He found Madame de Menon and his sisters awaiting his return in the
most painful anxiety; and, thus disappointed in all his endeavours to
penetrate the secret of these buildings, and fatigued with fruitless
search, he resolved to suspend farther enquiry.
When he related the circumstances of his late adventure, the terror of
Emilia and Julia was heightened to a degree that overcame every
prudent consideration. Their apprehension of the marquis's displeasure
was lost in a stronger feeling, and they resolved no longer to remain
in apartments which offered only terrific images to their fancy.
Madame de Menon almost equally alarmed, and more perplexed, by this
combination of strange and unaccountable circumstances, ceased to
oppose their design. It was resolved, therefore, that on the following
day madame should acquaint the marchioness with such particulars of
the late occurrence as their purpose made it necessary she should
know, concealing their knowledge of the hidden door, and the incidents
immediately dependant on it; and that madame should entreat a change
of apartments. Madame accordingly waited on the marchioness.
The marchioness having
listened to the account at first with surprise, and afterwards with
indifference, condescended to reprove madame for encouraging
superstitious belief in the minds of her young charge. She concluded
with ridiculing as fanciful the circumstances related, and with
refusing, on account of the numerous visitants at the castle, the
request preferred to her.
It is true the castle was crowded with visitors; the former apartments
of Madame de Menon were the only ones unoccupied, and these were in
magnificent preparation for the pleasure of the marchioness, who was
unaccustomed to sacrifice her own wishes to the comfort of those
around her. She therefore treated lightly the subject, which,
seriously attended to, would have endangered her new plan of delight.
But Emilia and Julia were too seriously terrified to obey the scruples
of delicacy, or to be easily repulsed. They prevailed on Ferdinand to
represent their situation to the marquis.
Meanwhile Hippolitus, who had passed the night in a state of sleepless
anxiety, watched, with busy impatience, an opportunity of more fully
disclosing to Julia the passion which glowed in his heart. The first
moment in which he beheld her, had awakened in him an admiration which
had since ripened into a sentiment more tender. He had been prevented
formally declaring his passion by the circumstance which so suddenly
called him to Naples.
This was the dangerous illness of the Marquis de
Lomelli, his near and much-valued relation. But it was a task too
painful to depart in silence, and he contrived to inform Julia of his
sentiments in the air which she heard so sweetly sung beneath her
window. When Hippolitus reached Naples, the marquis was yet living, but
expired a few days after his arrival, leaving the count heir to the
small possessions which remained from the extravagance of their
ancestors. The business of adjusting his rights had till now detained him from
Sicily, whither he came for the sole purpose of declaring his love.
Here unexpected obstacles awaited him. The jealous vigilance of the
marchioness conspired with the delicacy of Julia, to withhold from him
the opportunity he so anxiously sought.