The Mysteries of Udolpho

Blanche had been alarmed by the appearance of the

man, who had opened the gate, and she now entreated her father to quit

the place; but the Count had observed the hunter's spear, which he

carried; and the words from the tower encouraged him to await the event.

The gate was soon opened, and several men in hunters' habits, who had

heard above what had passed below, appeared, and, having listened some

time to the Count, told him he was welcome to rest there for the night.

They then pressed him, with much courtesy, to enter, and to partake of

such fare as they were about to sit down to. The Count, who had

observed them attentively while they spoke, was cautious, and somewhat

suspicious; but he was also weary, fearful of the approaching storm, and

of encountering alpine heights in the obscurity of night; being likewise

somewhat confident in the strength and number of his attendants, he,

after some further consideration, determined to accept the invitation.

With this resolution he called his servants, who, advancing round

the tower, behind which some of them had silently listened to this

conference, followed their Lord, the Lady Blanche, and St. Foix into the

fortress. The strangers led them on to a large and rude hall, partially

seen by a fire that blazed at its extremity, round which four men, in

the hunter's dress, were seated, and on the hearth were several dogs

stretched in sleep. In the middle of the hall stood a large table,

and over the fire some part of an animal was boiling. As the Count

approached, the men arose, and the dogs, half raising themselves, looked

fiercely at the strangers, but, on hearing their masters' voices, kept

their postures on the hearth.

Blanche looked round this gloomy and spacious hall; then at the men, and

to her father, who, smiling cheerfully at her, addressed himself to the

hunters. 'This is an hospitable hearth,' said he, 'the blaze of a fire

is reviving after having wandered so long in these dreary wilds. Your

dogs are tired; what success have you had?' 'Such as we usually have,'

replied one of the men, who had been seated in the hall, 'we kill our

game with tolerable certainty.' 'These are fellow hunters,' said one of

the men who had brought the Count hither, 'that have lost their way,

and I have told them there is room enough in the fort for us all.' 'Very

true, very true,' replied his companion, 'What luck have you had in the

chace, brothers? We have killed two izards, and that, you will say,

is pretty well.'