The Mysteries of Udolpho

Revelation of Marquis de Villeroi’s Château

La Voisin points out a turret belonging to a nearby château visible in the moonlight, which he identifies as the former residence of the Marquis de Villeroi, who has not lived there for many years and is now rumored to be dead, with the property having passed to new owners. St. Aubert is deeply agitated by the news of the Marquis’s death, and asks La Voisin when he died.

CHAPITRE VI.

This chapter centers on a conversation between St. Aubert, his daughter Emily, and their host La Voisin, which opens with discussion of the recent death of the Marquis La Villeroi and the desolate, shut-up state of his château, before shifting to St. Aubert’s intense, unexplained grief over the late Marchioness, the appearance of mysterious nocturnal music, La Voisin’s recounting of the music’s 18-year history, St. Aubert’s distressed reaction to the mention of the nearby Convent of St. Clair, arrangements for guest sleeping accommodations, St. Aubert’s announcement of an early departure the next day, and Emily’s late-night reflections on her father’s health, the strange music, and the unknown connection between her father and the late Marquis and Marchioness.

Marquis La Villeroi’s Death is Mentioned

La Voisin informs St. Aubert and Emily that the Marquis La Villeroi died approximately five weeks prior, and notes that the marquis’s heir resides primarily in Paris with no plans to visit the family château, which is left in the care of a housekeeper and steward who live in a nearby cottage.

St. Aubert’s Grief Over the Late Marchioness

When La Voisin remarks that the spacious château would be desolate for only two residents, St. Aubert is struck by a sudden groan, and later asks La Voisin if he remembers the late Marchioness. St. Aubert confirms he does, and is overcome with grief when La Voisin praises the marchioness’s beauty and goodness, cutting off further discussion of the topic.

Mysterious Nocturnal Music is Heard

As the group converses, soft, solemn, unidentifiable music suddenly drifts through the air, accompanied by a low instrumental symphony. St. Aubert notes the instrument has a fuller, more melodious, and more melancholy tone than a guitar or lute, and the mysterious sounds do not return after fading.

La Voisin’s Tale of the Haunting Music

La Voisin recounts first hearing the same haunting music roughly 18 years prior, on a sultry summer night when he was walking in the woods worrying over his ill son. He initially thought the sounds were his son Claude playing the flute, but when he reached a clearing, he heard unearthly, angelic music that defied easy explanation. His wife heard the same sounds a few nights later, and the local Father Denis claimed it was a warning of their child’s impending death, though the boy ultimately survived.

St. Aubert’s Distress at the Convent of St. Clair

Emily is shaken by the superstitious dread stirred by La Voisin’s tale, and St. Aubert asks if they are near a convent. La Voisin confirms the Convent of St. Clair is nearby on the shore, and St. Aubert is struck by a wave of grief and horror at the mention of the convent, his face taking on a mournful, statue-like expression as he stands in the moonlight.

Guest Accommodations Are Arranged

Emily suggests preparing St. Aubert’s bed so he can rest, and La Voisin hurries to fetch his daughter Agnes to arrange sleeping accommodations for the guests. It is determined that some of Agnes’s children and a man named Michael will give up their beds to sleep in a nearby cottage to make space for St. Aubert and Emily.

St. Aubert Announces Early Departure

St. Aubert tells Emily that if he feels better the next day, he plans to depart early to travel toward their home at La Vallée, as his poor health and low spirits make a longer journey unbearable, and he is anxious to return home. Emily is grieved by the suggestion that her father’s condition is more serious than he lets on.