Opera Attendance and Emily’s Preference for Natural Beauty
Near midnight the party withdraws to the opera, where Emily is not so charmed but that, recalling the scene she has just quitted, she feels how infinitely inferior all the splendour of art is to the sublimity of nature. Her heart is not now affected, and tears of admiration do not start to her eyes as they did when she viewed the vast expanse of ocean, the grandeur of the heavens, listened to the rolling waters, and caught the faint music mingling with their roar; remembering these, the operatic scene before her fades into insignificance.
CHAPTER III
This is Chapter III of the narrative, opening with Emily’s quiet reflections on the close of an uneventful evening, as she longs to escape Count Morano’s persistent attentions and finds her thoughts drifting to Valancourt with soft longing.
Emily’s Evening Reflections on Count Morano and Valancourt
As the unremarkable evening draws to a close, Emily wishes it would end quickly so she can avoid Count Morano’s company; his presence prompts her to think of Valancourt, and she sighs softly at the memory of him.
Weeks of Visits and Count Morano’s Persistent Attentions
Over the following weeks of routine social visits, Emily enjoys the unfamiliar Venetian customs and scenery, but Count Morano repeatedly forces his company on her. Though his manners, appearance and talents are widely admired, Emily’s heart remains fixed on Valancourt, and she grows prejudiced against the Count after observing unflattering traits in his character during his overbearing, unsolicited attentions to her.
Montoni Receives M. Quesnel’s Inheritance News
Shortly after arriving in Venice, Montoni receives a letter from M. Quesnel announcing the death of his wife’s uncle, who owned a villa on the Brenta, and informing him that he will soon take possession of the estate and other inherited assets. Though Montoni has no claim to the inheritance, he struggles to hide his envy of Quesnel’s good fortune.
Montoni’s Resentment of Madame Montoni’s Concealed Poverty
Emily has noticed that since leaving France, Montoni has shown no affection for her aunt, and has shifted from casual neglect to open, consistent ill humour and coldness toward her. Montoni had originally been drawn to Madame Cheron for her apparent wealth, and is now furious that she concealed her relative poverty through deception, feeling outwitted by a woman he considers his inferior, who secured a settlement for most of her remaining assets, leaving him with only a small sum he brought to Venice to maintain a facade of wealth.
Unverified Details of Montoni’s Character and Circumstances
The unflattering hints previously shared with Valancourt about Montoni’s character and financial situation are confirmed as accurate, though full details of both the hinted and un-hinted circumstances are deferred to future revelation by time and chance.
Madame Montoni’s Delusional Response to Marital Contempt
Madame Montoni lacks the dignity to bear her husband’s contempt with grace, reacting instead with the petty, violent anger of an unregulated mind. She refuses to admit her own duplicity provoked Montoni’s disdain, instead insisting she is the sole wronged party, and clings to the delusion that she is a wealthy noblewoman with a Venetian palace and Apennine castle, ignoring the evidence of their reduced circumstances visible in their home’s furnishings.
Mention of Castle di Udolpho and Planned Journey
Montoni occasionally references a planned short journey to his family’s Castle di Udolpho in the Apennines to inspect its condition and collect outstanding rents, noting he has not visited in two years, and only an elderly steward remains in residence. Emily looks forward to the trip, as it promises a reprieve from Count Morano’s persistent attentions, and time to reflect on Valancourt and cherished memories of La Vallée, which bring her more solace than the frivolous entertainments of Venetian society.
Count Morano Declares His Passion and Proposes Marriage
Count Morano soon moves beyond quiet persistence to formally declare his love for Emily and propose marriage to Montoni, who supports the suit even after Emily rejects it with frank, unambiguous refusal. Bolstered by Montoni’s backing and his own excessive vanity, Morano refuses to abandon his pursuit, dining at the Montoni home nearly every day and attending every social event Emily and her aunt attend; Madame Montoni is as eager as her husband to secure the match, and refuses to let Emily skip any gathering where the Count is present.
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