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The Castle of Otranto-Part1_Horace Walpole(1717-1797)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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what it had to do with the marriage in question. Yet these mysteries,



or contradictions, did not make the populaceadhere the less to their

opinion.



Young Conrad's birthday was fixed for his espousals. The company was

assembled in the chapel of the Castle, and everything ready for



beginning the divine office, when Conrad himself was missing.

Manfred, impatient of the least delay, and who had not observed his



son retire, despatched one of his attendants to summon the young

Prince. The servant, who had not stayed long enough to have crossed



the court to Conrad's apartment, came running back breathless, in a

frantic manner, his eyes staring, and foaming at the month. He said



nothing, but pointed to the court.

The company were struck with terror and amazement. The Princess



Hippolita, without knowing what was the matter, but anxious for her

son, swooned away. Manfred, less apprehensive than enraged at the



procrastination of the nuptials, and at the folly of his domestic,

asked imperiously what was the matter? The fellow made no answer, but



continued pointing towards the court-yard; and at last, after repeated

questions put to him, cried out, "Oh! the helmet! the helmet!"



In the meantime, some of the company had run into the court, from

whence was heard a confused noise of shrieks, horror, and surprise.



Manfred, who began to be alarmed at not seeing his son, went himself

to get information of what occasioned this strange confusion. Matilda



remained endeavouring to assist her mother, and Isabella stayed for

the same purpose, and to avoid showing any impatience for the



bridegroom, for whom, in truth, she had conceived little affection.

The first thing that struck Manfred's eyes was a group of his servants



endeavouring to raise something that appeared to him a mountain of

sable plumes. He gazed without believing his sight.



"What are ye doing?" cried Manfred, wrathfully; "where is my son?"

A volley of voices replied, "Oh! my Lord! the Prince! the Prince! the



helmet! the helmet!"

Shocked with these lamentable sounds, and dreading he knew not what,



he advancedhastily, - but what a sight for a father's eyes! - he

beheld his child dashed to pieces, and almost buried under an enormous



helmet, an hundred times more large than any casque ever made for

human being, and shaded with a proportionable quantity of black



feathers.

The horror of the spectacle, the ignorance of all around how this



misfortune had happened, and above all, the tremendous phenomenon

before him, took away the Prince's speech. Yet his silence lasted



longer than even grief could occasion. He fixed his eyes on what he

wished in vain to believe a vision; and seemed less attentive to his



loss, than buried in meditation on the stupendous object that had

occasioned it. He touched, he examined the fatal casque; nor could



even the bleeding mangled remains of the young Prince divert the eyes

of Manfred from the portent before him.



All who had known his partialfondness for young Conrad, were as much

surprised at their Prince's insensibility, as thunderstruck themselves



at the miracle of the helmet. They conveyed the disfigured corpse

into the hall, without receiving the least direction from Manfred. As



little was he attentive to the ladies who remained in the chapel. On

the contrary, without mentioning the unhappyprincesses, his wife and



daughter, the first sounds that dropped from Manfred's lips were,

"Take care of the Lady Isabella."



The domestics, without observing the singularity of this direction,

were guided by their affection to their mistress, to consider it as






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