'He usually attended me when night might best conceal his visits;
though these were irregular in their return. Lately, from what motive
I cannot guess, he has ceased his nocturnal visits, and comes only in
the day.
'Once when midnight increased the darkness of my prison, and seemed to
render silence even more awful, touched by the sacred horrors of the
hour, I poured forth my distress in loud lamentation. Oh! never can I
forget what I felt, when I heard a distant voice answered to my moan!
A wild surprize, which was strangely mingled with hope, seized me, and
in my first emotion I should have answered the call, had not a
recollection crossed me, which destroyed at once every half-raised
sensation of joy. I remembered the dreadful vengeance which the
marquis had sworn to execute upon me, if I ever, by any means,
endeavoured to make known the place of my concealment; and though life
had long been a burden to me, I dared not to incur the certainty of
being murdered. I also well knew that no person who might discover my
situation could effect my enlargement, for I had no relations to
deliver me by force; and the marquis, you know, has not only power to
imprison, but also the right of life and death in his own domains; I,
therefore, forbore to answer the call, though I could not entirely
repress my lamentation. I long perplexed myself with endeavouring to
account for this strange circumstance, and am to this moment ignorant
of its cause.'
Julia remembering that Ferdinand had been confined in a dungeon of the
castle, it instantly occurred to her that his prison, and that of the
marchioness, were not far distant; and she scrupled not to believe
that it was his voice which her mother had heard. She was right in
this belief, and it was indeed the marchioness whose groans had
formerly caused Ferdinand so much alarm, both in the marble hall of
the south buildings, and in his dungeon.
When Julia communicated her opinion, and the marchioness believed that
she had heard the voice of her son--her emotion was extreme, and it
was some time before she could resume her narration.
'A short time since,' continued the marchioness, 'the marquis brought
me a fortnight's provision, and told me that I should probably see him
no more till the expiration of that term. His absence at this period
you have explained in your account of the transactions at the abbey of
St Augustin. How can I ever sufficiently acknowledge the obligations I
owe to my dear and invaluable friend Madame de Menon! Oh! that it
might be permitted me to testify my gratitude.'