Page 344 (1/2)

ht we but hear

The folded flocks penn'd in their watled cotes,

Or sound of pastoral reed with oaten stops,

Or whistle froht watches to his feathery da

In this close dungeon of innuhs

MILTON

In the , Emily was relieved from her fears for Annette, who cas in the castle, last night, ma'amselle,' said

she, as soon as she entered the roohtened,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 et out That rogue Ludovico

locked ain' '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, et out, unless

I juh the ? But that I should not h; 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, ht; you must have heard so, then?' said Eood, for I believe there

was not one of the Signors sober; and what is ht, when I saw them first, that all

those fine silks and fine veils,--why, ma'amselle, their veils were

worked with silver! and fine triuessed what

they were!'

'Good God!' exclaimed Emily, 'ill beco of me Good God! said he,

Annette, what is to beco all these drunken Signors?'

'O! says I, for thatlady's

cha the vaulted passage and

across the great hall and up the h the ing 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 uard me; I am never afraid

when you are by' 'What! says he, when I am scarcely recovered of one

wound, shall I putanother? for if any of

the cavalierswith me directly

No, no, says he, I will cut the way shorter, than through the vaulted

passage and up the h the ing of the castle, for you shall stay here, Annette;

you shall not go out of this rooht' '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,all I could say to the

contrary; and Caterina and I and he staid there all night And in a few

nor 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 ere all as still as night, that he nor was as cunning as the best of us, and kept

calling out at the door, "Come forth, ate, that you need hide yourself: conor Steward!" Just then old Carlo opened his door, and he

canor saw him, he

was as ta

does a butcher with a piece of h 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 knohether 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 knohether 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'a

of Monsieur Valancourt, and that hethe arht against this state,

and that he has met with solad 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, lad 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, lad to see

hiht 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' E 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 rahtened the sentinels into fits It ca

them like a flash of fire, they say, and they all fell down in a row,

till they ca to

be seen but the old castle walls; so they helped one another up again as

fast as they could You would not believe, h I shewed

you the very cannon, where it used to appear' 'And are you, indeed, so sieration 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 eneure they will cut, if they are to fall down in fits, all of a row!

The enehost,

and leave the and

slashing, till he makes them all rise up dead h I ht have fallen down in a fit that

was no rule for theruff, 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, ; you are alreat 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 punish 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 alarure 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 theabroad 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 naet to tell you what you bade

me ask about, the ladies, as they call thenora 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 iun

to make free with her character So when people saw ht what they had heard nor Verezzi and Signor Bertolini; and Signor Montoni

invited thereat

entertain Tuscany wine and all

sorts, and laughing and singing, till they ht they were dismal sounds, so soon after ht to ht, if

she had heard them--but she cannot hear them now, poor soul! said I' Emily turned away to conceal her eo, and ht 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'sabout ranso it was for his excellenza to catch up ood booty as any other, because of the ranso it was fine enough for the Signor, but none so

fine for his soldiers, because, said he, we don't go shares there' This inforhtened Emily's impatience to know more, and Annette

immediately departed on her enquiry The late resolution of Eave

way to new considerations; the possibility, that Valancourt was near

her, revived her fortitude, and she detereance, at least, till she could be assured whether he was really in

the castle She was in this tee

fro her attendance in the cedar parlour, which she

obeyed with tre, 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 uedoc 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 n the papers' 'If I have no right in these estates, sir,' said En any papers, concerning them? If

the lands are yours by law, you certainly may possess them, without ument,' 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 froe of Valancourt, who so long had loved her, and as

now, perhaps, so near her, cas of indignation, hich she had always, froarded an act of injustice, inspired her with a noble, though

in the papers,' said Montoni, more impatiently than before 'Never, sir,' replied Emily; 'that request would have proved to norant oflip and lurking eye

made her aleance 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 ht,--now dare to question my power I have a punishht--this very night'-'This night!' repeated another voice Montoni paused, and turned half round, but, see 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 treroan, which seemed to rise frolance round it, i 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, co 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 onceto 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 imnation--I will have vengeance as well as

justice' Another groan filled the pause which Montoninot to notice this strange

occurrence Without power to io, but found

that she could not support herself; awe and terror overcaain into the chair 'Quit my presence!' cried Montoni 'This affectation of fear ill beconation' 'Did you hear nothing, Signor?' said E, and still unable

to leave the room 'I heardelse?' said Eain!

Do you hear nothing now?' 'Obey my order,' repeated Montoni 'And for these fool's tricks--I will

soon discover by whoain rose, and exerted herself to the utmost to leave the

roo 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

case down a distant

ht to herto the castle At

length, having reached her apartment, she threw herself upon the couch,

overcohts 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 ly assailed

her, now yielded to those of reason She was, at length, roused froed her, by a

confusion of distant voices, and a clattering of hoofs, that seemed to

coood 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 ofto and fro

in the halls and avenues below, and then busy tongues were loud on the

ra hurried to her casement, she perceived Montoni, with

so from them;

while several soldiers were employed at the further end of the rampart

about some cannon; and she continued to observe theth appeared, but brought no intelligence of Valancourt,

'For,

about any prisoners But here is a fine piece of business! The rest of

the party are just arrived,in, as if they

would have broken their necks; one scarcely knehether the ates first And they have brought word--and

such news! they have brought word, that a party of the ene 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 theuessed what they were, if Ludovico had not told me' 'We cannot be in worse hands than at present,' replied Euardedly; 'but what reason have you to suppose these are officers of

justice?' 'Why OUR people, ht, and a fuss; and I

don't know any thing but the fear of justice, that couldon earth could fluster thehost, or so; but now, so down in

the vaults under the castle; but you nor this,

--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 So the great gates, and

the walls all round, and are ha up, just as if all

those repairs had never beenabout 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 oneain' Eht the latter words of Annette 'O! if you could find it open,

but for one ht yet be saved!'

The heavy groan she uttered, and the wildness of her look, terrified

Annette, still more than her words; who entreated E of theht 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 hi to release us If he is willing to undertake this he shall

be aht 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 apartirl, whose honest heart had been er 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 ar 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 arht, I

have nothing to hope!' Montoni, though not precisely what Emily apprehended him to be--a

captain of banditti--had e, 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 a the solitary recesses of the

mountains, were totally unprepared for resistance In these expeditions

the commanders of the party did not appear, and the uised, had sometimes been mistaken for con eneh they had already pillaged several ht 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; froorously repulsed,

and pursued by soed Montoni's troops fled precipitately towards Udolpho, but were

so closely tracked over the hts in the neighbourhood of the castle, and looked back upon the

road, they perceived the ene the cliffs below, and

at not ue distant Upon this discovery, they hastened

forith 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 no fro heights; and,

though Annette had been gone a very short tierous business to accoence became

painful: she listened; opened her door; and often went out upon the

corridor to th, she heard a footstep approach her cha

the door, saw, not Annette, but old Carlo! New fears rushed upon her

nor, who had ordered him to inform

her, that she must be ready to depart from Udolpho ied; and that uides, to a place of safety 'Of safety!' exclainor so

round, and itated Emily, successively, as she listened to old Carlo;

those of joy, grief, distrust and apprehension, appeared, and vanished

fro One moment, it seemed

impossible, that Montoni could take this e was his sending her from the castle

at all, that she could attribute it only to the design of carrying into

execution the new scheeance, hich 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 re detained in it, when sorrow and regret usurped her

mind, and she wished, ht not be his voice which she had heard Carlo having reminded her, that she had no tiht of the castle, Eo; 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 E 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 E hands, prepared the se, that she meant to take with her; while she was employed about

which Annette returned 'Ocan be done! Ludovico says the new

porter is ht 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 Ely,' replied Enor Montoni

permits it;' to which Annette ht Montoni, as 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 froony of disappointood towards herself, from this refusal to Annette, and who, soon

after, received a sureat court, where theE Annette, who persisted in saying, that she should never see her

dear young lady again; a fear, which her ht

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 ene seen her h the portal, turned

into the castle and wept again Elooer silent as when she had first entered the with the noise of preparation for their defence, as well as

croith soldiers and work to and fro; and, when she

passed once e portcullis, which had for round, saalls 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 iers that awaited her without; on

mountains infested by hostile parties, who seized every opportunity for

plunder; and on a journey couidance 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 dis the superstitious presentiment, which had then seized

her, she could now sazed, with these eh over the woods, aer, 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 circuht, when she had first

heard hi of her native province;--circumstances, which

she had so often recollected, and co like conviction, and which still only prompted her

to believe, that Valancourt was a prisoner at Udolpho It was possible,

however, that the ht afford her

infor to question the 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 truuides

stopped, and looked toward the quarter whence it ca 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 eneuessed this to be, were advanced; the other, meanwhile, remained with

Eer at

Udolpho Ugo, for this was his name, said, that there were several