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the castle of otranto-第9章

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〃The Lady Isabella;〃 resumed Jerome; 〃commends herself to both your  Highnesses; she thanks both for the kindness with which she has been  treated in your castle:  she deplores the loss of your son; and her  own misfortune in not becoming the daughter of such wise and noble  Princes; whom she shall always respect as Parents; she prays for  uninterrupted union and felicity between you〃 'Manfred's colour  changed':  〃but as it is no longer possible for her to be allied to  you; she entreats your consent to remain in sanctuary; till she can  learn news of her father; or; by the certainty of his death; be at  liberty; with the approbation of her guardians; to dispose of herself  in suitable marriage。〃

〃I shall give no such consent;〃 said the Prince; 〃but insist on her  return to the castle without delay:  I am answerable for her person to  her guardians; and will not brook her being in any hands but my own。〃

〃Your Highness will recollect whether that can any longer be proper;〃  replied the Friar。

〃I want no monitor;〃 said Manfred; colouring; 〃Isabella's conduct  leaves room for strange suspicions … and that young villain; who was  at least the accomplice of her flight; if not the cause of it … 〃

〃The cause!〃 interrupted Jerome; 〃was a YOUNG man the cause?〃

〃This is not to be borne!〃 cried Manfred。  〃Am I to be bearded in my  own palace by an insolent Monk?  Thou art privy; I guess; to their  amours。〃

〃I would pray to heaven to clear up your uncharitable surmises;〃 said  Jerome; 〃if your Highness were not satisfied in your conscience how  unjustly you accuse me。  I do pray to heaven to pardon that  uncharitableness:  and I implore your Highness to leave the Princess  at peace in that holy place; where she is not liable to be disturbed  by such vain and worldly fantasies as discourses of love from any  man。〃

〃Cant not to me;〃 said Manfred; 〃but return and bring the Princess to  her duty。〃

〃It is my duty to prevent her return hither;〃 said Jerome。  〃She is  where orphans and virgins are safest from the snares and wiles of this  world; and nothing but a parent's authority shall take her thence。〃

〃I am her parent;〃 cried Manfred; 〃and demand her。〃

〃She wished to have you for her parent;〃 said the Friar; 〃but Heaven  that forbad that connection has for ever dissolved all ties betwixt  you:  and I announce to your Highness … 〃

〃Stop! audacious man;〃 said Manfred; 〃and dread my displeasure。〃

〃Holy farther;〃 said Hippolita; 〃it is your office to be no respecter  of persons:  you must speak as your duty prescribes:  but it is my  duty to hear nothing that it pleases not my Lord I should hear。   Attend the Prince to his chamber。  I will retire to my oratory; and  pray to the blessed Virgin to inspire you with her holy counsels; and  to restore the heart of my gracious Lord to its wonted peace and  gentleness。〃

〃Excellent woman!〃 said the Friar。  〃My Lord; I attend your pleasure。〃

Manfred; accompanied by the Friar; passed to his own apartment; where  shutting the door; 〃I perceive; Father;〃 said he; 〃that Isabella has  acquainted you with my purpose。  Now hear my resolve; and obey。   Reasons of state; most urgent reasons; my own and the safety of my  people; demand that I should have a son。  It is in vain to expect an  heir from Hippolita。  I have made choice of Isabella。  You must bring  her back; and you must do more。  I know the influence you have with  Hippolita:  her conscience is in your hands。  She is; I allow; a  faultless woman:  her soul is set on heaven; and scorns the little  grandeur of this world:  you can withdraw her from it entirely。   Persuade her to consent to the dissolution of our marriage; and to  retire into a monastery … she shall endow one if she will; and she  shall have the means of being as liberal to your order as she or you  can wish。  Thus you will divert the calamities that are hanging over  our heads; and have the merit of saying the principality of Otranto  from destruction。  You are a prudent man; and though the warmth of my  temper betrayed me into some unbecoming expressions; I honour your  virtue; and wish to be indebted to you for the repose of my life and  the preservation of my family。〃

〃The will of heaven be done!〃 said the Friar。  〃I am but its worthless  instrument。  It makes use of my tongue to tell thee; Prince; of thy  unwarrantable designs。  The injuries of the virtuous Hippolita have  mounted to the throne of pity。  By me thou art reprimanded for thy  adulterous intention of repudiating her:  by me thou art warned not to  pursue the incestuous design on thy contracted daughter。  Heaven that  delivered her from thy fury; when the judgments so recently fallen on  thy house ought to have inspired thee with other thoughts; will  continue to watch over her。  Even I; a poor and despised Friar; am  able to protect her from thy violence … I; sinner as I am; and  uncharitably reviled by your Highness as an accomplice of I know not  what amours; scorn the allurements with which it has pleased thee to  tempt mine honesty。  I love my order; I honour devout souls; I respect  the piety of thy Princess … but I will not betray the confidence she  reposes in me; nor serve even the cause of religion by foul and sinful  compliances … but forsooth! the welfare of the state depends on your  Highness having a son!  Heaven mocks the short…sighted views of man。   But yester…morn; whose house was so great; so flourishing as  Manfred's? … where is young Conrad now? … My Lord; I respect your  tears … but I mean not to check them … let them flow; Prince!  They  will weigh more with heaven toward the welfare of thy subjects; than a  marriage; which; founded on lust or policy; could never prosper。  The  sceptre; which passed from the race of Alfonso to thine; cannot be  preserved by a match which the church will never allow。  If it is the  will of the Most High that Manfred's name must perish; resign  yourself; my Lord; to its decrees; and thus deserve a crown that can  never pass away。  Come; my Lord; I like this sorrow … let us return to  the Princess:  she is not apprised of your cruel intentions; nor did I  mean more than to alarm you。  You saw with what gentle patience; with  what efforts of love; she heard; she rejected hearing; the extent of  your guilt。  I know she longs to fold you in her arms; and assure you  of her unalterable affection。〃

〃Father;〃 said the Prince; 〃you mistake my compunction:  true; I  honour Hippolita's virtues; I think her a Saint; and wish it were for  my soul's health to tie faster the knot that has united us … but alas!  Father; you know not the bitterest of my pangs! it is some time that I  have had scruples on the legality of our union:  Hippolita is related  to me in the fourth degree … it is true; we had a dispensation:  but I  have been informed that she had also been contracted to another。  This  it is that sits heavy at my heart:  to this state of unlawful wedlock  I impute the visitation that has fallen on me in the death of Conrad!  … ease my conscience of this burden:  dissolve our marriage; and  accomplish the work of godliness … which your divine exhortations have  commenced in my soul。〃

How cutting was the anguish which the good man felt; when he perceived  this turn in the wily Prince!  He trembled for Hippolita; whose ruin  he saw was determined; and he feared if Manfred had no hope of  recovering Isabella; that his impatience for a son would direct him to  some other object; who might not be equally proof against the  temptation of Manfred's rank。  For some time the holy man remained  absorbed in thought。  At length; conceiving some hopes from delay; he  thought the wisest conduct would be to prevent the Prince from  despairing of recovering Isabella。  Her the Friar knew he could  dispose; from her affection to Hippolita; and from the aversion she  had expressed to him for Manfred's addresses; to second his views;  till the censures of the church could be fulminated against a divorce。   With this intention; as if struck with the Prince's scruples; he at  length said:

〃My Lord; I have been pondering on what your Highness has said; and if  in truth it is delicacy of conscience that is the real motive of your  repugnance to your virtuous Lady; far be it from me to endeavour to  harden your heart。  The church is an indulgent mother:  unfold your  griefs to her:  she alone can administer comfort to your soul; either  by satisfying your conscience; or upon examination of your scruples;  by setting you at liberty; and indulging you in the lawful means of  continuing your lineage。  In the latter case; if the Lady Isabella can  be brought to consent … 〃

Manfred; who concluded that he had either over…reached the good man;  or that his first warmth had been but a tribute paid to appearance;  was overjoyed at this sudden turn; and repeated the most magnificent  promises; if he should succeed by the Friar's mediation。  The well… meaning priest suffered him to deceive himself; fully determined to  traverse his views; instead of seconding them。

〃Since we now understand one another;〃 resumed the Prince; 〃I expect;  Father; that you satisfy me in one point。  Who is the youth that I  found in the vault?  He must have been privy to Isabella's f
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