The Mysteries of Udolpho · Chapter
XXVI explained
Emily, torn between fear and concern for her aunt, decides to meet Barnardine at midnight on the terrace.
What happens
Emily, torn between fear and concern for her aunt, decides to meet Barnardine at midnight on the terrace. Despite her suspicions that he may be leading her into a trap, she follows him through a ruined chapel and vaults, haunted by the possibility that Madame Montoni is dead and that she herself is in danger.
Themes in this chapter
Oppression and Imprisonment
Emily feels trapped by her circumstances, forced to navigate the castle's dark passages under Barnardine's control, haunted by the threat of Montoni's tyranny.
The Supernatural and the Unknown
The ruined chapel, vaults, and open grave evoke a gothic atmosphere of dread and the unknown, heightening Emily's terror.
Female Agency and Vulnerability
Emily's decision to follow Barnardine alone reflects her limited agency and vulnerability in a male-dominated, threatening environment.
Characters to notice
- Emily St. Aubert
Emily is tormented by fear and indecision, ultimately choosing to follow Barnardine to the portal despite her dread.
- Annette
Annette relays Barnardine's message to Emily and offers to accompany her, but is left waiting at the vaulted gallery door.
- Barnardine
Barnardine leads Emily through the castle's dark passages and vaults, acting mysteriously and refusing to let Annette join them.
- Madame Montoni
Emily's concern for her aunt drives her to take the risky midnight meeting, fearing she may already be dead.
- Montoni
Emily suspects Montoni may be behind Barnardine's scheme, possibly plotting harm against her and her aunt.
Key passages
“Emily was somewhat surprised, on the following day, to find that Annette had heard of Madame Montoni’s confinement in the chamber over the portal, as well as of her purposed visit there, on the approaching night.”
Emily was surprised the next day to learn that Annette already knew about Madame Montoni being locked in the room above the gate and about the planned visit that night.
Annette's knowledge of secret plans shows the difficulty of keeping secrets in the castle.
“The obscure and terrible place, to which he had conducted her, seemed to justify the thought; it was a place suited for murder, a receptacle for the dead, where a deed of horror might be committed, and no vestige appear to proclaim it.”
The dark and frightening place where Barnardine led her seemed perfect for murder—a burial ground where a terrible act could leave no trace.
Emily's fear peaks as she imagines the vaults as a site for murder, reflecting her growing terror.