The Mysteries of Udolpho

She heard afterwards a hollow sound.

'Then the devil has got a key to that apartment,' said Dorothee, 'for it

could be nobody but he; I locked the door myself!'

The girl, springing down the stairs and passing up the great stair-case,

had run, with a faint scream, till she reached the gallery, where she

fell, groaning, at Emily's door.

Gently chiding her for the alarm she had occasioned, Emily tried to make

her ashamed of her fears; but the girl persisted in saying, that she

had seen an apparition, till she went to her own room, whither she

was accompanied by all the servants present, except Dorothee, who,

at Emily's request, remained with her during the night. Emily was

perplexed, and Dorothee was terrified, and mentioned many occurrences

of former times, which had long since confirmed her superstitions; among

these, according to her belief, she had once witnessed an appearance,

like that just described, and on the very same spot, and it was the

remembrance of it, that had made her pause, when she was going to ascend

the stairs with Emily, and which had increased her reluctance to open

the north apartments. Whatever might be Emily's opinions, she did

not disclose them, but listened attentively to all that Dorothee

communicated, which occasioned her much thought and perplexity.

From this night the terror of the servants increased to such an excess,

that several of them determined to leave the chateau, and requested

their discharge of the Count, who, if he had any faith in the subject of

their alarm, thought proper to dissemble it, and, anxious to avoid the

inconvenience that threatened him, employed ridicule and then argument

to convince them they had nothing to apprehend from supernatural agency.

But fear had rendered their minds inaccessible to reason; and it was

now, that Ludovico proved at once his courage and his gratitude for the

kindness he had received from the Count, by offering to watch, during a

night, in the suite of rooms, reputed to be haunted. He feared, he said,

no spirits, and, if any thing of human form appeared--he would prove

that he dreaded that as little.

The Count paused upon the offer, while the servants, who heard it,

looked upon one another in doubt and amazement, and Annette, terrified

for the safety of Ludovico, employed tears and entreaties to dissuade

him from his purpose.

'You are a bold fellow,' said the Count, smiling, 'Think well of what

you are going to encounter, before you finally determine upon it.

However, if you persevere in your resolution, I will accept your offer,

and your intrepidity shall not go unrewarded.'