The Captives

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 fille

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 g

eats of Manfred to her mother. "But what business could he have so urgent with the chaplain

een 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

ianca; 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 tha

ll men use their wives so, w

w," said Matilda, "when you fancied

as you would be if you had your will, and if my Lady, your mother, who knows that a bad husband is better than

g through the battlements in the tower ab

ny-and so, Madam, as I was saying, if my Lord Manfred should offer you a handsome young Prince

er," said Matilda: "you know how ma

cil chamber, and there you should find at his elbow a lovely young Prince, with large black eyes, a smooth white forehead, and manly curling lock

ith a coloured panel. The character of that virtuous Prince, the veneration with which my mother has inspired me for his memory, the orisons which, I know not

t conceive why my Lady, the Princess, sends you in a cold morning or a damp evening to pray at his tomb: he is no saint by the almanack.

observes, that inspires me with this-I know not what to call it. As she never acts from caprice, I am sure there is some fatal se

" cried Bianca,

s fall a word, and wishes it recalle

e had said?" asked Bianca; "I am

said Matilda; "but never with my mother's: a child ou

in a convent at last. But there is my Lady Isabella would not be so reserved to me: she will let me talk to her of young men:

erful disposition, but her soul is pure as virtue itself. She knows your idle babbling humour, and perhaps

ere it is again! Dear Madam, do you hear n

hink I heard a voice-but it must be fancy:

Bianca, half-weeping with agon

the chamber beneath

ur brother's tutor, drowned himself. For certain, Madam, his ghost and the young Prince's

estioning them. They can mean no hurt to us, for we have not injured them-and if they should, shall we be

rds they heard the casement of the little chamber below Matilda's open. They listened attentive

in a low voice; "it is undoubtedly one of the fam

indeed, Madam

elf. The noise the Princess made was, however, heard by the person b

said the Princess; "

id an unk

it?" sai

r," replie

thou come there at this unusual hour, wh

knew not that I was overheard. Sleep had forsaken me; I left a restless couch, and came to waste the i

I pity thee. If poverty afflicts thee, let me know it; I will mention thee to the Pri

ung and healthy, and am not ashamed of owing my support to myself-yet think me not proud, or that I disdain your generous offers. I will remembe

peasant; and, by my conscience, he is in love-Well! this is a charming adventure!-do, Madam

of this young man's heart? He seems virtuous and frank, and tells us he is unhappy. Are those c

" replied Bianca; "why, lovers have no ple

ecome a peasant's confid

ing your Highness's maid of honour, I was not always so great. Besides, if lov

ot been occasioned by thy own fault, and are within the compass of the Princess Hippolita's power to redress, I will take upon me to answer that she will be thy protectress. When thou art dismissed from this castle, repair to holy father Jerome, at the convent adjoining to t

if a poor and worthless stranger might presume to beg a minute's audience

wns apace: should the labourers come into the

g stranger, faltering; "yet the humanity with which y

what wouldst thou trust me? Speak boldly, if thy s

f, "whether what I have heard from the domestics is

gravity. Dost thou come hither to pry into the secrets of Manfred? Adieu. I have been mistaken in

th some sharpness, "if I had let thee converse with this p

"but perhaps the questions I should have put to him would have bee

re a very discreet personage! May I

u great folks are aware of. Lopez told me that all the servants believe this young fellow contrived my Lady Isabella's escape; now, pray, Madam, observe you and I both know that my Lady Isabella never much fancied the Prince your bro

rhapsody of imperti

abella should be missing the very same day, and that this young sorcerer should be found at t

da, "to breathe a suspicion on the

u he is in love, or unhappy, it is the same thing-nay, he owned he was unhappy about others; and is anybody unhappy about anothe

foundation-Isabella's flight amazes me. The curiosity of the strange

o knows, Madam, but this stranger may be some Prince in disguise?

th him." She was going to open the casement, when they heard the bell ring at the postern-gate of the castle, which is on t

orthy motive. If this stranger was accessory to it, she must be satisfied with his fidelity and worth. I observed, did not you, Bianca? tha

ianca, "that I was sure he

ou account for his not accompanying her in her flight? why expo

r the helmet, he will find ways of eluding your father's ange

es not dare to make use of those tremendous and holy words which he uttered. Didst thou not observe with what f

Madam, my Lady Isabella is of another guess mould than you take her for. She used indeed to sigh and

ter; and though I own the mystery she has made to me of her flight confounds me; though it seems inconsistent with the friendship between us; I cannot forget the disinterested warmth with which s

anca. While she was speaking, a servant came hastily into the

" said

," replied the servant; "Father Jerome has brough

y mother?"

chamber, Madam, and

ng her, word was brought that Jerome demanded to speak with him. Manfred, little suspecting the cause of the Friar's arrival, and knowing he was

ith me or the Princ

ed the holy man. "

interrupted M

olas's altar,"

ed with confusion; "let us retire to my chambe

the saint-like virtues of Jerome; "my commission is to both, and with your Highness's good-liking, in the presence of both I shall deliver it; b

olita; "does Isabella charg

no meddling priest to interfere in the affairs of my domestic. If you have aught to say attend me to my chamber; I

ons, to preach repentance, and teach mankind to curb their headstrong passions. I forgive your Highness's uncharitable apos

eclared her astonishment and impatience to know where this woul

ing the daughter of such wise and noble Princes, whom she shall always respect as Parents; she prays for uninterrupted union and felicity between you" [Manfred's colour changed]: "but as it is no longer possible for her to be allie

eturn to the castle without delay: I am answerable for her person to

whether that can any longer

leaves room for strange suspicions-and that young villain, who w

pted Jerome; "was a

to be bearded in my own palace by an insolent

ow unjustly you accuse me. I do pray to heaven to pardon that uncharitableness: and I implore your Highness to leave the Princess at pe

fred, "but return and brin

here orphans and virgins are safest from the snares and wiles of thi

" cried Manfred,

but Heaven that forbad that connection has for ever dissol

" said Manfred, "and

y to hear nothing that it pleases not my Lord I should hear. Attend the Prince to his chamber. I will retire to my oratory, and pray to t

the Friar. "My Lord, I

k; and you must do more. I know the influence you have with Hippolita: her conscience is in your hands. She is, I allow, a faultless woman: her soul is set on heaven, and scorns the little grandeur of this world: you can withdraw her from it entirely. Persuade her to consent to the dissolution of our marriage, and to retire into a monastery-she shall endow one if she will; and she shall have the means of bein

s as an accomplice of I know not what amours, scorn the allurements with which it has pleased thee to tempt mine honesty. I love my order; I honour devout souls; I respect the piety of thy Princess-but I will not betray the confidence she reposes in me, nor serve even the cause of religion by foul and sinful compliances-but forsooth! the welfare of the state depends on your Highness having a son! Heaven mocks the short-sighted views of man. But yester-morn, whose house was so great, so flourishing as Manfred's?-where is young Conrad now?-My Lord, I respect your tears-but I mean not to check them-let them flow, Prince! They will weigh more with heaven toward the welfare of thy subjects, than a marr

some time that I have had scruples on the legality of our union: Hippolita is related to me in the fourth degree-it is true, we had a dispensation: but I have been informed that she had also been contracted to another. This it is that sits heavy at my heart

o might not be equally proof against the temptation of Manfred's rank. For some time the holy man remained absorbed in thought. At length, conceiving some hopes from delay, he thought the wisest conduct would be to prevent the Prince from despairing of recovering Isabella. Her the Friar knew h

e to endeavour to harden your heart. The church is an indulgent mother: unfold your griefs to her: she alone can administer comfort to your soul, either by satisfying your conscience, or upon

earance, was overjoyed at this sudden turn, and repeated the most magnificent promises, if he should succeed by the Friar's medi

a's flight: tell me truly, is he her lover? or is he an agent for another's passion? I have often suspected Isabella's indifference to my son: a thousand circumstances crowd on my mind that

his mind: they might be turned to some use hereafter, either by prejudicing the Prince against Isabella, if he persisted in that union or by diverting his attention to a wrong scent, and employing his thoughts on a visionary intrigue, prevent his engaging in any new pu

e abruptly, with a command to remain there till his return, he hastened to t

and the light of the moon, that discovered the lock of the trap-door to thee? Tell me, audacious boy, who thou art, and how long thou hast been ac

incess was discovered, and concluding that anything he should sa

last night with the same veracity that I shall speak now: and that will not be from fear of your tortures, but because my s

ant time to prepare an evasion. Speak directly; who art

"my name is Theodore. The Princess found me in the vault

ll hear thy own story before I examine into the truth of it. Tell me, what reason

struction, and that if she could not escape from the castle, she

silly girl's report," said Manfred,

Theodore, "when a woman in distres

aring her father's voice, and seeing the servants assembled round him, she stopped to learn the occasion. The prisoner soon drew her attention: the steady and composed manner in which he answered, and the gallantry of

do I dream? or is not that youth the exact res

or her father's voice gr

th with which thou darest to trifle. Seize him," continued Manfred, "and bind him-the first

, "convinces me that I have done a good deed in delivering the Pri

of death is not animated by such sentiments. Tell me, tell me, ras

truth I have told thee: if that is all the encouragement I am to expect

lt not speak?

not," re

said Manfred; "I will see his head

ring those words. Bian

stion; but Manfred ordered him to be hurried into the court, and kept there for execution, till he had informed himself of the cause of Bianca's shrieks. When he learned the meaning, he treated it a

hoped by the confessor's means to come at the youth's history, readily granted his request; and being convinced that Father Jerome was now in his interest, he ordered him to be called and shrive the prisoner. The holy man, who had little foreseen the catastrophe that his imprudence occasioned, fell on his knees to the Prince, and adjured him in the most solemn manner not to shed innocent blood.

been numerous; nor exceed what might be expected at my years. Dry your tears, good Father

ear the sight of me with patience? I am thy murdere

, "as I hope heaven will pardon me. Hear my c

id Jerome. "Thou canst not be saved without pardoning t

aid Theodo

ouch thee, cruel Pri

ternly; "not to plead for him. Thou didst first i

n agony of sorrow. "Thou and I must never h

ore to be moved by the whining of pr

t my fate could have occasioned what I hear

wrath," said Manfred. "Prepare th

ctators, as well as into the Friar, suppressed his emotions, and putting off his doublet, and unbuttoning, his collar, kne

ly man, starting; "what do I se

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 a

onishment; yet his pride forbad his owning himself affected. He even doubted

consistent with thy profession or reputed sanctity to avow

e? Could I feel the anguish I do if I were not his father? Spar

cried the attendants; "f

know more ere I am disposed to pardon. A

elty. If I am this venerable man's son, though no Princ

nd 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 rep

t the Count of Falconara. Let me know your history; you will have time to moralise h

a father the life of his only, his long-lost, child! Trample me, m

son! A little hour ago thou didst preach up resignation to me: my

fferings! I boast not of my family, nor think of such vanities-it is nature, that pleads fo

been with the bless

py! Thou art all my care now!-Most dread Lord!

ct the Princess hither; obey me in what else thou

my honesty the price I must pa

ce. What is it the tyrant would exact of thee? Is the Princess still safe from his powe

rumpet, which hung without the gate of the castle, was suddenly sounded. At the same instant the sable plumes on the enchanted helmet, w