The Mysteries of Udolpho

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.