the castle of otranto-第12章

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cretion；　endeavoured　to　disculpate　　the　youth；　and　left　no　method　untried　to　soften　the　tyrant's　rage。　　　Manfred；　more　incensed　than　appeased　by　Jerome's　intercession；　whose　　retraction　now　made　him　suspect　he　had　been　imposed　upon　by　both；　　commanded　the　Friar　to　do　his　duty；　telling　him　he　would　not　allow　the　　prisoner　many　minutes　for　confession。

〃Nor　do　I　ask　many；　my　Lord；〃　said　the　unhappy　young　man。　　〃My　sins；　　thank　heaven；　have　not　been　numerous；　nor　exceed　what　might　be　　expected　at　my　years。　　Dry　your　tears；　good　Father；　and　let　us　　despatch。　　This　is　a　bad　world；　nor　have　I　had　cause　to　leave　it　with　　regret。〃

〃Oh　wretched　youth！〃　said　Jerome；　〃how　canst　thou　bear　the　sight　of　me　　with　patience？　　I　am　thy　murderer！　it　is　I　have　brought　this　dismal　　hour　upon　thee！〃

〃I　forgive　thee　from　my　soul；〃　said　the　youth；　〃as　I　hope　heaven　will　　pardon　me。　　Hear　my　confession；　Father；　and　give　me　thy　blessing。〃

〃How　can　I　prepare　thee　for　thy　passage　as　I　ought？〃　said　Jerome。　　　〃Thou　canst　not　be　saved　without　pardoning　thy　foes　…　and　canst　thou　　forgive　that　impious　man　there？〃

〃I　can；〃　said　Theodore；　〃I　do。〃

〃And　does　not　this　touch　thee；　cruel　Prince？〃　said　the　Friar。

〃I　sent　for　thee　to　confess　him；〃　said　Manfred；　sternly；　〃not　to　plead　　for　him。　　Thou　didst　first　incense　me　against　him　…　his　blood　be　upon　　thy　head！〃

〃It　will！　it　will！〃　said　the　good　main；　in　an　agony　of　sorrow。　　〃Thou　　and　I　must　never　hope　to　go　where　this　blessed　youth　is　going！〃

〃Despatch！〃　said　Manfred；　〃I　am　no　more　to　be　moved　by　the　whining　of　　priests　than　by　the　shrieks　of　women。〃

〃What！〃　said　the　youth；　〃is　it　possible　that　my　fate　could　have　　occasioned　what　I　heard！　　Is　the　Princess　then　again　in　thy　power？〃

〃Thou　dost　but　remember　me　of　my　wrath；〃　said　Manfred。　　〃Prepare　thee；　　for　this　moment　is　thy　last。〃

The　youth；　who　felt　his　indignation　rise；　and　who　was　touched　with　the　　sorrow　which　he　saw　he　had　infused　into　all　the　spectators；　as　well　as　　into　the　Friar；　suppressed　his　emotions；　and　putting　off　his　doublet；　　and　unbuttoning；　his　collar；　knelt　down　to　his　prayers。　　As　he　　stooped；　his　shirt　slipped　down　below　his　shoulder；　and　discovered　the　　mark　of　a　bloody　arrow。

〃Gracious　heaven！〃　cried　the　holy　man；　starting；　〃what　do　I　see？　　It　　is　my　child！　my　Theodore！〃

The　passions　that　ensued　must　be　conceived；　they　cannot　be　painted。　　　The　tears　of　the　assistants　were　suspended　by　wonder；　rather　than　　stopped　by　joy。　　They　seemed　to　inquire　in　the　eyes　of　their　Lord　what　　they　ought　to　feel。　　Surprise；　doubt；　tenderness；　respect；　succeeded　　each　other　in　the　countenance　of　the　youth。　　He　received　with　modest　　submission　the　effusion　of　the　old　man's　tears　and　embraces。　　Yet　　afraid　of　giving　a　loose　to　hope；　and　suspecting　from　what　had　passed　　the　inflexibility　of　Manfred's　temper；　he　cast　a　glance　towards　the　　Prince；　as　if　to　say；　canst　thou　be　unmoved　at　such　a　scene　as　this？

Manfred's　heart　was　capable　of　being　touched。　　He　forgot　his　anger　in　　his　astonishment；　yet　his　pride　forbad　his　owning　himself　affected。　　　He　even　doubted　whether　this　discovery　was　not　a　contrivance　of　the　　Friar　to　save　the　youth。

〃What　may　this　mean？〃　said　he。　　〃How　can　he　be　thy　son？　　Is　it　　consistent　with　thy　profession　or　reputed　sanctity　to　avow　a　peasant's　　offspring　for　the　fruit　of　thy　irregular　amours！〃

〃Oh；　God！〃　said　the　holy　man；　〃dost　thou　question　his　being　mine？　　　Could　I　feel　the　anguish　I　do　if　I　were　not　his　father？　　Spare　him！　　good　Prince！　spare　him！　and　revile　me　as　thou　pleasest。〃

〃Spare　him！　spare　him！〃　cried　the　attendants；　〃for　this　good　man's　　sake！〃

〃Peace！〃　said　Manfred；　sternly。　　〃I　must　know　more　ere　I　am　disposed　　to　pardon。　　A　Saint's　bastard　may　be　no　saint　himself。〃

〃Injurious　Lord！〃　said　Theodore；　〃add　not　insult　to　cruelty。　　If　I　am　　this　venerable　man's　son；　though　no　Prince；　as　thou　art；　know　the　　blood　that　flows　in　my　veins　…　〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Friar；　interrupting　him；　〃his　blood　is　noble；　nor　is　　he　that　abject　thing；　my　Lord；　you　speak　him。　　He　is　my　lawful　son；　　and　Sicily　can　boast　of　few　houses　more　ancient　than　that　of　　Falconara。　　But　alas！　my　Lord；　what　is　blood！　what　is　nobility！　　We　　are　all　reptiles；　miserable；　sinful　creatures。　　It　is　piety　alone　that　　can　distinguish　us　from　the　dust　whence　we　sprung；　and　whither　we　must　　return。〃

〃Truce　to　your　sermon；〃　said　Manfred；　〃you　forget　you　are　no　longer　　Friar　Jerome；　but　the　Count　of　Falconara。　　Let　me　know　your　history；　　you　will　have　time　to　moralise　hereafter；　if　you　should　not　happen　to　　obtain　the　grace　of　that　sturdy　criminal　there。〃

〃Mother　of　God！〃　said　the　Friar；　〃is　it　possible　my　Lord　can　refuse　a　　father　the　life　of　his　only；　his　long…lost；　child！　　Trample　me；　my　　Lord；　scorn；　afflict　me；　accept　my　life　for　his；　but　spare　my　son！〃

〃Thou　canst　feel；　then；〃　said　Manfred；　〃what　it　is　to　lose　an　only　　son！　　A　little　hour　ago　thou　didst　preach　up　resignation　to　me：　　MY　　house；　if　fate　so　pleased；　must　perish　…　but　the　Count　of　Falconara　…　　〃

〃Alas！　my　Lord；〃　said　Jerome；　〃I　confess　I　have　offended；　but　　aggravate　not　an　old　man's　sufferings！　　I　boast　not　of　my　family；　nor　　think　of　such　vanities　…　it　is　nature；　that　pleads　for　this　boy；　it　is　　the　memory　of　the　dear　woman　that　bore　him。　　Is　she；　Theodore；　is　she　　dead？〃

〃Her　soul　has　long　been　with　the　blessed；〃　said　Theodore。

〃Oh！　how？〃　cried　Jerome；　〃tell　me　…　no　…　she　is　happy！　　Thou　art　all　　my　care　now！　…　Most　dread　Lord！　will　you　…　will　you　grant　me　my　poor　　boy's　life？〃

〃Return　to　thy　convent；〃　answered　Manfred；　〃conduct　the　Princess　　hither；　obey　me　in　what　else　thou　knowest；　and　I　promise　thee　the　life　　of　thy　son。〃

〃Oh！　my　Lord；〃　said　Jerome；　〃is　my　honesty　the　price　I　must　pay　for　　this　dear　youth's　safety？〃

〃For　me！〃　cried　Theodore。　　〃Let　me　die　a　thousand　deaths；　rather　than　　stain　thy　conscience。　　What　is　it　the　tyrant　would　exact　of　thee？　　Is　　the　Princess　still　safe　from　his　power？　　Protect　her；　thou　venerable　　old　man；　and　let　all　the　weight　of　his　wrath　fall　on　me。〃

Jerome　endeavoured　to　check　the　impetuosity　of　the　youth；　and　ere　　Manfred　could　reply；　the　trampling　of　horses　was　heard；　and　a　brazen　　trumpet；　which　hung　without　the　gate　of　the　castle；　was　suddenly　　sounded。　　At　the　same　instant　the　sable　plumes　on　the　enchanted　　helmet；　which　still　remained　at　the　other　end　of　the　court；　were　　tempestuously　agitated；　and　nodded　thrice；　as　if　bowed　by　some　　invisible　wearer。



CHAPTER　III。



MANFRED'S　heart　misgave　him　when　he　beheld　the　plumage　on　the　　miraculous　casque　shaken　in　concert　with　the　sounding　of　the　brazen　　trumpet。

〃Father！〃　said　he　to　Jerome；　whom　he　now　ceased　to　treat　as　Count　of　　Falconara；　〃what　mean　these　portents？　　If　I　have　offended　…　〃　the　　plumes　were　shaken　with　greater　violence　than　before。

〃Unhappy　Prince　that　I　am；〃　cried　Manfred。　　〃Holy　Father！　will　you　not　　assist　me　with　your　prayers？〃

〃My　Lord；〃　replied　Jerome；　〃heaven　is　no　doubt　displeased　with　your　　mockery　of　its　servants。　　Submit　yourself　to　the　church；　and　cease　to　　persecute　her　ministers。　　Dismiss　this　innocent　youth；　and　learn　to　　respect　the　holy　character　I　wear。　　Heaven　will　not　be　trifled　with：　　　you　see　…　〃　the　trumpet　sounded　again。

〃I　acknowledge　I　have　been　too　hasty；〃　said　Manfred。　　〃Father；　do　you　　go　to　the　wicket；　and　demand　who　is　at　the　gate。〃

〃Do　you　grant　me　the　life　of　Theodore？〃　replied　the　Friar。

〃I　do；〃　said　Manfred；　〃but　inquire　who　is　without！〃

Jerome；　falling　on　the　neck　of　his　son；　discharged　a　flood　of　tears；　　that　spoke　the　fulness　of　his　soul。

〃You　promised　to　go　to　the　gate；〃　said　Manfred。

〃I　thought；〃　replied　the　Friar；　〃your　Highness　would　excuse　my　　thanking　you　first　in　this　tribute　of　my　heart。〃

〃Go；　dearest　Sir；〃　said　Theodore；　〃obey　the　Prince。　　I　do　not　deserve　　that　you　should　delay　his　satisfaction　for　me。〃

Jerome；　inquiring　who　was　without；　was　answered；　〃A　Herald。〃

〃From　whom？〃　said　he。

〃From　the　Knight　of　the　Gigantic　Sabre；〃　said　the　Herald；　〃and　I　must　　speak　with　the　usurper　of　Otranto。〃

Jerome　returned　to　the　Prince；　and　did　not　fail　to　repeat　the　message　　in　the　very　words　it　had　been　uttered。　　The　first　sounds　struc