The Mysteries of Udolpho

At length the clock struck twelve; she opened the door to listen, if

any noise was in the castle, and heard only distant shouts of riot and

laughter, echoed feebly along the gallery. She guessed, that the Signor

and his guests were at the banquet. 'They are now engaged for the

night,' said she; 'and Valancourt will soon be here.' Having softly

closed the door, she paced the room with impatient steps, and often went

to the casement to listen for the lute; but all was silent, and, her

agitation every moment increasing, she was at length unable to support

herself, and sat down by the window. Annette, whom she detained, was, in

the meantime, as loquacious as usual; but Emily heard scarcely any thing

she said, and having at length risen to the casement, she distinguished

the chords of the lute, struck with an expressive hand, and then the

voice, she had formerly listened to, accompanied it. Now rising love they fann'd, now pleasing dole

They breath'd in tender musings through the heart;

And now a graver, sacred strain they stole,

As when seraphic hands an hymn impart!

Emily wept in doubtful joy and tenderness; and, when the strain ceased,

she considered it as a signal, that Valancourt was about to leave the

prison. Soon after, she heard steps in the corridor;--they were the

light, quick steps of hope; she could scarcely support herself, as they

approached, but opening the door of the apartment, she advanced to meet

Valancourt, and, in the next moment, sunk in the arms of a stranger. His

voice--his countenance instantly convinced her, and she fainted away.

On reviving, she found herself supported by the stranger, who was

watching over her recovery, with a countenance of ineffable tenderness

and anxiety. She had no spirits for reply, or enquiry; she asked no

questions, but burst into tears, and disengaged herself from his

arms; when the expression of his countenance changed to surprise and

disappointment, and he turned to Ludovico, for an explanation; Annette

soon gave the information, which Ludovico could not. 'O, sir!' said

she, in a voice, interrupted with sobs; 'O, sir! you are not the other

Chevalier.

We expected Monsieur Valancourt, but you are not he! O

Ludovico! how could you deceive us so? my poor lady will never recover

it--never!' The stranger, who now appeared much agitated, attempted to

speak, but his words faltered; and then striking his hand against his

forehead, as if in sudden despair, he walked abruptly to the other end

of the corridor.

Suddenly, Annette dried her tears, and spoke to Ludovico. 'But,

perhaps,' said she, 'after all, the other Chevalier is not this: perhaps

the Chevalier Valancourt is still below.' Emily raised her head.

'No,' replied Ludovico, 'Monsieur Valancourt never was below, if this

gentleman is not he.' 'If you, sir,' said Ludovico, addressing the

stranger, 'would but have had the goodness to trust me with your name,

this mistake had been avoided.' 'Most true,' replied the stranger,

speaking in broken Italian, 'but it was of the utmost consequence to me,

that my name should be concealed from Montoni. Madam,' added he then,

addressing Emily in French, 'will you permit me to apologize for the

pain I have occasioned you, and to explain to you alone my name, and the

circumstance, which has led me into this error? I am of France;--I am

your countryman;--we are met in a foreign land.' Emily tried to

compose her spirits; yet she hesitated to grant his request. At length,

desiring, that Ludovico would wait on the stair-case, and detaining

Annette, she told the stranger, that her woman understood very little

Italian, and begged he would communicate what he wished to say, in that

language.--