f000001,21.000,22.360,"the astle of ontronto by horance."
f000002,22.360,26.160,"chapter three."
f000003,26.160,36.960,"Manfred's heart misgave him when he beheld the plumage on the miraculous casque shaken in concert with the sounding of the brazen trumpet."
f000004,36.960,45.280,"Father! said he to Jerome, whom he now ceased to treat as Count of Falconara, what mean these portents?"
f000005,45.280,50.240,"If I have offended the plumes were shaken with greater violence than before."
f000006,50.240,53.400,"Unhappy Prince that I am, cried Manfred."
f000007,53.400,57.160,"Holy Father! will you not assist me with your prayers?"
f000008,57.160,63.720,"My Lord, replied Jerome, heaven is no doubt displeased with your mockery of its servants."
f000009,63.720,67.960,"Submit yourself to the church; and cease to persecute her ministers."
f000010,67.960,73.160,"Dismiss this innocent youth; and learn to respect the holy character I wear."
f000011,73.160,78.480,"Heaven will not be trifled with: you see the trumpet sounded again."
f000012,78.480,81.960,"I acknowledge I have been too hasty, said Manfred."
f000013,81.960,86.360,"Father, do you go to the wicket, and demand who is at the gate."
f000014,86.360,90.280,"Do you grant me the life of Theodore? replied the Friar."
f000015,90.280,94.560,"I do, said Manfred; but inquire who is without!"
f000016,94.560,102.760,"Jerome, falling on the neck of his son, discharged a flood of tears, that spoke the fulness of his soul."
f000017,102.760,106.200,"You promised to go to the gate, said Manfred."
f000018,106.200,113.360,"I thought, replied the Friar, your Highness would excuse my thanking you first in this tribute of my heart."
f000019,113.360,117.160,"Go, dearest Sir, said Theodore; obey the Prince."
f000020,117.160,121.480,"I do not deserve that you should delay his satisfaction for me."
f000021,121.480,126.880,"Jerome, inquiring who was without, was answered, A Herald."
f000022,126.880,128.880,"From whom? said he."
f000023,128.880,136.040,"From the Knight of the Gigantic Sabre, said the Herald; and I must speak with the usurper of Otranto."
f000024,136.040,142.680,"Jerome returned to the Prince, and did not fail to repeat the message in the very words it had been uttered."
f000025,142.680,153.280,"The first sounds struck Manfred with terror; but when he heard himself styled usurper, his rage rekindled, and all his courage revived."
f000026,153.280,159.440,"Usurper!insolent villain! cried he; who dares to question my title?"
f000027,159.440,165.560,"Retire, Father; this is no business for Monks: I will meet this presumptuous man myself."
f000028,165.560,169.040,"Go to your convent and prepare the Princess's return."
f000029,169.040,174.960,"Your son shall be a hostage for your fidelity: his life depends on your obedience."
f000030,174.960,185.360,"Good heaven! my Lord, cried Jerome, your Highness did but this instant freely pardon my childhave you so soon forgot the interposition of heaven?"
f000031,185.360,191.600,"Heaven, replied Manfred, does not send Heralds to question the title of a lawful Prince."
f000032,191.600,197.960,"I doubt whether it even notifies its will through Friarsbut that is your affair, not mine."
f000033,197.960,206.120,"At present you know my pleasure; and it is not a saucy Herald that shall save your son, if you do not return with the Princess."
f000034,206.120,209.240,"It was in vain for the holy man to reply."
f000035,209.240,215.120,"Manfred commanded him to be conducted to the posterngate, and shut out from the castle."
f000036,215.120,227.080,"And he ordered some of his attendants to carry Theodore to the top of the black tower, and guard him strictly; scarce permitting the father and son to exchange a hasty embrace at parting."
f000037,227.080,236.920,"He then withdrew to the hall, and seating himself in princely state, ordered the Herald to be admitted to his presence."
f000038,236.920,241.520,"thou insolent! said the Prince, what wouldst thou with me?"
f000039,241.520,279.200,"I come, replied he, to thee, Manfred, usurper of the principality of Otranto, from the renowned and invincible Knight, the Knight of the Gigantic Sabre: in the name of his Lord, Frederic, Marquis of Vicenza, he demands the Lady Isabella, daughter of that Prince, whom thou hast basely and traitorously got into thy power, by bribing her false guardians during his absence; and he requires thee to resign the principality of Otranto, which thou hast usurped from the said Lord Frederic, the nearest of blood to the last rightful Lord, Alfonso the Good."
f000040,279.200,287.360,"If thou dost not instantly comply with these just demands, he defies thee to single combat to the last extremity."
f000041,287.360,291.640,"And so saying the Herald cast down his warder."
f000042,291.640,296.040,"And where is this braggart who sends thee? said Manfred."
f000043,296.040,307.240,"At the distance of a league, said the Herald: he comes to make good his Lord's claim against thee, as he is a true knight, and thou an usurper and ravisher."
f000044,307.240,314.600,"Injurious as this challenge was, Manfred reflected that it was not his interest to provoke the Marquis."
f000045,314.600,321.160,"He knew how well founded the claim of Frederic was; nor was this the first time he had heard of it."
f000046,321.160,337.200,"Frederic's ancestors had assumed the style of Princes of Otranto, from the death of Alfonso the Good without issue; but Manfred, his father, and grandfather, had been too powerful for the house of Vicenza to dispossess them."
f000047,337.200,348.160,"Frederic, a martial and amorous young Prince, had married a beautiful young lady, of whom he was enamoured, and who had died in childbed of Isabella."
f000048,348.160,361.360,"Her death affected him so much that he had taken the cross and gone to the Holy Land, where he was wounded in an engagement against the infidels, made prisoner, and reported to be dead."
f000049,361.360,375.680,"When the news reached Manfred's ears, he bribed the guardians of the Lady Isabella to deliver her up to him as a bride for his son Conrad, by which alliance he had proposed to unite the claims of the two houses."
f000050,375.680,390.200,"This motive, on Conrad's death, had cooperated to make him so suddenly resolve on espousing her himself; and the same reflection determined him now to endeavour at obtaining the consent of Frederic to this marriage."
f000051,390.200,406.280,"A like policy inspired him with the thought of inviting Frederic's champion into the castle, lest he should be informed of Isabella's flight, which he strictly enjoined his domestics not to disclose to any of the Knight's retinue."
f000052,406.280,420.680,"Herald, said Manfred, as soon as he had digested these reflections, return to thy master, and tell him, ere we liquidate our differences by the sword, Manfred would hold some converse with him."
f000053,420.680,431.520,"Bid him welcome to my castle, where by my faith, as I am a true Knight, he shall have courteous reception, and full security for himself and followers."
f000054,431.520,444.600,"If we cannot adjust our quarrel by amicable means, I swear he shall depart in safety, and shall have full satisfaction according to the laws of arms: So help me God and His holy Trinity!"
f000055,444.600,455.480,"The Herald made three obeisances and retired."
f000056,455.480,462.120,"During this interview Jerome's mind was agitated by a thousand contrary passions."
f000057,462.120,469.840,"He trembled for the life of his son, and his first thought was to persuade Isabella to return to the castle."
f000058,469.840,473.920,"Yet he was scarce less alarmed at the thought of her union with Manfred."
f000059,473.920,493.720,"He dreaded Hippolita's unbounded submission to the will of her Lord; and though he did not doubt but he could alarm her piety not to consent to a divorce, if he could get access to her; yet should Manfred discover that the obstruction came from him, it might be equally fatal to Theodore."
f000060,493.720,509.640,"He was impatient to know whence came the Herald, who with so little management had questioned the title of Manfred: yet he did not dare absent himself from the convent, lest Isabella should leave it, and her flight be imputed to him."
f000061,509.640,515.680,"He returned disconsolately to the monastery, uncertain on what conduct to resolve."
f000062,515.680,525.760,"A Monk, who met him in the porch and observed his melancholy air, said  Alas! brother, is it then true that we have lost our excellent Princess Hippolita?"
f000063,525.760,530.480,"The holy man started, and cried, What meanest thou, brother?"
f000064,530.480,534.600,"I come this instant from the castle, and left her in perfect health."
f000065,534.600,545.160,"Martelli, replied the other Friar, passed by the convent but a quarter of an hour ago on his way from the castle, and reported that her Highness was dead."
f000066,545.160,552.400,"All our brethren are gone to the chapel to pray for her happy transit to a better life, and willed me to wait thy arrival."
f000067,552.400,564.320,"They know thy holy attachment to that good Lady, and are anxious for the affliction it will cause in thee indeed we have all reason to weep; she was a mother to our house."
f000068,564.320,570.560,"But this life is but a pilgrimage; we must not murmurwe shall all follow her!"
f000069,570.560,572.120,"May our end be like hers!"
f000070,572.120,575.640,"Good brother, thou dreamest, said Jerome."
f000071,575.640,580.080,"I tell thee I come from the castle, and left the Princess well."
f000072,580.080,581.520,"Where is the Lady Isabella?"
f000073,581.520,589.160,"Poor Gentlewoman! replied the Friar; I told her the sad news, and offered her spiritual comfort."
f000074,589.160,600.000,"I reminded her of the transitory condition of mortality, and advised her to take the veil: I quoted the example of the holy Princess Sanchia of Arragon."
f000075,600.000,618.840,"Thy zeal was laudable, said Jerome, impatiently; but at present it was unnecessary: Hippolita is wellat least I trust in the Lord she is; I heard nothing to the contraryyet, methinks, the Prince's earnestnessWell, brother, but where is the Lady Isabella?"
f000076,618.840,624.600,"I know not, said the Friar; she wept much, and said she would retire to her chamber."
f000077,624.600,632.440,"Jerome left his comrade abruptly, and hastened to the Princess, but she was not in her chamber."
f000078,632.440,637.840,"He inquired of the domestics of the convent, but could learn no news of her."
f000079,637.840,649.600,"He searched in vain throughout the monastery and the church, and despatched messengers round the neighbourhood, to get intelligence if she had been seen; but to no purpose."
f000080,649.600,653.040,"Nothing could equal the good man's perplexity."
f000081,653.040,663.800,"He judged that Isabella, suspecting Manfred of having precipitated his wife's death, had taken the alarm, and withdrawn herself to some more secret place of concealment."
f000082,663.800,668.240,"This new flight would probably carry the Prince's fury to the height."
f000083,668.240,685.840,"The report of Hippolita's death, though it seemed almost incredible, increased his consternation; and though Isabella's escape bespoke her aversion of Manfred for a husband, Jerome could feel no comfort from it, while it endangered the life of his son."
f000084,685.840,701.720,"He determined to return to the castle, and made several of his brethren accompany him to attest his innocence to Manfred, and, if necessary, join their intercession with his for Theodore."
f000085,701.720,717.360,"The Prince, in the meantime, had passed into the court, and ordered the gates of the castle to be flung open for the reception of the stranger Knight and his train."
f000086,717.360,720.600,"In a few minutes the cavalcade arrived."
f000087,720.600,722.840,"First came two harbingers with wands."
f000088,722.840,728.000,"Next a herald, followed by two pages and two trumpets."
f000089,728.000,730.360,"Then a hundred foot guards."
f000090,730.360,733.640,"These were attended by as many horse."
f000091,733.640,739.520,"After them fifty footmen, clothed in scarlet and black, the colours of the Knight."
f000092,739.520,740.640,"Then a led horse."
f000093,740.640,754.480,"Two heralds on each side of a gentleman on horseback bearing a banner with the arms of Vicenza and Otranto quarterlya circumstance that much offended Manfredbut he stifled his resentment."
f000094,754.480,756.120,"Two more pages."
f000095,756.120,759.840,"The Knight's confessor telling his beads."
f000096,759.840,761.880,"Fifty more footmen clad as before."
f000097,761.880,768.280,"Two Knights habited in complete armour, their beavers down, comrades to the principal Knight."
f000098,768.280,773.240,"The squires of the two Knights, carrying their shields and devices."
f000099,773.240,775.880,"The Knight's own squire."
f000100,775.880,782.160,"A hundred gentlemen bearing an enormous sword, and seeming to faint under the weight of it."
f000101,782.160,796.080,"The Knight himself on a chestnut steed, in complete armour, his lance in the rest, his face entirely concealed by his vizor, which was surmounted by a large plume of scarlet and black feathers."
f000102,796.080,806.560,"Fifty footguards with drums and trumpets closed the procession, which wheeled off to the right and left to make room for the principal Knight."
f000103,806.560,813.520,"As soon as he approached the gate he stopped; and the herald advancing, read again the words of the challenge."
f000104,813.520,826.400,"Manfred's eyes were fixed on the gigantic sword, and he scarce seemed to attend to the cartel: but his attention was soon diverted by a tempest of wind that rose behind him."
f000105,826.400,835.000,"He turned and beheld the Plumes of the enchanted helmet agitated in the same extraordinary manner as before."
f000106,835.000,843.080,"It required intrepidity like Manfred's not to sink under a concurrence of circumstances that seemed to announce his fate."
f000107,843.080,856.360,"Yet scorning in the presence of strangers to betray the courage he had always manifested, he said boldly  Sir Knight, whoever thou art, I bid thee welcome."
f000108,856.360,866.040,"If thou art of mortal mould, thy valour shall meet its equal: and if thou art a true Knight, thou wilt scorn to employ sorcery to carry thy point."
f000109,866.040,877.040,"Be these omens from heaven or hell, Manfred trusts to the righteousness of his cause and to the aid of St. Nicholas, who has ever protected his house."
f000110,877.040,880.040,"Alight, Sir Knight, and repose thyself."
f000111,880.040,885.840,"Tomorrow thou shalt have a fair field, and heaven befriend the juster side!"
f000112,885.840,894.440,"The Knight made no reply, but dismounting, was conducted by Manfred to the great hall of the castle."
f000113,894.440,905.280,"As they traversed the court, the Knight stopped to gaze on the miraculous casque; and kneeling down, seemed to pray inwardly for some minutes."
f000114,905.280,909.560,"Rising, he made a sign to the Prince to lead on."
f000115,909.560,919.040,"As soon as they entered the hall, Manfred proposed to the stranger to disarm, but the Knight shook his head in token of refusal."
f000116,919.040,931.280,"Sir Knight, said Manfred, this is not courteous, but by my good faith I will not cross thee, nor shalt thou have cause to complain of the Prince of Otranto."
f000117,931.280,942.960,"No treachery is designed on my part; I hope none is intended on thine; here take my gage giving him his ring: your friends and you shall enjoy the laws of hospitality."
f000118,942.960,945.800,"Rest here until refreshments are brought."
f000119,945.800,950.440,"I will but give orders for the accommodation of your train, and return to you."
f000120,950.440,954.080,"The three Knights bowed as accepting his courtesy."
f000121,954.080,964.640,"Manfred directed the stranger's retinue to be conducted to an adjacent hospital, founded by the Princess Hippolita for the reception of pilgrims."
f000122,964.640,976.320,"As they made the circuit of the court to return towards the gate, the gigantic sword burst from the supporters, and falling to the ground opposite to the helmet, remained immovable."
f000123,976.320,992.040,"Manfred, almost hardened to preternatural appearances, surmounted the shock of this new prodigy; and returning to the hall, where by this time the feast was ready, he invited his silent guests to take their places."
f000124,992.040,998.960,"Manfred, however ill his heart was at ease, endeavoured to inspire the company with mirth."
f000125,998.960,1003.720,"He put several questions to them, but was answered only by signs."
f000126,1003.720,1009.880,"They raised their vizors but sufficiently to feed themselves, and that sparingly."
f000127,1009.880,1027.600,"Sirs said the Prince, ye are the first guests I ever treated within these walls who scorned to hold any intercourse with me: nor has it oft been customary, I ween, for princes to hazard their state and dignity against strangers and mutes."
f000128,1027.600,1044.480,"You say you come in the name of Frederic of Vicenza; I have ever heard that he was a gallant and courteous Knight; nor would he, I am bold to say, think it beneath him to mix in social converse with a Prince that is his equal, and not unknown by deeds in arms."
f000129,1044.480,1055.600,"Still ye are silent well! be it as it mayby the laws of hospitality and chivalry ye are masters under this roof: ye shall do your pleasure."
f000130,1055.600,1063.240,"But come, give me a goblet of wine; ye will not refuse to pledge me to the healths of your fair mistresses."
f000131,1063.240,1068.600,"The principal Knight sighed and crossed himself, and was rising from the board."
f000132,1068.600,1073.000,"Sir Knight, said Manfred, what I said was but in sport."
f000133,1073.000,1077.000,"I shall constrain you in nothing: use your good liking."
f000134,1077.000,1080.360,"Since mirth is not your mood, let us be sad."
f000135,1080.360,1083.080,"Business may hit your fancies better."
f000136,1083.080,1091.720,"Let us withdraw, and hear if what I have to unfold may be better relished than the vain efforts I have made for your pastime."
f000137,1091.720,1127.800,"Manfred then conducting the three Knights into an inner chamber, shut the door, and inviting them to be seated, began thus, addressing himself to the chief personage: You come, Sir Knight, as I understand, in the name of the Marquis of Vicenza, to redemand the Lady Isabella, his daughter, who has been contracted in the face of Holy Church to my son, by the consent of her legal guardians; and to require me to resign my dominions to your Lord, who gives himself for the nearest of blood to Prince Alfonso, whose soul God rest!"
f000138,1127.800,1130.720,"I shall speak to the latter article of your demands first."
f000139,1130.720,1141.160,"You must know, your Lord knows, that I enjoy the principality of Otranto from my father, Don Manuel, as he received it from his father, Don Ricardo."
f000140,1141.160,1152.360,"Alfonso, their predecessor, dying childless in the Holy Land, bequeathed his estates to my grandfather, Don Ricardo, in consideration of his faithful services."
f000141,1152.360,1154.400,"The stranger shook his head."
f000142,1154.400,1166.800,"Sir Knight, said Manfred, warmly, Ricardo was a valiant and upright man; he was a pious man; witness his munificent foundation of the adjoining church and two converts."
f000143,1166.800,1179.560,"He was peculiarly patronised by St. Nicholasmy grandfather was incapableI say, Sir, Don Ricardo was incapableexcuse me, your interruption has disordered me."
f000144,1179.560,1182.480,"I venerate the memory of my grandfather."
f000145,1182.480,1194.960,"Well, Sirs, he held this estate; he held it by his good sword and by the favour of St. Nicholasso did my father; and so, Sirs, will I, come what come will."
f000146,1194.960,1198.440,"But Frederic, your Lord, is nearest in blood."
f000147,1198.440,1202.240,"I have consented to put my title to the issue of the sword."
f000148,1202.240,1205.160,"Does that imply a vicious title?"
f000149,1205.160,1208.880,"I might have asked, where is Frederic your Lord?"
f000150,1208.880,1212.360,"Report speaks him dead in captivity."
f000151,1212.360,1220.320,"You say, your actions say, he livesI question it notI might, Sirs, I might but I do not."
f000152,1220.320,1245.040,"Other Princes would bid Frederic take his inheritance by force, if he can: they would not stake their dignity on a single combat: they would not submit it to the decision of unknown mutes!pardon me, gentlemen, I am too warm: but suppose yourselves in my situation: as ye are stout Knights, would it not move your choler to have your own and the honour of your ancestors called in question?"
f000153,1245.040,1246.720,"But to the point."
f000154,1246.720,1250.360,"Ye require me to deliver up the Lady Isabella."
f000155,1250.360,1254.560,"Sirs, I must ask if ye are authorised to receive her?"
f000156,1254.560,1256.120,"The Knight nodded."
f000157,1256.120,1264.920,"Receive her, continued Manfred; well, you are authorised to receive her, but, gentle Knight, may I ask if you have full powers?"
f000158,1264.920,1266.480,"The Knight nodded."
f000159,1266.480,1271.360,"Tis well, said Manfred; then hear what I have to offer."
f000160,1271.360,1282.640,"Ye see, gentlemen, before you, the most unhappy of men! he began to weep; afford me your compassion; I am entitled to it, indeed I am."
f000161,1282.640,1290.760,"Know, I have lost my only hope, my joy, the support of my houseConrad died yester morning."
f000162,1290.760,1293.960,"The Knights discovered signs of surprise."
f000163,1293.960,1297.720,"Yes, Sirs, fate has disposed of my son."
f000164,1297.720,1300.520,"Isabella is at liberty."
f000165,1300.520,1305.720,"Do you then restore her? cried the chief Knight, breaking silence."
f000166,1305.720,1308.920,"Afford me your patience, said Manfred."
f000167,1308.920,1315.480,"I rejoice to find, by this testimony of your goodwill, that this matter may be adjusted without blood."
f000168,1315.480,1319.840,"It is no interest of mine dictates what little I have farther to say."
f000169,1319.840,1328.080,"Ye behold in me a man disgusted with the world: the loss of my son has weaned me from earthly cares."
f000170,1328.080,1331.840,"Power and greatness have no longer any charms in my eyes."
f000171,1331.840,1339.160,"I wished to transmit the sceptre I had received from my ancestors with honour to my sonbut that is over!"
f000172,1339.160,1344.880,"Life itself is so indifferent to me, that I accepted your defiance with joy."
f000173,1344.880,1355.760,"A good Knight cannot go to the grave with more satisfaction than when falling in his vocation: whatever is the will of heaven, I submit; for alas!"
f000174,1355.760,1358.440,"Sirs, I am a man of many sorrows."
f000175,1358.440,1364.280,"Manfred is no object of envy, but no doubt you are acquainted with my story."
f000176,1364.280,1370.400,"The Knight made signs of ignorance, and seemed curious to have Manfred proceed."
f000177,1370.400,1376.960,"Is it possible, Sirs, continued the Prince, that my story should be a secret to you?"
f000178,1376.960,1381.480,"Have you heard nothing relating to me and the Princess Hippolita?"
f000179,1381.480,1383.800,"They shook their heads."
f000180,1383.800,1387.800,"Thus, then, Sirs, it is."
f000181,1387.800,1394.800,"You think me ambitious: ambition, alas! is composed of more rugged materials."
f000182,1394.800,1402.320,"If I were ambitious, I should not for so many years have been a prey to all the hell of conscientious scruples."
f000183,1402.320,1405.920,"But I weary your patience: I will be brief."
f000184,1405.920,1412.040,"Know, then, that I have long been troubled in mind on my union with the Princess Hippolita."
f000185,1412.040,1425.080,"Sirs, if ye were acquainted with that excellent woman! if ye knew that I adore her like a mistress, and cherish her as a friendbut man was not born for perfect happiness!"
f000186,1425.080,1434.640,"She shares my scruples, and with her consent I have brought this matter before the church, for we are related within the forbidden degrees."
f000187,1434.640,1445.320,"I expect every hour the definitive sentence that must separate us for everI am sure you feel for me I see you dopardon these tears!"
f000188,1445.320,1449.360,"The Knights gazed on each other, wondering where this would end."
f000189,1449.360,1461.800,"Manfred continued  The death of my son betiding while my soul was under this anxiety, I thought of nothing but resigning my dominions, and retiring for ever from the sight of mankind."
f000190,1461.800,1472.400,"My only difficulty was to fix on a successor, who would be tender of my people, and to dispose of the Lady Isabella, who is dear to me as my own blood."
f000191,1472.400,1478.840,"I was willing to restore the line of Alfonso, even in his most distant kindred."
f000192,1478.840,1489.560,"And though, pardon me, I am satisfied it was his will that Ricardo's lineage should take place of his own relations; yet where was I to search for those relations?"
f000193,1489.560,1504.360,"I knew of none but Frederic, your Lord; he was a captive to the infidels, or dead; and were he living, and at home, would he quit the flourishing State of Vicenza for the inconsiderable principality of Otranto?"
f000194,1504.360,1518.760,"If he would not, could I bear the thought of seeing a hard, unfeeling, Viceroy set over my poor faithful people? for, Sirs, I love my people, and thank heaven am beloved by them."
f000195,1518.760,1522.400,"But ye will ask whither tends this long discourse?"
f000196,1522.400,1524.760,"Briefly, then, thus, Sirs."
f000197,1524.760,1531.480,"Heaven in your arrival seems to point out a remedy for these difficulties and my misfortunes."
f000198,1531.480,1535.440,"The Lady Isabella is at liberty; I shall soon be so."
f000199,1535.440,1538.560,"I would submit to anything for the good of my people."
f000200,1538.560,1546.280,"Were it not the best, the only way to extinguish the feuds between our families, if I was to take the Lady Isabella to wife?"
f000201,1546.280,1547.560,"You start."
f000202,1547.560,1556.520,"But though Hippolita's virtues will ever be dear to me, a Prince must not consider himself; he is born for his people."
f000203,1556.520,1568.120,"A servant at that instant entering the chamber apprised Manfred that Jerome and several of his brethren demanded immediate access to him."
f000204,1568.120,1586.720,"The Prince, provoked at this interruption, and fearing that the Friar would discover to the strangers that Isabella had taken sanctuary, was going to forbid Jerome's entrance."
f000205,1586.720,1602.200,"But recollecting that he was certainly arrived to notify the Princess's return, Manfred began to excuse himself to the Knights for leaving them for a few moments, but was prevented by the arrival of the Friars."
f000206,1602.200,1612.920,"Manfred angrily reprimanded them for their intrusion, and would have forced them back from the chamber; but Jerome was too much agitated to be repulsed."
f000207,1612.920,1618.200,"He declared aloud the flight of Isabella, with protestations of his own innocence."
f000208,1618.200,1640.200,"Manfred, distracted at the news, and not less at its coming to the knowledge of the strangers, uttered nothing but incoherent sentences, now upbraiding the Friar, now apologising to the Knights, earnest to know what was become of Isabella, yet equally afraid of their knowing; impatient to pursue her, yet dreading to have them join in the pursuit."
f000209,1640.200,1655.680,"He offered to despatch messengers in quest of her, but the chief Knight, no longer keeping silence, reproached Manfred in bitter terms for his dark and ambiguous dealing, and demanded the cause of Isabella's first absence from the castle."
f000210,1655.680,1668.920,"Manfred, casting a stern look at Jerome, implying a command of silence, pretended that on Conrad's death he had placed her in sanctuary until he could determine how to dispose of her."
f000211,1668.920,1683.120,"Jerome, who trembled for his son's life, did not dare contradict this falsehood, but one of his brethren, not under the same anxiety, declared frankly that she had fled to their church in the preceding night."
f000212,1683.120,1690.760,"The Prince in vain endeavoured to stop this discovery, which overwhelmed him with shame and confusion."
f000213,1690.760,1706.120,"The principal stranger, amazed at the contradictions he heard, and more than half persuaded that Manfred had secreted the Princess, notwithstanding the concern he expressed at her flight, rushing to the door, said  Thou traitor Prince!"
f000214,1706.120,1708.040,"Isabella shall be found."
f000215,1708.040,1717.800,"Manfred endeavoured to hold him, but the other Knights assisting their comrade, he broke from the Prince, and hastened into the court, demanding his attendants."
f000216,1717.800,1740.520,"Manfred, finding it vain to divert him from the pursuit, offered to accompany him and summoning his attendants, and taking Jerome and some of the Friars to guide them, they issued from the castle; Manfred privately giving orders to have the Knight's company secured, while to the knight he affected to despatch a messenger to require their assistance."