The Mysteries of Udolpho

'Hah! who the devil have you brought home?' said they in bad Spanish,

on perceiving the Count's party, 'are they from France, or Spain?--where

did you meet with them?'

'They met with us, and a merry meeting too,' replied his companion aloud

in good French. 'This chevalier, and his party, had lost their way,

and asked a night's lodging in the fort.' The others made no reply, but

threw down a kind of knapsack, and drew forth several brace of birds.

The bag sounded heavily as it fell to the ground, and the glitter

of some bright metal within glanced on the eye of the Count, who now

surveyed, with a more enquiring look, the man, that held the knapsack.

He was a tall robust figure, of a hard countenance, and had short black

hair, curling in his neck. Instead of the hunter's dress, he wore a

faded military uniform; sandals were laced on his broad legs, and a kind

of short trowsers hung from his waist. On his head he wore a leathern

cap, somewhat resembling in shape an ancient Roman helmet; but the

brows that scowled beneath it, would have characterized those of the

barbarians, who conquered Rome, rather than those of a Roman soldier.

The Count, at length, turned away his eyes, and remained silent and

thoughtful, till, again raising them, he perceived a figure standing in

an obscure part of the hall, fixed in attentive gaze on St. Foix, who

was conversing with Blanche, and did not observe this; but the Count,

soon after, saw the same man looking over the shoulder of the soldier as

attentively at himself. He withdrew his eye, when that of the Count met

it, who felt mistrust gathering fast upon his mind, but feared to betray

it in his countenance, and, forcing his features to assume a smile,

addressed Blanche on some indifferent subject. When he again looked

round, he perceived, that the soldier and his companion were gone.

The man, who was called Jacques, now returned from the stone gallery. 'A

fire is lighted there,' said he, 'and the birds are dressing; the table

too is spread there, for that place is warmer than this.'

His companions approved of the removal, and invited their guests to

follow to the gallery, of whom Blanche appeared distressed, and remained

seated, and St. Foix looked at the Count, who said, he preferred the

comfortable blaze of the fire he was then near. The hunters, however,

commended the warmth of the other apartment, and pressed his removal

with such seeming courtesy, that the Count, half doubting, and half

fearful of betraying his doubts, consented to go. The long and ruinous

passages, through which they went, somewhat daunted him, but the

thunder, which now burst in loud peals above, made it dangerous to

quit this place of shelter, and he forbore to provoke his conductors by

shewing that he distrusted them. The hunters led the way, with a

lamp; the Count and St. Foix, who wished to please their hosts by some

instances of familiarity, carried each a seat, and Blanche followed,

with faltering steps.