The Mysteries of Udolpho

Annette not yet appearing, Emily now concluded, that she was gone

to bed, and that nobody chose to call her up; and the prospect, that

presented itself, of passing the night in darkness, in this place, or

in some other equally forlorn (for she knew it would be impracticable to

find her way through the intricacies of the galleries to her chamber),

drew tears of mingled terror and despondency from her eyes.

While thus she sat, she fancied she heard again an odd sound from

the gallery, and she listened, scarcely daring to breathe, but the

increasing voices below overcame every other sound. Soon after, she

heard Montoni and his companions burst into the hall, who spoke, as

if they were much intoxicated, and seemed to be advancing towards the

stair-case. She now remembered, that they must come this way to their

chambers, and, forgetting all the terrors of the gallery, hurried

towards it with an intention of secreting herself in some of the

passages, that opened beyond, and of endeavouring, when the Signors were

retired, to find her way to her own room, or to that of Annette, which

was in a remote part of the castle.

With extended arms, she crept along the gallery, still hearing the

voices of persons below, who seemed to stop in conversation at the foot

of the stair-case, and then pausing for a moment to listen, half fearful

of going further into the darkness of the gallery, where she still

imagined, from the noise she had heard, that some person was lurking,

'They are already informed of my arrival,' said she, 'and Montoni is

coming himself to seek me! In the present state of his mind, his purpose

must be desperate.' Then, recollecting the scene, that had passed in

the corridor, on the night preceding her departure from the castle, 'O

Valancourt!' said she, 'I must then resign you for ever. To brave any

longer the injustice of Montoni, would not be fortitude, but rashness.'

Still the voices below did not draw nearer, but they became louder, and

she distinguished those of Verezzi and Bertolini above the rest, while

the few words she caught made her listen more anxiously for others. The

conversation seemed to concern herself; and, having ventured to step

a few paces nearer to the stair-case, she discovered, that they were

disputing about her, each seeming to claim some former promise of

Montoni, who appeared, at first, inclined to appease and to persuade

them to return to their wine, but afterwards to be weary of the dispute,

and, saying that he left them to settle it as they could, was returning

with the rest of the party to the apartment he had just quitted.

Verezzi then stopped him.