The Mysteries of Udolpho

From the disturbed slumber, into which she then sunk, she was soon

awakened by a noise, which seemed to arise within her chamber; but the

silence, that prevailed, as she fearfully listened, inclined her to

believe, that she had been alarmed by such sounds as sometimes occur in

dreams, and she laid her head again upon the pillow.

A return of the noise again disturbed her; it seemed to come from that

part of the room, which communicated with the private stair-case, and

she instantly remembered the odd circumstance of the door having been

fastened, during the preceding night, by some unknown hand. Her late

alarming suspicion, concerning its communication, also occurred to her.

Her heart became faint with terror. Half raising herself from the bed,

and gently drawing aside the curtain, she looked towards the door of the

stair-case, but the lamp, that burnt on the hearth, spread so feeble a

light through the apartment, that the remote parts of it were lost in

shadow. The noise, however, which, she was convinced, came from the

door, continued. It seemed like that made by the undrawing of rusty

bolts, and often ceased, and was then renewed more gently, as if the

hand, that occasioned it, was restrained by a fear of discovery.

While Emily kept her eyes fixed on the spot, she saw the door move,

and then slowly open, and perceived something enter the room, but the

extreme duskiness prevented her distinguishing what it was. Almost

fainting with terror, she had yet sufficient command over herself, to

check the shriek, that was escaping from her lips, and, letting the

curtain drop from her hand, continued to observe in silence the motions

of the mysterious form she saw. It seemed to glide along the remote

obscurity of the apartment, then paused, and, as it approached the

hearth, she perceived, in the stronger light, what appeared to be a

human figure. Certain remembrances now struck upon her heart, and almost

subdued the feeble remains of her spirits; she continued, however, to

watch the figure, which remained for some time motionless, but then,

advancing slowly towards the bed, stood silently at the feet, where

the curtains, being a little open, allowed her still to see it; terror,

however, had now deprived her of the power of discrimination, as well as

of that of utterance.

Having continued there a moment, the form retreated towards the hearth,

when it took the lamp, held it up, surveyed the chamber, for a few

moments, and then again advanced towards the bed. The light at that

instant awakening the dog, that had slept at Emily's feet, he barked

loudly, and, jumping to the floor, flew at the stranger, who struck the

animal smartly with a sheathed sword, and, springing towards the bed,

Emily discovered--Count Morano!