The Mysteries of Udolpho

Well! my lord the Marquis kept open house, for a long time,

and gave such entertainments and there were such gay doings as have

never been in the chateau since. I was younger, ma'amselle, then, than

I am now, and was as gay at the best of them. I remember I danced with

Philip, the butler, in a pink gown, with yellow ribbons, and a coif, not

such as they wear now, but plaited high, with ribbons all about it. It

was very becoming truly;--my lord, the Marquis, noticed me. Ah! he was a

good-natured gentleman then--who would have thought that he!'-

'But the Marchioness, Dorothee,' said Emily, 'you was telling me of

her.' 'O yes, my lady Marchioness, I thought she did not seem happy at heart,

and once, soon after the marriage, I caught her crying in her chamber;

but, when she saw me, she dried her eyes, and pretended to smile. I did

not dare then to ask what was the matter; but, the next time I saw her

crying, I did, and she seemed displeased;--so I said no more. I found

out, some time after, how it was. Her father, it seems, had commanded

her to marry my lord, the Marquis, for his money, and there was another

nobleman, or else a chevalier, that she liked better and that was very

fond of her, and she fretted for the loss of him, I fancy, but she never

told me so.

My lady always tried to conceal her tears from the Marquis,

for I have often seen her, after she has been so sorrowful, look so calm

and sweet, when he came into the room! But my lord, all of a sudden,

grew gloomy and fretful, and very unkind sometimes to my lady. This

afflicted her very much, as I saw, for she never complained, and she

used to try so sweetly to oblige him and to bring him into a good

humour, that my heart has often ached to see it. But he used to be

stubborn, and give her harsh answers, and then, when she found it all

in vain, she would go to her own room, and cry so! I used to hear her

in the anti-room, poor dear lady! but I seldom ventured to go to her.

I used, sometimes, to think my lord was jealous. To be sure my lady was

greatly admired, but she was too good to deserve suspicion. Among the

many chevaliers, that visited at the chateau, there was one, that I

always thought seemed just suited for my lady; he was so courteous, yet

so spirited, and there was such a grace, as it were, in all he did, or

said. I always observed, that, whenever he had been there, the Marquis

was more gloomy and my lady more thoughtful, and it came into my head,

that this was the chevalier she ought to have married, but I never could

learn for certain.'