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the castle of otranto-第21章

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ties that would attend the  celebration of their marriage; unless … At that instant Bianca burst  into the room with a wildness in her look and gestures that spoke the  utmost terror。

〃Oh! my Lord; my Lord!〃 cried she; 〃we are all undone! it is come  again! it is come again!〃

〃What is come again?〃 cried Manfred amazed。

〃Oh! the hand! the Giant! the hand! … support me! I am terrified out  of my senses;〃 cried Bianca。  〃I will not sleep in the castle to… night。  Where shall I go? my things may come after me to…morrow …  would I had been content to wed Francesco! this comes of ambition!〃

〃What has terrified thee thus; young woman?〃 said the Marquis。  〃Thou  art safe here; be not alarmed。〃

〃Oh! your Greatness is wonderfully good;〃 said Bianca; 〃but I dare not  … no; pray let me go … I had rather leave everything behind me; than  stay another hour under this roof。〃

〃Go to; thou hast lost thy senses;〃 said Manfred。  〃Interrupt us not;  we were communing on important matters … My Lord; this wench is  subject to fits … Come with me; Bianca。〃

〃Oh! the Saints!  No;〃 said Bianca; 〃for certain it comes to warn your  Highness; why should it appear to me else?  I say my prayers morning  and evening … oh! if your Highness had believed Diego!  'Tis the same  hand that he saw the foot to in the gallery…chamber … Father Jerome  has often told us the prophecy would be out one of these days …  'Bianca;' said he; 'mark my words … '〃

〃Thou ravest;〃 said Manfred; in a rage; 〃be gone; and keep these  fooleries to frighten thy companions。〃

〃What! my Lord;〃 cried Bianca; 〃do you think I have seen nothing? go  to the foot of the great stairs yourself … as I live I saw it。〃

〃Saw what? tell us; fair maid; what thou hast seen;〃 said Frederic。

〃Can your Highness listen;〃 said Manfred; 〃to the delirium of a silly  wench; who has heard stories of apparitions until she believes them?〃

〃This is more than fancy;〃 said the Marquis; 〃her terror is too  natural and too strongly impressed to be the work of imagination。   Tell us; fair maiden; what it is has moved thee thus?〃

〃Yes; my Lord; thank your Greatness;〃 said Bianca; 〃I believe I look  very pale; I shall be better when I have recovered myself … I was  going to my Lady Isabella's chamber; by his Highness's order … 〃

〃We do not want the circumstances;〃 interrupted Manfred。  〃Since his  Highness will have it so; proceed; but be brief。〃

〃Lord! your Highness thwarts one so!〃 replied Bianca; 〃I fear my hair  … I am sure I never in my life … well! as I was telling your  Greatness; I was going by his Highness's order to my Lady Isabella's  chamber; she lies in the watchet…coloured chamber; on the right hand;  one pair of stairs:  so when I came to the great stairs … I was  looking on his Highness's present here … 〃

〃Grant me patience! 〃 said Manfred; 〃will this wench never come to the  point? what imports it to the Marquis; that I gave thee a bauble for  thy faithful attendance on my daughter? we want to know what thou  sawest。〃

〃I was going to tell your Highness;〃 said Bianca; 〃if you would permit  me。  So as I was rubbing the ring … I am sure I had not gone up three  steps; but I heard the rattling of armour; for all the world such a  clatter as Diego says he heard when the Giant turned him about in the  gallery…chamber。〃

〃What Giant is this; my Lord?〃 said the Marquis; 〃is your castle  haunted by giants and goblins?〃

〃Lord! what; has not your Greatness heard the story of the Giant in  the gallery…chamber?〃 cried Bianca。  〃I marvel his Highness has not  told you; mayhap you do not know there is a prophecy … 〃

〃This trifling is intolerable;〃 interrupted Manfred。  〃Let us dismiss  this silly wench; my Lord! we have more important affairs to discuss。〃

〃By your favour;〃 said Frederic; 〃these are no trifles。  The enormous  sabre I was directed to in the wood; yon casque; its fellow … are  these visions of this poor maiden's brain?〃

〃So Jaquez thinks; may it please your Greatness;〃 said Bianca。  〃He  says this moon will not be out without our seeing some strange  revolution。  For my part; I should not be surprised if it was to  happen to…morrow; for; as I was saying; when I heard the clattering of  armour; I was all in a cold sweat。  I looked up; and; if your  Greatness will believe me; I saw upon the uppermost banister of the  great stairs a hand in armour as big as big。  I thought I should have  swooned。  I never stopped until I came hither … would I were well out  of this castle。  My Lady Matilda told me but yester…morning that her  Highness Hippolita knows something。〃

〃Thou art an insolent!〃 cried Manfred。  〃Lord Marquis; it much  misgives me that this scene is concerted to affront me。  Are my own  domestics suborned to spread tales injurious to my honour?  Pursue  your claim by manly daring; or let us bury our feuds; as was proposed;  by the intermarriage of our children。  But trust me; it ill becomes a  Prince of your bearing to practise on mercenary wenches。〃

〃I scorn your imputation;〃 said Frederic。  〃Until this hour I never  set eyes on this damsel:  I have given her no jewel。  My Lord; my  Lord; your conscience; your guilt accuses you; and would throw the  suspicion on me; but keep your daughter; and think no more of  Isabella。  The judgments already fallen on your house forbid me  matching into it。〃

Manfred; alarmed at the resolute tone in which Frederic delivered  these words; endeavoured to pacify him。  Dismissing Bianca; he made  such submissions to the Marquis; and threw in such artful encomiums on  Matilda; that Frederic was once more staggered。  However; as his  passion was of so recent a date; it could not at once surmount the  scruples he had conceived。  He had gathered enough from Bianca's  discourse to persuade him that heaven declared itself against Manfred。   The proposed marriages too removed his claim to a distance; and the  principality of Otranto was a stronger temptation than the contingent  reversion of it with Matilda。  Still he would not absolutely recede  from his engagements; but purposing to gain time; he demanded of  Manfred if it was true in fact that Hippolita consented to the  divorce。  The Prince; transported to find no other obstacle; and  depending on his influence over his wife; assured the Marquis it was  so; and that he might satisfy himself of the truth from her own mouth。

As they were thus discoursing; word was brought that the banquet was  prepared。  Manfred conducted Frederic to the great hall; where they  were received by Hippolita and the young Princesses。  Manfred placed  the Marquis next to Matilda; and seated himself between his wife and  Isabella。  Hippolita comported herself with an easy gravity; but the  young ladies were silent and melancholy。  Manfred; who was determined  to pursue his point with the Marquis in the remainder of the evening;  pushed on the feast until it waxed late; affecting unrestrained  gaiety; and plying Frederic with repeated goblets of wine。  The  latter; more upon his guard than Manfred wished; declined his frequent  challenges; on pretence of his late loss of blood; while the Prince;  to raise his own disordered spirits; and to counterfeit unconcern;  indulged himself in plentiful draughts; though not to the intoxication  of his senses。

The evening being far advanced; the banquet concluded。  Manfred would  have withdrawn with Frederic; but the latter pleading weakness and  want of repose; retired to his chamber; gallantly telling the Prince  that his daughter should amuse his Highness until himself could attend  him。  Manfred accepted the party; and to the no small grief of  Isabella; accompanied her to her apartment。  Matilda waited on her  mother to enjoy the freshness of the evening on the ramparts of the  castle。

Soon as the company were dispersed their several ways; Frederic;  quitting his chamber; inquired if Hippolita was alone; and was told by  one of her attendants; who had not noticed her going forth; that at  that hour she generally withdrew to her oratory; where he probably  would find her。  The Marquis; during the repast; had beheld Matilda  with increase of passion。  He now wished to find Hippolita in the  disposition her Lord had promised。  The portents that had alarmed him  were forgotten in his desires。  Stealing softly and unobserved to the  apartment of Hippolita; he entered it with a resolution to encourage  her acquiescence to the divorce; having perceived that Manfred was  resolved to make the possession of Isabella an unalterable condition;  before he would grant Matilda to his wishes。

The Marquis was not surprised at the silence that reigned in the  Princess's apartment。  Concluding her; as he had been advertised; in  her oratory; he passed on。  The door was ajar; the evening gloomy and  overcast。  Pushing open the door gently; he saw a person kneeling  before the altar。  As he approached nearer; it seemed not a woman; but  one in a long woollen weed; whose back was towards him。  The person  seemed absorbed in prayer。  The Marquis was about to return; when the  figure; rising; stood some moments fixed in meditation; without  regarding him。  The Marquis; expecting the holy person to come forth;  and meaning to excuse his uncivil interruption; 
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