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Emily no longer opposed him, as he led her into an adjoining
parlour; the manner, in which he had named Montoni, had so much
alarmed her for his own safety, that she was now only anxious to prevent
the consequences of his just resentment. He listened to her entreaties,
with attention, but replied to them only with looks of despondency and
tenderness, concealing, as much as possible, the sentiments he felt
towards Montoni, that he might soothe the apprehensions, which
distressed her. But she saw the veil he had spread over his resentment,
and, his assumed tranquillity only alarming her more, she urged, at
length, the impolicy of forcing an interview with Montoni, and of taking
any measure, which might render their separation irremediable.
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Valancourt yielded to these remonstrances, and her affecting entreaties
drew from him a promise, that, however Montoni might persist in his
design of disuniting them, he would not seek to redress his wrongs by
violence. For my sake, said Emily, let the consideration of what I
should suffer deter you from such a mode of revenge!
For your sake, Emily, replied Valancourt, his eyes filling with
tears of tenderness and grief, while he gazed upon her. Yes -- yes -- I
shall subdue myself. But, though I have given you my solemn promise
to do this, do not expect, that I can tamely submit to the authority of
Montoni; if I could, I should be unworthy of you. Yet, O Emily! how
long may he condemn me to live without you, -- how long may it be
before you return to France!
Emily endeavoured to sooth him with assurances of her unalterable
affection, and by representing, that, in little more than a year, she should
be her own mistress, as far as related to her aunt, from whose
guardianship her age would then release her; assurances, which gave
little consolation to Valancourt, who considered, that she would then be
in Italy and in the power of those, whose dominion over her would not
cease with their rights; but he affected to be consoled by them. Emily,
comforted by the promise she had obtained, and by his apparent
composure, was about to leave him, when her aunt entered the room.
She threw a glance of sharp reproof upon her niece, who immediately
withdrew, and of haughty displeasure upon Valancourt.
This is not the conduct I should have expected from you, sir;
said she, I did not expect to see you in my house, after you had been
informed, that your visits were no longer agreeable, much less, that you
would seek a clandestine interview with my niece, and that she would
grant one.
Valancourt, perceiving it necessary to vindicate Emily from such a
design, explained, that the purpose of his own visit had been to request
an interview with Montoni, and he then entered upon the subject of it,
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THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO Vol I
with the tempered spirit which the sex, rather than the respectability, of
Madame Montoni, demanded.
His expostulations were answered with severe rebuke; she
lamented again, that her prudence had ever yielded to what she termed
compassion, and added, that she was so sensible of the folly of her
former consent, that, to prevent the possibility of a repetition, she had
committed the affair entirely to the conduct of Signor Montoni.
The feeling eloquence of Valancourt, however, at length, made her
sensible in some measure of her unworthy conduct, and she became
susceptible to shame, but not remorse: she hated Valancourt, who
awakened her to this painful sensation, and, in proportion as she grew
dissatisfied with herself, her abhorrence of him increased. This was also
the more inveterate, because his tempered words and manner were such
as, without accusing her, compelled her to accuse herself, and neither
left her a hope, that the odious portrait was the caricature of his
prejudice, or afforded her an excuse for expressing the violent
resentment, with which she contemplated it. At length, her anger rose to
such an height, that Valancourt was compelled to leave the house
abruptly, lest he should forfeit his own esteem by an intemperate reply.
He was then convinced, that from Madame Montoni he had nothing to
hope, for what of either pity, or justice could be expected from a person,
who could feel the pain of guilt, without the humility of repentance?
To Montoni he looked with equal despondency, since it was nearly
evident, that this plan of separation originated with him, and it was not
probable, that he would relinquish his own views to entreaties, or
remonstrances, which he must have foreseen and have been prepared to
resist. Yet, remembering his promise to Emily, and more solicitous,
concerning his love, than jealous of his consequence, Valancourt was
careful to do nothing that might unnecessarily irritate Montoni, he wrote
to him, therefore, not to demand an interview, but to solicit one, and,
having done this, he endeavoured to wait with calmness his reply.
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THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO Vol I
Madame Clairval was passive in the affair. When she gave her
approbation to Valancourt's marriage, it was in the belief, that Emily
would be the heiress of Madame Montoni's fortune; and, though, upon
the nuptials of the latter, when she perceived the fallacy of this
expectation, her conscience had withheld her from adopting any measure
to prevent the union, her benevolence was not sufficiently active to
impel her towards any step, that might now promote it. She was, on the
contrary, secretly pleased, that Valancourt was released from an
engagement, which she considered to be as inferior, in point of fortune,
to his merit, as his alliance was thought by Montoni to be humiliating to
the beauty of Emily; and, though her pride was wounded by this
rejection of a member of her family, she disdained to shew resentment
otherwise, than by silence.
Montoni, in his reply to Valancourt, said, that as an interview
could neither remove the objections of the one, or overcome the wishes
of the other, it would serve only to produce useless altercation between
them. He, therefore, thought proper to refuse it.
In consideration of the policy, suggested by Emily, and of his
promise to her, Valancourt restrained the impulse, that urged him to the
house of Montoni, to demand what had been denied to his entreaties. He
only repeated his solicitations to see him; seconding them with all the
arguments his situation could suggest. Thus several days passed, in
remonstrance, on one side, and inflexible denial, on the other; for,
whether it was fear, or shame, or the hatred, which results from both,
that made Montoni shun the man he had injured, he was peremptory in
his refusal, and was neither softened to pity by the agony, which
Valancourt's letters pourtrayed, or awakened to a repentance of his own
injustice by the strong remonstrances he employed. At length,
Valancourt's letters were returned unopened, and then, in the first
moments of passionate despair, he forgot every promise to Emily, except
the solemn one, which bound him to avoid violence, and hastened to
Montoni's chateau, determined to see him by whatever other means
might be necessary. Montoni was denied, and Valancourt, when he
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THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO Vol I
afterwards enquired for Madame, and Ma'amselle St. Aubert, was
absolutely refused admittance by the servants.
Not choosing to submit himself to a contest with these, he, at
length, departed, and, returning home in a state of mind approaching to
frenzy, wrote to Emily of what had passed, expressed without restraint
all the agony of his heart, and entreated, that, since he must not
otherwise hope to see her immediately, she would allow him an
interview unknown to Montoni. Soon after he had dispatched this, his
passions becoming more temperate, he was sensible of the error he had
committed in having given Emily a new subject of distress in the strong
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