The Mysteries of Udolpho

But no voice spoke in reply. In the agony of terror she bade

Michael bring water from the rivulet, that flowed along the road;

and, having received some in the man's hat, with trembling hands she

sprinkled it over her father's face, which, as the moon's rays now

fell upon it, seemed to bear the impression of death. Every emotion of

selfish fear now gave way to a stronger influence, and, committing St.

Aubert to the care of Michael, who refused to go far from his mules,

she stepped from the carriage in search of the chateau she had seen at

a distance. It was a still moon-light night, and the music, which yet

sounded on the air, directed her steps from the high road, up a shadowy

lane, that led to the woods. Her mind was for some time so entirely

occupied by anxiety and terror for her father, that she felt none for

herself, till the deepening gloom of the overhanging foliage, which now

wholly excluded the moon-light, and the wildness of the place, recalled

her to a sense of her adventurous situation. The music had ceased,

and she had no guide but chance. For a moment she paused in terrified

perplexity, till a sense of her father's condition again overcoming

every consideration for herself, she proceeded. The lane terminated in

the woods, but she looked round in vain for a house, or a human being,

and as vainly listened for a sound to guide her. She hurried on,

however, not knowing whither, avoiding the recesses of the woods, and

endeavouring to keep along their margin, till a rude kind of avenue,

which opened upon a moon-light spot, arrested her attention.

The wildness of this avenue brought to her recollection the one leading to

the turreted chateau, and she was inclined to believe, that this was a

part of the same domain, and probably led to the same point. While she

hesitated, whether to follow it or not, a sound of many voices in loud

merriment burst upon her ear. It seemed not the laugh of cheerfulness,

but of riot, and she stood appalled. While she paused, she heard a

distant voice, calling from the way she had come, and not doubting but

it was that of Michael, her first impulse was to hasten back; but a

second thought changed her purpose; she believed that nothing less than

the last extremity could have prevailed with Michael to quit his mules,

and fearing that her father was now dying, she rushed forward, with a

feeble hope of obtaining assistance from the people in the woods. Her

heart beat with fearful expectation, as she drew near the spot whence

the voices issued, and she often startled when her steps disturbed the

fallen leaves.