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the castle of otranto-第5章

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〃My poverty;〃 said the peasant calmly; 〃will disculpate them:  though  the ministers of a tyrant's wrath; to thee they are faithful; and but  too willing to execute the orders which you unjustly imposed upon  them。〃

〃Art thou so hardy as to dare my vengeance?〃 said the Prince; 〃but  tortures shall force the truth from thee。  Tell me; I will know thy  accomplices。〃

〃There was my accomplice!〃 said the youth; smiling; and pointing to  the roof。

Manfred ordered the torches to be held up; and perceived that one of  the cheeks of the enchanted casque had forced its way through the  pavement of the court; as his servants had let it fall over the  peasant; and had broken through into the vault; leaving a gap; through  which the peasant had pressed himself some minutes before he was found  by Isabella。

〃Was that the way by which thou didst descend?〃 said Manfred。

〃It was;〃 said the youth。

〃But what noise was that;〃 said Manfred; 〃which I heard as I entered  the cloister?〃

〃A door clapped;〃 said the peasant; 〃I heard it as well as you。〃

〃What door?〃 said Manfred hastily。

〃I am not acquainted with your castle;〃 said the peasant; 〃this is the  first time I ever entered it; and this vault the only part of it  within which I ever was。〃

〃But I tell thee;〃 said Manfred (wishing to find out if the youth had  discovered the trap…door); 〃it was this way I heard the noise。  My  servants heard it too。〃

〃My Lord;〃 interrupted one of them officiously; 〃to be sure it was the  trap…door; and he was going to make his escape。〃

〃Peace; blockhead!〃 said the Prince angrily; 〃if he was going to  escape; how should he come on this side?  I will know from his own  mouth what noise it was I heard。  Tell me truly; thy life depends on  thy veracity。〃

〃My veracity is dearer to me than my life;〃 said the peasant; 〃nor  would I purchase the one by forfeiting the other。〃

〃Indeed; young philosopher!〃 said Manfred contemptuously; 〃tell me;  then; what was the noise I heard?〃

〃Ask me what I can answer;〃 said he; 〃and put me to death instantly if  I tell you a lie。〃

Manfred; growing impatient at the steady valour and indifference of  the youth; cried …

〃Well; then; thou man of truth; answer!  Was it the fall of the trap… door that I heard?〃

〃It was;〃 said the youth。

〃It was!〃 said the Prince; 〃and how didst thou come to know there was  a trap…door here?〃

〃I saw the plate of brass by a gleam of moonshine;〃 replied he。

〃But what told thee it was a lock?〃 said Manfred。  〃How didst thou  discover the secret of opening it?〃

〃Providence; that delivered me from the helmet; was able to direct me  to the spring of a lock;〃 said he。

〃Providence should have gone a little farther; and have placed thee  out of the reach of my resentment;〃 said Manfred。  〃When Providence  had taught thee to open the lock; it abandoned thee for a fool; who  did not know how to make use of its favours。  Why didst thou not  pursue the path pointed out for thy escape?  Why didst thou shut the  trap…door before thou hadst descended the steps?〃

〃I might ask you; my Lord;〃 said the peasant; 〃how I; totally  unacquainted with your castle; was to know that those steps led to any  outlet? but I scorn to evade your questions。  Wherever those steps  lead to; perhaps I should have explored the way … I could not be in a  worse situation than I was。  But the truth is; I let the trap…door  fall:  your immediate arrival followed。  I had given the alarm … what  imported it to me whether I was seized a minute sooner or a minute  later?〃

〃Thou art a resolute villain for thy years;〃 said Manfred; 〃yet on  reflection I suspect thou dost but trifle with me。  Thou hast not yet  told me how thou didst open the lock。〃

〃That I will show you; my Lord;〃 said the peasant; and; taking up a  fragment of stone that had fallen from above; he laid himself on the  trap…door; and began to beat on the piece of brass that covered it;  meaning to gain time for the escape of the Princess。  This presence of  mind; joined to the frankness of the youth; staggered Manfred。  He  even felt a disposition towards pardoning one who had been guilty of  no crime。  Manfred was not one of those savage tyrants who wanton in  cruelty unprovoked。  The circumstances of his fortune had given an  asperity to his temper; which was naturally humane; and his virtues  were always ready to operate; when his passions did not obscure his  reason。

While the Prince was in this suspense; a confused noise of voices  echoed through the distant vaults。  As the sound approached; he  distinguished the clamours of some of his domestics; whom he had  dispersed through the castle in search of Isabella; calling out …

〃Where is my Lord? where is the Prince?〃

〃Here I am;〃 said Manfred; as they came nearer; 〃have you found the  Princess?〃

The first that arrived; replied; 〃Oh; my Lord!  I am glad we have  found you。〃

〃Found me!〃 said Manfred; 〃have you found the Princess?〃

〃We thought we had; my Lord;〃 said the fellow; looking terrified; 〃but  … 〃

〃But; what?〃 cried the Prince; 〃has she escaped?〃

〃Jaquez and I; my Lord … 〃

〃Yes; I and Diego;〃 interrupted the second; who came up in still  greater consternation。

〃Speak one of you at a time;〃 said Manfred; 〃I ask you; where is the  Princess?〃

〃We do not know;〃 said they both together; 〃but we are frightened out  of our wits。〃

〃So I think; blockheads;〃 said Manfred; 〃what is it has scared you  thus?〃

〃Oh! my Lord;〃 said Jaquez; 〃Diego has seen such a sight! your  Highness would not believe our eyes。〃

〃What new absurdity is this?〃 cried Manfred; 〃give me a direct answer;  or; by Heaven … 〃

〃Why; my Lord; if it please your Highness to hear me;〃 said the poor  fellow; 〃Diego and I … 〃

〃Yes; I and Jaquez … 〃 cried his comrade。

〃Did not I forbid you to speak both at a time?〃 said the Prince:   〃you; Jaquez; answer; for the other fool seems more distracted than  thou art; what is the matter?〃

〃My gracious Lord;〃 said Jaquez; 〃if it please your Highness to hear  me; Diego and I; according to your Highness's orders; went to search  for the young Lady; but being comprehensive that we might meet the  ghost of my young Lord; your Highness's son; God rest his soul; as he  has not received Christian burial … 〃

〃Sot!〃 cried Manfred in a rage; 〃is it only a ghost; then; that thou  hast seen?〃

〃Oh! worse! worse! my Lord;〃 cried Diego:  〃I had rather have seen ten  whole ghosts。〃

〃Grant me patience!〃 said Manfred; 〃these blockheads distract me。  Out  of my sight; Diego! and thou; Jaquez; tell me in one word; art thou  sober? art thou raving? thou wast wont to have some sense:  has the  other sot frightened himself and thee too?  Speak; what is it he  fancies he has seen?〃

〃Why; my Lord;〃 replied Jaquez; trembling; 〃I was going to tell your  Highness; that since the calamitous misfortune of my young Lord; God  rest his precious soul! not one of us your Highness's faithful  servants … indeed we are; my Lord; though poor men … I say; not one of  us has dared to set a foot about the castle; but two together:  so  Diego and I; thinking that my young Lady might be in the great  gallery; went up there to look for her; and tell her your Highness  wanted something to impart to her。〃

〃O blundering fools!〃 cried Manfred; 〃and in the meantime; she has  made her escape; because you were afraid of goblins! … Why; thou  knave! she left me in the gallery; I came from thence myself。〃

〃For all that; she may be there still for aught I know;〃 said Jaquez;  〃but the devil shall have me before I seek her there again … poor  Diego!  I do not believe he will ever recover it。〃

〃Recover what?〃 said Manfred; 〃am I never to learn what it is has  terrified these rascals? … but I lose my time; follow me; slave; I  will see if she is in the gallery。〃

〃For Heaven's sake; my dear; good Lord;〃 cried Jaquez; 〃do not go to  the gallery。  Satan himself I believe is in the chamber next to the  gallery。〃

Manfred; who hitherto had treated the terror of his servants as an  idle panic; was struck at this new circumstance。  He recollected the  apparition of the portrait; and the sudden closing of the door at the  end of the gallery。  His voice faltered; and he asked with disorder …

〃What is in the great chamber?〃

〃My Lord;〃 said Jaquez; 〃when Diego and I came into the gallery; he  went first; for he said he had more courage than I。  So when we came  into the gallery we found nobody。  We looked under every bench and  stool; and still we found nobody。〃

〃Were all the pictures in their places?〃 said Manfred。

〃Yes; my Lord;〃 answered Jaquez; 〃but we did not think of looking  behind them。〃

〃Well; well!〃 said Manfred; 〃proceed。〃

〃When we came to the door of the great chamber;〃 continued Jaquez; 〃we  found it shut。〃

〃And could not you open it?〃 said Manfred。

〃Oh! yes; my Lord; would to Heaven we had not!〃 replied he … 〃nay; it  was not I neither; it was Diego:  he was grown foolhardy; and would go  on; though I advised him not … if ever I open a door that is shut  again … 〃

〃Trifle not;〃 said Manfred; shuddering; 〃but tell me what you saw in  the great chamber on opening the door。〃

〃I! my Lord!〃 said Jaquez; 〃I was behind Dieg
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