +remained visible. But a clear moon-light, that succeeded, gave to the +landscape, what time gives to the scenes of past life, when it softens +all their harsher features, and throws over the whole the mellowing +shade of distant contemplation. The scenes of La Vallee, in the early +morn of her life, when she was protected and beloved by parents equally +loved, appeared in Emily's memory tenderly beautiful, like the prospect +before her, and awakened mournful comparisons. Unwilling to encounter +the coarse behaviour of the peasant's wife, she remained supperless in +her room, while she wept again over her forlorn and perilous situation, +a review of which entirely overcame the small remains of her fortitude, +and, reducing her to temporary despondence, she wished to be released +from the heavy load of life, that had so long oppressed her, and prayed +to Heaven to take her, in its mercy, to her parents. + +Wearied with weeping, she, at length, lay down on her mattress, and sunk +to sleep, but was soon awakened by a knocking at her chamber door, +and, starting up in terror, she heard a voice calling her. The image of +Bertrand, with a stilletto in his hand, appeared to her alarmed fancy, +and she neither opened the door, or answered, but listened in profound +silence, till, the voice repeating her name in the same low tone, she +demanded who called. 'It is I, Signora,' replied the voice, which she +now distinguished to be Maddelina's, 'pray open the door. Don't be +frightened, it is I.' + +'And what brings you here so late, Maddelina?' said Emily, as she let +her in. + +'Hush! signora, for heaven's sake hush!--if we are overheard I shall +never be forgiven. My father and mother and Bertrand are all gone +to bed,' continued Maddelina, as she gently shut the door, and crept +forward, 'and I have brought you some supper, for you had none, you +know, Signora, below stairs. Here are some grapes and figs and half a +cup of wine.' Emily thanked her, but expressed apprehension lest +this kindness should draw upon her the resentment of Dorina, when she +perceived the fruit was gone. 'Take it back, therefore, Maddelina,' +added Emily, 'I shall suffer much less from the want of it, than +I should do, if this act of good-nature was to subject you to your +mother's displeasure.' + +'O Signora! there is no danger of that,' replied Maddelina, 'my mother +cannot miss the fruit, for I saved it from my own supper. You will make +me very unhappy, if you refuse to take it, Signora.' Emily was so +much affected by this instance of the good girl's generosity, that she +remained for some time unable to reply, and Maddelina watched her in +silence, till, mistaking the cause of her emotion, she said, 'Do not +weep so, Signora! My mother, to be sure, is a little cross, sometimes, +but then it is soon over,--so don't take it so much to heart. She often +scolds me, too, but then I have learned to bear it, and, when she has +done, if I can but steal out into the woods, and play upon my sticcado, +I forget it all directly.' + +Emily, smiling through her tears, told Maddelina, that she was a good +girl, and then accepted her offering. She wished anxiously to know, +whether Bertrand and Dorina had spoken of Montoni, or of his designs, +concerning herself, in the presence of Maddelina, but disdained to tempt +the innocent girl to a conduct so mean, as that of betraying the private +conversations of her parents. When she was departing, Emily requested, +that she would come to her room as often as she dared, without offending +her mother, and Maddelina, after promising that she would do so, stole +softly back again to her own chamber. + +Thus several days passed, during which Emily remained in her own room, +Maddelina attending her only at her repast, whose gentle countenance and +manners soothed her more than any circumstance she had known for many +months. Of her pleasant embowered chamber she now became fond, and +began to experience in it those feelings of security, which we naturally +attach to home. In this interval also, her mind, having been undisturbed +by any new circumstance of disgust, or alarm, recovered its tone +sufficiently to permit her the enjoyment of her books, among which she +found some unfinished sketches of landscapes, several blank sheets of +paper, with her drawing instruments, and she was thus enabled to amuse +herself with selecting some of the lovely features of the prospect, +that her window commanded, and combining them in scenes, to which her +tasteful fancy gave a last grace. In these little sketches she generally +placed interesting groups, characteristic of the scenery they animated, +and often contrived to tell, with perspicuity, some simple and affecting +story, when, as a tear fell over the pictured griefs, which her +imagination drew, she would forget, for a moment, her real sufferings. +Thus innocently she beguiled the heavy hours of misfortune, and, with +meek patience, awaited the events of futurity. + +A beautiful evening, that had succeeded to a sultry day, at length +induced Emily to walk, though she knew that Bertrand must attend her, +and, with Maddelina for her companion, she left the cottage, followed by +Bertrand, who allowed her to choose her own way. The hour was cool and +silent, and she could not look upon the country around her, without +delight. How lovely, too, appeared the brilliant blue, that coloured all +the upper region of the air, and, thence fading downward, was lost in +the saffron glow of the horizon! Nor less so were the varied shades and +warm colouring of the Apennines, as the evening sun threw his slanting +rays athwart their broken surface. Emily followed the course of the +stream, under the shades, that overhung its grassy margin. On the +opposite banks, the pastures were animated with herds of cattle of a +beautiful cream-colour; and, beyond, were groves of lemon and orange, +with fruit glowing on the branches, frequent almost as the leaves, +which partly concealed it. She pursued her way towards the sea, which +reflected the warm glow of sun-set, while the cliffs, that rose over its +edge, were tinted with the last rays. The valley was terminated on the +right by a lofty promontory, whose summit, impending over the waves, was +crowned with a ruined tower, now serving for the purpose of a beacon, +whose shattered battlements and the extended wings of some sea-fowl, +that circled near it, were still illumined by the upward beams of the +sun, though his disk was now sunk beneath the horizon; while the lower +part of the ruin, the cliff on which it stood and the waves at its foot, +were shaded with the first tints of twilight. + +Having reached this headland, Emily gazed with solemn pleasure on the +cliffs, that extended on either hand along the sequestered shores, +some crowned with groves of pine, and others exhibiting only barren +precipices of grayish marble, except where the crags were tufted with +myrtle and other aromatic shrubs. The sea slept in a perfect calm; +its waves, dying in murmurs on the shores, flowed with the gentlest +undulation, while its clear surface reflected in softened beauty the +vermeil tints of the west. Emily, as she looked upon the ocean, thought +of France and of past times, and she wished, Oh! how ardently, and +vainly--wished! that its waves would bear her to her distant, native +home! + +'Ah! that vessel,' said she, 'that vessel, which glides along so +stately, with its tall sails reflected in the water is, perhaps, bound +for France! Happy--happy bark!' She continued to gaze upon it, with warm +emotion, till the gray of twilight obscured the distance, and veiled it +from her view. The melancholy sound of the waves at her feet assisted +the tenderness, that occasioned her tears, and this was the only sound, +that broke upon the hour, till, having followed the windings of the +beach, for some time, a chorus of voices passed her on the air. She +paused a moment, wishing to hear more, yet fearing to be seen, and, +for the first time, looked back to Bertrand, as her protector, who +was following, at a short distance, in company with some other person. +Reassured by this circumstance, she advanced towards the sounds, which +seemed to arise from behind a high promontory, that projected athwart +the beach. There was now a sudden pause in the music, and then one +female voice was heard to sing in a kind of chant. Emily quickened +her steps, and, winding round the rock, saw, within the sweeping bay, +beyond, which was hung with woods from the borders of the beach to the +very summit of the cliffs, two groups of peasants, one seated beneath +the shades, and the other standing on the edge of the sea, round the +girl, who was singing, and who held in her hand a chaplet of flowers, +which she seemed about to drop into the waves. + +Emily, listening with surprise and attention, distinguished the +following invocation delivered in the pure and elegant tongue of +Tuscany, and accompanied by a few pastoral instruments. + + TO A SEA-NYMPH + + O nymph! who loves to float on the green wave, + When Neptune sleeps beneath the moon-light hour, + Lull'd by the music's melancholy pow'r, + O nymph, arise from out thy pearly cave! + + For Hesper beams amid the twilight shade, + And soon shall Cynthia tremble o'er the tide, + Gleam on these cliffs, that bound the ocean's pride, + And lonely silence all the air pervade. + + Then, let thy tender voice at distance swell, + And steal along this solitary shore, + Sink on the breeze, till dying--heard no more-- + Thou wak'st the sudden magic of thy shell. + + While the long coast in echo sweet replies, + Thy soothing strains the pensive heart beguile, + And bid the visions of the future smile, + O nymph! from out thy pearly cave--arise! + + (Chorus)--ARISE! + (Semi-chorus)--ARISE! + +The last words being repeated by the surrounding group, the garland of +flowers was thrown into the waves, and the chorus, sinking gradually +into a chant, died away in silence. + +'What can this mean, Maddelina?' said Emily, awakening from the pleasing +trance, into which the music had lulled her. 'This is the eve of a +festival, Signora,' replied Maddelina; 'and the peasants then amuse +themselves with all kinds of sports.' + +'But they talked of a sea-nymph,' said Emily: 'how came these good +people to think of a sea-nymph?' + +'O, Signora,' rejoined Maddelina, mistaking the reason of Emily's +surprise, 'nobody BELIEVES in such things, but our old songs tell of +them, and, when we are at our sports, we sometimes sing to them, and +throw garlands into the sea.' + +Emily had been early taught to venerate Florence as the seat of +literature and of the fine arts; but, that its taste for classic story +should descend to the peasants of the country, occasioned her both +surprise and admiration. The Arcadian air of the girls next attracted +her attention. Their dress was a very short full petticoat of light +green, with a boddice of white silk; the sleeves loose, and tied up at +the shoulders with ribbons and bunches of flowers. Their hair, falling +in ringlets on their necks, was also ornamented with flowers, and with a +small straw hat, which, set rather backward and on one side of the head, +gave an expression of gaiety and smartness to the whole figure. When +the song had concluded, several of these girls approached Emily, and, +inviting her to sit down among them, offered her, and Maddelina, whom +they knew, grapes and figs. + +Emily accepted their courtesy, much pleased with the gentleness and +grace of their manners, which appeared to be perfectly natural to them; +and when Bertrand, soon after, approached, and was hastily drawing her +away, a peasant, holding up a flask, invited him to drink; a temptation, +which Bertrand was seldom very valiant in resisting. + +'Let the young lady join in the dance, my friend,' said the peasant, +'while we empty this flask. They are going to begin directly. Strike up! +my lads, strike up your tambourines and merry flutes!' + +They sounded gaily; and the younger peasants formed themselves into a +circle, which Emily would readily have joined, had her spirits been in +unison with their mirth. Maddelina, however, tripped it lightly, +and Emily, as she looked on the happy group, lost the sense of her +misfortunes in that of a benevolent pleasure. But the pensive melancholy +of her mind returned, as she sat rather apart from the company, +listening to the mellow music, which the breeze softened as it bore it +away, and watching the moon, stealing its tremulous light over the waves +and on the woody summits of the cliffs, that wound along these Tuscan +shores. + +Meanwhile, Bertrand was so well pleased with his first flask, that he +very willingly commenced the attack on a second, and it was late before +Emily, not without some apprehension, returned to the cottage. + +After this evening, she frequently walked with Maddelina, but was never +unattended by Bertrand; and her mind became by degrees as tranquil as +the circumstances of her situation would permit. The quiet, in which +she was suffered to live, encouraged her to hope, that she was not sent +hither with an evil design; and, had it not appeared probable, that +Valancourt was at this time an inhabitant of Udolpho, she would have +wished to remain at the cottage, till an opportunity should offer of +returning to her native country. But, concerning Montoni's motive for +sending her into Tuscany, she was more than ever perplexed, nor could +she believe that any consideration for her safety had influenced him on +this occasion. + +She had been some time at the cottage, before she recollected, that, in +the hurry of leaving Udolpho, she had forgotten the papers committed +to her by her late aunt, relative to the Languedoc estates; but, though +this remembrance occasioned her much uneasiness, she had some hope, +that, in the obscure place, where they were deposited, they would escape +the detection of Montoni. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + + My tongue hath but a heavier tale to say. + I play the torturer, by small and small, + To lengthen out the worst that must be spoken. + RICHARD II + +We now return, for a moment, to Venice, where Count Morano was suffering +under an accumulation of misfortunes. Soon after his arrival in that +city, he had been arrested by order of the Senate, and, without knowing +of what he was suspected, was conveyed to a place of confinement, +whither the most strenuous enquiries of his friends had been unable to +trace him. Who the enemy was, that had occasioned him this calamity, he +had not been able to guess, unless, indeed, it was Montoni, on whom his +suspicions rested, and not only with much apparent probability, but with +justice. + +In the affair of the poisoned cup, Montoni had suspected Morano; but, +being unable to obtain the degree of proof, which was necessary to +convict him of a guilty intention, he had recourse to means of other +revenge, than he could hope to obtain by prosecution. He employed +a person, in whom he believed he might confide, to drop a letter of +accusation into the DENUNZIE SECRETE, or lions' mouths, which are +fixed in a gallery of the Doge's palace, as receptacles for anonymous +information, concerning persons, who may be disaffected towards the +state. As, on these occasions, the accuser is not confronted with the +accused, a man may falsely impeach his enemy, and accomplish an unjust +revenge, without fear of punishment, or detection. That Montoni should +have recourse to these diabolical means of ruining a person, whom he +suspected of having attempted his life, is not in the least surprising. +In the letter, which he had employed as the instrument of his revenge, +he accused Morano of designs against the state, which he attempted to +prove, with all the plausible simplicity of which he was master; and +the Senate, with whom a suspicion was, at that time, almost equal to +a proof, arrested the Count, in consequence of this accusation; and, +without even hinting to him his crime, threw him into one of those +secret prisons, which were the terror of the Venetians, and in which +persons often languished, and sometimes died, without being discovered +by their friends. + +Morano had incurred the personal resentment of many members of the +state; his habits of life had rendered him obnoxious to some; and his +ambition, and the bold rivalship, which he discovered, on several public +occasions,--to others; and it was not to be expected, that mercy would +soften the rigour of a law, which was to be dispensed from the hands of +his enemies. + +Montoni, meantime, was beset by dangers of another kind. His castle +was besieged by troops, who seemed willing to dare every thing, and to +suffer patiently any hardships in pursuit of victory. The strength +of the fortress, however, withstood their attack, and this, with the +vigorous defence of the garrison and the scarcity of provision on these +wild mountains, soon compelled the assailants to raise the siege. + +When Udolpho was once more left to the quiet possession of Montoni, +he dispatched Ugo into Tuscany for Emily, whom he had sent from +considerations of her personal safety, to a place of greater security, +than a castle, which was, at that time, liable to be overrun by his +enemies. Tranquillity being once more restored to Udolpho, he was +impatient to secure her again under his roof, and had commissioned Ugo +to assist Bertrand in guarding her back to the castle. Thus compelled to +return, Emily bade the kind Maddelina farewell, with regret, and, +after about a fortnight's stay in Tuscany, where she had experienced +an interval of quiet, which was absolutely necessary to sustain her +long-harassed spirits, began once more to ascend the Apennines, from +whose heights she gave a long and sorrowful look to the beautiful +country, that extended at their feet, and to the distant Mediterranean, +whose waves she had so often wished would bear her back to France. +The distress she felt, on her return towards the place of her former +sufferings, was, however, softened by a conjecture, that Valancourt was +there, and she found some degree of comfort in the thought of being near +him, notwithstanding the consideration, that he was probably a prisoner. + +It was noon, when she had left the cottage, and the evening was closed, +long before she came within the neighbourhood of Udolpho. There was a +moon, but it shone only at intervals, for the night was cloudy, and, +lighted by the torch, which Ugo carried, the travellers paced silently +along, Emily musing on her situation, and Bertrand and Ugo anticipating +the comforts of a flask of wine and a good fire, for they had perceived +for some time the difference between the warm climate of the lowlands +of Tuscany and the nipping air of these upper regions. Emily was, at +length, roused from her reverie by the far-off sound of the castle +clock, to which she listened not without some degree of awe, as it +rolled away on the breeze. Another and another note succeeded, and died +in sullen murmur among the mountains:--to her mournful imagination it +seemed a knell measuring out some fateful period for her. + +'Aye, there is the old clock,' said Bertrand, 'there he is still; the +cannon have not silenced him!' + +'No,' answered Ugo, 'he crowed as loud as the best of them in the midst +of it all. There he was roaring out in the hottest fire I have seen this +many a day! I said that some of them would have a hit at the old fellow, +but he escaped, and the tower too.' + +The road winding round the base of a mountain, they now came within view +of the castle, which was shewn in the perspective of the valley by a +gleam of moon-shine, and then vanished in shade; while even a transient +view of it had awakened the poignancy of Emily's feelings. Its massy and +gloomy walls gave her terrible ideas of imprisonment and suffering: +yet, as she advanced, some degree of hope mingled with her terror; for, +though this was certainly the residence of Montoni, it was possibly, +also, that of Valancourt, and she could not approach a place, where he +might be, without experiencing somewhat of the joy of hope. + +They continued to wind along the valley, and, soon after, she saw again +the old walls and moon-lit towers, rising over the woods: the strong +rays enabled her, also, to perceive the ravages, which the siege had +made,--with the broken walls, and shattered battlements, for they were +now at the foot of the steep, on which Udolpho stood. Massy fragments +had rolled down among the woods, through which the travellers now began +to ascend, and there mingled with the loose earth, and pieces of rock +they had brought with them. The woods, too, had suffered much from the +batteries above, for here the enemy had endeavoured to screen themselves +from the fire of the ramparts. Many noble trees were levelled with the +ground, and others, to a wide extent, were entirely stripped of their +upper branches. 'We had better dismount,' said Ugo, 'and lead the mules +up the hill, or we shall get into some of the holes, which the balls +have left. Here are plenty of them. Give me the torch,' continued Ugo, +after they had dismounted, 'and take care you don't stumble over any +thing, that lies in your way, for the ground is not yet cleared of the +enemy.' + +'How!' exclaimed Emily, 'are any of the enemy here, then?' + +'Nay, I don't know for that, now,' he replied, 'but when I came away I +saw one or two of them lying under the trees.' + +As they proceeded, the torch threw a gloomy light upon the ground, and +far among the recesses of the woods, and Emily feared to look forward, +lest some object of horror should meet her eye. The path was often +strewn with broken heads of arrows, and with shattered remains of +armour, such as at that period was mingled with the lighter dress of the +soldiers. 'Bring the light hither,' said Bertrand, 'I have stumbled over +something, that rattles loud enough.' Ugo holding up the torch, they +perceived a steel breastplate on the ground, which Bertrand raised, and +they saw, that it was pierced through, and that the lining was entirely +covered with blood; but upon Emily's earnest entreaties, that they would +proceed, Bertrand, uttering some joke upon the unfortunate person, to +whom it had belonged, threw it hard upon the ground, and they passed on. + +At every step she took, Emily feared to see some vestige of death. +Coming soon after to an opening in the woods, Bertrand stopped to survey +the ground, which was encumbered with massy trunks and branches of the +trees, that had so lately adorned it, and seemed to have been a spot +particularly fatal to the besiegers; for it was evident from the +destruction of the trees, that here the hottest fire of the garrison +had been directed. As Ugo held again forth the torch, steel glittered +between the fallen trees; the ground beneath was covered with broken +arms, and with the torn vestments of soldiers, whose mangled forms +Emily almost expected to see; and she again entreated her companions to +proceed, who were, however, too intent in their examination, to regard +her, and she turned her eyes from this desolated scene to the castle +above, where she observed lights gliding along the ramparts. Presently, +the castle clock struck twelve, and then a trumpet sounded, of which +Emily enquired the occasion. + +'O! they are only changing watch,' replied Ugo. 'I do not remember +this trumpet,' said Emily, 'it is a new custom.' 'It is only an old one +revived, lady; we always use it in time of war. We have sounded it, at +midnight, ever since the place was besieged.' + +'Hark!' said Emily, as the trumpet sounded again; and, in the next +moment, she heard a faint clash of arms, and then the watchword passed +along the terrace above, and was answered from a distant part of the +castle; after which all was again still. She complained of cold, and +begged to go on. 'Presently, lady,' said Bertrand, turning over some +broken arms with the pike he usually carried. 'What have we here?' + +'Hark!' cried Emily, 'what noise was that?' + +'What noise was it?' said Ugo, starting up and listening. + +'Hush!' repeated Emily. 'It surely came from the ramparts above:' and, +on looking up, they perceived a light moving along the walls, while, +in the next instant, the breeze swelling, the voice sounded louder than +before. + +'Who goes yonder?' cried a sentinel of the castle. 'Speak or it will be +worse for you.' Bertrand uttered a shout of joy. 'Hah! my brave comrade, +is it you?' said he, and he blew a shrill whistle, which signal was +answered by another from the soldier on watch; and the party, then +passing forward, soon after emerged from the woods upon the broken road, +that led immediately to the castle gates, and Emily saw, with renewed +terror, the whole of that stupendous structure. 'Alas!' said she to +herself, 'I am going again into my prison!' + +'Here has been warm work, by St. Marco!' cried Bertrand, waving a +torch over the ground; 'the balls have torn up the earth here with a +vengeance.' + +'Aye,' replied Ugo, 'they were fired from that redoubt, yonder, and +rare execution they did. The enemy made a furious attack upon the great +gates; but they might have guessed they could never carry it there; for, +besides the cannon from the walls, our archers, on the two round towers, +showered down upon them at such a rate, that, by holy Peter! there was +no standing it. I never saw a better sight in my life; I laughed, +till my sides aked, to see how the knaves scampered. Bertrand, my good +fellow, thou shouldst have been among them; I warrant thou wouldst have +won the race!' + +'Hah! you are at your old tricks again,' said Bertrand in a surly tone. +'It is well for thee thou art so near the castle; thou knowest I have +killed my man before now.' Ugo replied only by a laugh, and then gave +some further account of the siege, to which as Emily listened, she was +struck by the strong contrast of the present scene with that which had +so lately been acted here. + +The mingled uproar of cannon, drums, and trumpets, the groans of the +conquered, and the shouts of the conquerors were now sunk into a silence +so profound, that it seemed as if death had triumphed alike over the +vanquished and the victor. The shattered condition of one of the towers +of the great gates by no means confirmed the VALIANT account just given +by Ugo of the scampering party, who, it was evident, had not only made +a stand, but had done much mischief before they took to flight; for this +tower appeared, as far as Emily could judge by the dim moon-light +that fell upon it, to be laid open, and the battlements were nearly +demolished. While she gazed, a light glimmered through one of the lower +loop-holes, and disappeared; but, in the next moment, she perceived +through the broken wall, a soldier, with a lamp, ascending the narrow +staircase, that wound within the tower, and, remembering that it was the +same she had passed up, on the night, when Barnardine had deluded her +with a promise of seeing Madame Montoni, fancy gave her somewhat of +the terror she had then suffered. She was now very near the gates, over +which the soldier having opened the door of the portal-chamber, the lamp +he carried gave her a dusky view of that terrible apartment, and she +almost sunk under the recollected horrors of the moment, when she had +drawn aside the curtain, and discovered the object it was meant to +conceal. + +'Perhaps,' said she to herself, 'it is now used for a similar purpose; +perhaps, that soldier goes, at this dead hour, to watch over the corpse +of his friend!' The little remains of her fortitude now gave way to the +united force of remembered and anticipated horrors, for the melancholy +fate of Madame Montoni appeared to foretell her own. She considered, +that, though the Languedoc estates, if she relinquished them, would +satisfy Montoni's avarice, they might not appease his vengeance, which +was seldom pacified but by a terrible sacrifice; and she even thought, +that, were she to resign them, the fear of justice might urge him either +to detain her a prisoner, or to take away her life. + +They were now arrived at the gates, where Bertrand, observing the light +glimmer through a small casement of the portal-chamber, called aloud; +and the soldier, looking out, demanded who was there. 'Here, I have +brought you a prisoner,' said Ugo, 'open the gate, and let us in.' + +'Tell me first who it is, that demands entrance,' replied the soldier. +'What! my old comrade,' cried Ugo, 'don't you know me? not know Ugo? I +have brought home a prisoner here, bound hand and foot--a fellow, who +has been drinking Tuscany wine, while we here have been fighting.' + +'You will not rest till you meet with your match,' said Bertrand +sullenly. 'Hah! my comrade, is it you?' said the soldier--'I'll be with +you directly.' + +Emily presently heard his steps descending the stairs within, and then +the heavy chain fall, and the bolts undraw of a small postern door, +which he opened to admit the party. He held the lamp low, to shew the +step of the gate, and she found herself once more beneath the gloomy +arch, and heard the door close, that seemed to shut her from the world +for ever. In the next moment, she was in the first court of the castle, +where she surveyed the spacious and solitary area, with a kind of calm +despair; while the dead hour of the night, the gothic gloom of the +surrounding buildings, and the hollow and imperfect echoes, which +they returned, as Ugo and the soldier conversed together, assisted to +increase the melancholy forebodings of her heart. Passing on to the +second court, a distant sound broke feebly on the silence, and gradually +swelling louder, as they advanced, Emily distinguished voices of revelry +and laughter, but they were to her far other than sounds of joy. 'Why, +you have got some Tuscany wine among you, HERE,' said Bertrand, 'if one +may judge by the uproar that is going forward. Ugo has taken a larger +share of that than of fighting, I'll be sworn. Who is carousing at this +late hour?' + +'His excellenza and the Signors,' replied the soldier: 'it is a sign you +are a stranger at the castle, or you would not need to ask the question. +They are brave spirits, that do without sleep--they generally pass the +night in good cheer; would that we, who keep the watch, had a little of +it! It is cold work, pacing the ramparts so many hours of the night, if +one has no good liquor to warm one's heart.' + +'Courage, my lad, courage ought to warm your heart,' said Ugo. +'Courage!' replied the soldier sharply, with a menacing air, which Ugo +perceiving, prevented his saying more, by returning to the subject of +the carousal. 'This is a new custom,' said he; 'when I left the castle, +the Signors used to sit up counselling.' + +'Aye, and for that matter, carousing too,' replied the soldier, 'but, +since the siege, they have done nothing but make merry: and if I was +they, I would settle accounts with myself, for all my hard fighting, the +same way.' + +They had now crossed the second court, and reached the hall door, when +the soldier, bidding them good night, hastened back to his post; and, +while they waited for admittance, Emily considered how she might avoid +seeing Montoni, and retire unnoticed to her former apartment, for she +shrunk from the thought of encountering either him, or any of his party, +at this hour. The uproar within the castle was now so loud, that, though +Ugo knocked repeatedly at the hall door, he was not heard by any of +the servants, a circumstance, which increased Emily's alarm, while it +allowed her time to deliberate on the means of retiring unobserved; for, +though she might, perhaps, pass up the great stair-case unseen, it was +impossible she could find the way to her chamber, without a light, the +difficulty of procuring which, and the danger of wandering about the +castle, without one, immediately struck her. Bertrand had only a torch, +and she knew, that the servants never brought a taper to the door, for +the hall was sufficiently lighted by the large tripod lamp, which hung +in the vaulted roof; and, while she should wait till Annette could bring +a taper, Montoni, or some of his companions, might discover her. + +The door was now opened by Carlo; and Emily, having requested him to +send Annette immediately with a light to the great gallery, where +she determined to await her, passed on with hasty steps towards the +stair-case; while Bertrand and Ugo, with the torch, followed old Carlo +to the servants' hall, impatient for supper and the warm blaze of a wood +fire. Emily, lighted only by the feeble rays, which the lamp above threw +between the arches of this extensive hall, endeavoured to find her way +to the stair-case, now hid in obscurity; while the shouts of merriment, +that burst from a remote apartment, served, by heightening her terror, +to increase her perplexity, and she expected, every instant, to see +the door of that room open, and Montoni and his companions issue forth. +Having, at length, reached the stair-case, and found her way to the top, +she seated herself on the last stair, to await the arrival of Annette; +for the profound darkness of the gallery deterred her from proceeding +farther, and, while she listened for her footstep, she heard only +distant sounds of revelry, which rose in sullen echoes from among the +arcades below. Once she thought she heard a low sound from the dark +gallery behind her; and, turning her eyes, fancied she saw something +luminous move in it; and, since she could not, at this moment, subdue +the weakness that caused her fears, she quitted her seat, and crept +softly down a few stairs lower. + +Annette not yet appearing, Emily now concluded, that she was gone +to bed, and that nobody chose to call her up; and the prospect, that +presented itself, of passing the night in darkness, in this place, or +in some other equally forlorn (for she knew it would be impracticable to +find her way through the intricacies of the galleries to her chamber), +drew tears of mingled terror and despondency from her eyes. + +While thus she sat, she fancied she heard again an odd sound from +the gallery, and she listened, scarcely daring to breathe, but the +increasing voices below overcame every other sound. Soon after, she +heard Montoni and his companions burst into the hall, who spoke, as +if they were much intoxicated, and seemed to be advancing towards the +stair-case. She now remembered, that they must come this way to their +chambers, and, forgetting all the terrors of the gallery, hurried +towards it with an intention of secreting herself in some of the +passages, that opened beyond, and of endeavouring, when the Signors were +retired, to find her way to her own room, or to that of Annette, which +was in a remote part of the castle. + +With extended arms, she crept along the gallery, still hearing the +voices of persons below, who seemed to stop in conversation at the foot +of the stair-case, and then pausing for a moment to listen, half fearful +of going further into the darkness of the gallery, where she still +imagined, from the noise she had heard, that some person was lurking, +'They are already informed of my arrival,' said she, 'and Montoni is +coming himself to seek me! In the present state of his mind, his purpose +must be desperate.' Then, recollecting the scene, that had passed in +the corridor, on the night preceding her departure from the castle, 'O +Valancourt!' said she, 'I must then resign you for ever. To brave any +longer the injustice of Montoni, would not be fortitude, but rashness.' +Still the voices below did not draw nearer, but they became louder, and +she distinguished those of Verezzi and Bertolini above the rest, while +the few words she caught made her listen more anxiously for others. The +conversation seemed to concern herself; and, having ventured to step +a few paces nearer to the stair-case, she discovered, that they were +disputing about her, each seeming to claim some former promise of +Montoni, who appeared, at first, inclined to appease and to persuade +them to return to their wine, but afterwards to be weary of the dispute, +and, saying that he left them to settle it as they could, was returning +with the rest of the party to the apartment he had just quitted. +Verezzi then stopped him. 'Where is she? Signor,' said he, in a voice of +impatience: 'tell us where she is.' 'I have already told you that I +do not know,' replied Montoni, who seemed to be somewhat overcome with +wine; 'but she is most probably gone to her apartment.' Verezzi +and Bertolini now desisted from their enquiries, and sprang to the +stair-case together, while Emily, who, during this discourse, had +trembled so excessively, that she had with difficulty supported herself, +seemed inspired with new strength, the moment she heard the sound +of their steps, and ran along the gallery, dark as it was, with the +fleetness of a fawn. But, long before she reached its extremity, the +light, which Verezzi carried, flashed upon the walls; both appeared, +and, instantly perceiving Emily, pursued her. At this moment, Bertolini, +whose steps, though swift, were not steady, and whose impatience +overcame what little caution he had hitherto used, stumbled, and fell +at his length. The lamp fell with him, and was presently expiring on the +floor; but Verezzi, regardless of saving it, seized the advantage this +accident gave him over his rival, and followed Emily, to whom, however, +the light had shown one of the passages that branched from the gallery, +and she instantly turned into it. Verezzi could just discern the way she +had taken, and this he pursued; but the sound of her steps soon sunk +in distance, while he, less acquainted with the passage, was obliged +to proceed through the dark, with caution, lest he should fall down +a flight of steps, such as in this extensive old castle frequently +terminated an avenue. This passage at length brought Emily to the +corridor, into which her own chamber opened, and, not hearing any +footstep, she paused to take breath, and consider what was the safest +design to be adopted. She had followed this passage, merely because it +was the first that appeared, and now that she had reached the end of it, +was as perplexed as before. Whither to go, or how further to find her +way in the dark, she knew not; she was aware only that she must not seek +her apartment, for there she would certainly be sought, and her danger +increased every instant, while she remained near it. Her spirits and her +breath, however, were so much exhausted, that she was compelled to rest, +for a few minutes, at the end of the passage, and still she heard no +steps approaching. As thus she stood, light glimmered under an opposite +door of the gallery, and, from its situation, she knew, that it was +the door of that mysterious chamber, where she had made a discovery so +shocking, that she never remembered it but with the utmost horror. That +there should be light in this chamber, and at this hour, excited her +strong surprise, and she felt a momentary terror concerning it, which +did not permit her to look again, for her spirits were now in such a +state of weakness, that she almost expected to see the door slowly open, +and some horrible object appear at it. Still she listened for a +step along the passage, and looked up it, where, not a ray of light +appearing, she concluded, that Verezzi had gone back for the lamp; and, +believing that he would shortly be there, she again considered which way +she should go, or rather which way she could find in the dark. + +A faint ray still glimmered under the opposite door, but so great, and, +perhaps, so just was her horror of that chamber, that she would not +again have tempted its secrets, though she had been certain of obtaining +the light so important to her safety. She was still breathing with +difficulty, and resting at the end of the passage, when she heard a +rustling sound, and then a low voice, so very near her, that it seemed +close to her ear; but she had presence of mind to check her emotions, +and to remain quite still; in the next moment, she perceived it to be +the voice of Verezzi, who did not appear to know, that she was there, +but to have spoken to himself. 'The air is fresher here,' said he: 'this +should be the corridor.' Perhaps, he was one of those heroes, whose +courage can defy an enemy better than darkness, and he tried to rally +his spirits with the sound of his own voice. However this might be, +he turned to the right, and proceeded, with the same stealing steps, +towards Emily's apartment, apparently forgetting, that, in darkness, +she could easily elude his search, even in her chamber; and, like an +intoxicated person, he followed pertinaciously the one idea, that had +possessed his imagination. + +The moment she heard his steps steal away, she left her station and +moved softly to the other end of the corridor, determined to trust +again to chance, and to quit it by the first avenue she could find; but, +before she could effect this, light broke upon the walls of the gallery, +and, looking back, she saw Verezzi crossing it towards her chamber. +She now glided into a passage, that opened on the left, without, as +she thought, being perceived; but, in the next instant, another light, +glimmering at the further end of this passage, threw her into new +terror. While she stopped and hesitated which way to go, the pause +allowed her to perceive, that it was Annette, who advanced, and +she hurried to meet her: but her imprudence again alarmed Emily, +on perceiving whom, she burst into a scream of joy, and it was some +minutes, before she could be prevailed with to be silent, or to release +her mistress from the ardent clasp, in which she held her. When, at +length, Emily made Annette comprehend her danger, they hurried +towards Annette's room, which was in a distant part of the castle. +No apprehensions, however, could yet silence the latter. 'Oh dear +ma'amselle,' said she, as they passed along, 'what a terrified time have +I had of it! Oh! I thought I should have died an hundred times! I never +thought I should live to see you again! and I never was so glad to see +any body in my whole life, as I am to see you now.' 'Hark!' cried Emily, +'we are pursued; that was the echo of steps!' 'No, ma'amselle,' said +Annette, 'it was only the echo of a door shutting; sound runs along +these vaulted passages so, that one is continually deceived by it; if +one does but speak, or cough, it makes a noise as loud as a cannon.' +'Then there is the greater necessity for us to be silent,' said Emily: +'pr'ythee say no more, till we reach your chamber.' Here, at length, +they arrived, without interruption, and, Annette having fastened the +door, Emily sat down on her little bed, to recover breath and composure. +To her enquiry, whether Valancourt was among the prisoners in the +castle, Annette replied, that she had not been able to hear, but that +she knew there were several persons confined. She then proceeded, in her +tedious way, to give an account of the siege, or rather a detail of her +terrors and various sufferings, during the attack. 'But,' added she, +'when I heard the shouts of victory from the ramparts, I thought we were +all taken, and gave myself up for lost, instead of which, WE had driven +the enemy away. I went then to the north gallery, and saw a great many +of them scampering away among the mountains; but the rampart walls were +all in ruins, as one may say, and there was a dismal sight to see down +among the woods below, where the poor fellows were lying in heaps, but +were carried off presently by their comrades. While the siege was going +on, the Signor was here, and there, and every where, at the same time, +as Ludovico told me, for he would not let me see any thing hardly, and +locked me up, as he has often done before, in a room in the middle of +the castle, and used to bring me food, and come and talk with me as +often as he could; and I must say, if it had not been for Ludovico, I +should have died outright.' + +'Well, Annette,' said Emily, 'and how have affairs gone on, since the +siege?' + +'O! sad hurly burly doings, ma'amselle,' replied Annette; 'the Signors +have done nothing but sit and drink and game, ever since. They sit up, +all night, and play among themselves, for all those riches and fine +things, they brought in, some time since, when they used to go out +a-robbing, or as good, for days together; and then they have dreadful +quarrels about who loses, and who wins. That fierce Signor Verezzi is +always losing, as they tell me, and Signor Orsino wins from him, and +this makes him very wroth, and they have had several hard set-to's about +it. Then, all those fine ladies are at the castle still; and I declare I +am frighted, whenever I meet any of them in the passages.'-- + +'Surely, Annette,' said Emily starting, 'I heard a noise: listen.' After +a long pause, 'No, ma'amselle,' said Annette, 'it was only the wind in +the gallery; I often hear it, when it shakes the old doors, at the other +end. But won't you go to bed, ma'amselle? you surely will not sit up +starving, all night.' Emily now laid herself down on the mattress, and +desired Annette to leave the lamp burning on the hearth; having done +which, the latter placed herself beside Emily, who, however, was not +suffered to sleep, for she again thought she heard a noise from the +passage; and Annette was again trying to convince her, that it was only +the wind, when footsteps were distinctly heard near the door. Annette +was now starting from the bed, but Emily prevailed with her to remain +there, and listened with her in a state of terrible expectation. The +steps still loitered at the door, when presently an attempt was made on +the lock, and, in the next instant, a voice called. 'For heaven's sake, +Annette, do not answer,' said Emily softly, 'remain quite still; but I +fear we must extinguish the lamp, or its glare will betray us.' 'Holy +Virgin!' exclaimed Annette, forgetting her discretion, 'I would not be +in darkness now for the whole world.' While she spoke, the voice became +louder than before, and repeated Annette's name; 'Blessed Virgin!' cried +she suddenly, 'it is only Ludovico.' She rose to open the door, but +Emily prevented her, till they should be more certain, that it was he +alone; with whom Annette, at length, talked for some time, and learned, +that he was come to enquire after herself, whom he had let out of her +room to go to Emily, and that he was now returned to lock her in again. +Emily, fearful of being overheard, if they conversed any longer through +the door, consented that it should be opened, and a young man appeared, +whose open countenance confirmed the favourable opinion of him, which +his care of Annette had already prompted her to form. She entreated his +protection, should Verezzi make this requisite; and Ludovico offered +to pass the night in an old chamber, adjoining, that opened from the +gallery, and, on the first alarm, to come to their defence. + +Emily was much soothed by this proposal; and Ludovico, having lighted +his lamp, went to his station, while she, once more, endeavoured to +repose on her mattress. But a variety of interests pressed upon her +attention, and prevented sleep. She thought much on what Annette had +told her of the dissolute manners of Montoni and his associates, and +more of his present conduct towards herself, and of the danger, from +which she had just escaped. From the view of her present situation she +shrunk, as from a new picture of terror. She saw herself in a castle, +inhabited by vice and violence, seated beyond the reach of law or +justice, and in the power of a man, whose perseverance was equal to +every occasion, and in whom passions, of which revenge was not the +weakest, entirely supplied the place of principles. She was compelled, +once more, to acknowledge, that it would be folly, and not fortitude, +any longer to dare his power; and, resigning all hopes of future +happiness with Valancourt, she determined, that, on the following +morning, she would compromise with Montoni, and give up her estates, +on condition, that he would permit her immediate return to France. Such +considerations kept her waking for many hours; but, the night passed, +without further alarm from Verezzi. + +On the next morning, Emily had a long conversation with Ludovico, in +which she heard circumstances concerning the castle, and received hints +of the designs of Montoni, that considerably increased her alarms. On +expressing her surprise, that Ludovico, who seemed to be so sensible of +the evils of his situation, should continue in it, he informed her, that +it was not his intention to do so, and she then ventured to ask him, if +he would assist her to escape from the castle. Ludovico assured her of +his readiness to attempt this, but strongly represented the difficulty +of the enterprise, and the certain destruction which must ensue, +should Montoni overtake them, before they had passed the mountains; +he, however, promised to be watchful of every circumstance, that might +contribute to the success of the attempt, and to think upon some plan of +departure. + +Emily now confided to him the name of Valancourt, and begged he would +enquire for such a person among the prisoners in the castle; for the +faint hope, which this conversation awakened, made her now recede from +her resolution of an immediate compromise with Montoni. She determined, +if possible, to delay this, till she heard further from Ludovico, and, +if his designs were found to be impracticable, to resign the estates +at once. Her thoughts were on this subject, when Montoni, who was now +recovered from the intoxication of the preceding night, sent for her, +and she immediately obeyed the summons. He was alone. 'I find,' said he, +'that you were not in your chamber, last night; where were you?' Emily +related to him some circumstances of her alarm, and entreated his +protection from a repetition of them. 'You know the terms of my +protection,' said he; 'if you really value this, you will secure it.' +His open declaration, that he would only conditionally protect her, +while she remained a prisoner in the castle, shewed Emily the necessity +of an immediate compliance with his terms; but she first demanded, +whether he would permit her immediately to depart, if she gave up her +claim to the contested estates. In a very solemn manner he then assured +her, that he would, and immediately laid before her a paper, which was +to transfer the right of those estates to himself. + +She was, for a considerable time, unable to sign it, and her heart +was torn with contending interests, for she was about to resign the +happiness of all her future years--the hope, which had sustained her in +so many hours of adversity. + +After hearing from Montoni a recapitulation of the conditions of her +compliance, and a remonstrance, that his time was valuable, she put her +hand to the paper; when she had done which, she fell back in her chair, +but soon recovered, and desired, that he would give orders for her +departure, and that he would allow Annette to accompany her. Montoni +smiled. 'It was necessary to deceive you,' said he,--'there was no other +way of making you act reasonably; you shall go, but it must not be at +present. I must first secure these estates by possession: when that is +done, you may return to France if you will.' + +The deliberate villany, with which he violated the solemn engagement he +had just entered into, shocked Emily as much, as the certainty, that she +had made a fruitless sacrifice, and must still remain his prisoner. She +had no words to express what she felt, and knew, that it would have been +useless, if she had. As she looked piteously at Montoni, he turned away, +and at the same time desired she would withdraw to her apartment; but, +unable to leave the room, she sat down in a chair near the door, and +sighed heavily. She had neither words nor tears. + +'Why will you indulge this childish grief?' said he. 'Endeavour to +strengthen your mind, to bear patiently what cannot now be avoided; you +have no real evil to lament; be patient, and you will be sent back to +France. At present retire to your apartment.' + + +'I dare not go, sir,' said she, 'where I shall be liable to the +intrusion of Signor Verezzi.' 'Have I not promised to protect you?' +said Montoni. 'You have promised, sir,'--replied Emily, after some +hesitation. 'And is not my promise sufficient?' added he sternly. 'You +will recollect your former promise, Signor,' said Emily, trembling, +'and may determine for me, whether I ought to rely upon this.' 'Will you +provoke me to declare to you, that I will not protect you then?' said +Montoni, in a tone of haughty displeasure. 'If that will satisfy you, +I will do it immediately. Withdraw to your chamber, before I retract my +promise; you have nothing to fear there.' Emily left the room, and moved +slowly into the hall, where the fear of meeting Verezzi, or Bertolini, +made her quicken her steps, though she could scarcely support herself; +and soon after she reached once more her own apartment. Having looked +fearfully round her, to examine if any person was there, and having +searched every part of it, she fastened the door, and sat down by one of +the casements. Here, while she looked out for some hope to support her +fainting spirits, which had been so long harassed and oppressed, that, +if she had not now struggled much against misfortune, they would have +left her, perhaps, for ever, she endeavoured to believe, that Montoni +did really intend to permit her return to France as soon as he had +secured her property, and that he would, in the mean time, protect her +from insult; but her chief hope rested with Ludovico, who, she doubted +not, would be zealous in her cause, though he seemed almost to despair +of success in it. One circumstance, however, she had to rejoice in. Her +prudence, or rather her fears, had saved her from mentioning the name +of Valancourt to Montoni, which she was several times on the point of +doing, before she signed the paper, and of stipulating for his release, +if he should be really a prisoner in the castle. Had she done this, +Montoni's jealous fears would now probably have loaded Valancourt +with new severities, and have suggested the advantage of holding him a +captive for life. + +Thus passed the melancholy day, as she had before passed many in this +same chamber. When night drew on, she would have withdrawn herself to +Annette's bed, had not a particular interest inclined her to remain +in this chamber, in spite of her fears; for, when the castle should be +still, and the customary hour arrived, she determined to watch for the +music, which she had formerly heard. Though its sounds might not enable +her positively to determine, whether Valancourt was there, they would +perhaps strengthen her opinion that he was, and impart the comfort, so +necessary to her present support.--But, on the other hand, if all should +be silent--! She hardly dared to suffer her thoughts to glance that way, +but waited, with impatient expectation, the approaching hour. + +The night was stormy; the battlements of the castle appeared to rock in +the wind, and, at intervals, long groans seemed to pass on the air, +such as those, which often deceive the melancholy mind, in tempests, +and amidst scenes of desolation. Emily heard, as formerly, the sentinels +pass along the terrace to their posts, and, looking out from her +casement, observed, that the watch was doubled; a precaution, which +appeared necessary enough, when she threw her eyes on the walls, and saw +their shattered condition. The well-known sounds of the soldiers' march, +and of their distant voices, which passed her in the wind, and were lost +again, recalled to her memory the melancholy sensation she had +suffered, when she formerly heard the same sounds; and occasioned almost +involuntary comparisons between her present, and her late situation. +But this was no subject for congratulations, and she wisely checked the +course of her thoughts, while, as the hour was not yet come, in which +she had been accustomed to hear the music, she closed the casement, +and endeavoured to await it in patience. The door of the stair-case she +tried to secure, as usual, with some of the furniture of the room; but +this expedient her fears now represented to her to be very inadequate to +the power and perseverance of Verezzi; and she often looked at a large +and heavy chest, that stood in the chamber, with wishes that she and +Annette had strength enough to move it. While she blamed the long +stay of this girl, who was still with Ludovico and some other of the +servants, she trimmed her wood fire, to make the room appear less +desolate, and sat down beside it with a book, which her eyes perused, +while her thoughts wandered to Valancourt, and her own misfortunes. As +she sat thus, she thought, in a pause of the wind, she distinguished +music, and went to the casement to listen, but the loud swell of the +gust overcame every other sound. When the wind sunk again, she heard +distinctly, in the deep pause that succeeded, the sweet strings of a +lute; but again the rising tempest bore away the notes, and again was +succeeded by a solemn pause. Emily, trembling with hope and fear, opened +her casement to listen, and to try whether her own voice could be +heard by the musician; for to endure any longer this state of torturing +suspense concerning Valancourt, seemed to be utterly impossible. There +was a kind of breathless stillness in the chambers, that permitted her +to distinguish from below the tender notes of the very lute she had +formerly heard, and with it, a plaintive voice, made sweeter by the low +rustling sound, that now began to creep along the wood-tops, till it +was lost in the rising wind. Their tall heads then began to wave, while, +through a forest of pine, on the left, the wind, groaning heavily, +rolled onward over the woods below, bending them almost to their roots; +and, as the long-resounding gale swept away, other woods, on the +right, seemed to answer the 'loud lament;' then, others, further still, +softened it into a murmur, that died into silence. Emily listened, +with mingled awe and expectation, hope and fear; and again the melting +sweetness of the lute was heard, and the same solemn-breathing voice. +Convinced that these came from an apartment underneath, she leaned far +out of her window, that she might discover whether any light was there; +but the casements below, as well as those above, were sunk so deep in +the thick walls of the castle, that she could not see them, or even the +faint ray, that probably glimmered through their bars. She then ventured +to call; but the wind bore her voice to the other end of the terrace, +and then the music was heard as before, in the pause of the gust. +Suddenly, she thought she heard a noise in her chamber, and she drew +herself within the casement; but, in a moment after, distinguishing +Annette's voice at the door, she concluded it was her she had heard +before, and she let her in. 'Move softly, Annette, to the casement,' +said she, 'and listen with me; the music is returned.' They were silent +till, the measure changing, Annette exclaimed, 'Holy Virgin! I know that +song well; it is a French song, one of the favourite songs of my dear +country.' This was the ballad Emily had heard on a former night, though +not the one she had first listened to from the fishing-house in Gascony. +'O! it is a Frenchman, that sings,' said Annette: 'it must be Monsieur +Valancourt.' 'Hark! Annette, do not speak so loud,' said Emily, 'we may +be overheard.' 'What! by the Chevalier?' said Annette. 'No,' replied +Emily mournfully, 'but by somebody, who may report us to the Signor. +What reason have you to think it is Monsieur Valancourt, who sings? But +hark! now the voice swells louder! Do you recollect those tones? I fear +to trust my own judgment.' 'I never happened to hear the Chevalier +sing, Mademoiselle,' replied Annette, who, as Emily was disappointed to +perceive, had no stronger reason for concluding this to be Valancourt, +than that the musician must be a Frenchman. Soon after, she heard the +song of the fishing-house, and distinguished her own name, which was +repeated so distinctly, that Annette had heard it also. She trembled, +sunk into a chair by the window, and Annette called aloud, 'Monsieur +Valancourt! Monsieur Valancourt!' while Emily endeavoured to check her, +but she repeated the call more loudly than before, and the lute and the +voice suddenly stopped. Emily listened, for some time, in a state +of intolerable suspense; but, no answer being returned, 'It does not +signify, Mademoiselle,' said Annette; 'it is the Chevalier, and I will +speak to him.' 'No, Annette,' said Emily, 'I think I will speak myself; +if it is he, he will know my voice, and speak again.' 'Who is it,' said +she, 'that sings at this late hour?' + +A long silence ensued, and, having repeated the question, she perceived +some faint accents, mingling in the blast, that swept by; but the sounds +were so distant, and passed so suddenly, that she could scarcely hear +them, much less distinguish the words they uttered, or recognise the +voice. After another pause, Emily called again; and again they heard +a voice, but as faintly as before; and they perceived, that there were +other circumstances, besides the strength, and direction of the wind, to +content with; for the great depth, at which the casements were fixed in +the castle walls, contributed, still more than the distance, to prevent +articulated sounds from being understood, though general ones were +easily heard. Emily, however, ventured to believe, from the circumstance +of her voice alone having been answered, that the stranger was +Valancourt, as well as that he knew her, and she gave herself up to +speechless joy. Annette, however, was not speechless.--She renewed +her calls, but received no answer; and Emily, fearing, that a further +attempt, which certainly was, as present, highly dangerous, might expose +them to the guards of the castle, while it could not perhaps terminate +her suspense, insisted on Annette's dropping the enquiry for this night; +though she determined herself to question Ludovico, on the subject, in +the morning, more urgently than she had yet done. She was now enabled +to say, that the stranger, whom she had formerly heard, was still in +the castle, and to direct Ludovico to that part of it, in which he was +confined. + +Emily, attended by Annette, continued at the casement, for some time, +but all remained still; they heard neither lute or voice again, and +Emily was now as much oppressed by anxious joy, as she lately was by a +sense of her misfortunes. With hasty steps she paced the room, now half +calling on Valancourt's name, then suddenly stopping, and now going to +the casement and listening, where, however, she heard nothing but +the solemn waving of the woods. Sometimes her impatience to speak to +Ludovico prompted her to send Annette to call him; but a sense of the +impropriety of this at midnight restrained her. Annette, meanwhile, as +impatient as her mistress, went as often to the casement to listen, and +returned almost as much disappointed. She, at length, mentioned +Signor Verezzi, and her fear, lest he should enter the chamber by the +staircase, door. 'But the night is now almost past, Mademoiselle,' said +she, recollecting herself; 'there is the morning light, beginning to +peep over those mountains yonder in the east.' + +Emily had forgotten, till this moment, that such a person existed as +Verezzi, and all the danger that had appeared to threaten her; but the +mention of his name renewed her alarm, and she remembered the old chest, +that she had wished to place against the door, which she now, with +Annette, attempted to move, but it was so heavy, that they could not +lift it from the floor. 'What is in this great old chest, Mademoiselle,' +said Annette, 'that makes it so weighty?' Emily having replied, 'that +she found it in the chamber, when she first came to the castle, and had +never examined it.'--'Then I will, ma'amselle,' said Annette, and she +tried to lift the lid; but this was held by a lock, for which she had +no key, and which, indeed, appeared, from its peculiar construction, to +open with a spring. The morning now glimmered through the casements, and +the wind had sunk into a calm. Emily looked out upon the dusky woods, +and on the twilight mountains, just stealing in the eye, and saw the +whole scene, after the storm, lying in profound stillness, the woods +motionless, and the clouds above, through which the dawn trembled, +scarcely appearing to move along the heavens. One soldier was pacing the +terrace beneath, with measured steps; and two, more distant, were sunk +asleep on the walls, wearied with the night's watch. Having inhaled, for +a while, the pure spirit of the air, and of vegetation, which the late +rains had called forth; and having listened, once more, for a note of +music, she now closed the casement, and retired to rest. + + + +CHAPTER IX + + + Thus on the chill Lapponian's dreary land, + For many a long month lost in snow profound, + When Sol from Cancer sends the seasons bland, + And in their northern cave the storms hath bound; + From silent mountains, straight, with startling sound, + Torrents are hurl'd, green hills emerge, and lo, + The trees with foliage, cliffs with flow'rs are crown'd; + Pure rills through vales of verdure warbling go; + And wonder, love, and joy, the peasant's heart o'erflow. + BEATTIE + +Several of her succeeding days passed in suspense, for Ludovico +could only learn from the soldiers, that there was a prisoner in the +apartment, described to him by Emily, and that he was a Frenchman, +whom they had taken in one of their skirmishes, with a party of his +countrymen. During this interval, Emily escaped the persecutions of +Bertolini, and Verezzi, by confining herself to her apartment; except +that sometimes, in an evening, she ventured to walk in the adjoining +corridor. Montoni appeared to respect his last promise, though he had +prophaned his first; for to his protection only could she attribute her +present repose; and in this she was now so secure, that she did not wish +to leave the castle, till she could obtain some certainty concerning +Valancourt; for which she waited, indeed, without any sacrifice of +her own comfort, since no circumstance had occurred to make her escape +probable. + +On the fourth day, Ludovico informed her, that he had hopes of being +admitted to the presence of the prisoner; it being the turn of a +soldier, with whom he had been for some time familiar, to attend him +on the following night. He was not deceived in his hope; for, under +pretence of carrying in a pitcher of water, he entered the prison, +though, his prudence having prevented him from telling the sentinel the +real motive of his visit, he was obliged to make his conference with the +prisoner a very short one. + +Emily awaited the result in her own apartment, Ludovico having promised +to accompany Annette to the corridor, in the evening; where, after +several hours impatiently counted, he arrived. Emily, having then +uttered the name of Valancourt, could articulate no more, but hesitated +in trembling expectation. 'The Chevalier would not entrust me with his +name, Signora,' replied Ludovico; 'but, when I just mentioned yours, he +seemed overwhelmed with joy, though he was not so much surprised as I +expected.' 'Does he then remember me?' she exclaimed. + +'O! it is Mons. Valancourt,' said Annette, and looked impatiently at +Ludovico, who understood her look, and replied to Emily: 'Yes, lady, the +Chevalier does, indeed, remember you, and, I am sure, has a very great +regard for you, and I made bold to say you had for him. He then enquired +how you came to know he was in the castle, and whether you ordered me +to speak to him. The first question I could not answer, but the second I +did; and then he went off into his ecstasies again. I was afraid his joy +would have betrayed him to the sentinel at the door.' + +'But how does he look, Ludovico?' interrupted Emily: 'is he not +melancholy and ill with this long confinement?'--'Why, as to melancholy, +I saw no symptom of that, lady, while I was with him, for he seemed +in the finest spirits I ever saw any body in, in all my life. His +countenance was all joy, and, if one may judge from that, he was very +well; but I did not ask him.' 'Did he send me no message?' said Emily. +'O yes, Signora, and something besides,' replied Ludovico, who searched +his pockets. 'Surely, I have not lost it,' added he. 'The Chevalier +said, he would have written, madam, if he had had pen and ink, and was +going to have sent a very long message, when the sentinel entered the +room, but not before he had give me this.' Ludovico then drew forth a +miniature from his bosom, which Emily received with a trembling hand, +and perceived to be a portrait of herself--the very picture, which her +mother had lost so strangely in the fishing-house at La Vallee. + +Tears of mingled joy and tenderness flowed to her eyes, while Ludovico +proceeded--'"Tell your lady," said the Chevalier, as he gave me the +picture, "that this has been my companion, and only solace in all my +misfortunes. Tell her, that I have worn it next my heart, and that I +sent it her as the pledge of an affection, which can never die; that I +would not part with it, but to her, for the wealth of worlds, and that I +now part with it, only in the hope of soon receiving it from her hands. +Tell her"--Just then, Signora, the sentinel came in, and the Chevalier +said no more; but he had before asked me to contrive an interview for +him with you; and when I told him, how little hope I had of prevailing +with the guard to assist me, he said, that was not, perhaps, of so +much consequence as I imagined, and bade me contrive to bring back your +answer, and he would inform me of more than he chose to do then. So +this, I think, lady, is the whole of what passed.' + +'How, Ludovico, shall I reward you for your zeal?' said Emily: 'but, +indeed, I do not now possess the means. When can you see the Chevalier +again?' 'That is uncertain, Signora,' replied he. 'It depends upon who +stands guard next: there are not more than one or two among them, from +whom I would dare to ask admittance to the prison-chamber.' + +'I need not bid you remember, Ludovico,' resumed Emily, 'how very much +interested I am in your seeing the Chevalier soon; and, when you do so, +tell him, that I have received the picture, and, with the sentiments he +wished. Tell him I have suffered much, and still suffer--' She paused. +'But shall I tell him you will see him, lady?' said Ludovico. 'Most +certainly I will,' replied Emily. 'But when, Signora, and where?' 'That +must depend upon circumstances,' returned Emily. 'The place, and the +hour, must be regulated by his opportunities.' + +'As to the place, mademoiselle,' said Annette, 'there is no other place +in the castle, besides this corridor, where WE can see him in safety, +you know; and, as for the hour,--it must be when all the Signors are +asleep, if that ever happens!' 'You may mention these circumstances to +the Chevalier, Ludovico,' said she, checking the flippancy of Annette, +'and leave them to his judgment and opportunity. Tell him, my heart is +unchanged. But, above all, let him see you again as soon as possible; +and, Ludovico, I think it is needless to tell you I shall very anxiously +look for you.' Having then wished her good night, Ludovico descended +the staircase, and Emily retired to rest, but not to sleep, for joy now +rendered her as wakeful, as she had ever been from grief. Montoni and +his castle had all vanished from her mind, like the frightful vision of +a necromancer, and she wandered, once more, in fairy scenes of unfading +happiness: + + As when, beneath the beam + Of summer moons, the distant woods among, + Or by some flood, all silver'd with the gleam, + The soft embodied Fays thro' airy portals stream. + +A week elapsed, before Ludovico again visited the prison; for the +sentinels, during that period, were men, in whom he could not confide, +and he feared to awaken curiosity, by asking to see their prisoner. In +this interval, he communicated to Emily terrific reports of what +was passing in the castle; of riots, quarrels, and of carousals more +alarming than either; while from some circumstances, which he mentioned, +she not only doubted, whether Montoni meant ever to release her, but +greatly feared, that he had designs, concerning her,--such as she +had formerly dreaded. Her name was frequently mentioned in the +conversations, which Bertolini and Verezzi held together, and, at those +times, they were frequently in contention. Montoni had lost large sums +to Verezzi, so that there was a dreadful possibility of his designing +her to be a substitute for the debt; but, as she was ignorant, that he +had formerly encouraged the hopes of Bertolini also, concerning herself, +after the latter had done him some signal service, she knew not how to +account for these contentions between Bertolini and Verezzi. The cause +of them, however, appeared to be of little consequence, for she thought +she saw destruction approaching in many forms, and her entreaties to +Ludovico to contrive an escape and to see the prisoner again, were more +urgent than ever. + +At length, he informed her, that he had again visited the Chevalier, who +had directed him to confide in the guard of the prison, from whom he +had already received some instances of kindness, and who had promised to +permit his going into the castle for half an hour, on the ensuing night, +when Montoni and his companions should be engaged at their carousals. +'This was kind, to be sure,' added Ludovico: 'but Sebastian knows he +runs no risque in letting the Chevalier out, for, if he can get beyond +the bars and iron doors of the castle, he must be cunning indeed. But +the Chevalier desired me, Signora, to go to you immediately, and to +beg you would allow him to visit you, this night, if it was only for a +moment, for that he could no longer live under the same roof, without +seeing you; the hour, he said, he could not mention, for it must depend +on circumstances (just as you said, Signora); and the place he desired +you would appoint, as knowing which was best for your own safety.' + +Emily was now so much agitated by the near prospect of meeting +Valancourt, that it was some time, before she could give any answer to +Ludovico, or consider of the place of meeting; when she did, she saw +none, that promised so much security, as the corridor, near her own +apartment, which she was checked from leaving, by the apprehension of +meeting any of Montoni's guests, on their way to their rooms; and she +dismissed the scruples, which delicacy opposed, now that a serious +danger was to be avoided by encountering them. It was settled, +therefore, that the Chevalier should meet her in the corridor, at that +hour of the night, which Ludovico, who was to be upon the watch, should +judge safest: and Emily, as may be imagined, passed this interval in +a tumult of hope and joy, anxiety and impatience. Never, since her +residence in the castle, had she watched, with so much pleasure, the +sun set behind the mountains, and twilight shade, and darkness veil the +scene, as on this evening. She counted the notes of the great clock, and +listened to the steps of the sentinels, as they changed the watch, +only to rejoice, that another hour was gone. 'O, Valancourt!' said she, +'after all I have suffered; after our long, long separation, when I +thought I should never--never see you more--we are still to meet again! +O! I have endured grief, and anxiety, and terror, and let me, then, not +sink beneath this joy!' These were moments, when it was impossible +for her to feel emotions of regret, or melancholy, for any ordinary +interests;--even the reflection, that she had resigned the estates, +which would have been a provision for herself and Valancourt for life, +threw only a light and transient shade upon her spirits. The idea of +Valancourt, and that she should see him so soon, alone occupied her +heart. + +At length the clock struck twelve; she opened the door to listen, if +any noise was in the castle, and heard only distant shouts of riot and +laughter, echoed feebly along the gallery. She guessed, that the Signor +and his guests were at the banquet. 'They are now engaged for the +night,' said she; 'and Valancourt will soon be here.' Having softly +closed the door, she paced the room with impatient steps, and often went +to the casement to listen for the lute; but all was silent, and, her +agitation every moment increasing, she was at length unable to support +herself, and sat down by the window. Annette, whom she detained, was, in +the meantime, as loquacious as usual; but Emily heard scarcely any thing +she said, and having at length risen to the casement, she distinguished +the chords of the lute, struck with an expressive hand, and then the +voice, she had formerly listened to, accompanied it. + + Now rising love they fann'd, now pleasing dole + They breath'd in tender musings through the heart; + And now a graver, sacred strain they stole, + As when seraphic hands an hymn impart! + +Emily wept in doubtful joy and tenderness; and, when the strain ceased, +she considered it as a signal, that Valancourt was about to leave the +prison. Soon after, she heard steps in the corridor;--they were the +light, quick steps of hope; she could scarcely support herself, as they +approached, but opening the door of the apartment, she advanced to meet +Valancourt, and, in the next moment, sunk in the arms of a stranger. His +voice--his countenance instantly convinced her, and she fainted away. + +On reviving, she found herself supported by the stranger, who was +watching over her recovery, with a countenance of ineffable tenderness +and anxiety. She had no spirits for reply, or enquiry; she asked no +questions, but burst into tears, and disengaged herself from his +arms; when the expression of his countenance changed to surprise and +disappointment, and he turned to Ludovico, for an explanation; Annette +soon gave the information, which Ludovico could not. 'O, sir!' said +she, in a voice, interrupted with sobs; 'O, sir! you are not the other +Chevalier. We expected Monsieur Valancourt, but you are not he! O +Ludovico! how could you deceive us so? my poor lady will never recover +it--never!' The stranger, who now appeared much agitated, attempted to +speak, but his words faltered; and then striking his hand against his +forehead, as if in sudden despair, he walked abruptly to the other end +of the corridor. + +Suddenly, Annette dried her tears, and spoke to Ludovico. 'But, +perhaps,' said she, 'after all, the other Chevalier is not this: perhaps +the Chevalier Valancourt is still below.' Emily raised her head. +'No,' replied Ludovico, 'Monsieur Valancourt never was below, if this +gentleman is not he.' 'If you, sir,' said Ludovico, addressing the +stranger, 'would but have had the goodness to trust me with your name, +this mistake had been avoided.' 'Most true,' replied the stranger, +speaking in broken Italian, 'but it was of the utmost consequence to me, +that my name should be concealed from Montoni. Madam,' added he then, +addressing Emily in French, 'will you permit me to apologize for the +pain I have occasioned you, and to explain to you alone my name, and the +circumstance, which has led me into this error? I am of France;--I am +your countryman;--we are met in a foreign land.' Emily tried to +compose her spirits; yet she hesitated to grant his request. At length, +desiring, that Ludovico would wait on the stair-case, and detaining +Annette, she told the stranger, that her woman understood very little +Italian, and begged he would communicate what he wished to say, in that +language.--Having withdrawn to a distant part of the corridor, he said, +with a long-drawn sigh, 'You, madam, are no stranger to me, though I am +so unhappy as to be unknown to you.--My name is Du Pont; I am of France, +of Gascony, your native province, and have long admired,--and, why +should I affect to disguise it?--have long loved you.' He paused, +but, in the next moment, proceeded. 'My family, madam, is probably not +unknown to you, for we lived within a few miles of La Vallee, and I +have, sometimes, had the happiness of meeting you, on visits in +the neighbourhood. I will not offend you by repeating how much you +interested me; how much I loved to wander in the scenes you frequented; +how often I visited your favourite fishing-house, and lamented the +circumstance, which, at that time, forbade me to reveal my passion. I +will not explain how I surrendered to temptation, and became possessed +of a treasure, which was to me inestimable; a treasure, which I +committed to your messenger, a few days ago, with expectations +very different from my present ones. I will say nothing of these +circumstances, for I know they will avail me little; let me only +supplicate from you forgiveness, and the picture, which I so unwarily +returned. Your generosity will pardon the theft, and restore the +prize. My crime has been my punishment; for the portrait I stole has +contributed to nourish a passion, which must still be my torment.' + +Emily now interrupted him. 'I think, sir, I may leave it to your +integrity to determine, whether, after what has just appeared, +concerning Mons. Valancourt, I ought to return the picture. I think you +will acknowledge, that this would not be generosity; and you will allow +me to add, that it would be doing myself an injustice. I must consider +myself honoured by your good opinion, but'--and she hesitated,--'the +mistake of this evening makes it unnecessary for me to say more.' + +'It does, madam,--alas! it does!' said the stranger, who, after a long +pause, proceeded.--'But you will allow me to shew my disinterestedness, +though not my love, and will accept the services I offer. Yet, alas! +what services can I offer? I am myself a prisoner, a sufferer, like +you. But, dear as liberty is to me, I would not seek it through half +the hazards I would encounter to deliver you from this recess of vice. +Accept the offered services of a friend; do not refuse me the reward of +having, at least, attempted to deserve your thanks.' + +'You deserve them already, sir,' said Emily; 'the wish deserves my +warmest thanks. But you will excuse me for reminding you of the danger +you incur by prolonging this interview. It will be a great consolation +to me to remember, whether your friendly attempts to release me succeed +or not, that I have a countryman, who would so generously protect +me.'--Monsieur Du Pont took her hand, which she but feebly attempted to +withdraw, and pressed it respectfully to his lips. 'Allow me to breathe +another fervent sigh for your happiness,' said he, 'and to applaud +myself for an affection, which I cannot conquer.' As he said this, Emily +heard a noise from her apartment, and, turning round, saw the door from +the stair-case open, and a man rush into her chamber. 'I will teach you +to conquer it,' cried he, as he advanced into the corridor, and drew a +stiletto, which he aimed at Du Pont, who was unarmed, but who, stepping +back, avoided the blow, and then sprung upon Verezzi, from whom he +wrenched the stiletto. While they struggled in each other's grasp, +Emily, followed by Annette, ran further into the corridor, calling +on Ludovico, who was, however, gone from the stair-case, and, as she +advanced, terrified and uncertain what to do, a distant noise, that +seemed to arise from the hall, reminded her of the danger she was +incurring; and, sending Annette forward in search of Ludovico, she +returned to the spot where Du Pont and Verezzi were still struggling for +victory. It was her own cause which was to be decided with that of +the former, whose conduct, independently of this circumstance, would, +however, have interested her in his success, even had she not disliked +and dreaded Verezzi. She threw herself in a chair, and supplicated them +to desist from further violence, till, at length, Du Pont forced Verezzi +to the floor, where he lay stunned by the violence of his fall; and she +then entreated Du Pont to escape from the room, before Montoni, or his +party, should appear; but he still refused to leave her unprotected; +and, while Emily, now more terrified for him, than for herself, enforced +the entreaty, they heard steps ascending the private stair-case. + +'O you are lost!' cried she, 'these are Montoni's people.' Du Pont +made no reply, but supported Emily, while, with a steady, though eager, +countenance, he awaited their appearance, and, in the next moment, +Ludovico, alone, mounted the landing-place. Throwing an hasty glance +round the chamber, 'Follow me,' said he, 'as you value your lives; we +have not an instant to lose!' + +Emily enquired what had occurred, and whither they were to go? + +'I cannot stay to tell you now, Signora,' replied Ludovico: 'fly! fly!' + +She immediately followed him, accompanied by Mons. Du Pont, down the +stair-case, and along a vaulted passage, when suddenly she recollected +Annette, and enquired for her. 'She awaits us further on, Signora,' said +Ludovico, almost breathless with haste; 'the gates were open, a moment +since, to a party just come in from the mountains: they will be shut, +I fear, before we can reach them! Through this door, Signora,' added +Ludovico, holding down the lamp, 'take care, here are two steps.' + +Emily followed, trembling still more, than before she had understood, +that her escape from the castle, depended upon the present moment; while +Du Pont supported her, and endeavoured, as they passed along, to cheer +her spirits. + +'Speak low, Signor,' said Ludovico, 'these passages send echoes all +round the castle.' + +'Take care of the light,' cried Emily, 'you go so fast, that the air +will extinguish it.' + +Ludovico now opened another door, where they found Annette, and the +party then descended a short flight of steps into a passage, which, +Ludovico said, led round the inner court of the castle, and opened into +the outer one. As they advanced, confused and tumultuous sounds, that +seemed to come from the inner court, alarmed Emily. 'Nay, Signora,' said +Ludovico, 'our only hope is in that tumult; while the Signor's people +are busied about the men, who are just arrived, we may, perhaps, pass +unnoticed through the gates. But hush!' he added, as they approached the +small door, that opened into the outer court, 'if you will remain here a +moment, I will go to see whether the gates are open, and any body is +in the way. Pray extinguish the light, Signor, if you hear me talking,' +continued Ludovico, delivering the lamp to Du Pont, 'and remain quite +still.' + +Saying this, he stepped out upon the court, and they closed the door, +listening anxiously to his departing steps. No voice, however, was heard +in the court, which he was crossing, though a confusion of many voices +yet issued from the inner one. 'We shall soon be beyond the walls,' said +Du Pont softly to Emily, 'support yourself a little longer, Madam, and +all will be well.' + +But soon they heard Ludovico speaking loud, and the voice also of some +other person, and Du Pont immediately extinguished the lamp. 'Ah! it +is too late!' exclaimed Emily, 'what is to become of us?' They listened +again, and then perceived, that Ludovico was talking with a sentinel, +whose voices were heard also by Emily's favourite dog, that had followed +her from the chamber, and now barked loudly. 'This dog will betray us!' +said Du Pont, 'I will hold him.' 'I fear he has already betrayed us!' +replied Emily. Du Pont, however, caught him up, and, again listening +to what was going on without, they heard Ludovico say, 'I'll watch the +gates the while.' + +'Stay a minute,' replied the sentinel, 'and you need not have the +trouble, for the horses will be sent round to the outer stables, then +the gates will be shut, and I can leave my post.' 'I don't mind the +trouble, comrade,' said Ludovico, 'you will do such another good turn +for me, some time. Go--go, and fetch the wine; the rogues, that are just +come in, will drink it all else.' + +The soldier hesitated, and then called aloud to the people in the second +court, to know why they did not send out the horses, that the gates +might be shut; but they were too much engaged, to attend to him, even if +they had heard his voice. + +'Aye--aye,' said Ludovico, 'they know better than that; they are sharing +it all among them; if you wait till the horses come out, you must wait +till the wine is drunk. I have had my share already, but, since you do +not care about yours, I see no reason why I should not have that too.' + +'Hold, hold, not so fast,' cried the sentinel, 'do watch then, for a +moment: I'll be with you presently.' + +'Don't hurry yourself,' said Ludovico, coolly, 'I have kept guard before +now. But you may leave me your trombone,* that, if the castle should be +attacked, you know, I may be able to defend the pass, like a hero.' + +(* A kind of blunderbuss. [A. R.]) + + +'There, my good fellow,' returned the soldier, 'there, take it--it has +seen service, though it could do little in defending the castle. I'll +tell you a good story, though, about this same trombone.' + +'You'll tell it better when you have had the wine,' said Ludovico. +'There! they are coming out from the court already.' + +'I'll have the wine, though,' said the sentinel, running off. 'I won't +keep you a minute.' + +'Take your time, I am in no haste,' replied Ludovico, who was already +hurrying across the court, when the soldier came back. 'Whither so fast, +friend--whither so fast?' said the latter. 'What! is this the way you +keep watch! I must stand to my post myself, I see.' + +'Aye, well,' replied Ludovico, 'you have saved me the trouble of +following you further, for I wanted to tell you, if you have a mind to +drink the Tuscany wine, you must go to Sebastian, he is dealing it out; +the other that Federico has, is not worth having. But you are not likely +to have any, I see, for they are all coming out.' + +'By St. Peter! so they are,' said the soldier, and again ran off, while +Ludovico, once more at liberty, hastened to the door of the passage, +where Emily was sinking under the anxiety this long discourse had +occasioned; but, on his telling them the court was clear, they followed +him to the gates, without waiting another instant, yet not before he +had seized two horses, that had strayed from the second court, and were +picking a scanty meal among the grass, which grew between the pavement +of the first. + +They passed, without interruption, the dreadful gates, and took the road +that led down among the woods, Emily, Monsieur Du Pont and Annette on +foot, and Ludovico, who was mounted on one horse, leading the other. +Having reached them, they stopped, while Emily and Annette were placed +on horseback with their two protectors, when, Ludovico leading the way, +they set off as fast as the broken road, and the feeble light, which a +rising moon threw among the foliage, would permit. + +Emily was so much astonished by this sudden departure, that she scarcely +dared to believe herself awake; and she yet much doubted whether this +adventure would terminate in escape,--a doubt, which had too much +probability to justify it; for, before they quitted the woods, they +heard shouts in the wind, and, on emerging from them, saw lights moving +quickly near the castle above. Du Pont whipped his horse, and with some +difficulty compelled him to go faster. + +'Ah! poor beast,' said Ludovico, 'he is weary enough;--he has been out +all day; but, Signor, we must fly for it, now; for yonder are lights +coming this way.' + +Having given his own horse a lash, they now both set off on a full +gallop; and, when they again looked back, the lights were so distant +as scarcely to be discerned, and the voices were sunk into silence. The +travellers then abated their pace, and, consulting whither they should +direct their course, it was determined they should descend into Tuscany, +and endeavour to reach the Mediterranean, where they could readily +embark for France. Thither Du Pont meant to attend Emily, if he should +learn, that the regiment he had accompanied into Italy, was returned to +his native country. + +They were now in the road, which Emily had travelled with Ugo and +Bertrand; but Ludovico, who was the only one of the party, acquainted +with the passes of these mountains, said, that, a little further on, a +bye-road, branching from this, would lead them down into Tuscany with +very little difficulty; and that, at a few leagues distance, was a small +town, where necessaries could be procured for their journey. + +'But, I hope,' added he, 'we shall meet with no straggling parties of +banditti; some of them are abroad, I know. However, I have got a good +trombone, which will be of some service, if we should encounter any of +those brave spirits. You have no arms, Signor?' 'Yes,' replied Du Pont, +'I have the villain's stilletto, who would have stabbed me--but let us +rejoice in our escape from Udolpho, nor torment ourselves with looking +out for dangers, that may never arrive.' + +The moon was now risen high over the woods, that hung upon the sides of +the narrow glen, through which they wandered, and afforded them light +sufficient to distinguish their way, and to avoid the loose and broken +stones, that frequently crossed it. They now travelled leisurely, and +in profound silence; for they had scarcely yet recovered from the +astonishment, into which this sudden escape had thrown them.--Emily's +mind, especially, was sunk, after the various emotions it had suffered, +into a kind of musing stillness, which the reposing beauty of the +surrounding scene and the creeping murmur of the night-breeze among the +foliage above contributed to prolong. She thought of Valancourt and of +France, with hope, and she would have thought of them with joy, had +not the first events of this evening harassed her spirits too much, to +permit her now to feel so lively a sensation. Meanwhile, Emily was +alone the object of Du Pont's melancholy consideration; yet, with the +despondency he suffered, as he mused on his recent disappointment, was +mingled a sweet pleasure, occasioned by her presence, though they +did not now exchange a single word. Annette thought of this wonderful +escape, of the bustle in which Montoni and his people must be, now that +their flight was discovered; of her native country, whither she hoped +she was returning, and of her marriage with Ludovico, to which there no +longer appeared any impediment, for poverty she did not consider such. +Ludovico, on his part, congratulated himself, on having rescued his +Annette and Signora Emily from the danger, that had surrounded them; on +his own liberation from people, whose manners he had long detested; +on the freedom he had given to Monsieur Du Pont; on his prospect of +happiness with the object of his affections, and not a little on the +address, with which he had deceived the sentinel, and conducted the +whole of this affair. + +Thus variously engaged in thought, the travellers passed on silently, +for above an hour, a question only being, now and then, asked by Du +Pont, concerning the road, or a remark uttered by Annette, respecting +objects, seen imperfectly in the twilight. At length, lights were +perceived twinkling on the side of a mountain, and Ludovico had no +doubt, that they proceeded from the town he had mentioned, while his +companions, satisfied by this assurance, sunk again into silence. +Annette was the first who interrupted this. 'Holy Peter!' said she, +'What shall we do for money on our journey? for I know neither I, or my +lady, have a single sequin; the Signor took care of that!' + +This remark produced a serious enquiry, which ended in as serious an +embarrassment, for Du Pont had been rifled of nearly all his money, when +he was taken prisoner; the remainder he had given to the sentinel, who +had enabled him occasionally to leave his prison-chamber; and Ludovico, +who had for some time found a difficulty, in procuring any part of the +wages due to him, had now scarcely cash sufficient to procure necessary +refreshment at the first town, in which they should arrive. + +Their poverty was the more distressing, since it would detain them +among the mountains, where, even in a town, they could scarcely consider +themselves safe from Montoni. The travellers, however, had only to +proceed and dare the future; and they continued their way through lonely +wilds and dusky vallies, where the overhanging foliage now admitted, and +then excluded the moon-light;--wilds so desolate, that they appeared, on +the first glance, as if no human being had ever trode them before. Even +the road, in which the party were, did but slightly contradict this +error, for the high grass and other luxuriant vegetation, with which it +was overgrown, told how very seldom the foot of a traveller had passed +it. + +At length, from a distance, was heard the faint tinkling of a +sheep-bell; and, soon after, the bleat of flocks, and the party then +knew, that they were near some human habitation, for the light, which +Ludovico had fancied to proceed from a town, had long been concealed by +intervening mountains. Cheered by this hope, they quickened their pace +along the narrow pass they were winding, and it opened upon one of those +pastoral vallies of the Apennines, which might be painted for a scene +of Arcadia, and whose beauty and simplicity are finely contrasted by the +grandeur of the snow-topt mountains above. + +The morning light, now glimmering in the horizon, shewed faintly, at +a little distance, upon the brow of a hill, which seemed to peep from +'under the opening eye-lids of the morn,' the town they were in +search of, and which they soon after reached. It was not without some +difficulty, that they there found a house, which could afford shelter +for themselves and their horses; and Emily desired they might not rest +longer than was necessary for refreshment. Her appearance excited some +surprise, for she was without a hat, having had time only to throw on +her veil before she left the castle, a circumstance, that compelled her +to regret again the want of money, without which it was impossible to +procure this necessary article of dress. + +Ludovico, on examining his purse, found it even insufficient to supply +present refreshment, and Du Pont, at length, ventured to inform the +landlord, whose countenance was simple and honest, of their exact +situation, and requested, that he would assist them to pursue their +journey; a purpose, which he promised to comply with, as far as he was +able, when he learned that they were prisoners escaping from Montoni, +whom he had too much reason to hate. But, though he consented to lend +them fresh horses to carry them to the next town, he was too poor +himself to trust them with money, and they were again lamenting their +poverty, when Ludovico, who had been with his tired horses to the hovel, +which served for a stable, entered the room, half frantic with joy, in +which his auditors soon participated. On removing the saddle from one of +the horses, he had found beneath it a small bag, containing, no doubt, +the booty of one of the condottieri, who had returned from a plundering +excursion, just before Ludovico left the castle, and whose horse having +strayed from the inner court, while his master was engaged in drinking, +had brought away the treasure, which the ruffian had considered the +reward of his exploit. + +On counting over this, Du Pont found, that it would be more than +sufficient to carry them all to France, where he now determined to +accompany Emily, whether he should obtain intelligence of his regiment, +or not; for, though he had as much confidence in the integrity of +Ludovico, as his small knowledge of him allowed, he could not endure the +thought of committing her to his care for the voyage; nor, perhaps, had +he resolution enough to deny himself the dangerous pleasure, which he +might derive from her presence. + +He now consulted them, concerning the sea-port, to which they should +direct their way, and Ludovico, better informed of the geography of the +country, said, that Leghorn was the nearest port of consequence, which +Du Pont knew also to be the most likely of any in Italy to assist +their plan, since from thence vessels of all nations were continually +departing. Thither, therefore, it was determined, that they should +proceed. + +Emily, having purchased a little straw hat, such as was worn by the +peasant girls of Tuscany, and some other little necessary equipments for +the journey, and the travellers, having exchanged their tired horses for +others better able to carry them, re-commenced their joyous way, as the +sun was rising over the mountains, and, after travelling through this +romantic country, for several hours, began to descend into the vale +of Arno. And here Emily beheld all the charms of sylvan and pastoral +landscape united, adorned with the elegant villas of the Florentine +nobles, and diversified with the various riches of cultivation. How +vivid the shrubs, that embowered the slopes, with the woods, that +stretched amphitheatrically along the mountains! and, above all, how +elegant the outline of these waving Apennines, now softening from the +wildness, which their interior regions exhibited! At a distance, in the +east, Emily discovered Florence, with its towers rising on the +brilliant horizon, and its luxuriant plain, spreading to the feet of +the Apennines, speckled with gardens and magnificent villas, or coloured +with groves of orange and lemon, with vines, corn, and plantations of +olives and mulberry; while, to the west, the vale opened to the waters +of the Mediterranean, so distant, that they were known only by a blueish +line, that appeared upon the horizon, and by the light marine vapour, +which just stained the aether above. + +With a full heart, Emily hailed the waves, that were to bear her back to +her native country, the remembrance of which, however, brought with it +a pang; for she had there no home to receive, no parents to welcome her, +but was going, like a forlorn pilgrim, to weep over the sad spot, where +he, who WAS her father, lay interred. Nor were her spirits cheered, +when she considered how long it would probably be before she should see +Valancourt, who might be stationed with his regiment in a distant part +of France, and that, when they did meet, it would be only to lament +the successful villany of Montoni; yet, still she would have felt +inexpressible delight at the thought of being once more in the same +country with Valancourt, had it even been certain, that she could not +see him. + +The intense heat, for it was now noon, obliged the travellers to look +out for a shady recess, where they might rest, for a few hours, and +the neighbouring thickets, abounding with wild grapes, raspberries, and +figs, promised them grateful refreshment. Soon after, they turned +from the road into a grove, whose thick foliage entirely excluded the +sun-beams, and where a spring, gushing from the rock, gave coolness to +the air; and, having alighted and turned the horses to graze, Annette +and Ludovico ran to gather fruit from the surrounding thickets, of which +they soon returned with an abundance. The travellers, seated under the +shade of a pine and cypress grove and on turf, enriched with such a +profusion of fragrant flowers, as Emily had scarcely ever seen, even +among the Pyrenees, took their simple repast, and viewed, with new +delight, beneath the dark umbrage of gigantic pines, the glowing +landscape stretching to the sea. + +Emily and Du Pont gradually became thoughtful and silent; but Annette +was all joy and loquacity, and Ludovico was gay, without forgetting the +respectful distance, which was due to his companions. The repast being +over, Du Pont recommended Emily to endeavour to sleep, during these +sultry hours, and, desiring the servants would do the same, said he +would watch the while; but Ludovico wished to spare him this trouble; +and Emily and Annette, wearied with travelling, tried to repose, while +he stood guard with his trombone. + +When Emily, refreshed by slumber, awoke, she found the sentinel asleep +on his post and Du Pont awake, but lost in melancholy thought. As the +sun was yet too high to allow them to continue their journey, and as +it was necessary, that Ludovico, after the toils and trouble he had +suffered, should finish his sleep, Emily took this opportunity of +enquiring by what accident Du Pont became Montoni's prisoner, and he, +pleased with the interest this enquiry expressed and with the excuse +it gave him for talking to her of himself, immediately answered her +curiosity. + +'I came into Italy, madam,' said Du Pont, 'in the service of my country. +In an adventure among the mountains our party, engaging with the bands +of Montoni, was routed, and I, with a few of my comrades, was taken +prisoner. When they told me, whose captive I was, the name of Montoni +struck me, for I remembered, that Madame Cheron, your aunt, had married +an Italian of that name, and that you had accompanied them into Italy. +It was not, however, till some time after, that I became convinced this +was the same Montoni, or learned that you, madam, was under the same +roof with myself. I will not pain you by describing what were my +emotions upon this discovery, which I owed to a sentinel, whom I had +so far won to my interest, that he granted me many indulgences, one of +which was very important to me, and somewhat dangerous to himself; but +he persisted in refusing to convey any letter, or notice of my situation +to you, for he justly dreaded a discovery and the consequent vengeance +of Montoni. He however enabled me to see you more than once. You are +surprised, madam, and I will explain myself. My health and spirits +suffered extremely from want of air and exercise, and, at length, I +gained so far upon the pity, or the avarice of the man, that he gave me +the means of walking on the terrace.' + +Emily now listened, with very anxious attention, to the narrative of Du +Pont, who proceeded: + +'In granting this indulgence, he knew, that he had nothing to apprehend +from a chance of my escaping from a castle, which was vigilantly +guarded, and the nearest terrace of which rose over a perpendicular +rock; he shewed me also,' continued Du Pont, 'a door concealed in +the cedar wainscot of the apartment where I was confined, which he +instructed me how to open; and which, leading into a passage, formed +within the thickness of the wall, that extended far along the castle, +finally opened in an obscure corner of the eastern rampart. I have since +been informed, that there are many passages of the same kind +concealed within the prodigious walls of that edifice, and which were, +undoubtedly, contrived for the purpose of facilitating escapes in time +of war. Through this avenue, at the dead of night, I often stole to the +terrace, where I walked with the utmost caution, lest my steps should +betray me to the sentinels on duty in distant parts; for this end of it, +being guarded by high buildings, was not watched by soldiers. In one of +these midnight wanderings, I saw light in a casement that overlooked the +rampart, and which, I observed, was immediately over my prison-chamber. +It occurred to me, that you might be in that apartment, and, with the +hope of seeing you, I placed myself opposite to the window.' + +Emily, remembering the figure that had formerly appeared on the terrace, +and which had occasioned her so much anxiety, exclaimed, 'It was you +then, Monsieur Du Pont, who occasioned me much foolish terror; my +spirits were, at that time, so much weakened by long suffering, that +they took alarm at every hint.' Du Pont, after lamenting, that he +had occasioned her any apprehension, added, 'As I rested on the +wall, opposite to your casement, the consideration of your melancholy +situation and of my own called from me involuntary sounds of +lamentation, which drew you, I fancy, to the casement; I saw there a +person, whom I believed to be you. O! I will say nothing of my emotion +at that moment; I wished to speak, but prudence restrained me, till +the distant foot-step of a sentinel compelled me suddenly to quit my +station. + +'It was some time, before I had another opportunity of walking, for I +could only leave my prison, when it happened to be the turn of one +man to guard me; meanwhile I became convinced from some circumstances +related by him, that your apartment was over mine, and, when again I +ventured forth, I returned to your casement, where again I saw you, but +without daring to speak. I waved my hand, and you suddenly disappeared; +then it was, that I forgot my prudence, and yielded to lamentation; +again you appeared--you spoke--I heard the well-known accent of your +voice! and, at that moment, my discretion would have forsaken me +again, had I not heard also the approaching steps of a soldier, when I +instantly quitted the place, though not before the man had seen me. +He followed down the terrace and gained so fast upon me, that I was +compelled to make use of a stratagem, ridiculous enough, to save myself. +I had heard of the superstition of many of these men, and I uttered +a strange noise, with a hope, that my pursuer would mistake it for +something supernatural, and desist from pursuit. Luckily for myself I +succeeded; the man, it seems, was subject to fits, and the terror he +suffered threw him into one, by which accident I secured my retreat. A +sense of the danger I had escaped, and the increased watchfulness, which +my appearance had occasioned among the sentinels, deterred me ever +after from walking on the terrace; but, in the stillness of night, +I frequently beguiled myself with an old lute, procured for me by a +soldier, which I sometimes accompanied with my voice, and sometimes, I +will acknowledge, with a hope of making myself heard by you; but it was +only a few evenings ago, that this hope was answered. I then thought I +heard a voice in the wind, calling me; yet, even then I feared to reply, +lest the sentinel at the prison door should hear me. Was I right, madam, +in this conjecture--was it you who spoke?' + +'Yes,' said Emily, with an involuntary sigh, 'you was right indeed.' + +Du Pont, observing the painful emotions, which this question revived, +now changed the subject. 'In one of my excursions through the passage, +which I have mentioned, I overheard a singular conversation,' said he. + +'In the passage!' said Emily, with surprise. + +'I heard it in the passage,' said Du Pont, 'but it proceeded from an +apartment, adjoining the wall, within which the passage wound, and the +shell of the wall was there so thin, and was also somewhat decayed, +that I could distinctly hear every word, spoken on the other side. It +happened that Montoni and his companions were assembled in the room, +and Montoni began to relate the extraordinary history of the lady, his +predecessor, in the castle. He did, indeed, mention some very surprising +circumstances, and whether they were strictly true, his conscience +must decide; I fear it will determine against him. But you, madam, have +doubtless heard the report, which he designs should circulate, on the +subject of that lady's mysterious fate.' + +'I have, sir,' replied Emily, 'and I perceive, that you doubt it.' + +'I doubted it before the period I am speaking of,' rejoined Du +Pont;--'but some circumstances, mentioned by Montoni, greatly +contributed to my suspicions. The account I then heard, almost convinced +me, that he was a murderer. I trembled for you;--the more so that I had +heard the guests mention your name in a manner, that threatened your +repose; and, knowing, that the most impious men are often the most +superstitious, I determined to try whether I could not awaken their +consciences, and awe them from the commission of the crime I dreaded. I +listened closely to Montoni, and, in the most striking passages of his +story, I joined my voice, and repeated his last words, in a disguised +and hollow tone.' + +'But was you not afraid of being discovered?' said Emily. + +'I was not,' replied Du Pont; 'for I knew, that, if Montoni had been +acquainted with the secret of this passage, he would not have confined +me in the apartment, to which it led. I knew also, from better +authority, that he was ignorant of it. The party, for some time, +appeared inattentive to my voice; but, at length, were so much alarmed, +that they quitted the apartment; and, having heard Montoni order his +servants to search it, I returned to my prison, which was very distant +from this part of the passage.' 'I remember perfectly to have heard of +the conversation you mention,' said Emily; 'it spread a general alarm +among Montoni's people, and I will own I was weak enough to partake of +it.' + +Monsieur Du Pont and Emily thus continued to converse of Montoni, and +then of France, and of the plan of their voyage; when Emily told him, +that it was her intention to retire to a convent in Languedoc, where she +had been formerly treated with much kindness, and from thence to write +to her relation Monsieur Quesnel, and inform him of her conduct. There, +she designed to wait, till La Vallee should again be her own, whither +she hoped her income would some time permit her to return; for Du +Pont now taught her to expect, that the estate, of which Montoni had +attempted to defraud her, was not irrecoverably lost, and he again +congratulated her on her escape from Montoni, who, he had not a doubt, +meant to have detained her for life. The possibility of recovering her +aunt's estates for Valancourt and herself lighted up a joy in Emily's +heart, such as she had not known for many months; but she endeavoured to +conceal this from Monsieur Du Pont, lest it should lead him to a painful +remembrance of his rival. + +They continued to converse, till the sun was declining in the west, when +Du Pont awoke Ludovico, and they set forward on their journey. Gradually +descending the lower slopes of the valley, they reached the Arno, and +wound along its pastoral margin, for many miles, delighted with the +scenery around them, and with the remembrances, which its classic waves +revived. At a distance, they heard the gay song of the peasants among +the vineyards, and observed the setting sun tint the waves with yellow +lustre, and twilight draw a dusky purple over the mountains, which, at +length, deepened into night. Then the LUCCIOLA, the fire-fly of Tuscany, +was seen to flash its sudden sparks among the foliage, while the +cicala, with its shrill note, became more clamorous than even during the +noon-day heat, loving best the hour when the English beetle, with less +offensive sound, + + winds + His small but sullen horn, + As oft he rises 'midst the twilight path, + Against the pilgrim borne in heedless hum.* + +(* Collins. [A. R.]) + + +The travellers crossed the Arno by moon-light, at a ferry, and, learning +that Pisa was distant only a few miles down the river, they wished to +have proceeded thither in a boat, but, as none could be procured, they +set out on their wearied horses for that city. As they approached it, +the vale expanded into a plain, variegated with vineyards, corn, olives +and mulberry groves; but it was late, before they reached its gates, +where Emily was surprised to hear the busy sound of footsteps and the +tones of musical instruments, as well as to see the lively groups, that +filled the streets, and she almost fancied herself again at Venice; +but here was no moon-light sea--no gay gondolas, dashing the waves,--no +PALLADIAN palaces, to throw enchantment over the fancy and lead it into +the wilds of fairy story. The Arno rolled through the town, but no music +trembled from balconies over its waters; it gave only the busy voices +of sailors on board vessels just arrived from the Mediterranean; +the melancholy heaving of the anchor, and the shrill boatswain's +whistle;--sounds, which, since that period, have there sunk almost into +silence. They then served to remind Du Pont, that it was probable he +might hear of a vessel, sailing soon to France from this port, and thus +be spared the trouble of going to Leghorn. As soon as Emily had reached +the inn, he went therefore to the quay, to make his enquiries; but, +after all the endeavours of himself and Ludovico, they could hear of no +bark, destined immediately for France, and the travellers returned to +their resting-place. Here also, Du Pont endeavoured to learn where his +regiment then lay, but could acquire no information concerning it. The +travellers retired early to rest, after the fatigues of this day; +and, on the following, rose early, and, without pausing to view the +celebrated antiquities of the place, or the wonders of its hanging +tower, pursued their journey in the cooler hours, through a charming +country, rich with wine, and corn and oil. The Apennines, no longer +awful, or even grand, here softened into the beauty of sylvan and +pastoral landscape; and Emily, as she descended them, looked down +delighted on Leghorn, and its spacious bay, filled with vessels, and +crowned with these beautiful hills. + +She was no less surprised and amused, on entering this town, to find +it crowded with persons in the dresses of all nations; a scene, which +reminded her of a Venetian masquerade, such as she had witnessed at the +time of the Carnival; but here, was bustle, without gaiety, and noise +instead of music, while elegance was to be looked for only in the waving +outlines of the surrounding hills. + +Monsieur Du Pont, immediately on their arrival, went down to the quay, +where he heard of several French vessels, and of one, that was to sail, +in a few days, for Marseilles, from whence another vessel could be +procured, without difficulty, to take them across the gulf of Lyons +towards Narbonne, on the coast not many leagues from which city he +understood the convent was seated, to which Emily wished to retire. +He, therefore, immediately engaged with the captain to take them to +Marseilles, and Emily was delighted to hear, that her passage to France +was secured. Her mind was now relieved from the terror of pursuit, and +the pleasing hope of soon seeing her native country--that country which +held Valancourt, restored to her spirits a degree of cheerfulness, such +as she had scarcely known, since the death of her father. At Leghorn +also, Du Pont heard of his regiment, and that it had embarked for +France; a circumstance, which gave him great satisfaction, for he could +now accompany Emily thither, without reproach to his conscience, or +apprehension of displeasure from his commander. During these days, he +scrupulously forbore to distress her by a mention of his passion, and +she was compelled to esteem and pity, though she could not love him. He +endeavoured to amuse her by shewing the environs of the town, and they +often walked together on the sea-shore, and on the busy quays, where +Emily was frequently interested by the arrival and departure of vessels, +participating in the joy of meeting friends, and, sometimes, shedding +a sympathetic tear to the sorrow of those, that were separating. It was +after having witnessed a scene of the latter kind, that she arranged the +following stanzas: + +THE MARINER + + Soft came the breath of spring; smooth flow'd the tide; + And blue the heaven in its mirror smil'd; + The white sail trembled, swell'd, expanded wide, + The busy sailors at the anchor toil'd. + + With anxious friends, that shed the parting tear, + The deck was throng'd--how swift the moments fly! + The vessel heaves, the farewel signs appear; + Mute is each tongue, and eloquent each eye! + + The last dread moment comes!--The sailor-youth + Hides the big drop, then smiles amid his pain, + Sooths his sad bride, and vows eternal truth, + 'Farewel, my love--we shall--shall meet again!' + + Long on the stern, with waving hand, he stood; + The crowded shore sinks, lessening, from his view, + As gradual glides the bark along the flood; + His bride is seen no more--'Adieu!--adieu!' + + The breeze of Eve moans low, her smile is o'er, + Dim steals her twilight down the crimson'd west, + He climbs the top-most mast, to seek once more + The far-seen coast, where all his wishes rest. + + He views its dark line on the distant sky, + And Fancy leads him to his little home, + He sees his weeping love, he hears her sigh, + He sooths her griefs, and tells of joys to come. + + Eve yields to night, the breeze to wintry gales, + In one vast shade the seas and shores repose; + He turns his aching eyes,--his spirit fails, + The chill tear falls;--sad to the deck he goes! + + The storm of midnight swells, the sails are furl'd, + Deep sounds the lead, but finds no friendly shore, + Fast o'er the waves the wretched bark is hurl'd, + 'O Ellen, Ellen! we must meet no more!' + + Lightnings, that shew the vast and foamy deep, + The rending thunders, as they onward roll, + The loud, loud winds, that o'er the billows sweep-- + Shake the firm nerve, appall the bravest soul! + + Ah! what avails the seamen's toiling care! + The straining cordage bursts, the mast is riv'n; + The sounds of terror groan along the air, + Then sink afar;--the bark on rocks is driv'n! + + Fierce o'er the wreck the whelming waters pass'd, + The helpless crew sunk in the roaring main! + Henry's faint accents trembled in the blast-- + 'Farewel, my love!--we ne'er shall meet again!' + + Oft, at the calm and silent evening hour, + When summer-breezes linger on the wave, + A melancholy voice is heard to pour + Its lonely sweetness o'er poor Henry's grave! + + And oft, at midnight, airy strains are heard + Around the grove, where Ellen's form is laid; + Nor is the dirge by village-maidens fear'd, + For lovers' spirits guard the holy shade! + + + +CHAPTER X + + + Oh! the joy + Of young ideas, painted on the mind + In the warm glowing colours fancy spreads + On objects not yet known, when all is new, + And all is lovely! + SACRED DRAMAS + +We now return to Languedoc and to the mention of Count De Villefort, the +nobleman, who succeeded to an estate of the Marquis De Villeroi situated +near the monastery of St. Claire. It may be recollected, that this +chateau was uninhabited, when St. Aubert and his daughter were in the +neighbourhood, and that the former was much affected on discovering +himself to be so near Chateau-le-Blanc, a place, concerning which the +good old La Voisin afterwards dropped some hints, that had alarmed +Emily's curiosity. + +It was in the year 1584, the beginning of that, in which St. Aubert +died, that Francis Beauveau, Count De Villefort, came into possession +of the mansion and extensive domain called Chateau-le-Blanc, situated +in the province of Languedoc, on the shore of the Mediterranean. This +estate, which, during some centuries, had belonged to his family, +now descended to him, on the decease of his relative, the Marquis De +Villeroi, who had been latterly a man of reserved manners and austere +character; circumstances, which, together with the duties of his +profession, that often called him into the field, had prevented any +degree of intimacy with his cousin, the Count De Villefort. For many +years, they had known little of each other, and the Count received the +first intelligence of his death, which happened in a distant part of +France, together with the instruments, that gave him possession of the +domain Chateau-le-Blanc; but it was not till the following year, that +he determined to visit that estate, when he designed to pass the autumn +there. The scenes of Chateau-le-Blanc often came to his remembrance, +heightened by the touches, which a warm imagination gives to the +recollection of early pleasures; for, many years before, in the +life-time of the Marchioness, and at that age when the mind is +particularly sensible to impressions of gaiety and delight, he had once +visited this spot, and, though he had passed a long intervening period +amidst the vexations and tumults of public affairs, which too frequently +corrode the heart, and vitiate the taste, the shades of Languedoc and +the grandeur of its distant scenery had never been remembered by him +with indifference. + +During many years, the chateau had been abandoned by the late Marquis, +and, being inhabited only by an old steward and his wife, had been +suffered to fall much into decay. To superintend the repairs, that would +be requisite to make it a comfortable residence, had been a principal +motive with the Count for passing the autumnal months in Languedoc; and +neither the remonstrances, or the tears of the Countess, for, on +urgent occasions, she could weep, were powerful enough to overcome his +determination. She prepared, therefore, to obey the command, which she +could not conquer, and to resign the gay assemblies of Paris,--where her +beauty was generally unrivalled and won the applause, to which her +wit had but feeble claim--for the twilight canopy of woods, the lonely +grandeur of mountains and the solemnity of gothic halls and of long, +long galleries, which echoed only the solitary step of a domestic, or +the measured clink, that ascended from the great clock--the ancient +monitor of the hall below. From these melancholy expectations she +endeavoured to relieve her spirits by recollecting all that she had ever +heard, concerning the joyous vintage of the plains of Languedoc; but +there, alas! no airy forms would bound to the gay melody of Parisian +dances, and a view of the rustic festivities of peasants could afford +little pleasure to a heart, in which even the feelings of ordinary +benevolence had long since decayed under the corruptions of luxury. + +The Count had a son and a daughter, the children of a former marriage, +who, he designed, should accompany him to the south of France; Henri, +who was in his twentieth year, was in the French service; and Blanche, +who was not yet eighteen, had been hitherto confined to the convent, +where she had been placed immediately on her father's second +marriage. The present Countess, who had neither sufficient ability, or +inclination, to superintend the education of her daughter-in-law, had +advised this step, and the dread of superior beauty had since urged +her to employ every art, that might prevail on the Count to prolong +the period of Blanche's seclusion; it was, therefore, with extreme +mortification, that she now understood he would no longer submit on this +subject, yet it afforded her some consolation to consider, that, though +the Lady Blanche would emerge from her convent, the shades of the +country would, for some time, veil her beauty from the public eye. + +On the morning, which commenced the journey, the postillions stopped at +the convent, by the Count's order, to take up Blanche, whose heart beat +with delight, at the prospect of novelty and freedom now before her. As +the time of her departure drew nigh, her impatience had increased, and +the last night, during which she counted every note of every hour, had +appeared the most tedious of any she had ever known. The morning light, +at length, dawned; the matin-bell rang; she heard the nuns descending +from their chambers, and she started from a sleepless pillow to welcome +the day, which was to emancipate her from the severities of a cloister, +and introduce her to a world, where pleasure was ever smiling, and +goodness ever blessed--where, in short, nothing but pleasure and +goodness reigned! When the bell of the great gate rang, and the sound +was followed by that of carriage wheels, she ran, with a palpitating +heart, to her lattice, and, perceiving her father's carriage in the +court below, danced, with airy steps, along the gallery, where she was +met by a nun with a summons from the abbess. In the next moment, she was +in the parlour, and in the presence of the Countess who now appeared to +her as an angel, that was to lead her into happiness. But the emotions +of the Countess, on beholding her, were not in unison with those of +Blanche, who had never appeared so lovely as at this moment, when her +countenance, animated by the lightning smile of joy, glowed with the +beauty of happy innocence. + +After conversing for a few minutes with the abbess, the Countess rose to +go. This was the moment, which Blanche had anticipated with such eager +expectation, the summit from which she looked down upon the fairy-land +of happiness, and surveyed all its enchantment; was it a moment, then, +for tears of regret? Yet it was so. She turned, with an altered and +dejected countenance, to her young companions, who were come to bid her +farewell, and wept! Even my lady abbess, so stately and so solemn, she +saluted with a degree of sorrow, which, an hour before, she would +have believed it impossible to feel, and which may be accounted for by +considering how reluctantly we all part, even with unpleasing objects, +when the separation is consciously for ever. Again, she kissed the poor +nuns and then followed the Countess from that spot with tears, which she +expected to leave only with smiles. + +But the presence of her father and the variety of objects, on the road, +soon engaged her attention, and dissipated the shade, which tender +regret had thrown upon her spirits. Inattentive to a conversation, which +was passing between the Countess and a Mademoiselle Bearn, her friend, +Blanche sat, lost in pleasing reverie, as she watched the clouds +floating silently along the blue expanse, now veiling the sun and +stretching their shadows along the distant scene, and then disclosing +all his brightness. The journey continued to give Blanche inexpressible +delight, for new scenes of nature were every instant opening to her +view, and her fancy became stored with gay and beautiful imagery. + +It was on the evening of the seventh day, that the travellers came +within view of Chateau-le-Blanc, the romantic beauty of whose situation +strongly impressed the imagination of Blanche, who observed, with +sublime astonishment, the Pyrenean mountains, which had been seen only +at a distance during the day, now rising within a few leagues, with +their wild cliffs and immense precipices, which the evening clouds, +floating round them, now disclosed, and again veiled. The setting rays, +that tinged their snowy summits with a roseate hue, touched their lower +points with various colouring, while the blueish tint, that pervaded +their shadowy recesses, gave the strength of contrast to the splendour +of light. The plains of Languedoc, blushing with the purple vine and +diversified with groves of mulberry, almond and olives, spread far to +the north and the east; to the south, appeared the Mediterranean, clear +as crystal, and blue as the heavens it reflected, bearing on its bosom +vessels, whose white sails caught the sun-beams, and gave animation +to the scene. On a high promontory, washed by the waters of the +Mediterranean, stood her father's mansion, almost secluded from the +eye by woods of intermingled pine, oak and chesnut, which crowned the +eminence, and sloped towards the plains, on one side; while, on the +other, they extended to a considerable distance along the sea-shores. + +As Blanche drew nearer, the gothic features of this antient mansion +successively appeared--first an embattled turret, rising above the +trees--then the broken arch of an immense gate-way, retiring beyond +them; and she almost fancied herself approaching a castle, such as is +often celebrated in early story, where the knights look out from the +battlements on some champion below, who, clothed in black armour, +comes, with his companions, to rescue the fair lady of his love from +the oppression of his rival; a sort of legends, to which she had once +or twice obtained access in the library of her convent, that, like +many others, belonging to the monks, was stored with these reliques of +romantic fiction. + +The carriages stopped at a gate, which led into the domain of the +chateau, but which was now fastened; and the great bell, that had +formerly served to announce the arrival of strangers, having long since +fallen from its station, a servant climbed over a ruined part of the +adjoining wall, to give notice to those within of the arrival of their +lord. + +As Blanche leaned from the coach window, she resigned herself to the +sweet and gentle emotions, which the hour and the scenery awakened. The +sun had now left the earth, and twilight began to darken the mountains; +while the distant waters, reflecting the blush that still glowed in +the west, appeared like a line of light, skirting the horizon. The low +murmur of waves, breaking on the shore, came in the breeze, and, now and +then, the melancholy dashing of oars was feebly heard from a distance. +She was suffered to indulge her pensive mood, for the thoughts of the +rest of the party were silently engaged upon the subjects of their +several interests. Meanwhile, the Countess, reflecting, with regret, +upon the gay parties she had left at Paris, surveyed, with disgust, what +she thought the gloomy woods and solitary wildness of the scene; and, +shrinking from the prospect of being shut up in an old castle, was +prepared to meet every object with displeasure. The feelings of Henri +were somewhat similar to those of the Countess; he gave a mournful sigh +to the delights of the capital, and to the remembrance of a lady, +who, he believed, had engaged his affections, and who had certainly +fascinated his imagination; but the surrounding country, and the mode +of life, on which he was entering, had, for him, at least, the charm of +novelty, and his regret was softened by the gay expectations of youth. +The gates being at length unbarred, the carriage moved slowly on, under +spreading chesnuts, that almost excluded the remains of day, following +what had been formerly a road, but which now, overgrown with luxuriant +vegetation, could be traced only by the boundary, formed by trees, +on either side, and which wound for near half a mile among the woods, +before it reached the chateau. This was the very avenue that St. +Aubert and Emily had formerly entered, on their first arrival in the +neighbourhood, with the hope of finding a house, that would receive +them, for the night, and had so abruptly quitted, on perceiving the +wildness of the place, and a figure, which the postillion had fancied +was a robber. + +'What a dismal place is this!' exclaimed the Countess, as the carriage +penetrated the deeper recesses of the woods. 'Surely, my lord, you do +not mean to pass all the autumn in this barbarous spot! One ought to +bring hither a cup of the waters of Lethe, that the remembrance of +pleasanter scenes may not heighten, at least, the natural dreariness of +these.' + +'I shall be governed by circumstances, madam,' said the Count, 'this +barbarous spot was inhabited by my ancestors.' + +The carriage now stopped at the chateau, where, at the door of the great +hall, appeared the old steward and the Parisian servants, who had been +sent to prepare the chateau, waiting to receive their lord. Lady Blanche +now perceived, that the edifice was not built entirely in the gothic +style, but that it had additions of a more modern date; the large and +gloomy hall, however, into which she now entered, was entirely gothic, +and sumptuous tapestry, which it was now too dark to distinguish, hung +upon the walls, and depictured scenes from some of the antient Provencal +romances. A vast gothic window, embroidered with CLEMATIS and eglantine, +that ascended to the south, led the eye, now that the casements were +thrown open, through this verdant shade, over a sloping lawn, to the +tops of dark woods, that hung upon the brow of the promontory. Beyond, +appeared the waters of the Mediterranean, stretching far to the south, +and to the east, where they were lost in the horizon; while, to the +north-east, they were bounded by the luxuriant shores of Languedoc and +Provence, enriched with wood, and gay with vines and sloping pastures; +and, to the south-west, by the majestic Pyrenees, now fading from the +eye, beneath the gradual gloom. + +Blanche, as she crossed the hall, stopped a moment to observe this +lovely prospect, which the evening twilight obscured, yet did not +conceal. But she was quickly awakened from the complacent delight, +which this scene had diffused upon her mind, by the Countess, who, +discontented with every object around, and impatient for refreshment +and repose, hastened forward to a large parlour, whose cedar wainscot, +narrow, pointed casements, and dark ceiling of carved cypress wood, +gave it an aspect of peculiar gloom, which the dingy green velvet of the +chairs and couches, fringed with tarnished gold, had once been designed +to enliven. + +While the Countess enquired for refreshment, the Count, attended by +his son, went to look over some part of the chateau, and Lady Blanche +reluctantly remained to witness the discontent and ill-humour of her +step-mother. + +'How long have you lived in this desolate place?' said her ladyship, to +the old house keeper, who came to pay her duty. + +'Above twenty years, your ladyship, on the next feast of St. Jerome.' + +'How happened it, that you have lived here so long, and almost alone, +too? I understood, that the chateau had been shut up for some years?' + +'Yes, madam, it was for many years after my late lord, the Count, went +to the wars; but it is above twenty years, since I and my husband came +into his service. The place is so large, and has of late been so lonely, +that we were lost in it, and, after some time, we went to live in a +cottage at the end of the woods, near some of the tenants, and came to +look after the chateau, every now and then. When my lord returned to +France from the wars, he took a dislike to the place, and never came +to live here again, and so he was satisfied with our remaining at the +cottage. Alas--alas! how the chateau is changed from what it once was! +What delight my late lady used to take in it! I well remember when she +came here a bride, and how fine it was. Now, it has been neglected so +long, and is gone into such decay! I shall never see those days again!' + +The Countess appearing to be somewhat offended by the thoughtless +simplicity, with which the old woman regretted former times, Dorothee +added--'But the chateau will now be inhabited, and cheerful again; not +all the world could tempt me to live in it alone.' + +'Well, the experiment will not be made, I believe,' said the Countess, +displeased that her own silence had been unable to awe the loquacity of +this rustic old housekeeper, now spared from further attendance by the +entrance of the Count, who said he had been viewing part of the +chateau, and found, that it would require considerable repairs and some +alterations, before it would be perfectly comfortable, as a place of +residence. 'I am sorry to hear it, my lord,' replied the Countess. 'And +why sorry, madam?' 'Because the place will ill repay your trouble; and +were it even a paradise, it would be insufferable at such a distance +from Paris.' + +The Count made no reply, but walked abruptly to a window. 'There are +windows, my lord, but they neither admit entertainment, or light; they +shew only a scene of savage nature.' + +'I am at a loss, madam,' said the Count, 'to conjecture what you mean by +savage nature. Do those plains, or those woods, or that fine expanse of +water, deserve the name?' + +'Those mountains certainly do, my lord,' rejoined the Countess, pointing +to the Pyrenees, 'and this chateau, though not a work of rude nature, +is, to my taste, at least, one of savage art.' The Count coloured +highly. 'This place, madam, was the work of my ancestors,' said he, +'and you must allow me to say, that your present conversation discovers +neither good taste, or good manners.' Blanche, now shocked at an +altercation, which appeared to be increasing to a serious disagreement, +rose to leave the room, when her mother's woman entered it; and the +Countess, immediately desiring to be shewn to her own apartment, +withdrew, attended by Mademoiselle Bearn. + +Lady Blanche, it being not yet dark, took this opportunity of exploring +new scenes, and, leaving the parlour, she passed from the hall into +a wide gallery, whose walls were decorated by marble pilasters, which +supported an arched roof, composed of a rich mosaic work. Through a +distant window, that seemed to terminate the gallery, were seen the +purple clouds of evening and a landscape, whose features, thinly veiled +in twilight, no longer appeared distinctly, but, blended into one grand +mass, stretched to the horizon, coloured only with a tint of solemn +grey. + +The gallery terminated in a saloon, to which the window she had seen +through an open door, belonged; but the increasing dusk permitted her +only an imperfect view of this apartment, which seemed to be magnificent +and of modern architecture; though it had been either suffered to fall +into decay, or had never been properly finished. The windows, which were +numerous and large, descended low, and afforded a very extensive, and +what Blanche's fancy represented to be, a very lovely prospect; and +she stood for some time, surveying the grey obscurity and depicturing +imaginary woods and mountains, vallies and rivers, on this scene of +night; her solemn sensations rather assisted, than interrupted, by the +distant bark of a watch-dog, and by the breeze, as it trembled upon the +light foliage of the shrubs. Now and then, appeared for a moment, among +the woods, a cottage light; and, at length, was heard, afar off, the +evening bell of a convent, dying on the air. When she withdrew her +thoughts from these subjects of fanciful delight, the gloom and silence +of the saloon somewhat awed her; and, having sought the door of the +gallery, and pursued, for a considerable time, a dark passage, she came +to a hall, but one totally different from that she had formerly seen. +By the twilight, admitted through an open portico, she could just +distinguish this apartment to be of very light and airy architecture, +and that it was paved with white marble, pillars of which supported the +roof, that rose into arches built in the Moorish style. While Blanche +stood on the steps of this portico, the moon rose over the sea, and +gradually disclosed, in partial light, the beauties of the eminence, on +which she stood, whence a lawn, now rude and overgrown with high grass, +sloped to the woods, that, almost surrounding the chateau, extended in a +grand sweep down the southern sides of the promontory to the very margin +of the ocean. Beyond the woods, on the north-side, appeared a long tract +of the plains of Languedoc; and, to the east, the landscape she had +before dimly seen, with the towers of a monastery, illumined by the +moon, rising over dark groves. + +The soft and shadowy tint, that overspread the scene, the waves, +undulating in the moon-light, and their low and measured murmurs on the +beach, were circumstances, that united to elevate the unaccustomed mind +of Blanche to enthusiasm. + +'And have I lived in this glorious world so long,' said she, 'and never +till now beheld such a prospect--never experienced these delights! Every +peasant girl, on my father's domain, has viewed from her infancy the +face of nature; has ranged, at liberty, her romantic wilds, while I have +been shut in a cloister from the view of these beautiful appearances, +which were designed to enchant all eyes, and awaken all hearts. How +can the poor nuns and friars feel the full fervour of devotion, if they +never see the sun rise, or set? Never, till this evening, did I know +what true devotion is; for, never before did I see the sun sink below +the vast earth! To-morrow, for the first time in my life, I will see +it rise. O, who would live in Paris, to look upon black walls and dirty +streets, when, in the country, they might gaze on the blue heavens, and +all the green earth!' + +This enthusiastic soliloquy was interrupted by a rustling noise in the +hall; and, while the loneliness of the place made her sensible to fear, +she thought she perceived something moving between the pillars. For +a moment, she continued silently observing it, till, ashamed of her +ridiculous apprehensions, she recollected courage enough to demand who +was there. 'O my young lady, is it you?' said the old housekeeper, who +was come to shut the windows, 'I am glad it is you.' The manner, in +which she spoke this, with a faint breath, rather surprised Blanche, who +said, 'You seemed frightened, Dorothee, what is the matter?' + +'No, not frightened, ma'amselle,' replied Dorothee, hesitating and +trying to appear composed, 'but I am old, and--a little matter startles +me.' The Lady Blanche smiled at the distinction. 'I am glad, that my +lord the Count is come to live at the chateau, ma'amselle,' continued +Dorothee, 'for it has been many a year deserted, and dreary enough; now, +the place will look a little as it used to do, when my poor lady was +alive.' Blanche enquired how long it was, since the Marchioness died? +'Alas! my lady,' replied Dorothee, 'so long--that I have ceased to count +the years! The place, to my mind, has mourned ever since, and I am sure +my lord's vassals have! But you have lost yourself, ma'amselle,--shall I +shew you to the other side of the chateau?' + +Blanche enquired how long this part of the edifice had been built. 'Soon +after my lord's marriage, ma'am,' replied Dorothee. 'The place was large +enough without this addition, for many rooms of the old building were +even then never made use of, and my lord had a princely household too; +but he thought the antient mansion gloomy, and gloomy enough it is!' +Lady Blanche now desired to be shewn to the inhabited part of the +chateau; and, as the passages were entirely dark, Dorothee conducted her +along the edge of the lawn to the opposite side of the edifice, where, +a door opening into the great hall, she was met by Mademoiselle Bearn. +'Where have you been so long?' said she, 'I had begun to think some +wonderful adventure had befallen you, and that the giant of this +enchanted castle, or the ghost, which, no doubt, haunts it, had conveyed +you through a trap-door into some subterranean vault, whence you was +never to return.' + +'No,' replied Blanche, laughingly, 'you seem to love adventures so well, +that I leave them for you to achieve.' + +'Well, I am willing to achieve them, provided I am allowed to describe +them.' + +'My dear Mademoiselle Bearn,' said Henri, as he met her at the door of +the parlour, 'no ghost of these days would be so savage as to impose +silence on you. Our ghosts are more civilized than to condemn a lady to +a purgatory severer even, than their own, be it what it may.' + +Mademoiselle Bearn replied only by a laugh; and, the Count now entering +the room, supper was served, during which he spoke little, frequently +appeared to be abstracted from the company, and more than once remarked, +that the place was greatly altered, since he had last seen it. 'Many +years have intervened since that period,' said he; 'and, though the +grand features of the scenery admit of no change, they impress me with +sensations very different from those I formerly experienced.' + +'Did these scenes, sir,' said Blanche, 'ever appear more lovely, than +they do now? To me this seems hardly possible.' The Count, regarding her +with a melancholy smile, said, 'They once were as delightful to me, as +they are now to you; the landscape is not changed, but time has changed +me; from my mind the illusion, which gave spirit to the colouring of +nature, is fading fast! If you live, my dear Blanche, to re-visit this +spot, at the distance of many years, you will, perhaps, remember and +understand the feelings of your father.' + +Lady Blanche, affected by these words, remained silent; she looked +forward to the period, which the Count anticipated, and considering, +that he, who now spoke, would then probably be no more, her eyes, bent +to the ground, were filed with tears. She gave her hand to her father, +who, smiling affectionately, rose from his chair, and went to a window +to conceal his emotion. + +The fatigues of the day made the party separate at an early hour, +when Blanche retired through a long oak gallery to her chamber, whose +spacious and lofty walls, high antiquated casements, and, what was the +effect of these, its gloomy air, did not reconcile her to its remote +situation, in this antient building. The furniture, also, was of antient +date; the bed was of blue damask, trimmed with tarnished gold lace, +and its lofty tester rose in the form of a canopy, whence the curtains +descended, like those of such tents as are sometimes represented in old +pictures, and, indeed, much resembling those, exhibited on the faded +tapestry, with which the chamber was hung. To Blanche, every object here +was matter of curiosity; and, taking the light from her woman to examine +the tapestry, she perceived, that it represented scenes from the wars +of Troy, though the almost colourless worsted now mocked the glowing +actions they once had painted. She laughed at the ludicrous absurdity +she observed, till, recollecting, that the hands, which had wove it, +were, like the poet, whose thoughts of fire they had attempted to +express, long since mouldered into dust, a train of melancholy ideas +passed over her mind, and she almost wept. + +Having given her woman a strict injunction to awaken her, before +sun-rise, she dismissed her; and then, to dissipate the gloom, which +reflection had cast upon her spirits, opened one of the high casements, +and was again cheered by the face of living nature. The shadowy earth, +the air, and ocean--all was still. Along the deep serene of the heavens, +a few light clouds floated slowly, through whose skirts the stars now +seemed to tremble, and now to emerge with purer splendour. Blanche's +thoughts arose involuntarily to the Great Author of the sublime objects +she contemplated, and she breathed a prayer of finer devotion, than any +she had ever uttered beneath the vaulted roof of a cloister. At this +casement, she remained till the glooms of midnight were stretched over +the prospect. She then retired to her pillow, and, 'with gay visions of +to-morrow,' to those sweet slumbers, which health and happy innocence +only know. + + To-morrow to fresh woods and pastures new. + + + +CHAPTER XI + + + What transport to retrace our early plays, + Our easy bliss, when each thing joy supplied + The woods, the mountains and the warbling maze + Of the wild brooks! + THOMSON + +Blanche's slumbers continued, till long after the hour, which she had +so impatiently anticipated, for her woman, fatigued with travelling, +did not call her, till breakfast was nearly ready. Her disappointment, +however, was instantly forgotten, when, on opening the casement, she +saw, on one hand, the wide sea sparkling in the morning rays, with its +stealing sails and glancing oars; and, on the other, the fresh woods, +the plains far-stretching and the blue mountains, all glowing with the +splendour of day. + +As she inspired the pure breeze, health spread a deeper blush upon her +countenance, and pleasure danced in her eyes. + +'Who could first invent convents!' said she, 'and who could first +persuade people to go into them? and to make religion a pretence, too, +where all that should inspire it, is so carefully shut out! God is +best pleased with the homage of a grateful heart, and, when we view his +glories, we feel most grateful. I never felt so much devotion, during +the many dull years I was in the convent, as I have done in the few +hours, that I have been here, where I need only look on all around +me--to adore God in my inmost heart!' + +Saying this, she left the window, bounded along the gallery, and, in +the next moment, was in the breakfast room, where the Count was +already seated. The cheerfulness of a bright sunshine had dispersed +the melancholy glooms of his reflections, a pleasant smile was on his +countenance, and he spoke in an enlivening voice to Blanche, whose +heart echoed back the tones. Henri and, soon after, the Countess with +Mademoiselle Bearn appeared, and the whole party seemed to acknowledge +the influence of the scene; even the Countess was so much re-animated as +to receive the civilities of her husband with complacency, and but once +forgot her good-humour, which was when she asked whether they had any +neighbours, who were likely to make THIS BARBAROUS SPOT more tolerable, +and whether the Count believed it possible for her to exist here, +without some amusement? + +Soon after breakfast the party dispersed; the Count, ordering his +steward to attend him in the library, went to survey the condition of +his premises, and to visit some of his tenants; Henri hastened with +alacrity to the shore to examine a boat, that was to bear them on a +little voyage in the evening and to superintend the adjustment of a silk +awning; while the Countess, attended by Mademoiselle Bearn, retired to +an apartment on the modern side of the chateau, which was fitted up with +airy elegance; and, as the windows opened upon balconies, that fronted +the sea, she was there saved from a view of the HORRID Pyrenees. Here, +while she reclined on a sofa, and, casting her languid eyes over the +ocean, which appeared beyond the wood-tops, indulged in the luxuries of +ENNUI, her companion read aloud a sentimental novel, on some fashionable +system of philosophy, for the Countess was herself somewhat of a +PHILOSOPHER, especially as to INFIDELITY, and among a certain circle her +opinions were waited for with impatience, and received as doctrines. + +The Lady Blanche, meanwhile, hastened to indulge, amidst the wild +wood-walks around the chateau, her new enthusiasm, where, as she +wandered under the shades, her gay spirits gradually yielded to pensive +complacency. Now, she moved with solemn steps, beneath the gloom of +thickly interwoven branches, where the fresh dew still hung upon every +flower, that peeped from among the grass; and now tripped sportively +along the path, on which the sunbeams darted and the checquered foliage +trembled--where the tender greens of the beech, the acacia and the +mountain-ash, mingling with the solemn tints of the cedar, the pine and +cypress, exhibited as fine a contrast of colouring, as the majestic oak +and oriental plane did of form, to the feathery lightness of the cork +tree and the waving grace of the poplar. + +Having reached a rustic seat, within a deep recess of the woods, she +rested awhile, and, as her eyes caught, through a distant opening, a +glimpse of the blue waters of the Mediterranean, with the white sail, +gliding on its bosom, or of the broad mountain, glowing beneath the +mid-day sun, her mind experienced somewhat of that exquisite delight, +which awakens the fancy, and leads to poetry. The hum of bees alone +broke the stillness around her, as, with other insects of various +hues, they sported gaily in the shade, or sipped sweets from the fresh +flowers: and, while Blanche watched a butter-fly, flitting from bud to +bud, she indulged herself in imagining the pleasures of its short day, +till she had composed the following stanzas. + + THE BUTTER-FLY TO HIS LOVE + + What bowery dell, with fragrant breath, + Courts thee to stay thy airy flight; + Nor seek again the purple heath, + So oft the scene of gay delight? + + Long I've watch'd i' the lily's bell, + Whose whiteness stole the morning's beam; + No fluttering sounds thy coming tell, + No waving wings, at distance, gleam. + + But fountain fresh, nor breathing grove, + Nor sunny mead, nor blossom'd tree, + So sweet as lily's cell shall prove,-- + The bower of constant love and me. + + When April buds begin to blow, + The prim-rose, and the hare-bell blue, + That on the verdant moss bank grow, + With violet cups, that weep in dew; + + When wanton gales breathe through the shade, + And shake the blooms, and steal their sweets, + And swell the song of ev'ry glade, + I range the forest's green retreats: + + There, through the tangled wood-walks play, + Where no rude urchin paces near, + Where sparely peeps the sultry day, + And light dews freshen all the air. + + High on a sun-beam oft I sport + O'er bower and fountain, vale and hill; + Oft ev'ry blushing flow'ret court, + That hangs its head o'er winding rill. + + But these I'll leave to be thy guide, + And shew thee, where the jasmine spreads + Her snowy leaf, where may-flow'rs hide, + And rose-buds rear their peeping heads. + + With me the mountain's summit scale, + And taste the wild-thyme's honied bloom, + Whose fragrance, floating on the gale, + Oft leads me to the cedar's gloom. + + Yet, yet, no sound comes in the breeze! + What shade thus dares to tempt thy stay? + Once, me alone thou wish'd to please, + And with me only thou wouldst stray. + + But, while thy long delay I mourn, + And chide the sweet shades for their guile, + Thou may'st be true, and they forlorn, + And fairy favours court thy smile. + + The tiny queen of fairy-land, + Who knows thy speed, hath sent thee far, + To bring, or ere the night-watch stand, + Rich essence for her shadowy car: + + Perchance her acorn-cups to fill + With nectar from the Indian rose, + Or gather, near some haunted rill, + May-dews, that lull to sleep Love's woes: + + Or, o'er the mountains, bade thee fly, + To tell her fairy love to speed, + When ev'ning steals upon the sky, + To dance along the twilight mead. + + But now I see thee sailing low, + Gay as the brightest flow'rs of spring, + Thy coat of blue and jet I know, + And well thy gold and purple wing. + + Borne on the gale, thou com'st to me; + O! welcome, welcome to my home! + In lily's cell we'll live in glee, + Together o'er the mountains roam! + +When Lady Blanche returned to the chateau, instead of going to the +apartment of the Countess, she amused herself with wandering over that +part of the edifice, which she had not yet examined, of which the most +antient first attracted her curiosity; for, though what she had seen of +the modern was gay and elegant, there was something in the former more +interesting to her imagination. Having passed up the great stair-case, +and through the oak gallery, she entered upon a long suite of chambers, +whose walls were either hung with tapestry, or wainscoted with cedar, +the furniture of which looked almost as antient as the rooms themselves; +the spacious fire-places, where no mark of social cheer remained, +presented an image of cold desolation; and the whole suite had so much +the air of neglect and desertion, that it seemed, as if the venerable +persons, whose portraits hung upon the walls, had been the last to +inhabit them. + +On leaving these rooms, she found herself in another gallery, one end of +which was terminated by a back stair-case, and the other by a door, +that seemed to communicate with the north-side of the chateau, but which +being fastened, she descended the stair-case, and, opening a door in +the wall, a few steps down, found herself in a small square room, that +formed part of the west turret of the castle. Three windows presented +each a separate and beautiful prospect; that to the north, overlooking +Languedoc; another to the west, the hills ascending towards the +Pyrenees, whose awful summits crowned the landscape; and a third, +fronting the south, gave the Mediterranean, and a part of the wild +shores of Rousillon, to the eye. + +Having left the turret, and descended the narrow stair-case, she found +herself in a dusky passage, where she wandered, unable to find her way, +till impatience yielded to apprehension, and she called for assistance. +Presently steps approached, and light glimmered through a door at the +other extremity of the passage, which was opened with caution by some +person, who did not venture beyond it, and whom Blanche observed +in silence, till the door was closing, when she called aloud, and, +hastening towards it, perceived the old housekeeper. 'Dear ma'amselle! +is it you?' said Dorothee, 'How could you find your way hither?' Had +Blanche been less occupied by her own fears, she would probably have +observed the strong expressions of terror and surprise on Dorothee's +countenance, who now led her through a long succession of passages and +rooms, that looked as if they had been uninhabited for a century, +till they reached that appropriated to the housekeeper, where Dorothee +entreated she would sit down and take refreshment. Blanche accepted the +sweet meats, offered to her, mentioned her discovery of the pleasant +turret, and her wish to appropriate it to her own use. Whether +Dorothee's taste was not so sensible to the beauties of landscape as her +young lady's, or that the constant view of lovely scenery had deadened +it, she forbore to praise the subject of Blanche's enthusiasm, which, +however, her silence did not repress. To Lady Blanche's enquiry of +whither the door she had found fastened at the end of the gallery led, +she replied, that it opened to a suite of rooms, which had not been +entered, during many years, 'For,' added she, 'my late lady died in one +of them, and I could never find in my heart to go into them since.' + +Blanche, though she wished to see these chambers, forbore, on observing +that Dorothee's eyes were filled with tears, to ask her to unlock them, +and, soon after, went to dress for dinner, at which the whole party met +in good spirits and good humour, except the Countess, whose vacant mind, +overcome by the languor of idleness, would neither suffer her to be +happy herself, or to contribute to the happiness of others. Mademoiselle +Bearn, attempting to be witty, directed her badinage against Henri, +who answered, because he could not well avoid it, rather than from any +inclination to notice her, whose liveliness sometimes amused, but whose +conceit and insensibility often disgusted him. + +The cheerfulness, with which Blanche rejoined the party, vanished, on +her reaching the margin of the sea; she gazed with apprehension upon +the immense expanse of waters, which, at a distance, she had beheld only +with delight and astonishment, and it was by a strong effort, that she +so far overcame her fears as to follow her father into the boat. + +As she silently surveyed the vast horizon, bending round the distant +verge of the ocean, an emotion of sublimest rapture struggled to +overcome a sense of personal danger. A light breeze played on the +water, and on the silk awning of the boat, and waved the foliage of the +receding woods, that crowned the cliffs, for many miles, and which the +Count surveyed with the pride of conscious property, as well as with the +eye of taste. + +At some distance, among these woods, stood a pavilion, which had once +been the scene of social gaiety, and which its situation still made +one of romantic beauty. Thither, the Count had ordered coffee and other +refreshment to be carried, and thither the sailors now steered +their course, following the windings of the shore round many a woody +promontory and circling bay; while the pensive tones of horns and other +wind instruments, played by the attendants in a distant boat, echoed +among the rocks, and died along the waves. Blanche had now subdued her +fears; a delightful tranquillity stole over her mind, and held her in +silence; and she was too happy even to remember the convent, or her +former sorrows, as subjects of comparison with her present felicity. + +The Countess felt less unhappy than she had done, since the moment of +her leaving Paris; for her mind was now under some degree of restraint; +she feared to indulge its wayward humours, and even wished to recover +the Count's good opinion. On his family, and on the surrounding scene, +he looked with tempered pleasure and benevolent satisfaction, while his +son exhibited the gay spirits of youth, anticipating new delights, and +regretless of those, that were passed. + +After near an hour's rowing, the party landed, and ascended a little +path, overgrown with vegetation. At a little distance from the point +of the eminence, within the shadowy recess of the woods, appeared +the pavilion, which Blanche perceived, as she caught a glimpse of its +portico between the trees, to be built of variegated marble. As she +followed the Countess, she often turned her eyes with rapture towards +the ocean, seen beneath the dark foliage, far below, and from thence +upon the deep woods, whose silence and impenetrable gloom awakened +emotions more solemn, but scarcely less delightful. + +The pavilion had been prepared, as far as was possible, on a very short +notice, for the reception of its visitors; but the faded colours of +its painted walls and ceiling, and the decayed drapery of its once +magnificent furniture, declared how long it had been neglected, and +abandoned to the empire of the changing seasons. While the party partook +of a collation of fruit and coffee, the horns, placed in a distant part +of the woods, where an echo sweetened and prolonged their melancholy +tones, broke softly on the stillness of the scene. This spot seemed to +attract even the admiration of the Countess, or, perhaps, it was merely +the pleasure of planning furniture and decorations, that made her dwell +so long on the necessity of repairing and adorning it; while the Count, +never happier than when he saw her mind engaged by natural and simple +objects, acquiesced in all her designs, concerning the pavilion. +The paintings on the walls and coved ceiling were to be renewed, the +canopies and sofas were to be of light green damask; marble statues of +wood-nymphs, bearing on their heads baskets of living flowers, were to +adorn the recesses between the windows, which, descending to the ground, +were to admit to every part of the room, and it was of octagonal form, +the various landscape. One window opened upon a romantic glade, where +the eye roved among the woody recesses, and the scene was bounded +only by a lengthened pomp of groves; from another, the woods receding +disclosed the distant summits of the Pyrenees; a third fronted an +avenue, beyond which the grey towers of Chateau-le-Blanc, and a +picturesque part of its ruin were seen partially among the foliage; +while a fourth gave, between the trees, a glimpse of the green pastures +and villages, that diversify the banks of the Aude. The Mediterranean, +with the bold cliffs, that overlooked its shores, were the grand objects +of a fifth window, and the others gave, in different points of view, the +wild scenery of the woods. + +After wandering, for some time, in these, the party returned to the +shore and embarked; and, the beauty of the evening tempting them to +extend their excursion, they proceeded further up the bay. A dead calm +had succeeded the light breeze, that wafted them hither, and the men +took to their oars. Around, the waters were spread into one vast expanse +of polished mirror, reflecting the grey cliffs and feathery woods, that +over-hung its surface, the glow of the western horizon and the dark +clouds, that came slowly from the east. Blanche loved to see the dipping +oars imprint the water, and to watch the spreading circles they left, +which gave a tremulous motion to the reflected landscape, without +destroying the harmony of its features. + +Above the darkness of the woods, her eye now caught a cluster of high +towers, touched with the splendour of the setting rays; and, soon after, +the horns being then silent, she heard the faint swell of choral voices +from a distance. + +'What voices are those, upon the air?' said the Count, looking +round, and listening; but the strain had ceased. 'It seemed to be a +vesper-hymn, which I have often heard in my convent,' said Blanche. + +'We are near the monastery, then,' observed the Count; and, the boat +soon after doubling a lofty head-land, the monastery of St. Claire +appeared, seated near the margin of the sea, where the cliffs, suddenly +sinking, formed a low shore within a small bay, almost encircled with +woods, among which partial features of the edifice were seen;--the great +gate and gothic window of the hall, the cloisters and the side of a +chapel more remote; while a venerable arch, which had once led to a part +of the fabric, now demolished, stood a majestic ruin detached from the +main building, beyond which appeared a grand perspective of the woods. +On the grey walls, the moss had fastened, and, round the pointed windows +of the chapel, the ivy and the briony hung in many a fantastic wreath. + +All without was silent and forsaken; but, while Blanche gazed with +admiration on this venerable pile, whose effect was heightened by the +strong lights and shadows thrown athwart it by a cloudy sun-set, a sound +of many voices, slowly chanting, arose from within. The Count bade his +men rest on their oars. The monks were singing the hymn of vespers, and +some female voices mingled with the strain, which rose by soft degrees, +till the high organ and the choral sounds swelled into full and solemn +harmony. The strain, soon after, dropped into sudden silence, and was +renewed in a low and still more solemn key, till, at length, the holy +chorus died away, and was heard no more.--Blanche sighed, tears trembled +in her eyes, and her thoughts seemed wafted with the sounds to heaven. +While a rapt stillness prevailed in the boat, a train of friars, and +then of nuns, veiled in white, issued from the cloisters, and passed, +under the shade of the woods, to the main body of the edifice. + +The Countess was the first of her party to awaken from this pause of +silence. + +'These dismal hymns and friars make one quite melancholy,' said she; +'twilight is coming on; pray let us return, or it will be dark before we +get home.' + +The count, looking up, now perceived, that the twilight of evening +was anticipated by an approaching storm. In the east a tempest was +collecting; a heavy gloom came on, opposing and contrasting the glowing +splendour of the setting sun. The clamorous sea-fowl skimmed in fleet +circles upon the surface of the sea, dipping their light pinions in the +wave, as they fled away in search of shelter. The boatmen pulled hard +at their oars; but the thunder, that now muttered at a distance, and the +heavy drops, that began to dimple the water, made the Count determine +to put back to the monastery for shelter, and the course of the boat +was immediately changed. As the clouds approached the west, their lurid +darkness changed to a deep ruddy glow, which, by reflection, seemed to +fire the tops of the woods and the shattered towers of the monastery. + +The appearance of the heavens alarmed the Countess and Mademoiselle +Bearn, whose expressions of apprehension distressed the Count, and +perplexed his men; while Blanche continued silent, now agitated with +fear, and now with admiration, as she viewed the grandeur of the clouds, +and their effect on the scenery, and listened to the long, long peals of +thunder, that rolled through the air. + +The boat having reached the lawn before the monastery, the Count sent a +servant to announce his arrival, and to entreat shelter of the Superior, +who, soon after, appeared at the great gate, attended by several +monks, while the servant returned with a message, expressive at once of +hospitality and pride, but of pride disguised in submission. The party +immediately disembarked, and, having hastily crossed the lawn--for the +shower was now heavy--were received at the gate by the Superior, who, as +they entered, stretched forth his hands and gave his blessing; and they +passed into the great hall, where the lady abbess waited, attended by +several nuns, clothed, like herself, in black, and veiled in white. +The veil of the abbess was, however, thrown half back, and discovered a +countenance, whose chaste dignity was sweetened by the smile of welcome, +with which she addressed the Countess, whom she led, with Blanche and +Mademoiselle Bearn, into the convent parlour, while the Count and Henri +were conducted by the Superior to the refectory. + +The Countess, fatigued and discontented, received the politeness of the +abbess with careless haughtiness, and had followed her, with indolent +steps, to the parlour, over which the painted casements and wainscot of +larch-wood threw, at all times, a melancholy shade, and where the gloom +of evening now loured almost to darkness. + +While the lady abbess ordered refreshment, and conversed with the +Countess, Blanche withdrew to a window, the lower panes of which, being +without painting, allowed her to observe the progress of the storm over +the Mediterranean, whose dark waves, that had so lately slept, now came +boldly swelling, in long succession, to the shore, where they burst in +white foam, and threw up a high spray over the rocks. A red sulphureous +tint overspread the long line of clouds, that hung above the western +horizon, beneath whose dark skirts the sun looking out, illumined the +distant shores of Languedoc, as well as the tufted summits of the nearer +woods, and shed a partial gleam on the western waves. The rest of the +scene was in deep gloom, except where a sun-beam, darting between the +clouds, glanced on the white wings of the sea-fowl, that circled high +among them, or touched the swelling sail of a vessel, which was seen +labouring in the storm. Blanche, for some time, anxiously watched the +progress of the bark, as it threw the waves in foam around it, and, as +the lightnings flashed, looked to the opening heavens, with many a sigh +for the fate of the poor mariners. + +The sun, at length, set, and the heavy clouds, which had long impended, +dropped over the splendour of his course; the vessel, however, was +yet dimly seen, and Blanche continued to observe it, till the quick +succession of flashes, lighting up the gloom of the whole horizon, +warned her to retire from the window, and she joined the Abbess, who, +having exhausted all her topics of conversation with the Countess, had +now leisure to notice her. + +But their discourse was interrupted by tremendous peals of thunder; +and the bell of the monastery soon after ringing out, summoned the +inhabitants to prayer. As Blanche passed the window, she gave another +look to the ocean, where, by the momentary flash, that illumined the +vast body of the waters, she distinguished the vessel she had observed +before, amidst a sea of foam, breaking the billows, the mast now bowing +to the waves, and then rising high in air. + +She sighed fervently as she gazed, and then followed the Lady Abbess +and the Countess to the chapel. Meanwhile, some of the Count's servants, +having gone by land to the chateau for carriages, returned soon after +vespers had concluded, when, the storm being somewhat abated, the Count +and his family returned home. Blanche was surprised to discover how much +the windings of the shore had deceived her, concerning the distance of +the chateau from the monastery, whose vesper bell she had heard, on the +preceding evening, from the windows of the west saloon, and whose towers +she would also have seen from thence, had not twilight veiled them. + +On their arrival at the chateau, the Countess, affecting more fatigue, +than she really felt, withdrew to her apartment, and the Count, with +his daughter and Henri, went to the supper-room, where they had not been +long, when they heard, in a pause of the gust, a firing of guns, which +the Count understanding to be signals of distress from some vessel in +the storm, went to a window, that opened towards the Mediterranean, to +observe further; but the sea was now involved in utter darkness, and +the loud howlings of the tempest had again overcome every other sound. +Blanche, remembering the bark, which she had before seen, now joined her +father, with trembling anxiety. In a few moments, the report of guns was +again borne along the wind, and as suddenly wafted away; a tremendous +burst of thunder followed, and, in the flash, that had preceded it, and +which seemed to quiver over the whole surface of the waters, a vessel +was discovered, tossing amidst the white foam of the waves at some +distance from the shore. Impenetrable darkness again involved the scene, +but soon a second flash shewed the bark, with one sail unfurled, driving +towards the coast. Blanche hung upon her father's arm, with looks full +of the agony of united terror and pity, which were unnecessary to +awaken the heart of the Count, who gazed upon the sea with a piteous +expression, and, perceiving, that no boat could live in the storm, +forbore to send one; but he gave orders to his people to carry torches +out upon the cliffs, hoping they might prove a kind of beacon to the +vessel, or, at least, warn the crew of the rocks they were approaching. +While Henri went out to direct on what part of the cliffs the lights +should appear, Blanche remained with her father, at the window, +catching, every now and then, as the lightnings flashed, a glimpse of +the vessel; and she soon saw, with reviving hope, the torches flaming +on the blackness of night, and, as they waved over the cliffs, casting a +red gleam on the gasping billows. When the firing of guns was repeated, +the torches were tossed high in the air, as if answering the signal, and +the firing was then redoubled; but, though the wind bore the sound away, +she fancied, as the lightnings glanced, that the vessel was much nearer +the shore. + +The Count's servants were now seen, running to and fro, on the rocks; +some venturing almost to the point of the crags, and bending over, held +out their torches fastened to long poles; while others, whose steps +could be traced only by the course of the lights, descended the steep +and dangerous path, that wound to the margin of the sea, and, with loud +halloos, hailed the mariners, whose shrill whistle, and then feeble +voices, were heard, at intervals, mingling with the storm. Sudden shouts +from the people on the rocks increased the anxiety of Blanche to an +almost intolerable degree: but her suspense, concerning the fate of the +mariners, was soon over, when Henri, running breathless into the room, +told that the vessel was anchored in the bay below, but in so shattered +a condition, that it was feared she would part before the crew could +disembark. The Count immediately gave orders for his own boats to assist +in bringing them to shore, and that such of these unfortunate +strangers as could not be accommodated in the adjacent hamlet should +be entertained at the chateau. Among the latter, were Emily St. Aubert, +Monsieur Du Pont, Ludovico and Annette, who, having embarked at Leghorn +and reached Marseilles, were from thence crossing the Gulf of Lyons, +when this storm overtook them. They were received by the Count with his +usual benignity, who, though Emily wished to have proceeded immediately +to the monastery of St. Claire, would not allow her to leave the +chateau, that night; and, indeed, the terror and fatigue she had +suffered would scarcely have permitted her to go farther. + +In Monsieur Du Pont the Count discovered an old acquaintance, and +much joy and congratulation passed between them, after which Emily was +introduced by name to the Count's family, whose hospitable benevolence +dissipated the little embarrassment, which her situation had occasioned +her, and the party were soon seated at the supper-table. The unaffected +kindness of Blanche and the lively joy she expressed on the escape of +the strangers, for whom her pity had been so much interested, gradually +revived Emily's languid spirits; and Du Pont, relieved from his terrors +for her and for himself, felt the full contrast, between his late +situation on a dark and tremendous ocean, and his present one, in a +cheerful mansion, where he was surrounded with plenty, elegance and +smiles of welcome. + +Annette, meanwhile, in the servants' hall, was telling of all the +dangers she had encountered, and congratulating herself so heartily upon +her own and Ludovico's escape, and on her present comforts, that +she often made all that part of the chateau ring with merriment +and laughter. Ludovico's spirits were as gay as her own, but he had +discretion enough to restrain them, and tried to check hers, though in +vain, till her laughter, at length, ascended to MY LADY'S chamber, who +sent to enquire what occasioned so much uproar in the chateau, and to +command silence. + +Emily withdrew early to seek the repose she so much required, but +her pillow was long a sleepless one. On this her return to her native +country, many interesting remembrances were awakened; all the events +and sufferings she had experienced, since she quitted it, came in +long succession to her fancy, and were chased only by the image of +Valancourt, with whom to believe herself once more in the same land, +after they had been so long, and so distantly separated, gave her +emotions of indescribable joy, but which afterwards yielded to anxiety +and apprehension, when she considered the long period, that had elapsed, +since any letter had passed between them, and how much might have +happened in this interval to affect her future peace. But the thought, +that Valancourt might be now no more, or, if living, might have +forgotten her, was so very terrible to her heart, that she would +scarcely suffer herself to pause upon the possibility. She determined to +inform him, on the following day, of her arrival in France, which it was +scarcely possible he could know but by a letter from herself, and, after +soothing her spirits with the hope of soon hearing, that he was well, +and unchanged in his affections, she, at length, sunk to repose. + + + +CHAPTER XII + + + Oft woo'd the gleam of Cynthia, silver-bright, + In cloisters dim, far from the haunts of folly, + With freedom by my side, and soft-ey'd melancholy. + GRAY + +The Lady Blanche was so much interested for Emily, that, upon hearing +she was going to reside in the neighbouring convent, she requested the +Count would invite her to lengthen her stay at the chateau. 'And you +know, my dear sir,' added Blanche, 'how delighted I shall be with such +a companion; for, at present, I have no friend to walk, or to read with, +since Mademoiselle Bearn is my mamma's friend only.' + +The Count smiled at the youthful simplicity, with which his daughter +yielded to first impressions; and, though he chose to warn her of their +danger, he silently applauded the benevolence, that could thus readily +expand in confidence to a stranger. He had observed Emily, with +attention, on the preceding evening, and was as much pleased with +her, as it was possible he could be with any person, on so short an +acquaintance. The mention, made of her by Mons. Du Pont, had also given +him a favourable impression of Emily; but, extremely cautious as +to those, whom he introduced to the intimacy of his daughter, he +determined, on hearing that the former was no stranger at the convent of +St. Claire, to visit the abbess, and, if her account corresponded with +his wish, to invite Emily to pass some time at the chateau. On this +subject, he was influenced by a consideration of the Lady Blanche's +welfare, still more than by either a wish to oblige her, or to befriend +the orphan Emily, for whom, however, he felt considerably interested. + +On the following morning, Emily was too much fatigued to appear; but +Mons. Du Pont was at the breakfast-table, when the Count entered the +room, who pressed him, as his former acquaintance, and the son of a very +old friend, to prolong his stay at the chateau; an invitation, which Du +Pont willingly accepted, since it would allow him to be near Emily; and, +though he was not conscious of encouraging a hope, that she would +ever return his affection, he had not fortitude enough to attempt, at +present, to overcome it. + +Emily, when she was somewhat recovered, wandered with her new friend +over the grounds belonging to the chateau, as much delighted with the +surrounding views, as Blanche, in the benevolence of her heart, had +wished; from thence she perceived, beyond the woods, the towers of the +monastery, and remarked, that it was to this convent she designed to go. + +'Ah!' said Blanche with surprise, 'I am but just released from a +convent, and would you go into one? If you could know what pleasure +I feel in wandering here, at liberty,--and in seeing the sky and the +fields, and the woods all round me, I think you would not.' Emily, +smiling at the warmth, with which the Lady Blanche spoke, observed, that +she did not mean to confine herself to a convent for life. + +'No, you may not intend it now,' said Blanche; 'but you do not know to +what the nuns may persuade you to consent: I know how kind they will +appear, and how happy, for I have seen too much of their art.' + +When they returned to the chateau, Lady Blanche conducted Emily to +her favourite turret, and from thence they rambled through the ancient +chambers, which Blanche had visited before. Emily was amused by +observing the structure of these apartments, and the fashion of their +old but still magnificent furniture, and by comparing them with those +of the castle of Udolpho, which were yet more antique and grotesque. +She was also interested by Dorothee the house-keeper, who attended them, +whose appearance was almost as antique as the objects around her, and +who seemed no less interested by Emily, on whom she frequently gazed +with so much deep attention, as scarcely to hear what was said to her. + +While Emily looked from one of the casements, she perceived, with +surprise, some objects, that were familiar to her memory;--the fields +and woods, with the gleaming brook, which she had passed with La Voisin, +one evening, soon after the death of Monsieur St. Aubert, in her way +from the monastery to her cottage; and she now knew this to be the +chateau, which he had then avoided, and concerning which he had dropped +some remarkable hints. + +Shocked by this discovery, yet scarcely knowing why, she mused for +some time in silence, and remembered the emotion, which her father +had betrayed on finding himself so near this mansion, and some other +circumstances of his conduct, that now greatly interested her. The +music, too, which she had formerly heard, and, respecting which La +Voisin had given such an odd account, occurred to her, and, desirous of +knowing more concerning it, she asked Dorothee whether it returned at +midnight, as usual, and whether the musician had yet been discovered. + +'Yes, ma'amselle,' replied Dorothee, 'that music is still heard, but +the musician has never been found out, nor ever will, I believe; though +there are some people, who can guess.' + +'Indeed!' said Emily, 'then why do they not pursue the enquiry?' + +'Ah, young lady! enquiry enough has been made--but who can pursue a +spirit?' + +Emily smiled, and, remembering how lately she had suffered herself to be +led away by superstition, determined now to resist its contagion; yet, +in spite of her efforts, she felt awe mingle with her curiosity, on +this subject; and Blanche, who had hitherto listened in silence, now +enquired what this music was, and how long it had been heard. + +'Ever since the death of my lady, madam,' replied Dorothee. + +'Why, the place is not haunted, surely?' said Blanche, between jesting +and seriousness. + +'I have heard that music almost ever since my dear lady died,' continued +Dorothee, 'and never before then. But that is nothing to some things I +could tell of.' + +'Do, pray, tell them, then,' said Lady Blanche, now more in earnest than +in jest. 'I am much interested, for I have heard sister Henriette, and +sister Sophie, in the convent, tell of such strange appearances, which +they themselves had witnessed!' + +'You never heard, my lady, I suppose, what made us leave the chateau, +and go and live in a cottage,' said Dorothee. 'Never!' replied Blanche +with impatience. + +'Nor the reason, that my lord, the Marquis'--Dorothee checked herself, +hesitated, and then endeavoured to change the topic; but the curiosity +of Blanche was too much awakened to suffer the subject thus easily to +escape her, and she pressed the old house-keeper to proceed with her +account, upon whom, however, no entreaties could prevail; and it was +evident, that she was alarmed for the imprudence, into which she had +already betrayed herself. + +'I perceive,' said Emily, smiling, 'that all old mansions are haunted; I +am lately come from a place of wonders; but unluckily, since I left it, +I have heard almost all of them explained.' + +Blanche was silent; Dorothee looked grave, and sighed; and Emily felt +herself still inclined to believe more of the wonderful, than she +chose to acknowledge. Just then, she remembered the spectacle she had +witnessed in a chamber of Udolpho, and, by an odd kind of coincidence, +the alarming words, that had accidentally met her eye in the MS. papers, +which she had destroyed, in obedience to the command of her father; and +she shuddered at the meaning they seemed to impart, almost as much as at +the horrible appearance, disclosed by the black veil. + +The Lady Blanche, meanwhile, unable to prevail with Dorothee to explain +the subject of her late hints, had desired, on reaching the door, that +terminated the gallery, and which she found fastened on the preceding +day, to see the suite of rooms beyond. 'Dear young lady,' said the +housekeeper, 'I have told you my reason for not opening them; I have +never seen them, since my dear lady died; and it would go hard with me +to see them now. Pray, madam, do not ask me again.' + +'Certainly I will not,' replied Blanche, 'if that is really your +objection.' + +'Alas! it is,' said the old woman: 'we all loved her well, and I shall +always grieve for her. Time runs round! it is now many years, since she +died; but I remember every thing, that happened then, as if it was but +yesterday. Many things, that have passed of late years, are gone quite +from my memory, while those so long ago, I can see as if in a glass.' +She paused, but afterwards, as they walked up the gallery, added to +Emily, 'this young lady sometimes brings the late Marchioness to my +mind; I can remember, when she looked just as blooming, and very like +her, when she smiles. Poor lady! how gay she was, when she first came to +the chateau!' + +'And was she not gay, afterwards?' said Blanche. + +Dorothee shook her head; and Emily observed her, with eyes strongly +expressive of the interest she now felt. 'Let us sit down in this +window,' said the Lady Blanche, on reaching the opposite end of the +gallery: 'and pray, Dorothee, if it is not painful to you, tell us +something more about the Marchioness. I should like to look into the +glass you spoke of just now, and see a few of the circumstances, which +you say often pass over it.' + +'No, my lady,' replied Dorothee; 'if you knew as much as I do, you would +not, for you would find there a dismal train of them; I often wish I +could shut them out, but they will rise to my mind. I see my dear lady +on her death-bed,--her very look,--and remember all she said--it was a +terrible scene!' + +'Why was it so terrible?' said Emily with emotion. + +'Ah, dear young lady! is not death always terrible?' replied Dorothee. + +To some further enquiries of Blanche Dorothee was silent; and Emily, +observing the tears in her eyes, forbore to urge the subject, and +endeavoured to withdraw the attention of her young friend to some object +in the gardens, where the Count, with the Countess and Monsieur Du Pont, +appearing, they went down to join them. + +When he perceived Emily, he advanced to meet her, and presented her to +the Countess, in a manner so benign, that it recalled most powerfully +to her mind the idea of her late father, and she felt more gratitude to +him, than embarrassment towards the Countess, who, however, received +her with one of those fascinating smiles, which her caprice sometimes +allowed her to assume, and which was now the result of a conversation +the Count had held with her, concerning Emily. Whatever this might be, +or whatever had passed in his conversation with the lady abbess, whom +he had just visited, esteem and kindness were strongly apparent in his +manner, when he addressed Emily, who experienced that sweet emotion, +which arises from the consciousness of possessing the approbation of +the good; for to the Count's worth she had been inclined to yield her +confidence almost from the first moment, in which she had seen him. + +Before she could finish her acknowledgments for the hospitality she had +received, and mention of her design of going immediately to the convent, +she was interrupted by an invitation to lengthen her stay at the +chateau, which was pressed by the Count and the Countess, with an +appearance of such friendly sincerity, that, though she much wished to +see her old friends at the monastery, and to sigh, once more, over her +father's grave, she consented to remain a few days at the chateau. + +To the abbess, however, she immediately wrote, mentioning her arrival +in Languedoc and her wish to be received into the convent, as a boarder; +she also sent letters to Monsieur Quesnel and to Valancourt, whom she +merely informed of her arrival in France; and, as she knew not where the +latter might be stationed, she directed her letter to his brother's seat +in Gascony. + +In the evening, Lady Blanche and Mons. Du Pont walked with Emily to +the cottage of La Voisin, which she had now a melancholy pleasure in +approaching, for time had softened her grief for the loss of St. Aubert, +though it could not annihilate it, and she felt a soothing sadness in +indulging the recollections, which this scene recalled. La Voisin was +still living, and seemed to enjoy, as much as formerly, the tranquil +evening of a blameless life. He was sitting at the door of his cottage, +watching some of his grandchildren, playing on the grass before him, +and, now and then, with a laugh, or a commendation, encouraging their +sports. He immediately recollected Emily, whom he was much pleased to +see, and she was as rejoiced to hear, that he had not lost one of his +family, since her departure. + +'Yes, ma'amselle,' said the old man, 'we all live merrily together +still, thank God! and I believe there is not a happier family to be +found in Languedoc, than ours.' + +Emily did not trust herself in the chamber, where St. Aubert died; and, +after half an hour's conversation with La Voisin and his family, she +left the cottage. + +During these the first days of her stay at Chateau-le-Blanc, she was +often affected, by observing the deep, but silent melancholy, which, at +times, stole over Du Pont; and Emily, pitying the self-delusion, which +disarmed him of the will to depart, determined to withdraw herself as +soon as the respect she owed the Count and Countess De Villefort would +permit. The dejection of his friend soon alarmed the anxiety of the +Count, to whom Du Pont, at length, confided the secret of his hopeless +affection, which, however, the former could only commiserate, though he +secretly determined to befriend his suit, if an opportunity of doing so +should ever occur. Considering the dangerous situation of Du Pont, he +but feebly opposed his intention of leaving Chateau-le-Blanc, on the +following day, but drew from him a promise of a longer visit, when he +could return with safety to his peace. Emily herself, though she could +not encourage his affection, esteemed him both for the many virtues he +possessed, and for the services she had received from him; and it was +not without tender emotions of gratitude and pity, that she now saw him +depart for his family seat in Gascony; while he took leave of her with +a countenance so expressive of love and grief, as to interest the Count +more warmly in his cause than before. + +In a few days, Emily also left the chateau, but not before the Count and +Countess had received her promise to repeat her visit very soon; and +she was welcomed by the abbess, with the same maternal kindness she had +formerly experienced, and by the nuns, with much expression of regard. +The well-known scenes of the convent occasioned her many melancholy +recollections, but with these were mingled others, that inspired +gratitude for having escaped the various dangers, that had pursued her, +since she quitted it, and for the good, which she yet possessed; and, +though she once more wept over her father's grave, with tears of tender +affection, her grief was softened from its former acuteness. + +Some time after her return to the monastery, she received a letter from +her uncle, Mons. Quesnel, in answer to information that she had arrived +in France, and to her enquiries, concerning such of her affairs as +he had undertaken to conduct during her absence, especially as to the +period for which La Vallee had been let, whither it was her wish to +return, if it should appear, that her income would permit her to do +so. The reply of Mons. Quesnel was cold and formal, as she expected, +expressing neither concern for the evils she suffered, nor pleasure, +that she was now removed from them; nor did he allow the opportunity +to pass, of reproving her for her rejection of Count Morano, whom he +affected still to believe a man of honour and fortune; nor of vehemently +declaiming against Montoni, to whom he had always, till now, felt +himself to be inferior. On Emily's pecuniary concerns, he was not very +explicit; he informed her, however, that the term, for which La Vallee +had been engaged, was nearly expired; but, without inviting her to his +own house, added, that her circumstances would by no means allow her to +reside there, and earnestly advised her to remain, for the present, in +the convent of St. Claire. + +To her enquiries respecting poor old Theresa, her late father's servant, +he gave no answer. In the postscript to his letter, Monsieur Quesnel +mentioned M. Motteville, in whose hands the late St. Aubert had placed +the chief of his personal property, as being likely to arrange his +affairs nearly to the satisfaction of his creditors, and that Emily +would recover much more of her fortune, than she had formerly reason to +expect. The letter also inclosed to Emily an order upon a merchant at +Narbonne, for a small sum of money. + +The tranquillity of the monastery, and the liberty she was suffered +to enjoy, in wandering among the woods and shores of this delightful +province, gradually restored her spirits to their natural tone, except +that anxiety would sometimes intrude, concerning Valancourt, as the time +approached, when it was possible that she might receive an answer to her +letter. + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + + As when a wave, that from a cloud impends, + And, swell'd with tempests, on the ship descends, + White are the decks with foam; the winds aloud, + Howl o'er the masts, and sing through ev'ry shroud: + Pale, trembling, tir'd, the sailors freeze with fears, + And instant death on ev'ry wave appears. + POPE'S HOMER + +The Lady Blanche, meanwhile, who was left much alone, became impatient +for the company of her new friend, whom she wished to observe sharing in +the delight she received from the beautiful scenery around. She had now +no person, to whom she could express her admiration and communicate +her pleasures, no eye, that sparkled to her smile, or countenance, that +reflected her happiness; and she became spiritless and pensive. The +Count, observing her dissatisfaction, readily yielded to her entreaties, +and reminded Emily of her promised visit; but the silence of Valancourt, +which was now prolonged far beyond the period, when a letter might +have arrived from Estuviere, oppressed Emily with severe anxiety, and, +rendering her averse to society, she would willingly have deferred her +acceptance of this invitation, till her spirits should be relieved. +The Count and his family, however, pressed to see her; and, as the +circumstances, that prompted her wish for solitude, could not be +explained, there was an appearance of caprice in her refusal, which she +could not persevere in, without offending the friends, whose esteem +she valued. At length, therefore, she returned upon a second visit +to Chateau-le-Blanc. Here the friendly manner of Count De Villefort +encouraged Emily to mention to him her situation, respecting the estates +of her late aunt, and to consult him on the means of recovering them. He +had little doubt, that the law would decide in her favour, and, advising +her to apply to it, offered first to write to an advocate at Avignon, +on whose opinion he thought he could rely. His kindness was gratefully +accepted by Emily, who, soothed by the courtesy she daily experienced, +would have been once more happy, could she have been assured of +Valancourt's welfare and unaltered affection. She had now been above a +week at the chateau, without receiving intelligence of him, and, though +she knew, that, if he was absent from his brother's residence, it was +scarcely probable her letter had yet reached him, she could not forbear +to admit doubts and fears, that destroyed her peace. Again she would +consider of all, that might have happened in the long period, since her +first seclusion at Udolpho, and her mind was sometimes so overwhelmed +with an apprehension, that Valancourt was no more, or that he lived +no longer for her, that the company even of Blanche became intolerably +oppressive, and she would sit alone in her apartment for hours together, +when the engagements of the family allowed her to do so, without +incivility. + +In one of these solitary hours, she unlocked a little box, which +contained some letters of Valancourt, with some drawings she had +sketched, during her stay in Tuscany, the latter of which were no +longer interesting to her; but, in the letters, she now, with melancholy +indulgence, meant to retrace the tenderness, that had so often soothed +her, and rendered her, for a moment, insensible of the distance, which +separated her from the writer. But their effect was now changed; the +affection they expressed appealed so forcibly to her heart, when she +considered that it had, perhaps, yielded to the powers of time and +absence, and even the view of the hand-writing recalled so many painful +recollections, that she found herself unable to go through the first she +had opened, and sat musing, with her cheek resting on her arm, and tears +stealing from her eyes, when old Dorothee entered the room to inform +her, that dinner would be ready, an hour before the usual time. Emily +started on perceiving her, and hastily put up the papers, but not before +Dorothee had observed both her agitation and her tears. + +'Ah, ma'amselle!' said she, 'you, who are so young,--have you reason for +sorrow?' + +Emily tried to smile, but was unable to speak. + +'Alas! dear young lady, when you come to my age, you will not weep at +trifles; and surely you have nothing serious, to grieve you.' + +'No, Dorothee, nothing of any consequence,' replied Emily. Dorothee, now +stooping to pick up something, that had dropped from among the papers, +suddenly exclaimed, 'Holy Mary! what is it I see?' and then, trembling, +sat down in a chair, that stood by the table. + +'What is it you do see?' said Emily, alarmed by her manner, and looking +round the room. + +'It is herself,' said Dorothee, 'her very self! just as she looked a +little before she died!' + +Emily, still more alarmed, began now to fear, that Dorothee was seized +with sudden phrensy, but entreated her to explain herself. + +'That picture!' said she, 'where did you find it, lady? it is my blessed +mistress herself!' + +She laid on the table the miniature, which Emily had long ago found +among the papers her father had enjoined her to destroy, and over +which she had once seen him shed such tender and affecting tears; and, +recollecting all the various circumstances of his conduct, that had long +perplexed her, her emotions increased to an excess, which deprived her +of all power to ask the questions she trembled to have answered, and she +could only enquire, whether Dorothee was certain the picture resembled +the late marchioness. + +'O, ma'amselle!' said she, 'how came it to strike me so, the instant I +saw it, if it was not my lady's likeness? Ah!' added she, taking up the +miniature, 'these are her own blue eyes--looking so sweet and so mild; +and there is her very look, such as I have often seen it, when she had +sat thinking for a long while, and then, the tears would often steal +down her cheeks--but she never would complain! It was that look so meek, +as it were, and resigned, that used to break my heart and make me love +her so!' + +'Dorothee!' said Emily solemnly, 'I am interested in the cause of that +grief, more so, perhaps, than you may imagine; and I entreat, that you +will no longer refuse to indulge my curiosity;--it is not a common one.' + +As Emily said this, she remembered the papers, with which the picture +had been found, and had scarcely a doubt, that they had concerned the +Marchioness de Villeroi; but with this supposition came a scruple, +whether she ought to enquire further on a subject, which might prove to +be the same, that her father had so carefully endeavoured to conceal. +Her curiosity, concerning the Marchioness, powerful as it was, it is +probable she would now have resisted, as she had formerly done, on +unwarily observing the few terrible words in the papers, which had never +since been erased from her memory, had she been certain that the history +of that lady was the subject of those papers, or, that such simple +particulars only as it was probable Dorothee could relate were included +in her father's command. What was known to her could be no secret to +many other persons; and, since it appeared very unlikely, that St. +Aubert should attempt to conceal what Emily might learn by ordinary +means, she at length concluded, that, if the papers had related to the +story of the Marchioness, it was not those circumstances of it, which +Dorothee could disclose, that he had thought sufficiently important to +wish to have concealed. She, therefore, no longer hesitated to make the +enquiries, that might lead to the gratification of her curiosity. + +'Ah, ma'amselle!' said Dorothee, 'it is a sad story, and cannot be told +now: but what am I saying? I never will tell it. Many years have passed, +since it happened; and I never loved to talk of the Marchioness to any +body, but my husband. He lived in the family, at that time, as well as +myself, and he knew many particulars from me, which nobody else did; for +I was about the person of my lady in her last illness, and saw and heard +as much, or more than my lord himself. Sweet saint! how patient she was! +When she died, I thought I could have died with her!' + +'Dorothee,' said Emily, interrupting her, 'what you shall tell, you may +depend upon it, shall never be disclosed by me. I have, I repeat it, +particular reasons for wishing to be informed on this subject, and am +willing to bind myself, in the most solemn manner, never to mention what +you shall wish me to conceal.' + +Dorothee seemed surprised at the earnestness of Emily's manner, and, +after regarding her for some moments, in silence, said, 'Young lady! +that look of yours pleads for you--it is so like my dear mistress's, +that I can almost fancy I see her before me; if you were her daughter, +you could not remind me of her more. But dinner will be ready--had you +not better go down?' + +'You will first promise to grant my request,' said Emily. + +'And ought not you first to tell me, ma'amselle, how this picture fell +into your hands, and the reasons you say you have for curiosity about my +lady?' + +'Why, no, Dorothee,' replied Emily, recollecting herself, 'I have also +particular reasons for observing silence, on these subjects, at least, +till I know further; and, remember, I do not promise ever to speak upon +them; therefore, do not let me induce you to satisfy my curiosity, from +an expectation, that I shall gratify yours. What I may judge proper to +conceal, does not concern myself alone, or I should have less scruple +in revealing it: let a confidence in my honour alone persuade you to +disclose what I request.' + +'Well, lady!' replied Dorothee, after a long pause, during which her +eyes were fixed upon Emily, 'you seem so much interested,--and this +picture and that face of yours make me think you have some reason to +be so,--that I will trust you--and tell some things, that I never told +before to any body, but my husband, though there are people, who have +suspected as much. I will tell you the particulars of my lady's death, +too, and some of my own suspicions; but you must first promise me by all +the saints'-- + +Emily, interrupting her, solemnly promised never to reveal what should +be confided to her, without Dorothee's consent. + +'But there is the horn, ma'amselle, sounding for dinner,' said Dorothee; +'I must be gone.' + +'When shall I see you again?' enquired Emily. + +Dorothee mused, and then replied, 'Why, madam, it may make people +curious, if it is known I am so much in your apartment, and that +I should be sorry for; so I will come when I am least likely to be +observed. I have little leisure in the day, and I shall have a good deal +to say; so, if you please, ma'am, I will come, when the family are all +in bed.' + +'That will suit me very well,' replied Emily: 'Remember, then, +to-night'-- + +'Aye, that is well remembered,' said Dorothee, 'I fear I cannot come +to-night, madam, for there will be the dance of the vintage, and it will +be late, before the servants go to rest; for, when they once set in to +dance, they will keep it up, in the cool of the air, till morning; at +least, it used to be so in my time.' + +'Ah! is it the dance of the vintage?' said Emily, with a deep sigh, +remembering, that it was on the evening of this festival, in the +preceding year, that St. Aubert and herself had arrived in the +neighbourhood of Chateau-le-Blanc. She paused a moment, overcome by +the sudden recollection, and then, recovering herself, added--'But this +dance is in the open woods; you, therefore, will not be wanted, and can +easily come to me.' + +Dorothee replied, that she had been accustomed to be present at the +dance of the vintage, and she did not wish to be absent now; 'but if I +can get away, madam, I will,' said she. + +Emily then hastened to the dining-room, where the Count conducted +himself with the courtesy, which is inseparable from true dignity, and +of which the Countess frequently practised little, though her manner to +Emily was an exception to her usual habit. But, if she retained few of +the ornamental virtues, she cherished other qualities, which she seemed +to consider invaluable. She had dismissed the grace of modesty, but +then she knew perfectly well how to manage the stare of assurance; her +manners had little of the tempered sweetness, which is necessary to +render the female character interesting, but she could occasionally +throw into them an affectation of spirits, which seemed to triumph over +every person, who approached her. In the country, however, she generally +affected an elegant languor, that persuaded her almost to faint, +when her favourite read to her a story of fictitious sorrow; but +her countenance suffered no change, when living objects of distress +solicited her charity, and her heart beat with no transport to the +thought of giving them instant relief;--she was a stranger to the +highest luxury, of which, perhaps, the human mind can be sensible, for +her benevolence had never yet called smiles upon the face of misery. + +In the evening, the Count, with all his family, except the Countess and +Mademoiselle Bearn, went to the woods to witness the festivity of the +peasants. The scene was in a glade, where the trees, opening, formed a +circle round the turf they highly overshadowed; between their branches, +vines, loaded with ripe clusters, were hung in gay festoons; and, +beneath, were tables, with fruit, wine, cheese and other rural +fare,--and seats for the Count and his family. At a little distance, +were benches for the elder peasants, few of whom, however, could forbear +to join the jocund dance, which began soon after sun-set, when several +of sixty tripped it with almost as much glee and airy lightness, as +those of sixteen. + +The musicians, who sat carelessly on the grass, at the foot of a tree, +seemed inspired by the sound of their own instruments, which were +chiefly flutes and a kind of long guitar. Behind, stood a boy, +flourishing a tamborine, and dancing a solo, except that, as he +sometimes gaily tossed the instrument, he tripped among the other +dancers, when his antic gestures called forth a broader laugh, and +heightened the rustic spirit of the scene. + +The Count was highly delighted with the happiness he witnessed, to which +his bounty had largely contributed, and the Lady Blanche joined the +dance with a young gentleman of her father's party. Du Pont requested +Emily's hand, but her spirits were too much depressed, to permit her to +engage in the present festivity, which called to her remembrance that +of the preceding year, when St. Aubert was living, and of the melancholy +scenes, which had immediately followed it. + +Overcome by these recollections, she, at length, left the spot, and +walked slowly into the woods, where the softened music, floating at a +distance, soothed her melancholy mind. The moon threw a mellow light +among the foliage; the air was balmy and cool, and Emily, lost in +thought, strolled on, without observing whither, till she perceived the +sounds sinking afar off, and an awful stillness round her, except that, +sometimes, the nightingale beguiled the silence with + + Liquid notes, that close the eye of day. + +At length, she found herself near the avenue, which, on the night of her +father's arrival, Michael had attempted to pass in search of a house, +which was still nearly as wild and desolate as it had then appeared; for +the Count had been so much engaged in directing other improvements, that +he had neglected to give orders, concerning this extensive approach, +and the road was yet broken, and the trees overloaded with their own +luxuriance. + +As she stood surveying it, and remembering the emotions, which she had +formerly suffered there, she suddenly recollected the figure, that had +been seen stealing among the trees, and which had returned no answer to +Michael's repeated calls; and she experienced somewhat of the fear, that +had then assailed her, for it did not appear improbable, that these deep +woods were occasionally the haunt of banditti. She, therefore, turned +back, and was hastily pursuing her way to the dancers, when she heard +steps approaching from the avenue; and, being still beyond the call of +the peasants on the green, for she could neither hear their voices, or +their music, she quickened her pace; but the persons following gained +fast upon her, and, at length, distinguishing the voice of Henri, she +walked leisurely, till he came up. He expressed some surprise at meeting +her so far from the company; and, on her saying, that the pleasant +moon-light had beguiled her to walk farther than she intended, an +exclamation burst from the lips of his companion, and she thought she +heard Valancourt speak! It was, indeed, he! and the meeting was such as +may be imagined, between persons so affectionate, and so long separated +as they had been. + +In the joy of these moments, Emily forgot all her past sufferings, and +Valancourt seemed to have forgotten, that any person but Emily existed; +while Henri was a silent and astonished spectator of the scene. + +Valancourt asked a thousand questions, concerning herself and Montoni, +which there was now no time to answer; but she learned, that her letter +had been forwarded to him, at Paris, which he had previously quitted, +and was returning to Gascony, whither the letter also returned, which, +at length, informed him of Emily's arrival, and on the receipt of which +he had immediately set out for Languedoc. On reaching the +monastery, whence she had dated her letter, he found, to his extreme +disappointment, that the gates were already closed for the night; +and believing, that he should not see Emily, till the morrow, he was +returning to his little inn, with the intention of writing to her, when +he was overtaken by Henri, with whom he had been intimate at Paris, and +was led to her, whom he was secretly lamenting that he should not see, +till the following day. + +Emily, with Valancourt and Henri, now returned to the green, where the +latter presented Valancourt to the Count, who, she fancied, received him +with less than his usual benignity, though it appeared, that they were +not strangers to each other. He was invited, however, to partake of the +diversions of the evening; and, when he had paid his respects to the +Count, and while the dancers continued their festivity, he seated +himself by Emily, and conversed, without restraint. The lights, which +were hung among the trees, under which they sat, allowed her a more +perfect view of the countenance she had so frequently in absence +endeavoured to recollect, and she perceived, with some regret, that +it was not the same as when last she saw it. There was all its wonted +intelligence and fire; but it had lost much of the simplicity, and +somewhat of the open benevolence, that used to characterise it. Still, +however, it was an interesting countenance; but Emily thought she +perceived, at intervals, anxiety contract, and melancholy fix the +features of Valancourt; sometimes, too, he fell into a momentary musing, +and then appeared anxious to dissipate thought; while, at others, as he +fixed his eyes on Emily, a kind of sudden distraction seemed to +cross his mind. In her he perceived the same goodness and beautiful +simplicity, that had charmed him, on their first acquaintance. The bloom +of her countenance was somewhat faded, but all its sweetness remained, +and it was rendered more interesting, than ever, by the faint expression +of melancholy, that sometimes mingled with her smile. + +At his request, she related the most important circumstances, that +had occurred to her, since she left France, and emotions of pity and +indignation alternately prevailed in his mind, when he heard how much +she had suffered from the villany of Montoni. More than once, when she +was speaking of his conduct, of which the guilt was rather softened, +than exaggerated, by her representation, he started from his seat, +and walked away, apparently overcome as much by self accusation as by +resentment. Her sufferings alone were mentioned in the few words, which +he could address to her, and he listened not to the account, which she +was careful to give as distinctly as possible, of the present loss of +Madame Montoni's estates, and of the little reason there was to expect +their restoration. At length, Valancourt remained lost in thought, and +then some secret cause seemed to overcome him with anguish. Again he +abruptly left her. When he returned, she perceived, that he had been +weeping, and tenderly begged, that he would compose himself. 'My +sufferings are all passed now,' said she, 'for I have escaped from the +tyranny of Montoni, and I see you well--let me also see you happy.' + +Valancourt was more agitated, than before. 'I am unworthy of you, +Emily,' said he, 'I am unworthy of you;'--words, by his manner of +uttering which Emily was then more shocked than by their import. She +fixed on him a mournful and enquiring eye. 'Do not look thus on me,' +said he, turning away and pressing her hand; 'I cannot bear those +looks.' + +'I would ask,' said Emily, in a gentle, but agitated voice, 'the meaning +of your words; but I perceive, that the question would distress you +now. Let us talk on other subjects. To-morrow, perhaps, you may be more +composed. Observe those moon light woods, and the towers, which +appear obscurely in the perspective. You used to be a great admirer +of landscape, and I have heard you say, that the faculty of deriving +consolation, under misfortune, from the sublime prospects, which neither +oppression, or poverty with-hold from us, was the peculiar blessing of +the innocent.' Valancourt was deeply affected. 'Yes,' replied he, 'I +had once a taste for innocent and elegant delights--I had once an +uncorrupted heart.' Then, checking himself, he added, 'Do you remember +our journey together in the Pyrenees?' + +'Can I forget it?' said Emily.--'Would that I could!' he replied;--'that +was the happiest period of my life. I then loved, with enthusiasm, +whatever was truly great, or good.' It was some time before Emily could +repress her tears, and try to command her emotions. 'If you wish to +forget that journey,' said she, 'it must certainly be my wish to forget +it also.' She paused, and then added, 'You make me very uneasy; but this +is not the time for further enquiry;--yet, how can I bear to believe, +even for a moment, that you are less worthy of my esteem than formerly? +I have still sufficient confidence in your candour, to believe, that, +when I shall ask for an explanation, you will give it me.'--'Yes,' said +Valancourt, 'yes, Emily: I have not yet lost my candour: if I had, I +could better have disguised my emotions, on learning what were your +sufferings--your virtues, while I--I--but I will say no more. I did +not mean to have said even so much--I have been surprised into +the self-accusation. Tell me, Emily, that you will not forget that +journey--will not wish to forget it, and I will be calm. I would not +lose the remembrance of it for the whole earth.' + +'How contradictory is this!' said Emily;--'but we may be overheard. My +recollection of it shall depend upon yours; I will endeavour to forget, +or to recollect it, as you may do. Let us join the Count.'--'Tell +me first,' said Valancourt, 'that you forgive the uneasiness I have +occasioned you, this evening, and that you will still love me.'--'I +sincerely forgive you,' replied Emily. 'You best know whether I shall +continue to love you, for you know whether you deserve my esteem. At +present, I will believe that you do. It is unnecessary to say,' added +she, observing his dejection, 'how much pain it would give me to believe +otherwise.--The young lady, who approaches, is the Count's daughter.' + +Valancourt and Emily now joined the Lady Blanche; and the party, soon +after, sat down with the Count, his son, and the Chevalier Du Pont, at a +banquet, spread under a gay awning, beneath the trees. At the table also +were seated several of the most venerable of the Count's tenants, and +it was a festive repast to all but Valancourt and Emily. When the Count +retired to the chateau, he did not invite Valancourt to accompany him, +who, therefore, took leave of Emily, and retired to his solitary inn for +the night: meanwhile, she soon withdrew to her own apartment, where +she mused, with deep anxiety and concern, on his behaviour, and on the +Count's reception of him. Her attention was thus so wholly engaged, that +she forgot Dorothee and her appointment, till morning was far advanced, +when, knowing that the good old woman would not come, she retired, for a +few hours, to repose. + +On the following day, when the Count had accidentally joined Emily in +one of the walks, they talked of the festival of the preceding evening, +and this led him to a mention of Valancourt. 'That is a young man of +talents,' said he; 'you were formerly acquainted with him, I perceive.' +Emily said, that she was. 'He was introduced to me, at Paris,' said the +Count, 'and I was much pleased with him, on our first acquaintance.' He +paused, and Emily trembled, between the desire of hearing more and the +fear of shewing the Count, that she felt an interest on the subject. +'May I ask,' said he, at length, 'how long you have known Monsieur +Valancourt?'--'Will you allow me to ask your reason for the question, +sir?' said she; 'and I will answer it immediately.'--'Certainly,' said +the Count, 'that is but just. I will tell you my reason. I cannot but +perceive, that Monsieur Valancourt admires you; in that, however, there +is nothing extraordinary; every person, who sees you, must do the same. +I am above using common-place compliments; I speak with sincerity. What +I fear, is, that he is a favoured admirer.'--'Why do you fear it, sir?' +said Emily, endeavouring to conceal her emotion.--'Because,' replied the +Count, 'I think him not worthy of your favour.' Emily, greatly agitated, +entreated further explanation. 'I will give it,' said he, 'if you will +believe, that nothing but a strong interest in your welfare could induce +me to hazard that assertion.'--'I must believe so, sir,' replied Emily. + +'But let us rest under these trees,' said the Count, observing the +paleness of her countenance; 'here is a seat--you are fatigued.' They +sat down, and the Count proceeded. 'Many young ladies, circumstanced as +you are, would think my conduct, on this occasion, and on so short +an acquaintance, impertinent, instead of friendly; from what I have +observed of your temper and understanding, I do not fear such a return +from you. Our acquaintance has been short, but long enough to make me +esteem you, and feel a lively interest in your happiness. You deserve +to be very happy, and I trust that you will be so.' Emily sighed +softly, and bowed her thanks. The Count paused again. 'I am unpleasantly +circumstanced,' said he; 'but an opportunity of rendering you important +service shall overcome inferior considerations. Will you inform me of +the manner of your first acquaintance with the Chevalier Valancourt, if +the subject is not too painful?' + +Emily briefly related the accident of their meeting in the presence of +her father, and then so earnestly entreated the Count not to hesitate in +declaring what he knew, that he perceived the violent emotion, against +which she was contending, and, regarding her with a look of tender +compassion, considered how he might communicate his information with +least pain to his anxious auditor. + +'The Chevalier and my son,' said he, 'were introduced to each other, +at the table of a brother officer, at whose house I also met him, and +invited him to my own, whenever he should be disengaged. I did not then +know, that he had formed an acquaintance with a set of men, a disgrace +to their species, who live by plunder and pass their lives in continual +debauchery. I knew several of the Chevalier's family, resident at Paris, +and considered them as sufficient pledges for his introduction to my +own. But you are ill; I will leave the subject.'--'No, sir,' said Emily, +'I beg you will proceed: I am only distressed.'--'ONLY!' said the Count, +with emphasis; 'however, I will proceed. I soon learned, that these, his +associates, had drawn him into a course of dissipation, from which he +appeared to have neither the power, nor the inclination, to extricate +himself. He lost large sums at the gaming-table; he became infatuated +with play; and was ruined. I spoke tenderly of this to his friends, who +assured me, that they had remonstrated with him, till they were weary. +I afterwards learned, that, in consideration of his talents for play, +which were generally successful, when unopposed by the tricks of +villany,--that in consideration of these, the party had initiated him +into the secrets of their trade, and allotted him a share of their +profits.' 'Impossible!' said Emily suddenly; 'but--pardon me, sir, I +scarcely know what I say; allow for the distress of my mind. I must, +indeed, I must believe, that you have not been truly informed. The +Chevalier had, doubtless, enemies, who misrepresented him.'--'I should +be most happy to believe so,' replied the Count, 'but I cannot. Nothing +short of conviction, and a regard for your happiness, could have urged +me to repeat these unpleasant reports.' + +Emily was silent. She recollected Valancourt's sayings, on the preceding +evening, which discovered the pangs of self-reproach, and seemed to +confirm all that the Count had related. Yet she had not fortitude enough +to dare conviction. Her heart was overwhelmed with anguish at the mere +suspicion of his guilt, and she could not endure a belief of it. After +a silence, the Count said, 'I perceive, and can allow for, your want +of conviction. It is necessary I should give some proof of what I have +asserted; but this I cannot do, without subjecting one, who is very dear +to me, to danger.'--'What is the danger you apprehend, sir?' said Emily; +'if I can prevent it, you may safely confide in my honour.'--'On your +honour I am certain I can rely,' said the Count; 'but can I trust your +fortitude? Do you think you can resist the solicitation of a favoured +admirer, when he pleads, in affliction, for the name of one, who +has robbed him of a blessing?'--'I shall not be exposed to such a +temptation, sir,' said Emily, with modest pride, 'for I cannot favour +one, whom I must no longer esteem. I, however, readily give my word.' +Tears, in the mean time, contradicted her first assertion; and she felt, +that time and effort only could eradicate an affection, which had been +formed on virtuous esteem, and cherished by habit and difficulty. + +'I will trust you then,' said the Count, 'for conviction is necessary +to your peace, and cannot, I perceive, be obtained, without this +confidence. My son has too often been an eye-witness of the Chevalier's +ill conduct; he was very near being drawn in by it; he was, indeed, +drawn in to the commission of many follies, but I rescued him from guilt +and destruction. Judge then, Mademoiselle St. Aubert, whether a father, +who had nearly lost his only son by the example of the Chevalier, has +not, from conviction, reason to warn those, whom he esteems, against +trusting their happiness in such hands. I have myself seen the Chevalier +engaged in deep play with men, whom I almost shuddered to look upon. If +you still doubt, I will refer you to my son.' + +'I must not doubt what you have yourself witnessed,' replied Emily, +sinking with grief, 'or what you assert. But the Chevalier has, perhaps, +been drawn only into a transient folly, which he may never repeat. If +you had known the justness of his former principles, you would allow for +my present incredulity.' + +'Alas!' observed the Count, 'it is difficult to believe that, which +will make us wretched. But I will not sooth you by flattering and +false hopes. We all know how fascinating the vice of gaming is, and how +difficult it is, also, to conquer habits; the Chevalier might, perhaps, +reform for a while, but he would soon relapse into dissipation--for I +fear, not only the bonds of habit would be powerful, but that his morals +are corrupted. And--why should I conceal from you, that play is not his +only vice? he appears to have a taste for every vicious pleasure.' + +The Count hesitated and paused; while Emily endeavoured to support +herself, as, with increasing perturbation, she expected what he might +further say. A long pause of silence ensued, during which he was visibly +agitated; at length, he said, 'It would be a cruel delicacy, that +could prevail with me to be silent--and I will inform you, that the +Chevalier's extravagance has brought him twice into the prisons of +Paris, from whence he was last extricated, as I was told upon authority, +which I cannot doubt, by a well-known Parisian Countess, with whom he +continued to reside, when I left Paris.' + +He paused again; and, looking at Emily, perceived her countenance +change, and that she was falling from the seat; he caught her, but she +had fainted, and he called loudly for assistance. They were, however, +beyond the hearing of his servants at the chateau, and he feared +to leave her while he went thither for assistance, yet knew not how +otherwise to obtain it; till a fountain at no great distance caught his +eye, and he endeavoured to support Emily against the tree, under which +she had been sitting, while he went thither for water. But again he was +perplexed, for he had nothing near him, in which water could be brought; +but while, with increased anxiety, he watched her, he thought he +perceived in her countenance symptoms of returning life. + +It was long, however, before she revived, and then she found herself +supported--not by the Count, but by Valancourt, who was observing her +with looks of earnest apprehension, and who now spoke to her in a tone, +tremulous with his anxiety. At the sound of his well-known voice, she +raised her eyes, but presently closed them, and a faintness again came +over her. + +The Count, with a look somewhat stern, waved him to withdraw; but he +only sighed heavily, and called on the name of Emily, as he again held +the water, that had been brought, to her lips. On the Count's repeating +his action, and accompanying it with words, Valancourt answered him +with a look of deep resentment, and refused to leave the place, till she +should revive, or to resign her for a moment to the care of any person. +In the next instant, his conscience seemed to inform him of what had +been the subject of the Count's conversation with Emily, and indignation +flashed in his eyes; but it was quickly repressed, and succeeded by an +expression of serious anguish, that induced the Count to regard him with +more pity than resentment, and the view of which so much affected Emily, +when she again revived, that she yielded to the weakness of tears. +But she soon restrained them, and, exerting her resolution to appear +recovered, she rose, thanked the Count and Henri, with whom Valancourt +had entered the garden, for their care, and moved towards the chateau, +without noticing Valancourt, who, heart-struck by her manner, exclaimed +in a low voice--'Good God! how have I deserved this?--what has been +said, to occasion this change?' + +Emily, without replying, but with increased emotion, quickened her +steps. 'What has thus disordered you, Emily?' said he, as he still +walked by her side: 'give me a few moments' conversation, I entreat +you;--I am very miserable!' + +Though this was spoken in a low voice, it was overheard by the Count, +who immediately replied, that Mademoiselle St. Aubert was then too much +indisposed, to attend to any conversation, but that he would venture +to promise she would see Monsieur Valancourt on the morrow, if she was +better. + +Valancourt's cheek was crimsoned: he looked haughtily at the Count, +and then at Emily, with successive expressions of surprise, grief and +supplication, which she could neither misunderstand, or resist, and she +said languidly--'I shall be better tomorrow, and if you wish to accept +the Count's permission, I will see you then.' + +'See me!' exclaimed Valancourt, as he threw a glance of mingled pride +and resentment upon the Count; and then, seeming to recollect +himself, he added--'But I will come, madam; I will accept the Count's +PERMISSION.' + +When they reached the door of the chateau, he lingered a moment, for +his resentment was now fled; and then, with a look so expressive of +tenderness and grief, that Emily's heart was not proof against it, he +bade her good morning, and, bowing slightly to the Count, disappeared. + +Emily withdrew to her own apartment, under such oppression of heart as +she had seldom known, when she endeavoured to recollect all that the +Count had told, to examine the probability of the circumstances +he himself believed, and to consider of her future conduct towards +Valancourt. But, when she attempted to think, her mind refused controul, +and she could only feel that she was miserable. One moment, she sunk +under the conviction, that Valancourt was no longer the same, whom she +had so tenderly loved, the idea of whom had hitherto supported her +under affliction, and cheered her with the hope of happier days,--but +a fallen, a worthless character, whom she must teach herself to +despise--if she could not forget. Then, unable to endure this terrible +supposition, she rejected it, and disdained to believe him capable of +conduct, such as the Count had described, to whom she believed he had +been misrepresented by some artful enemy; and there were moments, when +she even ventured to doubt the integrity of the Count himself, and to +suspect, that he was influenced by some selfish motive, to break her +connection with Valancourt. But this was the error of an instant, only; +the Count's character, which she had heard spoken of by Du Pont and +many other persons, and had herself observed, enabled her to judge, and +forbade the supposition; had her confidence, indeed, been less, there +appeared to be no temptation to betray him into conduct so treacherous, +and so cruel. Nor did reflection suffer her to preserve the hope, that +Valancourt had been mis-represented to the Count, who had said, that he +spoke chiefly from his own observation, and from his son's experience. +She must part from Valancourt, therefore, for ever--for what of either +happiness or tranquillity could she expect with a man, whose tastes were +degenerated into low inclinations, and to whom vice was become habitual? +whom she must no longer esteem, though the remembrance of what he once +was, and the long habit of loving him, would render it very difficult +for her to despise him. 'O Valancourt!' she would exclaim, 'having been +separated so long--do we meet, only to be miserable--only to part for +ever?' + +Amidst all the tumult of her mind, she remembered pertinaciously the +seeming candour and simplicity of his conduct, on the preceding night; +and, had she dared to trust her own heart, it would have led her to hope +much from this. Still she could not resolve to dismiss him for ever, +without obtaining further proof of his ill conduct; yet she saw no +probability of procuring it, if, indeed, proof more positive was +possible. Something, however, it was necessary to decide upon, and she +almost determined to be guided in her opinion solely by the manner, with +which Valancourt should receive her hints concerning his late conduct. + +Thus passed the hours till dinner-time, when Emily, struggling against +the pressure of her grief, dried her tears, and joined the family +at table, where the Count preserved towards her the most delicate +attention; but the Countess and Mademoiselle Bearn, having looked, for a +moment, with surprise, on her dejected countenance, began, as usual, +to talk of trifles, while the eyes of Lady Blanche asked much of her +friend, who could only reply by a mournful smile. + +Emily withdrew as soon after dinner as possible, and was followed by the +Lady Blanche, whose anxious enquiries, however, she found herself quite +unequal to answer, and whom she entreated to spare her on the subject +of her distress. To converse on any topic, was now, indeed, so extremely +painful to her, that she soon gave up the attempt, and Blanche left +her, with pity of the sorrow, which she perceived she had no power to +assuage. + +Emily secretly determined to go to her convent in a day or two; for +company, especially that of the Countess and Mademoiselle Bearn, was +intolerable to her, in the present state of her spirits; and, in the +retirement of the convent, as well as the kindness of the abbess, she +hoped to recover the command of her mind, and to teach it resignation to +the event, which, she too plainly perceived, was approaching. + +To have lost Valancourt by death, or to have seen him married to +a rival, would, she thought, have given her less anguish, than a +conviction of his unworthiness, which must terminate in misery to +himself, and which robbed her even of the solitary image her heart so +long had cherished. These painful reflections were interrupted, for a +moment, by a note from Valancourt, written in evident distraction +of mind, entreating, that she would permit him to see her on the +approaching evening, instead of the following morning; a request, which +occasioned her so much agitation, that she was unable to answer it. She +wished to see him, and to terminate her present state of suspense, yet +shrunk from the interview, and, incapable of deciding for herself, she, +at length, sent to beg a few moments' conversation with the Count in his +library, where she delivered to him the note, and requested his advice. +After reading it, he said, that, if she believed herself well enough +to support the interview, his opinion was, that, for the relief of both +parties, it ought to take place, that evening. + +'His affection for you is, undoubtedly, a very sincere one,' added the +Count; 'and he appears so much distressed, and you, my amiable friend, +are so ill at ease--that the sooner the affair is decided, the better.' + +Emily replied, therefore, to Valancourt, that she would see him, and +then exerted herself in endeavours to attain fortitude and composure, +to bear her through the approaching scene--a scene so afflictingly the +reverse of any, to which she had looked forward! + + + + +VOLUME 4 + + + +CHAPTER I + + + Is all the council that we two have shared, + the hours that we have spent, + When we have chid the hasty-footed time + For parting us--Oh! and is all forgot? + + And will you rend our ancient love asunder? + MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM + +In the evening, when Emily was at length informed, that Count De +Villefort requested to see her, she guessed that Valancourt was below, +and, endeavouring to assume composure and to recollect all her spirits, +she rose and left the apartment; but on reaching the door of the +library, where she imagined him to be, her emotion returned with such +energy, that, fearing to trust herself in the room, she returned into +the hall, where she continued for a considerable time, unable to command +her agitated spirits. + +When she could recall them, she found in the library Valancourt, seated +with the Count, who both rose on her entrance; but she did not dare +to look at Valancourt, and the Count, having led her to a chair, +immediately withdrew. + +Emily remained with her eyes fixed on the floor, under such oppression +of heart, that she could not speak, and with difficulty breathed; while +Valancourt threw himself into a chair beside her, and, sighing heavily, +continued silent, when, had she raised her eyes, she would have +perceived the violent emotions, with which he was agitated. + +At length, in a tremulous voice, he said, 'I have solicited to see you +this evening, that I might, at least, be spared the further torture of +suspense, which your altered manner had occasioned me, and which the +hints I have just received from the Count have in part explained. I +perceive I have enemies, Emily, who envied me my late happiness, and +who have been busy in searching out the means to destroy it: I perceive, +too, that time and absence have weakened the affection you once felt for +me, and that you can now easily be taught to forget me.' + +His last words faltered, and Emily, less able to speak than before, +continued silent. + +'O what a meeting is this!' exclaimed Valancourt, starting from his +seat, and pacing the room with hurried steps, 'what a meeting is this, +after our long--long separation!' Again he sat down, and, after the +struggle of a moment, he added in a firm but despairing tone, 'This is +too much--I cannot bear it! Emily, will you not speak to me?' + +He covered his face with his hand, as if to conceal his emotion, and +took Emily's, which she did not withdraw. Her tears could no longer +be restrained; and, when he raised his eyes and perceived that she was +weeping, all his tenderness returned, and a gleam of hope appeared to +cross his mind, for he exclaimed, 'O! you do pity me, then, you do love +me! Yes, you are still my own Emily--let me believe those tears, that +tell me so!' + +Emily now made an effort to recover her firmness, and, hastily drying +them, 'Yes,' said she, 'I do pity you--I weep for you--but, ought I to +think of you with affection? You may remember, that yester-evening I +said, I had still sufficient confidence in your candour to believe, +that, when I should request an explanation of your words, you would give +it. This explanation is now unnecessary, I understand them too well; but +prove, at least, that your candour is deserving of the confidence I +give it, when I ask you, whether you are conscious of being the same +estimable Valancourt--whom I once loved.' + +'Once loved!' cried he,--'the same--the same!' He paused in +extreme emotion, and then added, in a voice at once solemn, and +dejected,--'No--I am not the same!--I am lost--I am no longer worthy of +you!' + +He again concealed his face. Emily was too much affected by this honest +confession to reply immediately, and, while she struggled to overcome +the pleadings of her heart, and to act with the decisive firmness, which +was necessary for her future peace, she perceived all the danger of +trusting long to her resolution, in the presence of Valancourt, and was +anxious to conclude an interview, that tortured them both; yet, when +she considered, that this was probably their last meeting, her fortitude +sunk at once, and she experienced only emotions of tenderness and of +despondency. + +Valancourt, meanwhile, lost in emotions of remorse and grief, which he +had neither the power, or the will to express, sat insensible almost +of the presence of Emily, his features still concealed, and his breast +agitated by convulsive sighs. + +'Spare me the necessity,' said Emily, recollecting her fortitude, 'spare +me the necessity of mentioning those circumstances of your conduct, +which oblige me to break our connection forever.--We must part, I now +see you for the last time.' + +'Impossible!' cried Valancourt, roused from his deep silence, 'You +cannot mean what you say!--you cannot mean to throw me from you +forever!' + +'We must part,' repeated Emily, with emphasis,--'and that forever! Your +own conduct has made this necessary.' + +'This is the Count's determination,' said he haughtily, 'not yours, +and I shall enquire by what authority he interferes between us.' He now +rose, and walked about the room in great emotion. + +'Let me save you from this error,' said Emily, not less agitated--'it is +my determination, and, if you reflect a moment on your late conduct, you +will perceive, that my future peace requires it.' + +'Your future peace requires, that we should part--part forever!' said +Valancourt, 'How little did I ever expect to hear you say so!' + +'And how little did I expect, that it would be necessary for me to say +so!' rejoined Emily, while her voice softened into tenderness, and her +tears flowed again.--'That you--you, Valancourt, would ever fall from my +esteem!' + +He was silent a moment, as if overwhelmed by the consciousness of no +longer deserving this esteem, as well as the certainty of having lost +it, and then, with impassioned grief, lamented the criminality of his +late conduct and the misery to which it had reduced him, till, overcome +by a recollection of the past and a conviction of the future, he burst +into tears, and uttered only deep and broken sighs. + +The remorse he had expressed, and the distress he suffered could not +be witnessed by Emily with indifference, and, had she not called to +her recollection all the circumstances, of which Count De Villefort +had informed her, and all he had said of the danger of confiding in +repentance, formed under the influence of passion, she might perhaps +have trusted to the assurances of her heart, and have forgotten his +misconduct in the tenderness, which that repentance excited. + +Valancourt, returning to the chair beside her, at length, said, in a +calm voice, ''Tis true, I am fallen--fallen from my own esteem! but +could you, Emily, so soon, so suddenly resign, if you had not before +ceased to love me, or, if your conduct was not governed by the designs, +I will say, the selfish designs of another person! Would you not +otherwise be willing to hope for my reformation--and could you bear, by +estranging me from you, to abandon me to misery--to myself!'--Emily wept +aloud.--'No, Emily--no--you would not do this, if you still loved me. +You would find your own happiness in saving mine.' + +'There are too many probabilities against that hope,' said Emily, 'to +justify me in trusting the comfort of my whole life to it. May I not +also ask, whether you could wish me to do this, if you really loved me?' + +'Really loved you!' exclaimed Valancourt--'is it possible you can doubt +my love! Yet it is reasonable, that you should do so, since you see, +that I am less ready to suffer the horror of parting with you, than +that of involving you in my ruin. Yes, Emily--I am ruined--irreparably +ruined--I am involved in debts, which I can never discharge!' +Valancourt's look, which was wild, as he spoke this, soon settled into +an expression of gloomy despair; and Emily, while she was compelled to +admire his sincerity, saw, with unutterable anguish, new reasons for +fear in the suddenness of his feelings and the extent of the misery, in +which they might involve him. After some minutes, she seemed to +contend against her grief and to struggle for fortitude to conclude +the interview. 'I will not prolong these moments,' said she, 'by a +conversation, which can answer no good purpose. Valancourt, farewell!' + +'You are not going?' said he, wildly interrupting her--'You will not +leave me thus--you will not abandon me even before my mind has suggested +any possibility of compromise between the last indulgence of my despair +and the endurance of my loss!' Emily was terrified by the sternness +of his look, and said, in a soothing voice, 'You have yourself +acknowledged, that it is necessary we should part;--if you +wish, that I should believe you love me, you will repeat the +acknowledgment.'--'Never--never,' cried he--'I was distracted when I +made it. O! Emily--this is too much;--though you are not deceived as to +my faults, you must be deluded into this exasperation against them. The +Count is the barrier between us; but he shall not long remain so.' + +'You are, indeed, distracted,' said Emily, 'the Count is not your enemy; +on the contrary, he is my friend, and that might, in some degree, induce +you to consider him as yours.'--'Your friend!' said Valancourt, hastily, +'how long has he been your friend, that he can so easily make you forget +your lover? Was it he, who recommended to your favour the Monsieur Du +Pont, who, you say, accompanied you from Italy, and who, I say, has +stolen your affections? But I have no right to question you;--you are +your own mistress. Du Pont, perhaps, may not long triumph over my fallen +fortunes!' Emily, more frightened than before by the frantic looks of +Valancourt, said, in a tone scarcely audible, 'For heaven's sake be +reasonable--be composed. Monsieur Du Pont is not your rival, nor is the +Count his advocate. You have no rival; nor, except yourself, an enemy. +My heart is wrung with anguish, which must increase while your +frantic behaviour shews me, more than ever, that you are no longer the +Valancourt I have been accustomed to love.' + +He made no reply, but sat with his arms rested on the table and his +face concealed by his hands; while Emily stood, silent and trembling, +wretched for herself and dreading to leave him in this state of mind. + +'O excess of misery!' he suddenly exclaimed, 'that I can never lament +my sufferings, without accusing myself, nor remember you, without +recollecting the folly and the vice, by which I have lost you! Why was I +forced to Paris, and why did I yield to allurements, which were to make +me despicable for ever! O! why cannot I look back, without interruption, +to those days of innocence and peace, the days of our early love!'--The +recollection seemed to melt his heart, and the frenzy of despair yielded +to tears. After a long pause, turning towards her and taking her hand, +he said, in a softened voice, 'Emily, can you bear that we should +part--can you resolve to give up an heart, that loves you like mine--an +heart, which, though it has erred--widely erred, is not irretrievable +from error, as, you well know, it never can be retrievable from love?' +Emily made no reply, but with her tears. 'Can you,' continued he, 'can +you forget all our former days of happiness and confidence--when I had +not a thought, that I might wish to conceal from you--when I had no +taste--no pleasures, in which you did not participate?' + +'O do not lead me to the remembrance of those days,' said Emily, 'unless +you can teach me to forget the present; I do not mean to reproach you; +if I did, I should be spared these tears; but why will you render your +present sufferings more conspicuous, by contrasting them with your +former virtues?' + +'Those virtues,' said Valancourt, 'might, perhaps, again be mine, if +your affection, which nurtured them, was unchanged;--but I fear, indeed, +I see, that you can no longer love me; else the happy hours, which we +have passed together, would plead for me, and you could not look +back upon them unmoved. Yet, why should I torture myself with the +remembrance--why do I linger here? Am I not ruined--would it not be +madness to involve you in my misfortunes, even if your heart was still +my own? I will not distress you further. Yet, before I go,' added he, +in a solemn voice, 'let me repeat, that, whatever may be my +destiny--whatever I may be doomed to suffer, I must always love +you--most fondly love you! I am going, Emily, I am going to leave +you--to leave you, forever!' As he spoke the last words, his voice +trembled, and he threw himself again into the chair, from which he had +risen. Emily was utterly unable to leave the room, or to say farewell. +All impression of his criminal conduct and almost of his follies was +obliterated from her mind, and she was sensible only of pity and grief. + +'My fortitude is gone,' said Valancourt at length; 'I can no longer +even struggle to recall it. I cannot now leave you--I cannot bid you +an eternal farewell; say, at least, that you will see me once again.' +Emily's heart was somewhat relieved by the request, and she endeavoured +to believe, that she ought not to refuse it. Yet she was embarrassed +by recollecting, that she was a visitor in the house of the Count, who +could not be pleased by the return of Valancourt. Other considerations, +however, soon overcame this, and she granted his request, on the +condition, that he would neither think of the Count, as his enemy, nor +Du Pont as his rival. He then left her, with a heart, so much lightened +by this short respite, that he almost lost every former sense of +misfortune. + +Emily withdrew to her own room, that she might compose her spirits and +remove the traces of her tears, which would encourage the censorious +remarks of the Countess and her favourite, as well as excite the +curiosity of the rest of the family. She found it, however, impossible +to tranquillize her mind, from which she could not expel the remembrance +of the late scene with Valancourt, or the consciousness, that she was to +see him again, on the morrow. This meeting now appeared more terrible to +her than the last, for the ingenuous confession he had made of his +ill conduct and his embarrassed circumstances, with the strength and +tenderness of affection, which this confession discovered, had deeply +impressed her, and, in spite of all she had heard and believed to his +disadvantage, her esteem began to return. It frequently appeared to her +impossible, that he could have been guilty of the depravities, reported +of him, which, if not inconsistent with his warmth and impetuosity, +were entirely so with his candour and sensibility. Whatever was the +criminality, which had given rise to the reports, she could not now +believe them to be wholly true, nor that his heart was finally closed +against the charms of virtue. The deep consciousness, which he felt as +well as expressed of his errors, seemed to justify the opinion; and, +as she understood not the instability of youthful dispositions, when +opposed by habit, and that professions frequently deceive those, who +make, as well as those, who hear them, she might have yielded to the +flattering persuasions of her own heart and the pleadings of Valancourt, +had she not been guided by the superior prudence of the Count. He +represented to her, in a clear light, the danger of her present +situation, that of listening to promises of amendment, made under the +influence of strong passion, and the slight hope, which could attach +to a connection, whose chance of happiness rested upon the retrieval +of ruined circumstances and the reform of corrupted habits. On these +accounts, he lamented, that Emily had consented to a second interview, +for he saw how much it would shake her resolution and increase the +difficulty of her conquest. + +Her mind was now so entirely occupied by nearer interests, that she +forgot the old housekeeper and the promised history, which so lately had +excited her curiosity, but which Dorothee was probably not very anxious +to disclose, for night came; the hours passed; and she did not appear +in Emily's chamber. With the latter it was a sleepless and dismal +night; the more she suffered her memory to dwell on the late scenes with +Valancourt, the more her resolution declined, and she was obliged +to recollect all the arguments, which the Count had made use of to +strengthen it, and all the precepts, which she had received from her +deceased father, on the subject of self-command, to enable her to act, +with prudence and dignity, on this the most severe occasion of her +life. There were moments, when all her fortitude forsook her, and when, +remembering the confidence of former times, she thought it impossible, +that she could renounce Valancourt. His reformation then appeared +certain; the arguments of Count De Villefort were forgotten; she readily +believed all she wished, and was willing to encounter any evil, rather +than that of an immediate separation. + +Thus passed the night in ineffectual struggles between affection +and reason, and she rose, in the morning, with a mind, weakened and +irresolute, and a frame, trembling with illness. + + + +CHAPTER II + + + Come, weep with me;--past hope, past cure, past help! + ROMEO AND JULIET + +Valancourt, meanwhile, suffered the tortures of remorse and despair. +The sight of Emily had renewed all the ardour, with which he first loved +her, and which had suffered a temporary abatement from absence and the +passing scenes of busy life. When, on the receipt of her letter, he set +out for Languedoc, he then knew, that his own folly had involved him in +ruin, and it was no part of his design to conceal this from her. But +he lamented only the delay which his ill-conduct must give to their +marriage, and did not foresee, that the information could induce her to +break their connection forever. While the prospect of this separation +overwhelmed his mind, before stung with self-reproach, he awaited their +second interview, in a state little short of distraction, yet was still +inclined to hope, that his pleadings might prevail upon her not to exact +it. In the morning, he sent to know at what hour she would see him; +and his note arrived, when she was with the Count, who had sought an +opportunity of again conversing with her of Valancourt; for he perceived +the extreme distress of her mind, and feared, more than ever, that her +fortitude would desert her. Emily having dismissed the messenger, the +Count returned to the subject of their late conversation, urging his +fear of Valancourt's entreaties, and again pointing out to her the +lengthened misery, that must ensue, if she should refuse to encounter +some present uneasiness. His repeated arguments could, indeed, alone +have protected her from the affection she still felt for Valancourt, and +she resolved to be governed by them. + +The hour of interview, at length, arrived. Emily went to it, at least, +with composure of manner, but Valancourt was so much agitated, that +he could not speak, for several minutes, and his first words were +alternately those of lamentation, entreaty, and self-reproach. +Afterward, he said, 'Emily, I have loved you--I do love you, better than +my life; but I am ruined by my own conduct. Yet I would seek to entangle +you in a connection, that must be miserable for you, rather than subject +myself to the punishment, which is my due, the loss of you. I am a +wretch, but I will be a villain no longer.--I will not endeavour to +shake your resolution by the pleadings of a selfish passion. I resign +you, Emily, and will endeavour to find consolation in considering, that, +though I am miserable, you, at least, may be happy. The merit of the +sacrifice is, indeed, not my own, for I should never have attained +strength of mind to surrender you, if your prudence had not demanded +it.' + +He paused a moment, while Emily attempted to conceal the tears, which +came to her eyes. She would have said, 'You speak now, as you were wont +to do,' but she checked herself.--'Forgive me, Emily,' said he, 'all the +sufferings I have occasioned you, and, sometimes, when you think of the +wretched Valancourt, remember, that his only consolation would be to +believe, that you are no longer unhappy by his folly.' The tears now +fell fast upon her cheek, and he was relapsing into the phrensy of +despair, when Emily endeavoured to recall her fortitude and to terminate +an interview, which only seemed to increase the distress of both. +Perceiving her tears and that she was rising to go, Valancourt +struggled, once more, to overcome his own feelings and to sooth hers. +'The remembrance of this sorrow,' said he, 'shall in future be my +protection. O! never again will example, or temptation have power to +seduce me to evil, exalted as I shall be by the recollection of your +grief for me.' + +Emily was somewhat comforted by this assurance. 'We are now parting for +ever,' said she; 'but, if my happiness is dear to you, you will always +remember, that nothing can contribute to it more, than to believe, that +you have recovered your own esteem.' Valancourt took her hand;--his eyes +were covered with tears, and the farewell he would have spoken was lost +in sighs. After a few moments, Emily said, with difficulty and emotion, +'Farewell, Valancourt, may you be happy!' She repeated her 'farewell,' +and attempted to withdraw her hand, but he still held it and bathed +it with his tears. 'Why prolong these moments?' said Emily, in a voice +scarcely audible, 'they are too painful to us both.' 'This is too--too +much,' exclaimed Valancourt, resigning her hand and throwing himself +into a chair, where he covered his face with his hands and was overcome, +for some moments, by convulsive sighs. After a long pause, during which +Emily wept in silence, and Valancourt seemed struggling with his grief, +she again rose to take leave of him. Then, endeavouring to recover his +composure, 'I am again afflicting you,' said he, 'but let the anguish I +suffer plead for me.' He then added, in a solemn voice, which frequently +trembled with the agitation of his heart, 'Farewell, Emily, you will +always be the only object of my tenderness. Sometimes you will think of +the unhappy Valancourt, and it will be with pity, though it may not be +with esteem. O! what is the whole world to me, without you--without your +esteem!' He checked himself--'I am falling again into the error I have +just lamented. I must not intrude longer upon your patience, or I shall +relapse into despair.' + +He once more bade Emily adieu, pressed her hand to his lips, looked at +her, for the last time, and hurried out of the room. + +Emily remained in the chair, where he had left her, oppressed with +a pain at her heart, which scarcely permitted her to breathe, and +listening to his departing steps, sinking fainter and fainter, as +he crossed the hall. She was, at length, roused by the voice of the +Countess in the garden, and, her attention being then awakened, the +first object, which struck her sight, was the vacant chair, where +Valancourt had sat. The tears, which had been, for some time, repressed +by the kind of astonishment, that followed his departure, now came to +her relief, and she was, at length, sufficiently composed to return to +her own room. + + + +CHAPTER III + + + This is no mortal business, nor no sound + That the earth owes! + SHAKESPEARE + +We now return to the mention of Montoni, whose rage and disappointment +were soon lost in nearer interests, than any, which the unhappy Emily +had awakened. His depredations having exceeded their usual limits, and +reached an extent, at which neither the timidity of the then commercial +senate of Venice, nor their hope of his occasional assistance would +permit them to connive, the same effort, it was resolved, should +complete the suppression of his power and the correction of his +outrages. While a corps of considerable strength was upon the point of +receiving orders to march for Udolpho, a young officer, prompted partly +by resentment, for some injury, received from Montoni, and partly by +the hope of distinction, solicited an interview with the Minister, who +directed the enterprise. To him he represented, that the situation of +Udolpho rendered it too strong to be taken by open force, except after +some tedious operations; that Montoni had lately shewn how capable he +was of adding to its strength all the advantages, which could be derived +from the skill of a commander; that so considerable a body of troops, as +that allotted to the expedition, could not approach Udolpho without his +knowledge, and that it was not for the honour of the republic to have a +large part of its regular force employed, for such a time as the siege +of Udolpho would require, upon the attack of a handful of banditti. The +object of the expedition, he thought, might be accomplished much more +safely and speedily by mingling contrivance with force. It was possible +to meet Montoni and his party, without their walls, and to attack them +then; or, by approaching the fortress, with the secrecy, consistent with +the march of smaller bodies of troops, to take advantage either of the +treachery, or negligence of some of his party, and to rush unexpectedly +upon the whole even in the castle of Udolpho. + +This advice was seriously attended to, and the officer, who gave it, +received the command of the troops, demanded for his purpose. His +first efforts were accordingly those of contrivance alone. In the +neighbourhood of Udolpho, he waited, till he had secured the assistance +of several of the condottieri, of whom he found none, that he addressed, +unwilling to punish their imperious master and to secure their own +pardon from the senate. He learned also the number of Montoni's troops, +and that it had been much increased, since his late successes. The +conclusion of his plan was soon effected. Having returned with his +party, who received the watch-word and other assistance from their +friends within, Montoni and his officers were surprised by one division, +who had been directed to their apartment, while the other maintained the +slight combat, which preceded the surrender of the whole garrison. Among +the persons, seized with Montoni, was Orsino, the assassin, who had +joined him on his first arrival at Udolpho, and whose concealment had +been made known to the senate by Count Morano, after the unsuccessful +attempt of the latter to carry off Emily. It was, indeed, partly for +the purpose of capturing this man, by whom one of the senate had been +murdered, that the expedition was undertaken, and its success was so +acceptable to them, that Morano was instantly released, notwithstanding +the political suspicions, which Montoni, by his secret accusation, +had excited against him. The celerity and ease, with which this whole +transaction was completed, prevented it from attracting curiosity, or +even from obtaining a place in any of the published records of that +time; so that Emily, who remained in Languedoc, was ignorant of the +defeat and signal humiliation of her late persecutor. + +Her mind was now occupied with sufferings, which no effort of reason had +yet been able to controul. Count De Villefort, who sincerely attempted +whatever benevolence could suggest for softening them, sometimes +allowed her the solitude she wished for, sometimes led her into friendly +parties, and constantly protected her, as much as possible, from the +shrewd enquiries and critical conversation of the Countess. He often +invited her to make excursions, with him and his daughter, during which +he conversed entirely on questions, suitable to her taste, without +appearing to consult it, and thus endeavoured gradually to withdraw her +from the subject of her grief, and to awake other interests in her mind. +Emily, to whom he appeared as the enlightened friend and protector of +her youth, soon felt for him the tender affection of a daughter, and +her heart expanded to her young friend Blanche, as to a sister, whose +kindness and simplicity compensated for the want of more brilliant +qualities. It was long before she could sufficiently abstract her +mind from Valancourt to listen to the story, promised by old Dorothee, +concerning which her curiosity had once been so deeply interested; but +Dorothee, at length, reminded her of it, and Emily desired, that she +would come, that night, to her chamber. + +Still her thoughts were employed by considerations, which weakened her +curiosity, and Dorothee's tap at the door, soon after twelve, surprised +her almost as much as if it had not been appointed. 'I am come, at +last, lady,' said she; 'I wonder what it is makes my old limbs shake +so, to-night. I thought, once or twice, I should have dropped, as I +was a-coming.' Emily seated her in a chair, and desired, that she would +compose her spirits, before she entered upon the subject, that had +brought her thither. 'Alas,' said Dorothee, 'it is thinking of that, I +believe, which has disturbed me so. In my way hither too, I passed +the chamber, where my dear lady died, and every thing was so still and +gloomy about me, that I almost fancied I saw her, as she appeared upon +her death-bed.' + +Emily now drew her chair near to Dorothee, who went on. 'It is about +twenty years since my lady Marchioness came a bride to the chateau. O! +I well remember how she looked, when she came into the great hall, where +we servants were all assembled to welcome her, and how happy my lord the +Marquis seemed. Ah! who would have thought then!--But, as I was saying, +ma'amselle, I thought the Marchioness, with all her sweet looks, did not +look happy at heart, and so I told my husband, and he said it was all +fancy; so I said no more, but I made my remarks, for all that. My lady +Marchioness was then about your age, and, as I have often thought, very +like you. Well! my lord the Marquis kept open house, for a long time, +and gave such entertainments and there were such gay doings as have +never been in the chateau since. I was younger, ma'amselle, then, than +I am now, and was as gay at the best of them. I remember I danced with +Philip, the butler, in a pink gown, with yellow ribbons, and a coif, not +such as they wear now, but plaited high, with ribbons all about it. It +was very becoming truly;--my lord, the Marquis, noticed me. Ah! he was a +good-natured gentleman then--who would have thought that he!'-- + +'But the Marchioness, Dorothee,' said Emily, 'you was telling me of +her.' + +'O yes, my lady Marchioness, I thought she did not seem happy at heart, +and once, soon after the marriage, I caught her crying in her chamber; +but, when she saw me, she dried her eyes, and pretended to smile. I did +not dare then to ask what was the matter; but, the next time I saw her +crying, I did, and she seemed displeased;--so I said no more. I found +out, some time after, how it was. Her father, it seems, had commanded +her to marry my lord, the Marquis, for his money, and there was another +nobleman, or else a chevalier, that she liked better and that was very +fond of her, and she fretted for the loss of him, I fancy, but she never +told me so. My lady always tried to conceal her tears from the Marquis, +for I have often seen her, after she has been so sorrowful, look so calm +and sweet, when he came into the room! But my lord, all of a sudden, +grew gloomy and fretful, and very unkind sometimes to my lady. This +afflicted her very much, as I saw, for she never complained, and she +used to try so sweetly to oblige him and to bring him into a good +humour, that my heart has often ached to see it. But he used to be +stubborn, and give her harsh answers, and then, when she found it all +in vain, she would go to her own room, and cry so! I used to hear her +in the anti-room, poor dear lady! but I seldom ventured to go to her. +I used, sometimes, to think my lord was jealous. To be sure my lady was +greatly admired, but she was too good to deserve suspicion. Among the +many chevaliers, that visited at the chateau, there was one, that I +always thought seemed just suited for my lady; he was so courteous, yet +so spirited, and there was such a grace, as it were, in all he did, or +said. I always observed, that, whenever he had been there, the Marquis +was more gloomy and my lady more thoughtful, and it came into my head, +that this was the chevalier she ought to have married, but I never could +learn for certain.' + +'What was the chevalier's name, Dorothee?' said Emily. + +'Why that I will not tell even to you, ma'amselle, for evil may come of +it. I once heard from a person, who is since dead, that the Marchioness +was not in law the wife of the Marquis, for that she had before been +privately married to the gentleman she was so much attached to, and was +afterwards afraid to own it to her father, who was a very stern man; but +this seems very unlikely, and I never gave much faith to it. As I was +saying, the Marquis was most out of humour, as I thought, when the +chevalier I spoke of had been at the chateau, and, at last, his ill +treatment of my lady made her quite miserable. He would see hardly any +visitors at the castle, and made her live almost by herself. I was +her constant attendant, and saw all she suffered, but still she never +complained. + +'After matters had gone on thus, for near a year, my lady was taken ill, +and I thought her long fretting had made her so,--but, alas! I fear it +was worse than that.' + +'Worse! Dorothee,' said Emily, 'can that be possible?' + +'I fear it was so, madam, there were strange appearances. But I will +only tell what happened. My lord, the Marquis--' + +'Hush, Dorothee, what sounds were those?' said Emily. + +Dorothee changed countenance, and, while they both listened, they heard, +on the stillness of the night, music of uncommon sweetness. + +'I have surely heard that voice before!' said Emily, at length. + +'I have often heard it, and at this same hour,' said Dorothee, solemnly, +'and, if spirits ever bring music--that is surely the music of one!' + +Emily, as the sounds drew nearer, knew them to be the same she had +formerly heard at the time of her father's death, and, whether it was +the remembrance they now revived of that melancholy event, or that +she was struck with superstitious awe, it is certain she was so much +affected, that she had nearly fainted. + +'I think I once told you, madam,' said Dorothee, 'that I first heard +this music, soon after my lady's death! I well remember the night!'-- +'Hark! it comes again!' said Emily, 'let us open the window, and +listen.' + +They did so; but, soon, the sounds floated gradually away into distance, +and all was again still; they seemed to have sunk among the woods, +whose tufted tops were visible upon the clear horizon, while every other +feature of the scene was involved in the night-shade, which, however, +allowed the eye an indistinct view of some objects in the garden below. + +As Emily leaned on the window, gazing with a kind of thrilling awe +upon the obscurity beneath, and then upon the cloudless arch above, +enlightened only by the stars, Dorothee, in a low voice, resumed her +narrative. + +'I was saying, ma'amselle, that I well remember when first I heard that +music. It was one night, soon after my lady's death, that I had sat up +later than usual, and I don't know how it was, but I had been thinking +a great deal about my poor mistress, and of the sad scene I had lately +witnessed. The chateau was quite still, and I was in the chamber at a +good distance from the rest of the servants, and this, with the mournful +things I had been thinking of, I suppose, made me low spirited, for I +felt very lonely and forlorn, as it were, and listened often, wishing to +hear a sound in the chateau, for you know, ma'amselle, when one can hear +people moving, one does not so much mind, about one's fears. But all the +servants were gone to bed, and I sat, thinking and thinking, till I was +almost afraid to look round the room, and my poor lady's countenance +often came to my mind, such as I had seen her when she was dying, and, +once or twice, I almost thought I saw her before me,--when suddenly I +heard such sweet music! It seemed just at my window, and I shall never +forget what I felt. I had not power to move from my chair, but then, +when I thought it was my dear lady's voice, the tears came to my eyes. +I had often heard her sing, in her life-time, and to be sure she had a +very fine voice; it had made me cry to hear her, many a time, when she +has sat in her oriel, of an evening, playing upon her lute such sad +songs, and singing so. O! it went to one's heart! I have listened in +the anti-chamber, for the hour together, and she would sometimes sit +playing, with the window open, when it was summer time, till it was +quite dark, and when I have gone in, to shut it, she has hardly seemed +to know what hour it was. But, as I said, madam,' continued Dorothee, +'when first I heard the music, that came just now, I thought it was my +late lady's, and I have often thought so again, when I have heard it, as +I have done at intervals, ever since. Sometimes, many months have gone +by, but still it has returned.' + +'It is extraordinary,' observed Emily, 'that no person has yet +discovered the musician.' + +'Aye, ma'amselle, if it had been any thing earthly it would have been +discovered long ago, but who could have courage to follow a spirit, and +if they had, what good could it do?--for spirits, YOU KNOW, ma'am, can +take any shape, or no shape, and they will be here, one minute, and, the +next perhaps, in a quite different place!' + +'Pray resume your story of the Marchioness,' said Emily, 'and acquaint +me with the manner of her death.' + +'I will, ma'am,' said Dorothee, 'but shall we leave the window?' + +'This cool air refreshes me,' replied Emily, 'and I love to hear it +creep along the woods, and to look upon this dusky landscape. You was +speaking of my lord, the Marquis, when the music interrupted us.' + +'Yes, madam, my lord, the Marquis, became more and more gloomy; and +my lady grew worse and worse, till, one night, she was taken very ill, +indeed. I was called up, and, when I came to her bedside, I was shocked +to see her countenance--it was so changed! She looked piteously up at +me, and desired I would call the Marquis again, for he was not yet come, +and tell him she had something particular to say to him. At last, he +came, and he did, to be sure, seem very sorry to see her, but he said +very little. My lady told him she felt herself to be dying, and wished +to speak with him alone, and then I left the room, but I shall never +forget his look as I went.' + +'When I returned, I ventured to remind my lord about sending for a +doctor, for I supposed he had forgot to do so, in his grief; but my lady +said it was then too late; but my lord, so far from thinking so, seemed +to think light of her disorder--till she was seized with such terrible +pains! O, I never shall forget her shriek! My lord then sent off a man +and horse for the doctor, and walked about the room and all over the +chateau in the greatest distress; and I staid by my dear lady, and did +what I could to ease her sufferings. She had intervals of ease, and in +one of these she sent for my lord again; when he came, I was going, but +she desired I would not leave her. O! I shall never forget what a +scene passed--I can hardly bear to think of it now! My lord was almost +distracted, for my lady behaved with so much goodness, and took such +pains to comfort him, that, if he ever had suffered a suspicion to enter +his head, he must now have been convinced he was wrong. And to be sure +he did seem to be overwhelmed with the thought of his treatment of her, +and this affected her so much, that she fainted away. + +'We then got my lord out of the room; he went into his library, and +threw himself on the floor, and there he staid, and would hear no +reason, that was talked to him. When my lady recovered, she enquired +for him, but, afterwards, said she could not bear to see his grief, and +desired we would let her die quietly. She died in my arms, ma'amselle, +and she went off as peacefully as a child, for all the violence of her +disorder was passed.' + +Dorothee paused, and wept, and Emily wept with her; for she was much +affected by the goodness of the late Marchioness, and by the meek +patience, with which she had suffered. + +'When the doctor came,' resumed Dorothee, 'alas! he came too late; +he appeared greatly shocked to see her, for soon after her death a +frightful blackness spread all over her face. When he had sent the +attendants out of the room, he asked me several odd questions about the +Marchioness, particularly concerning the manner, in which she had been +seized, and he often shook his head at my answers, and seemed to mean +more, than he chose to say. But I understood him too well. However, I +kept my remarks to myself, and only told them to my husband, who bade +me hold my tongue. Some of the other servants, however, suspected what +I did, and strange reports were whispered about the neighbourhood, but +nobody dared to make any stir about them. When my lord heard that my +lady was dead, he shut himself up, and would see nobody but the doctor, +who used to be with him alone, sometimes for an hour together; and, +after that, the doctor never talked with me again about my lady. When +she was buried in the church of the convent, at a little distance +yonder, if the moon was up you might see the towers here, ma'amselle, +all my lord's vassals followed the funeral, and there was not a dry eye +among them, for she had done a deal of good among the poor. My lord, the +Marquis, I never saw any body so melancholy as he was afterwards, and +sometimes he would be in such fits of violence, that we almost thought +he had lost his senses. He did not stay long at the chateau, but joined +his regiment, and, soon after, all the servants, except my husband and +I, received notice to go, for my lord went to the wars. I never saw him +after, for he would not return to the chateau, though it is such a fine +place, and never finished those fine rooms he was building on the west +side of it, and it has, in a manner, been shut up ever since, till my +lord the Count came here.' + +'The death of the Marchioness appears extraordinary,' said Emily, who +was anxious to know more than she dared to ask. + +'Yes, madam,' replied Dorothee, 'it was extraordinary; I have told you +all I saw, and you may easily guess what I think, I cannot say more, +because I would not spread reports, that might offend my lord the +Count.' + +'You are very right,' said Emily;--'where did the Marquis die?'--'In the +north of France, I believe, ma'amselle,' replied Dorothee. 'I was very +glad, when I heard my lord the Count was coming, for this had been a +sad desolate place, these many years, and we heard such strange noises, +sometimes, after my lady's death, that, as I told you before, my husband +and I left it for a neighbouring cottage. And now, lady, I have told you +all this sad history, and all my thoughts, and you have promised, you +know, never to give the least hint about it.'--'I have,' said Emily, +'and I will be faithful to my promise, Dorothee;--what you have told +has interested me more than you can imagine. I only wish I could +prevail upon you to tell the name of the chevalier, whom you thought so +deserving of the Marchioness.' + +Dorothee, however, steadily refused to do this, and then returned to the +notice of Emily's likeness to the late Marchioness. 'There is another +picture of her,' added she, 'hanging in a room of the suite, which was +shut up. It was drawn, as I have heard, before she was married, and is +much more like you than the miniature.' When Emily expressed a strong +desire to see this, Dorothee replied, that she did not like to open +those rooms; but Emily reminded her, that the Count had talked the other +day of ordering them to be opened; of which Dorothee seemed to consider +much, and then she owned, that she should feel less, if she went into +them with Emily first, than otherwise, and at length promised to shew +the picture. + +The night was too far advanced and Emily was too much affected by the +narrative of the scenes, which had passed in those apartments, to wish +to visit them at this hour, but she requested that Dorothee would return +on the following night, when they were not likely to be observed, and +conduct her thither. Besides her wish to examine the portrait, she felt +a thrilling curiosity to see the chamber, in which the Marchioness had +died, and which Dorothee had said remained, with the bed and furniture, +just as when the corpse was removed for interment. The solemn emotions, +which the expectation of viewing such a scene had awakened, were +in unison with the present tone of her mind, depressed by severe +disappointment. Cheerful objects rather added to, than removed this +depression; but, perhaps, she yielded too much to her melancholy +inclination, and imprudently lamented the misfortune, which no virtue of +her own could have taught her to avoid, though no effort of reason could +make her look unmoved upon the self-degradation of him, whom she had +once esteemed and loved. + +Dorothee promised to return, on the following night, with the keys of +the chambers, and then wished Emily good repose, and departed. Emily, +however, continued at the window, musing upon the melancholy fate of +the Marchioness and listening, in awful expectation, for a return of the +music. But the stillness of the night remained long unbroken, except by +the murmuring sounds of the woods, as they waved in the breeze, and then +by the distant bell of the convent, striking one. She now withdrew +from the window, and, as she sat at her bed-side, indulging melancholy +reveries, which the loneliness of the hour assisted, the stillness was +suddenly interrupted not by music, but by very uncommon sounds, that +seemed to come either from the room, adjoining her own, or from one +below. The terrible catastrophe, that had been related to her, together +with the mysterious circumstances, said to have since occurred in the +chateau, had so much shocked her spirits, that she now sunk, for a +moment, under the weakness of superstition. The sounds, however, did not +return, and she retired, to forget in sleep the disastrous story she had +heard. + + + +CHAPTER IV + + + Now it is the time of night, + That, the graves all gaping wide, + Every one lets forth his spite, + In the church-way path to glide. + SHAKESPEARE + +On the next night, about the same hour as before, Dorothee came to +Emily's chamber, with the keys of that suite of rooms, which had been +particularly appropriated to the late Marchioness. These extended along +the north side of the chateau, forming part of the old building; and, as +Emily's room was in the south, they had to pass over a great extent +of the castle, and by the chambers of several of the family, whose +observations Dorothee was anxious to avoid, since it might excite +enquiry, and raise reports, such as would displease the Count. She, +therefore, requested, that Emily would wait half an hour, before they +ventured forth, that they might be certain all the servants were gone +to bed. It was nearly one, before the chateau was perfectly still, or +Dorothee thought it prudent to leave the chamber. In this interval, her +spirits seemed to be greatly affected by the remembrance of past events, +and by the prospect of entering again upon places, where these had +occurred, and in which she had not been for so many years. Emily too was +affected, but her feelings had more of solemnity, and less of fear. +From the silence, into which reflection and expectation had thrown them, +they, at length, roused themselves, and left the chamber. Dorothee, at +first, carried the lamp, but her hand trembled so much with infirmity +and alarm, that Emily took it from her, and offered her arm, to support +her feeble steps. + +They had to descend the great stair-case, and, after passing over a +wide extent of the chateau, to ascend another, which led to the suite +of rooms they were in quest of. They stepped cautiously along the open +corridor, that ran round the great hall, and into which the chambers +of the Count, Countess, and the Lady Blanche, opened, and, from +thence, descending the chief stair-case, they crossed the hall itself. +Proceeding through the servants hall, where the dying embers of a wood +fire still glimmered on the hearth, and the supper table was surrounded +by chairs, that obstructed their passage, they came to the foot of the +back stair-case. Old Dorothee here paused, and looked around; 'Let us +listen,' said she, 'if any thing is stirring; Ma'amselle, do you hear +any voice?' 'None,' said Emily, 'there certainly is no person up in the +chateau, besides ourselves.'--'No, ma'amselle,' said Dorothee, 'but I +have never been here at this hour before, and, after what I know, +my fears are not wonderful.'--'What do you know?' said Emily.--'O, +ma'amselle, we have no time for talking now; let us go on. That door on +the left is the one we must open.' + +They proceeded, and, having reached the top of the stair-case, Dorothee +applied the key to the lock. 'Ah,' said she, as she endeavoured to turn +it, 'so many years have passed since this was opened, that I fear it +will not move.' Emily was more successful, and they presently entered a +spacious and ancient chamber. + +'Alas!' exclaimed Dorothee, as she entered, 'the last time I passed +through this door--I followed my poor lady's corpse!' + +Emily, struck with the circumstance, and affected by the dusky and +solemn air of the apartment, remained silent, and they passed on through +a long suite of rooms, till they came to one more spacious than the +rest, and rich in the remains of faded magnificence. + +'Let us rest here awhile, madam,' said Dorothee faintly, 'we are going +into the chamber, where my lady died! that door opens into it. Ah, +ma'amselle! why did you persuade me to come?' + +Emily drew one of the massy arm-chairs, with which the apartment was +furnished, and begged Dorothee would sit down, and try to compose her +spirits. + +'How the sight of this place brings all that passed formerly to my +mind!' said Dorothee; 'it seems as if it was but yesterday since all +that sad affair happened!' + +'Hark! what noise is that?' said Emily. + +Dorothee, half starting from her chair, looked round the apartment, and +they listened--but, every thing remaining still, the old woman spoke +again upon the subject of her sorrow. 'This saloon, ma'amselle, was in +my lady's time the finest apartment in the chateau, and it was fitted +up according to her own taste. All this grand furniture, but you can +now hardly see what it is for the dust, and our light is none of the +best--ah! how I have seen this room lighted up in my lady's time!--all +this grand furniture came from Paris, and was made after the fashion of +some in the Louvre there, except those large glasses, and they came from +some outlandish place, and that rich tapestry. How the colours are faded +already!--since I saw it last!' + +'I understood, that was twenty years ago,' observed Emily. + +'Thereabout, madam,' said Dorothee, 'and well remembered, but all the +time between then and now seems as nothing. That tapestry used to be +greatly admired at, it tells the stories out of some famous book, or +other, but I have forgot the name.' + +Emily now rose to examine the figures it exhibited, and discovered, by +verses in the Provencal tongue, wrought underneath each scene, that it +exhibited stories from some of the most celebrated ancient romances. + +Dorothee's spirits being now more composed, she rose, and unlocked the +door that led into the late Marchioness's apartment, and Emily passed +into a lofty chamber, hung round with dark arras, and so spacious, that +the lamp she held up did not shew its extent; while Dorothee, when she +entered, had dropped into a chair, where, sighing deeply, she scarcely +trusted herself with the view of a scene so affecting to her. It was +some time before Emily perceived, through the dusk, the bed on which the +Marchioness was said to have died; when, advancing to the upper end of +the room, she discovered the high canopied tester of dark green damask, +with the curtains descending to the floor in the fashion of a tent, +half drawn, and remaining apparently, as they had been left twenty years +before; and over the whole bedding was thrown a counterpane, or pall, of +black velvet, that hung down to the floor. Emily shuddered, as she held +the lamp over it, and looked within the dark curtains, where she almost +expected to have seen a human face, and, suddenly remembering the +horror she had suffered upon discovering the dying Madame Montoni in the +turret-chamber of Udolpho, her spirits fainted, and she was turning from +the bed, when Dorothee, who had now reached it, exclaimed, 'Holy Virgin! +methinks I see my lady stretched upon that pall--as when last I saw +her!' + +Emily, shocked by this exclamation, looked involuntarily again within +the curtains, but the blackness of the pall only appeared; while +Dorothee was compelled to support herself upon the side of the bed, and +presently tears brought her some relief. + +'Ah!' said she, after she had wept awhile, 'it was here I sat on that +terrible night, and held my lady's hand, and heard her last words, and +saw all her sufferings--HERE she died in my arms!' + +'Do not indulge these painful recollections,' said Emily, 'let us go. +Shew me the picture you mentioned, if it will not too much affect you.' + +'It hangs in the oriel,' said Dorothee rising, and going towards a small +door near the bed's head, which she opened, and Emily followed with the +light, into the closet of the late Marchioness. + +'Alas! there she is, ma'amselle,' said Dorothee, pointing to a portrait +of a lady, 'there is her very self! just as she looked when she came +first to the chateau. You see, madam, she was all blooming like you, +then--and so soon to be cut off!' + +While Dorothee spoke, Emily was attentively examining the picture, which +bore a strong resemblance to the miniature, though the expression of the +countenance in each was somewhat different; but still she thought she +perceived something of that pensive melancholy in the portrait, which so +strongly characterised the miniature. + +'Pray, ma'amselle, stand beside the picture, that I may look at you +together,' said Dorothee, who, when the request was complied with, +exclaimed again at the resemblance. Emily also, as she gazed upon it, +thought that she had somewhere seen a person very like it, though she +could not now recollect who this was. + +In this closet were many memorials of the departed Marchioness; a robe +and several articles of her dress were scattered upon the chairs, as if +they had just been thrown off. On the floor were a pair of black satin +slippers, and, on the dressing-table, a pair of gloves and a long black +veil, which, as Emily took it up to examine, she perceived was dropping +to pieces with age. + +'Ah!' said Dorothee, observing the veil, 'my lady's hand laid it there; +it has never been moved since!' + +Emily, shuddering, immediately laid it down again. 'I well remember +seeing her take it off,' continued Dorothee, 'it was on the night before +her death, when she had returned from a little walk I had persuaded her +to take in the gardens, and she seemed refreshed by it. I told her how +much better she looked, and I remember what a languid smile she gave me; +but, alas! she little thought, or I either, that she was to die, that +night.' + +Dorothee wept again, and then, taking up the veil, threw it suddenly +over Emily, who shuddered to find it wrapped round her, descending even +to her feet, and, as she endeavoured to throw it off, Dorothee intreated +that she would keep it on for one moment. 'I thought,' added she, 'how +like you would look to my dear mistress in that veil;--may your life, +ma'amselle, be a happier one than hers!' + +Emily, having disengaged herself from the veil, laid it again on the +dressing-table, and surveyed the closet, where every object, on which +her eye fixed, seemed to speak of the Marchioness. In a large oriel +window of painted glass, stood a table, with a silver crucifix, and a +prayer-book open; and Emily remembered with emotion what Dorothee had +mentioned concerning her custom of playing on her lute in this window, +before she observed the lute itself, lying on a corner of the table, as +if it had been carelessly placed there by the hand, that had so often +awakened it. + +'This is a sad forlorn place!' said Dorothee, 'for, when my dear lady +died, I had no heart to put it to rights, or the chamber either; and my +lord never came into the rooms after, so they remain just as they did +when my lady was removed for interment.' + +While Dorothee spoke, Emily was still looking on the lute, which was a +Spanish one, and remarkably large; and then, with a hesitating hand, +she took it up, and passed her fingers over the chords. They were out +of tune, but uttered a deep and full sound. Dorothee started at their +well-known tones, and, seeing the lute in Emily's hand, said, 'This is +the lute my lady Marchioness loved so! I remember when last she played +upon it--it was on the night that she died. I came as usual to undress +her, and, as I entered the bed-chamber, I heard the sound of music from +the oriel, and perceiving it was my lady's, who was sitting there, I +stepped softly to the door, which stood a little open, to listen; for +the music--though it was mournful--was so sweet! There I saw her, with +the lute in her hand, looking upwards, and the tears fell upon her +cheeks, while she sung a vesper hymn, so soft, and so solemn! and her +voice trembled, as it were, and then she would stop for a moment, and +wipe away her tears, and go on again, lower than before. O! I had often +listened to my lady, but never heard any thing so sweet as this; it made +me cry, almost, to hear it. She had been at prayers, I fancy, for there +was the book open on the table beside her--aye, and there it lies open +still! Pray, let us leave the oriel, ma'amselle,' added Dorothee, 'this +is a heart-breaking place!' + +Having returned into the chamber, she desired to look once more upon +the bed, when, as they came opposite to the open door, leading into +the saloon, Emily, in the partial gleam, which the lamp threw into it, +thought she saw something glide along into the obscurer part of the +room. Her spirits had been much affected by the surrounding scene, or it +is probable this circumstance, whether real or imaginary, would not have +affected her in the degree it did; but she endeavoured to conceal her +emotion from Dorothee, who, however, observing her countenance change, +enquired if she was ill. + +'Let us go,' said Emily, faintly, 'the air of these rooms is +unwholesome;' but, when she attempted to do so, considering that she +must pass through the apartment where the phantom of her terror had +appeared, this terror increased, and, too faint to support herself, she +sat down on the side of the bed. + +Dorothee, believing that she was only affected by a consideration of the +melancholy catastrophe, which had happened on this spot, endeavoured +to cheer her; and then, as they sat together on the bed, she began to +relate other particulars concerning it, and this without reflecting, +that it might increase Emily's emotion, but because they were +particularly interesting to herself. 'A little before my lady's death,' +said she, 'when the pains were gone off, she called me to her, and +stretching out her hand to me, I sat down just there--where the curtain +falls upon the bed. How well I remember her look at the time--death +was in it!--I can almost fancy I see her now.--There she lay, +ma'amselle--her face was upon the pillow there! This black counterpane +was not upon the bed then; it was laid on, after her death, and she was +laid out upon it.' + +Emily turned to look within the dusky curtains, as if she could have +seen the countenance of which Dorothee spoke. The edge of the white +pillow only appeared above the blackness of the pall, but, as her eyes +wandered over the pall itself, she fancied she saw it move. Without +speaking, she caught Dorothee's arm, who, surprised by the action, and +by the look of terror that accompanied it, turned her eyes from Emily to +the bed, where, in the next moment she, too, saw the pall slowly lifted, +and fall again. + +Emily attempted to go, but Dorothee stood fixed and gazing upon the bed; +and, at length, said--'It is only the wind, that waves it, ma'amselle; +we have left all the doors open: see how the air waves the lamp, +too.--It is only the wind.' + +She had scarcely uttered these words, when the pall was more violently +agitated than before; but Emily, somewhat ashamed of her terrors, +stepped back to the bed, willing to be convinced that the wind only had +occasioned her alarm; when, as she gazed within the curtains, the +pall moved again, and, in the next moment, the apparition of a human +countenance rose above it. + +Screaming with terror, they both fled, and got out of the chamber as +fast as their trembling limbs would bear them, leaving open the doors +of all the rooms, through which they passed. When they reached the +stair-case, Dorothee threw open a chamber door, where some of the female +servants slept, and sunk breathless on the bed; while Emily, deprived of +all presence of mind, made only a feeble attempt to conceal the occasion +of her terror from the astonished servants; and, though Dorothee, when +she could speak, endeavoured to laugh at her own fright, and was joined +by Emily, no remonstrances could prevail with the servants, who had +quickly taken the alarm, to pass even the remainder of the night in a +room so near to these terrific chambers. + +Dorothee having accompanied Emily to her own apartment, they then began +to talk over, with some degree of coolness, the strange circumstance, +that had just occurred; and Emily would almost have doubted her own +perceptions, had not those of Dorothee attested their truth. Having +now mentioned what she had observed in the outer chamber, she asked the +housekeeper, whether she was certain no door had been left unfastened, +by which a person might secretly have entered the apartments? Dorothee +replied, that she had constantly kept the keys of the several doors +in her own possession; that, when she had gone her rounds through the +castle, as she frequently did, to examine if all was safe, she had tried +these doors among the rest, and had always found them fastened. It +was, therefore, impossible, she added, that any person could have +got admittance into the apartments; and, if they could--it was very +improbable they should have chose to sleep in a place so cold and +forlorn. + +Emily observed, that their visit to these chambers had, perhaps, been +watched, and that some person, for a frolic, had followed them into +the rooms, with a design to frighten them, and, while they were in the +oriel, had taken the opportunity of concealing himself in the bed. + +Dorothee allowed, that this was possible, till she recollected, that, on +entering the apartments, she had turned the key of the outer door, and +this, which had been done to prevent their visit being noticed by any +of the family, who might happen to be up, must effectually have +excluded every person, except themselves, from the chambers; and she now +persisted in affirming, that the ghastly countenance she had seen was +nothing human, but some dreadful apparition. + +Emily was very solemnly affected. Of whatever nature might be the +appearance she had witnessed, whether human or supernatural, the fate +of the deceased Marchioness was a truth not to be doubted; and +this unaccountable circumstance, occurring in the very scene of her +sufferings, affected Emily's imagination with a superstitious awe, to +which, after having detected the fallacies at Udolpho, she might not +have yielded, had she been ignorant of the unhappy story, related by the +housekeeper. Her she now solemnly conjured to conceal the occurrence of +this night, and to make light of the terror she had already betrayed, +that the Count might not be distressed by reports, which would certainly +spread alarm and confusion among his family. 'Time,' she added, 'may +explain this mysterious affair; meanwhile let us watch the event in +silence.' + +Dorothee readily acquiesced; but she now recollected that she had left +all the doors of the north suite of rooms open, and, not having courage +to return alone to lock even the outer one, Emily, after some effort, +so far conquered her own fears, that she offered to accompany her to the +foot of the back stair-case, and to wait there while Dorothee ascended, +whose resolution being re-assured by this circumstance, she consented to +go, and they left Emily's apartment together. + +No sound disturbed the stillness, as they passed along the halls and +galleries; but, on reaching the foot of the back stair-case, Dorothee's +resolution failed again; having, however, paused a moment to listen, +and no sound being heard above, she ascended, leaving Emily below, +and, scarcely suffering her eye to glance within the first chamber, +she fastened the door, which shut up the whole suite of apartments, and +returned to Emily. + +As they stepped along the passage, leading into the great hall, a sound +of lamentation was heard, which seemed to come from the hall itself, and +they stopped in new alarm to listen, when Emily presently distinguished +the voice of Annette, whom she found crossing the hall, with another +female servant, and so terrified by the report, which the other maids +had spread, that, believing she could be safe only where her lady was, +she was going for refuge to her apartment. Emily's endeavours to +laugh, or to argue her out of these terrors, were equally vain, and, in +compassion to her distress, she consented that she should remain in her +room during the night. + + + +CHAPTER V + + + Hail, mildly-pleasing Solitude! + Companion of the wise and good-- + + This is the balmy breath of morn, + Just as the dew-bent rose is born. + + But chief when evening scenes decay + And the faint landscape swims away, + Thine is the doubtful, soft decline, + And that best hour of musing thine. + THOMSON + +Emily's injunctions to Annette to be silent on the subject of her terror +were ineffectual, and the occurrence of the preceding night spread such +alarm among the servants, who now all affirmed, that they had frequently +heard unaccountable noises in the chateau, that a report soon reached +the Count of the north side of the castle being haunted. He treated +this, at first, with ridicule, but, perceiving, that it was productive +of serious evil, in the confusion it occasioned among his household, he +forbade any person to repeat it, on pain of punishment. + +The arrival of a party of his friends soon withdrew his thoughts +entirely from this subject, and his servants had now little leisure to +brood over it, except, indeed, in the evenings after supper, when they +all assembled in their hall, and related stories of ghosts, till they +feared to look round the room; started, if the echo of a closing door +murmured along the passage, and refused to go singly to any part of the +castle. + +On these occasions Annette made a distinguished figure. When she told +not only of all the wonders she had witnessed, but of all that she +had imagined, in the castle of Udolpho, with the story of the strange +disappearance of Signora Laurentini, she made no trifling impression on +the mind of her attentive auditors. Her suspicions, concerning Montoni, +she would also have freely disclosed, had not Ludovico, who was now in +the service of the Count, prudently checked her loquacity, whenever it +pointed to that subject. + +Among the visitors at the chateau was the Baron de Saint Foix, an old +friend of the Count, and his son, the Chevalier St. Foix, a sensible +and amiable young man, who, having in the preceding year seen the Lady +Blanche, at Paris, had become her declared admirer. The friendship, +which the Count had long entertained for his father, and the equality +of their circumstances made him secretly approve of the connection; but, +thinking his daughter at this time too young to fix her choice for +life, and wishing to prove the sincerity and strength of the Chevalier's +attachment, he then rejected his suit, though without forbidding his +future hope. This young man now came, with the Baron, his father, +to claim the reward of a steady affection, a claim, which the Count +admitted and which Blanche did not reject. + +While these visitors were at the chateau, it became a scene of gaiety +and splendour. The pavilion in the woods was fitted up and frequented, +in the fine evenings, as a supper-room, when the hour usually concluded +with a concert, at which the Count and Countess, who were scientific +performers, and the Chevaliers Henri and St. Foix, with the Lady Blanche +and Emily, whose voices and fine taste compensated for the want of more +skilful execution, usually assisted. Several of the Count's servants +performed on horns and other instruments, some of which, placed at +a little distance among the woods, spoke, in sweet response, to the +harmony, that proceeded from the pavilion. + +At any other period, these parties would have been delightful to +Emily; but her spirits were now oppressed with a melancholy, which +she perceived that no kind of what is called amusement had power to +dissipate, and which the tender and, frequently, pathetic, melody of +these concerts sometimes increased to a very painful degree. + +She was particularly fond of walking in the woods, that hung on a +promontory, overlooking the sea. Their luxuriant shade was soothing to +her pensive mind, and, in the partial views, which they afforded of +the Mediterranean, with its winding shores and passing sails, tranquil +beauty was united with grandeur. The paths were rude and frequently +overgrown with vegetation, but their tasteful owner would suffer little +to be done to them, and scarcely a single branch to be lopped from the +venerable trees. On an eminence, in one of the most sequestered parts +of these woods, was a rustic seat, formed of the trunk of a decayed oak, +which had once been a noble tree, and of which many lofty branches still +flourishing united with beech and pines to over-canopy the spot. Beneath +their deep umbrage, the eye passed over the tops of other woods, to the +Mediterranean, and, to the left, through an opening, was seen a ruined +watch-tower, standing on a point of rock, near the sea, and rising from +among the tufted foliage. + +Hither Emily often came alone in the silence of evening, and, soothed +by the scenery and by the faint murmur, that rose from the waves, would +sit, till darkness obliged her to return to the chateau. Frequently, +also, she visited the watch-tower, which commanded the entire +prospect, and, when she leaned against its broken walls, and thought of +Valancourt, she not once imagined, what was so true, that this tower had +been almost as frequently his resort, as her own, since his estrangement +from the neighbouring chateau. + +One evening, she lingered here to a late hour. She had sat on the steps +of the building, watching, in tranquil melancholy, the gradual effect +of evening over the extensive prospect, till the gray waters of the +Mediterranean and the massy woods were almost the only features of the +scene, that remained visible; when, as she gazed alternately on these, +and on the mild blue of the heavens, where the first pale star of +evening appeared, she personified the hour in the following lines:-- + + SONG OF THE EVENING HOUR + + Last of the Hours, that track the fading Day, + I move along the realms of twilight air, + And hear, remote, the choral song decay + Of sister-nymphs, who dance around his car. + + Then, as I follow through the azure void, + His partial splendour from my straining eye + Sinks in the depth of space; my only guide + His faint ray dawning on the farthest sky; + + Save that sweet, lingering strain of gayer Hours, + Whose close my voice prolongs in dying notes, + While mortals on the green earth own its pow'rs, + As downward on the evening gale it floats. + + When fades along the West the Sun's last beam, + As, weary, to the nether world he goes, + And mountain-summits catch the purple gleam, + And slumbering ocean faint and fainter glows, + + Silent upon the globe's broad shade I steal, + And o'er its dry turf shed the cooling dews, + And ev'ry fever'd herb and flow'ret heal, + And all their fragrance on the air diffuse. + + Where'er I move, a tranquil pleasure reigns; + O'er all the scene the dusky tints I send, + That forests wild and mountains, stretching plains + And peopled towns, in soft confusion blend. + + Wide o'er the world I waft the fresh'ning wind, + Low breathing through the woods and twilight vale, + In whispers soft, that woo the pensive mind + Of him, who loves my lonely steps to hail. + + His tender oaten reed I watch to hear, + Stealing its sweetness o'er some plaining rill, + Or soothing ocean's wave, when storms are near, + Or swelling in the breeze from distant hill! + + I wake the fairy elves, who shun the light; + When, from their blossom'd beds, they slily peep, + And spy my pale star, leading on the night,-- + Forth to their games and revelry they leap; + + Send all the prison'd sweets abroad in air, + That with them slumber'd in the flow'ret's cell; + Then to the shores and moon-light brooks repair, + Till the high larks their matin-carol swell. + + The wood-nymphs hail my airs and temper'd shade, + With ditties soft and lightly sportive dance, + On river margin of some bow'ry glade, + And strew their fresh buds as my steps advance: + + But, swift I pass, and distant regions trace, + For moon-beams silver all the eastern cloud, + And Day's last crimson vestige fades apace; + Down the steep west I fly from Midnight's shroud. + +The moon was now rising out of the sea. She watched its gradual +progress, the extending line of radiance it threw upon the waters, the +sparkling oars, the sail faintly silvered, and the wood-tops and the +battlements of the watch-tower, at whose foot she was sitting, just +tinted with the rays. Emily's spirits were in harmony with this scene. +As she sat meditating, sounds stole by her on the air, which she +immediately knew to be the music and the voice she had formerly heard at +midnight, and the emotion of awe, which she felt, was not unmixed with +terror, when she considered her remote and lonely situation. The sounds +drew nearer. She would have risen to leave the place, but they seemed +to come from the way she must have taken towards the chateau, and she +awaited the event in trembling expectation. The sounds continued to +approach, for some time, and then ceased. Emily sat listening, gazing +and unable to move, when she saw a figure emerge from the shade of the +woods and pass along the bank, at some little distance before her. It +went swiftly, and her spirits were so overcome with awe, that, though +she saw, she did not much observe it. + +Having left the spot, with a resolution never again to visit it alone, +at so late an hour, she began to approach the chateau, when she heard +voices calling her from the part of the wood, which was nearest to it. +They were the shouts of the Count's servants, who were sent to search +for her; and when she entered the supper-room, where he sat with Henri +and Blanche, he gently reproached her with a look, which she blushed to +have deserved. + +This little occurrence deeply impressed her mind, and, when she withdrew +to her own room, it recalled so forcibly the circumstances she had +witnessed, a few nights before, that she had scarcely courage to remain +alone. She watched to a late hour, when, no sound having renewed +her fears, she, at length, sunk to repose. But this was of short +continuance, for she was disturbed by a loud and unusual noise, that +seemed to come from the gallery, into which her chamber opened. Groans +were distinctly heard, and, immediately after, a dead weight fell +against the door, with a violence, that threatened to burst it open. She +called loudly to know who was there, but received no answer, though, +at intervals, she still thought she heard something like a low moaning. +Fear deprived her of the power to move. Soon after, she heard footsteps +in a remote part of the gallery, and, as they approached, she called +more loudly than before, till the steps paused at her door. She then +distinguished the voices of several of the servants, who seemed too +much engaged by some circumstance without, to attend to her calls; but, +Annette soon after entering the room for water, Emily understood, that +one of the maids had fainted, whom she immediately desired them to bring +into her room, where she assisted to restore her. When this girl had +recovered her speech, she affirmed, that, as she was passing up the back +stair-case, in the way to her chamber, she had seen an apparition on the +second landing-place; she held the lamp low, she said, that she might +pick her way, several of the stairs being infirm and even decayed, and +it was upon raising her eyes, that she saw this appearance. It stood for +a moment in the corner of the landing-place, which she was approaching, +and then, gliding up the stairs, vanished at the door of the apartment, +that had been lately opened. She heard afterwards a hollow sound. + +'Then the devil has got a key to that apartment,' said Dorothee, 'for it +could be nobody but he; I locked the door myself!' + +The girl, springing down the stairs and passing up the great stair-case, +had run, with a faint scream, till she reached the gallery, where she +fell, groaning, at Emily's door. + +Gently chiding her for the alarm she had occasioned, Emily tried to make +her ashamed of her fears; but the girl persisted in saying, that she +had seen an apparition, till she went to her own room, whither she +was accompanied by all the servants present, except Dorothee, who, +at Emily's request, remained with her during the night. Emily was +perplexed, and Dorothee was terrified, and mentioned many occurrences +of former times, which had long since confirmed her superstitions; among +these, according to her belief, she had once witnessed an appearance, +like that just described, and on the very same spot, and it was the +remembrance of it, that had made her pause, when she was going to ascend +the stairs with Emily, and which had increased her reluctance to open +the north apartments. Whatever might be Emily's opinions, she did +not disclose them, but listened attentively to all that Dorothee +communicated, which occasioned her much thought and perplexity. + +From this night the terror of the servants increased to such an excess, +that several of them determined to leave the chateau, and requested +their discharge of the Count, who, if he had any faith in the subject of +their alarm, thought proper to dissemble it, and, anxious to avoid the +inconvenience that threatened him, employed ridicule and then argument +to convince them they had nothing to apprehend from supernatural agency. +But fear had rendered their minds inaccessible to reason; and it was +now, that Ludovico proved at once his courage and his gratitude for the +kindness he had received from the Count, by offering to watch, during a +night, in the suite of rooms, reputed to be haunted. He feared, he said, +no spirits, and, if any thing of human form appeared--he would prove +that he dreaded that as little. + +The Count paused upon the offer, while the servants, who heard it, +looked upon one another in doubt and amazement, and Annette, terrified +for the safety of Ludovico, employed tears and entreaties to dissuade +him from his purpose. + +'You are a bold fellow,' said the Count, smiling, 'Think well of what +you are going to encounter, before you finally determine upon it. +However, if you persevere in your resolution, I will accept your offer, +and your intrepidity shall not go unrewarded.' + +'I desire no reward, your excellenza,' replied Ludovico, 'but your +approbation. Your excellenza has been sufficiently good to me already; +but I wish to have arms, that I may be equal to my enemy, if he should +appear.' + +'Your sword cannot defend you against a ghost,' replied the Count, +throwing a glance of irony upon the other servants, 'neither can bars, +or bolts; for a spirit, you know, can glide through a keyhole as easily +as through a door.' + +'Give me a sword, my lord Count,' said Ludovico, 'and I will lay all the +spirits, that shall attack me, in the red sea.' + +'Well,' said the Count, 'you shall have a sword, and good cheer, too; +and your brave comrades here will, perhaps, have courage enough to +remain another night in the chateau, since your boldness will certainly, +for this night, at least, confine all the malice of the spectre to +yourself.' + +Curiosity now struggled with fear in the minds of several of his fellow +servants, and, at length, they resolved to await the event of Ludovico's +rashness. + +Emily was surprised and concerned, when she heard of his intention, and +was frequently inclined to mention what she had witnessed in the north +apartments to the Count, for she could not entirely divest herself of +fears for Ludovico's safety, though her reason represented these to be +absurd. The necessity, however, of concealing the secret, with which +Dorothee had entrusted her, and which must have been mentioned, with the +late occurrence, in excuse for her having so privately visited the north +apartments, kept her entirely silent on the subject of her apprehension; +and she tried only to sooth Annette, who held, that Ludovico was +certainly to be destroyed; and who was much less affected by Emily's +consolatory efforts, than by the manner of old Dorothee, who often, as +she exclaimed Ludovico, sighed, and threw up her eyes to heaven. + + + +CHAPTER VI + + + Ye gods of quiet, and of sleep profound! + Whose soft dominion o'er this castle sways, + And all the widely-silent places round, + Forgive me, if my trembling pen displays + What never yet was sung in mortal lays. + THOMSON + +The Count gave orders for the north apartments to be opened and prepared +for the reception of Ludovico; but Dorothee, remembering what she +had lately witnessed there, feared to obey, and, not one of the other +servants daring to venture thither, the rooms remained shut up till the +time when Ludovico was to retire thither for the night, an hour, for +which the whole household waited with impatience. + +After supper, Ludovico, by the order of the Count, attended him in his +closet, where they remained alone for near half an hour, and, on leaving +which, his Lord delivered to him a sword. + +'It has seen service in mortal quarrels,' said the Count, jocosely, 'you +will use it honourably, no doubt, in a spiritual one. Tomorrow, let me +hear that there is not one ghost remaining in the chateau.' + +Ludovico received it with a respectful bow. 'You shall be obeyed, my +Lord,' said he; 'I will engage, that no spectre shall disturb the peace +of the chateau after this night.' + +They now returned to the supper-room, where the Count's guests awaited +to accompany him and Ludovico to the door of the north apartments, and +Dorothee, being summoned for the keys, delivered them to Ludovico, who +then led the way, followed by most of the inhabitants of the chateau. +Having reached the back stair-case, several of the servants shrunk back, +and refused to go further, but the rest followed him to the top of the +stair-case, where a broad landing-place allowed them to flock round him, +while he applied the key to the door, during which they watched him with +as much eager curiosity as if he had been performing some magical rite. + +Ludovico, unaccustomed to the lock, could not turn it, and Dorothee, who +had lingered far behind, was called forward, under whose hand the door +opened slowly, and, her eye glancing within the dusky chamber, she +uttered a sudden shriek, and retreated. At this signal of alarm, the +greater part of the crowd hurried down the stairs, and the Count, Henri +and Ludovico were left alone to pursue the enquiry, who instantly rushed +into the apartment, Ludovico with a drawn sword, which he had just time +to draw from the scabbard, the Count with the lamp in his hand, and +Henri carrying a basket, containing provisions for the courageous +adventurer. + +Having looked hastily round the first room, where nothing appeared to +justify alarm, they passed on to the second; and, here too all being +quiet, they proceeded to a third with a more tempered step. The Count +had now leisure to smile at the discomposure, into which he had been +surprised, and to ask Ludovico in which room he designed to pass the +night. + +'There are several chambers beyond these, your excellenza,' said +Ludovico, pointing to a door, 'and in one of them is a bed, they say. +I will pass the night there, and when I am weary of watching, I can lie +down.' + +'Good;' said the Count; 'let us go on. You see these rooms shew nothing, +but damp walls and decaying furniture. I have been so much engaged +since I came to the chateau, that I have not looked into them till now. +Remember, Ludovico, to tell the housekeeper, to-morrow, to throw open +these windows. The damask hangings are dropping to pieces, I will have +them taken down, and this antique furniture removed.' + +'Dear sir!' said Henri, 'here is an arm-chair so massy with gilding, +that it resembles one of the state chairs at the Louvre, more then any +thing else.' + +'Yes,' said the Count, stopping a moment to survey it, 'there is a +history belonging to that chair, but I have not time to tell it.--Let us +pass on. This suite runs to a greater extent than I had imagined; it is +many years since I was in them. But where is the bed-room you speak of, +Ludovico?--these are only anti-chambers to the great drawing-room. I +remember them in their splendour!' + +'The bed, my Lord,' replied Ludovico, 'they told me, was in a room that +opens beyond the saloon, and terminates the suite.' + +'O, here is the saloon,' said the Count, as they entered the spacious +apartment, in which Emily and Dorothee had rested. He here stood for +a moment, surveying the reliques of faded grandeur, which it +exhibited--the sumptuous tapestry--the long and low sophas of velvet, +with frames heavily carved and gilded--the floor inlaid with small +squares of fine marble, and covered in the centre with a piece of +very rich tapestry-work--the casements of painted glass, and the large +Venetian mirrors, of a size and quality, such as at that period France +could not make, which reflected, on every side, the spacious apartment. +These had formerly also reflected a gay and brilliant scene, for this +had been the state-room of the chateau, and here the Marchioness had +held the assemblies, that made part of the festivities of her nuptials. +If the wand of a magician could have recalled the vanished groups, many +of them vanished even from the earth! that once had passed over these +polished mirrors, what a varied and contrasted picture would they have +exhibited with the present! Now, instead of a blaze of lights, and +a splendid and busy crowd, they reflected only the rays of the one +glimmering lamp, which the Count held up, and which scarcely served to +shew the three forlorn figures, that stood surveying the room, and the +spacious and dusky walls around them. + +'Ah!' said the Count to Henri, awaking from his deep reverie, 'how the +scene is changed since last I saw it! I was a young man, then, and the +Marchioness was alive and in her bloom; many other persons were here, +too, who are now no more! There stood the orchestra; here we tripped in +many a sprightly maze--the walls echoing to the dance! Now, they resound +only one feeble voice--and even that will, ere long, be heard no more! +My son, remember, that I was once as young as yourself, and that you +must pass away like those, who have preceded you--like those, who, as +they sung and danced in this once gay apartment, forgot, that years are +made up of moments, and that every step they took carried them nearer +to their graves. But such reflections are useless, I had almost +said criminal, unless they teach us to prepare for eternity, since, +otherwise, they cloud our present happiness, without guiding us to a +future one. But enough of this; let us go on.' + +Ludovico now opened the door of the bed-room, and the Count, as he +entered, was struck with the funereal appearance, which the dark arras +gave to it. He approached the bed, with an emotion of solemnity, and, +perceiving it to be covered with the pall of black velvet, paused; 'What +can this mean?' said he, as he gazed upon it. + +'I have heard, my Lord,' said Ludovico, as he stood at the feet, looking +within the canopied curtains, 'that the Lady Marchioness de Villeroi +died in this chamber, and remained here till she was removed to be +buried; and this, perhaps, Signor, may account for the pall.' + +The Count made no reply, but stood for a few moments engaged in thought, +and evidently much affected. Then, turning to Ludovico, he asked him +with a serious air, whether he thought his courage would support him +through the night? 'If you doubt this,' added the Count, 'do not be +ashamed to own it; I will release you from your engagement, without +exposing you to the triumphs of your fellow-servants.' + +Ludovico paused; pride, and something very like fear, seemed struggling +in his breast; pride, however, was victorious;--he blushed, and his +hesitation ceased. + +'No, my Lord,' said he, 'I will go through with what I have begun; and +I am grateful for your consideration. On that hearth I will make a fire, +and, with the good cheer in this basket, I doubt not I shall do well.' + +'Be it so,' said the Count; 'but how will you beguile the tediousness of +the night, if you do not sleep?' + +'When I am weary, my Lord,' replied Ludovico, 'I shall not fear to +sleep; in the meanwhile, I have a book, that will entertain me.' + +'Well,' said the Count, 'I hope nothing will disturb you; but if you +should be seriously alarmed in the night, come to my apartment. I have +too much confidence in your good sense and courage, to believe you will +be alarmed on slight grounds; or suffer the gloom of this chamber, or +its remote situation, to overcome you with ideal terrors. To-morrow, I +shall have to thank you for an important service; these rooms shall then +be thrown open, and my people will be convinced of their error. Good +night, Ludovico; let me see you early in the morning, and remember what +I lately said to you.' + +'I will, my Lord; good night to your excellenza; let me attend you with +the light.' + +He lighted the Count and Henri through the chambers to the outer door; +on the landing-place stood a lamp, which one of the affrighted servants +had left, and Henri, as he took it up, again bade Ludovico good night, +who, having respectfully returned the wish, closed the door upon them, +and fastened it. Then, as he retired to the bed-chamber, he examined the +rooms, through which he passed, with more minuteness than he had done +before, for he apprehended, that some person might have concealed +himself in them, for the purpose of frightening him. No one, however, +but himself, was in these chambers, and, leaving open the doors, +through which he passed, he came again to the great drawing-room, whose +spaciousness and silent gloom somewhat awed him. For a moment he stood, +looking back through the long suite of rooms he had quitted, and, as he +turned, perceiving a light and his own figure, reflected in one of the +large mirrors, he started. Other objects too were seen obscurely on its +dark surface, but he paused not to examine them, and returned hastily +into the bed-room, as he surveyed which, he observed the door of the +oriel, and opened it. All within was still. On looking round, his eye +was arrested by the portrait of the deceased Marchioness, upon which he +gazed, for a considerable time, with great attention and some surprise; +and then, having examined the closet, he returned into the bed-room, +where he kindled a wood fire, the bright blaze of which revived his +spirits, which had begun to yield to the gloom and silence of the place, +for gusts of wind alone broke at intervals this silence. He now drew a +small table and a chair near the fire, took a bottle of wine, and some +cold provision out of his basket, and regaled himself. When he had +finished his repast, he laid his sword upon the table, and, not feeling +disposed to sleep, drew from his pocket the book he had spoken of.--It +was a volume of old Provencal tales. Having stirred the fire upon the +hearth, he began to read, and his attention was soon wholly occupied by +the scenes, which the page disclosed. + +The Count, meanwhile, had returned to the supper-room, whither those of +the party, who had attended him to the north apartment, had retreated, +upon hearing Dorothee's scream, and who were now earnest in their +enquiries concerning those chambers. The Count rallied his guests on +their precipitate retreat, and on the superstitious inclination which +had occasioned it, and this led to the question, Whether the spirit, +after it has quitted the body, is ever permitted to revisit the earth; +and if it is, whether it was possible for spirits to become visible to +the sense. The Baron was of opinion, that the first was probable, and +the last was possible, and he endeavoured to justify this opinion by +respectable authorities, both ancient and modern, which he quoted. +The Count, however, was decidedly against him, and a long conversation +ensued, in which the usual arguments on these subjects were on both +sides brought forward with skill, and discussed with candour, but +without converting either party to the opinion of his opponent. The +effect of their conversation on their auditors was various. Though the +Count had much the superiority of the Baron in point of argument, he +had considerably fewer adherents; for that love, so natural to the +human mind, of whatever is able to distend its faculties with wonder and +astonishment, attached the majority of the company to the side of the +Baron; and, though many of the Count's propositions were unanswerable, +his opponents were inclined to believe this the consequence of their +own want of knowledge, on so abstracted a subject, rather than that +arguments did not exist, which were forcible enough to conquer his. + +Blanche was pale with attention, till the ridicule in her father's +glance called a blush upon her countenance, and she then endeavoured +to forget the superstitious tales she had been told in her convent. +Meanwhile, Emily had been listening with deep attention to the +discussion of what was to her a very interesting question, and, +remembering the appearance she had witnessed in the apartment of the +late Marchioness, she was frequently chilled with awe. Several times she +was on the point of mentioning what she had seen, but the fear of giving +pain to the Count, and the dread of his ridicule, restrained her; and, +awaiting in anxious expectation the event of Ludovico's intrepidity, she +determined that her future silence should depend upon it. + +When the party had separated for the night, and the Count retired to +his dressing-room, the remembrance of the desolate scenes he had lately +witnessed in his own mansion deeply affected him, but at length he +was aroused from his reverie and his silence. 'What music is that I +hear?'--said he suddenly to his valet, 'Who plays at this late hour?' + +The man made no reply, and the Count continued to listen, and then +added, 'That is no common musician; he touches the instrument with a +delicate hand; who is it, Pierre?' + +'My lord!' said the man, hesitatingly. + +'Who plays that instrument?' repeated the Count. + +'Does not your lordship know, then?' said the valet. + +'What mean you?' said the Count, somewhat sternly. + +'Nothing, my Lord, I meant nothing,' rejoined the man +submissively--'Only--that music--goes about the house at midnight often, +and I thought your lordship might have heard it before.' + +'Music goes about the house at midnight! Poor fellow!--does nobody dance +to the music, too?' + +'It is not in the chateau, I believe, my Lord; the sounds come from the +woods, they say, though they seem so near;--but then a spirit can do any +thing!' + +'Ah, poor fellow!' said the Count, 'I perceive you are as silly as the +rest of them; to-morrow, you will be convinced of your ridiculous error. +But hark!--what voice is that?' + +'O my Lord! that is the voice we often hear with the music.' + +'Often!' said the Count, 'How often, pray? It is a very fine one.' + +'Why, my Lord, I myself have not heard it more than two or three times, +but there are those who have lived here longer, that have heard it often +enough.' + +'What a swell was that!' exclaimed the Count, as he still listened, 'And +now, what a dying cadence! This is surely something more than mortal!' + +'That is what they say, my Lord,' said the valet; 'they say it is +nothing mortal, that utters it; and if I might say my thoughts'-- + +'Peace!' said the Count, and he listened till the strain died away. + +'This is strange!' said he, as he turned from the window, 'Close the +casements, Pierre.' + +Pierre obeyed, and the Count soon after dismissed him, but did not so +soon lose the remembrance of the music, which long vibrated in his fancy +in tones of melting sweetness, while surprise and perplexity engaged his +thoughts. + +Ludovico, meanwhile, in his remote chamber, heard, now and then, the +faint echo of a closing door, as the family retired to rest, and then +the hall clock, at a great distance, strike twelve. 'It is midnight,' +said he, and he looked suspiciously round the spacious chamber. The fire +on the hearth was now nearly expiring, for his attention having been +engaged by the book before him, he had forgotten every thing besides; +but he soon added fresh wood, not because he was cold, though the night +was stormy, but because he was cheerless; and, having again trimmed +his lamp, he poured out a glass of wine, drew his chair nearer to the +crackling blaze, tried to be deaf to the wind, that howled mournfully +at the casements, endeavoured to abstract his mind from the melancholy, +that was stealing upon him, and again took up his book. It had been lent +to him by Dorothee, who had formerly picked it up in an obscure corner +of the Marquis's library, and who, having opened it and perceived +some of the marvels it related, had carefully preserved it for her own +entertainment, its condition giving her some excuse for detaining it +from its proper station. The damp corner into which it had fallen, had +caused the cover to be disfigured and mouldy, and the leaves to be so +discoloured with spots, that it was not without difficulty the letters +could be traced. The fictions of the Provencal writers, whether drawn +from the Arabian legends, brought by the Saracens into Spain, or +recounting the chivalric exploits performed by the crusaders, whom the +Troubadors accompanied to the east, were generally splendid and always +marvellous, both in scenery and incident; and it is not wonderful, that +Dorothee and Ludovico should be fascinated by inventions, which had +captivated the careless imagination in every rank of society, in a +former age. Some of the tales, however, in the book now before Ludovico, +were of simple structure, and exhibited nothing of the magnificent +machinery and heroic manners, which usually characterized the fables of +the twelfth century, and of this description was the one he now happened +to open, which, in its original style, was of great length, but which +may be thus shortly related. The reader will perceive, that it is +strongly tinctured with the superstition of the times. + + +THE PROVENCAL TALE + +'There lived, in the province of Bretagne, a noble Baron, famous for +his magnificence and courtly hospitalities. His castle was graced with +ladies of exquisite beauty, and thronged with illustrious knights; for +the honour he paid to feats of chivalry invited the brave of distant +countries to enter his lists, and his court was more splendid than those +of many princes. Eight minstrels were retained in his service, who used +to sing to their harps romantic fictions, taken from the Arabians, or +adventures of chivalry, that befel knights during the crusades, or the +martial deeds of the Baron, their lord;--while he, surrounded by his +knights and ladies, banqueted in the great hall of his castle, where the +costly tapestry, that adorned the walls with pictured exploits of +his ancestors, the casements of painted glass, enriched with armorial +bearings, the gorgeous banners, that waved along the roof, the sumptuous +canopies, the profusion of gold and silver, that glittered on the +sideboards, the numerous dishes, that covered the tables, the number and +gay liveries of the attendants, with the chivalric and splendid attire +of the guests, united to form a scene of magnificence, such as we may +not hope to see in these DEGENERATE DAYS. + +'Of the Baron, the following adventure is related. One night, having +retired late from the banquet to his chamber, and dismissed his +attendants, he was surprised by the appearance of a stranger of a noble +air, but of a sorrowful and dejected countenance. Believing, that this +person had been secreted in the apartment, since it appeared impossible +he could have lately passed the anti-room, unobserved by the pages in +waiting, who would have prevented this intrusion on their lord, the +Baron, calling loudly for his people, drew his sword, which he had not +yet taken from his side, and stood upon his defence. The stranger slowly +advancing, told him, that there was nothing to fear; that he came with +no hostile design, but to communicate to him a terrible secret, which it +was necessary for him to know. + +'The Baron, appeased by the courteous manners of the stranger, after +surveying him, for some time, in silence, returned his sword into the +scabbard, and desired him to explain the means, by which he had obtained +access to the chamber, and the purpose of this extraordinary visit. + +'Without answering either of these enquiries, the stranger said, that he +could not then explain himself, but that, if the Baron would follow him +to the edge of the forest, at a short distance from the castle walls, +he would there convince him, that he had something of importance to +disclose. + +'This proposal again alarmed the Baron, who could scarcely believe, that +the stranger meant to draw him to so solitary a spot, at this hour of +the night, without harbouring a design against his life, and he refused +to go, observing, at the same time, that, if the stranger's purpose +was an honourable one, he would not persist in refusing to reveal the +occasion of his visit, in the apartment where they were. + +'While he spoke this, he viewed the stranger still more attentively than +before, but observed no change in his countenance, or any symptom, that +might intimate a consciousness of evil design. He was habited like +a knight, was of a tall and majestic stature, and of dignified and +courteous manners. Still, however, he refused to communicate the subject +of his errand in any place, but that he had mentioned, and, at the same +time, gave hints concerning the secret he would disclose, that awakened +a degree of solemn curiosity in the Baron, which, at length, induced him +to consent to follow the stranger, on certain conditions. + +'"Sir knight," said he, "I will attend you to the forest, and will take +with me only four of my people, who shall witness our conference." + +'To this, however, the Knight objected. + +'"What I would disclose," said he, with solemnity, "is to you alone. +There are only three living persons, to whom the circumstance is known; +it is of more consequence to you and your house, than I shall now +explain. In future years, you will look back to this night with +satisfaction or repentance, accordingly as you now determine. As you +would hereafter prosper--follow me; I pledge you the honour of a +knight, that no evil shall befall you;--if you are contented to dare +futurity--remain in your chamber, and I will depart as I came." + +'"Sir knight," replied the Baron, "how is it possible, that my future +peace can depend upon my present determination?" + +'"That is not now to be told," said the stranger, "I have explained +myself to the utmost. It is late; if you follow me it must be +quickly;--you will do well to consider the alternative." + +'The Baron mused, and, as he looked upon the knight, he perceived his +countenance assume a singular solemnity.' + +[Here Ludovico thought he heard a noise, and he threw a glance round the +chamber, and then held up the lamp to assist his observation; but, not +perceiving any thing to confirm his alarm, he took up the book again and +pursued the story.] + +'The Baron paced his apartment, for some time, in silence, impressed by +the last words of the stranger, whose extraordinary request he feared to +grant, and feared, also, to refuse. At length, he said, "Sir knight, you +are utterly unknown to me; tell me yourself,--is it reasonable, that I +should trust myself alone with a stranger, at this hour, in a solitary +forest? Tell me, at least, who you are, and who assisted to secrete you +in this chamber." + +'The knight frowned at these latter words, and was a moment silent; +then, with a countenance somewhat stern, he said, + +'"I am an English knight; I am called Sir Bevys of Lancaster,--and my +deeds are not unknown at the Holy City, whence I was returning to my +native land, when I was benighted in the neighbouring forest." + +'"Your name is not unknown to fame," said the Baron, "I have heard of +it." (The Knight looked haughtily.) "But why, since my castle is known +to entertain all true knights, did not your herald announce you? Why +did you not appear at the banquet, where your presence would have been +welcomed, instead of hiding yourself in my castle, and stealing to my +chamber, at midnight?" + +'The stranger frowned, and turned away in silence; but the Baron +repeated the questions. + +'"I come not," said the Knight, "to answer enquiries, but to reveal +facts. If you would know more, follow me, and again I pledge the +honour of a Knight, that you shall return in safety.--Be quick in your +determination--I must be gone." + +'After some further hesitation, the Baron determined to follow the +stranger, and to see the result of his extraordinary request; he, +therefore, again drew forth his sword, and, taking up a lamp, bade the +Knight lead on. The latter obeyed, and, opening the door of the chamber, +they passed into the anti-room, where the Baron, surprised to find +all his pages asleep, stopped, and, with hasty violence, was going to +reprimand them for their carelessness, when the Knight waved his hand, +and looked so expressively upon the Baron, that the latter restrained +his resentment, and passed on. + +'The Knight, having descended a stair-case, opened a secret door, +which the Baron had believed was known only to himself, and, proceeding +through several narrow and winding passages, came, at length, to a small +gate, that opened beyond the walls of the castle. Meanwhile, the Baron +followed in silence and amazement, on perceiving that these secret +passages were so well known to a stranger, and felt inclined to return +from an adventure, that appeared to partake of treachery, as well as +danger. Then, considering that he was armed, and observing the courteous +and noble air of his conductor, his courage returned, he blushed, that +it had failed him for a moment, and he resolved to trace the mystery to +its source. + +'He now found himself on the heathy platform, before the great gates of +his castle, where, on looking up, he perceived lights glimmering in +the different casements of the guests, who were retiring to sleep; and, +while he shivered in the blast, and looked on the dark and desolate +scene around him, he thought of the comforts of his warm chamber, +rendered cheerful by the blaze of wood, and felt, for a moment, the full +contrast of his present situation.' + +[Here Ludovico paused a moment, and, looking at his own fire, gave it a +brightening stir.] + +'The wind was strong, and the Baron watched his lamp with anxiety, +expecting every moment to see it extinguished; but, though the flame +wavered, it did not expire, and he still followed the stranger, who +often sighed as he went, but did not speak. + +'When they reached the borders of the forest, the Knight turned, and +raised his head, as if he meant to address the Baron, but then, closing +his lips in silence, he walked on. + +'As they entered, beneath the dark and spreading boughs, the Baron, +affected by the solemnity of the scene, hesitated whether to proceed, +and demanded how much further they were to go. The Knight replied only +by a gesture, and the Baron, with hesitating steps and a suspicious eye, +followed through an obscure and intricate path, till, having proceeded a +considerable way, he again demanded whither they were going, and refused +to proceed unless he was informed. + +'As he said this, he looked at his own sword, and at the Knight +alternately, who shook his head, and whose dejected countenance disarmed +the Baron, for a moment, of suspicion. + +'"A little further is the place, whither I would lead you," said the +stranger; "no evil shall befall you--I have sworn it on the honour of a +knight." + +'The Baron, re-assured, again followed in silence, and they soon arrived +at a deep recess of the forest, where the dark and lofty chesnuts +entirely excluded the sky, and which was so overgrown with underwood, +that they proceeded with difficulty. The Knight sighed deeply as he +passed, and sometimes paused; and having, at length, reached a spot, +where the trees crowded into a knot, he turned, and, with a terrific +look, pointing to the ground, the Baron saw there the body of a man, +stretched at its length, and weltering in blood; a ghastly wound was +on the forehead, and death appeared already to have contracted the +features. + +'The Baron, on perceiving the spectacle, started in horror, looked at +the Knight for explanation, and was then going to raise the body and +examine if there were yet any remains of life; but the stranger, waving +his hand, fixed upon him a look so earnest and mournful, as not only +much surprised him, but made him desist. + +'But, what were the Baron's emotions, when, on holding the lamp near +the features of the corpse, he discovered the exact resemblance of the +stranger his conductor, to whom he now looked up in astonishment and +enquiry? As he gazed, he perceived the countenance of the Knight change, +and begin to fade, till his whole form gradually vanished from his +astonished sense! While the Baron stood, fixed to the spot, a voice was +heard to utter these words:--' + +[Ludovico started, and laid down the book, for he thought he heard a +voice in the chamber, and he looked toward the bed, where, however, he +saw only the dark curtains and the pall. He listened, scarcely daring +to draw his breath, but heard only the distant roaring of the sea in the +storm, and the blast, that rushed by the casements; when, concluding, +that he had been deceived by its sighings, he took up his book to finish +the story.] + +'While the Baron stood, fixed to the spot, a voice was heard to utter +these words:--* + +(* This repetition seems to be intentional. Ludovico is picking up the +thread.) + + +'The body of Sir Bevys of Lancaster, a noble knight of England, lies +before you. He was, this night, waylaid and murdered, as he journeyed +from the Holy City towards his native land. Respect the honour of +knighthood and the law of humanity; inter the body in christian ground, +and cause his murderers to be punished. As ye observe, or neglect this, +shall peace and happiness, or war and misery, light upon you and your +house for ever!' + +'The Baron, when he recovered from the awe and astonishment, into which +this adventure had thrown him, returned to his castle, whither he caused +the body of Sir Bevys to be removed; and, on the following day, it was +interred, with the honours of knighthood, in the chapel of the castle, +attended by all the noble knights and ladies, who graced the court of +Baron de Brunne.' + +Ludovico, having finished this story, laid aside the book, for he felt +drowsy, and, after putting more wood on the fire and taking another +glass of wine, he reposed himself in the arm-chair on the hearth. In +his dream he still beheld the chamber where he really was, and, once or +twice, started from imperfect slumbers, imagining he saw a man's face, +looking over the high back of his armchair. This idea had so strongly +impressed him, that, when he raised his eyes, he almost expected to +meet other eyes, fixed upon his own, and he quitted his seat and looked +behind the chair, before he felt perfectly convinced, that no person was +there. + +Thus closed the hour. + + + +CHAPTER VII + + + Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber; + Thou hast no figures, nor no fantasies, + Which busy care draws in the brains of men; + Therefore thou sleep'st so sound. + SHAKESPEARE + +The Count, who had slept little during the night, rose early, and, +anxious to speak with Ludovico, went to the north apartment; but, the +outer door having been fastened, on the preceding night, he was obliged +to knock loudly for admittance. Neither the knocking, or his voice was +heard; but, considering the distance of this door from the bed-room, and +that Ludovico, wearied with watching, had probably fallen into a deep +sleep, the Count was not surprised on receiving no answer, and, leaving +the door, he went down to walk in his grounds. + +It was a gray autumnal morning. The sun, rising over Provence, gave only +a feeble light, as his rays struggled through the vapours that ascended +from the sea, and floated heavily over the wood-tops, which were now +varied with many a mellow tint of autumn. The storm was passed, but the +waves were yet violently agitated, and their course was traced by long +lines of foam, while not a breeze fluttered in the sails of the vessels, +near the shore, that were weighing anchor to depart. The still gloom of +the hour was pleasing to the Count, and he pursued his way through the +woods, sunk in deep thought. + +Emily also rose at an early hour, and took her customary walk along the +brow of the promontory, that overhung the Mediterranean. Her mind was +now not occupied with the occurrences of the chateau, and Valancourt +was the subject of her mournful thoughts; whom she had not yet taught +herself to consider with indifference, though her judgment constantly +reproached her for the affection, that lingered in her heart, after her +esteem for him was departed. Remembrance frequently gave her his parting +look and the tones of his voice, when he had bade her a last farewel; +and, some accidental associations now recalling these circumstances +to her fancy, with peculiar energy, she shed bitter tears to the +recollection. + +Having reached the watch-tower, she seated herself on the broken steps, +and, in melancholy dejection, watched the waves, half hid in vapour, +as they came rolling towards the shore, and threw up their light spray +round the rocks below. Their hollow murmur and the obscuring mists, that +came in wreaths up the cliffs, gave a solemnity to the scene, which was +in harmony with the temper of her mind, and she sat, given up to +the remembrance of past times, till this became too painful, and +she abruptly quitted the place. On passing the little gate of the +watch-tower, she observed letters, engraved on the stone postern, which +she paused to examine, and, though they appeared to have been rudely +cut with a pen-knife, the characters were familiar to her; at length, +recognizing the hand-writing of Valancourt, she read, with trembling +anxiety the following lines, entitled + +SHIPWRECK + + 'Til solemn midnight! On this lonely steep, + Beneath this watch-tow'r's desolated wall, + Where mystic shapes the wonderer appall, + I rest; and view below the desert deep, + As through tempestuous clouds the moon's cold light + Gleams on the wave. Viewless, the winds of night + With loud mysterious force the billows sweep, + And sullen roar the surges, far below. + In the still pauses of the gust I hear + The voice of spirits, rising sweet and slow, + And oft among the clouds their forms appear. + But hark! what shriek of death comes in the gale, + And in the distant ray what glimmering sail + Bends to the storm?--Now sinks the note of fear! + Ah! wretched mariners!--no more shall day + Unclose his cheering eye to light ye on your way! + +From these lines it appeared, that Valancourt had visited the tower; +that he had probably been here on the preceding night, for it was such +an one as they described, and that he had left the building very lately, +since it had not long been light, and without light it was impossible +these letters could have been cut. It was thus even probable, that he +might be yet in the gardens. + +As these reflections passed rapidly over the mind of Emily, they called +up a variety of contending emotions, that almost overcame her spirits; +but her first impulse was to avoid him, and, immediately leaving the +tower, she returned, with hasty steps, towards the chateau. As she +passed along, she remembered the music she had lately heard near the +tower, with the figure, which had appeared, and, in this moment of +agitation, she was inclined to believe, that she had then heard and seen +Valancourt; but other recollections soon convinced her of her error. +On turning into a thicker part of the woods, she perceived a person, +walking slowly in the gloom at some little distance, and, her mind +engaged by the idea of him, she started and paused, imagining this to +be Valancourt. The person advanced with quicker steps, and, before she +could recover recollection enough to avoid him, he spoke, and she then +knew the voice of the Count, who expressed some surprise, on finding her +walking at so early an hour, and made a feeble effort to rally her on +her love of solitude. But he soon perceived this to be more a subject of +concern than of light laughter, and, changing his manner, affectionately +expostulated with Emily, on thus indulging unavailing regret; who, +though she acknowledged the justness of all he said, could not restrain +her tears, while she did so, and he presently quitted the topic. +Expressing surprise at not having yet heard from his friend, the +Advocate at Avignon, in answer to the questions proposed to him, +respecting the estates of the late Madame Montoni, he, with friendly +zeal, endeavoured to cheer Emily with hopes of establishing her claim +to them; while she felt, that the estates could now contribute little to +the happiness of a life, in which Valancourt had no longer an interest. + +When they returned to the chateau, Emily retired to her apartment, and +Count De Villefort to the door of the north chambers. This was still +fastened, but, being now determined to arouse Ludovico, he renewed his +calls more loudly than before, after which a total silence ensued, and +the Count, finding all his efforts to be heard ineffectual, at length +began to fear, that some accident had befallen Ludovico, whom terror +of an imaginary being might have deprived of his senses. He, therefore, +left the door with an intention of summoning his servants to force it +open, some of whom he now heard moving in the lower part of the chateau. + +To the Count's enquiries, whether they had seen or heard Ludovico, they +replied in affright, that not one of them had ventured on the north side +of the chateau, since the preceding night. + +'He sleeps soundly then,' said the Count, 'and is at such a distance +from the outer door, which is fastened, that to gain admittance to the +chambers it will be necessary to force it. Bring an instrument, and +follow me.' + +The servants stood mute and dejected, and it was not till nearly all the +household were assembled, that the Count's orders were obeyed. In the +mean time, Dorothee was telling of a door, that opened from a gallery, +leading from the great stair-case into the last anti-room of the saloon, +and, this being much nearer to the bed-chamber, it appeared probable, +that Ludovico might be easily awakened by an attempt to open it. +Thither, therefore, the Count went, but his voice was as ineffectual +at this door as it had proved at the remoter one; and now, seriously +interested for Ludovico, he was himself going to strike upon the door +with the instrument, when he observed its singular beauty, and with-held +the blow. It appeared, on the first glance, to be of ebony, so dark and +close was its grain and so high its polish; but it proved to be only of +larch wood, of the growth of Provence, then famous for its forests +of larch. The beauty of its polished hue and of its delicate carvings +determined the Count to spare this door, and he returned to that leading +from the back stair-case, which being, at length, forced, he entered the +first anti-room, followed by Henri and a few of the most courageous of +his servants, the rest awaiting the event of the enquiry on the stairs +and landing-place. + +All was silent in the chambers, through which the Count passed, and, +having reached the saloon, he called loudly upon Ludovico; after which, +still receiving no answer, he threw open the door of the bed-room, and +entered. + +The profound stillness within confirmed his apprehensions for Ludovico, +for not even the breathings of a person in sleep were heard; and his +uncertainty was not soon terminated, since the shutters being all +closed, the chamber was too dark for any object to be distinguished in +it. + +The Count bade a servant open them, who, as he crossed the room to +do so, stumbled over something, and fell to the floor, when his cry +occasioned such panic among the few of his fellows, who had ventured +thus far, that they instantly fled, and the Count and Henri were left to +finish the adventure. + +Henri then sprung across the room, and, opening a window-shutter, they +perceived, that the man had fallen over a chair near the hearth, in +which Ludovico had been sitting;--for he sat there no longer, nor could +any where be seen by the imperfect light, that was admitted into the +apartment. The Count, seriously alarmed, now opened other shutters, that +he might be enabled to examine further, and, Ludovico not yet appearing, +he stood for a moment, suspended in astonishment and scarcely trusting +his senses, till, his eyes glancing on the bed, he advanced to examine +whether he was there asleep. No person, however, was in it, and he +proceeded to the oriel, where every thing remained as on the preceding +night, but Ludovico was no where to be found. + +The Count now checked his amazement, considering, that Ludovico might +have left the chambers, during the night, overcome by the terrors, which +their lonely desolation and the recollected reports, concerning them, +had inspired. Yet, if this had been the fact, the man would naturally +have sought society, and his fellow servants had all declared they had +not seen him; the door of the outer room also had been found fastened, +with the key on the inside; it was impossible, therefore, for him to +have passed through that, and all the outer doors of this suite were +found, on examination, to be bolted and locked, with the keys also +within them. The Count, being then compelled to believe, that the lad +had escaped through the casements, next examined them, but such as +opened wide enough to admit the body of a man were found to be carefully +secured either by iron bars, or by shutters, and no vestige appeared of +any person having attempted to pass them; neither was it probable, that +Ludovico would have incurred the risque of breaking his neck, by leaping +from a window, when he might have walked safely through a door. + +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. + +The most strenuous search after Ludovico proved unsuccessful, and, after +several days of indefatigable enquiry, poor Annette gave herself up to +despair, and the other inhabitants of the chateau to amazement. + +Emily, whose mind had been deeply affected by the disastrous fate of the +late Marchioness and with the mysterious connection, which she fancied +had existed between her and St. Aubert, was particularly impressed +by the late extraordinary event, and much concerned for the loss of +Ludovico, whose integrity and faithful services claimed both her +esteem and gratitude. She was now very desirous to return to the quiet +retirement of her convent, but every hint of this was received with real +sorrow by the Lady Blanche, and affectionately set aside by the Count, +for whom she felt much of the respectful love and admiration of a +daughter, and to whom, by Dorothee's consent, she, at length, mentioned +the appearance, which they had witnessed in the chamber of the deceased +Marchioness. At any other period, he would have smiled at such a +relation, and have believed, that its object had existed only in the +distempered fancy of the relater; but he now attended to Emily with +seriousness, and, when she concluded, requested of her a promise, that +this occurrence should rest in silence. 'Whatever may be the cause and +the import of these extraordinary occurrences,' added the Count, 'time +only can explain them. I shall keep a wary eye upon all that passes in +the chateau, and shall pursue every possible means of discovering the +fate of Ludovico. Meanwhile, we must be prudent and be silent. I will +myself watch in the north chambers, but of this we will say nothing, +till the night arrives, when I purpose doing so.' + +The Count then sent for Dorothee, and required of her also a promise of +silence, concerning what she had already, or might in future witness of +an extraordinary nature; and this ancient servant now related to him the +particulars of the Marchioness de Villeroi's death, with some of which +he appeared to be already acquainted, while by others he was evidently +surprised and agitated. After listening to this narrative, the Count +retired to his closet, where he remained alone for several hours; +and, when he again appeared, the solemnity of his manner surprised and +alarmed Emily, but she gave no utterance to her thoughts. + +On the week following the disappearance of Ludovico, all the Count's +guests took leave of him, except the Baron, his son Mons. St. Foix, and +Emily; the latter of whom was soon after embarrassed and distressed by +the arrival of another visitor, Mons. Du Pont, which made her determine +upon withdrawing to her convent immediately. The delight, that appeared +in his countenance, when he met her, told that he brought back the +same ardour of passion, which had formerly banished him from +Chateau-le-Blanc. He was received with reserve by Emily, and with +pleasure by the Count, who presented him to her with a smile, that +seemed intended to plead his cause, and who did not hope the less for +his friend, from the embarrassment she betrayed. + +But M. Du Pont, with truer sympathy, seemed to understand her manner, +and his countenance quickly lost its vivacity, and sunk into the languor +of despondency. + +On the following day, however, he sought an opportunity of declaring +the purport of his visit, and renewed his suit; a declaration, which was +received with real concern by Emily, who endeavoured to lessen the pain +she might inflict by a second rejection, with assurances of esteem +and friendship; yet she left him in a state of mind, that claimed and +excited her tenderest compassion; and, being more sensible than ever +of the impropriety of remaining longer at the chateau, she immediately +sought the Count, and communicated to him her intention of returning to +the convent. + +'My dear Emily,' said he 'I observe, with extreme concern, the illusion +you are encouraging--an illusion common to young and sensible minds. +Your heart has received a severe shock; you believe you can never +entirely recover it, and you will encourage this belief, till the habit +of indulging sorrow will subdue the strength of your mind, and discolour +your future views with melancholy and regret. Let me dissipate this +illusion, and awaken you to a sense of your danger.' + +Emily smiled mournfully, 'I know what you would say, my dear sir,' said +she, 'and am prepared to answer you. I feel, that my heart can never +know a second affection; and that I must never hope even to recover its +tranquillity--if I suffer myself to enter into a second engagement.' + +'I know, that you feel all this,' replied the Count; 'and I know, also, +that time will overcome these feelings, unless you cherish them in +solitude, and, pardon me, with romantic tenderness. Then, indeed, time +will only confirm habit. I am particularly empowered to speak on this +subject, and to sympathize in your sufferings,' added the Count, with +an air of solemnity, 'for I have known what it is to love, and to lament +the object of my love. Yes,' continued he, while his eyes filled with +tears, 'I have suffered!--but those times have passed away--long passed! +and I can now look back upon them without emotion.' + +'My dear sir,' said Emily, timidly, 'what mean those tears?--they speak, +I fear, another language--they plead for me.' + +'They are weak tears, for they are useless ones,' replied the Count, +drying them, 'I would have you superior to such weakness. These, +however, are only faint traces of a grief, which, if it had not been +opposed by long continued effort, might have led me to the verge +of madness! Judge, then, whether I have not cause to warn you of an +indulgence, which may produce so terrible an effect, and which must +certainly, if not opposed, overcloud the years, that otherwise might +be happy. M. Du Pont is a sensible and amiable man, who has long +been tenderly attached to you; his family and fortune are +unexceptionable;--after what I have said, it is unnecessary to add, that +I should rejoice in your felicity, and that I think M. Du Pont would +promote it. Do not weep, Emily,' continued the Count, taking her hand, +'there IS happiness reserved for you.' + +He was silent a moment; and then added, in a firmer voice, 'I do not +wish, that you should make a violent effort to overcome your feelings; +all I, at present, ask, is, that you will check the thoughts, that would +lead you to a remembrance of the past; that you will suffer your mind to +be engaged by present objects; that you will allow yourself to believe +it possible you may yet be happy; and that you will sometimes think +with complacency of poor Du Pont, and not condemn him to the state of +despondency, from which, my dear Emily, I am endeavouring to withdraw +you.' + +'Ah! my dear sir,' said Emily, while her tears still fell, 'do not +suffer the benevolence of your wishes to mislead Mons. Du Pont with +an expectation that I can ever accept his hand. If I understand my own +heart, this never can be; your instruction I can obey in almost every +other particular, than that of adopting a contrary belief.' + +'Leave me to understand your heart,' replied the Count, with a faint +smile. 'If you pay me the compliment to be guided by my advice in +other instances, I will pardon your incredulity, respecting your future +conduct towards Mons. Du Pont. I will not even press you to remain +longer at the chateau than your own satisfaction will permit; but though +I forbear to oppose your present retirement, I shall urge the claims of +friendship for your future visits.' + +Tears of gratitude mingled with those of tender regret, while Emily +thanked the Count for the many instances of friendship she had received +from him; promised to be directed by his advice upon every subject but +one, and assured him of the pleasure, with which she should, at some +future period, accept the invitation of the Countess and himself--If +Mons. Du Pont was not at the chateau. + +The Count smiled at this condition. 'Be it so,' said he, 'meanwhile the +convent is so near the chateau, that my daughter and I shall often +visit you; and if, sometimes, we should dare to bring you another +visitor--will you forgive us?' + +Emily looked distressed, and remained silent. + +'Well,' rejoined the Count, 'I will pursue this subject no further, and +must now entreat your forgiveness for having pressed it thus far. You +will, however, do me the justice to believe, that I have been urged only +by a sincere regard for your happiness, and that of my amiable friend +Mons. Du Pont.' + +Emily, when she left the Count, went to mention her intended departure +to the Countess, who opposed it with polite expressions of regret; after +which, she sent a note to acquaint the lady abbess, that she should +return to the convent; and thither she withdrew on the evening of the +following day. M. Du Pont, in extreme regret, saw her depart, while the +Count endeavoured to cheer him with a hope, that Emily would sometimes +regard him with a more favourable eye. + +She was pleased to find herself once more in the tranquil retirement +of the convent, where she experienced a renewal of all the maternal +kindness of the abbess, and of the sisterly attentions of the nuns. A +report of the late extraordinary occurrence at the chateau had already +reached them, and, after supper, on the evening of her arrival, it +was the subject of conversation in the convent parlour, where she was +requested to mention some particulars of that unaccountable event. Emily +was guarded in her conversation on this subject, and briefly related a +few circumstances concerning Ludovico, whose disappearance, her auditors +almost unanimously agreed, had been effected by supernatural means. + +'A belief had so long prevailed,' said a nun, who was called sister +Frances, 'that the chateau was haunted, that I was surprised, when I +heard the Count had the temerity to inhabit it. Its former possessor, +I fear, had some deed of conscience to atone for; let us hope, that the +virtues of its present owner will preserve him from the punishment due +to the errors of the last, if, indeed, he was a criminal.' + +'Of what crime, then, was he suspected?' said a Mademoiselle Feydeau, a +boarder at the convent. + +'Let us pray for his soul!' said a nun, who had till now sat in silent +attention. 'If he was criminal, his punishment in this world was +sufficient.' + +There was a mixture of wildness and solemnity in her manner of +delivering this, which struck Emily exceedingly; but Mademoiselle +repeated her question, without noticing the solemn eagerness of the nun. + +'I dare not presume to say what was his crime,' replied sister Frances; +'but I have heard many reports of an extraordinary nature, respecting +the late Marquis de Villeroi, and among others, that, soon after the +death of his lady, he quitted Chateau-le-Blanc, and never afterwards +returned to it. I was not here at the time, so I can only mention it +from report, and so many years have passed since the Marchioness died, +that few of our sisterhood, I believe, can do more.' + +'But I can,' said the nun, who had before spoke, and whom they called +sister Agnes. + +'You then,' said Mademoiselle Feydeau, 'are possibly acquainted with +circumstances, that enable you to judge, whether he was criminal or not, +and what was the crime imputed to him.' + +'I am,' replied the nun; 'but who shall dare to scrutinize my +thoughts--who shall dare to pluck out my opinion? God only is his judge, +and to that judge he is gone!' + +Emily looked with surprise at sister Frances, who returned her a +significant glance. + +'I only requested your opinion,' said Mademoiselle Feydeau, mildly; 'if +the subject is displeasing to you, I will drop it.' + +'Displeasing!'--said the nun, with emphasis.--'We are idle talkers; +we do not weigh the meaning of the words we use; DISPLEASING is a poor +word. I will go pray.' As she said this she rose from her seat, and with +a profound sigh quitted the room. + +'What can be the meaning of this?' said Emily, when she was gone. + +'It is nothing extraordinary,' replied sister Frances, 'she is often +thus; but she had no meaning in what she says. Her intellects are at +times deranged. Did you never see her thus before?' + +'Never,' said Emily. 'I have, indeed, sometimes, thought, that there was +the melancholy of madness in her look, but never before perceived it in +her speech. Poor soul, I will pray for her!' + +'Your prayers then, my daughter, will unite with ours,' observed the +lady abbess, 'she has need of them.' + +'Dear lady,' said Mademoiselle Feydeau, addressing the abbess, 'what is +your opinion of the late Marquis? The strange circumstances, that have +occurred at the chateau, have so much awakened my curiosity, that I +shall be pardoned the question. What was his imputed crime, and what the +punishment, to which sister Agnes alluded?' + +'We must be cautious of advancing our opinion,' said the abbess, with +an air of reserve, mingled with solemnity, 'we must be cautious of +advancing our opinion on so delicate a subject. I will not take upon me +to pronounce, that the late Marquis was criminal, or to say what was +the crime of which he was suspected; but, concerning the punishment our +daughter Agnes hinted, I know of none he suffered. She probably alluded +to the severe one, which an exasperated conscience can inflict. Beware, +my children, of incurring so terrible a punishment--it is the purgatory +of this life! The late Marchioness I knew well; she was a pattern to +such as live in the world; nay, our sacred order need not have blushed +to copy her virtues! Our holy convent received her mortal part; her +heavenly spirit, I doubt not, ascended to its sanctuary!' + +As the abbess spoke this, the last bell of vespers struck up, and +she rose. 'Let us go, my children,' said she, 'and intercede for the +wretched; let us go and confess our sins, and endeavour to purify our +souls for the heaven, to which SHE is gone!' + +Emily was affected by the solemnity of this exhortation, and, +remembering her father, 'The heaven, to which HE, too, is gone!' said +she, faintly, as she suppressed her sighs, and followed the abbess and +the nuns to the chapel. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + + Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn'd, + Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell, + Be thy intents wicked, or charitable, + + I will speak to thee. + HAMLET + +Count de Villefort, at length, received a letter from the advocate at +Avignon, encouraging Emily to assert her claim to the estates of the +late Madame Montoni; and, about the same time, a messenger arrived from +Monsieur Quesnel with intelligence, that made an appeal to the law on +this subject unnecessary, since it appeared, that the only person, who +could have opposed her claim, was now no more. A friend of Monsieur +Quesnel, who resided at Venice, had sent him an account of the death +of Montoni who had been brought to trial with Orsino, as his supposed +accomplice in the murder of the Venetian nobleman. Orsino was found +guilty, condemned and executed upon the wheel, but, nothing being +discovered to criminate Montoni, and his colleagues, on this charge, +they were all released, except Montoni, who, being considered by the +senate as a very dangerous person, was, for other reasons, ordered again +into confinement, where, it was said, he had died in a doubtful and +mysterious manner, and not without suspicion of having been poisoned. +The authority, from which M. Quesnel had received this information, +would not allow him to doubt its truth, and he told Emily, that she had +now only to lay claim to the estates of her late aunt, to secure them, +and added, that he would himself assist in the necessary forms of this +business. The term, for which La Vallee had been let being now also +nearly expired, he acquainted her with the circumstance, and advised her +to take the road thither, through Tholouse, where he promised to meet +her, and where it would be proper for her to take possession of the +estates of the late Madame Montoni; adding, that he would spare her +any difficulties, that might occur on that occasion from the want of +knowledge on the subject, and that he believed it would be necessary for +her to be at Tholouse, in about three weeks from the present time. + +An increase of fortune seemed to have awakened this sudden kindness in +M. Quesnel towards his niece, and it appeared, that he entertained more +respect for the rich heiress, than he had ever felt compassion for the +poor and unfriended orphan. + +The pleasure, with which she received this intelligence, was clouded +when she considered, that he, for whose sake she had once regretted +the want of fortune, was no longer worthy of sharing it with her; but, +remembering the friendly admonition of the Count, she checked this +melancholy reflection, and endeavoured to feel only gratitude for +the unexpected good, that now attended her; while it formed no +inconsiderable part of her satisfaction to know, that La Vallee, her +native home, which was endeared to her by it's having been the residence +of her parents, would soon be restored to her possession. There she +meant to fix her future residence, for, though it could not be compared +with the chateau at Tholouse, either for extent, or magnificence, its +pleasant scenes and the tender remembrances, that haunted them, had +claims upon her heart, which she was not inclined to sacrifice to +ostentation. She wrote immediately to thank M. Quesnel for the active +interest he took in her concerns, and to say, that she would meet him at +Tholouse at the appointed time. + +When Count de Villefort, with Blanche, came to the convent to give +Emily the advice of the advocate, he was informed of the contents of +M. Quesnel's letter, and gave her his sincere congratulations, on +the occasion; but she observed, that, when the first expression +of satisfaction had faded from his countenance, an unusual gravity +succeeded, and she scarcely hesitated to enquire its cause. + +'It has no new occasion,' replied the Count; 'I am harassed and +perplexed by the confusion, into which my family is thrown by their +foolish superstition. Idle reports are floating round me, which I can +neither admit to be true, or prove to be false; and I am, also, very +anxious about the poor fellow, Ludovico, concerning whom I have not been +able to obtain information. Every part of the chateau and every part of +the neighbourhood, too, has, I believe, been searched, and I know not +what further can be done, since I have already offered large rewards +for the discovery of him. The keys of the north apartment I have not +suffered to be out of my possession, since he disappeared, and I mean to +watch in those chambers, myself, this very night.' + +Emily, seriously alarmed for the Count, united her entreaties with those +of the Lady Blanche, to dissuade him from his purpose. + +'What should I fear?' said he. 'I have no faith in supernatural combats, +and for human opposition I shall be prepared; nay, I will even promise +not to watch alone.' + +'But who, dear sir, will have courage enough to watch with you?' said +Emily. + +'My son,' replied the Count. 'If I am not carried off in the night,' +added he, smiling, 'you shall hear the result of my adventure, +tomorrow.' + +The Count and Lady Blanche, shortly afterwards, took leave of Emily, and +returned to the chateau, where he informed Henri of his intention, who, +not without some secret reluctance, consented to be the partner of his +watch; and, when the design was mentioned after supper, the Countess was +terrified, and the Baron, and M. Du Pont joined with her in entreating, +that he would not tempt his fate, as Ludovico had done. 'We know not,' +added the Baron, 'the nature, or the power of an evil spirit; and +that such a spirit haunts those chambers can now, I think, scarcely be +doubted. Beware, my lord, how you provoke its vengeance, since it has +already given us one terrible example of its malice. I allow it may be +probable, that the spirits of the dead are permitted to return to the +earth only on occasions of high import; but the present import may be +your destruction.' + +The Count could not forbear smiling; 'Do you think then, Baron,' said +he, 'that my destruction is of sufficient importance to draw back +to earth the soul of the departed? Alas! my good friend, there is no +occasion for such means to accomplish the destruction of any individual. +Wherever the mystery rests, I trust I shall, this night, be able to +detect it. You know I am not superstitious.' + +'I know that you are incredulous,' interrupted the Baron. + +'Well, call it what you will, I mean to say, that, though you know I am +free from superstition--if any thing supernatural has appeared, I doubt +not it will appear to me, and if any strange event hangs over my house, +or if any extraordinary transaction has formerly been connected with it, +I shall probably be made acquainted with it. At all events I will invite +discovery; and, that I may be equal to a mortal attack, which in good +truth, my friend, is what I most expect, I shall take care to be well +armed.' + +The Count took leave of his family, for the night, with an assumed +gaiety, which but ill concealed the anxiety, that depressed his spirits, +and retired to the north apartments, accompanied by his son and followed +by the Baron, M. Du Pont and some of the domestics, who all bade him +good night at the outer door. In these chambers every thing appeared +as when he had last been here; even in the bed-room no alteration was +visible, where he lighted his own fire, for none of the domestics could +be prevailed upon to venture thither. After carefully examining the +chamber and the oriel, the Count and Henri drew their chairs upon the +hearth, set a bottle of wine and a lamp before them, laid their swords +upon the table, and, stirring the wood into a blaze, began to converse +on indifferent topics. But Henri was often silent and abstracted, and +sometimes threw a glance of mingled awe and curiosity round the gloomy +apartment; while the Count gradually ceased to converse, and sat either +lost in thought, or reading a volume of Tacitus, which he had brought to +beguile the tediousness of the night. + + + +CHAPTER IX + + + Give thy thoughts no tongue. + SHAKESPEARE + +The Baron St. Foix, whom anxiety for his friend had kept awake, rose +early to enquire the event of the night, when, as he passed the Count's +closet, hearing steps within, he knocked at the door, and it was opened +by his friend himself. Rejoicing to see him in safety, and curious to +learn the occurrences of the night, he had not immediately leisure to +observe the unusual gravity, that overspread the features of the Count, +whose reserved answers first occasioned him to notice it. The Count, +then smiling, endeavoured to treat the subject of his curiosity with +levity, but the Baron was serious, and pursued his enquiries so closely, +that the Count, at length, resuming his gravity, said, 'Well, my friend, +press the subject no further, I entreat you; and let me request +also, that you will hereafter be silent upon any thing you may think +extraordinary in my future conduct. I do not scruple to tell you, that I +am unhappy, and that the watch of the last night has not assisted me to +discover Ludovico; upon every occurrence of the night you must excuse my +reserve.' + +'But where is Henri?' said the Baron, with surprise and disappointment +at this denial. + +'He is well in his own apartment,' replied the Count. 'You will not +question him on this topic, my friend, since you know my wish.' + +'Certainly not,' said the Baron, somewhat chagrined, 'since it would +be displeasing to you; but methinks, my friend, you might rely on my +discretion, and drop this unusual reserve. However, you must allow me to +suspect, that you have seen reason to become a convert to my system, and +are no longer the incredulous knight you lately appeared to be.' + +'Let us talk no more upon this subject,' said the Count; 'you may be +assured, that no ordinary circumstance has imposed this silence upon me +towards a friend, whom I have called so for near thirty years; and +my present reserve cannot make you question either my esteem, or the +sincerity of my friendship.' + +'I will not doubt either,' said the Baron, 'though you must allow me to +express my surprise, at this silence.' + +'To me I will allow it,' replied the Count, 'but I earnestly entreat +that you will forbear to notice it to my family, as well as every thing +remarkable you may observe in my conduct towards them.' + +The Baron readily promised this, and, after conversing for some time on +general topics, they descended to the breakfast-room, where the Count +met his family with a cheerful countenance, and evaded their enquiries +by employing light ridicule, and assuming an air of uncommon gaiety, +while he assured them, that they need not apprehend any evil from the +north chambers, since Henri and himself had been permitted to return +from them in safety. + +Henri, however, was less successful in disguising his feelings. From his +countenance an expression of terror was not entirely faded; he was +often silent and thoughtful, and when he attempted to laugh at the eager +enquiries of Mademoiselle Bearn, it was evidently only an attempt. + +In the evening, the Count called, as he had promised, at the convent, +and Emily was surprised to perceive a mixture of playful ridicule and +of reserve in his mention of the north apartment. Of what had occurred +there, however, he said nothing, and, when she ventured to remind him +of his promise to tell her the result of his enquiries, and to ask if +he had received any proof, that those chambers were haunted, his look +became solemn, for a moment, then, seeming to recollect himself, he +smiled, and said, 'My dear Emily, do not suffer my lady abbess to infect +your good understanding with these fancies; she will teach you to expect +a ghost in every dark room. But believe me,' added he, with a profound +sigh, 'the apparition of the dead comes not on light, or sportive +errands, to terrify, or to surprise the timid.' He paused, and fell into +a momentary thoughtfulness, and then added, 'We will say no more on this +subject.' + +Soon after, he took leave, and, when Emily joined some of the nuns, she +was surprised to find them acquainted with a circumstance, which she +had carefully avoided to mention, and expressing their admiration of +his intrepidity in having dared to pass a night in the apartment, whence +Ludovico had disappeared; for she had not considered with what rapidity +a tale of wonder circulates. The nuns had acquired their information +from peasants, who brought fruit to the monastery, and whose whole +attention had been fixed, since the disappearance of Ludovico, on what +was passing in the castle. + +Emily listened in silence to the various opinions of the nuns, +concerning the conduct of the Count, most of whom condemned it as rash +and presumptuous, affirming, that it was provoking the vengeance of an +evil spirit, thus to intrude upon its haunts. + +Sister Frances contended, that the Count had acted with the bravery of a +virtuous mind. He knew himself guiltless of aught, that should provoke a +good spirit, and did not fear the spells of an evil one, since he could +claim the protection of an higher Power, of Him, who can command the +wicked, and will protect the innocent. + +'The guilty cannot claim that protection!' said sister Agnes, 'let the +Count look to his conduct, that he do not forfeit his claim! Yet who is +he, that shall dare to call himself innocent!--all earthly innocence is +but comparative. Yet still how wide asunder are the extremes of guilt, +and to what an horrible depth may we fall! Oh!'-- + +The nun, as she concluded, uttered a shuddering sigh, that startled +Emily, who, looking up, perceived the eyes of Agnes fixed on hers, +after which the sister rose, took her hand, gazed earnestly upon her +countenance, for some moments, in silence, and then said, + +'You are young--you are innocent! I mean you are yet innocent of any +great crime!--But you have passions in your heart,--scorpions; they +sleep now--beware how you awaken them!--they will sting you, even unto +death!' + +Emily, affected by these words and by the solemnity, with which they +were delivered, could not suppress her tears. + +'Ah! is it so?' exclaimed Agnes, her countenance softening from its +sternness--'so young, and so unfortunate! We are sisters, then indeed. +Yet, there is no bond of kindness among the guilty,' she added, while +her eyes resumed their wild expression, 'no gentleness,--no peace, no +hope! I knew them all once--my eyes could weep--but now they burn, for +now, my soul is fixed, and fearless!--I lament no more!' + +'Rather let us repent, and pray,' said another nun. 'We are taught to +hope, that prayer and penitence will work our salvation. There is hope +for all who repent!' + +'Who repent and turn to the true faith,' observed sister Frances. + +'For all but me!' replied Agnes solemnly, who paused, and then abruptly +added, 'My head burns, I believe I am not well. O! could I strike from +my memory all former scenes--the figures, that rise up, like furies, to +torment me!--I see them, when I sleep, and, when I am awake, they are +still before my eyes! I see them now--now!' + +She stood in a fixed attitude of horror, her straining eyes moving +slowly round the room, as if they followed something. One of the nuns +gently took her hand, to lead her from the parlour. Agnes became calm, +drew her other hand across her eyes, looked again, and, sighing deeply, +said, 'They are gone--they are gone! I am feverish, I know not what I +say. I am thus, sometimes, but it will go off again, I shall soon be +better. Was not that the vesper-bell?' + +'No,' replied Frances, 'the evening service is passed. Let Margaret lead +you to your cell.' + +'You are right,' replied sister Agnes, 'I shall be better there. Good +night, my sisters, remember me in your orisons.' + +When they had withdrawn, Frances, observing Emily's emotion, said, 'Do +not be alarmed, our sister is often thus deranged, though I have not +lately seen her so frantic; her usual mood is melancholy. This fit has +been coming on, for several days; seclusion and the customary treatment +will restore her.' + +'But how rationally she conversed, at first!' observed Emily, 'her ideas +followed each other in perfect order.' + +'Yes,' replied the nun, 'this is nothing new; nay, I have sometimes +known her argue not only with method, but with acuteness, and then, in a +moment, start off into madness.' + +'Her conscience seems afflicted,' said Emily, 'did you ever hear what +circumstance reduced her to this deplorable condition?' + +'I have,' replied the nun, who said no more till Emily repeated the +question, when she added in a low voice, and looking significantly +towards the other boarders, 'I cannot tell you now, but, if you think it +worth your while, come to my cell, to-night, when our sisterhood are at +rest, and you shall hear more; but remember we rise to midnight prayers, +and come either before, or after midnight.' + +Emily promised to remember, and, the abbess soon after appearing, they +spoke no more of the unhappy nun. + +The Count meanwhile, on his return home, had found M. Du Pont in one +of those fits of despondency, which his attachment to Emily frequently +occasioned him, an attachment, that had subsisted too long to be easily +subdued, and which had already outlived the opposition of his friends. +M. Du Pont had first seen Emily in Gascony, during the lifetime of his +parent, who, on discovering his son's partiality for Mademoiselle St. +Aubert, his inferior in point of fortune, forbade him to declare it to +her family, or to think of her more. During the life of his father, he +had observed the first command, but had found it impracticable to obey +the second, and had, sometimes, soothed his passion by visiting her +favourite haunts, among which was the fishing-house, where, once or +twice, he addressed her in verse, concealing his name, in obedience to +the promise he had given his father. There too he played the pathetic +air, to which she had listened with such surprise and admiration; and +there he found the miniature, that had since cherished a passion fatal +to his repose. During his expedition into Italy, his father died; but +he received his liberty at a moment, when he was the least enabled to +profit by it, since the object, that rendered it most valuable, was +no longer within the reach of his vows. By what accident he discovered +Emily, and assisted to release her from a terrible imprisonment, has +already appeared, and also the unavailing hope, with which he then +encouraged his love, and the fruitless efforts, that he had since made +to overcome it. + +The Count still endeavoured, with friendly zeal, to sooth him with a +belief, that patience, perseverance and prudence would finally obtain +for him happiness and Emily: 'Time,' said he, 'will wear away the +melancholy impression, which disappointment has left on her mind, and +she will be sensible of your merit. Your services have already awakened +her gratitude, and your sufferings her pity; and trust me, my friend, in +a heart so sensible as hers, gratitude and pity lead to love. When +her imagination is rescued from its present delusion, she will readily +accept the homage of a mind like yours.' + +Du Pont sighed, while he listened to these words; and, endeavouring to +hope what his friend believed, he willingly yielded to an invitation to +prolong his visit at the chateau, which we now leave for the monastery +of St. Claire. + +When the nuns had retired to rest, Emily stole to her appointment with +sister Frances, whom she found in her cell, engaged in prayer, before a +little table, where appeared the image she was addressing, and, above, +the dim lamp that gave light to the place. Turning her eyes, as the door +opened, she beckoned to Emily to come in, who, having done so, seated +herself in silence beside the nun's little mattress of straw, till +her orisons should conclude. The latter soon rose from her knees, and, +taking down the lamp and placing it on the table, Emily perceived +there a human scull and bones, lying beside an hour-glass; but the nun, +without observing her emotion, sat down on the mattress by her, saying, +'Your curiosity, sister, has made you punctual, but you have nothing +remarkable to hear in the history of poor Agnes, of whom I avoided +to speak in the presence of my lay-sisters, only because I would not +publish her crime to them.' + +'I shall consider your confidence in me as a favour,' said Emily, 'and +will not misuse it.' + +'Sister Agnes,' resumed the nun, 'is of a noble family, as the dignity +of her air must already have informed you, but I will not dishonour +their name so much as to reveal it. Love was the occasion of her crime +and of her madness. She was beloved by a gentleman of inferior fortune, +and her father, as I have heard, bestowing her on a nobleman, whom +she disliked, an ill-governed passion proved her destruction.--Every +obligation of virtue and of duty was forgotten, and she prophaned her +marriage vows; but her guilt was soon detected, and she would have +fallen a sacrifice to the vengeance of her husband, had not her father +contrived to convey her from his power. By what means he did this, +I never could learn; but he secreted her in this convent, where he +afterwards prevailed with her to take the veil, while a report was +circulated in the world, that she was dead, and the father, to save his +daughter, assisted the rumour, and employed such means as induced her +husband to believe she had become a victim to his jealousy. You look +surprised,' added the nun, observing Emily's countenance; 'I allow the +story is uncommon, but not, I believe, without a parallel.' + +'Pray proceed,' said Emily, 'I am interested.' + +'The story is already told,' resumed the nun, 'I have only to mention, +that the long struggle, which Agnes suffered, between love, remorse +and a sense of the duties she had taken upon herself in becoming of our +order, at length unsettled her reason. At first, she was frantic and +melancholy by quick alternatives; then, she sunk into a deep and settled +melancholy, which still, however, has, at times, been interrupted by +fits of wildness, and, of late, these have again been frequent.' + +Emily was affected by the history of the sister, some parts of whose +story brought to her remembrance that of the Marchioness de Villeroi, +who had also been compelled by her father to forsake the object of her +affections, for a nobleman of his choice; but, from what Dorothee had +related, there appeared no reason to suppose, that she had escaped the +vengeance of a jealous husband, or to doubt for a moment the innocence +of her conduct. But Emily, while she sighed over the misery of the +nun, could not forbear shedding a few tears to the misfortunes of the +Marchioness; and, when she returned to the mention of sister Agnes, she +asked Frances if she remembered her in her youth, and whether she was +then beautiful. + +'I was not here at the time, when she took the vows,' replied Frances, +'which is so long ago, that few of the present sisterhood, I believe, +were witnesses of the ceremony; nay, ever our lady mother did not then +preside over the convent: but I can remember, when sister Agnes was a +very beautiful woman. She retains that air of high rank, which always +distinguished her, but her beauty, you must perceive, is fled; I can +scarcely discover even a vestige of the loveliness, that once animated +her features.' + +'It is strange,' said Emily, 'but there are moments, when her +countenance has appeared familiar to my memory! You will think me +fanciful, and I think myself so, for I certainly never saw sister Agnes, +before I came to this convent, and I must, therefore, have seen +some person, whom she strongly resembles, though of this I have no +recollection.' + +'You have been interested by the deep melancholy of her countenance,' +said Frances, 'and its impression has probably deluded your imagination; +for I might as reasonably think I perceive a likeness between you and +Agnes, as you, that you have seen her any where but in this convent, +since this has been her place of refuge, for nearly as many years as +make your age.' + +'Indeed!' said Emily. + +'Yes,' rejoined Frances, 'and why does that circumstance excite your +surprise?' + +Emily did not appear to notice this question, but remained thoughtful, +for a few moments, and then said, 'It was about that same period that +the Marchioness de Villeroi expired.' + +'That is an odd remark,' said Frances. + +Emily, recalled from her reverie, smiled, and gave the conversation +another turn, but it soon came back to the subject of the unhappy nun, +and Emily remained in the cell of sister Frances, till the mid-night +bell aroused her; when, apologizing for having interrupted the sister's +repose, till this late hour, they quitted the cell together. Emily +returned to her chamber, and the nun, bearing a glimmering taper, went +to her devotion in the chapel. + +Several days followed, during which Emily saw neither the Count, or any +of his family; and, when, at length, he appeared, she remarked, with +concern, that his air was unusually disturbed. + +'My spirits are harassed,' said he, in answer to her anxious enquiries, +'and I mean to change my residence, for a little while, an experiment, +which, I hope, will restore my mind to its usual tranquillity. My +daughter and myself will accompany the Baron St. Foix to his chateau. It +lies in a valley of the Pyrenees, that opens towards Gascony, and I have +been thinking, Emily, that, when you set out for La Vallee, we may go +part of the way together; it would be a satisfaction to me to guard you +towards your home.' + +She thanked the Count for his friendly consideration, and lamented, that +the necessity for her going first to Tholouse would render this plan +impracticable. 'But, when you are at the Baron's residence,' she added, +'you will be only a short journey from La Vallee, and I think, sir, you +will not leave the country without visiting me; it is unnecessary to say +with what pleasure I should receive you and the Lady Blanche.' + +'I do not doubt it,' replied the Count, 'and I will not deny myself and +Blanche the pleasure of visiting you, if your affairs should allow you +to be at La Vallee, about the time when we can meet you there.' + +When Emily said that she should hope to see the Countess also, she was +not sorry to learn that this lady was going, accompanied by Mademoiselle +Bearn, to pay a visit, for a few weeks, to a family in lower Languedoc. + +The Count, after some further conversation on his intended journey and +on the arrangement of Emily's, took leave; and many days did not succeed +this visit, before a second letter from M. Quesnel informed her, that he +was then at Tholouse, that La Vallee was at liberty, and that he wished +her to set off for the former place, where he awaited her arrival, with +all possible dispatch, since his own affairs pressed him to return +to Gascony. Emily did not hesitate to obey him, and, having taken an +affecting leave of the Count's family, in which M. Du Pont was still +included, and of her friends at the convent, she set out for Tholouse, +attended by the unhappy Annette, and guarded by a steady servant of the +Count. + + + +CHAPTER X + + + Lull'd in the countless chambers of the brain, + Our thoughts are link'd by many a hidden chain: + Awake but one, and lo! what myriads rise! + Each stamps its image as the other flies! + PLEASURES OF MEMORY + +Emily pursued her journey, without any accident, along the plains of +Languedoc towards the north-west; and, on this her return to Tholouse, +which she had last left with Madame Montoni, she thought much on the +melancholy fate of her aunt, who, but for her own imprudence, might now +have been living in happiness there! Montoni, too, often rose to her +fancy, such as she had seen him in his days of triumph, bold, spirited +and commanding; such also as she had since beheld him in his days of +vengeance; and now, only a few short months had passed--and he had +no longer the power, or the will to afflict;--he had become a clod of +earth, and his life was vanished like a shadow! Emily could have wept at +his fate, had she not remembered his crimes; for that of her unfortunate +aunt she did weep, and all sense of her errors was overcome by the +recollection of her misfortunes. + +Other thoughts and other emotions succeeded, as Emily drew near the +well-known scenes of her early love, and considered, that Valancourt was +lost to her and to himself, for ever. At length, she came to the brow of +the hill, whence, on her departure for Italy, she had given a farewell +look to this beloved landscape, amongst whose woods and fields she had +so often walked with Valancourt, and where he was then to inhabit, +when she would be far, far away! She saw, once more, that chain of the +Pyrenees, which overlooked La Vallee, rising, like faint clouds, on the +horizon. 'There, too, is Gascony, extended at their feet!' said she, +'O my father,--my mother! And there, too, is the Garonne!' she added, +drying the tears, that obscured her sight,--'and Tholouse, and my aunt's +mansion--and the groves in her garden!--O my friends! are ye all lost +to me--must I never, never see ye more!' Tears rushed again to her eyes, +and she continued to weep, till an abrupt turn in the road had nearly +occasioned the carriage to overset, when, looking up, she perceived +another part of the well-known scene around Tholouse, and all the +reflections and anticipations, which she had suffered, at the moment, +when she bade it last adieu, came with recollected force to her heart. +She remembered how anxiously she had looked forward to the futurity, +which was to decide her happiness concerning Valancourt, and what +depressing fears had assailed her; the very words she had uttered, as +she withdrew her last look from the prospect, came to her memory. 'Could +I but be certain,' she had then said, 'that I should ever return, and +that Valancourt would still live for me--I should go in peace!' + +Now, that futurity, so anxiously anticipated, was arrived, she was +returned--but what a dreary blank appeared!--Valancourt no longer +lived for her! She had no longer even the melancholy satisfaction of +contemplating his image in her heart, for he was no longer the same +Valancourt she had cherished there--the solace of many a mournful +hour, the animating friend, that had enabled her to bear up against the +oppression of Montoni--the distant hope, that had beamed over her gloomy +prospect! On perceiving this beloved idea to be an illusion of her own +creation, Valancourt seemed to be annihilated, and her soul sickened at +the blank, that remained. His marriage with a rival, even his death, she +thought she could have endured with more fortitude, than this discovery; +for then, amidst all her grief, she could have looked in secret upon the +image of goodness, which her fancy had drawn of him, and comfort would +have mingled with her suffering! + +Drying her tears, she looked, once more, upon the landscape, which had +excited them, and perceived, that she was passing the very bank, where +she had taken leave of Valancourt, on the morning of her departure from +Tholouse, and she now saw him, through her returning tears, such as +he had appeared, when she looked from the carriage to give him a last +adieu--saw him leaning mournfully against the high trees, and remembered +the fixed look of mingled tenderness and anguish, with which he had then +regarded her. This recollection was too much for her heart, and she sunk +back in the carriage, nor once looked up, till it stopped at the gates +of what was now her own mansion. + +These being opened, and by the servant, to whose care the chateau had +been entrusted, the carriage drove into the court, where, alighting, +she hastily passed through the great hall, now silent and solitary, to +a large oak parlour, the common sitting room of the late Madame Montoni, +where, instead of being received by M. Quesnel, she found a letter from +him, informing her that business of consequence had obliged him to leave +Tholouse two days before. Emily was, upon the whole, not sorry to be +spared his presence, since his abrupt departure appeared to indicate the +same indifference, with which he had formerly regarded her. This letter +informed her, also, of the progress he had made in the settlement of +her affairs, and concluded with directions, concerning the forms of +some business, which remained for her to transact. But M. Quesnel's +unkindness did not long occupy her thoughts, which returned the +remembrance of the persons she had been accustomed to see in this +mansion, and chiefly of the ill-guided and unfortunate Madame Montoni. +In the room, where she now sat, she had breakfasted with her on the +morning of their departure for Italy; and the view of it brought most +forcibly to her recollection all she had herself suffered, at that time, +and the many gay expectations, which her aunt had formed, respecting +the journey before her. While Emily's mind was thus engaged, her eyes +wandered unconsciously to a large window, that looked upon the garden, +and here new memorials of the past spoke to her heart, for she saw +extended before her the very avenue, in which she had parted with +Valancourt, on the eve of her journey; and all the anxiety, the tender +interest he had shewn, concerning her future happiness, his earnest +remonstrances against her committing herself to the power of Montoni, +and the truth of his affection, came afresh to her memory. At this +moment, it appeared almost impossible, that Valancourt could have become +unworthy of her regard, and she doubted all that she had lately heard to +his disadvantage, and even his own words, which had confirmed Count De +Villefort's report of him. Overcome by the recollections, which the view +of this avenue occasioned, she turned abruptly from the window, and +sunk into a chair beside it, where she sat, given up to grief, till the +entrance of Annette, with coffee, aroused her. + +'Dear madam, how melancholy this place looks now,' said Annette, 'to +what it used to do! It is dismal coming home, when there is nobody to +welcome one!' + +This was not the moment, in which Emily could bear the remark; her tears +fell again, and, as soon as she had taken the coffee, she retired to +her apartment, where she endeavoured to repose her fatigued spirits. But +busy memory would still supply her with the visions of former times: she +saw Valancourt interesting and benevolent, as he had been wont to appear +in the days of their early love, and, amidst the scenes, where she had +believed that they should sometimes pass their years together!--but, at +length, sleep closed these afflicting scenes from her view. + +On the following morning, serious occupation recovered her from such +melancholy reflections; for, being desirous of quitting Tholouse, and of +hastening on to La Vallee, she made some enquiries into the condition of +the estate, and immediately dispatched a part of the necessary business +concerning it, according to the directions of Mons. Quesnel. It +required a strong effort to abstract her thoughts from other interests +sufficiently to attend to this, but she was rewarded for her exertions +by again experiencing, that employment is the surest antidote to sorrow. + +This day was devoted entirely to business; and, among other concerns, +she employed means to learn the situation of all her poor tenants, that +she might relieve their wants, or confirm their comforts. + +In the evening, her spirits were so much strengthened, that she thought +she could bear to visit the gardens, where she had so often walked with +Valancourt; and, knowing, that, if she delayed to do so, their scenes +would only affect her the more, whenever they should be viewed, she took +advantage of the present state of her mind, and entered them. + +Passing hastily the gate leading from the court into the gardens, she +hurried up the great avenue, scarcely permitting her memory to dwell for +a moment on the circumstance of her having here parted with Valancourt, +and soon quitted this for other walks less interesting to her heart. +These brought her, at length, to the flight of steps, that led from the +lower garden to the terrace, on seeing which, she became agitated, +and hesitated whether to ascend, but, her resolution returning, she +proceeded. + +'Ah!' said Emily, as she ascended, 'these are the same high trees, that +used to wave over the terrace, and these the same flowery thickets--the +liburnum, the wild rose, and the cerinthe--which were wont to grow +beneath them! Ah! and there, too, on that bank, are the very plants, +which Valancourt so carefully reared!--O, when last I saw them!'--she +checked the thought, but could not restrain her tears, and, after +walking slowly on for a few moments, her agitation, upon the view of +this well-known scene, increased so much, that she was obliged to stop, +and lean upon the wall of the terrace. It was a mild, and beautiful +evening. The sun was setting over the extensive landscape, to which his +beams, sloping from beneath a dark cloud, that overhung the west, +gave rich and partial colouring, and touched the tufted summits of the +groves, that rose from the garden below, with a yellow gleam. Emily and +Valancourt had often admired together this scene, at the same hour; and +it was exactly on this spot, that, on the night preceding her departure +for Italy, she had listened to his remonstrances against the journey, +and to the pleadings of passionate affection. Some observations, which +she made on the landscape, brought this to her remembrance, and with it +all the minute particulars of that conversation;--the alarming doubts he +had expressed concerning Montoni, doubts, which had since been fatally +confirmed; the reasons and entreaties he had employed to prevail with +her to consent to an immediate marriage; the tenderness of his love, +the paroxysms of this grief, and the conviction that he had repeatedly +expressed, that they should never meet again in happiness! All these +circumstances rose afresh to her mind, and awakened the various emotions +she had then suffered. Her tenderness for Valancourt became as powerful +as in the moments, when she thought, that she was parting with him and +happiness together, and when the strength of her mind had enabled her to +triumph over present suffering, rather than to deserve the reproach +of her conscience by engaging in a clandestine marriage.--'Alas!' said +Emily, as these recollections came to her mind, 'and what have I gained +by the fortitude I then practised?--am I happy now?--He said, we should +meet no more in happiness; but, O! he little thought his own misconduct +would separate us, and lead to the very evil he then dreaded!' + +Her reflections increased her anguish, while she was compelled to +acknowledge, that the fortitude she had formerly exerted, if it had +not conducted her to happiness, had saved her from irretrievable +misfortune--from Valancourt himself! But in these moments she could not +congratulate herself on the prudence, that had saved her; she could only +lament, with bitterest anguish, the circumstances, which had conspired +to betray Valancourt into a course of life so different from that, +which the virtues, the tastes, and the pursuits of his early years had +promised; but she still loved him too well to believe, that his +heart was even now depraved, though his conduct had been criminal. An +observation, which had fallen from M. St. Aubert more than once, now +occurred to her. 'This young man,' said he, speaking of Valancourt, 'has +never been at Paris;' a remark, that had surprised her at the time +it was uttered, but which she now understood, and she exclaimed +sorrowfully, 'O Valancourt! if such a friend as my father had been with +you at Paris--your noble, ingenuous nature would not have fallen!' + +The sun was now set, and, recalling her thoughts from their melancholy +subject, she continued her walk; for the pensive shade of twilight was +pleasing to her, and the nightingales from the surrounding groves began +to answer each other in the long-drawn, plaintive note, which always +touched her heart; while all the fragrance of the flowery thickets, that +bounded the terrace, was awakened by the cool evening air, which floated +so lightly among their leaves, that they scarcely trembled as it passed. + +Emily came, at length, to the steps of the pavilion, that terminated +the terrace, and where her last interview with Valancourt, before her +departure from Tholouse, had so unexpectedly taken place. The door was +now shut, and she trembled, while she hesitated whether to open it; but +her wish to see again a place, which had been the chief scene of her +former happiness, at length overcoming her reluctance to encounter the +painful regret it would renew, she entered. The room was obscured by a +melancholy shade; but through the open lattices, darkened by the +hanging foliage of the vines, appeared the dusky landscape, the Garonne +reflecting the evening light, and the west still glowing. A chair was +placed near one of the balconies, as if some person had been sitting +there, but the other furniture of the pavilion remained exactly as +usual, and Emily thought it looked as if it had not once been moved +since she set out for Italy. The silent and deserted air of the place +added solemnity to her emotions, for she heard only the low whisper +of the breeze, as it shook the leaves of the vines, and the very faint +murmur of the Garonne. + +She seated herself in a chair, near the lattice, and yielded to the +sadness of her heart, while she recollected the circumstances of her +parting interview with Valancourt, on this spot. It was here too, that +she had passed some of the happiest hours of her life with him, when +her aunt favoured the connection, for here she had often sat and worked, +while he conversed, or read; and she now well remembered with what +discriminating judgment, with what tempered energy, he used to repeat +some of the sublimest passages of their favourite authors; how often he +would pause to admire with her their excellence, and with what tender +delight he would listen to her remarks, and correct her taste. + +'And is it possible,' said Emily, as these recollections returned--'is +it possible, that a mind, so susceptible of whatever is grand and +beautiful, could stoop to low pursuits, and be subdued by frivolous +temptations?' + +She remembered how often she had seen the sudden tear start in his eye, +and had heard his voice tremble with emotion, while he related any great +or benevolent action, or repeated a sentiment of the same character. +'And such a mind,' said she, 'such a heart, were to be sacrificed to the +habits of a great city!' + +These recollections becoming too painful to be endured, she abruptly +left the pavilion, and, anxious to escape from the memorials of her +departed happiness, returned towards the chateau. As she passed along +the terrace, she perceived a person, walking, with a slow step, and a +dejected air, under the trees, at some distance. The twilight, which +was now deep, would not allow her to distinguish who it was, and she +imagined it to be one of the servants, till, the sound of her steps +seeming to reach him, he turned half round, and she thought she saw +Valancourt! + +Whoever it was, he instantly struck among the thickets on the left, and +disappeared, while Emily, her eyes fixed on the place, whence he +had vanished, and her frame trembling so excessively, that she could +scarcely support herself, remained, for some moments, unable to quit the +spot, and scarcely conscious of existence. With her recollection, her +strength returned, and she hurried toward the house, where she did not +venture to enquire who had been in the gardens, lest she should betray +her emotion; and she sat down alone, endeavouring to recollect the +figure, air and features of the person she had just seen. Her view of +him, however, had been so transient, and the gloom had rendered it +so imperfect, that she could remember nothing with exactness; yet the +general appearance of his figure, and his abrupt departure, made her +still believe, that this person was Valancourt. Sometimes, indeed, she +thought, that her fancy, which had been occupied by the idea of him, +had suggested his image to her uncertain sight: but this conjecture was +fleeting. If it was himself whom she had seen, she wondered much, that +he should be at Tholouse, and more, how he had gained admittance into +the garden; but as often as her impatience prompted her to enquire +whether any stranger had been admitted, she was restrained by an +unwillingness to betray her doubts; and the evening was passed in +anxious conjecture, and in efforts to dismiss the subject from her +thoughts. But, these endeavours were ineffectual, and a thousand +inconsistent emotions assailed her, whenever she fancied that Valancourt +might be near her; now, she dreaded it to be true, and now she feared it +to be false; and, while she constantly tried to persuade herself, that +she wished the person, whom she had seen, might not be Valancourt, her +heart as constantly contradicted her reason. + +The following day was occupied by the visits of several neighbouring +families, formerly intimate with Madame Montoni, who came to condole +with Emily on her death, to congratulate her upon the acquisition of +these estates, and to enquire about Montoni, and concerning the strange +reports they had heard of her own situation; all which was done with the +utmost decorum, and the visitors departed with as much composure as they +had arrived. + +Emily was wearied by these formalities, and disgusted by the subservient +manners of many persons, who had thought her scarcely worthy of common +attention, while she was believed to be a dependant on Madame Montoni. + +'Surely,' said she, 'there is some magic in wealth, which can thus make +persons pay their court to it, when it does not even benefit themselves. +How strange it is, that a fool or a knave, with riches, should be +treated with more respect by the world, than a good man, or a wise man +in poverty!' + +It was evening, before she was left alone, and she then wished to have +refreshed her spirits in the free air of her garden; but she feared to +go thither, lest she should meet again the person, whom she had seen on +the preceding night, and he should prove to be Valancourt. The suspense +and anxiety she suffered, on this subject, she found all her efforts +unable to controul, and her secret wish to see Valancourt once more, +though unseen by him, powerfully prompted her to go, but prudence and +a delicate pride restrained her, and she determined to avoid the +possibility of throwing herself in his way, by forbearing to visit the +gardens, for several days. + +When, after near a week, she again ventured thither, she made Annette +her companion, and confined her walk to the lower grounds, but often +started as the leaves rustled in the breeze, imagining, that some person +was among the thickets; and, at the turn of every alley, she looked +forward with apprehensive expectation. She pursued her walk thoughtfully +and silently, for her agitation would not suffer her to converse with +Annette, to whom, however, thought and silence were so intolerable, that +she did not scruple at length to talk to her mistress. + +'Dear madam,' said she, 'why do you start so? one would think you knew +what has happened.' + +'What has happened?' said Emily, in a faltering voice, and trying to +command her emotion. + +'The night before last, you know, madam'-- + +'I know nothing, Annette,' replied her lady in a more hurried voice. + +'The night before last, madam, there was a robber in the garden.' + +'A robber!' said Emily, in an eager, yet doubting tone. + +'I suppose he was a robber, madam. What else could he be?' + +'Where did you see him, Annette?' rejoined Emily, looking round her, and +turning back towards the chateau. + +'It was not I that saw him, madam, it was Jean the gardener. It was +twelve o'clock at night, and, as he was coming across the court to go +the back way into the house, what should he see--but somebody walking in +the avenue, that fronts the garden gate! So, with that, Jean guessed how +it was, and he went into the house for his gun.' + +'His gun!' exclaimed Emily. + +'Yes, madam, his gun; and then he came out into the court to watch him. +Presently, he sees him come slowly down the avenue, and lean over the +garden gate, and look up at the house for a long time; and I warrant he +examined it well, and settled what window he should break in at.' + +'But the gun,' said Emily--'the gun!' + +'Yes, madam, all in good time. Presently, Jean says, the robber opened +the gate, and was coming into the court, and then he thought proper to +ask him his business: so he called out again, and bade him say who he +was, and what he wanted. But the man would do neither; but turned upon +his heel, and passed into the garden again. Jean knew then well enough +how it was, and so he fired after him.' + +'Fired!' exclaimed Emily. + +'Yes, madam, fired off his gun; but, Holy Virgin! what makes you look +so pale, madam? The man was not killed,--I dare say; but if he was, his +comrades carried him off: for, when Jean went in the morning, to look +for the body, it was gone, and nothing to be seen but a track of blood +on the ground. Jean followed it, that he might find out where the man +got into the garden, but it was lost in the grass, and'-- + +Annette was interrupted: for Emily's spirits died away, and she would +have fallen to the ground, if the girl had not caught her, and supported +her to a bench, close to them. + +When, after a long absence, her senses returned, Emily desired to be +led to her apartment; and, though she trembled with anxiety to enquire +further on the subject of her alarm, she found herself too ill at +present, to dare the intelligence which it was possible she might +receive of Valancourt. Having dismissed Annette, that she might weep +and think at liberty, she endeavoured to recollect the exact air of the +person, whom she had seen on the terrace, and still her fancy gave her +the figure of Valancourt. She had, indeed, scarcely a doubt, that it was +he whom she had seen, and at whom the gardener had fired: for the manner +of the latter person, as described by Annette, was not that of a robber; +nor did it appear probable, that a robber would have come alone, to +break into a house so spacious as this. + +When Emily thought herself sufficiently recovered, to listen to what +Jean might have to relate, she sent for him; but he could inform her of +no circumstance, that might lead to a knowledge of the person, who +had been shot, or of the consequence of the wound; and, after severely +reprimanding him, for having fired with bullets, and ordering diligent +enquiry to be made in the neighbourhood for the discovery of the wounded +person, she dismissed him, and herself remained in the same state of +terrible suspense. All the tenderness she had ever felt for Valancourt, +was recalled by the sense of his danger; and the more she considered the +subject, the more her conviction strengthened, that it was he, who +had visited the gardens, for the purpose of soothing the misery of +disappointed affection, amidst the scenes of his former happiness. + +'Dear madam,' said Annette, when she returned, 'I never saw you so +affected before! I dare say the man is not killed.' + +Emily shuddered, and lamented bitterly the rashness of the gardener in +having fired. + +'I knew you would be angry enough about that, madam, or I should have +told you before; and he knew so too; for, says he, "Annette, say nothing +about this to my lady. She lies on the other side of the house, so did +not hear the gun, perhaps; but she would be angry with me, if she knew, +seeing there is blood. But then," says he, "how is one to keep the +garden clear, if one is afraid to fire at a robber, when one sees him?"' + +'No more of this,' said Emily, 'pray leave me.' + +Annette obeyed, and Emily returned to the agonizing considerations, that +had assailed her before, but which she, at length, endeavoured to sooth +by a new remark. If the stranger was Valancourt, it was certain he had +come alone, and it appeared, therefore, that he had been able to quit +the gardens, without assistance; a circumstance which did not seem +probable, had his wound been dangerous. With this consideration, she +endeavoured to support herself, during the enquiries, that were making +by her servants in the neighbourhood; but day after day came, and still +closed in uncertainty, concerning this affair: and Emily, suffering in +silence, at length, drooped, and sunk under the pressure of her anxiety. +She was attacked by a slow fever, and when she yielded to the persuasion +of Annette to send for medical advice, the physicians prescribed little +beside air, gentle exercise and amusement: but how was this last to be +obtained? She, however, endeavoured to abstract her thoughts from the +subject of her anxiety, by employing them in promoting that happiness in +others, which she had lost herself; and, when the evening was fine, she +usually took an airing, including in her ride the cottages of some of +her tenants, on whose condition she made such observations, as often +enabled her, unasked, to fulfil their wishes. + +Her indisposition and the business she engaged in, relative to this +estate, had already protracted her stay at Tholouse, beyond the period +she had formerly fixed for her departure to La Vallee; and now she +was unwilling to leave the only place, where it seemed possible, that +certainty could be obtained on the subject of her distress. But the time +was come, when her presence was necessary at La Vallee, a letter from +the Lady Blanche now informing her, that the Count and herself, being +then at the chateau of the Baron St. Foix, purposed to visit her at La +Vallee, on their way home, as soon as they should be informed of her +arrival there. Blanche added, that they made this visit, with the hope +of inducing her to return with them to Chateau-le-Blanc. + +Emily, having replied to the letter of her friend, and said that she +should be at La Vallee in a few days, made hasty preparations for the +journey; and, in thus leaving Tholouse, endeavoured to support herself +with a belief, that, if any fatal accident had happened to Valancourt, +she must in this interval have heard of it. + +On the evening before her departure, she went to take leave of the +terrace and the pavilion. The day had been sultry, but a light shower, +that fell just before sun-set, had cooled the air, and given that soft +verdure to the woods and pastures, which is so refreshing to the eye; +while the rain drops, still trembling on the shrubs, glittered in the +last yellow gleam, that lighted up the scene, and the air was filled +with fragrance, exhaled by the late shower, from herbs and flowers and +from the earth itself. But the lovely prospect, which Emily beheld from +the terrace, was no longer viewed by her with delight; she sighed deeply +as her eye wandered over it, and her spirits were in a state of such +dejection, that she could not think of her approaching return to La +Vallee, without tears, and seemed to mourn again the death of her +father, as if it had been an event of yesterday. Having reached the +pavilion, she seated herself at the open lattice, and, while her +eyes settled on the distant mountains, that overlooked Gascony, still +gleaming on the horizon, though the sun had now left the plains below, +'Alas!' said she, 'I return to your long-lost scenes, but shall meet +no more the parents, that were wont to render them delightful!--no +more shall see the smile of welcome, or hear the well-known voice of +fondness:--all will now be cold and silent in what was once my happy +home.' + +Tears stole down her cheek, as the remembrance of what that home had +been, returned to her; but, after indulging her sorrow for some time, +she checked it, accusing herself of ingratitude in forgetting the +friends, that she possessed, while she lamented those that were +departed; and she, at length, left the pavilion and the terrace, without +having observed a shadow of Valancourt or of any other person. + + + +CHAPTER XI + + + Ah happy hills! ah pleasing shade! + Ah fields belov'd in vain! + Where once my careless childhood stray'd, + A stranger yet to pain! + I feel the gales, that from ye blow, + A momentary bliss bestow, + As waving fresh their gladsome wing, + My weary soul they seem to sooth. + GRAY + +On the following morning, Emily left Tholouse at an early hour, and +reached La Vallee about sun-set. With the melancholy she experienced on +the review of a place which had been the residence of her parents, and +the scene of her earliest delight, was mingled, after the first shock +had subsided, a tender and undescribable pleasure. For time had so far +blunted the acuteness of her grief, that she now courted every scene, +that awakened the memory of her friends; in every room, where she had +been accustomed to see them, they almost seemed to live again; and +she felt that La Vallee was still her happiest home. One of the first +apartments she visited, was that, which had been her father's +library, and here she seated herself in his arm-chair, and, while she +contemplated, with tempered resignation, the picture of past times, +which her memory gave, the tears she shed could scarcely be called those +of grief. + +Soon after her arrival, she was surprised by a visit from the venerable +M. Barreaux, who came impatiently to welcome the daughter of his late +respected neighbour, to her long-deserted home. Emily was comforted by +the presence of an old friend, and they passed an interesting hour in +conversing of former times, and in relating some of the circumstances, +that had occurred to each, since they parted. + +The evening was so far advanced, when M. Barreaux left Emily, that she +could not visit the garden that night; but, on the following morning, +she traced its long-regretted scenes with fond impatience; and, as she +walked beneath the groves, which her father had planted, and where +she had so often sauntered in affectionate conversation with him, his +countenance, his smile, even the accents of his voice, returned +with exactness to her fancy, and her heart melted to the tender +recollections. + +This, too, was his favourite season of the year, at which they had often +together admired the rich and variegated tints of these woods and the +magical effect of autumnal lights upon the mountains; and now, the view +of these circumstances made memory eloquent. As she wandered pensively +on, she fancied the following address + + TO AUTUMN + + Sweet Autumn! how thy melancholy grace + Steals on my heart, as through these shades I wind! + Sooth'd by thy breathing sigh, I fondly trace + Each lonely image of the pensive mind! + Lov'd scenes, lov'd friends--long lost! around me rise, + And wake the melting thought, the tender tear! + That tear, that thought, which more than mirth I prize-- + Sweet as the gradual tint, that paints thy year! + Thy farewel smile, with fond regret, I view, + Thy beaming lights, soft gliding o'er the woods; + Thy distant landscape, touch'd with yellow hue + While falls the lengthen'd gleam; thy winding floods, + Now veil'd in shade, save where the skiff's white sails + Swell to the breeze, and catch thy streaming ray. + But now, e'en now!--the partial vision fails, + And the wave smiles, as sweeps the cloud away! + Emblem of life!--Thus checquer'd is its plan, + Thus joy succeeds to grief--thus smiles the varied man! + +One of Emily's earliest enquiries, after her arrival at La Vallee, was +concerning Theresa, her father's old servant, whom it may be remembered +that M. Quesnel had turned from the house when it was let, without +any provision. Understanding that she lived in a cottage at no great +distance, Emily walked thither, and, on approaching, was pleased to see, +that her habitation was pleasantly situated on a green slope, sheltered +by a tuft of oaks, and had an appearance of comfort and extreme +neatness. She found the old woman within, picking vine-stalks, who, on +perceiving her young mistress, was nearly overcome with joy. + +'Ah! my dear young lady!' said she, 'I thought I should never see +you again in this world, when I heard you was gone to that outlandish +country. I have been hardly used, since you went; I little thought they +would have turned me out of my old master's family in my old age!' + +Emily lamented the circumstance, and then assured her, that she would +make her latter days comfortable, and expressed satisfaction, on seeing +her in so pleasant an habitation. + +Theresa thanked her with tears, adding, 'Yes, mademoiselle, it is a +very comfortable home, thanks to the kind friend, who took me out of +my distress, when you was too far off to help me, and placed me here! I +little thought!--but no more of that--' + +'And who was this kind friend?' said Emily: 'whoever it was, I shall +consider him as mine also.' + +'Ah, mademoiselle! that friend forbad me to blazon the good deed--I must +not say, who it was. But how you are altered since I saw you last! You +look so pale now, and so thin, too; but then, there is my old master's +smile! Yes, that will never leave you, any more than the goodness, that +used to make him smile. Alas-a-day! the poor lost a friend indeed, when +he died!' + +Emily was affected by this mention of her father, which Theresa +observing, changed the subject. 'I heard, mademoiselle,' said she, +'that Madame Cheron married a foreign gentleman, after all, and took you +abroad; how does she do?' + +Emily now mentioned her death. 'Alas!' said Theresa, 'if she had not +been my master's sister, I should never have loved her; she was always +so cross. But how does that dear young gentleman do, M. Valancourt? he +was an handsome youth, and a good one; is he well, mademoiselle?' + +Emily was much agitated. + +'A blessing on him!' continued Theresa. 'Ah, my dear young lady, you +need not look so shy; I know all about it. Do you think I do not know, +that he loves you? Why, when you was away, mademoiselle, he used to +come to the chateau and walk about it, so disconsolate! He would go into +every room in the lower part of the house, and, sometimes, he would +sit himself down in a chair, with his arms across, and his eyes on +the floor, and there he would sit, and think, and think, for the hour +together. He used to be very fond of the south parlour, because I +told him it used to be yours; and there he would stay, looking at the +pictures, which I said you drew, and playing upon your lute, that hung +up by the window, and reading in your books, till sunset, and then he +must go back to his brother's chateau. And then--' + +'It is enough, Theresa,' said Emily.--'How long have you lived in this +cottage--and how can I serve you? Will you remain here, or return and +live with me?' + +'Nay, mademoiselle,' said Theresa, 'do not be so shy to your poor +old servant. I am sure it is no disgrace to like such a good young +gentleman.' + +A deep sigh escaped from Emily. + +'Ah! how he did love to talk of you! I loved him for that. Nay, for that +matter, he liked to hear me talk, for he did not say much himself. But I +soon found out what he came to the chateau about. Then, he would go +into the garden, and down to the terrace, and sit under that great tree +there, for the day together, with one of your books in his hand; but he +did not read much, I fancy; for one day I happened to go that way, and I +heard somebody talking. Who can be here? says I: I am sure I let nobody +into the garden, but the Chevalier. So I walked softly, to see who it +could be; and behold! it was the Chevalier himself, talking to himself +about you. And he repeated your name, and sighed so! and said he had +lost you for ever, for that you would never return for him. I thought he +was out in his reckoning there, but I said nothing, and stole away.' + +'No more of this trifling,' said Emily, awakening from her reverie: 'it +displeases me.' + +'But, when M. Quesnel let the chateau, I thought it would have broke the +Chevalier's heart.' + +'Theresa,' said Emily seriously, 'you must name the Chevalier no more!' + +'Not name him, mademoiselle!' cried Theresa: 'what times are come +up now? Why, I love the Chevalier next to my old master and you, +mademoiselle.' + +'Perhaps your love was not well bestowed, then,' replied Emily, trying +to conceal her tears; 'but, however that might be, we shall meet no +more.' + +'Meet no more!--not well bestowed!' exclaimed Theresa. 'What do I hear? +No, mademoiselle, my love was well bestowed, for it was the Chevalier +Valancourt, who gave me this cottage, and has supported me in my old +age, ever since M. Quesnel turned me from my master's house.' + +'The Chevalier Valancourt!' said Emily, trembling extremely. + +'Yes, mademoiselle, he himself, though he made me promise not to tell; +but how could one help, when one heard him ill spoken of? Ah! dear young +lady, you may well weep, if you have behaved unkindly to him, for a more +tender heart than his never young gentleman had. He found me out in my +distress, when you was too far off to help me; and M. Quesnel refused +to do so, and bade me go to service again--Alas! I was too old for +that!--The Chevalier found me, and bought me this cottage, and gave me +money to furnish it, and bade me seek out another poor woman to live +with me; and he ordered his brother's steward to pay me, every quarter, +that which has supported me in comfort. Think then, mademoiselle, +whether I have not reason to speak well of the Chevalier. And there are +others, who could have afforded it better than he: and I am afraid he +has hurt himself by his generosity, for quarter day is gone by long +since, and no money for me! But do not weep so, mademoiselle: you are +not sorry surely to hear of the poor Chevalier's goodness?' + +'Sorry!' said Emily, and wept the more. 'But how long is it since you +have seen him?' + +'Not this many a day, mademoiselle.' + +'When did you hear of him?' enquired Emily, with increased emotion. + +'Alas! never since he went away so suddenly into Languedoc; and he was +but just come from Paris then, or I should have seen him, I am sure. +Quarter day is gone by long since, and, as I said, no money for me; and +I begin to fear some harm has happened to him: and if I was not so far +from Estuviere and so lame, I should have gone to enquire before this +time; and I have nobody to send so far.' + +Emily's anxiety, as to the fate of Valancourt, was now scarcely +endurable, and, since propriety would not suffer her to send to the +chateau of his brother, she requested that Theresa would immediately +hire some person to go to his steward from herself, and, when he asked +for the quarterage due to her, to make enquiries concerning Valancourt. +But she first made Theresa promise never to mention her name in this +affair, or ever with that of the Chevalier Valancourt; and her +former faithfulness to M. St. Aubert induced Emily to confide in her +assurances. Theresa now joyfully undertook to procure a person for this +errand, and then Emily, after giving her a sum of money to supply her +with present comforts, returned, with spirits heavily oppressed, to her +home, lamenting, more than ever, that an heart, possessed of so much +benevolence as Valancourt's, should have been contaminated by the vices +of the world, but affected by the delicate affection, which his kindness +to her old servant expressed for herself. + + + +CHAPTER XII + + + Light thickens, and the crow + Makes wing to the rooky wood: + Good things of day begin to droop, and drowze; + While night's black agents to their preys do rouze. + MACBETH + +Meanwhile Count De Villefort and Lady Blanche had passed a pleasant +fortnight at the chateau de St. Foix, with the Baron and Baroness, +during which they made frequent excursions among the mountains, and were +delighted with the romantic wildness of Pyrenean scenery. It was with +regret, that the Count bade adieu to his old friends, although with the +hope of being soon united with them in one family; for it was settled +that M. St. Foix, who now attended them into Gascony, should receive the +hand of the Lady Blanche, upon their arrival at Chateau-le-Blanc. As +the road, from the Baron's residence to La Vallee, was over some of +the wildest tract of the Pyrenees, and where a carriage-wheel had never +passed, the Count hired mules for himself and his family, as well as a +couple of stout guides, who were well armed, informed of all the passes +of the mountains, and who boasted, too, that they were acquainted with +every brake and dingle in the way, could tell the names of all the +highest points of this chain of Alps, knew every forest, that spread +along their narrow vallies, the shallowest part of every torrent they +must cross, and the exact distance of every goat-herd's and hunter's +cabin they should have occasion to pass,--which last article of learning +required no very capacious memory, for even such simple inhabitants were +but thinly scattered over these wilds. + +The Count left the chateau de St. Foix, early in the morning, with an +intention of passing the night at a little inn upon the mountains, about +half way to La Vallee, of which his guides had informed him; and, though +this was frequented chiefly by Spanish muleteers, on their route into +France, and, of course, would afford only sorry accommodation, the Count +had no alternative, for it was the only place like an inn, on the road. + +After a day of admiration and fatigue, the travellers found themselves, +about sun-set, in a woody valley, overlooked, on every side, by abrupt +heights. They had proceeded for many leagues, without seeing a human +habitation, and had only heard, now and then, at a distance, the +melancholy tinkling of a sheep-bell; but now they caught the notes of +merry music, and presently saw, within a little green recess among the +rocks, a group of mountaineers, tripping through a dance. The Count, +who could not look upon the happiness, any more than on the misery +of others, with indifference, halted to enjoy this scene of simple +pleasure. The group before him consisted of French and Spanish peasants, +the inhabitants of a neighbouring hamlet, some of whom were performing a +sprightly dance, the women with castanets in their hands, to the sounds +of a lute and a tamborine, till, from the brisk melody of France, the +music softened into a slow movement, to which two female peasants danced +a Spanish Pavan. + +The Count, comparing this with the scenes of such gaiety as he had +witnessed at Paris, where false taste painted the features, and, while +it vainly tried to supply the glow of nature, concealed the charms +of animation--where affectation so often distorted the air, and vice +perverted the manners--sighed to think, that natural graces and innocent +pleasures flourished in the wilds of solitude, while they drooped amidst +the concourse of polished society. But the lengthening shadows reminded +the travellers, that they had no time to lose; and, leaving this joyous +group, they pursued their way towards the little inn, which was to +shelter them from the night. + +The rays of the setting sun now threw a yellow gleam upon the forests of +pine and chesnut, that swept down the lower region of the mountains, and +gave resplendent tints to the snowy points above. But soon, even this +light faded fast, and the scenery assumed a more tremendous appearance, +invested with the obscurity of twilight. Where the torrent had been +seen, it was now only heard; where the wild cliffs had displayed +every variety of form and attitude, a dark mass of mountains now alone +appeared; and the vale, which far, far below had opened its dreadful +chasm, the eye could no longer fathom. A melancholy gleam still lingered +on the summits of the highest Alps, overlooking the deep repose of +evening, and seeming to make the stillness of the hour more awful. + +Blanche viewed the scene in silence, and listened with enthusiasm to the +murmur of the pines, that extended in dark lines along the mountains, +and to the faint voice of the izard, among the rocks, that came at +intervals on the air. But her enthusiasm sunk into apprehension, when, +as the shadows deepened, she looked upon the doubtful precipice, that +bordered the road, as well as on the various fantastic forms of danger, +that glimmered through the obscurity beyond it; and she asked her +father, how far they were from the inn, and whether he did not consider +the road to be dangerous at this late hour. The Count repeated the first +question to the guides, who returned a doubtful answer, adding, that, +when it was darker, it would be safest to rest, till the moon rose. +'It is scarcely safe to proceed now,' said the Count; but the guides, +assuring him that there was no danger, went on. Blanche, revived by +this assurance, again indulged a pensive pleasure, as she watched the +progress of twilight gradually spreading its tints over the woods and +mountains, and stealing from the eye every minuter feature of the scene, +till the grand outlines of nature alone remained. Then fell the silent +dews, and every wild flower, and aromatic plant, that bloomed among the +cliffs, breathed forth its sweetness; then, too, when the mountain-bee +had crept into its blossomed bed, and the hum of every little insect, +that had floated gaily in the sun-beam, was hushed, the sound of many +streams, not heard till now, murmured at a distance.--The bats alone, +of all the animals inhabiting this region, seemed awake; and, while +they flitted across the silent path, which Blanche was pursuing, she +remembered the following lines, which Emily had given her: + + TO THE BAT + + From haunt of man, from day's obtrusive glare, + Thou shroud'st thee in the ruin's ivy'd tow'r. + Or in some shadowy glen's romantic bow'r, + Where wizard forms their mystic charms prepare, + Where Horror lurks, and ever-boding Care! + But, at the sweet and silent ev'ning hour, + When clos'd in sleep is ev'ry languid flow'r, + Thou lov'st to sport upon the twilight air, + Mocking the eye, that would thy course pursue, + In many a wanton-round, elastic, gay, + Thou flit'st athwart the pensive wand'rer's way, + As his lone footsteps print the mountain-dew. + From Indian isles thou com'st, with Summer's car, + Twilight thy love--thy guide her beaming star! + +To a warm imagination, the dubious forms, that float, half veiled in +darkness, afford a higher delight, than the most distinct scenery, that +the sun can shew. While the fancy thus wanders over landscapes partly of +its own creation, a sweet complacency steals upon the mind, and + + Refines it all to subtlest feeling, + Bids the tear of rapture roll. + +The distant note of a torrent, the weak trembling of the breeze among +the woods, or the far-off sound of a human voice, now lost and heard +again, are circumstances, which wonderfully heighten the enthusiastic +tone of the mind. The young St. Foix, who saw the presentations of a +fervid fancy, and felt whatever enthusiasm could suggest, sometimes +interrupted the silence, which the rest of the party seemed by mutual +consent to preserve, remarking and pointing out to Blanche the most +striking effect of the hour upon the scenery; while Blanche, whose +apprehensions were beguiled by the conversation of her lover, yielded +to the taste so congenial to his, and they conversed in a low restrained +voice, the effect of the pensive tranquillity, which twilight and the +scene inspired, rather than of any fear, that they should be heard. +But, while the heart was thus soothed to tenderness, St. Foix gradually +mingled, with his admiration of the country, a mention of his affection; +and he continued to speak, and Blanche to listen, till the mountains, +the woods, and the magical illusions of twilight, were remembered no +more. + +The shadows of evening soon shifted to the gloom of night, which was +somewhat anticipated by the vapours, that, gathering fast round the +mountains, rolled in dark wreaths along their sides; and the guides +proposed to rest, till the moon should rise, adding, that they thought a +storm was coming on. As they looked round for a spot, that might afford +some kind of shelter, an object was perceived obscurely through the +dusk, on a point of rock, a little way down the mountain, which they +imagined to be a hunter's or a shepherd's cabin, and the party, with +cautious steps, proceeded towards it. Their labour, however, was not +rewarded, or their apprehensions soothed; for, on reaching the object of +their search, they discovered a monumental cross, which marked the spot +to have been polluted by murder. + +The darkness would not permit them to read the inscription; but the +guides knew this to be a cross, raised to the memory of a Count de +Beliard, who had been murdered here by a horde of banditti, that had +infested this part of the Pyrenees, a few years before; and the uncommon +size of the monument seemed to justify the supposition, that it was +erected for a person of some distinction. Blanche shuddered, as she +listened to some horrid particulars of the Count's fate, which one of +the guides related in a low, restrained tone, as if the sound of his own +voice frightened him; but, while they lingered at the cross, attending +to his narrative, a flash of lightning glanced upon the rocks, thunder +muttered at a distance, and the travellers, now alarmed, quitted this +scene of solitary horror, in search of shelter. + +Having regained their former track, the guides, as they passed on, +endeavoured to interest the Count by various stories of robbery, and +even of murder, which had been perpetrated in the very places they +must unavoidably pass, with accounts of their own dauntless courage +and wonderful escapes. The chief guide, or rather he, who was the most +completely armed, drawing forth one of the four pistols, that were +tucked into his belt, swore, that it had shot three robbers within the +year. He then brandished a clasp-knife of enormous length, and was +going to recount the wonderful execution it had done, when St. Foix, +perceiving, that Blanche was terrified, interrupted him. The Count, +meanwhile, secretly laughing at the terrible histories and extravagant +boastings of the man, resolved to humour him, and, telling Blanche in +a whisper, his design, began to recount some exploits of his own, which +infinitely exceeded any related by the guide. + +To these surprising circumstances he so artfully gave the colouring of +truth, that the courage of the guides was visibly affected by them, +who continued silent, long after the Count had ceased to speak. The +loquacity of the chief hero thus laid asleep, the vigilance of his eyes +and ears seemed more thoroughly awakened, for he listened, with much +appearance of anxiety, to the deep thunder, which murmured at intervals, +and often paused, as the breeze, that was now rising, rushed among the +pines. But, when he made a sudden halt before a tuft of cork trees, +that projected over the road, and drew forth a pistol, before he would +venture to brave the banditti which might lurk behind it, the Count +could no longer refrain from laughter. + +Having now, however, arrived at a level spot, somewhat sheltered from +the air, by overhanging cliffs and by a wood of larch, that rose over +the precipice on the left, and the guides being yet ignorant how far +they were from the inn, the travellers determined to rest, till the moon +should rise, or the storm disperse. Blanche, recalled to a sense of the +present moment, looked on the surrounding gloom, with terror; but giving +her hand to St. Foix, she alighted, and the whole party entered a kind +of cave, if such it could be called, which was only a shallow cavity, +formed by the curve of impending rocks. A light being struck, a fire was +kindled, whose blaze afforded some degree of cheerfulness, and no +small comfort, for, though the day had been hot, the night air of this +mountainous region was chilling; a fire was partly necessary also to +keep off the wolves, with which those wilds were infested. + +Provisions being spread upon a projection of the rock, the Count and his +family partook of a supper, which, in a scene less rude, would certainly +have been thought less excellent. When the repast was finished, St. +Foix, impatient for the moon, sauntered along the precipice, to a point, +that fronted the east; but all was yet wrapt in gloom, and the silence +of night was broken only by the murmuring of woods, that waved far +below, or by distant thunder, and, now and then, by the faint voices of +the party he had quitted. He viewed, with emotions of awful sublimity, +the long volumes of sulphureous clouds, that floated along the upper and +middle regions of the air, and the lightnings that flashed from them, +sometimes silently, and, at others, followed by sullen peals of thunder, +which the mountains feebly prolonged, while the whole horizon, and the +abyss, on which he stood, were discovered in the momentary light. Upon +the succeeding darkness, the fire, which had been kindled in the cave, +threw a partial gleam, illumining some points of the opposite rocks, and +the summits of pine-woods, that hung beetling on the cliffs below, while +their recesses seemed to frown in deeper shade. + +St. Foix stopped to observe the picture, which the party in the cave +presented, where the elegant form of Blanche was finely contrasted by +the majestic figure of the Count, who was seated by her on a rude stone, +and each was rendered more impressive by the grotesque habits and strong +features of the guides and other attendants, who were in the back ground +of the piece. The effect of the light, too, was interesting; on the +surrounding figures it threw a strong, though pale gleam, and glittered +on their bright arms; while upon the foliage of a gigantic larch, that +impended its shade over the cliff above, appeared a red, dusky tint, +deepening almost imperceptibly into the blackness of night. + +While St. Foix contemplated the scene, the moon, broad and yellow, rose +over the eastern summits, from among embattled clouds, and shewed dimly +the grandeur of the heavens, the mass of vapours, that rolled half way +down the precipice beneath, and the doubtful mountains. + + What dreadful pleasure! there to stand sublime, + Like shipwreck'd mariner on desert coast, + And view th'enormous waste of vapour, tost + In billows length'ning to th'horizon round! + THE MINSTREL + +From this romantic reverie he was awakened by the voices of the guides, +repeating his name, which was reverbed from cliff to cliff, till an +hundred tongues seemed to call him; when he soon quieted the fears of +the Count and the Lady Blanche, by returning to the cave. As the storm, +however, seemed approaching, they did not quit their place of shelter; +and the Count, seated between his daughter and St. Foix, endeavoured to +divert the fears of the former, and conversed on subjects, relating to +the natural history of the scene, among which they wandered. He spoke +of the mineral and fossile substances, found in the depths of these +mountains,--the veins of marble and granite, with which they abounded, +the strata of shells, discovered near their summits, many thousand +fathom above the level of the sea, and at a vast distance from its +present shore;--of the tremendous chasms and caverns of the rocks, the +grotesque form of the mountains, and the various phaenomena, that seem +to stamp upon the world the history of the deluge. From the natural +history he descended to the mention of events and circumstances, +connected with the civil story of the Pyrenees; named some of the most +remarkable fortresses, which France and Spain had erected in the passes +of these mountains; and gave a brief account of some celebrated sieges +and encounters in early times, when Ambition first frightened Solitude +from these her deep recesses, made her mountains, which before had +echoed only to the torrent's roar, tremble with the clang of arms, and, +when man's first footsteps in her sacred haunts had left the print of +blood! + +As Blanche sat, attentive to the narrative, that rendered the +scenes doubly interesting, and resigned to solemn emotion, while she +considered, that she was on the very ground, once polluted by these +events, her reverie was suddenly interrupted by a sound, that came +in the wind.--It was the distant bark of a watch-dog. The travellers +listened with eager hope, and, as the wind blew stronger, fancied, that +the sound came from no great distance; and, the guides having little +doubt, that it proceeded from the inn they were in search of, the Count +determined to pursue his way. The moon now afforded a stronger, though +still an uncertain light, as she moved among broken clouds; and the +travellers, led by the sound, recommenced their journey along the brow +of the precipice, preceded by a single torch, that now contended with +the moon-light; for the guides, believing they should reach the inn soon +after sun-set, had neglected to provide more. In silent caution they +followed the sound, which was heard but at intervals, and which, after +some time entirely ceased. The guides endeavoured, however, to point +their course to the quarter, whence it had issued, but the deep roaring +of a torrent soon seized their attention, and presently they came to +a tremendous chasm of the mountain, which seemed to forbid all further +progress. Blanche alighted from her mule, as did the Count and St. +Foix, while the guides traversed the edge in search of a bridge, which, +however rude, might convey them to the opposite side, and they, at +length, confessed, what the Count had begun to suspect, that they had +been, for some time, doubtful of their way, and were now certain only, +that they had lost it. + +At a little distance, was discovered a rude and dangerous passage, +formed by an enormous pine, which, thrown across the chasm, united the +opposite precipices, and which had been felled probably by the hunter, +to facilitate his chace of the izard, or the wolf. The whole party, +the guides excepted, shuddered at the prospect of crossing this alpine +bridge, whose sides afforded no kind of defence, and from which to fall +was to die. The guides, however, prepared to lead over the mules, while +Blanche stood trembling on the brink, and listening to the roar of the +waters, which were seen descending from rocks above, overhung with lofty +pines, and thence precipitating themselves into the deep abyss, where +their white surges gleamed faintly in the moon-light. The poor animals +proceeded over this perilous bridge with instinctive caution, neither +frightened by the noise of the cataract, or deceived by the gloom, which +the impending foliage threw athwart their way. It was now, that the +solitary torch, which had been hitherto of little service, was found +to be an inestimable treasure; and Blanche, terrified, shrinking, +but endeavouring to re-collect all her firmness and presence of mind, +preceded by her lover and supported by her father, followed the red +gleam of the torch, in safety, to the opposite cliff. + +As they went on, the heights contracted, and formed a narrow pass, at +the bottom of which, the torrent they had just crossed, was heard to +thunder. But they were again cheered by the bark of a dog, keeping +watch, perhaps, over the flocks of the mountains, to protect them +from the nightly descent of the wolves. The sound was much nearer than +before, and, while they rejoiced in the hope of soon reaching a place +of repose, a light was seen to glimmer at a distance. It appeared at a +height considerably above the level of their path, and was lost and seen +again, as if the waving branches of trees sometimes excluded and then +admitted its rays. The guides hallooed with all their strength, but the +sound of no human voice was heard in return, and, at length, as a more +effectual means of making themselves known, they fired a pistol. But, +while they listened in anxious expectation, the noise of the explosion +was alone heard, echoing among the rocks, and it gradually sunk into +silence, which no friendly hint of man disturbed. The light, however, +that had been seen before, now became plainer, and, soon after, voices +were heard indistinctly on the wind; but, upon the guides repeating the +call, the voices suddenly ceased, and the light disappeared. + +The Lady Blanche was now almost sinking beneath the pressure of anxiety, +fatigue and apprehension, and the united efforts of the Count and St. +Foix could scarcely support her spirits. As they continued to advance, +an object was perceived on a point of rock above, which, the strong rays +of the moon then falling on it, appeared to be a watch-tower. The Count, +from its situation and some other circumstances, had little doubt, that +it was such, and believing, that the light had proceeded from thence, he +endeavoured to re-animate his daughter's spirits by the near prospect +of shelter and repose, which, however rude the accommodation, a ruined +watch-tower might afford. + +'Numerous watch-towers have been erected among the Pyrenees,' said the +Count, anxious only to call Blanche's attention from the subject of her +fears; 'and the method, by which they give intelligence of the approach +of the enemy, is, you know, by fires, kindled on the summits of these +edifices. Signals have thus, sometimes, been communicated from post to +post, along a frontier line of several hundred miles in length. Then, +as occasion may require, the lurking armies emerge from their fortresses +and the forests, and march forth, to defend, perhaps, the entrance of +some grand pass, where, planting themselves on the heights, they assail +their astonished enemies, who wind along the glen below, with fragments +of the shattered cliff, and pour death and defeat upon them. The ancient +forts, and watch-towers, overlooking the grand passes of the Pyrenees, +are carefully preserved; but some of those in inferior stations have +been suffered to fall into decay, and are now frequently converted into +the more peaceful habitation of the hunter, or the shepherd, who, after +a day of toil, retires hither, and, with his faithful dogs, forgets, +near a cheerful blaze, the labour of the chace, or the anxiety of +collecting his wandering flocks, while he is sheltered from the nightly +storm.' + +'But are they always thus peacefully inhabited?' said the Lady Blanche. + +'No,' replied the Count, 'they are sometimes the asylum of French and +Spanish smugglers, who cross the mountains with contraband goods from +their respective countries, and the latter are particularly numerous, +against whom strong parties of the king's troops are sometimes sent. But +the desperate resolution of these adventurers, who, knowing, that, if +they are taken, they must expiate the breach of the law by the most +cruel death, travel in large parties, well armed, often daunts the +courage of the soldiers. The smugglers, who seek only safety, never +engage, when they can possibly avoid it; the military, also, who +know, that in these encounters, danger is certain, and glory almost +unattainable, are equally reluctant to fight; an engagement, therefore, +very seldom happens, but, when it does, it never concludes till after +the most desperate and bloody conflict. You are inattentive, Blanche,' +added the Count: 'I have wearied you with a dull subject; but see, +yonder, in the moon-light, is the edifice we have been in search of, and +we are fortunate to be so near it, before the storm bursts.' + +Blanche, looking up, perceived, that they were at the foot of the cliff, +on whose summit the building stood, but no light now issued from it; the +barking of the dog too had, for some time, ceased, and the guides began +to doubt, whether this was really the object of their search. From the +distance, at which they surveyed it, shewn imperfectly by a cloudy moon, +it appeared to be of more extent than a single watch-tower; but the +difficulty was how to ascend the height, whose abrupt declivities seemed +to afford no kind of pathway. + +While the guides carried forward the torch to examine the cliff, the +Count, remaining with Blanche and St. Foix at its foot, under the shadow +of the woods, endeavoured again to beguile the time by conversation, +but again anxiety abstracted the mind of Blanche; and he then consulted, +apart with St. Foix, whether it would be advisable, should a path be +found, to venture to an edifice, which might possibly harbour banditti. +They considered, that their own party was not small, and that several of +them were well armed; and, after enumerating the dangers, to be incurred +by passing the night in the open wild, exposed, perhaps, to the effects +of a thunder-storm, there remained not a doubt, that they ought to +endeavour to obtain admittance to the edifice above, at any hazard +respecting the inhabitants it might harbour; but the darkness, and the +dead silence, that surrounded it, appeared to contradict the probability +of its being inhabited at all. + +A shout from the guides aroused their attention, after which, in a few +minutes, one of the Count's servants returned with intelligence, that a +path was found, and they immediately hastened to join the guides, when +they all ascended a little winding way cut in the rock among thickets +of dwarf wood, and, after much toil and some danger, reached the summit, +where several ruined towers, surrounded by a massy wall, rose to their +view, partially illumined by the moon-light. The space around the +building was silent, and apparently forsaken, but the Count was +cautious; 'Step softly,' said he, in a low voice, 'while we reconnoitre +the edifice.' + +Having proceeded silently along for some paces, they stopped at a +gate, whose portals were terrible even in ruins, and, after a moment's +hesitation, passed on to the court of entrance, but paused again at the +head of a terrace, which, branching from it, ran along the brow of a +precipice. Over this, rose the main body of the edifice, which was now +seen to be, not a watch-tower, but one of those ancient fortresses, +that, from age and neglect, had fallen to decay. Many parts of it, +however, appeared to be still entire; it was built of grey stone, in +the heavy Saxon-gothic style, with enormous round towers, buttresses of +proportionable strength, and the arch of the large gate, which seemed +to open into the hall of the fabric, was round, as was that of a window +above. The air of solemnity, which must so strongly have characterized +the pile even in the days of its early strength, was now considerably +heightened by its shattered battlements and half-demolished walls, and +by the huge masses of ruin, scattered in its wide area, now silent and +grass grown. In this court of entrance stood the gigantic remains of an +oak, that seemed to have flourished and decayed with the building, which +it still appeared frowningly to protect by the few remaining branches, +leafless and moss-grown, that crowned its trunk, and whose wide extent +told how enormous the tree had been in a former age. This fortress was +evidently once of great strength, and, from its situation on a point of +rock, impending over a deep glen, had been of great power to annoy, as +well as to resist; the Count, therefore, as he stood surveying it, was +somewhat surprised, that it had been suffered, ancient as it was, to +sink into ruins, and its present lonely and deserted air excited in +his breast emotions of melancholy awe. While he indulged, for a moment, +these emotions, he thought he heard a sound of remote voices steal upon +the stillness, from within the building, the front of which he again +surveyed with scrutinizing eyes, but yet no light was visible. He now +determined to walk round the fort, to that remote part of it, whence he +thought the voices had arisen, that he might examine whether any light +could be discerned there, before he ventured to knock at the gate; for +this purpose, he entered upon the terrace, where the remains of cannon +were yet apparent in the thick walls, but he had not proceeded many +paces, when his steps were suddenly arrested by the loud barking of a +dog within, and which he fancied to be the same, whose voice had been +the means of bringing the travellers thither. It now appeared certain, +that the place was inhabited, and the Count returned to consult again +with St. Foix, whether he should try to obtain admittance, for its wild +aspect had somewhat shaken his former resolution; but, after a +second consultation, he submitted to the considerations, which before +determined him, and which were strengthened by the discovery of the dog, +that guarded the fort, as well as by the stillness that pervaded it. +He, therefore, ordered one of his servants to knock at the gate, who was +advancing to obey him, when a light appeared through the loop-hole +of one of the towers, and the Count called loudly, but, receiving no +answer, he went up to the gate himself, and struck upon it with an +iron-pointed pole, which had assisted him to climb the steep. When +the echoes had ceased, that this blow had awakened, the renewed +barking,--and there were now more than one dog,--was the only sound, +that was heard. The Count stepped back, a few paces, to observe whether +the light was in the tower, and, perceiving, that it was gone, he +returned to the portal, and had lifted the pole to strike again, when +again he fancied he heard the murmur of voices within, and paused to +listen. He was confirmed in the supposition, but they were too remote, +to be heard otherwise than in a murmur, and the Count now let the pole +fall heavily upon the gate; when almost immediately a profound silence +followed. It was apparent, that the people within had heard the sound, +and their caution in admitting strangers gave him a favourable opinion +of them. 'They are either hunters or shepherds,' said he, 'who, like +ourselves, have probably sought shelter from the night within these +walls, and are fearful of admitting strangers, lest they should prove +robbers. I will endeavour to remove their fears.' So saying, he called +aloud, 'We are friends, who ask shelter from the night.' In a few +moments, steps were heard within, which approached, and a voice then +enquired--'Who calls?' 'Friends,' repeated the Count; 'open the gates, +and you shall know more.'--Strong bolts were now heard to be undrawn, +and a man, armed with a hunting spear, appeared. 'What is it you want +at this hour?' said he. The Count beckoned his attendants, and then +answered, that he wished to enquire the way to the nearest cabin. 'Are +you so little acquainted with these mountains,' said the man, 'as not to +know, that there is none, within several leagues? I cannot shew you the +way; you must seek it--there's a moon.' Saying this, he was closing the +gate, and the Count was turning away, half disappointed and half afraid, +when another voice was heard from above, and, on looking up, he saw a +light, and a man's face, at the grate of the portal. 'Stay, friend, you +have lost your way?' said the voice. 'You are hunters, I suppose, like +ourselves: I will be with you presently.' The voice ceased, and the +light disappeared. Blanche had been alarmed by the appearance of the +man, who had opened the gate, and she now entreated her father to quit +the place; but the Count had observed the hunter's spear, which he +carried; and the words from the tower encouraged him to await the event. +The gate was soon opened, and several men in hunters' habits, who had +heard above what had passed below, appeared, and, having listened some +time to the Count, told him he was welcome to rest there for the night. +They then pressed him, with much courtesy, to enter, and to partake of +such fare as they were about to sit down to. The Count, who had +observed them attentively while they spoke, was cautious, and somewhat +suspicious; but he was also weary, fearful of the approaching storm, and +of encountering alpine heights in the obscurity of night; being likewise +somewhat confident in the strength and number of his attendants, he, +after some further consideration, determined to accept the invitation. +With this resolution he called his servants, who, advancing round +the tower, behind which some of them had silently listened to this +conference, followed their Lord, the Lady Blanche, and St. Foix into the +fortress. The strangers led them on to a large and rude hall, partially +seen by a fire that blazed at its extremity, round which four men, in +the hunter's dress, were seated, and on the hearth were several dogs +stretched in sleep. In the middle of the hall stood a large table, +and over the fire some part of an animal was boiling. As the Count +approached, the men arose, and the dogs, half raising themselves, looked +fiercely at the strangers, but, on hearing their masters' voices, kept +their postures on the hearth. + +Blanche looked round this gloomy and spacious hall; then at the men, and +to her father, who, smiling cheerfully at her, addressed himself to the +hunters. 'This is an hospitable hearth,' said he, 'the blaze of a fire +is reviving after having wandered so long in these dreary wilds. Your +dogs are tired; what success have you had?' 'Such as we usually have,' +replied one of the men, who had been seated in the hall, 'we kill our +game with tolerable certainty.' 'These are fellow hunters,' said one of +the men who had brought the Count hither, 'that have lost their way, +and I have told them there is room enough in the fort for us all.' 'Very +true, very true,' replied his companion, 'What luck have you had in the +chace, brothers? We have killed two izards, and that, you will say, +is pretty well.' 'You mistake, friend,' said the Count, 'we are not +hunters, but travellers; but, if you will admit us to hunters' fare, we +shall be well contented, and will repay your kindness.' 'Sit down then, +brother,' said one of the men: 'Jacques, lay more fuel on the fire, the +kid will soon be ready; bring a seat for the lady too. Ma'amselle, will +you taste our brandy? it is true Barcelona, and as bright as ever flowed +from a keg.' Blanche timidly smiled, and was going to refuse, when her +father prevented her, by taking, with a good humoured air, the glass +offered to his daughter; and Mons. St. Foix, who was seated next her, +pressed her hand, and gave her an encouraging look, but her attention +was engaged by a man, who sat silently by the fire, observing St. Foix, +with a steady and earnest eye. + +'You lead a jolly life here,' said the Count. 'The life of a hunter is +a pleasant and a healthy one; and the repose is sweet, which succeeds to +your labour.' + +'Yes,' replied one of his hosts, 'our life is pleasant enough. We live +here only during the summer, and autumnal months; in winter, the place +is dreary, and the swoln torrents, that descend from the heights, put a +stop to the chace.' + +''Tis a life of liberty and enjoyment,' said the Count: 'I should like +to pass a month in your way very well.' + +'We find employment for our guns too,' said a man who stood behind the +Count: 'here are plenty of birds, of delicious flavour, that feed upon +the wild thyme and herbs, that grow in the vallies. Now I think of it, +there is a brace of birds hung up in the stone gallery; go fetch them, +Jacques, we will have them dressed.' + +The Count now made enquiry, concerning the method of pursuing the +chace among the rocks and precipices of these romantic regions, and +was listening to a curious detail, when a horn was sounded at the gate. +Blanche looked timidly at her father, who continued to converse on the +subject of the chace, but whose countenance was somewhat expressive of +anxiety, and who often turned his eyes towards that part of the hall +nearest the gate. The horn sounded again, and a loud halloo succeeded. +'These are some of our companions, returned from their day's labour,' +said a man, going lazily from his seat towards the gate; and in a +few minutes, two men appeared, each with a gun over his shoulder, and +pistols in his belt. 'What cheer, my lads? what cheer?' said they, +as they approached. 'What luck?' returned their companions: 'have you +brought home your supper? You shall have none else.' + +'Hah! who the devil have you brought home?' said they in bad Spanish, +on perceiving the Count's party, 'are they from France, or Spain?--where +did you meet with them?' + +'They met with us, and a merry meeting too,' replied his companion aloud +in good French. 'This chevalier, and his party, had lost their way, +and asked a night's lodging in the fort.' The others made no reply, but +threw down a kind of knapsack, and drew forth several brace of birds. +The bag sounded heavily as it fell to the ground, and the glitter +of some bright metal within glanced on the eye of the Count, who now +surveyed, with a more enquiring look, the man, that held the knapsack. +He was a tall robust figure, of a hard countenance, and had short black +hair, curling in his neck. Instead of the hunter's dress, he wore a +faded military uniform; sandals were laced on his broad legs, and a kind +of short trowsers hung from his waist. On his head he wore a leathern +cap, somewhat resembling in shape an ancient Roman helmet; but the +brows that scowled beneath it, would have characterized those of the +barbarians, who conquered Rome, rather than those of a Roman soldier. +The Count, at length, turned away his eyes, and remained silent and +thoughtful, till, again raising them, he perceived a figure standing in +an obscure part of the hall, fixed in attentive gaze on St. Foix, who +was conversing with Blanche, and did not observe this; but the Count, +soon after, saw the same man looking over the shoulder of the soldier as +attentively at himself. He withdrew his eye, when that of the Count met +it, who felt mistrust gathering fast upon his mind, but feared to betray +it in his countenance, and, forcing his features to assume a smile, +addressed Blanche on some indifferent subject. When he again looked +round, he perceived, that the soldier and his companion were gone. + +The man, who was called Jacques, now returned from the stone gallery. 'A +fire is lighted there,' said he, 'and the birds are dressing; the table +too is spread there, for that place is warmer than this.' + +His companions approved of the removal, and invited their guests to +follow to the gallery, of whom Blanche appeared distressed, and remained +seated, and St. Foix looked at the Count, who said, he preferred the +comfortable blaze of the fire he was then near. The hunters, however, +commended the warmth of the other apartment, and pressed his removal +with such seeming courtesy, that the Count, half doubting, and half +fearful of betraying his doubts, consented to go. The long and ruinous +passages, through which they went, somewhat daunted him, but the +thunder, which now burst in loud peals above, made it dangerous to +quit this place of shelter, and he forbore to provoke his conductors by +shewing that he distrusted them. The hunters led the way, with a +lamp; the Count and St. Foix, who wished to please their hosts by some +instances of familiarity, carried each a seat, and Blanche followed, +with faltering steps. As she passed on, part of her dress caught on a +nail in the wall, and, while she stopped, somewhat too scrupulously, +to disengage it, the Count, who was talking to St. Foix, and neither of +whom observed the circumstance, followed their conductor round an abrupt +angle of the passage, and Blanche was left behind in darkness. The +thunder prevented them from hearing her call but, having disengaged her +dress, she quickly followed, as she thought, the way they had taken. +A light, that glimmered at a distance, confirmed this belief, and she +proceeded towards an open door, whence it issued, conjecturing the room +beyond to be the stone gallery the men had spoken of. Hearing voices +as she advanced, she paused within a few paces of the chamber, that she +might be certain whether she was right, and from thence, by the light +of a lamp, that hung from the ceiling, observed four men, seated round +a table, over which they leaned in apparent consultation. In one of them +she distinguished the features of him, whom she had observed, gazing +at St. Foix, with such deep attention; and who was now speaking in an +earnest, though restrained voice, till, one of his companions seeming +to oppose him, they spoke together in a loud and harsher tone. Blanche, +alarmed by perceiving that neither her father, or St. Foix were there, +and terrified at the fierce countenances and manners of these men, was +turning hastily from the chamber, to pursue her search of the gallery, +when she heard one of the men say: + +'Let all dispute end here. Who talks of danger? Follow my advice, +and there will be none--secure THEM, and the rest are an easy prey.' +Blanche, struck with these words, paused a moment, to hear more. 'There +is nothing to be got by the rest,' said one of his companions, 'I am +never for blood when I can help it--dispatch the two others, and our +business is done; the rest may go.' + +'May they so?' exclaimed the first ruffian, with a tremendous +oath--'What! to tell how we have disposed of their masters, and to +send the king's troops to drag us to the wheel! You was always a choice +adviser--I warrant we have not yet forgot St. Thomas's eve last year.' + +Blanche's heart now sunk with horror. Her first impulse was to retreat +from the door, but, when she would have gone, her trembling frame +refused to support her, and, having tottered a few paces, to a more +obscure part of the passage, she was compelled to listen to the dreadful +councils of those, who, she was no longer suffered to doubt, were +banditti. In the next moment, she heard the following words, 'Why you +would not murder the whole GANG?' + +'I warrant our lives are as good as theirs,' replied his comrade. 'If +we don't kill them, they will hang us: better they should die than we be +hanged.' + +'Better, better,' cried his comrades. + +'To commit murder, is a hopeful way of escaping the gallows!' said the +first ruffian--'many an honest fellow has run his head into the noose +that way, though.' There was a pause of some moments, during which they +appeared to be considering. + +'Confound those fellows,' exclaimed one of the robbers impatiently, +'they ought to have been here by this time; they will come back +presently with the old story, and no booty: if they were here, our +business would be plain and easy. I see we shall not be able to do the +business to-night, for our numbers are not equal to the enemy, and in +the morning they will be for marching off, and how can we detain them +without force?' + +'I have been thinking of a scheme, that will do,' said one of his +comrades: 'if we can dispatch the two chevaliers silently, it will be +easy to master the rest.' + +'That's a plausible scheme, in good faith,' said another with a smile +of scorn--'If I can eat my way through the prison wall, I shall be at +liberty!--How can we dispatch them SILENTLY?' + +'By poison,' replied his companions. + +'Well said! that will do,' said the second ruffian, 'that will give a +lingering death too, and satisfy my revenge. These barons shall take +care how they again tempt our vengeance.' + +'I knew the son, the moment I saw him,' said the man, whom Blanche had +observed gazing on St. Foix, 'though he does not know me; the father I +had almost forgotten.' + +'Well, you may say what you will,' said the third ruffian, 'but I don't +believe he is the Baron, and I am as likely to know as any of you, for I +was one of them, that attacked him, with our brave lads, that suffered.' + +'And was not I another?' said the first ruffian, 'I tell you he is the +Baron; but what does it signify whether he is or not?--shall we let all +this booty go out of our hands? It is not often we have such luck at +this. While we run the chance of the wheel for smuggling a few pounds of +tobacco, to cheat the king's manufactory, and of breaking our necks +down the precipices in the chace of our food; and, now and then, rob a +brother smuggler, or a straggling pilgrim, of what scarcely repays us +the powder we fire at them, shall we let such a prize as this go? Why +they have enough about them to keep us for--' + +'I am not for that, I am not for that,' replied the third robber, 'let +us make the most of them: only, if this is the Baron, I should like to +have a flash the more at him, for the sake of our brave comrades, that +he brought to the gallows.' + +'Aye, aye, flash as much as you will,' rejoined the first man, 'but I +tell you the Baron is a taller man.' + +'Confound your quibbling,' said the second ruffian, 'shall we let them +go or not? If we stay here much longer, they will take the hint, and +march off without our leave. Let them be who they will, they are rich, +or why all those servants? Did you see the ring, he, you call the Baron, +had on his finger?--it was a diamond; but he has not got it on now: he +saw me looking at it, I warrant, and took it off.' + +'Aye, and then there is the picture; did you see that? She has not taken +that off,' observed the first ruffian, 'it hangs at her neck; if it had +not sparkled so, I should not have found it out, for it was almost hid +by her dress; those are diamonds too, and a rare many of them there must +be, to go round such a large picture.' + +'But how are we to manage this business?' said the second ruffian: 'let +us talk of that, there is no fear of there being booty enough, but how +are we to secure it?' + +'Aye, aye,' said his comrades, 'let us talk of that, and remember no +time is to be lost.' + + +'I am still for poison,' observed the third, 'but consider their number; +why there are nine or ten of them, and armed too; when I saw so many at +the gate, I was not for letting them in, you know, nor you either.' + +'I thought they might be some of our enemies,' replied the second, 'I +did not so much mind numbers.' + +'But you must mind them now,' rejoined his comrade, 'or it will be worse +for you. We are not more than six, and how can we master ten by open +force? I tell you we must give some of them a dose, and the rest may +then be managed.' + +'I'll tell you a better way,' rejoined the other impatiently, 'draw +closer.' + +Blanche, who had listened to this conversation, in an agony, which it +would be impossible to describe, could no longer distinguish what was +said, for the ruffians now spoke in lowered voices; but the hope, that +she might save her friends from the plot, if she could find her way +quickly to them, suddenly re-animated her spirits, and lent her strength +enough to turn her steps in search of the gallery. Terror, however, +and darkness conspired against her, and, having moved a few yards, the +feeble light, that issued from the chamber, no longer even contended +with the gloom, and, her foot stumbling over a step that crossed the +passage, she fell to the ground. + +The noise startled the banditti, who became suddenly silent, and then +all rushed to the passage, to examine whether any person was there, who +might have overheard their councils. Blanche saw them approaching, and +perceived their fierce and eager looks: but, before she could raise +herself, they discovered and seized her, and, as they dragged her +towards the chamber they had quitted, her screams drew from them +horrible threatenings. + +Having reached the room, they began to consult what they should do with +her. 'Let us first know what she had heard,' said the chief robber. 'How +long have you been in the passage, lady, and what brought you there?' + +'Let us first secure that picture,' said one of his comrades, +approaching the trembling Blanche. 'Fair lady, by your leave that +picture is mine; come, surrender it, or I shall seize it.' + +Blanche, entreating their mercy, immediately gave up the miniature, +while another of the ruffians fiercely interrogated her, concerning what +she had overheard of their conversation, when, her confusion and terror +too plainly telling what her tongue feared to confess, the ruffians +looked expressively upon one another, and two of them withdrew to a +remote part of the room, as if to consult further. + +'These are diamonds, by St. Peter!' exclaimed the fellow, who had been +examining the miniature, 'and here is a very pretty picture too, 'faith; +as handsome a young chevalier, as you would wish to see by a summer's +sun. Lady, this is your spouse, I warrant, for it is the spark, that was +in your company just now.' + +Blanche, sinking with terror, conjured him to have pity on her, and, +delivering him her purse, promised to say nothing of what had passed, if +he would suffer her to return to her friends. + +He smiled ironically, and was going to reply, when his attention was +called off by a distant noise; and, while he listened, he grasped the +arm of Blanche more firmly, as if he feared she would escape from him, +and she again shrieked for help. + +The approaching sounds called the ruffians from the other part of the +chamber. 'We are betrayed,' said they; 'but let us listen a moment, +perhaps it is only our comrades come in from the mountains, and if so, +our work is sure; listen!' + +A distant discharge of shot confirmed this supposition for a moment, +but, in the next, the former sounds drawing nearer, the clashing of +swords, mingled with the voices of loud contention and with heavy +groans, were distinguished in the avenue leading to the chamber. While +the ruffians prepared their arms, they heard themselves called by some +of their comrades afar off, and then a shrill horn was sounded without +the fortress, a signal, it appeared, they too well understood; for three +of them, leaving the Lady Blanche to the care of the fourth, instantly +rushed from the chamber. + +While Blanche, trembling, and nearly fainting, was supplicating for +release, she heard amid the tumult, that approached, the voice of St. +Foix, and she had scarcely renewed her shriek, when the door of the +room was thrown open, and he appeared, much disfigured with blood, and +pursued by several ruffians. Blanche neither saw, or heard any more; her +head swam, her sight failed, and she became senseless in the arms of the +robber, who had detained her. + +When she recovered, she perceived, by the gloomy light, that trembled +round her, that she was in the same chamber, but neither the Count, St. +Foix, or any other person appeared, and she continued, for some time, +entirely still, and nearly in a state of stupefaction. But, the dreadful +images of the past returning, she endeavoured to raise herself, that +she might seek her friends, when a sullen groan, at a little distance, +reminded her of St. Foix, and of the condition, in which she had seen +him enter this room; then, starting from the floor, by a sudden effort +of horror, she advanced to the place whence the sound had proceeded, +where a body was lying stretched upon the pavement, and where, by the +glimmering light of a lamp, she discovered the pale and disfigured +countenance of St. Foix. Her horrors, at that moment, may be easily +imagined. He was speechless; his eyes were half closed, and, on the +hand, which she grasped in the agony of despair, cold damps had settled. +While she vainly repeated his name, and called for assistance, steps +approached, and a person entered the chamber, who, she soon perceived, +was not the Count, her father; but, what was her astonishment, when, +supplicating him to give his assistance to St. Foix, she discovered +Ludovico! He scarcely paused to recognise her, but immediately bound +up the wounds of the Chevalier, and, perceiving, that he had fainted +probably from loss of blood, ran for water; but he had been absent only +a few moments, when Blanche heard other steps approaching, and, while +she was almost frantic with apprehension of the ruffians, the light of a +torch flashed upon the walls, and then Count De Villefort appeared, with +an affrighted countenance, and breathless with impatience, calling upon +his daughter. At the sound of his voice, she rose, and ran to his arms, +while he, letting fall the bloody sword he held, pressed her to his +bosom in a transport of gratitude and joy, and then hastily enquired for +St. Foix, who now gave some signs of life. Ludovico soon after returning +with water and brandy, the former was applied to his lips, and the +latter to his temples and hands, and Blanche, at length, saw him unclose +his eyes, and then heard him enquire for her; but the joy she felt, +on this occasion, was interrupted by new alarms, when Ludovico said it +would be necessary to remove Mons. St. Foix immediately, and added, 'The +banditti, that are out, my Lord, were expected home, an hour ago, and +they will certainly find us, if we delay. That shrill horn, they know, +is never sounded by their comrades but on most desperate occasions, and +it echoes among the mountains for many leagues round. I have known them +brought home by its sound even from the Pied de Melicant. Is any body +standing watch at the great gate, my Lord?' + +'Nobody,' replied the Count; 'the rest of my people are now scattered +about, I scarcely know where. Go, Ludovico, collect them together, and +look out yourself, and listen if you hear the feet of mules.' + +Ludovico then hurried away, and the Count consulted as to the means of +removing St. Foix, who could not have borne the motion of a mule, even +if his strength would have supported him in the saddle. + +While the Count was telling, that the banditti, whom they had found +in the fort, were secured in the dungeon, Blanche observed that he was +himself wounded, and that his left arm was entirely useless; but he +smiled at her anxiety, assuring her the wound was trifling. + +The Count's servants, except two who kept watch at the gate, now +appeared, and, soon after, Ludovico. 'I think I hear mules coming along +the glen, my Lord,' said he, 'but the roaring of the torrent below +will not let me be certain; however, I have brought what will serve the +Chevalier,' he added, shewing a bear's skin, fastened to a couple of +long poles, which had been adapted for the purpose of bringing home such +of the banditti as happened to be wounded in their encounters. Ludovico +spread it on the ground, and, placing the skins of several goats upon +it, made a kind of bed, into which the Chevalier, who was however now +much revived, was gently lifted; and, the poles being raised upon the +shoulders of the guides, whose footing among these steeps could best +be depended upon, he was borne along with an easy motion. Some of the +Count's servants were also wounded--but not materially, and, their +wounds being bound up, they now followed to the great gate. As they +passed along the hall, a loud tumult was heard at some distance, and +Blanche was terrified. 'It is only those villains in the dungeon, my +Lady,' said Ludovico. 'They seem to be bursting it open,' said the +Count. 'No, my Lord,' replied Ludovico, 'it has an iron door; we have +nothing to fear from them; but let me go first, and look out from the +rampart.' + +They quickly followed him, and found their mules browsing before the +gates, where the party listened anxiously, but heard no sound, except +that of the torrent below and of the early breeze, sighing among the +branches of the old oak, that grew in the court; and they were now glad +to perceive the first tints of dawn over the mountain-tops. When they +had mounted their mules, Ludovico, undertaking to be their guide, led +them by an easier path, than that by which they had formerly ascended, +into the glen. 'We must avoid that valley to the east, my Lord,' +said he, 'or we may meet the banditti; they went out that way in the +morning.' + +The travellers, soon after, quitted this glen, and found themselves in +a narrow valley that stretched towards the north-west. The morning light +upon the mountains now strengthened fast, and gradually discovered the +green hillocks, that skirted the winding feet of the cliffs, tufted with +cork tree, and ever-green oak. The thunder-clouds being dispersed, had +left the sky perfectly serene, and Blanche was revived by the fresh +breeze, and by the view of verdure, which the late rain had brightened. +Soon after, the sun arose, when the dripping rocks, with the shrubs that +fringed their summits, and many a turfy slope below, sparkled in his +rays. A wreath of mist was seen, floating along the extremity of the +valley, but the gale bore it before the travellers, and the sun-beams +gradually drew it up towards the summit of the mountains. They had +proceeded about a league, when, St. Foix having complained of extreme +faintness, they stopped to give him refreshment, and, that the men, who +bore him, might rest. Ludovico had brought from the fort some flasks of +rich Spanish wine, which now proved a reviving cordial not only to +St. Foix but to the whole party, though to him it gave only temporary +relief, for it fed the fever, that burned in his veins, and he could +neither disguise in his countenance the anguish he suffered, or suppress +the wish, that he was arrived at the inn, where they had designed to +pass the preceding night. + +While they thus reposed themselves under the shade of the dark green +pines, the Count desired Ludovico to explain shortly, by what means he +had disappeared from the north apartment, how he came into the hands of +the banditti, and how he had contributed so essentially to serve him and +his family, for to him he justly attributed their present deliverance. +Ludovico was going to obey him, when suddenly they heard the echo of +a pistol-shot, from the way they had passed, and they rose in alarm, +hastily to pursue their route. + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + + Ah why did Fate his steps decoy + In stormy paths to roam, + Remote from all congenial joy! + BEATTIE + +Emily, mean while, was still suffering anxiety as to the fate of +Valancourt; but Theresa, having, at length, found a person, whom she +could entrust on her errand to the steward, informed her, that the +messenger would return on the following day; and Emily promised to be at +the cottage, Theresa being too lame to attend her. + +In the evening, therefore, Emily set out alone for the cottage, with a +melancholy foreboding, concerning Valancourt, while, perhaps, the gloom +of the hour might contribute to depress her spirits. It was a grey +autumnal evening towards the close of the season; heavy mists partially +obscured the mountains, and a chilling breeze, that sighed among the +beech woods, strewed her path with some of their last yellow leaves. +These, circling in the blast and foretelling the death of the year, +gave an image of desolation to her mind, and, in her fancy, seemed to +announce the death of Valancourt. Of this she had, indeed, more than +once so strong a presentiment, that she was on the point of returning +home, feeling herself unequal to an encounter with the certainty she +anticipated, but, contending with her emotions, she so far commanded +them, as to be able to proceed. + +While she walked mournfully on, gazing on the long volumes of vapour, +that poured upon the sky, and watching the swallows, tossed along the +wind, now disappearing among tempestuous clouds, and then emerging, +for a moment, in circles upon the calmer air, the afflictions and +vicissitudes of her late life seemed pourtrayed in these fleeting +images;--thus had she been tossed upon the stormy sea of misfortune for +the last year, with but short intervals of peace, if peace that could be +called, which was only the delay of evils. And now, when she had escaped +from so many dangers, was become independent of the will of those, who +had oppressed her, and found herself mistress of a large fortune, now, +when she might reasonably have expected happiness, she perceived that +she was as distant from it as ever. She would have accused herself +of weakness and ingratitude in thus suffering a sense of the various +blessings she possessed to be overcome by that of a single misfortune, +had this misfortune affected herself alone; but, when she had wept for +Valancourt even as living, tears of compassion had mingled with those +of regret, and while she lamented a human being degraded to vice, and +consequently to misery, reason and humanity claimed these tears, and +fortitude had not yet taught her to separate them from those of love; in +the present moments, however, it was not the certainty of his guilt, but +the apprehension of his death (of a death also, to which she herself, +however innocently, appeared to have been in some degree instrumental) +that oppressed her. This fear increased, as the means of certainty +concerning it approached; and, when she came within view of Theresa's +cottage, she was so much disordered, and her resolution failed her so +entirely, that, unable to proceed, she rested on a bank, beside her +path; where, as she sat, the wind that groaned sullenly among the lofty +branches above, seemed to her melancholy imagination to bear the sounds +of distant lamentation, and, in the pauses of the gust, she still +fancied she heard the feeble and far-off notes of distress. Attention +convinced her, that this was no more than fancy; but the increasing +gloom, which seemed the sudden close of day, soon warned her to depart, +and, with faltering steps, she again moved toward the cottage. Through +the casement appeared the cheerful blaze of a wood fire, and Theresa, +who had observed Emily approaching, was already at the door to receive +her. + +'It is a cold evening, madam,' said she, 'storms are coming on, and I +thought you would like a fire. Do take this chair by the hearth.' + +Emily, thanking her for this consideration, sat down, and then, looking +in her face, on which the wood fire threw a gleam, she was struck with +its expression, and, unable to speak, sunk back in her chair with a +countenance so full of woe, that Theresa instantly comprehended the +occasion of it, but she remained silent. 'Ah!' said Emily, at length, +'it is unnecessary for me to ask the result of your enquiry, your +silence, and that look, sufficiently explain it;--he is dead!' + +'Alas! my dear young lady,' replied Theresa, while tears filled her +eyes, 'this world is made up of trouble! the rich have their share +as well as the poor! But we must all endeavour to bear what Heaven +pleases.' + +'He is dead, then!'--interrupted Emily--'Valancourt is dead!' + +'A-well-a-day! I fear he is,' replied Theresa. + +'You fear!' said Emily, 'do you only fear?' + +'Alas! yes, madam, I fear he is! neither the steward, or any of the +Epourville family, have heard of him since he left Languedoc, and +the Count is in great affliction about him, for he says he was always +punctual in writing, but that now he has not received a line from him, +since he left Languedoc; he appointed to be at home, three weeks ago, +but he has neither come, or written, and they fear some accident has +befallen him. Alas! that ever I should live to cry for his death! I am +old, and might have died without being missed, but he'--Emily was faint, +and asked for some water, and Theresa, alarmed by the voice, in which +she spoke, hastened to her assistance, and, while she held the water to +Emily's lips, continued, 'My dear young mistress, do not take it so to +heart; the Chevalier may be alive and well, for all this; let us hope +the best!' + +'O no! I cannot hope,' said Emily, 'I am acquainted with circumstances, +that will not suffer me to hope. I am somewhat better now, and can hear +what you have to say. Tell me, I entreat, the particulars of what you +know.' + +'Stay, till you are a little better, mademoiselle, you look sadly!' + +'O no, Theresa, tell me all, while I have the power to hear it,' said +Emily, 'tell me all, I conjure you!' + +'Well, madam, I will then; but the steward did not say much, for Richard +says he seemed shy of talking about Mons. Valancourt, and what he +gathered was from Gabriel, one of the servants, who said he had heard it +from my lord's gentleman.' + +'What did he hear?' said Emily. + +'Why, madam, Richard has but a bad memory, and could not remember half +of it, and, if I had not asked him a great many questions, I should have +heard little indeed. But he says that Gabriel said, that he and all the +other servants were in great trouble about M. Valancourt, for that he +was such a kind young gentleman, they all loved him, as well as if he +had been their own brother--and now, to think what was become of him! +For he used to be so courteous to them all, and, if any of them had been +in fault, M. Valancourt was the first to persuade my lord to forgive +them. And then, if any poor family was in distress, M. Valancourt was +the first, too, to relieve them, though some folks, not a great way off, +could have afforded that much better than he. And then, said Gabriel, he +was so gentle to every body, and, for all he had such a noble look with +him, he never would command, and call about him, as some of your quality +people do, and we never minded him the less for that. Nay, says Gabriel, +for that matter, we minded him the more, and would all have run to obey +him at a word, sooner than if some folks had told us what to do at full +length; aye, and were more afraid of displeasing him, too, than of them, +that used rough words to us.' + +Emily, who no longer considered it to be dangerous to listen to praise, +bestowed on Valancourt, did not attempt to interrupt Theresa, but sat, +attentive to her words, though almost overwhelmed with grief. 'My Lord,' +continued Theresa, 'frets about M. Valancourt sadly, and the more, +because, they say, he had been rather harsh against him lately. Gabriel +says he had it from my Lord's valet, that M. Valancourt had COMPORTED +himself wildly at Paris, and had spent a great deal of money, more +a great deal than my Lord liked, for he loves money better than M. +Valancourt, who had been led astray sadly. Nay, for that matter, M. +Valancourt had been put into prison at Paris, and my Lord, says Gabriel, +refused to take him out, and said he deserved to suffer; and, when old +Gregoire, the butler, heard of this, he actually bought a walking-stick +to take with him to Paris, to visit his young master; but the next thing +we hear is, that M. Valancourt is coming home. O, it was a joyful day +when he came; but he was sadly altered, and my Lord looked very cool +upon him, and he was very sad, indeed. And, soon after, he went away +again into Languedoc, and, since that time, we have never seen him.' + +Theresa paused, and Emily, sighing deeply, remained with her eyes fixed +upon the floor, without speaking. After a long pause, she enquired what +further Theresa had heard. 'Yet why should I ask?' she added; 'what +you have already told is too much. O Valancourt! thou art gone--forever +gone! and I--I have murdered thee!' These words, and the countenance of +despair which accompanied them, alarmed Theresa, who began to fear, that +the shock of the intelligence Emily had just received, had affected her +senses. 'My dear young lady, be composed,' said she, 'and do not say +such frightful words. You murder M. Valancourt,--dear heart!' Emily +replied only by a heavy sigh. + +'Dear lady, it breaks my heart to see you look so,' said Theresa, 'do +not sit with your eyes upon the ground, and all so pale and melancholy; +it frightens me to see you.' Emily was still silent, and did not +appear to hear any thing that was said to her. 'Besides, mademoiselle,' +continued Theresa, 'M. Valancourt may be alive and merry yet, for what +we know.' + +At the mention of his name, Emily raised her eyes, and fixed them, in a +wild gaze, upon Theresa, as if she was endeavouring to understand what +had been said. 'Aye, my dear lady,' said Theresa, mistaking the meaning +of this considerate air, 'M. Valancourt may be alive and merry yet.' + +On the repetition of these words, Emily comprehended their import, but, +instead of producing the effect intended, they seemed only to heighten +her distress. She rose hastily from her chair, paced the little room, +with quick steps, and, often sighing deeply, clasped her hands, and +shuddered. + +Meanwhile, Theresa, with simple, but honest affection, endeavoured to +comfort her; put more wood on the fire, stirred it up into a brighter +blaze, swept the hearth, set the chair, which Emily had left, in a +warmer situation, and then drew forth from a cupboard a flask of wine. +'It is a stormy night, madam,' said she, 'and blows cold--do come nearer +the fire, and take a glass of this wine; it will comfort you, as it has +done me, often and often, for it is not such wine as one gets every day; +it is rich Languedoc, and the last of six flasks that M. Valancourt sent +me, the night before he left Gascony for Paris. They have served me, +ever since, as cordials, and I never drink it, but I think of him, and +what kind words he said to me when he gave them. Theresa, says he, you +are not young now, and should have a glass of good wine, now and then. I +will send you a few flasks, and, when you taste them, you will sometimes +remember me your friend. Yes--those were his very words--me your +friend!' Emily still paced the room, without seeming to hear what +Theresa said, who continued speaking. 'And I have remembered him, often +enough, poor young gentleman!--for he gave me this roof for a shelter, +and that, which has supported me. Ah! he is in heaven, with my blessed +master, if ever saint was!' + +Theresa's voice faltered; she wept, and set down the flask, unable to +pour out the wine. Her grief seemed to recall Emily from her own, who +went towards her, but then stopped, and, having gazed on her, for a +moment, turned suddenly away, as if overwhelmed by the reflection, that +it was Valancourt, whom Theresa lamented. + +While she yet paced the room, the still, soft note of an oboe, or flute, +was heard mingling with the blast, the sweetness of which affected +Emily's spirits; she paused a moment in attention; the tender tones, +as they swelled along the wind, till they were lost again in the ruder +gust, came with a plaintiveness, that touched her heart, and she melted +into tears. + +'Aye,' said Theresa, drying her eyes, 'there is Richard, our neighbour's +son, playing on the oboe; it is sad enough, to hear such sweet music +now.' Emily continued to weep, without replying. 'He often plays of an +evening,' added Theresa, 'and, sometimes, the young folks dance to the +sound of his oboe. But, dear young lady! do not cry so; and pray take +a glass of this wine,' continued she, pouring some into a glass, and +handing it to Emily, who reluctantly took it. + +'Taste it for M. Valancourt's sake,' said Theresa, as Emily lifted the +glass to her lips, 'for he gave it me, you know, madam.' Emily's hand +trembled, and she spilt the wine as she withdrew it from her lips. 'For +whose sake!--who gave the wine?' said she in a faltering voice. 'M. +Valancourt, dear lady. I knew you would be pleased with it. It is the +last flask I have left.' + +Emily set the wine upon the table, and burst into tears, while Theresa, +disappointed and alarmed, tried to comfort her; but she only waved her +hand, entreated she might be left alone, and wept the more. + +A knock at the cottage door prevented Theresa from immediately obeying +her mistress, and she was going to open it, when Emily, checking her, +requested she would not admit any person; but, afterwards, recollecting, +that she had ordered her servant to attend her home, she said it was +only Philippe, and endeavoured to restrain her tears, while Theresa +opened the door. + +A voice, that spoke without, drew Emily's attention. She listened, +turned her eyes to the door, when a person now appeared, and immediately +a bright gleam, that flashed from the fire, discovered--Valancourt! + +Emily, on perceiving him, started from her chair, trembled, and, sinking +into it again, became insensible to all around her. + +A scream from Theresa now told, that she knew Valancourt, whom her +imperfect sight, and the duskiness of the place had prevented her from +immediately recollecting; but his attention was immediately called from +her to the person, whom he saw, falling from a chair near the fire; +and, hastening to her assistance,--he perceived, that he was supporting +Emily! The various emotions, that seized him upon thus unexpectedly +meeting with her, from whom he had believed he had parted for ever, +and on beholding her pale and lifeless in his arms--may, perhaps, be +imagined, though they could neither be then expressed, or now described, +any more than Emily's sensations, when, at length, she unclosed her +eyes, and, looking up, again saw Valancourt. The intense anxiety, with +which he regarded her, was instantly changed to an expression of mingled +joy and tenderness, as his eye met hers, and he perceived, that she was +reviving. But he could only exclaim, 'Emily!' as he silently watched her +recovery, while she averted her eye, and feebly attempted to withdraw +her hand; but, in these the first moments, which succeeded to the pangs +his supposed death had occasioned her, she forgot every fault, which had +formerly claimed indignation, and beholding Valancourt such as he had +appeared, when he won her early affection, she experienced emotions of +only tenderness and joy. This, alas! was but the sunshine of a few short +moments; recollections rose, like clouds, upon her mind, and, darkening +the illusive image, that possessed it, she again beheld Valancourt, +degraded--Valancourt unworthy of the esteem and tenderness she had once +bestowed upon him; her spirits faltered, and, withdrawing her hand, she +turned from him to conceal her grief, while he, yet more embarrassed and +agitated, remained silent. + +A sense of what she owed to herself restrained her tears, and taught +her soon to overcome, in some degree, the emotions of mingled joy and +sorrow, that contended at her heart, as she rose, and, having thanked +him for the assistance he had given her, bade Theresa good evening. As +she was leaving the cottage, Valancourt, who seemed suddenly awakened +as from a dream, entreated, in a voice, that pleaded powerfully for +compassion, a few moments attention. Emily's heart, perhaps, pleaded as +powerfully, but she had resolution enough to resist both, together with +the clamorous entreaties of Theresa, that she would not venture home +alone in the dark, and had already opened the cottage door, when the +pelting storm compelled her to obey their requests. + +Silent and embarrassed, she returned to the fire, while Valancourt, with +increasing agitation, paced the room, as if he wished, yet feared, to +speak, and Theresa expressed without restraint her joy and wonder upon +seeing him. + +'Dear heart! sir,' said she, 'I never was so surprised and overjoyed in +my life. We were in great tribulation before you came, for we thought +you was dead, and were talking, and lamenting about you, just when you +knocked at the door. My young mistress there was crying, fit to break +her heart--' + +Emily looked with much displeasure at Theresa, but, before she could +speak, Valancourt, unable to repress the emotion, which Theresa's +imprudent discovery occasioned, exclaimed, 'O my Emily! am I then +still dear to you! Did you, indeed, honour me with a thought--a tear? O +heavens! you weep--you weep now!' + +'Theresa, sir,' said Emily, with a reserved air, and trying to conquer +her tears, 'has reason to remember you with gratitude, and she was +concerned, because she had not lately heard of you. Allow me to thank +you for the kindness you have shewn her, and to say, that, since I am +now upon the spot, she must not be further indebted to you.'' + +'Emily,' said Valancourt, no longer master of his emotions, 'is it thus +you meet him, whom once you meant to honour with your hand--thus you +meet him, who has loved you--suffered for you?--Yet what do I say? +Pardon me, pardon me, mademoiselle St. Aubert, I know not what I utter. +I have no longer any claim upon your remembrance--I have forfeited every +pretension to your esteem, your love. Yes! let me not forget, that I +once possessed your affections, though to know that I have lost them, +is my severest affliction. Affliction--do I call it!--that is a term of +mildness.' + +'Dear heart!' said Theresa, preventing Emily from replying, 'talk of +once having her affections! Why, my dear young lady loves you now, +better than she does any body in the whole world, though she pretends to +deny it.' + +'This is insupportable!' said Emily; 'Theresa, you know not what you +say. Sir, if you respect my tranquillity, you will spare me from the +continuance of this distress.' + +'I do respect your tranquillity too much, voluntarily to interrupt it,' +replied Valancourt, in whose bosom pride now contended with tenderness; +'and will not be a voluntary intruder. I would have entreated a few +moments attention--yet I know not for what purpose. You have ceased to +esteem me, and to recount to you my sufferings will degrade me more, +without exciting even your pity. Yet I have been, O Emily! I am indeed +very wretched!' added Valancourt, in a voice, that softened from +solemnity into grief. + +'What! is my dear young master going out in all this rain!' said +Theresa. 'No, he shall not stir a step. Dear! dear! to see how +gentlefolks can afford to throw away their happiness! Now, if you were +poor people, there would be none of this. To talk of unworthiness, +and not caring about one another, when I know there are not such a +kind-hearted lady and gentleman in the whole province, nor any that love +one another half so well, if the truth was spoken!' + +Emily, in extreme vexation, now rose from her chair, 'I must be gone,' +said she, 'the storm is over.' + +'Stay, Emily, stay, mademoiselle St. Aubert!' said Valancourt, summoning +all his resolution, 'I will no longer distress you by my presence. +Forgive me, that I did not sooner obey you, and, if you can, sometimes, +pity one, who, in losing you--has lost all hope of peace! May you be +happy, Emily, however wretched I remain, happy as my fondest wish would +have you!' + +His voice faltered with the last words, and his countenance changed, +while, with a look of ineffable tenderness and grief, he gazed upon her +for an instant, and then quitted the cottage. + +'Dear heart! dear heart!' cried Theresa, following him to the door, +'why, Monsieur Valancourt! how it rains! what a night is this to turn +him out in! Why it will give him his death; and it was but now you was +crying, mademoiselle, because he was dead. Well! young ladies do change +their mind in a minute, as one may say!' + +Emily made no reply, for she heard not what was said, while, lost in +sorrow and thought, she remained in her chair by the fire, with her eyes +fixed, and the image of Valancourt still before them. + +'M. Valancourt is sadly altered! madam,' said Theresa; 'he looks so thin +to what he used to do, and so melancholy, and then he wears his arm in a +sling.' + +Emily raised her eyes at these words, for she had not observed this last +circumstance, and she now did not doubt, that Valancourt had received +the shot of her gardener at Tholouse; with this conviction her pity for +him returning, she blamed herself for having occasioned him to leave the +cottage, during the storm. + +Soon after her servants arrived with the carriage, and Emily, having +censured Theresa for her thoughtless conversation to Valancourt, and +strictly charging her never to repeat any hints of the same kind to him, +withdrew to her home, thoughtful and disconsolate. + +Meanwhile, Valancourt had returned to a little inn of the village, +whither he had arrived only a few moments before his visit to Theresa's +cottage, on the way from Tholouse to the chateau of the Count de +Duvarney, where he had not been since he bade adieu to Emily at +Chateau-le-Blanc, in the neighbourhood of which he had lingered for a +considerable time, unable to summon resolution enough to quit a place, +that contained the object most dear to his heart. There were times, +indeed, when grief and despair urged him to appear again before Emily, +and, regardless of his ruined circumstances, to renew his suit. Pride, +however, and the tenderness of his affection, which could not long +endure the thought of involving her in his misfortunes, at length, so +far triumphed over passion, that he relinquished this desperate design, +and quitted Chateau-le-Blanc. But still his fancy wandered among the +scenes, which had witnessed his early love, and, on his way to +Gascony, he stopped at Tholouse, where he remained when Emily arrived, +concealing, yet indulging his melancholy in the gardens, where he had +formerly passed with her so many happy hours; often recurring, with vain +regret, to the evening before her departure for Italy, when she had so +unexpectedly met him on the terrace, and endeavouring to recall to his +memory every word and look, which had then charmed him, the arguments +he had employed to dissuade her from the journey, and the tenderness +of their last farewel. In such melancholy recollections he had been +indulging, when Emily unexpectedly arrived to him on this very terrace, +the evening after her arrival at Tholouse. His emotions, on thus +seeing her, can scarcely be imagined; but he so far overcame the first +promptings of love, that he forbore to discover himself, and abruptly +quitted the gardens. Still, however, the vision he had seen haunted his +mind; he became more wretched than before, and the only solace of his +sorrow was to return in the silence of the night; to follow the paths +which he believed her steps had pressed, during the day; and, to watch +round the habitation where she reposed. It was in one of these mournful +wanderings, that he had received by the fire of the gardener, who +mistook him for a robber, a wound in his arm, which had detained him +at Tholouse till very lately, under the hands of a surgeon. There, +regardless of himself and careless of his friends, whose late unkindness +had urged him to believe, that they were indifferent as to his fate, +he remained, without informing them of his situation; and now, being +sufficiently recovered to bear travelling, he had taken La Vallee in +his way to Estuviere, the Count's residence, partly for the purpose of +hearing of Emily, and of being again near her, and partly for that of +enquiring into the situation of poor old Theresa, who, he had reason to +suppose, had been deprived of her stipend, small as it was, and which +enquiry had brought him to her cottage, when Emily happened to be there. + +This unexpected interview, which had at once shewn him the tenderness of +her love and the strength of her resolution, renewed all the acuteness +of the despair, that had attended their former separation, and which +no effort of reason could teach him, in these moments, to subdue. Her +image, her look, the tones of her voice, all dwelt on his fancy, as +powerfully as they had late appeared to his senses, and banished from +his heart every emotion, except those of love and despair. + +Before the evening concluded, he returned to Theresa's cottage, that +he might hear her talk of Emily, and be in the place, where she had so +lately been. The joy, felt and expressed by that faithful servant, was +quickly changed to sorrow, when she observed, at one moment, his wild +and phrensied look, and, at another, the dark melancholy, that overhung +him. + +After he had listened, and for a considerable time, to all she had to +relate, concerning Emily, he gave Theresa nearly all the money he +had about him, though she repeatedly refused it, declaring, that her +mistress had amply supplied her wants; and then, drawing a ring of value +from his finger, he delivered it her with a solemn charge to present +it to Emily, of whom he entreated, as a last favour, that she would +preserve it for his sake, and sometimes, when she looked upon it, +remember the unhappy giver. + +Theresa wept, as she received the ring, but it was more from sympathy, +than from any presentiment of evil; and before she could reply, +Valancourt abruptly left the cottage. She followed him to the door, +calling upon his name and entreating him to return; but she received no +answer, and saw him no more. + + + +CHAPTER XIV + + + Call up him, that left half told + The story of Cambuscan bold. + MILTON + +On the following morning, as Emily sat in the parlour adjoining the +library, reflecting on the scene of the preceding night, Annette rushed +wildly into the room, and, without speaking, sunk breathless into a +chair. It was some time before she could answer the anxious enquiries of +Emily, as to the occasion of her emotion, but, at length, she exclaimed, +'I have seen his ghost, madam, I have seen his ghost!' + +'Who do you mean?' said Emily, with extreme impatience. + +'It came in from the hall, madam,' continued Annette, 'as I was crossing +to the parlour.' + +'Who are you speaking of?' repeated Emily, 'Who came in from the hall? + +'It was dressed just as I have seen him, often and often,' added +Annette. 'Ah! who could have thought--' + +Emily's patience was now exhausted, and she was reprimanding her for +such idle fancies, when a servant entered the room, and informed her, +that a stranger without begged leave to speak with her. + +It immediately occurred to Emily, that this stranger was Valancourt, and +she told the servant to inform him, that she was engaged, and could not +see any person. + +The servant, having delivered his message, returned with one from the +stranger, urging the first request, and saying, that he had something of +consequence to communicate; while Annette, who had hitherto sat +silent and amazed, now started up, and crying, 'It is Ludovico!--it is +Ludovico!' ran out of the room. Emily bade the servant follow her, and, +if it really was Ludovico, to shew him into the parlour. + +In a few minutes, Ludovico appeared, accompanied by Annette, who, as +joy rendered her forgetful of all rules of decorum towards her mistress, +would not suffer any person to be heard, for some time, but herself. +Emily expressed surprise and satisfaction, on seeing Ludovico in safety, +and the first emotions increased, when he delivered letters from +Count De Villefort and the Lady Blanche, informing her of their late +adventure, and of their present situation at an inn among the Pyrenees, +where they had been detained by the illness of Mons. St. Foix, and the +indisposition of Blanche, who added, that the Baron St. Foix was just +arrived to attend his son to his chateau, where he would remain till the +perfect recovery of his wounds, and then return to Languedoc, but that +her father and herself purposed to be at La Vallee, on the following +day. She added, that Emily's presence would be expected at the +approaching nuptials, and begged she would be prepared to proceed, in +a few days to Chateau-le-Blanc. For an account of Ludovico's adventure, +she referred her to himself; and Emily, though much interested, +concerning the means, by which he had disappeared from the north +apartments, had the forbearance to suspend the gratification of her +curiosity, till he had taken some refreshment, and had conversed with +Annette, whose joy, on seeing him in safety, could not have been more +extravagant, had he arisen from the grave. + +Meanwhile, Emily perused again the letters of her friends, whose +expressions of esteem and kindness were very necessary consolations +to her heart, awakened as it was by the late interview to emotions of +keener sorrow and regret. + +The invitation to Chateau-le-Blanc was pressed with so much kindness by +the Count and his daughter, who strengthened it by a message from the +Countess, and the occasion of it was so important to her friend, that +Emily could not refuse to accept it, nor, though she wished to remain +in the quiet shades of her native home, could she avoid perceiving the +impropriety of remaining there alone, since Valancourt was again in the +neighbourhood. Sometimes, too, she thought, that change of scenery and +the society of her friends might contribute, more than retirement, to +restore her to tranquillity. + +When Ludovico again appeared, she desired him to give a detail of his +adventure in the north apartments, and to tell by what means he became a +companion of the banditti, with whom the Count had found him. + +He immediately obeyed, while Annette, who had not yet had leisure to +ask him many questions, on the subject, prepared to listen, with a +countenance of extreme curiosity, venturing to remind her lady of her +incredulity, concerning spirits, in the castle of Udolpho, and of +her own sagacity in believing in them; while Emily, blushing at the +consciousness of her late credulity, observed, that, if Ludovico's +adventure could justify Annette's superstition, he had probably not been +here to relate it. + +Ludovico smiled at Annette, and bowed to Emily, and then began as +follows: + +'You may remember, madam, that, on the night, when I sat up in the north +chamber, my lord, the Count, and Mons. Henri accompanied me thither, and +that, while they remained there, nothing happened to excite any alarm. +When they were gone I made a fire in the bed-room, and, not being +inclined to sleep, I sat down on the hearth with a book I had brought +with me to divert my mind. I confess I did sometimes look round the +chamber, with something like apprehension--' + +'O very like it, I dare say,' interrupted Annette, 'and I dare say too, +if the truth was known, you shook from head to foot.' + +'Not quite so bad as that,' replied Ludovico, smiling, 'but several +times, as the wind whistled round the castle, and shook the old +casements, I did fancy I heard odd noises, and, once or twice, I got up +and looked about me; but nothing was to be seen, except the grim figures +in the tapestry, which seemed to frown upon me, as I looked at them. +I had sat thus for above an hour,' continued Ludovico, 'when again I +thought I heard a noise, and glanced my eyes round the room, to discover +what it came from, but, not perceiving any thing, I began to read +again, and, when I had finished the story I was upon, I felt drowsy, and +dropped asleep. But presently I was awakened by the noise I had heard +before, and it seemed to come from that part of the chamber, where the +bed stood; and then, whether it was the story I had been reading that +affected my spirits, or the strange reports, that had been spread of +these apartments, I don't know, but, when I looked towards the bed +again, I fancied I saw a man's face within the dusky curtains.' + +At the mention of this, Emily trembled, and looked anxiously, +remembering the spectacle she had herself witnessed there with Dorothee. + +'I confess, madam, my heart did fail me, at that instant,' continued +Ludovico, 'but a return of the noise drew my attention from the bed, and +I then distinctly heard a sound, like that of a key, turning in a lock, +but what surprised me more was, that I saw no door where the sound +seemed to come from. In the next moment, however, the arras near the +bed was slowly lifted, and a person appeared behind it, entering from +a small door in the wall. He stood for a moment as if half retreating, +with his head bending under the arras which concealed the upper part of +his face except his eyes scowling beneath the tapestry as he held it; +and then, while he raised it higher, I saw the face of another man +behind, looking over his shoulder. I know not how it was, but, though +my sword was upon the table before me, I had not the power just then to +seize it, but sat quite still, watching them, with my eyes half shut as +if I was asleep. I suppose they thought me so, and were debating what +they should do, for I heard them whisper, and they stood in the same +posture for the value of a minute, and then, I thought I perceived other +faces in the duskiness beyond the door, and heard louder whispers.' + +'This door surprises me,' said Emily, 'because I understood, that +the Count had caused the arras to be lifted, and the walls examined, +suspecting, that they might have concealed a passage through which you +had departed.' + +'It does not appear so extraordinary to me, madam,' replied Ludovico, +'that this door should escape notice, because it was formed in a narrow +compartment, which appeared to be part of the outward wall, and, if the +Count had not passed over it, he might have thought it was useless to +search for a door where it seemed as if no passage could communicate +with one; but the truth was, that the passage was formed within the +wall itself.--But, to return to the men, whom I saw obscurely beyond the +door, and who did not suffer me to remain long in suspense, concerning +their design. They all rushed into the room, and surrounded me, though +not before I had snatched up my sword to defend myself. But what could +one man do against four? They soon disarmed me, and, having fastened my +arms, and gagged my mouth, forced me through the private door, leaving +my sword upon the table, to assist, as they said, those who should come +in the morning to look for me, in fighting against the ghosts. They then +led me through many narrow passages, cut, as I fancied, in the walls, +for I had never seen them before, and down several flights of steps, +till we came to the vaults underneath the castle; and then opening +a stone door, which I should have taken for the wall itself, we went +through a long passage, and down other steps cut in the solid rock, when +another door delivered us into a cave. After turning and twining about, +for some time, we reached the mouth of it, and I found myself on the +sea-beach at the foot of the cliffs, with the chateau above. A boat was +in waiting, into which the ruffians got, forcing me along with them, +and we soon reached a small vessel, that was at anchor, where other men +appeared, when setting me aboard, two of the fellows who had seized me, +followed, and the other two rowed back to the shore, while we set sail. +I soon found out what all this meant, and what was the business of these +men at the chateau. We landed in Rousillon, and, after lingering +several days about the shore, some of their comrades came down from the +mountains, and carried me with them to the fort, where I remained till +my Lord so unexpectedly arrived, for they had taken good care to prevent +my running away, having blindfolded me, during the journey, and, if they +had not done this, I think I never could have found my road to any town, +through the wild country we traversed. After I reached the fort I was +watched like a prisoner, and never suffered to go out, without two or +three companions, and I became so weary of life, that I often wished to +get rid of it.' + +'Well, but they let you talk,' said Annette, 'they did not gagg you +after they got you away from the chateau, so I don't see what reason +there was to be so very weary of living; to say nothing about the chance +you had of seeing me again.' + +Ludovico smiled, and Emily also, who enquired what was the motive of +these men for carrying him off. + +'I soon found out, madam,' resumed Ludovico, 'that they were pirates, +who had, during many years, secreted their spoil in the vaults of the +castle, which, being so near the sea, suited their purpose well. To +prevent detection they had tried to have it believed, that the chateau +was haunted, and, having discovered the private way to the north +apartments, which had been shut up ever since the death of the lady +marchioness, they easily succeeded. The housekeeper and her husband, who +were the only persons, that had inhabited the castle, for some years, +were so terrified by the strange noises they heard in the nights, that +they would live there no longer; a report soon went abroad, that it +was haunted, and the whole country believed this the more readily, I +suppose, because it had been said, that the lady marchioness had died +in a strange way, and because my lord never would return to the place +afterwards.' + +'But why,' said Emily, 'were not these pirates contented with the +cave--why did they think it necessary to deposit their spoil in the +castle?' + +'The cave, madam,' replied Ludovico, 'was open to any body, and their +treasures would not long have remained undiscovered there, but in the +vaults they were secure so long as the report prevailed of their being +haunted. Thus then, it appears, that they brought at midnight, the +spoil they took on the seas, and kept it till they had opportunities of +disposing of it to advantage. The pirates were connected with Spanish +smugglers and banditti, who live among the wilds of the Pyrenees, and +carry on various kinds of traffic, such as nobody would think of; and +with this desperate horde of banditti I remained, till my lord arrived. +I shall never forget what I felt, when I first discovered him--I almost +gave him up for lost! but I knew, that, if I shewed myself, the banditti +would discover who he was, and probably murder us all, to prevent their +secret in the chateau being detected. I, therefore, kept out of my +lord's sight, but had a strict watch upon the ruffians, and determined, +if they offered him or his family violence, to discover myself, and +fight for our lives. Soon after, I overheard some of them laying a most +diabolical plan for the murder and plunder of the whole party, when I +contrived to speak to some of my lord's attendants, telling them what +was going forward, and we consulted what was best to be done; meanwhile +my lord, alarmed at the absence of the Lady Blanche, demanded her, and +the ruffians having given some unsatisfactory answer, my lord and Mons. +St. Foix became furious, so then we thought it a good time to discover +the plot, and rushing into the chamber, I called out, "Treachery! my +lord count, defend yourself!" His lordship and the chevalier drew their +swords directly, and a hard battle we had, but we conquered at last, as, +madam, you are already informed of by my Lord Count.' + +'This is an extraordinary adventure,' said Emily, 'and much praise +is due, Ludovico, to your prudence and intrepidity. There are some +circumstances, however, concerning the north apartments, which still +perplex me; but, perhaps, you may be able to explain them. Did you ever +hear the banditti relate any thing extraordinary of these rooms?' + +'No, madam,' replied Ludovico, 'I never heard them speak about the +rooms, except to laugh at the credulity of the old housekeeper, who +once was very near catching one of the pirates; it was since the Count +arrived at the chateau, he said, and he laughed heartily as he related +the trick he had played off.' + +A blush overspread Emily's cheek, and she impatiently desired Ludovico +to explain himself. + +'Why, my lady,' said he, 'as this fellow was, one night in the bed-room, +he heard somebody approaching through the next apartment, and not having +time to lift up the arras, and unfasten the door, he hid himself in +the bed just by. There he lay for some time in as great a fright, I +suppose--' + +'As you was in,' interrupted Annette, 'when you sat up so boldly to +watch by yourself.' + +'Aye,' said Ludovico, 'in as great a fright as he ever made any body +else suffer; and presently the housekeeper and some other person came up +to the bed, when he, thinking they were going to examine it, bethought +him, that his only chance of escaping detection, was by terrifying them; +so he lifted up the counterpane, but that did not do, till he raised his +face above it, and then they both set off, he said, as if they had seen +the devil, and he got out of the rooms undiscovered.' + +Emily could not forbear smiling at this explanation of the deception, +which had given her so much superstitious terror, and was surprised, +that she could have suffered herself to be thus alarmed, till she +considered, that, when the mind has once begun to yield to the weakness +of superstition, trifles impress it with the force of conviction. Still, +however, she remembered with awe the mysterious music, which had been +heard, at midnight, near Chateau-le-Blanc, and she asked Ludovico if he +could give any explanation of it; but he could not. + +'I only know, madam,' he added, 'that it did not belong to the pirates, +for I have heard them laugh about it, and say, they believed the devil +was in league with them there.' + +'Yes, I will answer for it he was,' said Annette, her countenance +brightening, 'I was sure all along, that he or his spirits had something +to do with the north apartments, and now you see, madam, I am right at +last.' + +'It cannot be denied, that his spirits were very busy in that part of +the chateau,' replied Emily, smiling. 'But I am surprised, Ludovico, +that these pirates should persevere in their schemes, after the arrival +of the Count; what could they expect but certain detection?' + +'I have reason to believe, madam,' replied Ludovico, 'that it was their +intention to persevere no longer than was necessary for the removal of +the stores, which were deposited in the vaults; and it appeared, that +they had been employed in doing so from within a short period after the +Count's arrival; but, as they had only a few hours in the night for +this business, and were carrying on other schemes at the same time, the +vaults were not above half emptied, when they took me away. They gloried +exceedingly in this opportunity of confirming the superstitious reports, +that had been spread of the north chambers, were careful to leave every +thing there as they had found it, the better to promote the deception, +and frequently, in their jocose moods, would laugh at the consternation, +which they believed the inhabitants of the castle had suffered upon +my disappearing, and it was to prevent the possibility of my betraying +their secret, that they had removed me to such a distance. From that +period they considered the chateau as nearly their own; but I found from +the discourse of their comrades, that, though they were cautious, at +first, in shewing their power there, they had once very nearly betrayed +themselves. Going, one night, as was their custom, to the north chambers +to repeat the noises, that had occasioned such alarm among the servants, +they heard, as they were about to unfasten the secret door, voices in +the bed-room. My lord has since told me, that himself and M. Henri +were then in the apartment, and they heard very extraordinary sounds of +lamentation, which it seems were made by these fellows, with their usual +design of spreading terror; and my lord has owned, he then felt somewhat +more, than surprise; but, as it was necessary to the peace of his +family, that no notice should be taken, he was silent on the subject, +and enjoined silence to his son.' + +Emily, recollecting the change, that had appeared in the spirits of +the Count, after the night, when he had watched in the north room, now +perceived the cause of it; and, having made some further enquiries upon +this strange affair, she dismissed Ludovico, and went to give orders for +the accommodation of her friends, on the following day. + +In the evening, Theresa, lame as she was, came to deliver the ring, with +which Valancourt had entrusted her, and, when she presented it, Emily +was much affected, for she remembered to have seen him wear it often +in happier days. She was, however, much displeased, that Theresa had +received it, and positively refused to accept it herself, though to +have done so would have afforded her a melancholy pleasure. Theresa +entreated, expostulated, and then described the distress of Valancourt, +when he had given the ring, and repeated the message, with which he had +commissioned her to deliver it; and Emily could not conceal the extreme +sorrow this recital occasioned her, but wept, and remained lost in +thought. + +'Alas! my dear young lady!' said Theresa, 'why should all this be? I +have known you from your infancy, and it may well be supposed I love +you, as if you was my own, and wish as much to see you happy. M. +Valancourt, to be sure, I have not known so long, but then I have reason +to love him, as though he was my own son. I know how well you love one +another, or why all this weeping and wailing?' Emily waved her hand for +Theresa to be silent, who, disregarding the signal, continued, 'And +how much you are alike in your tempers and ways, and, that, if you were +married, you would be the happiest couple in the whole province--then +what is there to prevent your marrying? Dear dear! to see how some +people fling away their happiness, and then cry and lament about it, +just as if it was not their own doing, and as if there was more pleasure +in wailing and weeping, than in being at peace. Learning, to be sure, +is a fine thing, but, if it teaches folks no better than that, why I had +rather be without it; if it would teach them to be happier, I would say +something to it, then it would be learning and wisdom too.' + +Age and long services had given Theresa a privilege to talk, but +Emily now endeavoured to check her loquacity, and, though she felt +the justness of some of her remarks, did not choose to explain the +circumstances, that had determined her conduct towards Valancourt. She, +therefore, only told Theresa, that it would much displease her to hear +the subject renewed; that she had reasons for her conduct, which she did +not think it proper to mention, and that the ring must be returned, with +an assurance, that she could not accept it with propriety; and, at +the same time, she forbade Theresa to repeat any future message +from Valancourt, as she valued her esteem and kindness. Theresa was +afflicted, and made another attempt, though feeble, to interest her +for Valancourt, but the unusual displeasure, expressed in Emily's +countenance, soon obliged her to desist, and she departed in wonder and +lamentation. + +To relieve her mind, in some degree, from the painful recollections, +that intruded upon it, Emily busied herself in preparations for the +journey into Languedoc, and, while Annette, who assisted her, spoke with +joy and affection of the safe return of Ludovico, she was considering +how she might best promote their happiness, and determined, if it +appeared, that his affection was as unchanged as that of the simple and +honest Annette, to give her a marriage portion, and settle them on some +part of her estate. These considerations led her to the remembrance of +her father's paternal domain, which his affairs had formerly compelled +him to dispose of to M. Quesnel, and which she frequently wished to +regain, because St. Aubert had lamented, that the chief lands of his +ancestors had passed into another family, and because they had been his +birth-place and the haunt of his early years. To the estate at Tholouse +she had no peculiar attachment, and it was her wish to dispose of this, +that she might purchase her paternal domains, if M. Quesnel could be +prevailed on to part with them, which, as he talked much of living in +Italy, did not appear very improbable. + + + +CHAPTER XV + + + Sweet is the breath of vernal shower, + The bees' collected treasures sweet, + Sweet music's melting fall, but sweeter yet + The still, small voice of gratitude. + GRAY + +On the following day, the arrival of her friend revived the drooping +Emily, and La Vallee became once more the scene of social kindness and +of elegant hospitality. Illness and the terror she had suffered had +stolen from Blanche much of her sprightliness, but all her affectionate +simplicity remained, and, though she appeared less blooming, she was not +less engaging than before. The unfortunate adventure on the Pyrenees had +made the Count very anxious to reach home, and, after little more than a +week's stay at La Vallee, Emily prepared to set out with her friends +for Languedoc, assigning the care of her house, during her absence, +to Theresa. On the evening, preceding her departure, this old servant +brought again the ring of Valancourt, and, with tears, entreated her +mistress to receive it, for that she had neither seen, or heard of M. +Valancourt, since the night when he delivered it to her. As she said +this, her countenance expressed more alarm, than she dared to utter; +but Emily, checking her own propensity to fear, considered, that he had +probably returned to the residence of his brother, and, again refusing +to accept the ring, bade Theresa preserve it, till she saw him, which, +with extreme reluctance, she promised to do. + +On the following day, Count De Villefort, with Emily and the Lady +Blanche, left La Vallee, and, on the ensuing evening, arrived at the +Chateau-le-Blanc, where the Countess, Henri, and M. Du Pont, whom +Emily was surprised to find there, received them with much joy and +congratulation. She was concerned to observe, that the Count still +encouraged the hopes of his friend, whose countenance declared, that +his affection had suffered no abatement from absence; and was much +distressed, when, on the second evening after her arrival, the Count, +having withdrawn her from the Lady Blanche, with whom she was walking, +renewed the subject of M. Du Pont's hopes. The mildness, with which +she listened to his intercessions at first, deceiving him, as to her +sentiments, he began to believe, that, her affection for Valancourt +being overcome, she was, at length, disposed to think favourably of +M. Du Pont; and, when she afterwards convinced him of his mistake, he +ventured, in the earnestness of his wish to promote what he considered +to be the happiness of two persons, whom he so much esteemed, gently +to remonstrate with her, on thus suffering an ill-placed affection to +poison the happiness of her most valuable years. + +Observing her silence and the deep dejection of her countenance, he +concluded with saying, 'I will not say more now, but I will still +believe, my dear Mademoiselle St. Aubert, that you will not always +reject a person, so truly estimable as my friend Du Pont.' + +He spared her the pain of replying, by leaving her; and she strolled on, +somewhat displeased with the Count for having persevered to plead for a +suit, which she had repeatedly rejected, and lost amidst the melancholy +recollections, which this topic had revived, till she had insensibly +reached the borders of the woods, that screened the monastery of St. +Clair, when, perceiving how far she had wandered, she determined to +extend her walk a little farther, and to enquire about the abbess and +some of her friends among the nuns. + +Though the evening was now drawing to a close, she accepted the +invitation of the friar, who opened the gate, and, anxious to meet some +of her old acquaintances, proceeded towards the convent parlour. As she +crossed the lawn, that sloped from the front of the monastery towards +the sea, she was struck with the picture of repose, exhibited by some +monks, sitting in the cloisters, which extended under the brow of the +woods, that crowned this eminence; where, as they meditated, at this +twilight hour, holy subjects, they sometimes suffered their attention to +be relieved by the scene before them, nor thought it profane to look at +nature, now that it had exchanged the brilliant colours of day for the +sober hue of evening. Before the cloisters, however, spread an +ancient chesnut, whose ample branches were designed to screen the full +magnificence of a scene, that might tempt the wish to worldly pleasures; +but still, beneath the dark and spreading foliage, gleamed a wide extent +of ocean, and many a passing sail; while, to the right and left, thick +woods were seen stretching along the winding shores. So much as this had +been admitted, perhaps, to give to the secluded votary an image of the +dangers and vicissitudes of life, and to console him, now that he had +renounced its pleasures, by the certainty of having escaped its evils. +As Emily walked pensively along, considering how much suffering she +might have escaped, had she become a votaress of the order, and remained +in this retirement from the time of her father's death, the vesper-bell +struck up, and the monks retired slowly toward the chapel, while she, +pursuing her way, entered the great hall, where an unusual silence +seemed to reign. The parlour too, which opened from it, she found +vacant, but, as the evening bell was sounding, she believed the nuns had +withdrawn into the chapel, and sat down to rest, for a moment, before +she returned to the chateau, where, however, the increasing gloom made +her now anxious to be. + +Not many minutes had elapsed, before a nun, entering in haste, enquired +for the abbess, and was retiring, without recollecting Emily, when +she made herself known, and then learned, that a mass was going to be +performed for the soul of sister Agnes, who had been declining, for some +time, and who was now believed to be dying. + +Of her sufferings the sister gave a melancholy account, and of the +horrors, into which she had frequently started, but which had now +yielded to a dejection so gloomy, that neither the prayers, in which she +was joined by the sisterhood, or the assurances of her confessor, had +power to recall her from it, or to cheer her mind even with a momentary +gleam of comfort. + +To this relation Emily listened with extreme concern, and, recollecting +the frenzied manners and the expressions of horror, which she had +herself witnessed of Agnes, together with the history, that sister +Frances had communicated, her compassion was heightened to a very +painful degree. As the evening was already far advanced, Emily did not +now desire to see her, or to join in the mass, and, after leaving many +kind remembrances with the nun, for her old friends, she quitted the +monastery, and returned over the cliffs towards the chateau, meditating +upon what she had just heard, till, at length she forced her mind upon +less interesting subjects. + +The wind was high, and as she drew near the chateau, she often paused +to listen to its awful sound, as it swept over the billows, that beat +below, or groaned along the surrounding woods; and, while she rested on +a cliff at a short distance from the chateau, and looked upon the wide +waters, seen dimly beneath the last shade of twilight, she thought of +the following address: + + TO THE WINDS + + Viewless, through heaven's vast vault your course ye steer, + Unknown from whence ye come, or whither go! + Mysterious pow'rs! I hear ye murmur low, + Till swells your loud gust on my startled ear, + And, awful! seems to say--some God is near! + I love to list your midnight voices float + In the dread storm, that o'er the ocean rolls, + And, while their charm the angry wave controuls, + Mix with its sullen roar, and sink remote. + Then, rising in the pause, a sweeter note, + The dirge of spirits, who your deeds bewail, + A sweeter note oft swells while sleeps the gale! + But soon, ye sightless pow'rs! your rest is o'er, + Solemn and slow, ye rise upon the air, + Speak in the shrouds, and bid the sea-boy fear, + And the faint-warbled dirge--is heard no more! + Oh! then I deprecate your awful reign! + The loud lament yet bear not on your breath! + Bear not the crash of bark far on the main, + Bear not the cry of men, who cry in vain, + The crew's dread chorus sinking into death! + Oh! give not these, ye pow'rs! I ask alone, + As rapt I climb these dark romantic steeps, + The elemental war, the billow's moan; + I ask the still, sweet tear, that listening Fancy weeps! + + + +CHAPTER XVI + + + Unnatural deeds + Do breed unnatural troubles: infected minds + To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets. + More needs she the divine, than the physician. + MACBETH + +On the following evening, the view of the convent towers, rising among +the shadowy woods, reminded Emily of the nun, whose condition had so +much affected her; and, anxious to know how she was, as well as to see +some of her former friends, she and the Lady Blanche extended their walk +to the monastery. At the gate stood a carriage, which, from the heat +of the horses, appeared to have just arrived; but a more than common +stillness pervaded the court and the cloisters, through which Emily +and Blanche passed in their way to the great hall, where a nun, who was +crossing to the stair-case, replied to the enquiries of the former, that +sister Agnes was still living, and sensible, but that it was thought she +could not survive the night. In the parlour, they found several of +the boarders, who rejoiced to see Emily, and told her many little +circumstances that had happened in the convent since her departure, and +which were interesting to her only because they related to persons, whom +she had regarded with affection. While they thus conversed the abbess +entered the room, and expressed much satisfaction at seeing Emily, but +her manner was unusually solemn, and her countenance dejected. 'Our +house,' said she, after the first salutations were over, 'is truly a +house of mourning--a daughter is now paying the debt of nature.--You +have heard, perhaps, that our daughter Agnes is dying?' + +Emily expressed her sincere concern. + +'Her death presents to us a great and awful lesson,' continued the +abbess; 'let us read it, and profit by it; let it teach us to prepare +ourselves for the change, that awaits us all! You are young, and have +it yet in your power to secure "the peace that passeth all +understanding"--the peace of conscience. Preserve it in your youth, that +it may comfort you in age; for vain, alas! and imperfect are the good +deeds of our latter years, if those of our early life have been evil!' + +Emily would have said, that good deeds, she hoped, were never vain; +but she considered that it was the abbess who spoke, and she remained +silent. + +'The latter days of Agnes,' resumed the abbess, 'have been exemplary; +would they might atone for the errors of her former ones! Her sufferings +now, alas! are great; let us believe, that they will make her peace +hereafter! I have left her with her confessor, and a gentleman, whom she +has long been anxious to see, and who is just arrived from Paris. +They, I hope, will be able to administer the repose, which her mind has +hitherto wanted.' + +Emily fervently joined in the wish. + +'During her illness, she has sometimes named you,' resumed the abbess; +'perhaps, it would comfort her to see you; when her present visitors +have left her, we will go to her chamber, if the scene will not be +too melancholy for your spirits. But, indeed, to such scenes, however +painful, we ought to accustom ourselves, for they are salutary to the +soul, and prepare us for what we are ourselves to suffer.' + +Emily became grave and thoughtful; for this conversation brought to her +recollection the dying moments of her beloved father, and she wished +once more to weep over the spot, where his remains were buried. +During the silence, which followed the abbess' speech, many minute +circumstances attending his last hours occurred to her--his emotion on +perceiving himself to be in the neighbourhood of Chateau-le-Blanc--his +request to be interred in a particular spot in the church of this +monastery--and the solemn charge he had delivered to her to destroy +certain papers, without examining them.--She recollected also the +mysterious and horrible words in those manuscripts, upon which her eye +had involuntarily glanced; and, though they now, and, indeed, whenever +she remembered them, revived an excess of painful curiosity, concerning +their full import, and the motives for her father's command, it was +ever her chief consolation, that she had strictly obeyed him in this +particular. + +Little more was said by the abbess, who appeared too much affected by +the subject she had lately left, to be willing to converse, and her +companions had been for some time silent from the same cause, when this +general reverie was interrupted by the entrance of a stranger, Monsieur +Bonnac, who had just quitted the chamber of sister Agnes. He appeared +much disturbed, but Emily fancied, that his countenance had more the +expression of horror, than of grief. Having drawn the abbess to a +distant part of the room, he conversed with her for some time, during +which she seemed to listen with earnest attention, and he to speak +with caution, and a more than common degree of interest. When he had +concluded, he bowed silently to the rest of the company, and quitted the +room. The abbess, soon after, proposed going to the chamber of sister +Agnes, to which Emily consented, though not without some reluctance, and +Lady Blanche remained with the boarders below. + +At the door of the chamber they met the confessor, whom, as he lifted +up his head on their approach, Emily observed to be the same that had +attended her dying father; but he passed on, without noticing her, and +they entered the apartment, where, on a mattress, was laid sister Agnes, +with one nun watching in the chair beside her. Her countenance was so +much changed, that Emily would scarcely have recollected her, had she +not been prepared to do so: it was ghastly, and overspread with gloomy +horror; her dim and hollow eyes were fixed on a crucifix, which she +held upon her bosom; and she was so much engaged in thought, as not to +perceive the abbess and Emily, till they stood at the bed-side. Then, +turning her heavy eyes, she fixed them, in wild horror, upon Emily, and, +screaming, exclaimed, 'Ah! that vision comes upon me in my dying hours!' + +Emily started back in terror, and looked for explanation to the abbess, +who made her a signal not to be alarmed, and calmly said to Agnes, +'Daughter, I have brought Mademoiselle St. Aubert to visit you: I +thought you would be glad to see her.' + +Agnes made no reply; but, still gazing wildly upon Emily, exclaimed, 'It +is her very self! Oh! there is all that fascination in her look, which +proved my destruction! What would you have--what is it you came to +demand--Retribution?--It will soon be yours--it is yours already. +How many years have passed, since last I saw you! My crime is but as +yesterday.--Yet I am grown old beneath it; while you are still young and +blooming--blooming as when you forced me to commit that most abhorred +deed! O! could I once forget it!--yet what would that avail?--the deed +is done!' + +Emily, extremely shocked, would now have left the room; but the abbess, +taking her hand, tried to support her spirits, and begged she would stay +a few moments, when Agnes would probably be calm, whom now she tried to +sooth. But the latter seemed to disregard her, while she still fixed +her eyes on Emily, and added, 'What are years of prayers and repentance? +they cannot wash out the foulness of murder!--Yes, murder! Where is +he--where is he?--Look there--look there!--see where he stalks along +the room! Why do you come to torment me now?' continued Agnes, while her +straining eyes were bent on air, 'why was not I punished before?--O! +do not frown so sternly! Hah! there again! 'til she herself! Why do you +look so piteously upon me--and smile, too? smile on me! What groan was +that?' + +Agnes sunk down, apparently lifeless, and Emily, unable to support +herself, leaned against the bed, while the abbess and the attendant nun +were applying the usual remedies to Agnes. 'Peace,' said the abbess, +when Emily was going to speak, 'the delirium is going off, she will soon +revive. When was she thus before, daughter?' + +'Not of many weeks, madam,' replied the nun, 'but her spirits have been +much agitated by the arrival of the gentleman she wished so much to +see.' + +'Yes,' observed the abbess, 'that has undoubtedly occasioned this +paroxysm of frenzy. When she is better, we will leave her to repose.' + +Emily very readily consented, but, though she could now give little +assistance, she was unwilling to quit the chamber, while any might be +necessary. + +When Agnes recovered her senses, she again fixed her eyes on Emily, but +their wild expression was gone, and a gloomy melancholy had succeeded. +It was some moments before she recovered sufficient spirits to speak; +she then said feebly--'The likeness is wonderful!--surely it must +be something more than fancy. Tell me, I conjure you,' she added, +addressing Emily, 'though your name is St. Aubert, are you not the +daughter of the Marchioness?' + +'What Marchioness?' said Emily, in extreme surprise; for she had +imagined, from the calmness of Agnes's manner, that her intellects were +restored. The abbess gave her a significant glance, but she repeated the +question. + +'What Marchioness?' exclaimed Agnes, 'I know but of one--the Marchioness +de Villeroi.' + +Emily, remembering the emotion of her late father, upon the unexpected +mention of this lady, and his request to be laid near to the tomb of +the Villerois, now felt greatly interested, and she entreated Agnes to +explain the reason of her question. The abbess would now have withdrawn +Emily from the room, who being, however, detained by a strong interest, +repeated her entreaties. + +'Bring me that casket, sister,' said Agnes; 'I will shew her to you; yet +you need only look in that mirror, and you will behold her; you surely +are her daughter: such striking resemblance is never found but among +near relations.' + +The nun brought the casket, and Agnes, having directed her how to unlock +it, she took thence a miniature, in which Emily perceived the exact +resemblance of the picture, which she had found among her late father's +papers. Agnes held out her hand to receive it; gazed upon it earnestly +for some moments in silence; and then, with a countenance of deep +despair, threw up her eyes to Heaven, and prayed inwardly. When she had +finished, she returned the miniature to Emily. 'Keep it,' said she, +'I bequeath it to you, for I must believe it is your right. I have +frequently observed the resemblance between you; but never, till this +day, did it strike upon my conscience so powerfully! Stay, sister, do +not remove the casket--there is another picture I would shew.' + +Emily trembled with expectation, and the abbess again would have +withdrawn her. 'Agnes is still disordered,' said she, 'you observe how +she wanders. In these moods she says any thing, and does not scruple, as +you have witnessed, to accuse herself of the most horrible crimes.' + +Emily, however, thought she perceived something more than madness in +the inconsistencies of Agnes, whose mention of the Marchioness, +and production of her picture, had interested her so much, that she +determined to obtain further information, if possible, respecting the +subject of it. + +The nun returned with the casket, and, Agnes pointing out to her a +secret drawer, she took from it another miniature. 'Here,' said Agnes, +as she offered it to Emily, 'learn a lesson for your vanity, at least; +look well at this picture, and see if you can discover any resemblance +between what I was, and what I am.' + +Emily impatiently received the miniature, which her eyes had scarcely +glanced upon, before her trembling hands had nearly suffered it to +fall--it was the resemblance of the portrait of Signora Laurentini, +which she had formerly seen in the castle of Udolpho--the lady, who +had disappeared in so mysterious a manner, and whom Montoni had been +suspected of having caused to be murdered. + +In silent astonishment, Emily continued to gaze alternately upon the +picture and the dying nun, endeavouring to trace a resemblance between +them, which no longer existed. + +'Why do you look so sternly on me?' said Agnes, mistaking the nature of +Emily's emotion. + +'I have seen this face before,' said Emily, at length; 'was it really +your resemblance?' + +'You may well ask that question,' replied the nun,--'but it was once +esteemed a striking likeness of me. Look at me well, and see what guilt +has made me. I then was innocent; the evil passions of my nature slept. +Sister!' added she solemnly, and stretching forth her cold, damp hand +to Emily, who shuddered at its touch--'Sister! beware of the first +indulgence of the passions; beware of the first! Their course, if not +checked then, is rapid--their force is uncontroulable--they lead us we +know not whither--they lead us perhaps to the commission of crimes, for +which whole years of prayer and penitence cannot atone!--Such may be the +force of even a single passion, that it overcomes every other, and sears +up every other approach to the heart. Possessing us like a fiend, it +leads us on to the acts of a fiend, making us insensible to pity and +to conscience. And, when its purpose is accomplished, like a fiend, +it leaves us to the torture of those feelings, which its power had +suspended--not annihilated,--to the tortures of compassion, remorse, and +conscience. Then, we awaken as from a dream, and perceive a new +world around us--we gaze in astonishment, and horror--but the deed +is committed; not all the powers of heaven and earth united can +undo it--and the spectres of conscience will not fly! What are +riches--grandeur--health itself, to the luxury of a pure conscience, the +health of the soul;--and what the sufferings of poverty, disappointment, +despair--to the anguish of an afflicted one! O! how long is it since +I knew that luxury! I believed, that I had suffered the most agonizing +pangs of human nature, in love, jealousy, and despair--but these pangs +were ease, compared with the stings of conscience, which I have since +endured. I tasted too what was called the sweet of revenge--but it was +transient, it expired even with the object, that provoked it. Remember, +sister, that the passions are the seeds of vices as well as of virtues, +from which either may spring, accordingly as they are nurtured. Unhappy +they who have never been taught the art to govern them!' + +'Alas! unhappy!' said the abbess, 'and ill-informed of our holy +religion!' Emily listened to Agnes, in silent awe, while she still +examined the miniature, and became confirmed in her opinion of its +strong resemblance to the portrait at Udolpho. 'This face is familiar to +me,' said she, wishing to lead the nun to an explanation, yet fearing to +discover too abruptly her knowledge of Udolpho. + +'You are mistaken,' replied Agnes, 'you certainly never saw that picture +before.' + +'No,' replied Emily, 'but I have seen one extremely like it.' +'Impossible,' said Agnes, who may now be called the Lady Laurentini. + +'It was in the castle of Udolpho,' continued Emily, looking stedfastly +at her. + +'Of Udolpho!' exclaimed Laurentini, 'of Udolpho in Italy!' 'The same,' +replied Emily. + +'You know me then,' said Laurentini, 'and you are the daughter of the +Marchioness.' Emily was somewhat surprised at this abrupt assertion. 'I +am the daughter of the late Mons. St. Aubert,' said she; 'and the lady +you name is an utter stranger to me.' + +'At least you believe so,' rejoined Laurentini. + +Emily asked what reasons there could be to believe otherwise. + +'The family likeness, that you bear her,' said the nun. 'The +Marchioness, it is known, was attached to a gentleman of Gascony, at the +time when she accepted the hand of the Marquis, by the command of her +father. Ill-fated, unhappy woman!' + +Emily, remembering the extreme emotion which St. Aubert had betrayed on +the mention of the Marchioness, would now have suffered something more +than surprise, had her confidence in his integrity been less; as it +was, she could not, for a moment, believe what the words of Laurentini +insinuated; yet she still felt strongly interested, concerning them, and +begged, that she would explain them further. + +'Do not urge me on that subject,' said the nun, 'it is to me a terrible +one! Would that I could blot it from my memory!' She sighed deeply, +and, after the pause of a moment, asked Emily, by what means she had +discovered her name? + +'By your portrait in the castle of Udolpho, to which this miniature +bears a striking resemblance,' replied Emily. + +'You have been at Udolpho then!' said the nun, with great emotion. +'Alas! what scenes does the mention of it revive in my fancy--scenes of +happiness--of suffering--and of horror!' + +At this moment, the terrible spectacle, which Emily had witnessed in a +chamber of that castle, occurred to her, and she shuddered, while she +looked upon the nun--and recollected her late words--that 'years of +prayer and penitence could not wash out the foulness of murder.' She +was now compelled to attribute these to another cause, than that of +delirium. With a degree of horror, that almost deprived her of sense, +she now believed she looked upon a murderer; all the recollected +behaviour of Laurentini seemed to confirm the supposition, yet Emily was +still lost in a labyrinth of perplexities, and, not knowing how to ask +the questions, which might lead to truth, she could only hint them in +broken sentences. + +'Your sudden departure from Udolpho'--said she. + +Laurentini groaned. + +'The reports that followed it,' continued Emily--'The west chamber--the +mournful veil--the object it conceals!--when murders are committed--' + +The nun shrieked. 'What! there again!' said she, endeavouring to raise +herself, while her starting eyes seemed to follow some object round +the room--'Come from the grave! What! Blood--blood too!--There was +no blood--thou canst not say it!--Nay, do not smile,--do not smile so +piteously!' + +Laurentini fell into convulsions, as she uttered the last words; and +Emily, unable any longer to endure the horror of the scene, hurried from +the room, and sent some nuns to the assistance of the abbess. + +The Lady Blanche, and the boarders, who were in the parlour, now +assembled round Emily, and, alarmed by her manner and affrighted +countenance, asked a hundred questions, which she avoided answering +further, than by saying, that she believed sister Agnes was dying. They +received this as a sufficient explanation of her terror, and had then +leisure to offer restoratives, which, at length, somewhat revived Emily, +whose mind was, however, so much shocked with the terrible surmises, and +perplexed with doubts by some words from the nun, that she was unable +to converse, and would have left the convent immediately, had she not +wished to know whether Laurentini would survive the late attack. After +waiting some time, she was informed, that, the convulsions having +ceased, Laurentini seemed to be reviving, and Emily and Blanche were +departing, when the abbess appeared, who, drawing the former aside, said +she had something of consequence to say to her, but, as it was late, +she would not detain her then, and requested to see her on the following +day. + +Emily promised to visit her, and, having taken leave, returned with the +Lady Blanche towards the chateau, on the way to which the deep gloom of +the woods made Blanche lament, that the evening was so far advanced; for +the surrounding stillness and obscurity rendered her sensible of fear, +though there was a servant to protect her; while Emily was too much +engaged by the horrors of the scene she had just witnessed, to be +affected by the solemnity of the shades, otherwise than as they served +to promote her gloomy reverie, from which, however, she was at length +recalled by the Lady Blanche, who pointed out, at some distance, in +the dusky path they were winding, two persons slowly advancing. It was +impossible to avoid them without striking into a still more secluded +part of the wood, whither the strangers might easily follow; but all +apprehension vanished, when Emily distinguished the voice of Mons. Du +Pont, and perceived, that his companion was the gentleman, whom she +had seen at the monastery, and who was now conversing with so much +earnestness as not immediately to perceive their approach. When Du Pont +joined the ladies, the stranger took leave, and they proceeded to the +chateau, where the Count, when he heard of Mons. Bonnac, claimed him for +an acquaintance, and, on learning the melancholy occasion of his visit +to Languedoc, and that he was lodged at a small inn in the village, +begged the favour of Mons. Du Pont to invite him to the chateau. + +The latter was happy to do so, and the scruples of reserve, which made +M. Bonnac hesitate to accept the invitation, being at length overcome, +they went to the chateau, where the kindness of the Count and the +sprightliness of his son were exerted to dissipate the gloom, that +overhung the spirits of the stranger. M. Bonnac was an officer in the +French service, and appeared to be about fifty; his figure was tall +and commanding, his manners had received the last polish, and there was +something in his countenance uncommonly interesting; for over features, +which, in youth, must have been remarkably handsome, was spread a +melancholy, that seemed the effect of long misfortune, rather than of +constitution, or temper. + +The conversation he held, during supper, was evidently an effort of +politeness, and there were intervals in which, unable to struggle +against the feelings, that depressed him, he relapsed into silence and +abstraction, from which, however, the Count, sometimes, withdrew him in +a manner so delicate and benevolent, that Emily, while she observed him, +almost fancied she beheld her late father. + +The party separated, at an early hour, and then, in the solitude of her +apartment, the scenes, which Emily had lately witnessed, returned to +her fancy, with dreadful energy. That in the dying nun she should have +discovered Signora Laurentini, who, instead of having been murdered by +Montoni, was, as it now seemed, herself guilty of some dreadful crime, +excited both horror and surprise in a high degree; nor did the hints, +which she had dropped, respecting the marriage of the Marchioness de +Villeroi, and the enquiries she had made concerning Emily's birth, +occasion her a less degree of interest, though it was of a different +nature. + +The history, which sister Frances had formerly related, and had said to +be that of Agnes, it now appeared, was erroneous; but for what purpose +it had been fabricated, unless the more effectually to conceal the true +story, Emily could not even guess. Above all, her interest was excited +as to the relation, which the story of the late Marchioness de Villeroi +bore to that of her father; for, that some kind of relation existed +between them, the grief of St. Aubert, upon hearing her named, his +request to be buried near her, and her picture, which had been found +among his papers, certainly proved. Sometimes it occurred to Emily, that +he might have been the lover, to whom it was said the Marchioness was +attached, when she was compelled to marry the Marquis de Villeroi; but +that he had afterwards cherished a passion for her, she could not suffer +herself to believe, for a moment. The papers, which he had so solemnly +enjoined her to destroy, she now fancied had related to this connection, +and she wished more earnestly than before to know the reasons, that +made him consider the injunction necessary, which, had her faith in +his principles been less, would have led to believe, that there was +a mystery in her birth dishonourable to her parents, which those +manuscripts might have revealed. + +Reflections, similar to these, engaged her mind, during the greater part +of the night, and when, at length, she fell into a slumber, it was only +to behold a vision of the dying nun, and to awaken in horrors, like +those she had witnessed. + +On the following morning, she was too much indisposed to attend her +appointment with the abbess, and, before the day concluded, she heard, +that sister Agnes was no more. Mons. Bonnac received this intelligence, +with concern; but Emily observed, that he did not appear so much +affected now, as on the preceding evening, immediately after quitting +the apartment of the nun, whose death was probably less terrible to him, +than the confession he had been then called upon to witness. However +this might be, he was perhaps consoled, in some degree, by a knowledge +of the legacy bequeathed him, since his family was large, and the +extravagance of some part of it had lately been the means of involving +him in great distress, and even in the horrors of a prison; and it was +the grief he had suffered from the wild career of a favourite son, with +the pecuniary anxieties and misfortunes consequent upon it, that +had given to his countenance the air of dejection, which had so much +interested Emily. + +To his friend Mons. Du Pont he recited some particulars of his late +sufferings, when it appeared, that he had been confined for several +months in one of the prisons of Paris, with little hope of release, +and without the comfort of seeing his wife, who had been absent in the +country, endeavouring, though in vain, to procure assistance from his +friends. When, at length, she had obtained an order for admittance, she +was so much shocked at the change, which long confinement and sorrow had +made in his appearance, that she was seized with fits, which, by their +long continuance, threatened her life. + +'Our situation affected those, who happened to witness it,' continued +Mons. Bonnac, 'and one generous friend, who was in confinement at the +same time, afterwards employed the first moments of his liberty in +efforts to obtain mine. He succeeded; the heavy debt, that oppressed +me, was discharged; and, when I would have expressed my sense of the +obligation I had received, my benefactor was fled from my search. I have +reason to believe he was the victim of his own generosity, and that he +returned to the state of confinement, from which he had released me; +but every enquiry after him was unsuccessful. Amiable and unfortunate +Valancourt!' + +'Valancourt!' exclaimed Mons. Du Pont. 'Of what family?' + +'The Valancourts, Counts Duvarney,' replied Mons. Bonnac. + +The emotion of Mons. Du Pont, when he discovered the generous benefactor +of his friend to be the rival of his love, can only be imagined; but, +having overcome his first surprise, he dissipated the apprehensions of +Mons. Bonnac by acquainting him, that Valancourt was at liberty, and had +lately been in Languedoc; after which his affection for Emily prompted +him to make some enquiries, respecting the conduct of his rival, during +his stay at Paris, of which M. Bonnac appeared to be well informed. The +answers he received were such as convinced him, that Valancourt had been +much misrepresented, and, painful as was the sacrifice, he formed the +just design of relinquishing his pursuit of Emily to a lover, who, it +now appeared, was not unworthy of the regard, with which she honoured +him. + +The conversation of Mons. Bonnac discovered, that Valancourt, some +time after his arrival at Paris, had been drawn into the snares, which +determined vice had spread for him, and that his hours had been chiefly +divided between the parties of the captivating Marchioness and those +gaming assemblies, to which the envy, or the avarice, of his brother +officers had spared no art to seduce him. In these parties he had lost +large sums, in efforts to recover small ones, and to such losses the +Count De Villefort and Mons. Henri had been frequent witnesses. His +resources were, at length, exhausted; and the Count, his brother, +exasperated by his conduct, refused to continue the supplies necessary +to his present mode of life, when Valancourt, in consequence of +accumulated debts, was thrown into confinement, where his brother +suffered him to remain, in the hope, that punishment might effect a +reform of conduct, which had not yet been confirmed by long habit. + +In the solitude of his prison, Valancourt had leisure for reflection, +and cause for repentance; here, too, the image of Emily, which, amidst +the dissipation of the city had been obscured, but never obliterated +from his heart, revived with all the charms of innocence and beauty, to +reproach him for having sacrificed his happiness and debased his talents +by pursuits, which his nobler faculties would formerly have taught him +to consider were as tasteless as they were degrading. But, though his +passions had been seduced, his heart was not depraved, nor had habit +riveted the chains, that hung heavily on his conscience; and, as he +retained that energy of will, which was necessary to burst them, he, at +length, emancipated himself from the bondage of vice, but not till after +much effort and severe suffering. + +Being released by his brother from the prison, where he had witnessed +the affecting meeting between Mons. Bonnac and his wife, with whom he +had been for some time acquainted, the first use of his liberty formed a +striking instance of his humanity and his rashness; for with nearly all +the money, just received from his brother, he went to a gaming-house, +and gave it as a last stake for the chance of restoring his friend to +freedom, and to his afflicted family. The event was fortunate, and, +while he had awaited the issue of this momentous stake, he made a solemn +vow never again to yield to the destructive and fascinating vice of +gaming. + +Having restored the venerable Mons. Bonnac to his rejoicing family, he +hurried from Paris to Estuviere; and, in the delight of having made the +wretched happy, forgot, for a while, his own misfortunes. Soon, however, +he remembered, that he had thrown away the fortune, without which he +could never hope to marry Emily; and life, unless passed with her, +now scarcely appeared supportable; for her goodness, refinement, and +simplicity of heart, rendered her beauty more enchanting, if possible, +to his fancy, than it had ever yet appeared. Experience had taught +him to understand the full value of the qualities, which he had before +admired, but which the contrasted characters he had seen in the world +made him now adore; and these reflections, increasing the pangs of +remorse and regret, occasioned the deep dejection, that had accompanied +him even into the presence of Emily, of whom he considered himself no +longer worthy. To the ignominy of having received pecuniary obligations +from the Marchioness Chamfort, or any other lady of intrigue, as the +Count De Villefort had been informed, or of having been engaged in the +depredating schemes of gamesters, Valancourt had never submitted; and +these were some of such scandals as often mingle with truth, against the +unfortunate. Count De Villefort had received them from authority which +he had no reason to doubt, and which the imprudent conduct he had +himself witnessed in Valancourt, had certainly induced him the more +readily to believe. Being such as Emily could not name to the Chevalier, +he had no opportunity of refuting them; and, when he confessed +himself to be unworthy of her esteem, he little suspected, that he was +confirming to her the most dreadful calumnies. Thus the mistake had been +mutual, and had remained so, when Mons. Bonnac explained the conduct of +his generous, but imprudent young friend to Du Pont, who, with severe +justice, determined not only to undeceive the Count on this subject, but +to resign all hope of Emily. Such a sacrifice as his love rendered +this, was deserving of a noble reward, and Mons. Bonnac, if it had been +possible for him to forget the benevolent Valancourt, would have wished +that Emily might accept the just Du Pont. + +When the Count was informed of the error he had committed, he was +extremely shocked at the consequence of his credulity, and the account +which Mons. Bonnac gave of his friend's situation, while at Paris, +convinced him, that Valancourt had been entrapped by the schemes of a +set of dissipated young men, with whom his profession had partly obliged +him to associate, rather than by an inclination to vice; and, charmed +by the humanity, and noble, though rash generosity, which his conduct +towards Mons. Bonnac exhibited, he forgave him the transient errors, +that had stained his youth, and restored him to the high degree of +esteem, with which he had regarded him, during their early acquaintance. +But, as the least reparation he could now make Valancourt was to +afford him an opportunity of explaining to Emily his former conduct, +he immediately wrote, to request his forgiveness of the unintentional +injury he had done him, and to invite him to Chateau-le-Blanc. Motives +of delicacy with-held the Count from informing Emily of this letter, +and of kindness from acquainting her with the discovery respecting +Valancourt, till his arrival should save her from the possibility of +anxiety, as to its event; and this precaution spared her even severer +inquietude, than the Count had foreseen, since he was ignorant of the +symptoms of despair, which Valancourt's late conduct had betrayed. + + + +CHAPTER XVII + + + But in these cases, + We still have judgment here; that we but teach + Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return + To plague the inventor: thus even-handed justice + Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice + To our own lips. + MACBETH + +Some circumstances of an extraordinary nature now withdrew Emily from +her own sorrows, and excited emotions, which partook of both surprise +and horror. + +A few days followed that, on which Signora Laurentini died, her will +was opened at the monastery, in the presence of the superiors and Mons. +Bonnac, when it was found, that one third of her personal property was +bequeathed to the nearest surviving relative of the late Marchioness de +Villeroi, and that Emily was the person. + +With the secret of Emily's family the abbess had long been acquainted, +and it was in observance of the earnest request of St. Aubert, who +was known to the friar, that attended him on his death-bed, that +his daughter had remained in ignorance of her relationship to the +Marchioness. But some hints, which had fallen from Signora Laurentini, +during her last interview with Emily, and a confession of a very +extraordinary nature, given in her dying hours, had made the abbess +think it necessary to converse with her young friend, on the topic she +had not before ventured to introduce; and it was for this purpose, that +she had requested to see her on the morning that followed her interview +with the nun. Emily's indisposition had then prevented the intended +conversation; but now, after the will had been examined, she received +a summons, which she immediately obeyed, and became informed of +circumstances, that powerfully affected her. As the narrative of the +abbess was, however, deficient in many particulars, of which the reader +may wish to be informed, and the history of the nun is materially +connected with the fate of the Marchioness de Villeroi, we shall omit +the conversation, that passed in the parlour of the convent, and mingle +with our relation a brief history of + + LAURENTINI DI UDOLPHO, + +Who was the only child of her parents, and heiress of the ancient house +of Udolpho, in the territory of Venice. It was the first misfortune +of her life, and that which led to all her succeeding misery, that the +friends, who ought to have restrained her strong passions, and mildly +instructed her in the art of governing them, nurtured them by early +indulgence. But they cherished their own failings in her; for their +conduct was not the result of rational kindness, and, when they either +indulged, or opposed the passions of their child, they gratified their +own. Thus they indulged her with weakness, and reprehended her with +violence; her spirit was exasperated by their vehemence, instead of +being corrected by their wisdom; and their oppositions became contest +for victory, in which the due tenderness of the parents, and the +affectionate duties of the child, were equally forgotten; but, as +returning fondness disarmed the parents' resentment soonest, Laurentini +was suffered to believe that she had conquered, and her passions became +stronger by every effort, that had been employed to subdue them. + +The death of her father and mother in the same year left her to her own +discretion, under the dangerous circumstances attendant on youth +and beauty. She was fond of company, delighted with admiration, yet +disdainful of the opinion of the world, when it happened to contradict +her inclinations; had a gay and brilliant wit, and was mistress of +all the arts of fascination. Her conduct was such as might have been +expected, from the weakness of her principles and the strength of her +passions. + +Among her numerous admirers was the late Marquis de Villeroi, who, on +his tour through Italy, saw Laurentini at Venice, where she usually +resided, and became her passionate adorer. Equally captivated by the +figure and accomplishments of the Marquis, who was at that period one of +the most distinguished noblemen of the French court, she had the art so +effectually to conceal from him the dangerous traits of her character +and the blemishes of her late conduct, that he solicited her hand in +marriage. + +Before the nuptials were concluded, she retired to the castle of +Udolpho, whither the Marquis followed, and, where her conduct, relaxing +from the propriety, which she had lately assumed, discovered to him +the precipice, on which he stood. A minuter enquiry than he had before +thought it necessary to make, convinced him, that he had been deceived +in her character, and she, whom he had designed for his wife, afterwards +became his mistress. + +Having passed some weeks at Udolpho, he was called abruptly to France, +whither he returned with extreme reluctance, for his heart was still +fascinated by the arts of Laurentini, with whom, however, he had on +various pretences delayed his marriage; but, to reconcile her to this +separation, he now gave repeated promises of returning to conclude +the nuptials, as soon as the affair, which thus suddenly called him to +France, should permit. + +Soothed, in some degree, by these assurances, she suffered him to +depart; and, soon after, her relative, Montoni, arriving at Udolpho, +renewed the addresses, which she had before refused, and which she now +again rejected. Meanwhile, her thoughts were constantly with the Marquis +de Villeroi, for whom she suffered all the delirium of Italian love, +cherished by the solitude, to which she confined herself; for she +had now lost all taste for the pleasures of society and the gaiety of +amusement. Her only indulgences were to sigh and weep over a miniature +of the Marquis; to visit the scenes, that had witnessed their happiness, +to pour forth her heart to him in writing, and to count the weeks, the +days, which must intervene before the period that he had mentioned as +probable for his return. But this period passed without bringing +him; and week after week followed in heavy and almost intolerable +expectation. During this interval, Laurentini's fancy, occupied +incessantly by one idea, became disordered; and, her whole heart being +devoted to one object, life became hateful to her, when she believed +that object lost. + +Several months passed, during which she heard nothing from the Marquis +de Villeroi, and her days were marked, at intervals, with the phrensy +of passion and the sullenness of despair. She secluded herself from all +visitors, and, sometimes, remained in her apartment, for weeks +together, refusing to speak to every person, except her favourite female +attendant, writing scraps of letters, reading, again and again, those +she had received from the Marquis, weeping over his picture, and +speaking to it, for many hours, upbraiding, reproaching and caressing it +alternately. + +At length, a report reached her, that the Marquis had married in France, +and, after suffering all the extremes of love, jealousy and indignation, +she formed the desperate resolution of going secretly to that country, +and, if the report proved true, of attempting a deep revenge. To her +favourite woman only she confided the plan of her journey, and she +engaged her to partake of it. Having collected her jewels, which, +descending to her from many branches of her family, were of immense +value, and all her cash, to a very large amount, they were packed in +a trunk, which was privately conveyed to a neighbouring town, whither +Laurentini, with this only servant, followed, and thence proceeded +secretly to Leghorn, where they embarked for France. + +When, on her arrival in Languedoc, she found, that the Marquis de +Villeroi had been married, for some months, her despair almost deprived +her of reason, and she alternately projected and abandoned the horrible +design of murdering the Marquis, his wife and herself. At length she +contrived to throw herself in his way, with an intention of reproaching +him, for his conduct, and of stabbing herself in his presence; but, +when she again saw him, who so long had been the constant object of +her thoughts and affections, resentment yielded to love; her resolution +failed; she trembled with the conflict of emotions, that assailed her +heart, and fainted away. + +The Marquis was not proof against her beauty and sensibility; all the +energy, with which he had first loved, returned, for his passion had +been resisted by prudence, rather than overcome by indifference; and, +since the honour of his family would not permit him to marry her, he had +endeavoured to subdue his love, and had so far succeeded, as to select +the then Marchioness for his wife, whom he loved at first with a +tempered and rational affection. But the mild virtues of that amiable +lady did not recompense him for her indifference, which appeared, +notwithstanding her efforts to conceal it; and he had, for some time, +suspected that her affections were engaged by another person, when +Laurentini arrived in Languedoc. This artful Italian soon perceived, +that she had regained her influence over him, and, soothed by the +discovery, she determined to live, and to employ all her enchantments to +win his consent to the diabolical deed, which she believed was necessary +to the security of her happiness. She conducted her scheme with deep +dissimulation and patient perseverance, and, having completely estranged +the affections of the Marquis from his wife, whose gentle goodness and +unimpassioned manners had ceased to please, when contrasted with the +captivations of the Italian, she proceeded to awaken in his mind the +jealousy of pride, for it was no longer that of love, and even pointed +out to him the person, to whom she affirmed the Marchioness had +sacrificed her honour; but Laurentini had first extorted from him a +solemn promise to forbear avenging himself upon his rival. This was +an important part of her plan, for she knew, that, if his desire of +vengeance was restrained towards one party, it would burn more fiercely +towards the other, and he might then, perhaps, be prevailed on to assist +in the horrible act, which would release him from the only barrier, that +with-held him from making her his wife. + +The innocent Marchioness, meanwhile, observed, with extreme grief, the +alteration in her husband's manners. He became reserved and thoughtful +in her presence; his conduct was austere, and sometimes even rude; and +he left her, for many hours together, to weep for his unkindness, and to +form plans for the recovery of his affection. His conduct afflicted her +the more, because, in obedience to the command of her father, she had +accepted his hand, though her affections were engaged to another, whose +amiable disposition, she had reason to believe, would have ensured her +happiness. This circumstance Laurentini had discovered, soon after her +arrival in France, and had made ample use of it in assisting her designs +upon the Marquis, to whom she adduced such seeming proof of his wife's +infidelity, that, in the frantic rage of wounded honour, he consented to +destroy his wife. A slow poison was administered, and she fell a victim +to the jealousy and subtlety of Laurentini and to the guilty weakness of +her husband. + +But the moment of Laurentini's triumph, the moment, to which she had +looked forward for the completion of all her wishes, proved only the +commencement of a suffering, that never left her to her dying hour. + +The passion of revenge, which had in part stimulated her to the +commission of this atrocious deed, died, even at the moment when it was +gratified, and left her to the horrors of unavailing pity and remorse, +which would probably have empoisoned all the years she had promised +herself with the Marquis de Villeroi, had her expectations of an +alliance with him been realized. But he, too, had found the moment of +his revenge to be that of remorse, as to himself, and detestation, as +to the partner of his crime; the feeling, which he had mistaken for +conviction, was no more; and he stood astonished, and aghast, that no +proof remained of his wife's infidelity, now that she had suffered the +punishment of guilt. Even when he was informed, that she was dying, he +had felt suddenly and unaccountably reassured of her innocence, nor was +the solemn assurance she made him in her last hour, capable of affording +him a stronger conviction of her blameless conduct. + +In the first horrors of remorse and despair, he felt inclined to deliver +up himself and the woman, who had plunged him into this abyss of guilt, +into the hands of justice; but, when the paroxysm of his suffering +was over, his intention changed. Laurentini, however, he saw only once +afterwards, and that was, to curse her as the instigator of his crime, +and to say, that he spared her life only on condition, that she +passed the rest of her days in prayer and penance. Overwhelmed with +disappointment, on receiving contempt and abhorrence from the man, +for whose sake she had not scrupled to stain her conscience with +human blood, and, touched with horror of the unavailing crime she had +committed, she renounced the world, and retired to the monastery of St. +Claire, a dreadful victim to unresisted passion. + +The Marquis, immediately after the death of his wife, quitted +Chateau-le-Blanc, to which he never returned, and endeavoured to lose +the sense of his crime amidst the tumult of war, or the dissipations +of a capital; but his efforts were vain; a deep dejection hung over him +ever after, for which his most intimate friend could not account, and +he, at length, died, with a degree of horror nearly equal to that, which +Laurentini had suffered. The physician, who had observed the singular +appearance of the unfortunate Marchioness, after death, had been bribed +to silence; and, as the surmises of a few of the servants had proceeded +no further than a whisper, the affair had never been investigated. +Whether this whisper ever reached the father of the Marchioness, and, +if it did, whether the difficulty of obtaining proof deterred him from +prosecuting the Marquis de Villeroi, is uncertain; but her death was +deeply lamented by some part of her family, and particularly by her +brother, M. St. Aubert; for that was the degree of relationship, which +had existed between Emily's father and the Marchioness; and there is no +doubt, that he suspected the manner of her death. Many letters passed +between the Marquis and him, soon after the decease of his beloved +sister, the subject of which was not known, but there is reason to +believe, that they related to the cause of her death; and these were the +papers, together with some letters of the Marchioness, who had confided +to her brother the occasion of her unhappiness, which St. Aubert had so +solemnly enjoined his daughter to destroy: and anxiety for her peace had +probably made him forbid her to enquire into the melancholy story, +to which they alluded. Such, indeed, had been his affliction, on the +premature death of this his favourite sister, whose unhappy marriage had +from the first excited his tenderest pity, that he never could hear +her named, or mention her himself after her death, except to Madame St. +Aubert. From Emily, whose sensibility he feared to awaken, he had so +carefully concealed her history and name, that she was ignorant, till +now, that she ever had such a relative as the Marchioness de Villeroi; +and from this motive he had enjoined silence to his only surviving +sister, Madame Cheron, who had scrupulously observed his request. + +It was over some of the last pathetic letters of the Marchioness, that +St. Aubert was weeping, when he was observed by Emily, on the eve of +her departure from La Vallee, and it was her picture, which he had so +tenderly caressed. Her disastrous death may account for the emotion he +had betrayed, on hearing her named by La Voisin, and for his request to +be interred near the monument of the Villerois, where her remains were +deposited, but not those of her husband, who was buried, where he died, +in the north of France. + +The confessor, who attended St. Aubert in his last moments, recollected +him to be the brother of the late Marchioness, when St. Aubert, from +tenderness to Emily, had conjured him to conceal the circumstance, and +to request that the abbess, to whose care he particularly recommended +her, would do the same; a request, which had been exactly observed. + +Laurentini, on her arrival in France, had carefully concealed her +name and family, and, the better to disguise her real history, had, +on entering the convent, caused the story to be circulated, which had +imposed on sister Frances, and it is probable, that the abbess, who did +not preside in the convent, at the time of her noviciation, was also +entirely ignorant of the truth. The deep remorse, that seized on +the mind of Laurentini, together with the sufferings of disappointed +passion, for she still loved the Marquis, again unsettled her +intellects, and, after the first paroxysms of despair were passed, a +heavy and silent melancholy had settled upon her spirits, which suffered +few interruptions from fits of phrensy, till the time of her death. +During many years, it had been her only amusement to walk in the woods +near the monastery, in the solitary hours of night, and to play upon +a favourite instrument, to which she sometimes joined the delightful +melody of her voice, in the most solemn and melancholy airs of her +native country, modulated by all the energetic feeling, that dwelt in +her heart. The physician, who had attended her, recommended it to the +superior to indulge her in this whim, as the only means of soothing her +distempered fancy; and she was suffered to walk in the lonely hours of +night, attended by the servant, who had accompanied her from Italy; but, +as the indulgence transgressed against the rules of the convent, it was +kept as secret as possible; and thus the mysterious music of Laurentini +had combined with other circumstances, to produce a report, that not +only the chateau, but its neighbourhood, was haunted. + +Soon after her entrance into this holy community, and before she had +shewn any symptoms of insanity there, she made a will, in which, after +bequeathing a considerable legacy to the convent, she divided the +remainder of her personal property, which her jewels made very valuable, +between the wife of Mons. Bonnac, who was an Italian lady and her +relation, and the nearest surviving relative of the late Marchioness +de Villeroi. As Emily St. Aubert was not only the nearest, but the sole +relative, this legacy descended to her, and thus explained to her the +whole mystery of her father's conduct. + +The resemblance between Emily and her unfortunate aunt had frequently +been observed by Laurentini, and had occasioned the singular behaviour, +which had formerly alarmed her; but it was in the nun's dying hour, when +her conscience gave her perpetually the idea of the Marchioness, that +she became more sensible, than ever, of this likeness, and, in her +phrensy, deemed it no resemblance of the person she had injured, but the +original herself. The bold assertion, that had followed, on the recovery +of her senses, that Emily was the daughter of the Marchioness de +Villeroi, arose from a suspicion that she was so; for, knowing that her +rival, when she married the Marquis, was attached to another lover, she +had scarcely scrupled to believe, that her honour had been sacrificed, +like her own, to an unresisted passion. + +Of a crime, however, to which Emily had suspected, from her phrensied +confession of murder, that she had been instrumental in the castle of +Udolpho, Laurentini was innocent; and she had herself been deceived, +concerning the spectacle, that formerly occasioned her so much terror, +and had since compelled her, for a while, to attribute the horrors of +the nun to a consciousness of a murder, committed in that castle. + +It may be remembered, that, in a chamber of Udolpho, hung a black +veil, whose singular situation had excited Emily's curiosity, and which +afterwards disclosed an object, that had overwhelmed her with horror; +for, on lifting it, there appeared, instead of the picture she had +expected, within a recess of the wall, a human figure of ghastly +paleness, stretched at its length, and dressed in the habiliments of +the grave. What added to the horror of the spectacle, was, that the face +appeared partly decayed and disfigured by worms, which were visible on +the features and hands. On such an object, it will be readily believed, +that no person could endure to look twice. Emily, it may be recollected, +had, after the first glance, let the veil drop, and her terror had +prevented her from ever after provoking a renewal of such suffering, as +she had then experienced. Had she dared to look again, her delusion and +her fears would have vanished together, and she would have perceived, +that the figure before her was not human, but formed of wax. The history +of it is somewhat extraordinary, though not without example in the +records of that fierce severity, which monkish superstition has +sometimes inflicted on mankind. A member of the house of Udolpho, having +committed some offence against the prerogative of the church, had been +condemned to the penance of contemplating, during certain hours of the +day, a waxen image, made to resemble a human body in the state, to which +it is reduced after death. This penance, serving as a memento of the +condition at which he must himself arrive, had been designed to +reprove the pride of the Marquis of Udolpho, which had formerly so +much exasperated that of the Romish church; and he had not only +superstitiously observed this penance himself, which, he had believed, +was to obtain a pardon for all his sins, but had made it a condition +in his will, that his descendants should preserve the image, on pain of +forfeiting to the church a certain part of his domain, that they +also might profit by the humiliating moral it conveyed. The figure, +therefore, had been suffered to retain its station in the wall of the +chamber, but his descendants excused themselves from observing the +penance, to which he had been enjoined. + +This image was so horribly natural, that it is not surprising Emily +should have mistaken it for the object it resembled, nor, since she had +heard such an extraordinary account, concerning the disappearing of the +late lady of the castle, and had such experience of the character of +Montoni, that she should have believed this to be the murdered body of +the lady Laurentini, and that he had been the contriver of her death. + +The situation, in which she had discovered it, occasioned her, at first, +much surprise and perplexity; but the vigilance, with which the doors +of the chamber, where it was deposited, were afterwards secured, had +compelled her to believe, that Montoni, not daring to confide the secret +of her death to any person, had suffered her remains to decay in this +obscure chamber. The ceremony of the veil, however, and the circumstance +of the doors having been left open, even for a moment, had occasioned +her much wonder and some doubts; but these were not sufficient to +overcome her suspicion of Montoni; and it was the dread of his terrible +vengeance, that had sealed her lips in silence, concerning what she had +seen in the west chamber. + +Emily, in discovering the Marchioness de Villeroi to have been the +sister of Mons. St. Aubert, was variously affected; but, amidst the +sorrow, which she suffered for her untimely death, she was released from +an anxious and painful conjecture, occasioned by the rash assertion of +Signora Laurentini, concerning her birth and the honour of her parents. +Her faith in St. Aubert's principles would scarcely allow her to suspect +that he had acted dishonourably; and she felt such reluctance to +believe herself the daughter of any other, than her, whom she had always +considered and loved as a mother, that she would hardly admit such a +circumstance to be possible; yet the likeness, which it had frequently +been affirmed she bore to the late Marchioness, the former behaviour +of Dorothee the old housekeeper, the assertion of Laurentini, and the +mysterious attachment, which St. Aubert had discovered, awakened doubts, +as to his connection with the Marchioness, which her reason could +neither vanquish, or confirm. From these, however, she was now relieved, +and all the circumstances of her father's conduct were fully explained: +but her heart was oppressed by the melancholy catastrophe of her +amiable relative, and by the awful lesson, which the history of the +nun exhibited, the indulgence of whose passions had been the means of +leading her gradually to the commission of a crime, from the prophecy +of which in her early years she would have recoiled in horror, and +exclaimed--that it could not be!--a crime, which whole years of +repentance and of the severest penance had not been able to obliterate +from her conscience. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + + + Then, fresh tears + Stood on her cheek, as doth the honey-dew + Upon a gather'd lily almost wither'd + SHAKESPEARE + +After the late discoveries, Emily was distinguished at the chateau by +the Count and his family, as a relative of the house of Villeroi, and +received, if possible, more friendly attention, than had yet been shewn +her. + +Count De Villefort's surprise at the delay of an answer to his letter, +which had been directed to Valancourt, at Estuviere, was mingled with +satisfaction for the prudence, which had saved Emily from a share of the +anxiety he now suffered, though, when he saw her still drooping under +the effect of his former error, all his resolution was necessary to +restrain him from relating the truth, that would afford her a momentary +relief. The approaching nuptials of the Lady Blanche now divided his +attention with this subject of his anxiety, for the inhabitants of the +chateau were already busied in preparations for that event, and the +arrival of Mons. St. Foix was daily expected. In the gaiety, which +surrounded her, Emily vainly tried to participate, her spirits being +depressed by the late discoveries, and by the anxiety concerning the +fate of Valancourt, that had been occasioned by the description of his +manner, when he had delivered the ring. She seemed to perceive in it +the gloomy wildness of despair; and, when she considered to what that +despair might have urged him, her heart sunk with terror and grief. +The state of suspense, as to his safety, to which she believed herself +condemned, till she should return to La Vallee, appeared insupportable, +and, in such moments, she could not even struggle to assume the +composure, that had left her mind, but would often abruptly quit the +company she was with, and endeavour to sooth her spirits in the deep +solitudes of the woods, that overbrowed the shore. Here, the faint roar +of foaming waves, that beat below, and the sullen murmur of the wind +among the branches around, were circumstances in unison with the temper +of her mind; and she would sit on a cliff, or on the broken steps of +her favourite watch-tower, observing the changing colours of the evening +clouds, and the gloom of twilight draw over the sea, till the white tops +of billows, riding towards the shore, could scarcely be discerned amidst +the darkened waters. The lines, engraved by Valancourt on this tower, +she frequently repeated with melancholy enthusiasm, and then would +endeavour to check the recollections and the grief they occasioned, and +to turn her thoughts to indifferent subjects. + +One evening, having wandered with her lute to this her favourite spot, +she entered the ruined tower, and ascended a winding staircase, that +led to a small chamber, which was less decayed than the rest of the +building, and whence she had often gazed, with admiration, on the wide +prospect of sea and land, that extended below. The sun was now setting +on that tract of the Pyrenees, which divided Languedoc from Rousillon, +and, placing herself opposite to a small grated window, which, like the +wood-tops beneath, and the waves lower still, gleamed with the red glow +of the west, she touched the chords of her lute in solemn symphony, and +then accompanied it with her voice, in one of the simple and affecting +airs, to which, in happier days, Valancourt had often listened in +rapture, and which she now adapted to the following lines. + + TO MELANCHOLY + + Spirit of love and sorrow--hail! + Thy solemn voice from far I hear, + Mingling with ev'ning's dying gale: + Hail, with this sadly-pleasing tear! + + O! at this still, this lonely hour, + Thine own sweet hour of closing day, + Awake thy lute, whose charmful pow'r + Shall call up Fancy to obey: + + To paint the wild romantic dream, + That meets the poet's musing eye, + As, on the bank of shadowy stream, + He breathes to her the fervid sigh. + + O lonely spirit! let thy song + Lead me through all thy sacred haunt; + The minister's moon-light aisles along, + Where spectres raise the midnight chaunt. + + I hear their dirges faintly swell! + Then, sink at once in silence drear, + While, from the pillar'd cloister's cell, + Dimly their gliding forms appear! + + Lead where the pine-woods wave on high, + Whose pathless sod is darkly seen, + As the cold moon, with trembling eye, + Darts her long beams the leaves between. + + Lead to the mountain's dusky head, + Where, far below, in shade profound, + Wide forests, plains and hamlets spread, + And sad the chimes of vesper sound, + + Or guide me, where the dashing oar + Just breaks the stillness of the vale, + As slow it tracks the winding shore, + To meet the ocean's distant sail: + + To pebbly banks, that Neptune laves, + With measur'd surges, loud and deep, + Where the dark cliff bends o'er the waves, + And wild the winds of autumn sweep. + + There pause at midnight's spectred hour, + And list the long-resounding gale; + And catch the fleeting moon-light's pow'r, + O'er foaming seas and distant sail. + +The soft tranquillity of the scene below, where the evening breeze +scarcely curled the water, or swelled the passing sail, that caught the +last gleam of the sun, and where, now and then, a dipping oar was all +that disturbed the trembling radiance, conspired with the tender melody +of her lute to lull her mind into a state of gentle sadness, and she +sung the mournful songs of past times, till the remembrances they +awakened were too powerful for her heart, her tears fell upon the +lute, over which she drooped, and her voice trembled, and was unable to +proceed. + +Though the sun had now sunk behind the mountains, and even his reflected +light was fading from their highest points, Emily did not leave the +watch-tower, but continued to indulge her melancholy reverie, till a +footstep, at a little distance, startled her, and, on looking through +the grate, she observed a person walking below, whom, however, soon +perceiving to be Mons. Bonnac, she returned to the quiet thoughtfulness +his step had interrupted. After some time, she again struck her lute, +and sung her favourite air; but again a step disturbed her, and, as she +paused to listen, she heard it ascending the stair-case of the tower. +The gloom of the hour, perhaps, made her sensible to some degree of +fear, which she might not otherwise have felt; for, only a few minutes +before, she had seen Mons. Bonnac pass. The steps were quick and +bounding, and, in the next moment, the door of the chamber opened, and a +person entered, whose features were veiled in the obscurity of +twilight; but his voice could not be concealed, for it was the voice +of Valancourt! At the sound, never heard by Emily, without emotion, she +started, in terror, astonishment and doubtful pleasure, and had scarcely +beheld him at her feet, when she sunk into a seat, overcome by the +various emotions, that contended at her heart, and almost insensible to +that voice, whose earnest and trembling calls seemed as if endeavouring +to save her. Valancourt, as he hung over Emily, deplored his own rash +impatience, in having thus surprised her: for when he had arrived at +the chateau, too anxious to await the return of the Count, who, he +understood, was in the grounds, he went himself to seek him, when, as +he passed the tower, he was struck by the sound of Emily's voice, and +immediately ascended. + +It was a considerable time before she revived, but, when her +recollection returned, she repulsed his attentions, with an air of +reserve, and enquired, with as much displeasure as it was possible she +could feel in these first moments of his appearance, the occasion of his +visit. + +'Ah Emily!' said Valancourt, 'that air, those words--alas! I have, then, +little to hope--when you ceased to esteem me, you ceased also to love +me!' + +'Most true, sir,' replied Emily, endeavouring to command her trembling +voice; 'and if you had valued my esteem, you would not have given me +this new occasion for uneasiness.' + +Valancourt's countenance changed suddenly from the anxieties of doubt to +an expression of surprise and dismay: he was silent a moment, and then +said, 'I had been taught to hope for a very different reception! Is +it, then, true, Emily, that I have lost your regard forever? am I to +believe, that, though your esteem for me may return--your affection +never can? Can the Count have meditated the cruelty, which now tortures +me with a second death?' + +The voice, in which he spoke this, alarmed Emily as much as his words +surprised her, and, with trembling impatience, she begged that he would +explain them. + +'Can any explanation be necessary?' said Valancourt, 'do you not know +how cruelly my conduct has been misrepresented? that the actions of +which you once believed me guilty (and, O Emily! how could you so +degrade me in your opinion, even for a moment!) those actions--I hold in +as much contempt and abhorrence as yourself? Are you, indeed, ignorant, +that Count de Villefort has detected the slanders, that have robbed me +of all I hold dear on earth, and has invited me hither to justify to +you my former conduct? It is surely impossible you can be uninformed of +these circumstances, and I am again torturing myself with a false hope!' + +The silence of Emily confirmed this supposition; for the deep twilight +would not allow Valancourt to distinguish the astonishment and doubting +joy, that fixed her features. For a moment, she continued unable to +speak; then a profound sigh seemed to give some relief to her spirits, +and she said, + +'Valancourt! I was, till this moment, ignorant of all the circumstances +you have mentioned; the emotion I now suffer may assure you of the truth +of this, and, that, though I had ceased to esteem, I had not taught +myself entirely to forget you.' + +'This moment,' said Valancourt, in a low voice, and leaning for support +against the window--'this moment brings with it a conviction that +overpowers me!--I am dear to you then--still dear to you, my Emily!' + +'Is it necessary that I should tell you so?' she replied, 'is it +necessary, that I should say--these are the first moments of joy I have +known, since your departure, and that they repay me for all those of +pain I have suffered in the interval?' + +Valancourt sighed deeply, and was unable to reply; but, as he pressed +her hand to his lips, the tears, that fell over it, spoke a language, +which could not be mistaken, and to which words were inadequate. + +Emily, somewhat tranquillized, proposed returning to the chateau, +and then, for the first time, recollected that the Count had invited +Valancourt thither to explain his conduct, and that no explanation had +yet been given. But, while she acknowledged this, her heart would +not allow her to dwell, for a moment, on the possibility of his +unworthiness; his look, his voice, his manner, all spoke the noble +sincerity, which had formerly distinguished him; and she again permitted +herself to indulge the emotions of a joy, more surprising and powerful, +than she had ever before experienced. + +Neither Emily, or Valancourt, were conscious how they reached the +chateau, whither they might have been transferred by the spell of a +fairy, for any thing they could remember; and it was not, till they had +reached the great hall, that either of them recollected there were other +persons in the world besides themselves. The Count then came forth +with surprise, and with the joyfulness of pure benevolence, to welcome +Valancourt, and to entreat his forgiveness of the injustice he had done +him; soon after which, Mons. Bonnac joined this happy group, in which he +and Valancourt were mutually rejoiced to meet. + +When the first congratulations were over, and the general joy became +somewhat more tranquil, the Count withdrew with Valancourt to the +library, where a long conversation passed between them, in which +the latter so clearly justified himself of the criminal parts of the +conduct, imputed to him, and so candidly confessed and so feelingly +lamented the follies, which he had committed, that the Count was +confirmed in his belief of all he had hoped; and, while he perceived so +many noble virtues in Valancourt, and that experience had taught him +to detest the follies, which before he had only not admired, he did not +scruple to believe, that he would pass through life with the dignity of +a wise and good man, or to entrust to his care the future happiness of +Emily St. Aubert, for whom he felt the solicitude of a parent. Of this +he soon informed her, in a short conversation, when Valancourt had left +him. While Emily listened to a relation of the services, that Valancourt +had rendered Mons. Bonnac, her eyes overflowed with tears of pleasure, +and the further conversation of Count De Villefort perfectly dissipated +every doubt, as to the past and future conduct of him, to whom she now +restored, without fear, the esteem and affection, with which she had +formerly received him. + +When they returned to the supper-room, the Countess and Lady Blanche +met Valancourt with sincere congratulations; and Blanche, indeed, was +so much rejoiced to see Emily returned to happiness, as to forget, for a +while, that Mons. St. Foix was not yet arrived at the chateau, though +he had been expected for some hours; but her generous sympathy was, soon +after, rewarded by his appearance. He was now perfectly recovered from +the wounds, received, during his perilous adventure among the Pyrenees, +the mention of which served to heighten to the parties, who had +been involved in it, the sense of their present happiness. New +congratulations passed between them, and round the supper-table appeared +a group of faces, smiling with felicity, but with a felicity, which had +in each a different character. The smile of Blanche was frank and gay, +that of Emily tender and pensive; Valancourt's was rapturous, tender and +gay alternately; Mons. St. Foix's was joyous, and that of the Count, as +he looked on the surrounding party, expressed the tempered complacency +of benevolence; while the features of the Countess, Henri, and Mons. +Bonnac, discovered fainter traces of animation. Poor Mons. Du Pont did +not, by his presence, throw a shade of regret over the company; for, +when he had discovered, that Valancourt was not unworthy of the esteem +of Emily, he determined seriously to endeavour at the conquest of +his own hopeless affection, and had immediately withdrawn from +Chateau-le-Blanc--a conduct, which Emily now understood, and rewarded +with her admiration and pity. + +The Count and his guests continued together till a late hour, yielding +to the delights of social gaiety, and to the sweets of friendship. When +Annette heard of the arrival of Valancourt, Ludovico had some difficulty +to prevent her going into the supper-room, to express her joy, for she +declared, that she had never been so rejoiced at any ACCIDENT as this, +since she had found Ludovico himself. + + + +CHAPTER XIX + + + Now my task is smoothly done, + I can fly, or I can run + Quickly to the green earth's end, + Where the bow'd welkin low doth bend, + And, from thence, can soar as soon + To the corners of the moon. + MILTON + +The marriages of the Lady Blanche and Emily St. Aubert were celebrated, +on the same day, and with the ancient baronial magnificence, at +Chateau-le-Blanc. The feasts were held in the great hall of the castle, +which, on this occasion, was hung with superb new tapestry, representing +the exploits of Charlemagne and his twelve peers; here, were seen the +Saracens, with their horrible visors, advancing to battle; and there, +were displayed the wild solemnities of incantation, and the necromantic +feats, exhibited by the magician JARL before the Emperor. The sumptuous +banners of the family of Villeroi, which had long slept in dust, were +once more unfurled, to wave over the gothic points of painted casements; +and music echoed, in many a lingering close, through every winding +gallery and colonnade of that vast edifice. + +As Annette looked down from the corridor upon the hall, whose arches and +windows were illuminated with brilliant festoons of lamps, and gazed +on the splendid dresses of the dancers, the costly liveries of the +attendants, the canopies of purple velvet and gold, and listened to +the gay strains that floated along the vaulted roof, she almost fancied +herself in an enchanted palace, and declared, that she had not met with +any place, which charmed her so much, since she read the fairy tales; +nay, that the fairies themselves, at their nightly revels in this old +hall, could display nothing finer; while old Dorothee, as she surveyed +the scene, sighed, and said, the castle looked as it was wont to do in +the time of her youth. + +After gracing the festivities of Chateau-le-Blanc, for some days, +Valancourt and Emily took leave of their kind friends, and returned to +La Vallee, where the faithful Theresa received them with unfeigned +joy, and the pleasant shades welcomed them with a thousand tender and +affecting remembrances; and, while they wandered together over the +scenes, so long inhabited by the late Mons. and Madame St. Aubert, and +Emily pointed out, with pensive affection, their favourite haunts, her +present happiness was heightened, by considering, that it would have +been worthy of their approbation, could they have witnessed it. + +Valancourt led her to the plane-tree on the terrace, where he had first +ventured to declare his love, and where now the remembrance of the +anxiety he had then suffered, and the retrospect of all the dangers +and misfortunes they had each encountered, since last they sat together +beneath its broad branches, exalted the sense of their present felicity, +which, on this spot, sacred to the memory of St. Aubert, they solemnly +vowed to deserve, as far as possible, by endeavouring to imitate his +benevolence,--by remembering, that superior attainments of every sort +bring with them duties of superior exertion,--and by affording to their +fellow-beings, together with that portion of ordinary comforts, which +prosperity always owes to misfortune, the example of lives passed in +happy thankfulness to GOD, and, therefore, in careful tenderness to his +creatures. + +Soon after their return to La Vallee, the brother of Valancourt came to +congratulate him on his marriage, and to pay his respects to Emily, with +whom he was so much pleased, as well as with the prospect of rational +happiness, which these nuptials offered to Valancourt, that he +immediately resigned to him a part of the rich domain, the whole of +which, as he had no family, would of course descend to his brother, on +his decease. + +The estates, at Tholouse, were disposed of, and Emily purchased of +Mons. Quesnel the ancient domain of her late father, where, having given +Annette a marriage portion, she settled her as the housekeeper, +and Ludovico as the steward; but, since both Valancourt and herself +preferred the pleasant and long-loved shades of La Vallee to the +magnificence of Epourville, they continued to reside there, passing, +however, a few months in the year at the birth-place of St. Aubert, in +tender respect to his memory. + +The legacy, which had been bequeathed to Emily by Signora Laurentini, +she begged Valancourt would allow her to resign to Mons. Bonnac; +and Valancourt, when she made the request, felt all the value of the +compliment it conveyed. The castle of Udolpho, also, descended to the +wife of Mons. Bonnac, who was the nearest surviving relation of the +house of that name, and thus affluence restored his long-oppressed +spirits to peace, and his family to comfort. + +O! how joyful it is to tell of happiness, such as that of Valancourt +and Emily; to relate, that, after suffering under the oppression of the +vicious and the disdain of the weak, they were, at length, restored to +each other--to the beloved landscapes of their native country,--to the +securest felicity of this life, that of aspiring to moral and labouring +for intellectual improvement--to the pleasures of enlightened society, +and to the exercise of the benevolence, which had always animated their +hearts; while the bowers of La Vallee became, once more, the retreat of +goodness, wisdom and domestic blessedness! + +O! useful may it be to have shewn, that, though the vicious can +sometimes pour affliction upon the good, their power is transient +and their punishment certain; and that innocence, though oppressed +by injustice, shall, supported by patience, finally triumph over +misfortune! + +And, if the weak hand, that has recorded this tale, has, by its scenes, +beguiled the mourner of one hour of sorrow, or, by its moral, taught him +to sustain it--the effort, however humble, has not been vain, nor is the +writer unrewarded. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Mysteries of Udolpho, by Ann Radcliffe + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO *** + +***** This file should be named 3268.txt or 3268.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/6/3268/ + +Produced by Karalee Coleman + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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