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the castle of otranto-第14章

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eeping silence; reproached Manfred in bitter  terms for his dark and ambiguous dealing; and demanded the cause of  Isabella's first absence from the castle。  Manfred; casting a stern  look at Jerome; implying a command of silence; pretended that on  Conrad's death he had placed her in sanctuary until he could determine  how to dispose of her。  Jerome; who trembled for his son's life; did  not dare contradict this falsehood; but one of his brethren; not under  the same anxiety; declared frankly that she had fled to their church  in the preceding night。  The Prince in vain endeavoured to stop this  discovery; which overwhelmed him with shame and confusion。  The  principal stranger; amazed at the contradictions he heard; and more  than half persuaded that Manfred had secreted the Princess;  notwithstanding the concern he expressed at her flight; rushing to the  door; said …

〃Thou traitor Prince!  Isabella shall be found。〃

Manfred endeavoured to hold him; but the other Knights assisting their  comrade; he broke from the Prince; and hastened into the court;  demanding his attendants。  Manfred; finding it vain to divert him from  the pursuit; offered to accompany him and summoning his attendants;  and taking Jerome and some of the Friars to guide them; they issued  from the castle; Manfred privately giving orders to have the Knight's  company secured; while to the knight he affected to despatch a  messenger to require their assistance。

The company had no sooner quitted the castle than Matilda; who felt  herself deeply interested for the young peasant; since she had seen  him condemned to death in the hall; and whose thoughts had been taken  up with concerting measures to save him; was informed by some of the  female attendants that Manfred had despatched all his men various ways  in pursuit of Isabella。  He had in his hurry given this order in  general terms; not meaning to extend it to the guard he had set upon  Theodore; but forgetting it。  The domestics; officious to obey so  peremptory a Prince; and urged by their own curiosity and love of  novelty to join in any precipitate chase; had to a man left the  castle。  Matilda disengaged herself from her women; stole up to the  black tower; and unbolting the door; presented herself to the  astonished Theodore。

〃Young man;〃 said she; 〃though filial duty and womanly modesty condemn  the step I am taking; yet holy charity; surmounting all other ties;  justifies this act。  Fly; the doors of thy prison are open:  my father  and his domestics are absent; but they may soon return。  Be gone in  safety; and may the angels of heaven direct thy course!〃

〃Thou art surely one of those angels!〃 said the enraptured Theodore:   〃none but a blessed saint could speak; could act … could look … like  thee。  May I not know the name of my divine protectress?  Methought  thou namedst thy father。  Is it possible?  Can Manfred's blood feel  holy pity!  Lovely Lady; thou answerest not。  But how art thou here  thyself?  Why dost thou neglect thy own safety; and waste a thought on  a wretch like Theodore?  Let us fly together:  the life thou bestowest  shall be dedicated to thy defence。〃

〃Alas! thou mistakest;〃 said Matilda; signing:  〃I am Manfred's  daughter; but no dangers await me。〃

〃Amazement!〃 said Theodore; 〃but last night I blessed myself for  yielding thee the service thy gracious compassion so charitably  returns me now。〃

〃Still thou art in an error;〃 said the Princess; 〃but this is no time  for explanation。  Fly; virtuous youth; while it is in my power to save  thee:  should my father return; thou and I both should indeed have  cause to tremble。〃

〃How!〃 said Theodore; 〃thinkest thou; charming maid; that I will  accept of life at the hazard of aught calamitous to thee?  Better I  endured a thousand deaths。〃

〃I run no risk;〃 said Matilda; 〃but by thy delay。  Depart; it cannot  be known that I have assisted thy flight。〃

〃Swear by the saints above;〃 said Theodore; 〃that thou canst not be  suspected; else here I vow to await whatever can befall me。〃

〃Oh! thou art too generous;〃 said Matilda; 〃but rest assured that no  suspicion can alight on me。〃

〃Give me thy beauteous hand in token that thou dost not deceive me;〃  said Theodore; 〃and let me bathe it with the warm tears of gratitude。〃

〃Forbear!〃 said the Princess; 〃this must not be。〃

〃Alas!〃 said Theodore; 〃I have never known but calamity until this  hour … perhaps shall never know other fortune again:  suffer the  chaste raptures of holy gratitude:  'tis my soul would print its  effusions on thy hand。〃

〃Forbear; and be gone;〃 said Matilda。  〃How would Isabella approve of  seeing thee at my feet?〃

〃Who is Isabella?〃 said the young man with surprise。

〃Ah; me!  I fear;〃 said the Princess; 〃I am serving a deceitful one。   Hast thou forgot thy curiosity this morning?〃

〃Thy looks; thy actions; all thy beauteous self seem an emanation of  divinity;〃 said Theodore; 〃but thy words are dark and mysterious。   Speak; Lady; speak to thy servant's comprehension。〃

〃Thou understandest but too well!〃 said Matilda; 〃but once more I  command thee to be gone:  thy blood; which I may preserve; will be on  my head; if I waste the time in vain discourse。〃

〃I go; Lady;〃 said Theodore; 〃because it is thy will; and because I  would not bring the grey hairs of my father with sorrow to the grave。   Say but; adored Lady; that I have thy gentle pity。〃

〃Stay;〃 said Matilda; 〃I will conduct thee to the subterraneous vault  by which Isabella escaped; it will lead thee to the church of St。  Nicholas; where thou mayst take sanctuary。〃

〃What!〃 said Theodore; 〃was it another; and not thy lovely self that I  assisted to find the subterraneous passage?〃

〃It was;〃 said Matilda; 〃but ask no more; I tremble to see thee still  abide here; fly to the sanctuary。〃

〃To sanctuary;〃 said Theodore; 〃no; Princess; sanctuaries are for  helpless damsels; or for criminals。  Theodore's soul is free from  guilt; nor will wear the appearance of it。  Give me a sword; Lady; and  thy father shall learn that Theodore scorns an ignominious flight。〃

〃Rash youth!〃 said Matilda; 〃thou wouldst not dare to lift thy  presumptuous arm against the Prince of Otranto?〃

〃Not against thy father; indeed; I dare not;〃 said Theodore。  〃Excuse  me; Lady; I had forgotten。  But could I gaze on thee; and remember  thou art sprung from the tyrant Manfred!  But he is thy father; and  from this moment my injuries are buried in oblivion。〃

A deep and hollow groan; which seemed to come from above; startled the  Princess and Theodore。

〃Good heaven! we are overheard!〃 said the Princess。  They listened;  but perceiving no further noise; they both concluded it the effect of  pent…up vapours。  And the Princess; preceding Theodore softly; carried  him to her father's armoury; where; equipping him with a complete  suit; he was conducted by Matilda to the postern…gate。

〃Avoid the town;〃 said the Princess; 〃and all the western side of the  castle。  'Tis there the search must be making by Manfred and the  strangers; but hie thee to the opposite quarter。  Yonder behind that  forest to the east is a chain of rocks; hollowed into a labyrinth of  caverns that reach to the sea coast。  There thou mayst lie concealed;  till thou canst make signs to some vessel to put on shore; and take  thee off。  Go! heaven be thy guide! … and sometimes in thy prayers  remember … Matilda!〃

Theodore flung himself at her feet; and seizing her lily hand; which  with struggles she suffered him to kiss; he vowed on the earliest  opportunity to get himself knighted; and fervently entreated her  permission to swear himself eternally her knight。  Ere the Princess  could reply; a clap of thunder was suddenly heard that shook the  battlements。  Theodore; regardless of the tempest; would have urged  his suit:  but the Princess; dismayed; retreated hastily into the  castle; and commanded the youth to be gone with an air that would not  be disobeyed。  He sighed; and retired; but with eyes fixed on the  gate; until Matilda; closing it; put an end to an interview; in which  the hearts of both had drunk so deeply of a passion; which both now  tasted for the first time。

Theodore went pensively to the convent; to acquaint his father with  his deliverance。  There he learned the absence of Jerome; and the  pursuit that was making after the Lady Isabella; with some particulars  of whose story he now first became acquainted。  The generous gallantry  of his nature prompted him to wish to assist her; but the Monks could  lend him no lights to guess at the route she had taken。  He was not  tempted to wander far in search of her; for the idea of Matilda had  imprinted itself so strongly on his heart; that he could not bear to  absent himself at much distance from her abode。  The tenderness Jerome  had expressed for him concurred to confirm this reluctance; and he  even persuaded himself that filial affection was the chief cause of  his hovering between the castle and monastery。

Until Jerome should return at night; Theodore at length determined to  repair to the forest that Matilda had pointed out to him。  Arriving  there; he sought the gloomiest shades; as best suited to the pleasing  melancholy that reigned in h
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