Suspense is what makes us intrigued to Ann Radcliffe's works. She makes us have the absolute need to find out what happens throughout the story of "The Italian". Her vague descriptions and the way that she makes the characters let out information is almost wrong from a reader's point of view only because she gives you enough to make you want more. We could almost say that she makes you addicted to the story. .
The first chapter makes us start to wonder right away about the man in the church. We went over in class that the Englishman gets some information from someone else which makes him inquire as to what is going on. "'He [the assassin] sought sanctuary here', replied the friar; 'within these walls he may not be hurt'"(2). Now obviously that entire sentence is intriguing in itself. What the story will play out like is only touched on to the point where we must read on, or choose to stay up all night thinking about it.
Why is it that the English guy's friend wants to send him a written explanation of what occurred in the church instead of meeting at the shop on the street? It's hard to understand why that part ends so suddenly, but of course we believe that we will eventually find out.
Radcliffe likes to play with the reader's emotions as much as possible, almost in a "how far can I take them" manner. Just when we think we are about to find out something that has been poking us in the ribs, she makes it take another twist. She makes us engaged, but also a little annoyed at what interesting, yet sparse amount of information she gives us.
At the point in which Vivaldi goes into the house chasing the dark cloaked man, he comes out as white as a sheet, as if he had seen a ghost. Now us, the reader, know that an event had to take place in this event, but Radcliffe does not allow him to explain even an inkling of what happened. So once again, we are left wanting. .
It did not necessarily have to be blood, but we see it through Paolo's perceptions, which leads us to the most sordid conclusion.