The Mysteries of Udolpho

'But how does he look, Ludovico?' interrupted Emily: 'is he not

melancholy and ill with this long confinement?'--'Why, as to melancholy,

I saw no symptom of that, lady, while I was with him, for he seemed

in the finest spirits I ever saw any body in, in all my life. His

countenance was all joy, and, if one may judge from that, he was very

well; but I did not ask him.' 'Did he send me no message?' said Emily.

'O yes, Signora, and something besides,' replied Ludovico, who searched

his pockets. 'Surely, I have not lost it,' added he. 'The Chevalier

said, he would have written, madam, if he had had pen and ink, and was

going to have sent a very long message, when the sentinel entered the

room, but not before he had give me this.' Ludovico then drew forth a

miniature from his bosom, which Emily received with a trembling hand,

and perceived to be a portrait of herself--the very picture, which her

mother had lost so strangely in the fishing-house at La Vallee.

Tears of mingled joy and tenderness flowed to her eyes, while Ludovico

proceeded--'"Tell your lady," said the Chevalier, as he gave me the

picture, "that this has been my companion, and only solace in all my

misfortunes. Tell her, that I have worn it next my heart, and that I

sent it her as the pledge of an affection, which can never die; that I

would not part with it, but to her, for the wealth of worlds, and that I

now part with it, only in the hope of soon receiving it from her hands.

Tell her"--Just then, Signora, the sentinel came in, and the Chevalier

said no more; but he had before asked me to contrive an interview for

him with you; and when I told him, how little hope I had of prevailing

with the guard to assist me, he said, that was not, perhaps, of so

much consequence as I imagined, and bade me contrive to bring back your

answer, and he would inform me of more than he chose to do then. So

this, I think, lady, is the whole of what passed.'

'How, Ludovico, shall I reward you for your zeal?' said Emily: 'but,

indeed, I do not now possess the means. When can you see the Chevalier

again?' 'That is uncertain, Signora,' replied he. 'It depends upon who

stands guard next: there are not more than one or two among them, from

whom I would dare to ask admittance to the prison-chamber.'