The Mysteries of Udolpho

Emily Agrees to Meet Barnardine on the East Rampart at Dusk

Emily initially rejects the risky secret passage proposal, but after Annette explains Barnardine can use a private gate key to access the east rampart unobserved by distant sentinels at dusk, she agrees to meet him there an hour after sunset, and plans to bring Annette along for safety.

Emily and Annette Navigate to the Rampart Past Castle Sentinels

At dusk, Emily and Annette proceed to the east rampart, passing two sets of castle sentinels who question them before permitting passage, hear the distant sounds of Montoni and his guests feasting, and wait for Barnardine, who does not arrive immediately.

Barnardine Discloses Madame Montoni Is Alive but Imprisoned

Barnardine arrives and initially refuses to speak in front of Annette, deliberately misleading Emily into fearing Madame Montoni has been murdered, before finally revealing that Madame Montoni is alive but imprisoned in the chamber over the castle’s great court gates, and that he has been charged with acting as her keeper.

CHAPITRE XII.

This chapter (CHAPTER XII) follows Emily as she secures an agreement with Barnardine to visit her imprisoned aunt Madame Montoni, grapples with mounting fears for her aunt’s safety and lingering doubts about Barnardine’s motives, maintains an overnight vigil for the return of the unearthly music she heard the prior night, recalls her father’s story of hearing celestial music after her mother’s death, and ultimately retires at dawn when the music does not reappear.

Barnardine Agrees to Emily’s Request

Barnardine agrees to Emily’s request with less reluctance than she expected, telling her that if she comes to the castle’s postern gate the following night after Montoni retires to rest, she may be able to see Madame Montoni. Emily is deeply grateful for the concession, though she initially notices a malicious triumph in Barnardine’s tone when he mentions the meeting, which she quickly dismisses. She thanks him, entrusts her aunt to his pity, promises to reward him and be punctual to the appointment, then bids him good night and retires unobserved to her chamber.

Emily Fears for Madame Montoni’s Safety

Once the initial tumult of joy from Barnardine’s news fades, Emily is forced to confront the real dangers still surrounding Madame Montoni and herself. She realizes her aunt remains a prisoner of Montoni, who may sacrifice her to vengeance or avarice, and is deeply unsettled by Barnardine’s savage, murderous appearance, which makes her fear he could be convinced to commit any violent act. She briefly worries the meeting is a decoy to lure her to a secret location where she too will be killed so Montoni can claim the contested Languedoc estates, though she ultimately decides this extreme guilt is too improbable to be likely, even as lingering doubts and fears about Barnardine’s intentions linger.

Emily Waits for the Return of the Mysterious Music

As evening wears on, Emily remembers the entrancing music she heard the night before and waits for its return with keen curiosity. She listens to the distant revelry of Montoni and his companions—their loud arguments, dissolute laughter, and choral songs echoing through the halls—until the castle gates shut for the night, leaving only the soft sound of footsteps in the galleries. Emily dismisses her maid Annette, opens her casement, and watches the part of the sky where the planet she noted during the prior music’s appearance will rise. When the planet rises brightly over the castle’s eastern towers, her heart trembles, but she stays at the casement as the clock strikes one, the approximate time of the previous music, hearing only the lone sentinel’s footsteps and the soft murmur of the woods below, with no music returning.

Emily Recalls Her Father’s Celestial Music Story

With no music materializing, Emily concludes the sounds she heard could not have come from any mortal inhabitant of the castle, as no one there could produce such exquisite, expressive melody. She recalls stories from local priests Father Pierre and Father Antoine, who claimed they had heard celestial music on quiet nights while offering prayers, and a personal memory of her father telling her that soon after her mother’s death, he was awakened in the middle of the night by uncommonly sweet music passing through the midnight air, which soothed his grief and helped him resign her to God. She weeps at the tender memory, wondering if the music she heard was sent to comfort and encourage her, and if her father is watching over her at that moment.