The Mysteries of Udolpho

'By St. Peter! so they are,' said the soldier, and again ran off, while

Ludovico, once more at liberty, hastened to the door of the passage,

where Emily was sinking under the anxiety this long discourse had

occasioned; but, on his telling them the court was clear, they followed

him to the gates, without waiting another instant, yet not before he

had seized two horses, that had strayed from the second court, and were

picking a scanty meal among the grass, which grew between the pavement

of the first. They passed, without interruption, the dreadful gates, and took the road

that led down among the woods, Emily, Monsieur Du Pont and Annette on

foot, and Ludovico, who was mounted on one horse, leading the other.

Having reached them, they stopped, while Emily and Annette were placed

on horseback with their two protectors, when, Ludovico leading the way,

they set off as fast as the broken road, and the feeble light, which a

rising moon threw among the foliage, would permit.

Emily was so much astonished by this sudden departure, that she scarcely

dared to believe herself awake; and she yet much doubted whether this

adventure would terminate in escape,--a doubt, which had too much

probability to justify it; for, before they quitted the woods, they

heard shouts in the wind, and, on emerging from them, saw lights moving

quickly near the castle above. Du Pont whipped his horse, and with some

difficulty compelled him to go faster.

'Ah! poor beast,' said Ludovico, 'he is weary enough;--he has been out

all day; but, Signor, we must fly for it, now; for yonder are lights

coming this way.' Having given his own horse a lash, they now both set off on a full

gallop; and, when they again looked back, the lights were so distant

as scarcely to be discerned, and the voices were sunk into silence. The

travellers then abated their pace, and, consulting whither they should

direct their course, it was determined they should descend into Tuscany,

and endeavour to reach the Mediterranean, where they could readily

embark for France.

Thither Du Pont meant to attend Emily, if he should

learn, that the regiment he had accompanied into Italy, was returned to

his native country. They were now in the road, which Emily had travelled with Ugo and

Bertrand; but Ludovico, who was the only one of the party, acquainted

with the passes of these mountains, said, that, a little further on, a

bye-road, branching from this, would lead them down into Tuscany with

very little difficulty; and that, at a few leagues distance, was a small

town, where necessaries could be procured for their journey.