The Mysteries of Udolpho, Ann Ward Radcliffe [good story books to read .txt] 📗

term, for which La Vallee might be let, should expire; or, till the arrangement of M. Motteville’s affairs enabled her so far to estimate the remains of her fortune, as to judge whether it would be prudent for her to reside there.

Concerning Montoni’s conduct with respect to his letters to M.

Quesnel, she had many doubts; however he might be at first mistaken on the subject, she much suspected that he wilfully persevered in his error, as a means of intimidating her into a compliance with his wishes of uniting her to Count Morano. Whether this was or was not the fact, she was extremely anxious to explain the affair to M.

Quesnel, and looked forward with a mixture of impatience, hope and fear, to her approaching visit.

On the following day, Madame Montoni, being alone with Emily, introduced the mention of Count Morano, by expressing her surprise, that she had not joined the party on the water the preceding evening, and at her abrupt departure to Venice. Emily then related what had passed, expressed her concern for the mutual mistake that had occurred between Montoni and herself, and solicited her aunt’s kind offices in urging him to give a decisive denial to the count’s further addresses; but she soon perceived, that Madame Montoni had not been ignorant of the late conversation, when she introduced the present.

‘You have no encouragement to expect from me,’ said her aunt, ‘in these notions. I have already given my opinion on the subject, and think Signor Montoni right in enforcing, by any means, your consent.

If young persons will be blind to their interest, and obstinately oppose it, why, the greatest blessings they can have are friends, who will oppose their folly. Pray what pretensions of any kind do you think you have to such a match as is now offered you?’

‘Not any whatever, Madam,’ replied Emily, ‘and, therefore, at least, suffer me to be happy in my humility.’

‘Nay, niece, it cannot be denied, that you have pride enough; my poor brother, your father, had his share of pride too; though, let me add, his fortune did not justify it.’

Emily, somewhat embarrassed by the indignation, which this malevolent allusion to her father excited, and by the difficulty of rendering her answer as temperate as it should be reprehensive, hesitated for some moments, in a confusion, which highly gratified her aunt. At length she said, ‘My father’s pride, Madam, had a noble object—the happiness which he knew could be derived only from goodness, knowledge and charity. As it never consisted in his superiority, in point of fortune, to some persons, it was not humbled by his inferiority, in that respect, to others. He never disdained those, who were wretched by poverty and misfortune; he did sometimes despise persons, who, with many opportunities of happiness, rendered themselves miserable by vanity, ignorance and cruelty. I shall think it my highest glory to emulate such pride.’

‘I do not pretend to understand any thing of these high-flown sentiments, niece; you have all that glory to yourself: I would teach you a little plain sense, and not have you so wise as to despise happiness.’

‘That would indeed not be wisdom, but folly,’ said Emily, ‘for wisdom can boast no higher attainment than happiness; but you will allow, Madam, that our ideas of happiness may differ. I cannot doubt, that you wish me to be happy, but I must fear you are mistaken in the means of making me so.’

‘I cannot boast of a learned education, niece, such as your father thought proper to give you, and, therefore, do not pretend to understand all these fine speeches about happiness. I must be contented to understand only common sense, and happy would it have been for you and your father, if that had been included in his education.’

Emily was too much shocked by these reflections on her father’s memory, to despise this speech as it deserved.

Madame Montoni was about to speak, but Emily quitted the room, and retired to her own, where the little spirit she had lately exerted yielded to grief and vexation, and left her only to her tears. From every review of her situation she could derive, indeed, only new sorrow. To the discovery, which had just been forced upon her, of Montoni’s unworthiness, she had now to add, that of the cruel vanity, for the gratification of which her aunt was about to sacrifice her; of the effrontery and cunning, with which, at the time that she meditated the sacrifice, she boasted of her tenderness, or insulted her victim; and of the venomous envy, which, as it did not scruple to attack her father’s character, could scarcely be expected to withhold from her own.

During the few days that intervened between this conversation and the departure for Miarenti, Montoni did not once address himself to Emily. His looks sufficiently declared his resentment; but that he should forbear to renew a mention of the subject of it, exceedingly surprised her, who was no less astonished, that, during three days, Count Morano neither visited Montoni, or was named by him. Several conjectures arose in her mind. Sometimes she feared that the dispute between them had been revived, and had ended fatally to the Count.

Sometimes she was inclined to hope, that weariness, or disgust at her firm rejection of his suit had induced him to relinquish it; and, at others, she suspected that he had now recourse to stratagem, and forbore his visits, and prevailed with Montoni to forbear the repetition of his name, in the expectation that gratitude and generosity would prevail with her to give him the consent, which he could not hope from love.

Thus passed the time in vain conjecture, and alternate hopes and fears, till the day arrived when Montoni was to set out for the villa of Miarenti, which, like the preceding ones, neither brought the Count, or the mention of him.

Montoni having determined not to leave Venice, till towards evening, that he might avoid the heats, and catch the cool breezes of night, embarked about an hour before sun-set, with his family, in a barge, for the Brenta. Emily sat alone near the stern of the vessel, and, as it floated slowly on, watched the gay and lofty city lessening from her view, till its palaces seemed to sink in the distant waves, while its loftier towers and domes, illumined by the declining sun, appeared on the horizon, like those far-seen clouds which, in more northern climes, often linger on the western verge, and catch the last light of a summer’s evening. Soon after, even these grew dim, and faded in distance from her sight; but she still sat gazing on the vast scene of cloudless sky, and mighty waters, and listening in pleasing awe to the deep-sounding waves, while, as her eyes glanced over the Adriatic, towards the opposite shores, which were, however, far beyond the reach of sight, she thought of Greece, and, a thousand classical remembrances stealing to her mind, she experienced that pensive luxury which is felt on viewing the scenes of ancient story, and on comparing their present state of silence and solitude with that of their former grandeur and animation. The scenes of the Illiad illapsed in glowing colours to her fancy—scenes, once the haunt of heroes—now lonely, and in ruins; but which still shone, in the poet’s strain, in all their youthful splendour.

As her imagination painted with melancholy touches, the deserted plains of Troy, such as they appeared in this after-day, she reanimated the landscape with the following little story.

STANZAS

O’er Ilion’s plains, where once the warrior bled, And once the poet rais’d his deathless strain, O’er Ilion’s plains a weary driver led His stately camels: For the ruin’d fane Wide round the lonely scene his glance he threw, For now the red cloud faded in the west, And twilight o’er the silent landscape drew Her deep’ning veil; eastward his course he prest: There, on the grey horizon’s glimm’ring bound, Rose the proud columns of deserted Troy, And wandering shepherds now a shelter found Within those walls, where princes wont to joy.

Beneath a lofty porch the driver pass’d, Then, from his camels heav’d the heavy load; Partook with them the simple, cool repast, And in short vesper gave himself to God.

From distant lands with merchandise he came, His all of wealth his patient servants bore; Oft deep-drawn sighs his anxious wish proclaim To reach, again, his happy cottage door; For there, his wife, his little children, dwell; Their smiles shall pay the toil of many an hour: Ev’n now warm tears to expectation swell, As fancy o’er his mind extends her pow’r.

A death-like stillness reign’d, where once the song, The song of heroes, wak’d the midnight air, Save, when a solemn murmur roll’d along, That seem’d to say—‘for future worlds prepare.’

For Time’s imperious voice was frequent heard Shaking the marble temple to its fall, (By hands he long had conquer’d, vainly rear’d), And distant ruins answer’d to his call.

While Hamet slept, his camels round him lay, Beneath him, all his store of wealth was piled; And here, his cruse and empty wallet lay, And there, the flute that chear’d him in the wild.

The robber Tartar on his slumber stole, For o’er the waste, at eve, he watch’d his train; Ah! who his thirst of plunder shall control?

Who calls on him for mercy—calls in vain!

A poison’d poignard in his belt he wore, A crescent sword depended at his side, The deathful quiver at his back he bore, And infants—at his very look had died!

The moon’s cold beam athwart the temple fell, And to his sleeping prey the Tartar led; But soft!—a startled camel shook his bell, Then stretch’d his limbs, and rear’d his drowsy head.

Hamet awoke! the poignard glitter’d high!

Swift from his couch he sprung, and ‘scap’d the blow; When from an unknown hand the arrows fly, That lay the ruffian, in his vengeance, low.

He groan’d, he died! from forth a column’d gate A fearful shepherd, pale and silent, crept, Who, as he watch’d his folded flock star-late, Had mark’d the robber steal where Hamet slept.

He fear’d his own, and sav’d a stranger’s life!

Poor Hamet clasp’d him to his grateful heart; Then, rous’d his camels for the dusty strife, And, with the shepherd, hasten’d to depart.

And now, aurora breathes her fresh’ning gale, And faintly trembles on the eastern cloud; And now, the sun, from under twilight’s veil, Looks gaily forth, and melts her airy shroud.

Wide o’er the level plains, his slanting beams Dart their long lines on Ilion’s tower’d site; The distant Hellespont with morning gleams, And old Scamander winds his waves in light.

All merry sound the camel bells, so gay, And merry beats fond Hamet’s heart, for he, E’er the dim evening steals upon the day, His children, wife and happy home shall see.

As Emily approached the shores of Italy she began to discriminate the rich features and varied colouring of the landscape—the purple hills, groves of orange pine and cypress, shading magnificent villas, and towns rising among vineyards and plantations. The noble Brenta, pouring its broad waves into the sea, now appeared, and, when she reached its mouth, the barge stopped, that the horses might be fastened which were now to tow it up the stream. This done, Emily gave a last look to the Adriatic, and to the dim sail, that from the sky-mix’d wave

Dawns on the sight,

and the barge slowly glided between the green and luxuriant slopes of the river. The grandeur of the Palladian villas, that adorn these shores, was considerably heightened by the setting rays, which threw strong contrasts of light and shade upon the porticos and long arcades, and beamed a mellow lustre upon the orangeries and the tall groves of pine and cypress, that overhung the