The Mysteries of Udolpho

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.