The Mysteries of Udolpho

On their arrival at the chateau, the Countess, affecting more fatigue,

than she really felt, withdrew to her apartment, and the Count, with

his daughter and Henri, went to the supper-room, where they had not been

long, when they heard, in a pause of the gust, a firing of guns, which

the Count understanding to be signals of distress from some vessel in

the storm, went to a window, that opened towards the Mediterranean, to

observe further; but the sea was now involved in utter darkness, and

the loud howlings of the tempest had again overcome every other sound.

Blanche, remembering the bark, which she had before seen, now joined her

father, with trembling anxiety. In a few moments, the report of guns was

again borne along the wind, and as suddenly wafted away; a tremendous

burst of thunder followed, and, in the flash, that had preceded it, and

which seemed to quiver over the whole surface of the waters, a vessel

was discovered, tossing amidst the white foam of the waves at some

distance from the shore. Impenetrable darkness again involved the scene,

but soon a second flash shewed the bark, with one sail unfurled, driving

towards the coast. Blanche hung upon her father's arm, with looks full

of the agony of united terror and pity, which were unnecessary to

awaken the heart of the Count, who gazed upon the sea with a piteous

expression, and, perceiving, that no boat could live in the storm,

forbore to send one; but he gave orders to his people to carry torches

out upon the cliffs, hoping they might prove a kind of beacon to the

vessel, or, at least, warn the crew of the rocks they were approaching.

While Henri went out to direct on what part of the cliffs the lights

should appear, Blanche remained with her father, at the window,

catching, every now and then, as the lightnings flashed, a glimpse of

the vessel; and she soon saw, with reviving hope, the torches flaming

on the blackness of night, and, as they waved over the cliffs, casting a

red gleam on the gasping billows. When the firing of guns was repeated,

the torches were tossed high in the air, as if answering the signal, and

the firing was then redoubled; but, though the wind bore the sound away,

she fancied, as the lightnings glanced, that the vessel was much nearer

the shore. The Count's servants were now seen, running to and fro, on the rocks;

some venturing almost to the point of the crags, and bending over, held

out their torches fastened to long poles; while others, whose steps

could be traced only by the course of the lights, descended the steep

and dangerous path, that wound to the margin of the sea, and, with loud

halloos, hailed the mariners, whose shrill whistle, and then feeble

voices, were heard, at intervals, mingling with the storm. Sudden shouts

from the people on the rocks increased the anxiety of Blanche to an

almost intolerable degree: but her suspense, concerning the fate of the

mariners, was soon over, when Henri, running breathless into the room,

told that the vessel was anchored in the bay below, but in so shattered

a condition, that it was feared she would part before the crew could

disembark.