The Mysteries of Udolpho

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.