she was, at length, roused from the reverie, which engaged her, by a confusion of distant voices, and a clattering of hoofs, that seemed to come, on the wind, from the courts.a sudden hope, that some good was approaching, seized her mind, till she remembered the troops she had observed from the casement, and concluded this to be the party, which annette had said were expected at udolpho.
soon after, she heard voices faintly from the halls, and the noise of horses' feet sunk away in the wind; silence ensued.emily listened anxiously for annette's step in the corridor, but a pause of total stillness continued, till again the castle seemed to be all tumult and confusion.she heard the echoes of many footsteps, passing to and fro in the halls and avenues below, and then busy tongues were loud on the rampart.having hurried to her casement, she perceived montoni, with some of his officers, leaning on the walls, and pointing from them; while several soldiers were employed at the further end of the rampart about some cannon; and she continued to observe them, careless of the passing time.
annette at length appeared, but brought no intelligence of valancourt, 'for, ma'amselle,' said she, 'all the people pretend to know nothing about any prisoners.but here is a fine piece of business! the rest of the party are just arrived, ma'am; they came scampering in, as if they would have broken their necks; one scarcely knew whether the man, or his horse would get within the gates first.