The Mysteries of Udolpho

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.'