the castle of otranto-第6部分

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〃Trifle　not；〃　said　Manfred；　shuddering；　〃but　tell　me　what　you　saw　in　　the　great　chamber　on　opening　the　door。〃

〃I！　my　Lord！〃　said　Jaquez；　〃I　was　behind　Diego；　but　I　heard　the　　noise。〃

〃Jaquez；〃　said　Manfred；　in　a　solemn　tone　of　voice；　〃tell　me；　I　adjure　　thee　by　the　souls　of　my　ancestors；　what　was　it　thou　sawest？　what　was　　it　thou　heardest？〃

〃It　was　Diego　saw　it；　my　Lord；　it　was　not　I；〃　replied　Jaquez；　〃I　only　　heard　the　noise。　　Diego　had　no　sooner　opened　the　door；　than　he　cried　　out；　and　ran　back。　　I　ran　back　too；　and　said；　'Is　it　the　ghost？'　　'The　　ghost！　no；　no；'　said　Diego；　and　his　hair　stood　on　end　…　'it　is　a　　giant；　I　believe；　he　is　all　clad　in　armour；　for　I　saw　his　foot　and　　part　of　his　leg；　and　they　are　as　large　as　the　helmet　below　in　the　　court。'　　As　he　said　these　words；　my　Lord；　we　heard　a　violent　motion　　and　the　rattling　of　armour；　as　if　the　giant　was　rising；　for　Diego　has　　told　me　since　that　he　believes　the　giant　was　lying　down；　for　the　foot　　and　leg　were　stretched　at　length　on　the　floor。　　Before　we　could　get　to　　the　end　of　the　gallery；　we　heard　the　door　of　the　great　chamber　clap　　behind　us；　but　we　did　not　dare　turn　back　to　see　if　the　giant　was　　following　us　…　yet；　now　I　think　on　it；　we　must　have　heard　him　if　he　　had　pursued　us　…　but　for　Heaven's　sake；　good　my　Lord；　send　for　the　　chaplain；　and　have　the　castle　exorcised；　for；　for　certain；　it　is　　enchanted。〃

〃Ay；　pray　do；　my　Lord；〃　cried　all　the　servants　at　once；　〃or　we　must　　leave　your　Highness's　service。〃

〃Peace；　dotards！〃　said　Manfred；　〃and　follow　me；　I　will　know　what　all　　this　means。〃

〃We！　my　Lord！〃　cried　they　with　one　voice；　〃we　would　not　go　up　to　the　　gallery　for　your　Highness's　revenue。〃　　The　young　peasant；　who　had　　stood　silent；　now　spoke。

〃Will　your　Highness；〃　said　he；　〃permit　me　to　try　this　adventure？　　My　　life　is　of　consequence　to　nobody；　I　fear　no　bad　angel；　and　have　　offended　no　good　one。〃

〃Your　behaviour　is　above　your　seeming；〃　said　Manfred；　viewing　him　with　　surprise　and　admiration　…　〃hereafter　I　will　reward　your　bravery　…　but　　now；〃　continued　he　with　a　sigh；　〃I　am　so　circumstanced；　that　I　dare　　trust　no　eyes　but　my　own。　　However；　I　give　you　leave　to　accompany　me。〃

Manfred；　when　he　first　followed　Isabella　from　the　gallery；　had　gone　　directly　to　the　apartment　of　his　wife；　concluding　the　Princess　had　　retired　thither。　　Hippolita；　who　knew　his　step；　rose　with　anxious　　fondness　to　meet　her　Lord；　whom　she　had　not　seen　since　the　death　of　　their　son。　　She　would　have　flown　in　a　transport　mixed　of　joy　and　grief　　to　his　bosom；　but　he　pushed　her　rudely　off；　and　said　…

〃Where　is　Isabella？〃

〃Isabella！　my　Lord！〃　said　the　astonished　Hippolita。

〃Yes；　Isabella；〃　cried　Manfred　imperiously；　〃I　want　Isabella。〃

〃My　Lord；〃　replied　Matilda；　who　perceived　how　much　his　behaviour　had　　shocked　her　mother；　〃she　has　not　been　with　us　since　your　Highness　　summoned　her　to　your　apartment。〃

〃Tell　me　where　she　is；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃I　do　not　want　to　know　where　　she　has　been。〃

〃My　good　Lord；〃　says　Hippolita；　〃your　daughter　tells　you　the　truth：　　　Isabella　left　us　by　your　command；　and　has　not　returned　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