The Mysteries of Udolpho

The Alpine View

As the party advances toward Turin, the Alps come into full, dramatic view: successive mountain chains rise one behind another, their higher peaks obscured by hovering clouds, while their lower, fantastically shaped slopes are streaked with shifting blue and purplish light and shadow that creates the impression of ever-changing new landscapes.

Montoni’s Character

Montoni, who has visited Turin before and cares little for scenery, refuses his wife’s request to tour the city’s palaces, leaving as soon as refreshments are obtained to continue to Venice. His manner throughout the journey is grave, haughty and reserved, particularly toward Madame Montoni, a reserve rooted in pride and discontent rather than respect; he pays Emily little attention, and speaks with Cavigni only of political and military matters. When daring military exploits are mentioned, his sullen eyes gleam, though Emily notes the light holds more lurking cunning and malice than the brightness of true valour, a contrast to his otherwise high chivalric bearing.

The Milanese Plain

Upon entering the Milanese, the gentlemen swap their French hats for embroidered scarlet Italian caps; Montoni adds a military plume to his, which Emily later learns is a practical choice to avoid trouble in a region overrun with military parties. The party passes through landscapes scarred by war: torn vines, trampled olive groves, and mulberry groves felled to fuel fires that destroyed local villages. Emily looks north to the remote Alps of the Grison, which seem to offer a safe asylum for persecuted people. They pass through Milan without stopping to see its sights, and find the countryside beyond Milan marked by quiet, deathlike devastation that still bears the marks of recent conflict.

Utaldo’s Army

Past the eastern edge of the Milanese, the travellers spot a distant army winding across the plains, its spears and arms glinting in the last rays of the sun. Montoni recognizes the force as the army of the famous captain Utaldo, a personal acquaintance, and orders their carriages to pull aside to let the troops pass. Utaldo, returning victorious to his principality with spoils, wounded soldiers and prisoners to be ransomed once a pending peace is ratified, greets Montoni warmly and invites the party to join his troops’ evening victory festivity before the commanders split up to return to their castles the next day. Montoni declines, saying he aims to reach Verona that evening, and the parties part.

Travel to Venice

The travellers continue without incident, but do not reach Verona until after sunset, so they see its environs the next morning. They leave Verona early, travel to Padua, and there embark on a barge on the River Brenta bound for Venice.

The River Brenta

The Brenta’s shores are free of the war damage seen in the Milanese, instead lined with elegant villas of the Venetian nobility, shaded by poplars and cypresses, with fragrant orangeries and willows dipping into the water. Gay parties picnic on the banks, and the Carnival atmosphere extends along the river, with costumed masquerade parties on boats and dancers under the trees. Cavigni shares light, witty sketches of the villas’ owners that amuse Emily, though Madame Montoni remains grave and Montoni stays reserved.

First View of Venice

Emily is overwhelmed by her first sight of Venice: its islets, palaces and towers rise from the sea, which reflects the city in vivid colour. The setting sun tints the waves and the northern Friuli mountains saffron, and throws light and shadow across St. Mark’s porticos. As twilight deepens, the city’s terraces and airy palaces look as if conjured from the ocean by magic. The deep evening tranquillity is broken by distant solemn music, including a mournful female vocal line that moves Emily to tears as she thinks of Valancourt. As the barge approaches St. Mark’s Square, the rising moon illuminates colonnades and terraces where masked dancers and gondola parties with music fill the scene, which Emily finds as enchanting as a fairy realm.