The Mysteries of Udolpho

The Mysteries of Udolpho

by

Ann Radcliffe

Valancourt is the main love interest of the novel, a young man who is so generous that he risks not having enough for himself. He has a brother (Count de Duvernay) and meets his future wife Emily and St. Aubert when they’re traveling for St. Aubert’s health, causing him to spend much of the rest of the novel attempting to court Emily. Although Valancourt immediately impresses Emily with his willingness to give money to people who need it, after St. Aubert dies, Madame Cheron becomes Emily’s guardian. Madame Cheron quickly discourages Emily from pursuing Valancourt as a husband because she believes that Valancourt doesn’t have a suitably large inheritance. While Emily is away at Udolpho, Valancourt spends the middle part of the novel in Paris, where he seemingly gets corrupted by gambling and ends up in prison. This turns the morally upright Emily against Valancourt, although she learns in the end that Valancourt’s actions were not as bad as the rumors suggested and that he is still his old generous self. This leads to their happy marriage at the end of the novel. Valancourt embodies the ideals of a good marriage partner, showing how generosity and good character are more important than inheritance and family name.

Valancourt Quotes in The Mysteries of Udolpho

The The Mysteries of Udolpho quotes below are all either spoken by Valancourt or refer to Valancourt. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Marriage, Love, and Inheritance Theme Icon
).
Volume 1, Chapter 3 Quotes

“Do not give me the pain of knowing, sir,” said he, “that an invalid, like you, lies on hard skins, while I sleep in a bed. Besides, sir, your refusal wounds my pride; I must believe you think my offer unworthy your acceptance. Let me show you the way. I have no doubt my landlady can accommodate this young lady also.”

Related Characters: Valancourt (speaker), Emily St. Aubert, St. Aubert, Madame St. Aubert
Page Number: 33
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 1, Chapter 6 Quotes

On searching for the book, she could find it nowhere, but in its stead perceived a volume of Petrarch’s poems, that had belonged to Valancourt, whose name was written in it, and from which he had frequently read passages to her, with all the pathetic expression, that characterised the feelings of the author. She hesitated in believing, what would have been sufficiently apparent to almost any other person, that he had purposely left this book, instead of the one she had lost, and that love had prompted the exchange; but, having opened it with impatient pleasure, and observed the lines of his pencil drawn along the various passages he had read aloud, and under others more descriptive of delicate tenderness than he had dared to trust his voice with, the conviction came, at length, to her mind.

Related Characters: Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt, St. Aubert
Page Number: 58
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 1, Chapter 10 Quotes

“Who is that young man?” said her aunt, in an accent which equally implied inquisitiveness and censure. “Some idle admirer of yours I suppose; but I believed niece you had a greater sense of propriety, than to have received the visits of any young man in your present unfriended situation. Let me tell you the world will observe those things, and it will talk, aye and very freely too.”

Related Characters: Madame Cheron/Madame Montoni (speaker), Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt, St. Aubert, Montoni, Cavigni
Page Number: 110
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 1, Chapter 13 Quotes

Madame Cheron’s avarice at length yielded to her vanity. Some very splendid entertainments, which Madame Clairval had given, and the general adulation, which was paid her, made the former more anxious than before to secure an alliance, that would so much exalt her in her own opinion and in that of the world.

Related Characters: Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt, St. Aubert, Madame Cheron/Madame Montoni, Madame Clairval
Page Number: 140
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 3, Chapter 5 Quotes

“How—how, ma’amselle, could you leave France, and leave Mons. Valancourt, too?” said Annette, sobbing. “I—I—am sure, if Ludovico had been in France, I would never have left it.”

“Why do you lament quitting France, then?” said Emily, trying to smile, “since, if you had remained there, you would not have found Ludovico.”

“Ah, ma’amselle! I only wish I was out of this frightful castle, serving you in France, and I would care about nothing else!”

Related Characters: Emily St. Aubert (speaker), Annette (speaker), Valancourt, St. Aubert, Madame Cheron/Madame Montoni, Ludovico
Page Number: 383
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 3, Chapter 13 Quotes

“Alas!” observed the Count, “it is difficult to believe that, which will make us wretched. But I will not sooth you by flattering and false hopes. We all know how fascinating the vice of gaming is, and how difficult it is, also, to conquer habits; the Chevalier might, perhaps, reform for a while, but he would soon relapse into dissipation—for I fear, not only the bonds of habit would be powerful, but that his morals are corrupted. And—why should I conceal from you, that play is not his only vice? he appears to have a taste for every vicious pleasure.”

Related Characters: Count De Villefort (speaker), Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt, Madame Cheron/Madame Montoni
Page Number: 507
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 4, Chapter 1 Quotes

“Let me save you from this error,” said Emily, not less agitated—“it is my determination, and, if you reflect a moment on your late conduct, you will perceive, that my future peace requires it.”

“Your future peace requires, that we should part—part for ever!” said Valancourt, “How little did I ever expect to hear you say so!”

Related Characters: Emily St. Aubert (speaker), Valancourt (speaker), St. Aubert, Count De Villefort
Page Number: 514
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 4, Chapter 11 Quotes

“What do I hear? No, mademoiselle, my love was well bestowed, for it was the Chevalier Valancourt, who gave me this cottage, and has supported me in my old age, ever since M. Quesnel turned me from my master’s house.”

Related Characters: Theresa (speaker), Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt, Quesnel
Page Number: 594
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 4, Chapter 19 Quotes

And, if the weak hand, that has recorded this tale, has, by its scenes, beguiled the mourner of one hour of sorrow, or, by its moral, taught him to sustain it—the effort, however humble, has not been vain, nor is the writer unrewarded.

Related Characters: Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt
Page Number: 672
Explanation and Analysis:
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Valancourt Quotes in The Mysteries of Udolpho

The The Mysteries of Udolpho quotes below are all either spoken by Valancourt or refer to Valancourt. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Marriage, Love, and Inheritance Theme Icon
).
Volume 1, Chapter 3 Quotes

“Do not give me the pain of knowing, sir,” said he, “that an invalid, like you, lies on hard skins, while I sleep in a bed. Besides, sir, your refusal wounds my pride; I must believe you think my offer unworthy your acceptance. Let me show you the way. I have no doubt my landlady can accommodate this young lady also.”

Related Characters: Valancourt (speaker), Emily St. Aubert, St. Aubert, Madame St. Aubert
Page Number: 33
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 1, Chapter 6 Quotes

On searching for the book, she could find it nowhere, but in its stead perceived a volume of Petrarch’s poems, that had belonged to Valancourt, whose name was written in it, and from which he had frequently read passages to her, with all the pathetic expression, that characterised the feelings of the author. She hesitated in believing, what would have been sufficiently apparent to almost any other person, that he had purposely left this book, instead of the one she had lost, and that love had prompted the exchange; but, having opened it with impatient pleasure, and observed the lines of his pencil drawn along the various passages he had read aloud, and under others more descriptive of delicate tenderness than he had dared to trust his voice with, the conviction came, at length, to her mind.

Related Characters: Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt, St. Aubert
Page Number: 58
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 1, Chapter 10 Quotes

“Who is that young man?” said her aunt, in an accent which equally implied inquisitiveness and censure. “Some idle admirer of yours I suppose; but I believed niece you had a greater sense of propriety, than to have received the visits of any young man in your present unfriended situation. Let me tell you the world will observe those things, and it will talk, aye and very freely too.”

Related Characters: Madame Cheron/Madame Montoni (speaker), Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt, St. Aubert, Montoni, Cavigni
Page Number: 110
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 1, Chapter 13 Quotes

Madame Cheron’s avarice at length yielded to her vanity. Some very splendid entertainments, which Madame Clairval had given, and the general adulation, which was paid her, made the former more anxious than before to secure an alliance, that would so much exalt her in her own opinion and in that of the world.

Related Characters: Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt, St. Aubert, Madame Cheron/Madame Montoni, Madame Clairval
Page Number: 140
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 3, Chapter 5 Quotes

“How—how, ma’amselle, could you leave France, and leave Mons. Valancourt, too?” said Annette, sobbing. “I—I—am sure, if Ludovico had been in France, I would never have left it.”

“Why do you lament quitting France, then?” said Emily, trying to smile, “since, if you had remained there, you would not have found Ludovico.”

“Ah, ma’amselle! I only wish I was out of this frightful castle, serving you in France, and I would care about nothing else!”

Related Characters: Emily St. Aubert (speaker), Annette (speaker), Valancourt, St. Aubert, Madame Cheron/Madame Montoni, Ludovico
Page Number: 383
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 3, Chapter 13 Quotes

“Alas!” observed the Count, “it is difficult to believe that, which will make us wretched. But I will not sooth you by flattering and false hopes. We all know how fascinating the vice of gaming is, and how difficult it is, also, to conquer habits; the Chevalier might, perhaps, reform for a while, but he would soon relapse into dissipation—for I fear, not only the bonds of habit would be powerful, but that his morals are corrupted. And—why should I conceal from you, that play is not his only vice? he appears to have a taste for every vicious pleasure.”

Related Characters: Count De Villefort (speaker), Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt, Madame Cheron/Madame Montoni
Page Number: 507
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 4, Chapter 1 Quotes

“Let me save you from this error,” said Emily, not less agitated—“it is my determination, and, if you reflect a moment on your late conduct, you will perceive, that my future peace requires it.”

“Your future peace requires, that we should part—part for ever!” said Valancourt, “How little did I ever expect to hear you say so!”

Related Characters: Emily St. Aubert (speaker), Valancourt (speaker), St. Aubert, Count De Villefort
Page Number: 514
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 4, Chapter 11 Quotes

“What do I hear? No, mademoiselle, my love was well bestowed, for it was the Chevalier Valancourt, who gave me this cottage, and has supported me in my old age, ever since M. Quesnel turned me from my master’s house.”

Related Characters: Theresa (speaker), Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt, Quesnel
Page Number: 594
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 4, Chapter 19 Quotes

And, if the weak hand, that has recorded this tale, has, by its scenes, beguiled the mourner of one hour of sorrow, or, by its moral, taught him to sustain it—the effort, however humble, has not been vain, nor is the writer unrewarded.

Related Characters: Emily St. Aubert, Valancourt
Page Number: 672
Explanation and Analysis: