Dangerous Letters

Chapter Two

Letter IV

August 06, 17—

Dear Lady F------,

I believe, my ladyship, you will easily forgive my not writing to you en route, as I promised, when I tell you that I hardly went out of the chaise from -------- to this place. You might imagine how heartily I was tired with four days post-travelling, with only brief nightly interims of sleep or refreshment (and I was unable to sleep in the coach, not matter how fatigued). We passed, by moonshine, the frightful precipices that divide B------ from S-----, at the bottom of which winds the river E---, but I cannot say, that I had reason to fear drowning in it, being perfectly convinced, that in case of a tumble, it was utterly impossible to come alive to the bottom. In many places, the road is so narrow, that I could not discern an inch of space between the wheels and the precipice.

I thought that, on the whole, I was very good at hushing my fears, since the danger was unavoidable, till I perceived, by the bright light of the moon, our postilions nodding on horse-back, while the horses were on a full gallop. Then indeed I thought it very convenient to call out to desire them to look where they were going. My calling alerted the driver, and he assured me that he had passed the ---- in five times in different places, and that these sorts of roads were common enough and less dangerous than they appeared. I have been told since, however, that it is common enough to find the bodies of travellers in the E--- but, thank God, that was not my destiny; and I came safe to the Chateau ------- so much tired with fear and fatigue, it was not possible for me to compose myself to write to you until today.

I hope that this letter finds you well. I would be remiss if I did not, once more, offer my sincere appreciation for the introduction that you made betwixt myself and my new Master. I have not yet had the opportunity to speak to him – I understand that you met him only once on that occasion? The reason that I ask is that I was hoping to learn more about the history of the castle and its inhabitants. I have not yet quite got the design of this place clear in my mind; what I think of as one corridor soon turns out to be quite another and occasionally I will turn a corner and reach a dead end or try a door, that I am certain is for a particular room, only to find it locked and barred. All around is evidence of rich furnishings, though these have been subjected to the passage of time; the table service is of gold, and so beautifully wrought that it must be of immense value despite evidence of wear; the curtains and upholstery of the chairs and sofas and the hangings of my bed are of the costliest and most beautiful fabrics, and must have been of fabulous value when they were made, for they are centuries old, though they are worn and frayed and moth-eaten.

The chateau is in a similar state of disrepair, though its grandeur is still apparent. It sits high on a mountain that overlooks the valley we travelled through. My window overlooks the south, where the gardens spread out until they come to the edge of that terrible precipice. A stone falling from that height would topple thousands of feet without touching anything! I can spy a sea of green treetops below, with occasionally a deep rift where there is a chasm. Here and there are silver threads where the rivers wind in deep gorges through the forests. Sometimes, I almost feel as if I am on the top of the world.

I have reached the black veil in Udolpho and I am already delighted with the work; I shall certainly have devoured it by the time I write to you next. Oh! But I cannot guess what the veil is! I know it must be a skeleton, I am sure it is Laurentina's skeleton. I have made some notes besides of our previous letters and compiled this list of all these horrid, wonderful books you were advocating. There is, of course, the Italian but also – in my pocketbook –Castle of Wolfenbach, Clermont, Mysterious Warnings, Necromancer of the Black Forest, Midnight Bell, Orphan of the Rhine, and Horrid Mysteries. If I can send for all of them, these will last me some time. Have I missed any? Of course, I must remember that my new pupil is very young and so our reading matter will be quite different from such terrible accounts that must be saved for my private indulgence.