The Mysteries of Udolpho

'Thank you, my friend, for your consideration,' said Emily, smiling

kindly: 'the wound is trifling, it came by a fall.'

Carlo shook his head, and left the room; and Emily, with Annette,

continued to watch by her aunt. 'Did my lady tell the Signor what

Ludovico said, ma'amselle?' asked Annette in a whisper; but Emily

quieted her fears on the subject. 'I thought what this quarrelling would come to,' continued Annette: 'I

suppose the Signor has been beating my lady.'

'No, no, Annette, you are totally mistaken, nothing extra-ordinary has

happened.' 'Why, extraordinary things happen here so often, ma'amselle, that there

is nothing in them. Here is another legion of those ill-looking fellows,

come to the castle, this morning.'

'Hush! Annette, you will disturb my aunt; we will talk of that by and

bye.' They continued watching silently, till Madame Montoni uttered a low

sigh, when Emily took her hand, and spoke soothingly to her; but the

former gazed with unconscious eyes, and it was long before she knew her

niece. Her first words then enquired for Montoni; to which Emily replied

by an entreaty, that she would compose her spirits, and consent to be

kept quiet, adding, that, if she wished any message to be conveyed to

him, she would herself deliver it. 'No,' said her aunt faintly, 'no--I

have nothing new to tell him. Does he persist in saying I shall be

removed from my chamber?'

Emily replied, that he had not spoken, on the subject, since Madame

Montoni heard him; and then she tried to divert her attention to some

other topic; but her aunt seemed to be inattentive to what she said, and

lost in secret thoughts. Emily, having brought her some refreshment, now

left her to the care of Annette, and went in search of Montoni, whom she

found on a remote part of the rampart, conversing among a group of

the men described by Annette. They stood round him with fierce, yet

subjugated, looks, while he, speaking earnestly, and pointing to the

walls, did not perceive Emily, who remained at some distance, waiting

till he should be at leisure, and observing involuntarily the appearance

of one man, more savage than his fellows, who stood resting on his pike,

and looking, over the shoulders of a comrade, at Montoni, to whom he

listened with uncommon earnestness. This man was apparently of low

condition; yet his looks appeared not to acknowledge the superiority of

Montoni, as did those of his companions; and sometimes they even assumed

an air of authority, which the decisive manner of the Signor could not

repress.