The Mysteries of Udolpho

It was now the second watch of the night, and about the time when

the figure had before appeared. Emily heard the passing steps of the

sentinels, on the rampart, as they changed guard; and, when all was

again silent, she took her station at the casement, leaving her lamp in

a remote part of the chamber, that she might escape notice from without.

The moon gave a faint and uncertain light, for heavy vapours surrounded

it, and, often rolling over the disk, left the scene below in total

darkness. It was in one of these moments of obscurity, that she observed

a small and lambent flame, moving at some distance on the terrace. While

she gazed, it disappeared, and, the moon again emerging from the lurid

and heavy thunder clouds, she turned her attention to the heavens, where

the vivid lightnings darted from cloud to cloud, and flashed silently on

the woods below.

She loved to catch, in the momentary gleam, the gloomy

landscape. Sometimes, a cloud opened its light upon a distant mountain,

and, while the sudden splendour illumined all its recesses of rock and

wood, the rest of the scene remained in deep shadow; at others, partial

features of the castle were revealed by the glimpse--the antient arch

leading to the east rampart, the turret above, or the fortifications

beyond; and then, perhaps, the whole edifice with all its towers, its

dark massy walls and pointed casements would appear, and vanish in an

instant. Emily, looking again upon the rampart, perceived the flame she had

seen before; it moved onward; and, soon after, she thought she heard a

footstep.

The light appeared and disappeared frequently, while, as she

watched, it glided under her casements, and, at the same instant, she

was certain, that a footstep passed, but the darkness did not permit her

to distinguish any object except the flame. It moved away, and then, by

a gleam of lightning, she perceived some person on the terrace. All the

anxieties of the preceding night returned. This person advanced, and the

playing flame alternately appeared and vanished. Emily wished to speak,

to end her doubts, whether this figure were human or supernatural; but

her courage failed as often as she attempted utterance, till the light

moved again under the casement, and she faintly demanded, who passed. 'A friend,' replied a voice.

'What friend?' said Emily, somewhat encouraged 'who are you, and what is

that light you carry?' 'I am Anthonio, one of the Signor's soldiers,' replied the voice. 'And what is that tapering light you bear?' said Emily, 'see how it

darts upwards,--and now it vanishes!' 'This light, lady,' said the soldier, 'has appeared to-night as you see

it, on the point of my lance, ever since I have been on watch; but what

it means I cannot tell.' 'This is very strange!' said Emily. 'My fellow-guard,' continued the man, 'has the same flame on his arms;

he says he has sometimes seen it before. I never did; I am but lately

come to the castle, for I have not been long a soldier.' 'How does your comrade account for it?' said Emily. 'He says it is an omen, lady, and bodes no good.' 'And what harm can it bode?' rejoined Emily. 'He knows not so much as that, lady.'