The Mysteries of Udolpho

Emily, after asking Madame Montoni a thousand questions concerning

herself, left her, and sought Montoni; for the more solemn interest

she felt for her aunt, made her now regardless of the resentment her

remonstrances might draw upon herself, and of the improbability of his

granting what she meant to entreat. 'Madame Montoni is now dying, sir,' said Emily, as soon as she saw

him--'Your resentment, surely will not pursue her to the last moment!

Suffer her to be removed from that forlorn room to her own apartment,

and to have necessary comforts administered.'

'Of what service will that be, if she is dying?' said Montoni, with

apparent indifference. 'The service, at leave, of saving you, sir, from a few of those pangs

of conscience you must suffer, when you shall be in the same situation,'

said Emily, with imprudent indignation, of which Montoni soon made her

sensible, by commanding her to quit his presence. Then, forgetting her

resentment, and impressed only by compassion for the piteous state of

her aunt, dying without succour, she submitted to humble herself to

Montoni, and to adopt every persuasive means, that might induce him to

relent towards his wife.

For a considerable time he was proof against all she said, and all she

looked; but at length the divinity of pity, beaming in Emily's eyes,

seemed to touch his heart. He turned away, ashamed of his better

feelings, half sullen and half relenting; but finally consented, that

his wife should be removed to her own apartment, and that Emily should

attend her. Dreading equally, that this relief might arrive too late,

and that Montoni might retract his concession, Emily scarcely staid to

thank him for it, but, assisted by Annette, she quickly prepared Madame

Montoni's bed, and they carried her a cordial, that might enable her

feeble frame to sustain the fatigue of a removal. Madame was scarcely arrived in her own apartment, when an order was

given by her husband, that she should remain in the turret; but Emily,

thankful that she had made such dispatch, hastened to inform him of it,

as well as that a second removal would instantly prove fatal, and he

suffered his wife to continue where she was.

During this day, Emily never left Madame Montoni, except to prepare such

little nourishing things as she judged necessary to sustain her, and

which Madame Montoni received with quiet acquiescence, though she seemed

sensible that they could not save her from approaching dissolution, and

scarcely appeared to wish for life. Emily meanwhile watched over her

with the most tender solicitude, no longer seeing her imperious aunt in

the poor object before her, but the sister of her late beloved father,

in a situation that called for all her compassion and kindness. When

night came, she determined to sit up with her aunt, but this the latter

positively forbade, commanding her to retire to rest, and Annette alone

to remain in her chamber. Rest was, indeed, necessary to Emily, whose

spirits and frame were equally wearied by the occurrences and exertions

of the day; but she would not leave Madame Montoni, till after the turn

of midnight, a period then thought so critical by the physicians.