midnight
Both Schedoni and Ambrosio are reputed saints , both are plunged into the blackest guilt , and both are victims of the Inquisition . Mrs. Radcliffe , it is true , recoils from introducing the enemy of mankind , but , before the secrets are finally revealed , we almost suspect Schedoni of having dabbled in the Black Arts , and his actual crime falls short of our expectations . The `` explained supernatural '' plays a less prominent part in _ The Italian _ than in the previous novels , and Mrs. Radcliffe relies for her effect rather on sheer terror . The dramatic scene where Schedoni stealthily approaches the sleeping Ellena at midnight recalls the more highly coloured , but less impressive scene in Antonia 's bedchamber . The fate of Bianchi , Ellena 's aunt , is strangely reminiscent of that of Elvira , Antonia 's mother . The convent scenes and the overbearing abbess had been introduced into Mrs. Radcliffe 's earlier novels ; but in _ The Italian _ , the anti-Roman feeling is more strongly emphasised than usual . This may or may not have been due to the influence of Lewis .