sed to return to
her own room.

CHAPTER III

This is no mortal business, nor no sound
That the earth owes!
SHAKESPEARE

We now return to the mention of Montoni, whose rage and disappointment
were soon lost in nearer interests, than any, which the unhappy Emily
had awakened. His depredations having exceeded their usual limits, and
reached an extent, at which neither the timidity of the then commercial
senate of Venice, nor their hope of his occasional assistance would
permit them to connive, the same effort, it was resolved, should
complete the suppression of his power and the correction of his
outrages. While a corps of considerable strength was upon the point of
receiving orders to march for Udolpho, a young officer, prompted partly
by resentment, for some injury, received from Montoni, and partly by
the hope of distinction, solicited an interview with the Minister, who
directed the enterprise. To him he represented, that the situation of
Udolpho rendered it too strong to be taken by open force, except after
some tedious operations; that Montoni had lately shewn how capable he
was of adding to its strength all the advantages, which could be derived
from the skill of a commander; that so considerable a body of troops, as
that allotted to the expedition, could not approach Udolpho without his
knowledge, and that it was not for the honour of the republic to have a
large part of its regular force employed, for such a time as the siege
of Udolpho would require, upon the attack of a handful of banditti. The
object of the expedition, he thought, might be accomplished much more
safely and speedily by mingling contrivance with force. It was possible
to meet Montoni and his party, without their walls, and to attack them
then; or, by approaching the fortress, with the secrecy, consistent with
the march of smaller bodies of troops, to take advantage either of the
treachery, or negligence of some of his party, and to rush unexpectedly
upon the whole even in the castle of Udolpho.

This advice was seriously attended to, and the officer, who gave it,
received the command of the troops, demanded for his purpose. His
first efforts were accordingly those of contrivance alone. In the
neighbourhood of Udolpho, he waited, till he had secured the assistance
of several of the condottieri, of whom he found none, that he addressed,
unwilling to punish their imperious master and to secure their own
pardon from the senate. He