The Mysteries of Udolpho

She distinguished, till a late hour, the distant carousals of Montoni

and his companions--the loud contest, the dissolute laugh and the choral

song, that made the halls re-echo. At length, she heard the heavy gates

of the castle shut for the night, and those sounds instantly sunk into

a silence, which was disturbed only by the whispering steps of persons,

passing through the galleries to their remote rooms. Emily now judging

it to be about the time, when she had heard the music, on the preceding

night, dismissed Annette, and gently opened the casement to watch

for its return.

The planet she had so particularly noticed, at the

recurrence of the music, was not yet risen; but, with superstitious

weakness, she kept her eyes fixed on that part of the hemisphere, where

it would rise, almost expecting, that, when it appeared, the sounds

would return. At length, it came, serenely bright, over the eastern

towers of the castle. Her heart trembled, when she perceived it, and she

had scarcely courage to remain at the casement, lest the returning

music should confirm her terror, and subdue the little strength she yet

retained.

The clock soon after struck one, and, knowing this to be about

the time, when the sounds had occurred, she sat down in a chair, near

the casement, and endeavoured to compose her spirits; but the anxiety

of expectation yet disturbed them. Every thing, however, remained still;

she heard only the solitary step of a sentinel, and the lulling murmur

of the woods below, and she again leaned from the casement, and again

looked, as if for intelligence, to the planet, which was now risen high

above the towers.

Emily continued to listen, but no music came. 'Those were surely no

mortal sounds!' said she, recollecting their entrancing melody. 'No

inhabitant of this castle could utter such; and, where is the feeling,

that could modulate such exquisite expression? We all know, that it

has been affirmed celestial sounds have sometimes been heard on earth.

Father Pierre and Father Antoine declared, that they had sometimes heard

them in the stillness of night, when they alone were waking to offer

their orisons to heaven. Nay, my dear father himself, once said, that,

soon after my mother's death, as he lay watchful in grief, sounds of

uncommon sweetness called him from his bed; and, on opening his window,

he heard lofty music pass along the midnight air. It soothed him, he

said; he looked up with confidence to heaven, and resigned her to his

God.'

Emily paused to weep at this recollection. 'Perhaps,' resumed she,

'perhaps, those strains I heard were sent to comfort,--to encourage me!

Never shall I forget those I heard, at this hour, in Languedoc!

Perhaps, my father watches over me, at this moment!' She wept again in

tenderness. Thus passed the hour in watchfulness and solemn thought; but

no sounds returned; and, after remaining at the casement, till the

light tint of dawn began to edge the mountain-tops and steal upon the

night-shade, she concluded, that they would not return, and retired

reluctantly to repose.