The Mysteries of Udolpho

She then considered, that it would be vain to

attempt an escape from Barnardine, by flight, since the length and the

intricacy of the way she had passed would soon enable him to overtake

her, who was unacquainted with the turnings, and whose feebleness

would not suffer her to run long with swiftness. She feared equally

to irritate him by a disclosure of her suspicions, which a refusal to

accompany him further certainly would do; and, since she was already

as much in his power as it was possible she could be, if she proceeded,

she, at length, determined to suppress, as far as she could, the

appearance of apprehension, and to follow silently whither he designed

to lead her.

Pale with horror and anxiety, she now waited till

Barnardine had trimmed the torch, and, as her sight glanced again upon

the grave, she could not forbear enquiring, for whom it was prepared.

He took his eyes from the torch, and fixed them upon her face without

speaking. She faintly repeated the question, but the man, shaking the

torch, passed on; and she followed, trembling, to a second flight of

steps, having ascended which, a door delivered them into the first court

of the castle. As they crossed it, the light shewed the high black walls

around them, fringed with long grass and dank weeds, that found a scanty

soil among the mouldering stones; the heavy buttresses, with, here and

there, between them, a narrow grate, that admitted a freer circulation

of air to the court, the massy iron gates, that led to the castle, whose

clustering turrets appeared above, and, opposite, the huge towers and

arch of the portal itself. In this scene the large, uncouth person of

Barnardine, bearing the torch, formed a characteristic figure. This

Barnardine was wrapt in a long dark cloak, which scarcely allowed

the kind of half-boots, or sandals, that were laced upon his legs, to

appear, and shewed only the point of a broad sword, which he usually

wore, slung in a belt across his shoulders. On his head was a heavy flat

velvet cap, somewhat resembling a turban, in which was a short feather;

the visage beneath it shewed strong features, and a countenance furrowed

with the lines of cunning and darkened by habitual discontent.

The view of the court, however, reanimated Emily, who, as she crossed

silently towards the portal, began to hope, that her own fears, and not

the treachery of Barnardine, had deceived her. She looked anxiously

up at the first casement, that appeared above the lofty arch of the

portcullis; but it was dark, and she enquired, whether it belonged to

the chamber, where Madame Montoni was confined. Emily spoke low, and

Barnardine, perhaps, did not hear her question, for he returned no

answer; and they, soon after, entered the postern door of the gate-way,

which brought them to the foot of a narrow stair-case, that wound up one

of the towers.