The Castle of Otranto

from his former meekness, suggested still deeper apprehensions. The Prince even suspected that the Friar depended on some secret support from Frederic, whose arrival, coinciding with the novel app

ella on him. These contradictions agi

minating on these anxious thoughts, as he marched silently with Hippolita to the castle, he at last discoursed with that Princess on the subject of his disquiet, and used every insinuating and plausible argument to extract her consent to, even her promise of promoting the divorce. Hippolita needed little persuasions to bend her to his plea

rederic to take a journey on purpose. That Prince had discovered so much passion for Matilda, that Manfred hoped to obtain all he wished by holding out or withdrawing his daughter's charms, accordi

was in the confidence of both the young ladies. It immediately occurred to him to sift her on the subject of Isabella and Theodore. Calling her aside into the reces

wonderfully alarmed about her father's wounds; but I t

her father; but you are in her secrets. Come, be a good girl

Highness? no, not I. I told her

Prince, impatiently, "about her

t right to let my young Lady despond, methought his greatness had a wan look,

is jewel, perhaps that may fix thy attention-nay, no reverences; my favo

ca, "to be sure-but can your Highness keep a se

it shall not,

swear, you

it should ever be kn

rd your son; yet he was a sweet youth as one should see; I am sure, if I had been a Pri

t satisfied my question. Hast thou e

hope your Highness thinks, though I am poor, I am honest. Did your Highness neve

o not question thy honesty. But it is thy duty to conceal nothi

y thing of the matter. Theodore, to be sure, is a proper young man, and, as my Lad

est me," said Manfred. "W

y Matilda?"

when did Isabella first become

aid Bianca, "how

aid Manfred; "and I

s not jealous of young

s? perhaps I mean to unite them-If I wer

ian ground. We are all in love with him; there is not a soul in the castle but would be rejoiced

arge thee, not a word of what has passed. Find out how she is affected towards Theodore; bring me good news, and that ring has a c

d Frederic to dismiss the two Knights, his compa

disposed to his wish, he let drop hints on the difficulties that would attend the celebration of their marriage, un

she; "we are all undone! it is

again?" cried

Bianca. "I will not sleep in the castle to-night. Where shall I go? my things may come

ung woman?" said the Marquis. "Th

ut I dare not-no, pray let me go-I had rather leave every

rupt us not; we were communing on important matters-My L

rayers morning and evening-oh! if your Highness had believed Diego! 'Tis the same hand that he saw the foot to in the galle

rage; "be gone, and keep these foo

k I have seen nothing? go to the foot of th

ir maid, what thou has

the delirium of a silly wench, who has heard s

oo natural and too strongly impressed to be the work of imagi

ook very pale; I shall be better when I have recovered myself-I w

errupted Manfred. "Since his Highness w

your Greatness, I was going by his Highness's order to my Lady Isabella's chamber; she lies in the watchet-coloured chambe

oint? what imports it to the Marquis, that I gave thee a bauble for thy

e ring-I am sure I had not gone up three steps, but I heard the rattling of armour; for all the w

aid the Marquis; "is your castle

t in the gallery-chamber?" cried Bianca. "I marvel his Highness

nfred. "Let us dismiss this silly wench, my Lo

e enormous sabre I was directed to in the wood, yon casque

for, as I was saying, when I heard the clattering of armour, I was all in a cold sweat. I looked up, and, if your Greatness will believe me, I saw upon the uppermost banister of the great stairs a hand in armou

omestics suborned to spread tales injurious to my honour? Pursue your claim by manly daring; or let us bury our feuds, as was prop

ewel. My Lord, my Lord, your conscience, your guilt accuses you, and would throw the suspicion on me; but keep yo

scruples he had conceived. He had gathered enough from Bianca's discourse to persuade him that heaven declared itself against Manfred. The proposed marriages too removed his claim to a distance; and the principality of Otranto was a stronger temptation than the contingent reversion of it with Matilda. Still he would not absolutely re

ted herself with an easy gravity; but the young ladies were silent and melancholy. Manfred, who was determined to pursue his point with the Marquis in the remainder of the evening, pushed on the feast until it waxed late; affecting unrestrained gaiety, and plying Frederic with repeated goblets of w

to his chamber, gallantly telling the Prince that his daughter should amuse his Highness until himself could attend him. Manfred accepted the party, and to th

robably would find her. The Marquis, during the repast, had beheld Matilda with increase of passion. He now wished to find Hippolita in the disposition her Lord had promised. The portents that had alarmed him were forgotten in his desires. Stealing softly and uno

open the door gently, he saw a person kneeling before the altar. As he approached nearer, it seemed not a woman, but one in a long woollen weed, whose back was towards him. The person seemed absorbed in prayer. The Mar

r, I sought the

polita?" and then the figure, turning slowly round, discovered to Frederic t

rotect me!" cried

ectre. Frederic, falling on his knees,

?" said the apparition. "R

ied Frederic, trembling. "Can I

"to pursue carnal delights? Hast thou forgotten the

c; "but say, blest spirit, what is thy

!" said the appari

on his thoughts, he lay on the ground in a conflict of penitence and passion. Ere he could recover from this agony of his spirits, the Princess Hippolita with a taper in her hand entered the oratory alone. Seeing a man without motion on the floor, she gave a shriek, concluding him dead. Her fr

aid the Marquis, penetrate

as heaven still in store for the wretched Hippolita? Yet silent! By every pitying angel, I adjure thee, noble Prince," continued she, falling at his feet, "to disclose the

d Frederic, bursting f

side, and entering his chamber, flung the door intemperately against Manfred, and bolted it inwards. The haughty Prince, enraged at this unaccountable behaviour, withdrew in a frame of mind capable of the most fatal excesses. As he crossed the court, he was met by the domestic whom he had planted at the convent as a spy on Jerome and

mpatience to meet Theodore. Provoked by this conjecture, and enraged at her father, he hastened secretly to the great church. Gliding softly between the aisles, and guided by an imperfect gleam of moonshine

on me? Manfred will n

drawing his dagger, and plunging it over her sh

ed Matilda, sinking. "Goo

ou done!" cried Theodore, rushing on h

us hand!" cried Matil

e, scarce less distracted, and only mastering the transports of his grief to assist Matilda, had now by his cries drawn some of the monks to his aid. While part of

as her faintness would permit her speech its way, she begged the assistants to comfort her father. Jerome, by this time,

d of Alfonso cried to heaven for vengeance; and heaven has permitted its altar to be polluted

rd, my gracious Sire, dost thou forgive thy child? Indeed, I came not hither to meet Theodore. I found him praying at this

k thee for Isabella; but heaven directed my bloody hand to the heart of my chil

my mother! what will she feel? Will you comfort her, my Lord? Will you not put her away? Inde

as she requested. Theodore, supporting her head with his arm, and hanging over her in an agony of despairing love, still endeavoured to inspire her with hopes of life. Jerome, on the other side, comforted her with

cession, the mightiness of her grief deprived her of her senses, and she fell lifeless to the earth in a swoon. Isabella and Frederic, who attended he

this act of pathetic piety. He dashed himself on the ground, and cursed the day he was born. Isabella, apprehensive that these struggles of passion were more than Matilda could support, took upon herself to order Manfred to be borne to his apartment, while she c

! I lived but in her, an

e and the damp coldness of her hand soon dispelled all hopes of recovery. Theodore followed the surgeon

e in death! Father! Jerome! will you not join our hands?" cried he

rashness?" said Jerome. "Is

ed Theodore. "Alas!

thou think we are to listen to thy fond transports in this

the sovereign of Otranto. This reverend

e of Otranto but myself, now Manfred, by murder, by

ecret should have been divulged so soon, but fate presses onward to its work. What his hot-headed p

e shall be mine! In every other thing I will dutifully obey you. My life! my adored Matilda!" conti

o be silent, apprehending th

?" cried Theodore;

ht Matilda to herself. Lifting up her

re!" cried Hippolita; "th

am going where sorrow never dwells-Isabella, thou hast loved me; wouldst

ippolita in a flood of tears, "c

r-forgive him my death; it was an error. Oh! I had forgotten-dearest mother, I vowed never to see Th

id Hippolita; "thou never couldst off

da, struggling, "but it cannot be-Isabel

uction to all who attempted to remove him from it. He printed a thousand kisses on

e met by Manfred, who, distracted with his own thoughts, and anxious once more to behold his daughter, was advancing to the cha

rmour was heard behind. Frederic and Jerome thought the last day was at hand. The latter, forcing Theodore along with them, rushed into the court. The moment Theodore appear

d by a clap of thunder, it ascended solemnly towards heaven, where the clouds parting asunder, the form of St

aces, acknowledging the divine will. Th

rince of Otranto. By what miracle he is so I know not-suffice it to us, our doom is pronounced! shall we not, can we but dedicate the few deplorable hou

e at last do justice on myself! To heap shame on my own head is all the satisfaction I have left to offer to offended heaven. My story has drawn down these judgments: Let my confessi

pay the price of usurpation for all! A storm overtook him. Haunted by his guilt he vowed to St. Nicholas to found a church and two convents, if he lived to reach Otranto. The sacrifice was accepted: the saint appeared to him in a dream, and promised that Ricardo's posterity should reign in Otranto until the rightful owner should be grown too large to inhabit the castle, and as long as issue male from Ricardo's loins should rem

oly Land he was driven by a storm to the coast of Sicily. The other vessel, which b

he title you give me is more than an ou

us with the holy vow of arms by which he was bound, he determined to conceal their nuptials until his return from the Crusade, when he purposed to seek and acknowledge her for his lawful wife. He left her pregnant. During his absence she was delivered

vision we have but now seen, all corroborate thy evidence be

ta; "this holy man did not mean to r

ivered, was at her maturity bestowed in marriage on me. Victoria died; and the

n in the neighbouring convents. Frederic offered his daughter to the new Prince, which Hippolita's tenderness for Isabella concurred to promote. But Theodore's grief was too fresh to admit the thought of another love; and it was no