The Mysteries of Udolpho

He spared her the pain of replying, by leaving her; and she strolled on,

somewhat displeased with the Count for having persevered to plead for a

suit, which she had repeatedly rejected, and lost amidst the melancholy

recollections, which this topic had revived, till she had insensibly

reached the borders of the woods, that screened the monastery of St.

Clair, when, perceiving how far she had wandered, she determined to

extend her walk a little farther, and to enquire about the abbess and

some of her friends among the nuns.

Though the evening was now drawing to a close, she accepted the

invitation of the friar, who opened the gate, and, anxious to meet some

of her old acquaintances, proceeded towards the convent parlour. As she

crossed the lawn, that sloped from the front of the monastery towards

the sea, she was struck with the picture of repose, exhibited by some

monks, sitting in the cloisters, which extended under the brow of the

woods, that crowned this eminence; where, as they meditated, at this

twilight hour, holy subjects, they sometimes suffered their attention to

be relieved by the scene before them, nor thought it profane to look at

nature, now that it had exchanged the brilliant colours of day for the

sober hue of evening.

Before the cloisters, however, spread an

ancient chesnut, whose ample branches were designed to screen the full

magnificence of a scene, that might tempt the wish to worldly pleasures;

but still, beneath the dark and spreading foliage, gleamed a wide extent

of ocean, and many a passing sail; while, to the right and left, thick

woods were seen stretching along the winding shores. So much as this had

been admitted, perhaps, to give to the secluded votary an image of the

dangers and vicissitudes of life, and to console him, now that he had

renounced its pleasures, by the certainty of having escaped its evils.

As Emily walked pensively along, considering how much suffering she

might have escaped, had she become a votaress of the order, and remained

in this retirement from the time of her father's death, the vesper-bell

struck up, and the monks retired slowly toward the chapel, while she,

pursuing her way, entered the great hall, where an unusual silence

seemed to reign. The parlour too, which opened from it, she found

vacant, but, as the evening bell was sounding, she believed the nuns had

withdrawn into the chapel, and sat down to rest, for a moment, before

she returned to the chateau, where, however, the increasing gloom made

her now anxious to be.

Not many minutes had elapsed, before a nun, entering in haste, enquired

for the abbess, and was retiring, without recollecting Emily, when

she made herself known, and then learned, that a mass was going to be

performed for the soul of sister Agnes, who had been declining, for some

time, and who was now believed to be dying.