The Mysteries of Udolpho

Emily recovers from the previous night’s trauma. Annette tells Emily it was she who called Montoni’s men, having overheard Barnardine summon strangers to kidnap Emily. Annette and Emily believe Count Morano may be behind the abduction attempt. The suspicions are true. Morano orchestrated the poisoning attempt on Montoni as well. Though Morano has begged forgiveness before Emily previously, he continues to remain obsessed with her.

Meanwhile, Montoni avoids the promised conversation with Emily, making Emily fear greatly for her aunt’s well-being. In her fearful state, Emily sees a mysterious, otherworldly figure on the rampart. She decides to watch out for it the next night as well.

Emily overhears some men in the castle bragging about the loot they have accumulated. She begins to believe the rumor that Montoni is a captain of a band of bandits. Through an aside, the narrator says Emily is partly correct. In the 16th century, Italian city-states did not pay their armies well. Disbanded soldiers often turned robbers and outlaws to make money, with some, called the Condittieri, even hoarding their loot in fortresses.

Emily is finally able to meet Montoni, though in the presence of his band of men. She asks him to send her back to France since her aunt is dead. Montoni forbids Emily to leave and tells her Madame Montoni is alive. She can go visit her in the east turret. After Emily leaves to see Madame Montoni, Verezzi and Orsino argue. Verezzi wants Orsino gone since he is an assassin. The men squabble for a long time.

Emily and Annette find Madame Montoni in the east turret. She is alive but extremely sick. Though she has had a fever for many days, Montoni refused to get her treatment, believing his wife had planned his poisoning. The blood tracks Emily had seen were from a soldier wounded in the battle on the night of the attempted poisoning, as was the corpse Emily found in the chamber. Emily persuades Montoni to shift Madame Montoni out of the tower so she can care for her aunt. Montoni agrees. That night, Emily spies the supernatural human form again. The castle guards can see the form as well; a sentinel follows the figure and is seized by a fit of fright.

Montoni begins to pressure his wife once again to sign over her fortune. Madame Montoni faints from exhaustion. When she recovers, she tells Emily where her property deeds are hidden, saying Emily must not let Montoni discover the papers.

Emily watches out for the ghostly figure once more. This time, she sees Anthonio, one of Montoni’s soldiers, walk by bearing a lance with a flame on its tip. Anthonio tells her the flame suddenly landed on his lance and that it is an omen. Emily wonders if Anthonio was the strange figure she saw earlier, but Anthonio denies the charge. Meanwhile, Annette tells Emily that Madame Montoni is dying. Emily tries to revive her aunt, but she dies. Emily prays over her aunt’s body.

Montoni is irate that his wife died without signing over her estates. Emily avoids her step-uncle, choosing to watch over her aunt’s corpse while it is prepared for burial. Montoni does not attend his wife’s funeral. After the internment, Emily requests again to be sent back to France. Montoni is aware that Emily is his wife’s heir and tries to trick her into signing over her rights to him. Emily sees through the ploy and refuses. Montoni taunts Emily for “behaving like a heroine” (580) and promises to make her suffer like one. Emily returns to her room where Annette tells her the castle has visitors from Venice, including a Signora Livona. A strange man tries to kiss Emily on the way to her room. She recognizes him as one of the officers she had earlier seen with Montoni. She fears her step-uncle has sent the man to make good on his promise and flees.

Emily hears the mysterious music again, which now sounds French in origin, perhaps from her home region of Gascony. She wonders if the song is coming from the dungeon, where she imagines Valancourt is being held prisoner.

Annette tells Emily that Ludovico locked her up again the previous night to protect her from the drunken Venetians. Annette does not know if there are prisoners in the dungeons of Udolpho, but she has information that Signora Livona is Montoni’s mistress.

Montoni sends for Emily so she can reconsider her decision to sign over her rights to him. Emily politely holds her ground, buoyed by the fantasy that Valancourt is in Udolpho to help her. Montoni warns Emily that she will get neither Languedoc nor Gascony. A groaning voice interrupts Montoni repeatedly and he leaves.

Montoni’s servant, old Carlo, brings news that Emily is to be immediately taken to Tuscany. Emily fears this is Montoni’s vengeance but it turns out Udolpho is under attack and Montoni wants Emily to be removed for her safety. Ugo and Bertrand, Montoni’s soldiers, escort Emily through the woods to a peasant’s cottage in Tuscany. Ugo and Bertrand talk about murdering one of Orsino’s rivals. Emily fears for her life and is happy to be delivered to the cottage safely.