the castle of otranto-第7章

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　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　heart　was　ever　a　stranger　to　me　…　but　he　is　my　father；　and　　I　must　not　complain。　　Nay；　if　Heaven　shuts　my　father's　heart　against　　me；　it　overpays　my　little　merit　in　the　tenderness　of　my　mother　…　O　　that　dear　mother！　yes；　Bianca；　'tis　there　I　feel　the　rugged　temper　of　　Manfred。　　I　can　support　his　harshness　to　me　with　patience；　but　it　　wounds　my　soul　when　I　am　witness　to　his　causeless　severity　towards　　her。〃

〃Oh！　Madam；〃　said　Bianca；　〃all　men　use　their　wives　so；　when　they　are　　weary　of　them。〃

〃And　yet　you　congratulated　me　but　now；〃　said　Matilda；　〃when　you　　fancied　my　father　intended　to　dispose　of　me！〃

〃I　would　have　you　a　great　Lady；〃　replied　Bianca；　〃come　what　will。　　I　　do　not　wish　to　see　you　moped　in　a　convent；　as　you　would　be　if　you　had　　your　will；　and　if　my　Lady；　your　mother；　who　knows　that　a　bad　husband　　is　better　than　no　husband　at　all；　did　not　hinder　you。　…　Bless　me！　what　　noise　is　that！　　St。　Nicholas　forgive　me！　　I　was　but　in　jest。〃

〃It　is　the　wind；〃　said　Matilda；　〃whistling　through　the　battlements　in　　the　tower　above：　　you　have　heard　it　a　thousand　times。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Bianca；　〃there　was　no　harm　neither　in　what　I　said：　　it　is　　no　sin　to　talk　of　matrimony　…　and　so；　Madam；　as　I　was　saying；　if　my　　Lord　Manfred　should　offer　you　a　handsome　young　Prince　for　a　　bridegroom；　you　would　drop　him　a　curtsey；　and　tell　him　you　would　　rather　take　the　veil？〃

〃Thank　Heaven！　　I　am　in　no　such　danger；〃　said　Matilda：　　〃you　know　how　　many　proposals　for　me　he　has　rejected　…　〃

〃And　you　thank　him；　like　a　dutiful　daughter；　do　you；　Madam？　　But　come；　　Madam；　suppose；　to…morrow　morning；　he　was　to　send　for　you　to　the　great　　council　chamber；　and　there　you　should　find　at　his　elbow　a　lovely　young　　Prince；　with　large　black　eyes；　a　smooth　white　forehead；　and　manly　　curling　locks　like　jet；　in　short；　Madam；　a　young　hero　resembling　the　　picture　of　the　good　Alfonso　in　the　gallery；　which　you　sit　and　gaze　at　　for　hours　together　…　〃

〃Do　not　speak　lightly　of　that　picture；〃　interrupted　Matilda　sighing；　　〃I　know　the　adoration　with　which　I　look　at　that　picture　is　uncommon　…　　but　I　am　not　in　love　wi