The Mysteries of Udolpho

Emily is relieved when Annette comes to visit her the next morning. Annette claims that Ludovico had to once again hide her away for her own safety—all of Montoni’s new guests got very drunk. Emily then asks Annette if she knows about any prisoners who are confined within the castle. Annette knows at once that Emily is thinking about Valancourt and whether he is in any of the armies fighting against Montoni and has perhaps been captured. But Annette doesn’t know of any prisoners like him. Annette mentions that Signora Livona is now Montoni’s new mistress.

Montoni calls Emily to once again ask her to sign some papers, saying that Madame Montoni’s estates are his legal right. Emily says that if the property really belongs to him legally, he shouldn’t need her to sign any papers. Montoni gets angry, and as he promises to punish her “this night,” a voice somewhere repeats “This night!” He hesitates for a moment before continuing to threaten Emily in a lower voice.

Montoni keeps talking until, during a pause, a groan interrupts him. Emily goes to search for the source of the voice, angering Montoni further by ignoring him. She eventually walks along the castle, where she hears the commotion of horses and troops outside. Emily finds Annette, and they discuss how the men in the castle seem to be preparing for an invasion. Emily figures the confusion might be a good time to escape.

It turns out Montoni has been leading his troops to plunder nearby areas. They’ve had success against mansions, but after a failed assault on a castle, they are now being pursued. Carlo tells Emily that Montoni has arranged for Emily to be sent away to Tuscany for her own safety. Emily talks about this later with Annette and realizes that now that Barnardine has been replaced as porter, she has less hope than ever of escaping the castle.

Emily finds that some mules have been prepared for her journey and sets off with some attendants. As Emily is going and looking back at Udolpho, her guides Ugo and Bertrand mention that there are some new prisoners at Udolpho. Emily fears that somewhere inside Udolpho’s walls, Valancourt might be among those prisoners. As they keep traveling, Emily thinks she sees enemies taking over the castle. Emily asks more questions about where they’re going, but all she can find out is that they’re headed to a cottage in Tuscany.

When they stop for food, Emily can’t get much out of Bertrand, so she talks instead to Ugo. Emily hints at the assassination that Orsino is implicated in, and Ugo seems so familiar with the details of the matter that it frightens her. Bertrand enters the conversation and describes the assassination as “justice.” They begin telling a story about how Orsino admired a woman who married another man. Bertrand describes how this man was murdered, accidentally revealing that he himself may have done it. Emily fears for her own life.

It gets dark and Ugo wants to light a torch, but Bertrand advises him against it. In the dark, Emily thinks she sees omens that a bad fate awaits her. Ugo himself gets superstitious that a storm must be coming, and sure enough, soon there is thunder. Eventually, they make it out of the woods, and Emily feels a little better because she thinks if they were going to murder her, the woods would’ve been the best place. At last, they reach a cottage where a peasant (Marco) greets them and says they’re late. Dorina, the peasant’s wife, shows Emily to her new room.