the castle of otranto-第1部分

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The　Castle　of　Otranto

by　Horace　Walpole






PREFACE　TO　THE　FIRST　EDITION。



THE　following　work　was　found　in　the　library　of　an　ancient　Catholic　　family　in　the　north　of　England。　　It　was　printed　at　Naples；　in　the　　black　letter；　in　the　year　1529。　　How　much　sooner　it　was　written　does　　not　appear。　　The　principal　incidents　are　such　as　were　believed　in　the　　darkest　ages　of　Christianity；　but　the　language　and　conduct　have　　nothing　that　savours　of　barbarism。　　The　style　is　the　purest　Italian。

If　the　story　was　written　near　the　time　when　it　is　supposed　to　have　　happened；　it　must　have　been　between　1095；　the　era　of　the　first　　Crusade；　and　1243；　the　date　of　the　last；　or　not　long　afterwards。　　　There　is　no　other　circumstance　in　the　work　that　can　lead　us　to　guess　　at　the　period　in　which　the　scene　is　laid：　　the　names　of　the　actors　are　　evidently　fictitious；　and　probably　disguised　on　purpose：　　yet　the　　Spanish　names　of　the　domestics　seem　to　indicate　that　this　work　was　not　　composed　until　the　establishment　of　the　Arragonian　Kings　in　Naples　had　　made　Spanish　appellations　familiar　in　that　country。　　The　beauty　of　the　　diction；　and　the　zeal　of　the　author　（moderated；　however；　by　singular　　judgment）　concur　to　make　me　think　that　the　date　of　the　composition　was　　little　antecedent　to　that　of　the　impression。　　Letters　were　then　in　　their　most　flourishing　state　in　Italy；　and　contributed　to　dispel　the　　empire　of　superstition；　at　that　time　so　forcibly　attacked　by　the　　reformers。　　It　is　not　unlikely　that　an　artful　priest　might　endeavour　　to　turn　their　own　arms　on　the　innovators；　and　might　avail　himself　of　　his　abilities　as　an　author　to　confirm　the　populace　in　their　ancient　　errors　and　superstitions。　　If　this　was　his　view；　he　has　certainly　　acted　with　signal　address。　　Such　a　work　as　the　following　would　enslave　　a　hundred　vulgar　minds　beyond　half　the　books　of　controversy　that　have　　been　written　from　the　days　of　Luther　to　the　present　hour。

This　solution　of　the　author's　motives　is；　however；　offered　as　a　mere　　conjecture。　　Whatever　his　views　were；　or　whatever　effects　the　　execution　of　them　might　have；　his　work　can　only　be　laid　before　the　　public　at　present　as　a　matter　of　entertainment。　　Even　as　such；　some　　apology　for　it　is　necessary。　　Miracles；　visions；　necromancy；　dreams；　　and　other　preternatural　events；　are　exploded　now　even　from　romances。　　　That　was　not　the　case　when　our　author　wrote；　much　less　when　the　story　　itself　is　supposed　to　have　happened。　　Belief　in　every　kind　of　prodigy　　was　so　established　in　those　dark　ages；　that　an　author　would　not　be　　faithful　to　the　manners　of　the　times；　who　should　omit　all　mention　of　　them。　　He　is　not　bound　to　believe　them　himself；　but　he　must　represent　　his　actors　as　believing　them。

If　this　air　of　the　miraculous　is　excused；　the　reader　will　find　nothing　　else　unworthy　of　his　perusal。　　Allow　the　possibility　of　the　facts；　and　　all　the　actors　comport　themselves　as　persons　would　do　in　their　　situation。　　There　is　no　bombast；　no　similes；　flowers；　digressions；　or　　unnecessary　descriptions。　　Everything　tends　directly　to　the　　catastrophe。　　Never　is　the　reader's　attention　relaxed。　　The　rules　of　　the　drama　are　almost　observed　throughout　the　conduct　of　the　piece。　　　The　characters　are　well　drawn；　and　still　better　maintained。　　Terror；　　the　author's　principal　engine；　prevents　the　story　from　ever　　languishing；　and　it　is　so　often　contrasted　by　pity；　that　the　mind　is　　kept　up　in　a　constant　vicissitude　of　interesting　passions。

Some　persons　may　perhaps　think　the　characters　of　the　domestics　too　　little　serious　for　the　general　cast　of　the　story；　but　besides　their　　opposition　to　the　principal　personages；　the　art　of　the　author　is　very　　observable　in　his　conduct　of　the　subalterns。　　They　discover　many　　passages　essential　to　the　story；　which　could　not　be　well　brought　to　　light　but　by　their　NAIVETE　and　simplicity。　　In　particular；　the　　womanish　terror　and　foibles　of　Bianca；　in　the　last　chapter；　conduce　　essentially　towards　advancing　the　catastrophe。

It　is　natural　for　a　translator　to　be　prejudiced　in　favour　of　his　　adopted　work。　　More　impartial　readers　may　not　be　so　much　struck　with　　the　beauties　of　this　piece　as　I　was。　　Yet　I　am　not　blind　to　my　　author's　defects。　　I　could　wish　he　had　grounded　his　plan　on　a　more　　useful　moral　than　this：　　that　〃the　sins　of　fathers　are　visited　on　　their　children　to　the　third　and　fourth　generation。〃　　I　doubt　whether；　　in　his　time；　any　more　than　at　present；　ambition　curbed　its　appetite　of　　dominion　from　the　dread　of　so　remote　a　punishment。　　And　yet　this　moral　　is　weakened　by　that　less　direct　insinuation；　that　even　such　anathema　　may　be　diverted　by　devotion　to　St。　Nicholas。　　Here　the　interest　of　the　　Monk　plainly　gets　the　better　of　the　judgment　of　the　author。　　However；　　with　all　its　faults；　I　have　no　doubt　but　the　English　reader　will　be　　pleased　with　a　sight　of　this　performance。　　The　piety　that　reigns　　throughout；　the　lessons　of　virtue　that　are　inculcated；　and　the　rigid　　purity　of　the　sentiments；　exempt　this　work　from　the　censure　to　which　　romances　are　but　too　liable。　　Should　it　meet　with　the　success　I　hope　　for；　I　may　be　encouraged　to　reprint　the　original　Italian；　though　it　　will　tend　to　depreciate　my　own　labour。　　Our　language　falls　far　short　　of　the　charms　of　the　Italian；　both　for　variety　and　harmony。　　The　　latter　is　peculiarly　excellent　for　simple　narrative。　　It　is　difficult　　in　English　to　relate　without　falling　too　low　or　rising　too　high；　a　　fault　obviously　occasioned　by　the　little　care　taken　to　speak　pure　　language　in　common　conversation。　　Every　Italian　or　Frenchman　of　any　　rank　piques　himself　on　speaking　his　own　tongue　correctly　and　with　　choice。　　I　cannot　flatter　myself　with　having　done　justice　to　my　author　　in　this　respect：　　his　style　is　as　elegant　as　his　conduct　of　the　　passions　is　masterly。　　It　is　a　pity　that　he　did　not　apply　his　talents　　to　what　they　were　evidently　proper　for　…　the　theatre。

I　will　detain　the　reader　no　longer；　but　to　make　one　short　remark。　　　Though　the　machinery　is　invention；　and　the　names　of　the　actors　　imaginary；　I　cannot　but　believe　that　the　groundwork　of　the　story　is　　founded　on　truth。　　The　scene　is　undoubtedly　laid　in　some　real　castle。　　　The　author　seems　frequently；　without　design；　to　describe　particular　　parts。　　〃The　chamber；〃　says　he；　〃on　the　right　hand；〃　〃the　door　on　the　　left　hand；〃　〃the　distance　from　the　chapel　to　Conrad's　apartment：〃　　these　and　other　passages　are　strong　presumptions　that　the　author　had　　some　certain　building　in　his　eye。　　Curious　persons；　who　have　leisure　　to　employ　in　such　researches；　may　possibly　discover　in　the　Italian　　writers　the　foundation　on　which　our　author　has　built。　　If　a　　catastrophe；　at　all　resembling　that　which　he　describes；　is　believed　to　　have　given　rise　to　this　work；　it　will　contribute　to　interest　the　　reader；　and　will　make　the　〃Castle　of　Otranto　a　still　more　moving　　story。



SONNET　TO　THE　RIGHT　HONOURABLE　LADY　MARY　COKE。



THE　gentle　maid；　whose　hapless　tale　These　melancholy　pages　speak；　Say；　gracious　lady；　shall　she　fail　To　draw　the　tear　adown　thy　cheek？

No；　never　was　thy　pitying　breast　Insensible　to　human　woes；　Tender；　tho'　firm；　it　melts　distrest　For　weaknesses　it　never　knows。

Oh！　guard　the　marvels　I　relate　Of　fell　ambition　scourg'd　by　fate；　From　reason's　peevish　blame。　Blest　with　thy　smile；　my　dauntless　sail　I　dare　expand　to　Fancy's　gale；　For　sure　thy　smiles　are　Fame。

H。　W。



CHAPTER　I。



MANFRED；　Prince　of　Otranto；　had　one　son　and　one　daughter：　　the　latter；　　a　most　beautiful　virgin；　aged　eighteen；　was　called　Matilda。　　Conrad；　　the　son；　was　three　years　younger；　a　homely　youth；　sickly；　and　of　no　　promising　disposition；　yet　he　was　the　darling　of　his　father；　who　never　　showed　any　symptoms　of　affection　to　Matilda。　　Manfred　had　contracted　a　　marriage　for　his　son　with　the　Marquis　of　Vicenza's　daughter；　Isabella；　　and　she　had　already　been　delivered　by　her　guardians　into　the　hands　of　　Manfred；　that　he　might　celebrate　the　wedding　as　soon　as　Conrad's　　infirm　state　of　health　would　permit。

Manfred's　impatience　for　this　ceremonial　was　remarked　by　his　family　　and　neighbours。　　The　former；　indeed；　apprehending　the　severity　of　　their　Prince's　disposition；　did　not　dare　to　utter　their　surmises　on　　this　precipitation。　　Hippolita；　his　wife；　an　amiable　lady；　did　　sometimes　venture　to　represent　the　danger　of　marrying　their　only　son　　so　early；　considering　his　great　youth；　and　greater　infirmities；　but　　she　never　received　any　other　answer　than　reflections　on　her　own　　sterility；　who　had　given　him　but　one　heir。　　His　tenants　and　subjects　　were　less　cautious　in　their　discourses。　　They　attributed　this　hasty　　wedding　to　the　Prince's　dread　of　seeing　accomplished　an　ancient　　prophecy；　which　was　said　to　have　pronounced　that　the　castle　and　　lordship　of　Otranto　〃should　pass　from　the　present　family；　whenever　the　　real　owner　should　be　grown　too　large　to　inhabit　it。〃　　It　was　difficult　　to　make　any　sense　of　this　prophecy；　and　still　less　easy　to　conceive　　what　it　had　to　do　with　the　marriage　in　question。　　Yet　these　mysteries；　　or　contradictions；　did　not　make　the　populace　adhere　the　less　to　their　　opinion。

Young　Conrad's　birthday　was　fixed　for　his　espousals。　　The　company　was　　assembled　in　the　chapel　of　the　Castle；　and　everything　ready　for　　beginn