the castle of otranto-第4章

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〃Heavens！〃　cried　Isabella；　waking　from　her　delusion；　〃what　do　I　hear？　　　You！　my　Lord！　　You！　　My　father…in…law！　the　father　of　Conrad！　the　　husband　of　the　virtuous　and　tender　Hippolita！〃

〃I　tell　you；〃　said　Manfred　imperiously；　〃Hippolita　is　no　longer　my　　wife；　I　divorce　her　from　this　hour。　　Too　long　has　she　cursed　me　by　her　　unfruitfulness。　　My　fate　depends　on　having　sons；　and　this　night　I　　trust　will　give　a　new　date　to　my　hopes。〃

At　those　words　he　seized　the　cold　hand　of　Isabella；　who　was　half　dead　　with　fright　and　horror。　　She　shrieked；　and　started　from　him；　Manfred　　rose　to　pursue　her；　when　the　moon；　which　was　now　up；　and　gleamed　in　at　　the　opposite　casement；　presented　to　his　sight　the　plumes　of　the　fatal　　helmet；　which　rose　to　the　height　of　the　windows；　waving　backwards　and　　forwards　in　a　tempestuous　manner；　and　accompanied　with　a　hollow　and　　rustling　sound。　　Isabella；　who　gathered　courage　from　her　situation；　　and　who　dreaded　nothing　so　much　as　Manfred's　pursuit　of　his　　declaration；　cried　…

〃Look；　my　Lord！　see；　Heaven　itself　declares　against　your　impious　　intentions！〃

〃Heaven　nor　Hell　shall　impede　my　designs；〃　said　Manfred；　advancing　　again　to　seize　the　Princess。

At　that　instant　the　portrait　of　his　grandfather；　which　hung　over　the　　bench　where　they　had　been　sitting；　uttered　a　deep　sigh；　and　heaved　its　　breast。

Isabella；　whose　back　was　turned　to　the　picture；　saw　not　the　motion；　　nor　knew　whence　the　sound　came；　but　started；　and　said　…

〃Hark；　my　Lord！　　What　sound　was　that？〃　and　at　the　same　time　made　　towards　the　door。

Manfred；　distracted　between　the　flight　of　Isabella；　who　had　now　　reached　the　stairs；　and　yet　unable　to　keep　his　eyes　from　the　picture；　　which　began　to　move；　had；　however；　advanced　some　steps　after　her；　　still　looking　backwards　on　the　portrait；　when　he　saw　it　quit　its　　panel；　and　descend　on　the　floor　with　a　grave　and　melancholy　air。

〃Do　I　dream？〃　cried　Manfred；　returning；　〃or　are　the　devils　themselves　　in　league　against　me？　　Speak；　internal　spectre！　　Or；　if　thou　art　my　　grandsire；　why　dost　thou　too　conspire　against　thy　wretched　descendant；　　who　too　dearly　pays　for　…　〃　　Ere　he　could　finish　the　sentence；　the　　vision　sighed　again；　and　made　a　sign　to　Manfred　to　follow　him。

〃Lead　on！〃　cried　Manfred；　〃I　will　follow　thee　to　the　gulf　of　　perdition。〃

The　spectre　marched　sedately；　but　dejected；　to　the　end　of　the　gallery；　　and　turned　into　a　chamber　on　the　right　hand。　　Manfred　accompanied　him　　at　a　little　distance；　full　of　anxiety　and　horror；　but　resolved。　　As　he　　would　have　entered　the　chamber；　the　door　was　clapped　to　with　violence　　by　an　invisible　hand。　　The　Prince；　collecting　courage　from　this　delay；　　would　have　forcibly　burst　open　the　door　with　his　foot；　but　found　that　　it　resisted　his　utmost　efforts。

〃Since　Hell　will　not　satisfy　my　curiosity；〃　said　Manfred；　〃I　will　use　　the　human　means　in　my　power　for　preserving　my　race；　Isabella　shall　not　　escape　me。〃

The　lady；　whose　resolution　had　given　way　to　terror　the　moment　she　had　　quitted　Manfred；　continued　her　flight　to　the　bottom　of　the　principal　　staircase。　　There　she　stopped；　not　knowing　whither　to　direct　her　　steps；　nor　how　to　escape　from　the　impetuosity　of　the　Prince。　　The　　gates　of　the　castle；　she　knew；　were　locked；　and　guards　placed　in　the　　court。　　Should　she；　as　her　heart　prompted　her；　go　and　prepare　　Hippolita　for　the　cruel　destiny　that　awaited　her；　she　did　not　doubt　　but　Manfred　would　seek　her　there；　and　that　his　violence　would　incite　　him　to　double　the　injury　he　meditated；　without　leaving　room　for　them　　to　avoid　the　impetuosity　of　his　passions。　　Delay　might　give　him　time　　to　reflect　on　the　horrid　measures　he　had　conceived；　or　produce　some　　circumstance　in　her　favour；　if　she　could　…　for　that　night；　at　least　…　　avoid　his　odious　purpose。　　Yet　where　conceal　herself？　　How　avoid　the　　pursuit　he　would　infallibly　make　throughout　the　castle？

As　these　thoughts　passed　rapidly　through　her　mind；　she　recollected　a　　subterraneous　passage　which　led　from　the　vaults　of　the　castle　to　the　　church　of　St。　Nicholas。　　Could　she　reach　the　altar　before　she　was　　overtaken；　she　knew　even　Manfred's　violence　would　not　dare　to　profane　　the　sacredness　of　the　place；　and　she　determined；　if　no　other　means　of　　deliverance　offered；　to　shut　herself　up　for　ever　among　the　holy　　virgins　whose　convent　was　contiguous　to　the　cathedral。　　In　this　　resolution；　she　seized　a　lamp　that　burned　at　the　foot　of　the　　staircase；　and　hurried　towards　the　secret　passage。

The　lower　part　of　the　castle　was　hollowed　into　several　intricate　　cloisters；　and　it　was　not　easy　for　one　under　so　much　anxiety　to　find　　the　door　that　opened　into　the　cavern。　　An　awful　silence　reigned　　throughout　those　subterraneous　regions；　except　now　and　then　some　　blasts　of　wind　that　shook　the　doors　she　had　passed；　and　which；　grating　　on　the　rusty　hinges；　were　re…echoed　through　that　long　labyrinth　of　　darkness。　　Every　murmur　struck　her　with　new　terror；　yet　more　she　　dreaded　to　hear　the　wrathful　voice　of　Manfred　urging　his　domestics　to　　pursue　her。

She　trod　as　softly　as　impatience　would　give　her　leave；　yet　frequently　　stopped　and　listened　to　hear　if　she　was　followed。　　In　one　of　those　　moments　she　thought　she　heard　a　sigh。　　She　shuddered；　and　recoiled　a　　few　paces。　　In　a　moment　she　thought　she　heard　the　step　of　some　person。　　　Her　blood　curdled；　she　concluded　it　was　Manfred。　　Every　suggestion　　that　horror　could　inspire　rushed　into　her　mind。　　She　condemned　her　　rash　flight；　which　had　thus　exposed　her　to　his　rage　in　a　place　where　　her　cries　were　not　likely　to　draw　anybody　to　her　assistance。　　Yet　the　　sound　seemed　not　to　come　from　behind。　　If　Manfred　knew　where　she　was；　　he　must　have　followed　her。　　She　was　still　in　one　of　the　cloisters；　and　　the　steps　she　had　heard　were　too　distinct　to　proceed　from　the　way　she　　had　come。　　Cheered　with　this　reflection；　and　hoping　to　find　a　friend　　in　whoever　was　not　the　Prince；　she　was　going　to　advance；　when　a　door　　that　stood　ajar；　at　some　distance　to　the　left；　was　opened　gently：　　but　　ere　her　lamp；　which　she　held　up；　could　discover　who　opened　it；　the　　person　retreated　precipitately　on　seeing　the　light。

Isabella；　whom　every　incident　was　sufficient　to　dismay；　hesitated　　whether　she　should　proceed。　　Her　dread　of　Manfred　soon　outweighed　　every　other　terror。　　The　very　circumstance　of　the　person　avoiding　her　　gave　her　a　sort　of　courage。　　It　could　only　be；　she　thought；　some　　domestic　belonging　to　the　castle。　　Her　gentleness　had　never　raised　her　　an　enemy；　and　conscious　innocence　made　her　hope　that；　unless　sent　by　　the　Prince's　order　to　seek　her；　his　servants　would　rather　assist　than　　prevent　her　flight。　　Fortifying　herself　with　these　reflections；　and　　believing　by　what　she　could　observe　that　she　was　near　the　mouth　of　the　　subterraneous　cavern；　she　approached　the　door　that　had　been　opened；　　but　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　that　met　her　at　the　door　extinguished　her　　lamp；　and　left　her　in　total　darkness。

Words　cannot　paint　the　horror　of　the　Princess's　situation。　　Alone　in　　so　dismal　a　place；　her　mind　imprinted　with　all　the　terrible　events　of　　the　day；　hopeless　of　escaping；　expecting　every　moment　the　arrival　of　　Manfred；　and　far　from　tranquil　on　knowing　she　was　within　reach　of　　somebody；　she　knew　not　whom；　who　for　some　cause　seemed　concealed　　thereabouts；　all　these　thoughts　crowded　on　her　distracted　mind；　and　　she　was　ready　to　sink　under　her　apprehensions。　　She　addressed　herself　　to　every　saint　in　heaven；　and　inwardly　implored　their　assistance。　　For　　a　considerable　time　she　remained　in　an　agony　of　despair。

At　last；　as　softly　as　was　possible；　she　felt　for　the　door；　and　having　　found　it；　entered　trembling　into　the　vault　from　whence　she　had　heard　　the　sigh　and　steps。　　It　gave　her　a　kind　of　momentary　joy　to　perceive　　an　imperfect　ray　of　clouded　moonshine　gleam　from　the　roof　of　the　　vault；　which　seemed　to　be　fallen　in；　and　from　whence　hung　a　fragment　　of　earth　or　building；　she　could　not　distinguish　which；　that　appeared　　to　have　been　crushed　inwards。　　She　advanced　eagerly　towards　this　　chasm；　when　she　discerned　a　human　form　standing　close　against　the　　wall。

She　shrieked；　believing　it　the　ghost　of　her　betrothed　Conrad。　　The　　figure；　advancing；　said；　in　a　submissive　voice　…

〃Be　not　alarmed；　Lady；　I