the castle of otranto-第7部分

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neath；　who　stopped；　and　they　concluded　had　heard　the　casement　　open。

〃Is　anybody　below？〃　said　the　Princess；　〃if　there　is；　speak。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　an　unknown　voice。

〃Who　is　it？〃　said　Matilda。

〃A　stranger；〃　replied　the　voice。

〃What　stranger？〃　said　she；　〃and　how　didst　thou　come　there　at　this　　unusual　hour；　when　all　the　gates　of　the　castle　are　locked？〃

〃I　am　not　here　willingly；〃　answered　the　voice。　　〃But　pardon　me；　Lady；　　if　I　have　disturbed　your　rest；　I　knew　not　that　I　was　overheard。　　Sleep　　had　forsaken　me；　I　left　a　restless　couch；　and　came　to　waste　the　　irksome　hours　with　gazing　on　the　fair　approach　of　morning；　impatient　　to　be　dismissed　from　this　castle。〃

〃Thy　words　and　accents；〃　said　Matilda；　〃are　of　melancholy　cast；　if　　thou　art　unhappy；　I　pity　thee。　　If　poverty　afflicts　thee；　let　me　know　　it；　I　will　mention　thee　to　the　Princess；　whose　beneficent　soul　ever　　melts　for　the　distressed；　and　she　will　relieve　thee。〃

〃I　am　indeed　unhappy；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃and　I　know　not　what　wealth　　is。　　But　I　do　not　complain　of　the　lot　which　Heaven　has　cast　for　me；　I　　am　young　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　remember　you　in　my　orisons；　and　will　pray　for　blessings　on　your　　gracious　self　and　your　noble　mistress　…　if　I　sigh；　Lady；　it　is　for　　others；　not　for　myself。〃

〃Now　I　have　it；　Madam；〃　said　Bianca；　whispering　the　Princess；　〃this　is　　certainly　the　young　peasant；　and；　by　my　conscience；　he　is　in　love　…　　Well！　this　is　a　charming　adventure！　…　do；　Madam；　let　us　sift　him。　　He　　does　not　know　you；　but　takes　you　for　one　of　my　Lady　Hippolita's　　women。〃

〃Art　thou　not　ashamed；　Bianca！〃　said　the　Princess。　　　〃What　right　have　　we　to　pry　into　the　secrets　of　this　young　man's　heart？　　He　seems　　virtuous　and　frank；　and　tells　us　he　is　unhappy。　　Are　those　　circumstances　that　authorise　us　to　make　a　property　of　him？　　How　are　we　　entitled　to　his　confidence？〃

〃Lord；　Madam！　how　little　you　know　of　love！〃　replied　Bianca；　〃why；　　lovers　have　no　pleasure　equal　to　talking　of　their　mistress。〃

〃And　would　you　have　ME　become　a　peasant's　confidante？〃　said　the　　Princess。

〃Well；　then；　let　me　talk　to　him；〃　said　Bianca；　〃though　I　have　the　　honour　of　being　your　Highness's　maid　of　honour；　I　was　not　always　so　　great。　　Besides；　if　love　levels　ranks；　it　raises　them　too；　I　have　a　　respect　for　any　young　man　in　love。〃

〃Peace；　simpleton！〃　said　the　Princess。　　〃Though　he　said　he　was　　unhappy；　it　does　not　follow　that　he　must　be　in　love。　　Think　of　all　　that　has　happened　to…day；　and　tell　me　if　there　are　no　misfortunes　but　　what　love　causes。　…　Stranger；〃　resumed　the　Princess；　〃if　thy　　misfortunes　have　not　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　the　church　of　St。　Nicholas；　and　make　thy　story　　known　to　him；　as　far　as　thou　thinkest　meet。　　He　will　not　fail　to　　inform　the　Princess；　who　is　the　mother　of　all　that　want　her　　assistance。　　Farewell；　it　is　not　seemly　for　me　to　hold　farther　　converse　with　a　man　at　this　unwonted　hour。〃

〃May　the　saints　guard　thee；　gracious　Lady！〃　replied　the　peasant；　〃but　　oh！　if　a　poor　and　worthless　stranger　might　presume　to　beg　a　minute's　　audience　farther；　am　I　so　happy？　the　casement　is　not　shut；　might　I　　venture　to　ask　…　〃

〃Speak　quickly；〃　said　Matilda；　〃the　morning　dawns　apace：　　should　the　　labourers　come　into　the　fields　and　perceive　us　…　What　wouldst　thou　　ask？〃

〃I　know　not　how；　I　know　not　if　I　dare；〃　said　the　Young　stranger；　　faltering；　〃yet　the　humanity　with　which　you　have　spoken　to　me　　emboldens　…　Lady！　dare　I　trust　you？〃

〃Heavens！〃　said　Matilda；　〃what　dost　thou　mean？　　With　what　wouldst　thou　　trust　me？　　Speak　boldly；　if　thy　secret　is　fit　to　be　entrusted　to　a　　virtuous　breast。〃

〃I　would　ask；〃　said　the　peasant；　recollecting　himself；　〃whether　what　I　　have　heard　from　the　domestics　is　true；　that　the　Princess　is　missing　　from　the　castle？〃

〃What　imports　it　to　thee　to　know？〃　replied　Matilda。　　〃Thy　first　words　　bespoke　a　prudent　and　becoming　gravity。　　Dost　thou　come　hither　to　pry　　into　the　secrets　of　Manfred？　　Adieu。　　I　have　been　mistaken　in　thee。〃　　　Saying　these　words　she　shut　the　casement　hastily；　without　giving　the　　young　man　time　to　reply。

〃I　had　acted　more　wisely；〃　said　the　Princess　to　Bianca；　with　some　　sharpness；　〃if　I　had　let　thee　converse　with　this　peasant；　his　　inquisitiveness　seems　of　a　piece　with　thy　own。〃

〃It　is　not　fit　for　me　to　argue　with　your　Highness；〃　replied　Bianca；　　〃but　perhaps　the　questions　I　should　have　put　to　him　would　have　been　　more　to　the　purpose　than　those　you　have　been　pleased　to　ask　him。〃

〃Oh！　no　doubt；〃　said　Matilda；　〃you　are　a　very　discreet　personage！　　May　　I　know　what　YOU　would　have　asked　him？〃

〃A　bystander　often　sees　more　of　the　game　than　those　that　play；〃　　answered　Bianca。　　〃Does　your　Highness　think；　Madam；　that　this　question　　about　my　Lady　Isabella　was　the　result　of　mere　curiosity？　　No；　no；　　Madam；　there　is　more　in　it　than　you　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　brother。　　　Well！　he　is　killed　just　in　a　critical　minute　…　I　accuse　nobody。　　A　　helmet　falls　from　the　moon　…　so；　my　Lord；　your　father　says；　but　Lopez　　and　all　the　servants　say　that　this　young　spark　is　a　magician；　and　　stole　it　from　Alfonso's　tomb　…　〃

〃Have　done　with　this　rhapsody　of　impertinence；〃　said　Matilda。

〃Nay；　Madam；　as　you　please；〃　cried　Bianca；　〃yet　it　is　very　particular　　though；　that　my　Lady　Isabella　should　be　missing　the　very　same　day；　and　　that　this　young　sorcerer　should　be　found　at　the　mouth　of　the　trap…　door。　　I　accuse　nobody；　but　if　my　young　Lord　came　honestly　by　his　　death　…　〃

〃Dare　not　on　thy　duty；〃　said　Matilda；　〃to　breathe　a　suspicion　on　the　　purity　of　my　dear　Isabella's　fame。〃

〃Purity；　or　not　purity；〃　said　Bianca；　〃gone　she　is　…　a　stranger　is　　found　that　nobody　knows；　you　question　him　yourself；　he　tells　you　he　is　　in　love；　or　unhappy；　it　is　the　same　thing　…　nay；　he　owned　he　was　　unhappy　about　others；　and　is　anybody　unhappy　about　another；　unless　　they　are　in　love　with　them？　and　at　the　very　next　word；　he　asks　　innocently；　pour　soul！　if　my　Lady　Isabella　is　missing。〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　said　Matilda；　〃thy　observations　are　not　totally　without　　foundation　…　Isabella's　flight　amazes　me。　　The　curiosity　of　the　　stranger　is　very　particular；　yet　Isabella　never　concealed　a　thought　　from　me。〃

〃So　she　told　you；〃　said　Bianca；　〃to　fish　out　your　secrets；　but　who　　knows；　Madam；　but　this　stranger　may　be　some　Prince　in　disguise？　　Do；　　Madam；　let　me　open　the　window；　and　ask　him　a　few　questions。〃

〃No；〃　replied　Matilda；　〃I　will　ask　him　myself；　if　he　knows　aught　of　　Isabella；　he　is　not　worthy　I　should　converse　farther　with　him。〃　　She　　was　going　to　open　the　casement；　when　they　heard　the　bell　ring　at　the　　postern…gate　of　the　castle；　which　is　on　the　right　hand　of　the　tower；　　where　Matilda　lay。　　This　prevented　the　Princess　from　renewing　the　　conversation　with　the　stranger。

After　continuing　silent　for　some　time；　〃I　am　persuaded；〃　said　she　to　　Bianca；　〃that　whatever　be　the　cause　of　Isabella's　flight　it　had　no　　unworthy　motive。　　If　this　stranger　was　accessory　to　it；　she　must　be　　satisfied　with　his　fidelity　and　worth。　　I　observed；　did　not　you；　　Bianca？　that　his　words　were　tinctured　with　an　uncommon　infusion　of　　piety。　　It　was　no　ruffian's　speech；　his　phrases　were　becoming　a　man　of　　gentle　birth。〃

〃I　told　you；　Madam；〃　said　Bianca；　〃that　I　was　sure　he　was　some　Prince　　in　disguise。〃

〃Yet；〃　said　Matilda；　〃if　he　was　privy　to　her　escape；　how　will　you　　account　for　his　not　accompanying　her　in　her　flight？　why　expose　himself　　unnecessarily　and　rashly　to　my　father's　resentment？〃

〃As　for　that；　Madam；〃　replied　she；　〃if　he　could　get　from　under　the　　helmet；　he　will　find　ways　of　eluding　your　father's　anger。　　I　do　not　　doubt　but　he　has　some　talisman　or　other　about　him。〃

〃You　resolve　everything　into　magic；〃　said　Matilda；　〃but　a　man　who　has　　any　intercourse　with　infernal　spirits；　does　not　dare　to　make　use　of　　those　tremendous　and　holy　words　which　he　uttered。　　Didst　thou　not　　observe　with　what　fervour　he　vowed　to　remember　ME　to　heaven　in　his　　prayers？　　Yes；　Isabella　was　undoubtedly　convinced　of　his　piety。〃

〃Commend　me　to　the　piety　of　a　young　fellow　and　a　damsel　that　consult　　to　elope！〃　said　Bianca。　　〃No；　no；　Madam；　my　Lady　Isabella　is　of　　another　guess　mould　than　you　take　her　for。　　She　used　indeed　to　sigh　　and　lift　up　her　eyes　in　your　company；　because　she　knows　you　are　a　　saint；　but　when　your　back　was　turned　…　〃

〃You　wrong　her；〃　said　Matilda；　〃Isabella　is　no　hypocrite；　she　has　a　　due　sense　of　devotion；　but　never　affected　a　call　she　has　not。　　On　the　　contrary；　she　always　combated　my　inclination　for　the　cloister；　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　she　always　opposed　　my　taking　the　veil。　　She　wished　to　see　me　married；　though　my　dower　　would　have　been　a　loss　to　her　and　my　brother's　children。　　For　her　sake　　I　will　believe　well　of　this　young　peasant。〃

〃Then　you　do　think　there　is　some　liking　between　them；〃　said　Bianca。　　　While　she　was　speaking；　a　servant　came　hastily　into　the　chamber　and　　told　the　Princess　that　the　Lady　Isabella　was　found。

〃Where？〃　said　Matilda。

〃She　has　taken　sanctuary　in　St。　Nicholas's　church；〃　replied　the　　servant；　〃Father　Jerome　has　brought　the　news　himself；　he　is　below　with　　his　Highness。〃

〃Where　is　my　mother？〃　said　Matilda。

〃She　is　in　her　own　chamber；　Madam；　and　has　asked　for　you。〃

Manfred　had　risen　at　the　first　dawn　of　light；　and　gone　to　Hippolita's　　apartment；　to　inquire　if　she　knew　aught　of　Isabella。　　While　he　was　　questioning　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　employed　by　Hippolita　in　her　charities；　ordered