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the castle of otranto-第6章

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〃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 Diego; but I heard the  noise。〃

〃Jaquez;〃 said Manfred; in a solemn tone of voice; 〃tell me; I adjure  thee by the souls of my ancestors; what was it thou sawest? what was  it thou heardest?〃

〃It was Diego saw it; my Lord; it was not I;〃 replied Jaquez; 〃I only  heard the noise。  Diego had no sooner opened the door; than he cried  out; and ran back。  I ran back too; and said; 'Is it the ghost?'  'The  ghost! no; no;' said Diego; and his hair stood on end … 'it is a  giant; I believe; he is all clad in armour; for I saw his foot and  part of his leg; and they are as large as the helmet below in the  court。'  As he said these words; my Lord; we heard a violent motion  and the rattling of armour; as if the giant was rising; for Diego has  told me since that he believes the giant was lying down; for the foot  and leg were stretched at length on the floor。  Before we could get to  the end of the gallery; we heard the door of the great chamber clap  behind us; but we did not dare turn back to see if the giant was  following us … yet; now I think on it; we must have heard him if he  had pursued us … but for Heaven's sake; good my Lord; send for the  chaplain; and have the castle exorcised; for; for certain; it is  enchanted。〃

〃Ay; pray do; my Lord;〃 cried all the servants at once; 〃or we must  leave your Highness's service。〃

〃Peace; dotards!〃 said Manfred; 〃and follow me; I will know what all  this means。〃

〃We! my Lord!〃 cried they with one voice; 〃we would not go up to the  gallery for your Highness's revenue。〃  The young peasant; who had  stood silent; now spoke。

〃Will your Highness;〃 said he; 〃permit me to try this adventure?  My  life is of consequence to nobody; I fear no bad angel; and have  offended no good one。〃

〃Your behaviour is above your seeming;〃 said Manfred; viewing him with  surprise and admiration … 〃hereafter I will reward your bravery … but  now;〃 continued he with a sigh; 〃I am so circumstanced; that I dare  trust no eyes but my own。  However; I give you leave to accompany me。〃

Manfred; when he first followed Isabella from the gallery; had gone  directly to the apartment of his wife; concluding the Princess had  retired thither。  Hippolita; who knew his step; rose with anxious  fondness to meet her Lord; whom she had not seen since the death of  their son。  She would have flown in a transport mixed of joy and grief  to his bosom; but he pushed her rudely off; and said …

〃Where is Isabella?〃

〃Isabella! my Lord!〃 said the astonished Hippolita。

〃Yes; Isabella;〃 cried Manfred imperiously; 〃I want Isabella。〃

〃My Lord;〃 replied Matilda; who perceived how much his behaviour had  shocked her mother; 〃she has not been with us since your Highness  summoned her to your apartment。〃

〃Tell me where she is;〃 said the Prince; 〃I do not want to know where  she has been。〃

〃My good Lord;〃 says Hippolita; 〃your daughter tells you the truth:   Isabella left us by your command; and has not returned since; … but;  my good Lord; compose yourself:  retire to your rest:  this dismal day  has disordered you。  Isabella shall wait your orders in the morning。〃

〃What; then; you know where she is!〃 cried Manfred。  〃Tell me  directly; for I will not lose an instant … and you; woman;〃 speaking  to his wife; 〃order your chaplain to attend me forthwith。〃

〃Isabella;〃 said Hippolita calmly; 〃is retired; I suppose; to her  chamber:  she is not accustomed to watch at this late hour。  Gracious  my Lord;〃 continued she; 〃let me know what has disturbed you。  Has  Isabella offended you?〃

〃Trouble me not with questions;〃 said Manfred; 〃but tell me where she  is。〃

〃Matilda shall call her;〃 said the Princess。  〃Sit down; my Lord; and  resume your wonted fortitude。〃

〃What; art thou jealous of Isabella?〃 replied he; 〃that you wish to be  present at our interview!〃

〃Good heavens! my Lord;〃 said Hippolita; 〃what is it your Highness  means?〃

〃Thou wilt know ere many minutes are passed;〃 said the cruel Prince。   〃Send your chaplain to me; and wait my pleasure here。〃

At these words he flung out of the room in search of Isabella; leaving  the amazed ladies thunderstruck with his words and frantic deportment;  and lost in vain conjectures on what he was meditating。

Manfred was now returning from the vault; attended by the peasant and  a few of his servants whom he had obliged to accompany him。  He  ascended the staircase without stopping till he arrived at the  gallery; at the door of which he met Hippolita and her chaplain。  When  Diego had been dismissed by Manfred; he had gone directly to the  Princess's apartment with the alarm of what he had seen。  That  excellent Lady; who no more than Manfred doubted of the reality of the  vision; yet affected to treat it as a delirium of the servant。   Willing; however; to save her Lord from any additional shock; and  prepared by a series of griefs not to tremble at any accession to it;  she determined to make herself the first sacrifice; if fate had marked  the present hour for their destruction。  Dismissing the reluctant  Matilda to her rest; who in vain sued for leave to accompany her  mother; and attended only by her chaplain; Hippolita had visited the  gallery and great chamber; and now with more serenity of soul than she  had felt for many hours; she met her Lord; and assured him that the  vision of the gigantic leg and foot was all a fable; and no doubt an  impression made by fear; and the dark and dismal hour of the night; on  the minds of his servants。  She and the chaplain had examined the  chamber; and found everything in the usual order。

Manfred; though persuaded; like his wife; that the vision had been no  work of fancy; recovered a little from the tempest of mind into which  so many strange events had thrown him。  Ashamed; too; of his inhuman  treatment of a Princess who returned every injury with new marks of  tenderness and duty; he felt returning love forcing itself into his  eyes; but not less ashamed of feeling remorse towards one against whom  he was inwardly meditating a yet more bitter outrage; he curbed the  yearnings of his heart; and did not dare to lean even towards pity。   The next transition of his soul was to exquisite villainy。

Presuming on the unshaken submission of Hippolita; he flattered  himself that she would not only acquiesce with patience to a divorce;  but would obey; if it was his pleasure; in endeavouring to persuade  Isabella to give him her hand … but ere he could indulge his horrid  hope; he reflected that Isabella was not to be found。  Coming to  himself; he gave orders that every avenue to the castle should be  strictly guarded; and charged his domestics on pain of their lives to  suffer nobody to pass out。  The young peasant; to whom he spoke  favourably; he ordered to remain in a small chamber on the stairs; in  which there was a pallet…bed; and the key of which he took away  himself; telling the youth he would talk with him in the morning。   Then dismissing his attendants; and bestowing a sullen kind of half… nod on Hippolita; he retired to his own chamber。



CHAPTER II。



MATILDA; who by Hippolita's order had retired to her apartment; was  ill…disposed to take any rest。  The shocking fate of her brother had  deeply affected her。  She was surprised at not seeing Isabella; but  the strange words which had fallen from her father; and his obscure  menace to the Princess his wife; accompanied by the most furious  behaviour; had filled her gentle mind with terror and alarm。  She  waited anxiously for the return of Bianca; a young damsel that  attended her; whom she had sent to learn what was become of Isabella。   Bianca soon appeared; and informed her mistress of what she had  gathered from the servants; that Isabella was nowhere to be found。   She related the adventure of the young peasant who had been discovered  in the vault; though with many simple additions from the incoherent  accounts of the domestics; and she dwelt principally on the gigantic  leg and foot which had been seen in the gallery…chamber。  This last  circumstance had terrified Bianca so much; that she was rejoiced when  Matilda told her that she would not go to rest; but would watch till  the Princess should rise。

The young Princess wearied herself in conjectures on the flight of  Isabella; and on the threats of Manfred to her mother。  〃But what  business could he have so urgent with the chaplain?〃 said Matilda;  〃Does he intend to have my brother's body interred privately in the  chapel?〃

〃Oh; Madam!〃 said Bianca; 〃now I guess。  As you are become his  heiress; he is impatient to have you married:  he has always been  raving for more sons; I warrant he is now impatient for grandsons。  As  sure as I live; Madam; I shall see you a bride at last。 … Good madam;  you won't cast off your faithful Bianca:  you won't put Donna Rosara  over me now you are a great Princess。〃

〃My poor Bianca;〃 said Matilda; 〃how fast your thoughts amble!  I a  great princess!  What hast thou seen in Manfred's behaviour since my  brother's death that bespeaks any increase of tenderness to me?  No;  Bianca; his 
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