CHAP. I

IN those days when Astolpho, surnamed the Proud, beheld his regal sway extend over the rich and fertile plains of Lombardy, the name of Roderic the Hardy was not un­known to fame. He had fought the battles of the empire; and an almost uninterrupted series of success had crowned his arms. He had acquired immortal honour to himself, and a vast accession of territory to his master; but wholly trained in the field of war, and little skilled in the cabals of a court, he found, af­ter a life almost exhaustedin the painful pur­suits of glory, the smiles of the king's coun­tenance withrawn.

[Page 4] He no sooner witnessed the dangerous gloom which began to thicken around him, than he prepared to pursue those steps which were most likely to conduce to his safety, and lead him to an asylum in which he might, in all probability, find a shelter from the gather­ing storm. He retired, then, while it was yet safe to retire from the capital, and sought a castle of his own near the frontiers of a lately conquered province—a retreat, in which the bolts of Astolpho's wrath were but little likely to reach him. To this retirement he summoned an only son, whom he had left be­hind him in the army, and who, though but a young soldier, had already acquired a porti­on of fame little inferior to that of his fa­ther.

This son, who was called Rhinaldo, had been, during the intervals which occurred be­tween each campaign, much resident at court and in the palace of Astolpho first beheld the lady Isabel, the daughter of the late king, and loved her. It would have been difficult indeed for a young man of the coldest heart to behold her without emotion. In her dark eyes were mingled all the fire of genius with all the softness of sensibility; on her animated countenance sate blended majesty and mild­ness; on her brow was pictured commanding beauty; in her smile the most winning sweet­ness; her shape was faultless, and her demean­our [Page 5] artless and graceful; nor was Isabel blind to the merits of the young soldier—a person the very standard of manly beauty—a coun­tenance, where every virtue of his heart was pourtrayed—a cultivated mind—a high and unspotted reputation, did not escape the ob­servation of the lady Isabel. They had fre­quent opportunities of conversing, and of those opportunities a mutual passion was the result.

The resentment of Astolpho became im­placable, when he heard of Count Roderic's retreat; and the very day after Rhinaldo had, in obedience to his father's mandates, quitted the army to join him in his retirement, or­ders arrived at the camp to supercede him in his command, and cause him to be conveyed close prisoner to the capital.

These orders had, indeed, been preceded by a letter from the lady Isabel, warning Rhi­naldo of the danger which threatened him;—a letter, rendered not more dear to Rhinaldo by the noble proof it contained, than by the tender vows it breathed, of inviolable fide­lity.

In the retirement which his father had cho­sen, Rhinaldo passed many melancholy hours in meditating on his beloved but absent Isa­bel. In vain did Count Roderic endeavour to divert his thoughts from the ceaseless ob­ject [Page 6] of their attention, by dissertations on that science in which this beloved son had, from the earliest period of life, been his pupil, and in which they had both gained so great a de­gree of renown. In vain did he encourage, among his men at arms, (for he carried into retirement with him a retinue, which caused no little jealousy at court) those martial ex­ercises for their courage and dexterity in which the men of that age were renowned. In vain did the court of the castle echo daily with the sound of the trumpet.—In vain were the ban­ners seen waving above the battlements. That heart which had so often leaped at the sound of martial music, which owned no charms but those which blazed in the front of an em­battled host, now shrunk from what it deem­ed a tedious mockery, and sought to indulge its feelings amid the luxury of the most gloomy, solitude.

A deep and devious forest, which flanked the castle to the south, afforded this solitude, and thither did Rhinaldo daily repair to feast his imagination on the thousand charms with which the image of his Isabel was replete.—His father, who discovered his dislike of soci­ety, and probably in some measure guessed at the cause of it, forbore, at length, to restrain his inclination. They seldom met but at table, (from the tasteless festivity of which Rhmaldo retired as soon as decency would [Page 7] permit him) or at those hours when the pub­lic duties of religion summoned them to the neighbouring convent.

At these duties Rhinaldo was so constant, and his attention to them was so rigid and un­deviating, that his father could not forbear entertaining some fears, that his melancholy would at length enroll him among the religi­ous of the place. Nor were those fears enter­tained upon light or frivolous grounds. The society consisted of thirty persons, who had all borne arms with a considerable degree of re­putation. The superior was an old knight, who had led Roderic himself in the field, and had been his guide in the path of glory, though he was yet, from a youth, inured to toil, and an age fostered by temperance, vi­gorous and hardy. But the person, the charms of whose society so frequently led the steps of Rhinaldo towards the convent, was an her­mit, who had built his cell hard by, and whose disposition, truly charitable, had ren­dered him highly respected, as well by the monks themselves, as by the scattered inha­bitants of the neighbour-hood.

The convent of St. Julian was situate close to Count Roderic's castle, on a bold and com­manding eminence.—Consisting chiefly of rock, it seemed scarcely capable of affording [Page 8] nourishment to the numerous shrubs, whose twisted roots seemed incorporated with it, and was accessible only by a winding path of con­siderable length. Steep, rugged and intricate, it was a task of considerable labour to gain the summit, whose picturesque appearance, from the vale below, never failed to incite in the mind an ardent wish to attain it.

The flinty walls of the convent seemed to have their foundation in air, and its Gothic spires hung over the brow of the rock with an awful magnificence. It overlooked the castle. This, as the latter was a place of strength, was a circumstance of importance, and ex­treme care was taken, on any prospect of an attack, to secure, this post, and to afford it ample supplies.

Beneath a projecting part of the cliff, close to the winding path already mentioned, and at no great distance from the summit, had the hermit, of whose society young Rhinaldo was so fond, fixed his abode. His daily care during the period of his residence in that spot, when the duties of religion had been fulfilled, was to enlarge, amend, and decorate his hum­ble cell, till he had at length formed an ha­bitation, which, for simple beauty and com­fort, the thoughtless inhabitant of the gay world might envy him.

[Page 9] To this retreat, then, did Rhinaldo fly from the cumberous magnificence of Count Roderic's establishment. Here could he me­ditate at leisure on the virtues and accom­plishments of his beloved Isabel. Here too, (and it was that circumstance which rendered the spot so dear to him) could he confide, without the dread of cold sarcasm, or harsh reproof, the tender secret of his heart. Father Anthony (for that was the hermit's name) was austere indeed towards himself, but, like the holy master, to whose service he had now de­voted himself, he wept over the failings of others.

CHAP II.

SOME months had now passed since Rhi­naldo quitted his command to retire to the Castle of his father, and [...] visits to the hermitage had grown daily more and more frequent, when one morning at the approach of dawn, he ordered the draw-bridge to be let down, and, attended only by one faithful servant, took the road which led to the capi­tal. They passed the day in tracing the thick and impervious forest which cloaths for many miles the southern frontier of that kingdom and the shades of evening overtook them as they gained it's verge. The night set in with [Page 10] unwonted darkness, and the chill gust, which began to howl from the north, foretold an approaching tempest. A few drops of thick rain fell—the darkness redoubled—the distant thunder began to growl—Rhinaldo gave his horse the reins, and trusting to the sagacity of this long-tried favourite for his safety, he proceeded at a slow pace, attended by his faithful servant, catching every now and then a glimpse of the wild scence around, by the gleam of the lightning, which began to dart with almost unabating rapidity.

Rugiero (so was Rhinaldo's servant called) stopped his horse suddenly, and called to his master; "surely, my lord," said he, "by the flash of the lightning, I just now descried the walls of a mansion."

Rhinaldo stopped. Rugiero bade him look to the right, and between some tall trees he thought he perceived some rising turrets. They turned their horses, and made slowly and cautiously for the spot. As they drew near, they found that their surmises were true.—They pursued their route, and at length with considerable difficulty, arrived at the gate of an old mansion.

Like most of the seats of the nobility in the kingdom, it was surrounded by a maot. Rugiero alighted from his horse, and slowly [Page 11] began to trace the moat round, to discover, if possible, a bridge over which they might pass, and at least gain some shelter from the inclemency of the night. He had not pro­ceeded far, before he perceived, on the op­posite side, a draw-bridge drawn up, which made him conjecture, that, disolate as the building appeared, (for the walls were in se­veral parts overgrown with thick ivy, and bore every mark, as far as the liget would permit them to be discovered, of great anti­quity) it was inhabited.

He began now to halloo as loud as he could, but with little probability, from the howling of the storm, of making himself heard. He continued his progress along the margin of the moat, and Rhinaldo, having alighted from his horse, slowly followed him.—They had not proceeded far, before the discovered that this outwork bore as strong marks of decay as the rest of the building, and that the raising the draw-bridge at night must be more a work of custom than utility.

Rugiero, by a very easy, but broken de­scent, gained the moat, and boldly stepped into it. He found it very shallow, and as­cending upon the ruins which had fallen from a low and crumbling wall on the other side, he gained the opposite bank. He then re­turned to give his master notice of this [Page 12] cir­cumstance, and to conduct him over. Rhi­naldo did not hesitate; taking his horse in his hand, he followed his servant. The beasts sprung lightly from the ruins upon the crazy remains of this mouldring bulwark, and the travellers, passing slowly round the walls of the house, arrived at a large and lofty porch, over-hung with ivy, and midleg deep in the grass, which grew through the crevices of the stones with which it had been paved. Hav­ing fastened their horses to a thorn which grew close to one of the pillars, they retired to the extremity of the porch for shelter. This shelter, however, they did not find—the rain beat in upon them with violence.

Rhinaldo resolved to try if the door was open. It was not improbable that it should be so, even if the mansion were inhabited. In a place so desolate, there is little fear of inter­lopers, and the moat and draw-bridge would probably render the domestics careless.—He raised a weighty latch, and putting his shoul­der against the door, it opened heavily; and Rhinaldo and his servant entered. Rhinaldo still held the door in his hand, and firmly persuaded, from every thing he had hitherto witnessed, that the house was uninhabited, ordering Rugiero to conduct the horses into the hall, where he determined to rest for the night.

[Page 13] Rugiero strenuosly advised him to learn first, whether the mansion were actually in­habited or no; and with this advice, upon consideration, he thought it best to comply. He hallooed aloud, but the storm seemed to mock his efforts. He walked slowly across the hall, but stopping suddenly, exclaimed, "Rugiero, are these your footsteps which I hear?" "No, my Lord," answered Rugiero, "I have not moved from this spot." "There is somebody," continued Rhinaldo, "ascen­ding a flight of stairs."

He now hallooed again; when a hoarse voice, in a low tone, exclaimed, "peace, fool! are you fit to be trusted with a secret of such importance?" Still all was dark; the sound of the footsteps on the staircase died gradually away, and left Rhinaldo much per­plexed. "Stay here," said he, after a pause, to Rugiero, "till I return,"

Rugiero remonstrated, but his master was peremtory, and this attendant had studied discipline in a camp. "I will be cautious," said Rhinaldo, mildly, in order to soften the apprehensions of his faithful servant. "At all events, your remaining here will secure us a retreat, should any thing sinister occur."

Rhinaldo now advanced, and tracing his way slowly and cautiously along the hall, [Page 14] reached at length the staircase, from which the words, which so much awakened his cu­riosity, had proceeded. He judged that this staircase, though now somewhat crazy from age, had once been magnificent. It was ve­ry spacious. He had scarcely got half way up it, when he heard footsteps above him, as if of some person descending He stood mo­tionless, in hopes that, whoever it might be, from the size of the staircase they would pass without detecting him; for the mystery of persons thus moving in the dark perplexed him even more than the singular speech he had heard, and he was more than ever anxi­ous to discover the cause of it. The foot­steps now seemed advancing towards him; he moved a pace to the right, in order to avoid a meeting, and placed himself just in the way of the person descending, who jostled him. A voice immediately exclaimed, "Gaspard, why do you not speak? You must either bawl or be dumb—the house is locked in fleep—you may now strike a light—meet me, ten minutes hence, in the refectory."

Rhinaldo was now divided what to do—when a light, the only one he had yet disco­vered, gleaming dimly from the door of a chamber into a long gallery above, determi­ned him to pursue his way up the staircase. He proceeded lightly and cautiously. The [Page 15] light in a [...] time disappeared, but he [...] the place whence it had [...]. He could discover this place to [...] chamber, for though a door [...] opened into a passage at the farther end of it, he again saw a saint ray of light. He crossed the chamber, and entered the pas­sage, at the farther end of which he just dis­tinguished the legs of a man ascending a nar­row staircase. He followed with extreme caution, and saw this person enter a small room at the top of the staircase, which see­med to be a repository for very old battered and unserviceable armour, and wornou [...] horse furniture. The person he had follow­ed passed strait to the end of the room, and Rhinaldo gained such a hight on the stair case, as to see him shove back a pannel of the wainscot which seemed artificially contrived for the purpose of concealment, and pulling a bunch of keys from his pocket, open a strong massy door, plated with iron: he then descended a few steps, shutting it after him and Rhinaldo lost sight of him.

Perplexed at this circumstance, he advan­ced some paces towards the iron door. He listened, and thought he could hear the sound of voices; but it was so indistinct, tha [...] he was left at last in doubt whether he had not been deceived; and recollecting the con­versation [Page 16] which passed on the staircase, he resolved to return and rejoin Rugiero, with whom perhaps he might discover what was to be perpetrated in the refectory. He grop­ed his way down again, and at his post he found his servant, who the moment he came near him, grasped his hand, and bade him, in a low wisper, be silent and watch.

They had not stood many minutes before they perceived a faint light gleam from an arch way on the opposite side of the hall, and two figures advancing slowly along a passage, one of whom carried a kind of dark­lanthorn. They perceived them to be men meanly dressed, and of the most unprepos­sessing appearance; one particularly whose profusion of coarse, long, black hair, was un­pleasingly contrasted with the livid paleness of his countenance, excited Rhinaldo's attention.

In a hoarse and dissonant voice, but which Rhinaldo discovered to be the same which had addressed him on the staircase, he exclai­med, "Hark! I heard something." "'Twas nothing but the wind," replied the other.—"Hist!" exclaimed the first, and paused; "where are the servants?" "Locked in sleep," said the other.—They now pla­ced their light on a table just within the arch way, and the man who had spoke first, said to the other, "why did not you answer me, [Page 17] when I met you on the staircase?" "when?" said the other. "Just now—within these ten minutes." "I never met you—I have not been up stairs."—"Lyar!" exclaimed the first. "May I fall dead this instant," retur­ned the second, "if I have left the refectory. Hey! what ails you? you tremble." "No matter," exclaimed the first, in a faltering voice. "Give me the bottle." He took a small wicker bottle from the other, and drank from it. It seemed to revive him. "Give me the lanthorn," said he, "and the dag­ger." He received from him the dark lan­thorn, and a dagger of some length, which he stuck in his girdle. "Shall you want me?'! asked the second man. "No," said the first; "go—wait for my lord—we shall not want you, 'till the body is to be disposed of."—"Mercy on us!" cried the second, in an awful but tremulous tone. The first turned short round upon him, muttered some­thing between his teeth, and walked slowly across the hall towards another passage, while the second man moved towards the staircase, which he ascended.

Rhinaldo and Rugiero, with as little noise as possible, followed the first man; yet they could not proceed so silently, but that they caused him to turn round several times. The loudness of the storm, however, deceived [Page 18] him, and he continued to move forward, through a winding passage, 'till he stopped suddenly at a low arched door, which he opened with a key.

Rhinaldo drew his sword, and rushed for­ward to prevent his shutting it again. This, however, he did not attempt, and Rhinaldo gained the door, just as he had placed the lanthorn on the floor, in the middle of a small vaulted room, and seemed occupied in thought. He stood with his arms folded, and his face turned towards Rhinaldo. Never was a countenance so ghastly and horrid. It betrayed a most diabolical agitation of mind. After standing thus for a few seconds, he stooped down, and, feeling along the floor, laid hold of an iron ring, by which, after a few efforts, he pulled up a trap door, and discovered, by the gleam of the lanthorn, a broken flight of steps. He now took up the lanthorn in one hand, and holding the door with the other, began to descend. Rhi­naldo saw that there was not a moment to be lost. If this ruffian should once get beneath the trap-door, the murder he meant to perpe­trate (and of his intention there could not remain a doubt) might be committed in safety. Impressed with this idea, he sprung forward. The man turned round at the noise, and on the instant re [...]eived Rhinaldo's sword to the [Page 19] very hilt in his breast. He fell into the vault, uttering a deep groan—the lanthorn was clen­ched in his hand—the trap-door fell into its place as he descended, and Rhinaldo, with Rugiero, who had just entered the room, re­mained involved in the most impenetrable darkness.

CHAP. III.

ASTONISHED at this circumstance, Rhi­naldo paused for a few seconds; but recollecting that it was possible the light might not be extinguished by the fall, he felt for the iron ring, and lifted the trap-door. His conjectures proved to be right—the lanthorn lay on the floor, clasped in the hand of the dead man—and the flame within it was bur­ning the horn. Rugiero picked it up, and having adjusted the candle within it, began to survey the vault into which they had des­cended.

It was narrow, long, and low; and at the end of it was a very small arched door-way, and a door apparently very thick, and formi­dably secured with bolts and bars. Rugiero pushed the door with his hand, and was sud­denly alarmed by a deep groan from the [Page 20] place, whatever it might be, to which it open­ed. He had not time, however, to ruminate long on this circumstance; his master called to him in a very low voice from the other end of the vault, and when he came near, made him a sign to listen; he did so, and heard distinctly the footsteps of a man walk­ing in a hasty and agitated step over their heads. Every now and then he paused, as if to listen to something; and after a few minutes, they heard exclaiming in a low tone "Fabian!"

This was repeated several times;—and Rhinaldo at length perceiving that it was ad­dressed towards the vault, answered in as hol­low a voice as he could assume, "Here!"

"Is it done?" exclaimed the unknown person from above. "It is," answered Rhi­naldo. "'Tis well," resumed the voice from above. "Convey the body into the vaulted room—lay it out on the table, and cover it with the mantle which I shall send you."—They then heard the steps of this person mov­ing towards the door, and the sound of them soon died away.

Rhinaldo, who now grew more anxious than ever to discover this mystery, took his resolution on the spot, and, with the assist­ance [Page 21] of Rugiero, stripping the doublet and cloak from the body of the man he had killed, he put them on, pulling his hair over his face, and disguising himself as artfully as he could with the blood which still flowed from the wound he had inflicted. He then put on Rugieros's hat, which being much plainer than his own, was well calculated to give ad­ditional concealment to his countenance; and, within the assistance of this steady and faithful domestic, lifting the trap-door, con­veyed the body into the vaulted cham [...]er a­bove, and stretched it on the table as directed.

This done, they prepared to secure the messenger who should be sent with the man­tle, and who they judged would prove the person they had before seen in company with the man who was slain. In order to effect this, Rugiero, drawing his sword, placed himself close to the door of the room, just within the portal, while his master stood at the front of the table, on which the body was placed, and so much in front of the lanthorn, which he had contrived should throw but a dim gleam of light, that a person entering the room, could only distinguish the figure of a man, but was not enabled to discover who, or what he might be.

They had not waited on their post many [Page 22] minutes before, as they had conjectured, the person they so lately saw entered the room, carrying the mantle on his shoulders. He walked strait towards Rhinaldo, to whom he said,—"Fabian! my Lord requires you to attend him at the head of the great staircase."

He had scarcely uttered these words, be­fore Rugiero, advancing from the door, seized him by the collar, and Rhinaldo do­ing the same, the fellow fell down speechless with horror. They raised him immediately, and Rhinaldo warned him, that to utter a single exclamation would prove fatal to him.—He fell on his knees, and in the most ear­nest manner entreated him to spare his life. Rhinaldo told him that his safety wholly de­pended on his conduct. ‘Disguise nothing from us, said he, and you have nothing to fear.’— ‘Sir, said the trembling wretch, I will conceal nothing, but my Lord, by this time, waits for Fabian and myself, at the head of the great staircase.’ After a moment's pause, Rhinaldo said, ‘I think I can trust thee so far. Thou shalt attend me to thy Lord—but mark well my words—the very moment in which, by a sin­gle word or action, thou attemptest to betray me, I here swear, whatever may be the con­sequence of it, shall be the last of thy life.’

[Page 23] Rhinaldo then threw the mantle over the [...]dy of the ghastly Fabian, and commanding [...] trembling wretch before him to conduct [...] to the great staircase, he gave the lan­thorn into his hands, ordering him to precede [...] a few paces, but, at his peril, to keep [...] light turned from him.

In this manner they proceeded, leaving Rugiero in the vaulted room.—They had sarcely gained the foot of the staircase, [...] they perceived a man walking at the top it, with a small taper in his hand. He was richly drest, but had a ferocity in his aspect [...] did not escape unmarked by Rhinaldo, [...] kept as much behind his conductor as s [...]ble.

The man at the head of the staircase no [...] perceived them, than he ordered them, [...] impatient tone, to follow him, and [...]ng hastily, walked along the gallery, [...] which the gleam of light had led the steps [...] Rhinaldo, when he was last on the stair­case. He passed through the same chamber [...]ich he had before passed, entered the [...], ascended the narrow staircase, and shoved [...] the pannel in the little room above it. [...] then opened the door, and discovered to Rhinaldo a scene, which excited his utmost [...]tention. A few steps descended from the [Page 24] door he had opened into a lofty and spacious apartment, the furniture of which, though one could perceive that it had been once mag­nificent, appeared very old and decayed.

At a table, on which was placed a dim lamp and a crusifix, he could perceive a lady richly drest. Her elbow rested on the table, and her cheek on her hand. She was read­ing. The man who preceded Rhinaldo turned to him, and his companion, and ordered them to stay without. He then proceeded down the steps, The lady cast her eyes towards him as he entered, threw them with a suppli­cating look towards heaven, and again fixed them on her book.

He advanced slowly into the room, and beckening the lady, in a stern tone of voice ordered her to follow him.

"What more am I to suffer?" said she. "What farther scene of savage cruelty am I to witness?"

He beckened Rhinaldo and his companion into the room. The lady started wildly when she saw them. "Nay," said she, "if I am to be murdered, perpetrate your crime on this spot."—Saying this, she seized the cruci­fix; clasped it to her bosom, and fell on her [Page 25] knees before the book, which lay open on the table. The person who had caused this a­larm then took her under one arm, and mak­ing a sign to Rhinaldo to do the same by the other, she suffered herself to be conducted, without a murmur, whithersoever they should choose, still holding the crucifix in her hand.

Rhinaldo, struck with compassion at the situation of this lady, was repeatedly tempted to whisper comfort in her ear; but he thought a premature discovery of his design might in all prabability baffle every attempt he might make to serve her; he therefore proceeded, holding her still by the arm, 'till they gained the vaulted chamber, when the person who had conducted her to it thus addressed her: "Adulteress!"—She raised herself from the arm of Rhinaldo. "Monster!" said she, "at least, spare my fame—thou knowest the fals­hood of that insinuation."—"That mantle,"—said he, pointing to that which lay over the body of Fabian, "was the work of your hands, and designed doubtless as a present to me." "Never,"—answered the lady,—"heaven knows.—They to whose power it was my lot to bow, knew too well that it was not designed for thee."

"Perhaps," returned he, with an air of [Page 26] the most savage triumph, "it was designed for him who now wears it." At this the lady started—she looked wild with apprehension and terror—she advanced towards the table—she clasped her hands together, and eagerly looked on the mantle—"It cannot be," said she—"you are not such a monster." The man advanced, and with a barbarous readi­ness, seized the taper which his attendant carried, and held it before her. "Lift up the mantle, said he, to Rhinaldo. Rhinaldo lifted it, fixing his eyes full upon him, and discovered the body of Fabian.

"Good heavens!" cried the lady; "what can all this mean?" She staggered some paces back, and was caught in the arms of Rugiero, who had advanced to be ready to assist his master upon occasion.—The man himself seemed petrified with astonishment upon seeing the corpse—in a few seconds he drew his sword.

"Consummate villain!" said he; and he flew at Rhinaldo. Rhinaldo, who watched his eye, drew at the same time, beat down the thrust which was made, with extreme ra­pidity, at his breast, and, returning it, buried his sword in his adversary's body; but per­ceived, on recovering his guard, that he was himself wounded in the thigh; he, however, [Page 27] advanced towards the lady, and seeing her somewhat recovered, attempted to explain to her that the person for whose life she seemed to labour under such apprehensions, was pro­bably safe—out he poured this intelligence into a deaf ear. Harrassed to death by the cruelties of her oppressor, and the scene she had witnessed, she seemed insensible to all a­round her.—Rhinaldo and Rugiero con­ducted her slowly to the apartment in which they had found her, and placed her on the bed.

Rhinaldo then inquired whether there were any female servants in the house, and hearing that there were two, he went, attended by the companion of the deceased Fabian, to a­waken them, and in a short time procured their attendance on the lady.

After taking care that every possible assist­ance should be given to her, Rhinaldo turned his thoughts once more towards the vaulted chamber, and leaving the lady under the pro­tection of his faithful Rugiero, he ordered Gaspard (for so was Fabian's comrade called) to attend him; and again proceeded down the stairs, determined to explore the vault, in which the miscreant, he had so lately pu­nished, had met the reward of his iniquities.

[Page 28] As they entered the room, the first object that struck them was the body of the person who had just fallen by Rhinaldo's sword. Rhinaldo held the taper to his face, and con­templating his features, though now fixed by the agonies of death,—"Is not this," said he, to Gaspard, "the Lord of St. Amand?" Gaspard answered in the affirmative. Rhi­naldo felt the body; but no signs of life re­mained. He then ordered Gaspard to raise the trap-door, and followed him into the vault. They proceeded along this dreary subterraneous passage, 'till they came to the little door at the end. This, after some la­bour, they unbolted, for the fastenings were numerous and strong, and descending by a narrow broken staircase, entered as dismal a dungeon, as the most gloomy imagination could pourtray.

In one corner they described the figure of a man, seated on a large stone, to which he was chained. As they opened the door, he cast a languid eye towards them, and exclaim­ed, "I shall at last then find an end to my miseries! Do not fear to perform your com­mission—but, if you have any compassion left, bear the ring which you will find in my bosom to the wise of your lord."

Rhinaldo advanced towards him.— ‘Have [Page 29] you, resumed the prisoner, compassion enough to promise me that favour?’ "Count Tancred!" said Rhinaldo, astonished at the voice which addressed him. "My friend—my—"

The prisoner leaped in surprise from his seat, but, restrained by his chains, he sunk down again. "Know ye not Rhinaldo?" said the young knight, and sprung forward to embrace him. The prisoner folded his arms about his friend; but the surprise proved too much for him, and he sunk speechless on Rhinaldo's bosom. In a little time, however, he recovered himself.

"Gracious heaven!" exclaimed he, ‘to meet Rhinaldo in the place of my execu­tioner.’ "Let us rid you," said Rhi­naldo, "of these chains." The chains which secured him were fastened by a strong bolt round each leg. Rhinaldo thought that if his boots were cut off, the link would prove large enough to slip over his foot. He asked Gaspard for a knife, who went in search of one, but in ascending the stairs, found the dagger of Fabian, which had dropped from his girdle as he fell; with this he returned. Count Tancred's boots were slit down and taken off, but the link was smaller than they [Page 30] had supposed—it was necessary they should be unlocked or filed.

Gaspard then told Rhinaldo, that the key of the Count's fetters was probably in Fa­bian's pocket, which was immediately search­ed, and Count Tancred, whose impatience would only suffer them to unlock the link which fastened him to the stone, wrapt his chains round his arm, and followed his friend out of the dungeon. His mind was agitated by a most in satiable curiosity—he asked a thousand questions on a moment. "I will lead you,"—said Rhinaldo, "to one who will assist me in [...] detail—for, to say the truth, I am, at present, rather weary."

Rhinaldo was at this time accompanying his friend up the steps of the vault. "You look faint," said Count Tancred;—"You bleed too, my friend!" They reached the vaulted chamber, where the Count was final­ly freed from his fetters.

"Here," said Rhinaldo, "lie your foes." Tancred surveyed the bodies.

"Merciless barbarian!" said he, as he contemplated that of the Count;—"Why was not thy punishment reserved for me? But Rhinaldo," continued he, in a faltering [Page 31] voice, "there is—a—beauteous and wretch­ed victim—"

Rhinaldo threw himself into a chair. "I feel," said he, "too much embarrassed, by a slight wound I have received, to accompa­ny you up stairs.—This person will conduct you where your question will be more effica­ciously resolved; but stay—it will be proper, perhaps, to secure the fidelity of your guide—so saying, Rhinaldo pointed to the sword of the Count de St. Amand, which lay on the floor. "But you, my friend," said Tancred, taking up the sword,—"You want assistance."—"You will find my old servant, Rugiero, above," said Rhinaldo, "send him to me."

Count Tancred now quitted Rhinaldo, and, under the direction of Gaspard, sought the apartment of the lady. Rhinaldo had not been left many minutes in the vaulted cham­ber, before Rugiero attended him. He ex­amined the wound in his thigh, and found it slight indeed; but by subsequent irritation much inflamed. He drest it as well as the little assistance he was enabled to procure on the spot would permit him, when Rhinaldo, addressing him with an air which marked the confidence he reposed in him, said, "It will be impossible for me to pursue my jour­ney [Page 32] in this state—mark attentively the com­mands I am about to lay upon you—make with all speed towards the capital, and at the third house to the right, in the narrow street which leads from the little square to the back of the palace gardens, you will find my old serjeant, and your former comrade, Bernard Tilly; he will take care of your horse—re­main in his house 'till night, and when you hear the palace clock strike twelve, repair to the high bridge—there you will find a man walking muffled up in his cloak, with his hat drawn over his eyes—accost this man imme­diately, and say to him, "YES or NO?" If he should answer "YES," repair to me with all speed.—If "NO," follow him without speaking, and whatsoever you may judge may be for my service, execute it suddenly and boldly. Know, Rugiero, that the task I im­pose on you requires presence of mind and intrepidity; but I have had sufficient expe­rience of your heart and mind, to bid me re­ly with confidence on you. You will perhaps want money in the progress of the under­taking—take this ring."

Rhinaldo here presented a ring to Rugie­ro.—"Call on Ben Napthali, who lives to the west of the great square, and he will supply you, on sight of it, with whatever money you may want."

[Page 33] Rugiero, though he knew not what it was [...]o disobey his master, and felt himself ho­nored by the confidence reposed in him, yet could not help suggesting that he felt some uneasiness at leaving him in his present state—wounded, and in the house of his enemies. But Rhinaldo soothed his apprehendsions by telling him that Count Tancred was with him, and that there were, as he had learned, only three male domestics in the house.

Rugiero, after conducting his master up stairs, who found Count Tancred and the lady in a more convenient apartment than that in which she had been confined, to which the women, who had been called to attend her, had humanity enough to remove her, went to seek for his horse, and having found both his own and that of his master under the porch, from which they had not moved, he set off by the light of the dawn, which just now began to appear, in search of some place in which he might find provender for them: His eye soon directed him to a building, re­sembling a stable, which was in many places unroofed, but which still afforded a tolerable shelter. He led his horses gently in his hand, and opening the door, discovered that he had not been deceived. In this stable he found a man occupied in saddling a horse. This man started at seeing Rugiero, and let fall the [Page 34] saddle, which he was lifting to throw over the horse's back.

Rugiero clapped his hand to his sword, and the man seizing the horse hastily by the bridle, drew him, unsaddled as he was, out at an opposite door. Rugiero, encumbered with two horses, knew not readily what to do. In an instant, however, he quitted them both, and rushed on foot through the door at which this person had sled. He found the man already mounted on the bare back of the horse, who seemed to be possessed of much fire, for he sprung forward in a mo­ment with considerable agility.—Rugiero sprung forward also, but in vain. The man pressed his horse eagerly, and, circling the house, gained the corner of the moat at which Rugiero and his master had passed, and driv­ing his steed resolutely at it, passed it with­out accident, and fled with speed into the thickest of the forest.

Rugiero, at first, thought of pursuing the fugitive, and hastened back for his horse; but, upon a little reflection, he gave up this design. His horse was exhausted with fa­tigue, and the want of provender, while that of the fugitive was probably fresh. It would, besides, be almost impossible to trace him in a wild so trackless and deserted as the forest; [Page 35] he therefore contented himself with searching the stables for provender, which, having ob­tained, he placed before his master's horse and his own, and returned once more into the house to acquaint Rhinaldo with the cir­cumstance which had just occurred.

In passing the door, an impulse, which he could not resist, induced him first to turn in­to the vaulted chamber, and he there ima­gined he discovered cause of the singular cir­cumstance which had just occurred. He found the body of the Count de St. Amand removed from the middle of the room, where he had left it, to a corner close under the window, which was opened to admit the light of the dawn, probably from the purpose of contemplating the face of the deceased.

He had now little doubt but that one of the servants had, during the period in which he conducted Rhinaldo up stairs, entered the vaulted chamber, and discovered the death of the Count St. Amand.

This circumstance, as he judged, was of extreme importance to the safety of his ma­ster, and he hastened to inform Rhinaldo of it, who gave him full credit for the fidelity of his attachment towards him, but conti­nued to urge him strongly to hasten his de­parture.

[Page 36] Rugiero, therefore, returned to the stable, and his horse being somewhat refreshed, he led him to the drawbridge, and letting it down, passed over it, directing his course to­wards that part of the forest from which he judged that his master and himself had de­viated, when the storm had compelled them to seek refuge in the mansion.

CHAP. IV.

THE Countess St. Amand, for such, by the reproaches of the Count, Rhinal­do perceived her to be, was now much reco­vered from the recent indisposition which the horrors of the night had caused. Though she could not but feel deeply and awfully im­pressed by the singular events which had ta­ken place, she did not affect any extraordi­nary degree of concern for the death of a man, whose cruel and ferocious disposition had rendered him the detestation of all who knew him; her health indeed seemed to have been impaired by the inhuman conduct of this barbarian towards her, and the roses had faded in her cheek. She was, however, notwithstanding this, extremely beautiful; [Page 37] and the benevolence of her heart was con­spicuous in the gratitude which she did not cease to express towards her deliverer. The concern she felt at hearing of his wound, could scarcely be soothed by the tender atten­tion of Tancred, nor by the repeated assur­ances of Rhinaldo himself, that the wound was trifling, and that he had a thorough con­fidence in the skill of his domestic, which he had in some similar instances previously ex­perienced.

The day now completely dawned, and the Countess proposed to Tancred and Rhinaldo, that they should take some repose after the fatigues they had undergone; but the intelli­gence which they had recently received from Rugiero, of the escape of the servant, was of too serious a nature to permit them, for the present, to enjoy a thought of repose; and anxious as they severally were to have the wonderful events of the night explained to them, they were compelled to delay the gra­tification of their curiosity, and consult toge­ther on the measures to be pursued in a mo­ment so pregnant with danger to themselves.

Rugiero, in the mean time, pursued his journey with as much speed as possible, and arrived, without meeting any extraordinary adventure, at the capital. He reached the [Page 38] house of Bernard Tilly, and, having put up his horse, waited, not without anxiety, for the eventful hour of twelve. The clock from the neighbouring convent at length struck, and Rugiero snatching up his cloak and his sword, hastened towards the high bridge. He found, as he passed, the streets deserted. The inhabitants had all retired to bed—he gained the high bridge, and as he advanced towards the center of it, he discovered a man wrapt in a cloak, walking with a slow and thought­ful pace towards him. This man passed Ru­giero, without seeming to notice him; when Rugiero, according to his instructions, put to him the question—"YES or NO?" The man answered immediately, "NO;" and wrapping his cloak about him, quickened his pace, and proceeded forward, without so much as look­ing at Rugiero.

Rugiero followed him through several winding streets, 'till he turned into a passage so narrow that it involved them in compleat darkness. Rugiero continued, however, to follow the man, 'till the passage opened into a kind of square, which appeared to be in a state of desolation. The ground was rough, uneven, and full of hillocks. Their path was interrupted by fragments of stone, bricks, and rubbish; and the stench which arose around them, betrayed it to be the residence of the [Page 39] meanest and most wretched inhabitants of the metropolis.

They at last reached a stone building, seem­ingly of very ancient structure, the entrance to which was a gothic door, so low that a moderate sized man must stoop considerably at entering it, and very narrow.

At this door the man tapped gently, and a small grated wicket in the middle of it was immediately unlocked.—Some words in a low voice passed—the door opened, as far as a chain, which was placed across it on the inside, would permit—and two men, with drawn daggers, appeared as centinels on the inside, Rugiero and his conductor were ad­mitted—they passed under the chain, and the door was immediately closed.

They passed through a long winding pas­sage, and up a narrow flight of stone stairs, at the top of which they tapped at a door, and were admitted into a large, gloomy, and almost unfurnished room, illuminated by a single lamp, which hung over a table.

Several men, whose persons could not, on account of the gloomy light which the lamp diffused, be very accurately distinguished, were walking about the room, conversing [Page 40] with each other. When Rugiero was ad­mitted, his guide approached them, and hav­ing said something to them in a low voice, passed out of a door at the farther end of the room, and in a few minutes returned, accom­panied by a gentleman with a taper in his hand, who advanced hastily towards Rugie­ro; but stopped short when he had approached near enough to distinguish him, and said, with signs of disappointment, "how is this? Is not your lord here?"

Rugiero, who knew him to be a young nobleman bound by the strictest ties of friend­ship to his lord, explained to him shortly the accident which had prevented Rhinaldo's ar­rival; but added, modestly, that whatever service they might think proper to employ him in, he hoped and trusted he should go through it with firmness.

"I do not doubt it," said the nobleman: ‘but your lord's counsel and conduct on a day like this—his absence affects us—it is, as it were, a limb lobbed from our en­terprise.’

He then turned towards the remainder of the company, and entered into a long con­versation with them.

[Page 41] Rugiero, by the light of the taper, which this gentleman had brought, added to that of the lamp, had an opportunity of viewing more distinctly the figures of these persons. They seemed all armed and accoutred for im­mediate service. The nobleman who addressed him, though not completely armed, had on his cuirasse, and other pieces, which were not sufficiently cumberous to prevent his act­ing on foot.

After having conversed for some time with the rest, this nobleman turned to Rugiero, and bade him follow him. They passed through the door at the end of the room, and arrived at a small chamber, in which there was a common truckle bed and two chairs.

"This," said the nobleman, smiling, "is my apartment. But come," added he, "let us lose no time" He passed through this a­partment, and descending by a staircase on the other side of it, entered a room, in which were several armed men, some walking, some sitting down, and others lying on benches. Several pieces of armour hung round the walls, and swords and pikes seemed scattered carelessly about.

"Come, my friends," said the nobleman, as he entered—"our hour is arrived;" [Page 42] twelve of them then took up their arms, and the nobleman, followed by Rugiero, led them to the gate at which the latter had entered, which was opened at their approach.

They passed over the ruins, and keeping the most profound silence, gained the new bridge. They did not pass over it, but passing down on one side of the river, discovered at no great distance a boat, in which sate two men.

These men arose at their approach, and the nobleman having said something to them, addressed Rugiero as follows:—

"I must now leave you, as my presence is demanded elsewhere. These men will con­duct you to the garden at the back of the pa­lace—there, if fortune befriends us, you will find the princess Isabel. This will prove an eventful night. Your task will probably require fortitude and presence of mind. If you have the good fortune to effect the escape of the princess, convey her with all speed to the place whence we now came."

Saying this, the nobleman, with four of his comrades, departed, leaving Rugiero with the rest, who immediately embarked in the boat prepared for them. Rugiero now per­ceived [Page 43] that the two men in the boat were al­so armed.

CHAP. V.

THEY dropped silently down with the tide, rowing as gently as possible, lest the dashing of their oars, amid the stillness of the night, should create some alarm.

When they arrived at the back of the pa­lace gardens, which opened by a beautiful and lofty terrace towards the river. They were surprised by the sound of many voices, and could faintly discover several persons moving on the terrace. They now took in their oars entirely, and as the tide carried them slowly opposite the terrace, preserved the most profound silence.—They did not, however, execute this so successfully, as not to be perceived. They were challenged from the terrace, and ordered to bring to. In spite, however of this order, they still continued to drop down with the tide, about the middle of the channel, when they were alarmed by the report of an arquebusse, evidently levelled at them; the shot, however, probably went [Page 44] over their heads, as they did not perceive a­ny effect from it. They now thought it ne­cessary again to ply their oars, which they did with some effect, but remitted their la­bour upon hearing a bugle sound in the gar­den, at the call of which the soldiers, whom they had seen upon the terrace, suddenly dis­appeared, and left the gardens wrapt in total silence.

Rugiero, upon this, resolved to land there, and ordering the boat to pull in gently to­wards the terrace, he threw a ladder of ropes, with which the boatmen were purposely pro­vided, over the parapet; but the breadth of the wall prevented the grapplings, which were fixed to the end of the ladder, taking hold. They then pushed the boat towards a large flight of stone stairs, which descended from a magnificent portico about the centre of the terrace, and entangling their grapp­lings with some wrought iron which united the gateway with the parapet, Rugiero as­cended the ladder, and was followed by the whole of his party, except the two persons he had found in the boat, who still remained to take care of it. They paced silently along the terrace, and saught the most retired part of the garden, intending to conceal them­selves in the bowers with which it abounded.

[Page 45] They had not proceeded for, before they discovered two women, who passed swiftly between the trees. Terror seemed to lend them wings. Rugiero and his party had scarcely time to observe them, before they saw their progress impeded by a party of ar­med men, whose leader, advancing towards the women, laid hold on the foremost of them by the arm, while his party surround­ed them.

Rugiero, who immediately conjectered that this must be the lady Isabel, ordered his men to stand to their arms, and advanced re­solutely towards them. The women shriek­ed, and Rugiero heard the leader of the op­posite band exclaim, "It is the lady Isabel—secure her."

Upon hearing this, Rugiero rushed on him, and was resolutely seconded by his men, one of whom gently led the women towards the terrace, while the rest, placing their backs towards them, in a firm phalanx, covered the retreat. In this manner they gained the ter­race; but the exclamations of the opposite party, who called loudly for assistance, and the clashing of their swords, had by this time so far increased the number of their enemies, that though they had gained the portico at which the ladder was suspended, the found [Page 46] themselves so pressed, that they began to give up every hope of escape. They had found means, however, with the assistance of the men below, to convey the two women safe­ly to the boat, and calling to those below to push off, had no thoughts but of selling their lives as dearly as possible—when the attention of the foe was suddenly diverted by a violent attack on the gate of the portico, and in an instant Rugiero found his little forlorn party succoured by a strong reinforcement, who mounted the terrace by the rope ladder, which still hung suspended to the iron work of the portico.

The gate in a short time was opened by assist­ance from the inside, and a considerable party, who had disembarked from boats which lay moored to the stone staircase below, rushed at once into the garden. The enemy found it in vain to contend longer, and made a pre­cipitate retreat, in which they were closely pressed by the party which had just arrived.

Rugiero, who had luckily (though very hardly pressed) escaped without a wound, was now preparing to descend the ladder, in order to secure the retreat of the Lady Isabel, when he was accosted by a person belonging to the party just entered, who, calling him by his name, asked him, if the lady was safe?

[Page 47] Rugiero knew this person immediately to be the nobleman he had so lately quitted, and his surprise at this unexpected meeting kept him for a moment silent.

"We have been betrayed," added this nobleman. "Our troops have met with a warm reception in the square, and I have embarked with this reserve to try whether this part of the palace would not prove less impregnable than the front; but where," con­tinued he, "is the lady Isabel?"

Rugiero told him that she was in the boat below, and he descended immediately by the ladder. In about five minutes he returned. "Rugiero," said he, "we have been decei­ved.—The lady in the boat is not the Lady Isabel; she is, however, a lady, in whose welfare I interest myself much. The duty of the moment will not permit me to stay—the Lady Isabel is confined in her chamber in the first story on the left front of the western tower. I will leave a trusty few for the guard of the boat, and with thirty more, whom I will spare to reinforce your detachement, you must attempt to rescue the lady" Having remained just long enough to effect this arran­gement, the nobleman hastened towards the palace.

[Page 48] Rugiero now took the command of the men who were delivered to him by the nobleman, and sought the western tower. He perceived the window on the left front—it was about the height of two pikes from the ground, and grated with iron—he perceived that the cham­ber within was lighted up; he had taken the precaution to bring from the boat the ladder of ropes; he tied two pikes together and hoist­ing the ladder, fixed the grapplings to the bars of the windows and ascended. The light in the chamber grew every moment more and more vived. What were the horrors which Rugiero felt when, upon gaining the window, he perceived the furniture and hangings of the chamber enveloped in flames.

He had scarcely time to reflect on this dreadful spectacle, before he heard the clashing of swords, and perceived that his men were attacked below.—The garden was again in tumult, and the party which had lately landed were compelled to retreat to their boats, which they did in much confusion.

Rugiero's guard stood boldly on their de­fence, but were presently overpowered by numbers, and compelled to seek their safety with the rest. In this confusion Rugiero stood supported by the gratings of the window, 'till the flames began to crack the panes of the [Page 49] casement, and his post was become too hot to be longer tenable. He now began to de­scend, when, either from the melting of the solder, through the increasing heat of the walls, or from the rottenness of the ironwork itself, the grating gave way, and Rugiero fell to the ground.

He lay, for some time, stunned by his fall, and upon recovering himself, found that the tumult in the garden had in a great measure subsided. He had luckily received no mate­rial damage from this accident, and now thought of effecting his escape; but reflecting for a moment on his situation, he judged it useless to proceed towards the terrace, as the boats had probably by this time quitted the shore.

As he walked slowly forwards, doubtful what he should do, he perceived before him the body of a man, who had probably been slain in the late skirmish, and who was drest in the habit of the king's guard.

Rugiero hesitated not a moment, but strip­ping him of his hat, his buff coat, and ban­delier, and placing his arquebusse on his shoulder, he fell in with a party who were in an irregular manner retiring towards the palace, and insinuating himself among them, [Page 50] soon gained the great square in the front of the building.

He there found most of the troops in the city drawn up, and under arms, while a par­ty were employed in extinguishing the fire which had filled his mind with so much hor­ror.

Musing on the dreadful fate which had probably attended the unfortunate lady, for whose sake solely he seemed to have been commanded on his present service, and shud­dering at the bare idea of cummunicating to his lord intelligence so pregnant with calam­ity, he quitted the square, unperceived by some sentries who were posted at the differnet aven­ues, but who were employed in drinking, and gained the high bridge. From the high bridge, he strove to retrace his former steps towards the spot on which he had first seen the noble friend of his lord. In this he suc­ceeded; but, on his arrival, he had fresh cause for astonishment and alarm. He saw the ruins allmost covered with dead bodies—a large party of the king's troops were still there under arms—the building, at the little door of which he had been so cautiously ad­mitted, was smoaking in ruins, and, opposite to it, were placed two small pieces of artil­lery. In short, there was every appearance [Page 51] that this house had been defended to the last extremity.

Rugiero retired with a melancholy step from this scene of slaughter, and regaining the house of Bernard Tilly, he mounted his horse, and prepared to convey to his master the heavy and heart-breaking intelligence with which he felt his mind oppressed. At the eastern gate, through which it was neces­sary that he should attempt his escape, he judged that he should not be able to pass without some difficulty—He resolved, howe­ver, to depend on the coat he wore, and the tale he should be able to fabricate, in all proba­bility this would scarcely have succeeded; but he was not put to the trial—he found the post deserted—the guard had been recently attacked, and the gate forced—he now took the road towards the place where he had left Rhinaldo.

CHAP. VI.

RUGIERO rode on, wrapt in mournful meditation, 'till he came to the skirts of a wood. As he entered the hollow way, which led through this wood, he heard a noise of the galloping of horses at a distance behind him. He turned round, and percei­ved a troop of horsmen▪ at the distance of a­bout a quarter of a mile, pressing with all their speed towards him.

As he did not think it prudent to encoun­ter these men, he put his horse forward, and perceiving a narrow path winding through the thicket on his right hand, he turned his horse into it, and giving him the spur, and defended his face as well as he could with his hand, he speedily lost sight of the road. He pursued the path, which became gradually more open, 'till thinking himself well con­cealed from the horsmen, whose approach had alarmed him, he paused. He had the satisfaction to hear them pass along the read, without attempting to turn out of it. He then thought of returning the way he came, [Page 53] but perceived the thicket so deeply entang­led, that he was compelled to pursue the path strait forward.

It extended gradually, as he proceeded, 'till it opened into a green sward, shaped like a little amphitheatre, and surrounded, on all sides, by the wood. As he entered this place, he perceived the back of a man, who was gliding through the trees at the other end of it. He stopped his horse when he per­ceived this, and, as he was meditating on the path he should pursue, he was surrounded by four men, who rushed out of the surround­ing thickets so suddenly, that they had seized upon his bridle and sword before he was a­ware of their approach.

They told him he was their prisoner, and, bidding him dismount, tied his hands behind him, and led him through the thickest of the underwood,—his horse being conducted by one of them slowly behind. After a toilsome walk of some length, their path being inter­rupted by briars and matted weeds, and the hands of his conductors employed in remov­ing the branches by which they were perpe­tually interrupted. They arrived at the foot of a rock, gradually sloping from a prodigi­ous height, crowned on the summit with lof­ty and majestic pines, and clad to the very [Page 54] foot with brush wood, intermingled with small dwarf trees.

Beneath this rock were some cabbins, fresh­ly constructed with the branches of trees, and one indeed scarcely yet begun. Several persons were employed in the labour of rear­ing them, whose arms lay by them.

Rugiero was conducted to the largest of the huts, which was built so as to form a kind of vestibule to a cave, which seemed to have been scooped by nature in the solid rock. From this hut a person advanced to meet him, who seemed, as he could collect from the behaviour of the rest, vested with some authority.

The men who had seized Rugiero inform­ed this person, that being detached for for­age, they had fallen in with the prisoner as he was attempting to discover their retreat, and, as was beyond all doubt confirmed by his appearance, in order to betray it to the king.

The person whom they addressed, turning to Rugiero, asked him how he came into that situation. "But," added he, 'his garb is evidence enough of his intention—we must teach him, that despair has rendered all at­tempts [Page 55] against us dangerous—let him be conveyed aside, and well guarded—we will speedily determine on his fate. Rugiero beg­ged to be heard; but the person who had given these orders turning his back upon him, the men who had him in custody were about to convey him away, when he perceiv­ed an officer of a superior presence approach.

This officer held by the hand a lady, plain­ly but handsomely drest. What was the sa­tisfaction of Rugiero, when he discovered in him the very nobleman under whose auspi­ces he had conducted the business of the pre­ceding evening.

The nobleman to whom his ca [...]e was re­ferred, knew him immediately; ordered him to be unbound, and taking him into the cave, asked him by what singular fortune he had escaped from the calamities which attended the unfortunate events of the night.

The apartment in the cave was lofty and spacious. It received a degree of light, just sufficient to render it habitable, by an ob­lique perforation in the roof, which joined to the surface of the rock at some consid­erable hight above the entrance. In [...]is apartment, which had in former times been the residence of a hermit, were three chairs [Page 56] and a table, carved rudely in wood, and seemingly very old. At the end was a rude altar, formed in the solid rock, having a crucifix carved with some ingenuity over it; and in the corner of the cave lay a small bedstead of wood, which was covered with fearn, newly gathered.

Rugiero related to the young nobleman, with horror in his countenance, the dread­ful object which encountered him at lady Isabels' window; and the circumstances which attended his escape.

"Heaven be praised!" said this nobleman, who was called Count Anselmo;—"all then is yet well. This lady," said he, turn­ing towards the lady, whom he held by the hand, "is indebted to you for her es­cape last night. You mistook her for the Lady Isabel, to whom indeed she is nearly related, Upon the ill success of our last attempt, I had the good fortune to reach the boat in which you left this lady, and the equally good fortune to fall down the river under the very walls of the fort which guards the entrance of the city, unperceiv­ed. We have trembled fo [...] the fate of the Lady Isabel, wh [...] upon the discovery of our plot, was c [...]osely confined. But all, I trust, [...]s yet well. Rugiero, "continued he" [Page 57] you must undertake another journey to the city, for your master's service; but, as the alarm is spread, it will be necessary for you to disguise yourself. Where, "said he, speak­ing to one of his attendants, "is the wood­man, whose guests we are?"

A poor fellow was presently called to him, who was employed in finishing one of the cabins, but who was closely watched, lest he should make his escape.

"You had better," said Anselmo to Ru­giero, "change dresses with this fellow. In his garb, and driving the sorry beast on which he loads his faggots, you may easily gain ad­mittance into the city."

To this proposal Rugiero immediately con­sented. He disguised himself like a peasant, and, loading an ass belonging to the wood­man with faggots, he waited the commands of Anselmo.

"When you have gained the city," said the Count, "repair to—"here he paused—"Hath, your lord,' said he, "given you any order to receive money in the city?"

Rugiero produced the ring he had received from Rhinaldo.

[Page 58] "All is right," continued the Count. "Ask of Pen Naphthali a thousand crowns in gold; when you have got it, wait patient­ly 'till the clock strikes nine; repair then to the colonade in the front of the town-house, where, during the day, the merchants assemble. You will there find the person whom you saw on the high bridge; but be extremely cautious how you act. Your life, and the welfare of your lord, will perhaps depend on your care.—Do not, therefore, whomsoever you may see there, address him; but place yourself with your back against the fifth pillar of the colonade from the right. If the person, seeing you in that situation, should ask you the question you formerly asked, " YES or NO," he is your man. Deli­ver to him the thousand crowns and attend to the orders he will give you—do not, however loiter long in the streets after this interview, as the city patrole will soon afterwards mount guard."

Rugiero, armed with these instructions, soon departed; but fearing, notwithstanding his disguise, an examination at the city gates, he adopted the precaution of sewing the ring within the lining of his pack saddle. Nor did this care prove needless—at the gates he underwent a strict search; but ha­ving taken great care that nothing about him should convey the slightest suspicion [Page 59] of his being in any degree superiour to the rank of the peasant he appeared, they suf­fered him to pass.

As soon as he had conveyed his l [...]ad of faggots to a wretched inn' to which the woodmen usually resorted, he prepared him­self to execute the orders of Count Ans [...]l­mo. He procured the money of Ben Naph­thali, and repaired, when the clock struck nine, to the place appointed. He had scar­cely placed himself against the pillar, when the man he had formerly seen walked slowly by him, so close as to brush him with his cloak. After a short time he returned, and perceiving nobody near, addressed him in the words he had been taught to ex­pect.

Upon this, Rugiero drew a canvass bag from his breast, in which were contained the thousand crowns he had received from Naph­thali, and gave them to the stranger, who, putting them under his cloak, told him to be in the same spot exactly in six hours—but to take particular care, if possible, to avoid the patrole.

Rugiero returned to his miserable inn, and throwing himself on a truckle bed, wait­ed with impations the expiration of the six [Page 60] hours. The clock at length struck three—he arose, and hastened towards the place of appointment. He had not proceeded many pa­ces before, at the corner of a street, he met the patrole. He started aside, to avoid the serjeant, whose suspicions were so far aroused by this circumstance, that he immediately sprung forward, and seized him by the col­lar. He was soon surrounded, and after a few questions taken into custody, and marched towards the guard-house.

He had not proceeded far beyond the town-house, when the guard, in whose cust­ody he was, were encountered by another party. As soon as these parties came close to each other, they halted, which they had scarcely done, when a man springing forward from the midst of the party which had just arrived, seized Rugiero by the collar, and said to the commander of the detachment he was with, "This is the traitor—this is the very man we are in search of—I charge you seize him."

The commander, upon these words, ad­vanced towards Rugiero, gave him into the custody of his own party, after a few words had passed between him and the serjeant of the other detachment, when the parties se­perated, each returning the way they came.

[Page 61] The astonishment of Rugiero kept him perfectly silent under this accusation; nor was that astonishment lessened, by his per­ceiving that the person accusing him was the very man to whom he had so lately delive­red the thousand crowns, and who had pro­mised to meet him.

He was now convinced that he was be­trayed, and that his own life, and the dear­est interests of his lord, must fall a sacrifice to his ill fortune. Yet how it had occurred he could not divine.—Wrapt in these melan­choly reflections, he walked on 'till they came to the remains of the old palace, a build­ing which had long been converted into a prison, for which use one would have thought, from its appearance, it had been originally designed.

In an outward apartment belonging to this place, the guard which had conducted Ru­giero hither halted, and deposited their arms; and this faithful servant was ordered to fol­low the commander of the party, who led him into a dark and intricate passage, while the person who had preferred the accusation against him kept warily behind him. They passed through many strong doors, of which the commander possessed the keys. At length they descended by the winding staircase of [Page 62] a turret, and passing a long and narrow arched vault, lighted by two dim lamps, began to ascend in the same manner. After ascending for some time, the guide halted, and, open­ing a door, introduced Rugiero to a small strong square room, which seemed to admit the light in the day by one small casement, opened in a wall of immense thickness. In short, it seemed a place of confinement for prisoners of a better order, who were not destined to be very rigidly dealt with.

In this room, at a table, on which burned two tapers, sat a young man, plainly drest, who seemed, as it appeared to Rugiero upon entering, in the act of painting his face by a looking-glass which stood on the table; while another person, of about his own stature, stood at his elbow, assisting him in the em­ployment.

Such an employment, in such a situation, could not fail to strike Rugiero. The young man arose suddenly upon their entrance, and, taking his cloak and hat from his attendant, seemed to await their orders.

Rugiero had now an opportunity of view­ing him. He seemed very young, of an ele­gant form, and brown complexion, his hair very much overshadowed his face, and [Page 63] as well as his eye-brows, was remarkably dark.

Rugiero's guide accosted him respectfully, and, taking off his hat, told him that the TIME WAS COME. The young man's servant upon this took up a small cloak bag, which was delivered to Rugiero, and attended his master, who followed the conductor to the guard room. The escort who had conducted Rugiero to this place, resumed their arms, and proceeded towards the gate of the city, at which Rugiero had entered, but halted within about forty paces of it, when the commander, apologizing for the necessity he was under, ordered the young man and his servant to be bound together. The same ce­remony was performed on Rugiero and his accuser, who were, to his surprise, bound arm to arm.

When they arrived at the gate, the com­mander asked for the serjeant of the guard, and told him he was conducting some pri­soners to a castle, which he named, at no great distance. He then gave him the word of the night. The gate was opened, the drawbridge let down, and the detachment soon saw themselves clear of the city.

CHAP. VII.

THE leaders of this little party no sooner found themselves out of sight of the gates, than they unbound the four prisoners, and striking out of the road, pursued their march through a hollow way, which in a few hours led them to the skirts of a forest.

During this march, Rugiero found himself treated with much respect by the person who commanded the detachment, and the man to whom he had delivered the thousand crowns.—The latter apologized to-him for the man­ [...] in which he had been treated; but told him, that when he found him unfortunately in the custody of the other escort, he per­ceived there was no other mode of extricating him, than that of preferring the accusation, upon which he had been delivered up. Upon the arrival of the detachment at the skirts of this forest, they were met by a party o [...] horse, at the head of which Rugiero saw the Count Anselmo. This nobleman rode immediately up to the detachment, and dismounting from his horse, addressed himself most respectfully [Page 65] to the young man who had accompanied them from the prison, and insisted upon his riding during the rest of the journey. This offer the young man, who seemed much ex­hausted with fatigue, accepted, with many thanks, and was helped by the Count into the saddle. His servant was likewise accom­modated with the charger of one of the troop­ers, and the party pursued their march 'till they arrived, by a very narrow path, which would just admit a single horse, at the spot from which Rugiero had been detached on the preceding day.

On their arrival, the Count conducted the young man and his attendant into the cave, and ordered Rugiero to follow.

On his entrance to the cave, he was sur­prized to see the lady, whom he had left with the Count, rise from her seat, and embrace the young man with ardour—but his surprise was quickly alleviated by the Count, [...] said to him, "Rugiero, I may [...] congra­tulate you on your Lord's [...] [...]aching hap­piness. This" [...] the young man by the hand, [...] Isabel:"

Rugiero dropped on one knee, and the la­dy stretching out her hand to raise him, he pressed it respectfully to his lips.

[Page 66] "Where," said she to Rugiero, "is your Lord? How came he absent at a time like this? Is he safe? Is he well?"

"He is safe, Madam," said Rugiero; "and a few hours will conduct me to him."

"Why is he not here?" said she.

Anselmo, to whom Rugiero had disclosed the cause of Rhinaldo's absence, then told her that an accident had prevented the Count's attendance, but that she should see him on the next day.

"My dear Cousin Ellenor," said the Prin­cess, turning to her, and embracing her with much affection, "I did not think I should ever see you again. Blessed be heaven for this interview!"

"To what propitious fortune," said the [...] [...]dy, returning her embrace with equal ardour, [...] indebted for this happiness?"

"I [...], "know myself. [...] my dear Cousin, that, on the day preceding that evening, when it was agreed that I should attempt my escape from the detested addresses of the son of the Count St. Amand, I was closely con­fined to my chamber. The cause of that con­finement [Page 67] was the rumour of a plot to restore my father to his throne. Of my escape I know little. I was alarmed by the cry of fire. I heard a confused noise at my door, which was suddenly opened. I was conveyed, with my faithful Barbara, to a room in the old palace, whither, late last night, the disguises in which we now appear were conveyed to us. Ah! Count Anselmo," continued the Prin­cess, "Tell me, I intreat you, my father! is he safe?"

"He is, Madam," said Anselmo; "it was not thought proper, 'till this effort was made, to draw him from his retirement. The project of making ourselves masters of the person of your uncle, and thus securing the capital, was entrusted but to few. Rhinaldo was among them. You will, I know, par­don him, that he did not confide to you the whole of our project. Such a confidence he knew, from the delicacy of your situation, could alone be attended with pain, anxiety, and eventually, perhaps, with danger to your person. As Rhinaldo could not appear in the capital with safety, it was resolved that he should not join us 'till our project was ripe for execution, and that then he should enter the town privately, and meet one of our party at a place appointed. If any thing had happened to disconcert our measures, at a [Page 68] word given by the person appointed to meet him, Rhinaldo was to take horse and fly to bring up some troops, who are collected on the frontiers; if nothing had happened, he was to join us. Rugiero attended us in his place, and, receiving the word intended for his lord, was conducted to us, for we did not then suspect, what we afterwards proved, that our plot had been discovered. As to your own escape, it was effected by a serjeant of Astolpho's guard, who had formerly served your father, and was attached to us. He had been informed of your confinement, and projected, with an officer of our party, the plan for your escape, which was speedily communicated to me. In the midst of the confusion, which occurred in the palace, he contrived to set fire to the chamber adjoining to yours, and prevailing on the guard, which was set over you, to open your doors, he entered with his own men, and, under pre­tence of conveying you to your uncle, lodged you in the old palace. But if you wish to learn the story from his own mouth, here he is."

At that instant the commander of the party, which had esco [...]ed Isabel to this retirement, entered.

Isabel arose. "At least," said she, "I [Page 69] ought to express my obligations to him." She now began to thank the serjeant for his conduct—when he interrupted her suddenly.

"Lady," said he, "this is no time for compliments. Heaven grant that you may yet be in safety."

"My Lord," said he to the Count, "your scouts bring us but scurvy intellig [...]ce. Several soldiers have been discovered making through the thickest of the wood in different parts, and there is reason to think we are dis­covered."

Alarmed at this intelligence, Anselmo arose, and walked hastily towards the mouth of the cave. He had scarcely reached it, when a horseman, who had been out to re­connoitre, brushed suddenly thro' the wind­ing path in the wood, by which Anselmo had conducted Isabel to the cave, and riding ha­stily up to the Count, told him, that from an eminence he had discerned a large party, consisting both of infantry and cavalry, marching towards the skirts of the forest, and that a detachment of light troops were already upon the scout in the wood.

There was not now much time for debate. It was suddenly resolved that [...], with [Page 70] a chosen party, mounted on the best horses they had, and carrying with them the little stock of provisions which they had already been enabled to procure, consisting chiefly of the flesh of some wild goats, should imme­diately retire through the forest, in order ei­ther to gain some station where their friends were assembled, or to fall in with the troops, which they hoped were already on their march [...] the frontiers; while Rugiero and the serjeant should from a kind of rear guard with the foot to cover their retreat, and check the enemy's horse, who could alone hope to over­take them.

This check they had no doubt they could effectually give, favoured as they were by the inaccessible nature of the ground, and their resolve was no sooner formed than exe­cuted. Isabel, her Cousin, and servant, were mounted, and, escorted by Count Ans [...]lmo and a chosen party of horse, filed through the narrow path; Rugiero and the sergeant, with a party of foot, having first reconnoi­tered it, and secured the outlet, which opened into a hollow way leading to the deepest re­cesses of the forest.

Our fugitives had not long gained this road, when [...] perceived a small de­tachment of horse advancing from the op­posite [Page 71] part of the road which led towards the city. Upon their approach, he threw his party into the woods on each side of the road, who made such use of their [...]ire [...] and ar­rows, that the horse [...] finding them ef­fectually secured from their attacks by the thickness o [...] the wood, soon judged it pru­dent to retreat, and give up any farther pursuit 'till their infantry should arrive. During this time, Rugiero and his party gradually retreated after the Count, and had soon the satisfaction to find themselves wholly unmolesten by their enemis.

They pushed forward with as much speed as they were able to make, 'till the shades of night, which fell heavilly and deeply over the forest, in some mea­sure arrested their progress. They were then compelled to proceed at a slower pace, for which they, however, felt somewhat consoled by the reflection that their pursuers, if they were yet pursued, were equally impeded by the cause which obstructed them. The night now grew darker, and, amidst the gloom which was occasioned by the thick and lofty branches of the trees, they found it extreme­ly difficult to discern the path before them, in which they were alone guided by the deep and rugged banks which arose on each side.

[Page 72] The wind now arose, and whistled hollow through the trees—the gloom seemed redoub­led—the rain began to rattle amidst the trees—and the thunder to roll at a distance—while the howling of the wolves on every side of them filled the [...] party with dis­may.

They knew the ferocity of these animals, with multitudes of which this forest abound­ed; and the darkness of the night rendered them liable to unforeseen attacks from every side.

While they were in this situation, keeping as close together as possible, through th [...] dread they entertained by these voracious a­nimals, they perceived a distant light glimer­ing through a vista in the forest, and deter­mined, after a short deliberation, to make to­wards it, and procure, if possible, some shel­ter 'till the storm should subside.

It is true, by such a step, they subjecte [...] themselves to a discovery, or rendered th [...] march liable to be traced, if the house fro [...] which the light proceeded should prove th [...] mansion of some person inimical to th [...] cause, but the fatigue and terrors of the [...] male companions of his flight, and inde [...] their seeming inability to proceed farth [...] [Page 73] induced. Anselmo to run all hazards, and turning towards the place whence the light they had discerned diffused its beams, they found themselves in a short time close to the walls of a spacious and stately castle.

It was here resolved that, as their numbers might create suspicion, Rugiero, who was not so well known as the Count, and conse­quently was not so liable to detection, should with the Lady Isabel, her Cousin, and attend­ants, demand admittance, and shelter from the storm, while the remainder of the party waited without, and sought protection from the boisterous inclemency of the night, in some of the outhouses of the Castle.

This they might easily do without detection, for though this Castle was large and stately, it was a place of no great strength. The situ­ation did not admit of its being moated, and its outward defence was a wall of no considera­ble hight.

Rugiero then, with Isabel and her fair com­panions, while the rest of the party stood aloof shrouded by the darkness of the night, ap­plied for admittance. He had slung round him a bugle horn, which Anselmo had given him, with orders, in case he found himself in danger, to sound an alarm. The apparel [Page 74] of Isabel and her companion was plain and neat, and Ellenor was covered with her veil. After some time the gate was opened, and Rugiero begged for shelter 'till the storm should pass over.

He said that his party had been attacked by the wolves, in passing the forest, and that they had been compelled, in order to save their own lives, to leave their horses a prey to those ravenous animals. After relating this story, they were, upon a short delibera­tion, admitted through the court into a lofty and spacious hall, hung round with armour.

The whole of the family seemed to have retired to rest, except a few servants, who were standing round a fire, to which Rugiero and his party advanced, in order to dry their cloaths. After some little time, the servants were summoned to attend their lord, who was preparing to retire for the night.

Rugiero and the Princess had waited but a few minutes, before they perceived the door of a room open, and two of the servants, who had just left them, descend by a few steps into the hall, bearing each a taper in his hand.

They were followed by a gentleman dressed in deep mourning, who advancing towards [Page 75] Rugiero and his companions, surveyed them with scrutinizing eyes; but what were the feel­ings of Isabel, when in this person she disco­vered the man with whose abhored addresses she had been so much persecuted—the Count Rhodolpho, the son of the Count St. Amand.

Rhodolpho, after he had asked some que­stions of Rugiero, advanced towards her. She was sinking with terror—he looked at her, but, to all appearance, did not recollect her, for he passed on to her Cousin Isabel, whom he desired to lift her veil, What were the sensations of Isabel at this request! She knew that Rhodolpho was perfectly acquainted with her Cousin.—Ellenor, who likewise knew him▪ hesitated and trembled. He intimated his desire with the tone of a man who would be obeyed.

Isabel, instinctively, caught hold of the horn, which hung by Rugiero's side, and raised it to her mouth; but before her lips could reach it, overcome by her sensations, she fainted and fell senseless on the floor.

This circumstance called off the attention of Rhodolpho, who no longer persisted in his demand, but leaving Isabel, whose acci­dent he imputed to fatigue, to the care of his servants, retired.

[Page 76] He had scarcely turned his back, when Ellenor, forgetting all precaution at behold­ing her Cousin's situation, threw off [...]her veil; and flew to the lady Isabel's assistance.

Of the servants who had attended Rhodol­pho into the hall, two had remained behind. One of them was a shrewd fellow, whose sub­tilty and address had recommended him much to the favour of his lord.

The appearance of Isabel and her compan­ion had struck him, as bearing in it something peculiar. The circumstance of her seizing the bugle, which hung at Rugiero's side, and attempting to sound it, had not passed unno­ticed; and the beauty of Ellenor so ill accor­ding with the situation in which she appeared, convinced him that some mystery attended the arrival of these people at the Castle.

Impressed with this idea, while Rugiero, assisted by Ellenor, Barbara, and the other servant, was occupied in the recovery of Isabel he stole away to his lord, and communicated to him all he had observed.

Rhodolpho, aroused by this intelligence, quitted his apartment, and returned to the hall, where he unluckily arrived, unseen by any one, before Ellenor had replaced her veil.

[Page 77] "Lady Ellenor!" exclaimed Rhodolpho, starting back, He looked alternately at her and Isabel, who was still sitting in the chair. The efforts used to recover her had disordered her dress—some false hair which she wore was displaced—the water sprinkled in her face had removed some of the paint which she had used to give a brown and manly hue to her com­plexion.

Rhodolpho looked stedfastly at her. He clasped his hands together, and raising them in a transport, exclaimed, "by all that's sacred, this was above my hopes! The Prin­cess Isabel! At last, Madam, you are mine—nor is it in the power of heaven or earth to redeem you."

The arrival of all she had dreaded roused those spirits in the Princess which her fears had dissipated. She arose, and waving her hand, said to Rhodolpho, with an air of dig­nity,—"My Lord, I will remain no longer here—let me pass."

"See that no one escapes," said Rhodol­pho to his servants. "Ladies," continued he, with a sneer,—"you must be content with my inhospitable roof to-night."

"Not so, my Lord," said Rugiero, firmly. "Since this is the case, we must trust again [Page 78] to the inclement elements;" and taking Isa­bel in one hand, and Ellenor in the other, he conducted them towards the door.

"On your lives, let no one pass," said Rhodolpho to his servants, who advanced to­wards the door.

Rugiero now quitting the hands of the la­dies, drew his sword, and said, in a determined tone, "The man who attempts to obstruct our passage, dies."

Isabel, Barbara, and Ellenor, now ran towards the door, while Rugiero, still facing Rhodolpho and his servants, kept them at bay.

"Ring the alarm bell," cried Rhodolpho; and the servants flew different ways to arouse the sleepy inhabitants of the Castle.

Rugiero, finding himself free from the un­equal attacks of his foes, took advantage of his breathing time, and, applying his bugle horn to his mouth, sounded a charge, while the delicate and trembling hands of his com­panions were applied, with unskilful haste, to the massy bolts and bars of the door.

The active alarms of the servants soon brought assistance to their lord.

[Page 79] Rugiero found his assailants increase. He had repeatedly sounded his horn, when, to his extreme joy, he heard his friends on the outside of the door, which Isabel and her companions had at length contrived to unbar.

Count Anselmo, and his party now rushed in, and giving a sudden check to the assailants of Rugiero, bore away the Princess, her Cou­sin and companion. By this time, however, the hall was full of men, for Rhodolpho had quartered his company of men at arms (which his father's interest had obtained for him) at his Castle that night, with intent to join the king on the next day. They rushed out in pursuit of the fugitives, and as they exceeded Anselmo's little band considerably in numbers the latter were compelled to seek refuge in the darkness of the night, and the thickness and obscurity of the tangled forest. Pressed by a formidable enemy, close at their heels, they knew not which course to take, but dis­persed in different bodies, and sought their safety in flight.

Anselmo, who would not quit his mistress and her lovely Cousin▪ found himself in a few minutes unaccompained by any man of his party, except Rugiero. He sought the place where he had left his horses, and, with the assistance of Rugiero, having mounted his [Page 80] little female band as well as he could, they took the first path which led from the Castle, and pressing forward with all the speed they could make, soon found themselves free from the noise of their pursuers.

CHAP. VIII.

ANSELMO and his fair companions had travelled for some time, Rugiero pur­posely keeping behind, that, if any pursuit should be made after them, he might give early intelligence of it,—when the horse on which this brave and faithful servant was mounted fell suddenly with him.

Rugiero readily extricated himself from him, but notwithstanding every effort he could make, in vain attempted to raise this worn out animal, whose strength was wholly exhausted. After endeavouring, without success, to make the Count, who was at some distance before him, acquainted with this disaster, for the roaring of the storm compleatly drowned his exclamations, he resolved to sit under a tree, close to the spot, where his horse lay, and wait the approach of day with patience.

[Page 81] In the mean time, Count Anselmo, with the lady Ellenor, the Princess Isabel, and her companion, proceeded onward, unconscious of the fate of Rugiero. At last, however, hearing no longer the sound of his horses feet, they stopped to listen—but they listened in vain. The howling of the wind was the only noise which saluted their e [...]rs. They knew not what to conjecture. Every idea they could form of the fate of Rugiero seemed pregnant with danger to themselves. They were at length, after a long period passed in painful and fruitless expectation, compelled to pur­sue their journey without him, which they did in a cheerless and melancholy silence, each of them brooding over ideas which they were almost afraid to communicate to the others.

They were journeying in this manner, when they came to a more open part of the forest, a large and dark object before them, which they were soon convinced was, as indeed it proved, a house. Somewhat re­vived at this prospect, they pushed for­ward, and speedily arrived at an old and ruined mansion.

In this ancient and dismantled dwell­ing, they perceived no signs of inhabitants. They judged it on that account a more proper shelter for the night; and though [Page 82] the Princess and her female companions were not unimpressed by terrors from the awfulness of the scene, they passed a crazy draw bridge, and, crossing a courtyard, reached the door of the house, which An­selmo, dismounting, presently opened.

When he had opened it, he listened, but could hear nothing. He was the more convinced▪ by this circumstance, that the house was uninhabited, and prevailed, after much intreaty, on his timid com­panions to leave their horses, (which he fastened together) and enter the mansion with him.

The lightning, which had not as yet ceas­ed to play around them, shooting through a large gothic window, displayed to them an old unfurnished hall. They found that the rain beat in near the spot where they stood, and the wind swept through the various avenues of this uncomfortable asyl­um. As they were much incommoded in this situation, Anselmo proposed that they should seek a better shelter; and after some opposition, his friends clinging close around him, proceeded across the hall, and descending by a few steps, found himself in a warmer station. He now began to trace his new apartment by the walls, and [Page 83] soon perceived, by the style of the furni­ture, and the extend of the fire place, that he had reached the kitchen of this mansion.

In pursuing his discovery, he soon found out that this part of the mansion could not have been long uninhabited, and began to entertain hopes, if he could, by accident, procure any implement with which he might strike a light, of rendering their asylum less comfortless for the remainder of the time which they should be compelled to pass in it.

His search was not unsuccessful, an andit became apparent, to demonstration, that the house could not have been long [...]orsaken. He found the implements he sought, and disco­vering some straw and faggots in a recess at no great distance from the fire-place, kindled a fire, and easily prevailed on his shivering friends to draw round it.

It was, in their situation, a luxury indeed. They wanted, it is true, to add to their com­fort, the provisions which they had brought from their retreat in the forest, but in the late attack, which dispersed their party, they were separated from the horses which had been laden with them. They huddled round the fire, and dried their cloaths. They dis­coursed with somewhat more cheerfulness than [Page 84] their conversation had of late displayed, and congratulated each other on their escape from the hands of Rhodolpho; 'till, exhausted with fatigue, fleep overtook them, and they sat slumbering over the dying embers, 'till they were rouzed by a noise which har­rowed up the hearts of the females with terror, and appalled even the firm and manly breast of Anselmo.

A slow and solemn step, attended by the clashing of chains, seemed to gain upon their ears from a long passage opposite to that by which the had entered the kitchen.

Anselmo (for the lady Isabel and her com­panions, breathless and overcome with terror shrunk behind their protector, and did not dare to cast their eyes towards the place whence the noise which alarmed them procee­ded) beheld a light gleam at a distance on the walls of the passage, and soon after discerned the form of a man advancing slowly along it.

A deadly paleness overspread the counte­nance—the eyes were hollow, and sunk—the hair was clotted with blood—with which his garments were also stained, and the light which Anselmo had descried, proceeded from a taper which he hold in his hand.

[Page 85] Anselmo's blood froze in his veins at this spectacle. In spite of all his fortitude his knees trembled, and a cold sweat bedewed his brow; nor could he arouse in his mind resolution enough to address the spectre before him, 'till he was awakened from this trance of terror by a singular phaenomenon.

The form which has been described contin­ued to advance, 'till it approached so near to Anselmo, that the light of the taper gleamed upon him; upon which he started suddenly, and prepared hastily to retreat.

Anselmo, roused by this circumstance, ad­vanced to follow it; but the Princess Isabel and her Cousin shrieked aloud, and clung to him under the impulse of the most agonizing terror.

At their shrieks the phantom again turned towards them.

"Whatever thou art," cried Anselmo, "I conjure thee stay and relieve me from this horror."

"Anselmo!" exclaimed the spectre, in a hollow voice, but in a tone of perplexity and wonder.

[Page 86] The voice, hollow as it was, sounded like that of Rhinaldo. It recalled the wandering senses of Isabel. She looked in the face of the speaker, pale and disfigured as it was—it was the countenance of Rhinaldo too.

Isabel shrieked and fainted.

"Help, help my Cousin Isabel!" ex­claimed Ellenor.

Rhinaldo, (for he was the spectre,) rushed forward to her assistance, while Anselmo re­mained motionless with wonder.

It was long before the beauteous Isabel could recover her scattered senses, and longer before she could be persuaded that her Rhi­naldo stood before her, impressed as she was with the idea that it was the spirit of her de­parted lover which she had seen.

Her doubts, however, at length subsided, and pity, at the ghastly appearance of Rhi­naldo, took place. She asked him, with a mixture of affection, compassion, and horror, the cause of his present appearance; and Rhi­naldo, postponing the gratification of his own curiosity, acquainted her with his arrival at the forlorn mansion in which she saw him—the death of the Count de St. Amand—and [Page 87] the discovery of Count Tancred; after which he proceeded as follows:

‘Rugiero had not long left us when we discovered that the escape of that servant whom he had, without success, attempted to detain, was as fatal a circumstance as his affectionate fears forboded that it would be.—This fellow went immediately to a Castle of his lords, which is at no great distance from this, and alarmed the family with the story of his death. Before we could settle any plan of escape, for which my wound, though it was but slight, in some degree still disqualified me, the house was assailed by the domestics of the Count. We barricaded it as well as we could, and prevailed on the servants who remained with us to assist us in our attempt to carry off the lady. We were preparing to depart when a posten door was forced, and our enemies rushed in upon us. Count Tancred and I drew our swords, in defence of the lady. I know no more—I was cut down—nor did I recover my senses, 'till I found myself loaded with the chains I now wear, and surrounded by a party of ruffians whom I had never before beheld. I was conducted into the presence of Rhodolpho, who stood in the midst of a circle of armed men. When he perceived who his prisoner [Page 88] was, the hatred he had always borne to­wards me broke out in the bitterest invec­tives, and he ordered me to be conveyed to the dungeon from which I had rescued the Count Tancred.—There my conduc­tors left me. I heard the last door of my prison close—in vain did I wait to hear it open again—hour after hour passed away—and the horrid silence of the dungeon continued uninterrupted. My remorseless foes had doomed me to all the horrors of death by famine. I soon enperienced many of its pangs. I awaked from my swoon to an intolerable thirst. Chained as I was, they had not taken the precaution to fix me to a particular spot, presuming, as I suppose, that I was well enough se­cured. I roved round my dungeon, raging under the agony of the thirst which consumed me, when I felt my foot touch something. Judge what was my transport, when I perceived this to be part of an earthen pitcher of water, which had been left there when Count Tancred was removed. But I will not dwell on circumstances which must afflict you. My wounds, though they had bled much, did not prove of much consequence. The horrors of my situa­tion gave me strength and courage. I surveyed my dungeon, and by a feeble [Page 89] ray of light which entered at a narrow slip towards the roof, I descried a part of the wall bricked in the form of an arch. It immediately occurred to me that this had formerly been a door way, and that it might not be of the same substance as the rest of the wall. I sought again round my cavern for something with [...]hich I might remove a brick, and at least attempt to discover its thickness.—In searching near the stone to which my friend Tancred had been fastened, I most providentially dis­covered a dagger which I had used in attempting to free him from his chains, and had afterwards thrown carelessly by. With this I went to work.—The first brick I found much difficulty in removing—when that was done, my labour grew lighter in proportion; but many weary hours passed, before I had made an aperture big enough to admit my body. This, however, I at length accomplished, and found myself in a dungeon more horrid than that which I had quitted. It was lower than the other, and nothing more dismal, damp, and faetid, can be imagined. A few worn steps, just under the breach I had made, convinced me that that part of the wall had, as I had conjectured, been [Page 90] formerly a door-way—but I was soon too dreadfully convinced of it, by an object which, when I adverted to my own situation, curdled my blood with horror. By the saint light which gleamed through the aperture I had made, I dis­coverd a rusty iron collar, chained to the wall—a hoop of iron, large enough to enclose the waist of a man, hung be­low it, close to the ground—and be­neath it, amid a few rusted chains, and the tattered remnants of cloth which had escaped putrefaction, lay in a heap the skeleton of the wretch who had thus shrunk from his fetters. The horrors with which I was struck at this spectacle, did not, however, prevent my exploring my new place of confinement. I could find no door. Alas! upon this unhappy victim, the only door to the dungeon had, proba­bly, been walled up, as it was thought, for ever! In passing round this dungeon, I perceived the wind blew upon me from one corner, and, feeling the place, found that the walls were parted, either rifted by the bolt of heaven, or severed by the slow but sure hand of time. At this spot, then, I renewed my labour. I will not trouble you with a detail of it. After infinite toil, for, though more decayed, the wall at this place was much thicker, than the former, [Page 91] I found my way, not many hours ago, in­to a narrow winding passage, thro' which I ascended into the house.—I proceeded, you may immagine, with extreme caution; nor did I discover all the horrors of my former situation, 'till I found that the whole of the premises were deserted, and I was left to undergo the fate of the miser­able victim, whose remains I had so lately beheld. I just now discovered the remains of some salted provisions, of which I have had the prudence to eat but sparingly, and which perhaps, may not be unwelcome to you. What is become of my friend Count Tancred and the lady, I cannot con­jecture. She is, I suppose, carried off, and when I reflect on my own situation, I can scarcely entertain a hope that he is yet alive.’

CHAP. IX.

WHEN Rhinaldo had finished his story, Anselmo related to him the distresses which had driven them to take shelter in a place which seemed so little calculated to pro­duce so fortunate a meeting, Rhinaldo [Page 92] brought forth the little store of provisions which he had discovered. The fire was re­freshed. Rhinaldo and Isabel blest that pro­vidence which had thus, when least expected, permitted them once more to behold each o [...]her, and to pour forth the delicate and chaste effusions of the sublimest of all passions, unchecked by harsh controul of pride, or the baneful mandates of a rigourous and unfeel­ing state policy.

Anselmo and his Ellenor were too much occupied with each other to interrupt them, nor would they, in spite of the remonstrances of Barbara, who had alone the discretion to reflect that their present situation was not wholly free from danger, have suffered a thought to intrude on the bliss of the mo­ment, had not the step of some persons in the hall roused them from this state of obli­vious happiness.

Anselmo, starting up, drew his sword, and Rhinaldo, whom his own exertions and those of his friends, tho' they could wholly liberate, had freed from so much of chains, that they were no longer an incumbrance, seized the first weapon he could meet with, and they both moved towards the passage which led to the hall.

[Page 93] They perceived two men advancing to­wards them, one of whom bore a torch in his hand.

"Let us search," said he, who bore the torch, "through every corner of this seat of horrors. If he is alive I will find him."

Rhinaldo knew the voice of Tancred. "Count Tancred! and living!' cried Rhin­aldo; "thro' what miracle is it that I am again permitted to embrace my friend?"

"Rhinaldo! exclaimed Tancred. "Then the object of my search is attained—blessed be heaven for the safety of my deliverer!"

"But how could you escape," resumed Rhinaldo, "the danger in which we were both involved?"

"Alas!" said Tancred, "I am indebted for my unhappy life to the loveliest—the best of women!—but no more of that—the thought is too much—Oh! let me but live to return the boon she gave!—to die for her!—but I rave—To make short of my story—"When I last saw you, we were occupied in the defence of the Countess. While we were engaged with a party, too numerous for any but desperate men to contend with, [Page 94] another band seized the Countess, and bore her away. I left your side, my friend, and rushed to her assistance. I was struck down by a partizan—another arm was lifted for my destruction—the Countess caught hold of it—she put her purse into the hand of the soldier, and begged he would make his mistress his debtor, by saving my life. She promised the highest rewards. Interest, or, as I have reason to believe from his late con­duct humanity, determined this brave fellow. On the instant he bestrode me, fallen as I was, his comrades were quickly occupied in conveying away the Countess; and when he found himself free from observation, he raised me from the ground, and carried me to a private part of the Castle, whither, after the departure of Rhodolpho, he returned with his father, a woodman, of this forest, and conveyed me to his cottage. I had there so little recovered the effect of the blow I had received, that I scarcely knew what they did; but was soon re-established by the care that was taken of me. Behold my deliverer—he has resolved to share my fortune—"

As Count Tancred was proceeding, Rhinal­do was alarmed by the trampling of horses. They paused and listened—the noise increased—the voices of men were distinctly heard.

[Page 95] "We are surrounded," cried Anselmo. "Rhodolpho's party have traced us."

"There is then but one step to take," said Rhinaldo. "Follow me."

Isabel and her companions seemed now in­ured to terror. They suffered themselves to be led in silence. Rhinaldo conducted them up a back staircase, towards the room in which the Countess had been confined. They ar­rived at the little lumber room, which con­tained the battered armour. From this place Rhinaldo took the precaution to arm himself. He took down some of the swords, but they were wholly unserviceable. At last he chose a strong and heavy pole axe, and shoving back the pannel, discovered to his friends the iron door. This door he opened, and bidding the forlorn party, which he conduct­ed, enter the apartment, he replaced the pan­nel as carefully as possible, and joined his friends below.

They were convinced that the noise they had heard proceeded from some persons who had pursued them from the Castle of Rhodol­pho, and who, probably, suspecting that if they should by chance have taken that road, they would retire to the old mansion for shelter, or, perhaps, attracted by the light [Page 96] of the fire they had kindled, or of the taper which Rhinaldo had procured, were induced to search for them there.

They formed many conjectures as to the number of their enemies; at the supposed magnitude of which they were not so much alarmed, as at the idea that Rhodolpho might be among them, who had, most probably, been acquainted by his father with the secret of the pannel—a secret, as yet, perhaps, un­divulged to any other person.

Their fears, however, as to the presence of Rhodolpho, proved on this occasion un­founded. He was on the succeeding day to join Astolpho with his company of men at arms, and had only detached on this pursuit a pretty numerous train of domestics, well armed and headed by two of his most trusty adherents.

While they stood wrapt in these con­jectures, and in a mournful silence the result of them, they were aroused by the sound of many steps ascending the stairs, which led to the little lumber room. They listened in a state of breathless expectation and terror.—They had not yet closed to the iron door; nor indeed could its strength avail them, as all the fastnings were on the outer side.

[Page 97] They heard a person walk slowly round the lumber room. What were their sensations when he exclaimed, "We can go no farther this way—let us return."

This was assented to by a companion who was with him, and they heard, with a rap­ture scarcely to be described, their returning footsteps on the staircase which they had just ascended.

Rhinaldo and his companions continued in their place of concealment for half an hour, before they judged it prudent to make any attempt towards discovering whether their pursuers had retired; for, in their secluded situation, they could hear nothing.

Rhinaldo then slowly began to open the pannel, when an object presented itself, which induced him to close it again with a haste which struck a sudden terror to the hearts of his companions.

This object was the face of a man. This person, who bore a light in his hand, was ascending the staircase when Rhinaldo percei­ved him, who encouraged a faint hope, that, from the distance he was at, the taper he bore could not cast any strong reflection on the walls of the room.

[Page 98] This hope, however, soon died away. They heard a clattering noise against the pannel itself, and immediately prepared them­selves to receive this intruder in such a man­ner as to prevent, if possible, any discovery through his means.

In a short [...] afterwards the noise ceased, and they heard the footsteps of this person descending the staircase, as they immediately conjectured, to procure assistance. They now gave themselves up for lost, and an hour passed before Rhinaldo dared again attempt to open the pannel. He proceeded cautiously; but his effort was accompanied by a noise he could not account for; and a heavy object fell inwards against his legs. This he soon discovered to be a cuirass, which indeed the person who had caused them so much alarm had placed there.

This person had returned to this ancient armoury, to try if he could accommodate himself with some pieces of more value than his own—but probably retired disappointed in his aim.

Rhinaldo now recovered from this new alarm, and proceeded cautiously towards the head of the great staircase. When he arrived there, he heard the murmer of voices at the [Page 99] door of the hall, and found that their pur­suers, tired of their vain search, were about to mount their horses and retire. He waited 'till he heard them pass over the drawbridge, and then returning to his friends, acquainted them with this event.

Upon intelligence so welcome, they quit­ted their place of concealment, and after waiting 'till they judged that their pursuers had proceeded far enough [...]o insure them from the danger of a discovery, they sallied from these crazy walls, and left this forlorn­mansion for ever!

They had no sooner gained the forest, than Isabel, throwing her arms round her Cousin, and faithful attendant, mingled her tears with theirs; and Rhinaldo and Anselmo, pressing Isabel and Ellenor gently to their breasts, joined with them in pouring forth their thanks to heaven for their signal de­liverance; while Count Tancred contem­plated, in deep and silent sorrow, the myste­rious fate which involved that adored object, for whom alone he thought the life he had so lately retrieved worth preserving.

CHAP. X.

THOUGH Rhinaldo, the Lady Isabel, and their friends, were delivered from their late peril, it was still a matter of serious deliberation in what manner they should now proceed. To remain where they were 'till the day should dawn, would render them liable to all the dangers that might result from a discovery. It was resolved, therefore, dark as the night was, to proceed, and they travel­led onward, 'till the day broke upon them, in a small opening of the forest.

A stream, which broke from the summit of a lofty cliff▪ that bounded them on one side, and ran murmuring along the foot of it, temp­ted them to halt here for a short time, and take that repose, of which they were so much in need. After drinking of this stream, and resting themselves, they pursued their journey.

[Page 2] Though the dread of being overtaken had supported them thro' more than common exertions, yet nature began, at length, to be exhausted—and Isabel, dissolving into tears, declared that she must die where she was, for she could proceed no farther; saying this, she sunk into Rhinaldo's arms, who laid her gent­ly on the turf, and, supporting her head on his breast, [...] over her in all the agony of the most piercing despair.

Anselmo, Ellenor, and Barbara, (the two latter of whom felt a degree of faintness and lassitude almost equal to that of the fainting Isabel,) knew not what to do. At length An­selmo perceiving that the cliff, from which the stream took its course, still appeared through the tops of the trees on his right hand, pro­posed to Count Tancred, if possible, to climb it, that from its summit they might explore the country around, under the precarious hope that some relief might possibly be at hand. Impressed with this idea, they made their way towards it, and had scarcely gained the margin of the rivulet, when, to their infi­nite surprise and joy, they saw the eminence terminate at some distance from them, by an easy descent, interspersed with clumps of trees, leaving the rivulet to wind through a beauti­ful valley, which divided the forest as far as the eye could reach.

[Page 3] At the bottom of this descent, and close on the banks of the rivulet, they discovered a cottage▪ and hastened towards it, to endeavour to procure relief.

They had scarcely gained the wooden bridge, by which it communicated with the valley, when a man advanced from the cottage door to meet them. What was the surprise of An­selmo, when he perceived this man to be Ru­giero.

After expressing his astonishment at a meet­ing so unexpected, he communicated to Ru­giero the situation in which he had left his com­panions, and they returned to the spot where Isabel had sunk under her fatigue. They found her still supported by Rhinaldo, and her Cousin and attendant sitting by her, in a dreary silence. Intelligence of the unexpe­cted relief which was at hand gave some ani­mation to their drooping spirits.

Isabel arose, with the assistance of Rhinal­do, and leaning on his arm, and upheld by Count Tancred on the other side, she followed Anselmo, who supported the feeble steps of his weary Ellenor, while Rugiero served them as a guide, and Barbara leaning on the attendant of Count Tancred, followed her lady.

[Page 4] The owner of the dwelling received them with an honest though rustic hospitality. He desired his wife, who was nothing backward in her civilities, to attend to the lady, for as yet he discovered but one, while he prepared a homely meal for the rest, whom he per­ceived to stand in great need of refreshment.

Isabel and Ellenor were conducted by the old woman, after she had been informed of the secret of their sex, to a comfortable bed, on which they threw themselves without un­dressing; and Barbara, at their desire, placing herself by their side, they soon fell into a [...]ound and refreshing sleep.

During this period, Rugiero visited Rhi­naldo's wounds. They had been originally flight, and a good constitution had already so far contributed to their cure, that this skilful domestic found his labours limited to the freeing his master from the traces of the blood which had originally issued from them. Hav­ing therefore dressed him as well as the bareness of his toilet would permit, and persuaded him to take, in an easy chair, that repose of which he stood so much in need, he related to Count Anselmo those circumstances, which had hap­pened to him since they had lost him in the forest. He told him of the accident which had happened to his horse, which he had rea­son to believe never rose from the spot where he fell.

[Page 5] "I waited," continued Rugiero, "under the tree, to which I had crept for shelter, till the storm had in some measure abated, when I returned to try if I could raise my horse. After several efforts I found it impracticable, and was finally obliged to give over the at­tempt, on hearing the trampling of a body of horsemen on the road. As it appeared to me probable that these were of Count Rhodol­pho's party, I turned immediately out of the path, and making across the forest, which at that place is tolerably open, I had the good luck, before I had proceeded far, to arrive at the banks of this rivulet, and, finding no bridge across it, pursued my path along its margin, 'till I discovered this cottage.

"The old pair, who inhabit it, are vassals to Count Rhodolpho, but having hoarded some money in the service of the father of the late Count de St. Amand, are in easy circum­stances.—This I learned from themselves on my arrival. They appear to be honest people, yet I cannot conceal from your lordship my apprehensions that we are by no means in sa­fety her [...]. It cannot be far from the road which I quitted, when I heard the trampling of horses, and by which you found your way from one Castle to the other. If Count Ro­dolpho should disperse his party through the forest in search of us, some of them will, in all probability, find their way to this cottage."

[Page 6] After a few hours passed in sleep, the Lady Isabel arose, much refreshed, and awakening her Cousin and attendant; they joined Rhi­naldo and his friends.

A consultation again took place.—Anselmo communicated to his friends the fears of Ru­giero, and it was agreed, after some delibera­tion, that they should seek the Castle of Count Roderic, Rhinaldo's father, where they dee­med themselves sure of protection.

Though they were not acquainted with the direct road to it, they knew in what part of the country it lay; and Rugiero hesitated not to declare, that he thought he could undertake to conduct them towards it. Having then gratified their kind hosts, and provided them­selves with some refreshments for their journey they departed, and crossing into a thicker part of the forest, to avoid being discovered, they turned their steps towards that part of the country in which Rugiero conjectured the Count Roderic's Castle lay.

After a march of some hours, they stopped to refresh themselves, and setting forward again pursued their journey 'till the shades of evening began again to overtake them.

Though they had travelled far, there was yet no appearance of the Castle; and from [Page 7] the answers of Rugiero, to the incessant que­stions which the fears of Lady Isabel suggested, it was perceived that he was at least more dif­fident of his knowledge then he had been in the morning.

This discovery had an affect on the spirits of the whole party. The necessity of subjec­ting their fair companions, for another night, to the inclemency of the skies, gave a double portion of anguish to the breasts of Anselmo, and Rhinaldo, and they moved onward in a mournful silence, which every one seemed too much occupied by his own thoughts to in­terrupt.

As they were thus slowly travelling onward they arrived at a rising ground, on which was erected a stone cross.—This mark Rugiero no sooner perceived, than he suddenly exclai­med that he knew the spot.

"To the right," said he, "is an hermitage belonging to the Convent of St. Julian; and to the left, within the distance of half a mile, the road, which leads to Count Roderic's Castle, which cannot be more than six miles from us."

Anselmo proposed that they should turn towards the hermitage, where the Lady Isabel and her Cousin, who seemed worn out with [Page 8] fatigue, might rest 'till the morning; but these ladies appeared to have collected fresh spirits from the information of Rugiero, and anxious to arrive at a place of safety, declared that they were very well enabled to reach the Castle, urging Rhinaldo to proceed with so much eagerness, that the plan was, as it turned out, most unluckily adopted.

They soon reached the road, but had not travelled far along it, when, as they turned the corner of a wood, which projected towards the road, they were overtaken by a troop of cavalry, who had no sooner discovered, than they gallopped immediately towards them.

At the head of this troop they quickly dis­covered Rhodolpho, who immediately ordered them to be surrounded and disarmed.

The horsemen, who consisted of Rhodolpho's company of men at arms, attended by their valets, immediately pressed upon them.

Rhinaldo, prepared to defend the Princess and her Cousin to the last extremity, drew up his little band, with their backs to the wood, and seeing Rhodolpho press onwards with the rest, sprung forward, and aimed a blow at him with his pole-axe, which, as he stooped to avoid it, alighted on his shoulder, and brought him to the ground.

[Page 9] It pierced his corslet, and▪ had he not been completely armed, as were all [...] [...]roop, would though it had not proved [...] [...]ave probably disabled him for ever.

This accident occupied part of his troop, who surrounded him. As soon as he recove­red himself, he gave orders that the women, whose habits he discribed, should be seized, while the men were engaged, and carried off.

This command was speedily executed by the valets, who, being unarmed, could the more readily dismount.—While Rhinaldo and his friends were pressed by the horsemen, these fellows seized on the Princess and her compa­nions, and in spite of their efforts, their tears and supplications, bore them away.

This was not done without opposition from their little party, who, upon hearing the shrieks of the women, made a daring effort to join them; but pressed on all sides by the horsemen, another body of whom formed up to cover the retreat of those who bore off the Princess, they were finally compelled to retire, and seek shelter in the wood, which they did without difficulty, for the horsemen, who were completely and heavily armed, having no room to charge them, found themselves rather incumbered than assisted by their lances, [Page 10] and they could not dismount to assail them in the wood; [...] therefore, when they found their enemi [...] [...] from any farther attack, and the prize they had contended for attained, retired after their companions.

It would be difficult to paint the despair which seized on Rhinaldo and Anselmo at this fatal event. A thousand schemes, suggested by grief and indignation, presented themselves to them. They purposed following the ravi­shers, many and formidable as they were; but they could never hope to overtake them.

It was at last resolved that they should pur­sue their way to the Castle, when their atten­tion was called towards Count Tancred, who was sitting at the foot of a tree. He had received a wound, from the thrust of a lance, in his arm and it bled so profusely, that there was little hope of his being able to walk so far as to the Castle that evening; and Rugiero, who bound up his wound, proposed that they should seek shelter for the night, at the hermitage he had mentioned, which was not a great distance, and proceed in the morning towards the Castle. This advice was in their present situation, too salutary to be neglected, and they returned to the stone cross, which they had so lately left, whence Rugiero conducted them to the her­mitage.

CHAP. XI.

THE venerable inhabitant of the place had not yet lighted his lamp, but sat at the door of his cavern, wrapt in meditation. He advanced to meet them with a benevolent smile, and offered them the shelter of his lowly roof, in terms which a long acquaintance with the more polished society among mankind could alone communicate; and he no sooner perceived the situation of Count Tancred, than he produced some medicinal stores, for which he was much famed among the neigh­bouring poor, and inspecting the wound, ap­plied to it a dressing, from the experienced virtues of which he promised himself a speedy success. He then "spread his vegetable store" before his guests; nor was this all—the gra­titude of his rustic neighbours had supplied him with more substantial food, of which he sometimes, though sparingly, partook.

He could not but perceive the gloom and despodency which hung over some of his guests and which all their efforts to gratify him by a cheerful acceptance of his favours, could not dispel; but his skill in mankind had taught [...]im, that were grief admits of alleviation, by being participated, it will obtrude itself; and [Page 12] that were it seeks concealment, it is generally too poignant to be relieved by communication.

Rhinaldo, however, who knew not of any motive he had to conceal himself, so near to his father's Castle, and who, had any such motive occurred, would have disdained a con­cealment with any one who belonged to the convent of St. Julian, made himself readily known to the hermit, and introduced his friends Anselmo and Tancred.

The venerable hermit received this commu­nication with politeness, but a visible reserve hung over him during the rest of the repast, which Rugiero, the most unconcerned of the guests, except Count Tancred's deliverer, was the first to notice.

It perplexed this faithful servant, and he watched an opportunity to communicate hi [...] observation to his master.—This, however, he waited in vain to obtain.

The hermit, as soon as their frugal repast was finished, begged that Rhinaldo would indulge him, by accompanying him round his little domains, which it had been for many years hi [...] daily task to beautify; and his other guests perceiving that they were not included in thi [...] invitation, suffered Rhinaldo, who readily ac­cepted of this offer, to accompany him alon [...]

[Page 13] The moon had now arisen, and, after some general observations on the beauty of the place, which, at such a season, would have had a thousand charms for any bosom less torn with conflicting passions than that of Rhi­naldo, the hermit addressed him as follows:

"Count Rhinaldo, I am doomed to com­municate to you intelligence, of which I find by your conversation you are yet ignorant, and which must severely afflict you."

"Proceed," said Rhinaldo, firmly—"af­ter what I have suffered to-day, all other sor­rows must be light."

"Count Roderic's Castle," continued the hermit, "is in the hands of the king."

"Has my father then," said Rhinaldo, in a tone of grief, "sided with the usurper? A­las! why was not I permitted to communicate to him that secret, the concealment of which has produced so much mischief; for had he known that his lawful sovereign—"

"Alas!" said the hermit, "your father is himself a prisoner, if—if—he lives."

"If he lives▪" said Rhinaldo, starting back, and a visible paleness overspread his counte­nance.

[Page 14] The king," said the hermit, "surprized him—no sooner had the plot, in which you embarked, failed▪ than Astolpho set out ha­stily for the frontiers. He arrived here before any intelligence could be received, and de­sired admission to the Castle, as your father's guest, for a few days. Your father, uncon­scious that he could have any fresh cause of displeasure, and indeed unable, on so sudden an occasion, to prevent his admission, was compelled to receive him; and he was very speedily followed by a force which would have proved formidable, had his intention been di­vulged. Thus has he contrived to sit down before his enemies, occupying a very formi­dable post. Our friends, however, yet possess the mount of St. Julian, where they are very strong."

"And has no intelligence of the fate of my father yet reached you?"

"None, but the melancholy and uncertain rumour which I have already disclosed to you."

Rhinaldo seemed wrapt, for a moment, in gloomy reflections. He started, after a pause, from his reverie.—"And father Anthony?" said Rhinaldo, in a hesitating voice.

"My son, I commend thy caution," said the hermit; "but father Anthony is now [Page 15] acknowledged for that which he is. Yes," continued the venerable anchorite, his eyes gleaming with the fire of youth as he spoke, "our lawful lord and sovereign, Emanuel, commands the forces on Mount St. Julian, and may success attend his arms! His situation indeed, at present, is not without danger; but if the diversion on the western frontiers, which is already formidable, should draw off any strong detachment of Astolpho's forces, what may we not expect?"

"Thou speakest with a sire that would [...]ame the tardiness of younger men, father," said Rhinaldo.

"Would I could join my brethren of the Mount in arms!" replied the hermit. "But even here I may not prove wholly useless."

Rhinaldo now returned to join his friends, and the hermit spread before them some mats, the work of his own hands, composed of grass and rushes; but the softest down could not have allured Rhinaldo to slumber. He revolved in his mind the situation of his father; and the loss of Isabel, which had so deeply afflicted him, seemed to lose some of the bitterness with which it had overwhelmed him.

He judged that his own conduct, which he now censured as hasty and rash, had involved that honoured parent in disgrace and ruin— [Page 16] perhaps had given him up a prey to the knife of the secret assassin. He could not for a mo­ment endure the pang of a thought so pregnant with horror. He resolved at all events to pro­ceed to the Castle, and learn the fate of his father, that, if he still lived, he might learn his destiny, and participate his misfortunes; and, if dead, might revenge his death, or de­vote himself a sacrifice to the fatal consequences of his rash and mysterious enterprise.

Anselmo, whose loss would not permit him to enjoy a large portion of repose than fell to the lot of Rhinaldo, left his couch with the first dawn of day, and perceived his friend already risen, and tracing, with pensive step, the beautiful, yet gloomy recesses, with which the neighbourhood of the hermitage abounded.

Here Rhinaldo related to him the intelli­gence which he had received from the hermit, and concluded with his fixed determination to disguise himself, and at all events, if possible, gain access to the Castle.

The venerable father now joined them, and having in vain endeavoured to point out to Rhinaldo the rashness of his undertaking, was compelled to acquiesce in his determination, and offered to assist in preparing him for the perpetration of his design.

[Page 17] Anselmo, when he heard that the rallying point of the party which had been so unsuc­cessful in the enterprise, of which he had been the leader, was so near the spot where he now was, resolved to join the faithful adherents of Emanuel at the convent of St. Julian; and re­ceived intelligence from the hermit of a pass by which he might gain the out-posts, avoid­ing at the same time the troops of Astolpho, and a secret word, which would procure him ready admission to their leaders.

Rhinaldo, in pursuance of his design, cut his hair close to his head; and having other­wise, by the assistance and advice of his friends, so disguised his person, that there was little dread of his being discovered, changed his dress for that of the man who had attended Count Tancred, and, having taken a friendly leave of that nobleman, whose wound became so much inflamed, as to threaten him with some confinement in the hermitage, he depart­ed, accompanied by Count Anselmo and his faithful Rugiero.

When they had proceeded about three miles on their journey, Count Anselmo, accompa­nied by Rugiero, whom his lord, in spite of all his intreaties, refused to admit to a share in the adventure he was about to undertake, lest his presence should lead to a discovery, quitted [Page 18] Rhinaldo to pursue the road which the hermit had pointed out to him.

Deep in meditation on his intended scheme, and revolving in his mind plan after plan, now adopting and now rejecting them, as they offered themselves for his consideration, Rhi­naldo came within sight of his father's Castle, before any settled system of operation had suggested itself to him.

While he was thus musing, his eyes fixed with a mournful gaze on the well-known tur­rets, which recalled to his memory many of the cheerful and innocent hours of childhood, he came suddenly upon a guard of Astolpho's soldiers, who were posted on one of the ave­nues to the Castle.

The centinel who was on duty asked him who he was? and where he was going? As he was hesitating what answer he should give, he perceived the corporal, who was comman­ding officer of this party, miserably thrumming upon a harp.

He answered, "that he was a poor harper, who had been robbed in the forest of that which was the only means of his subsistence—his harp."

This was a lure, from which he hoped to [Page 19] derive some advantage, for he was well skilled in this instrumen [...], which had formed great part of his amusement during his youthful days. Nor was he deceived in his expectations. The corporal arose upon hearing this, and, giving him the instrument, desired him to play. He had no sooner touched it, than the whole guard forgot their duty. They received him as if he had been an old acquaintance, and the corporal placing him on the seat which he had just occupied, they sat in a circle round him, listening to the strains which flowed from his instrument in silent rapture.

To this officer he particular attached him­self, and so won upon him, by imparting to him a few instructions concerning the instru­ment he so much admired, that when he was relieved, he swore he would not part with so valuable a friend, but conducted him to the guardhouse of the Castle.

He was soon familiarized among the soldiers, and frequently urged to enlist among them, but telling his friend, the corporal, frankly, that he did not like the situation, and wished to be placed in service, that officer soon intro­duced him to one of the servants of the house, who was like himself fond of music; and by the good offices of this patron, Rhinaldo be­came soon enrolled among the liveried attend­ants on Astolpho.

CHAP. XII.

THUS introduced to his paternal mansion, he mingled unnoticed with the servile herd, among whom he was enrolled, and traced, in this obscure situation, those stately apartments, which had rung with gratulatory acclamations at his birth, and where his youth had been fostered with the most anxious care.

The splendid armour which adorned the hall, had proved the hardy deeds of a long line of warlike ancestors; and the banners which waved over them, were badges of their illustrious descent.

On the morning succeeding the day of his admission to the Castle, as he was employed, with others, in preparing a repast, Astolpho, attended by the chief officers who had accom­panied him on this expedition, entered the hall. He was leaning on one of his train in close and familiar converse. How was the in­dignation of Rhinaldo aroused, when he found his favourite to be his cruel enemy Rhodolpho!

A thousand ideas obtruded themselves at once on his mind▪ Conflicting passions assailed [Page 21] his bosom, over which rage and revenge pre­dominated, and he was on the point of rushing, unarmed and helpless as he was, upon his ran­carous enemy, and attempting to sacrifice him, [...]ven at the side of Astolpho, a victim to his own wrongs, and the tears of his adored Isa­bel. But the idea of this lovely maiden present­ed itself to his imagination, at a fortunate pe­riod, to check the wild frenzy which had seized him.

Rhodolpho was in the Castle. Was it not probable that Isabel was there too? The hope, faint as it at first appeared, that she might, even now, be under the same roof with him—that, unknown as he was, some favourable op­portunity of serving her might occur to him, soothed his transports, and he retired, as soon as the duties of his office would permit him, to meditate, in solitude, on a subject, which so amply engrossed his contemplation. But he had soon, alas! a deeper subject for meditation; for

It was no longer a subject of doubt or con­cealment in the Castle, that Roderic the Har­dy, the lord of the domain, the father of Rhi­naldo! had been murdered, within half a league of the Castle, and the finger of suspi­cion pointed at Astolpho.

[Page 22] Indeed, when the circumstances attending this transaction were considered, little doubt could be entertained on the subject.

Roderic had not been seen since he had wel­comed the king to the Castle.

A very short time had sufficed to acquaint him with Astolpho's design, and at day-break on the ensuing morning, (for it was evening when Astolpho arrived,) he had departed, com­pleatly armed, with a few trusty attendants. It was thought that Astolpho was aware of this departure, and winked at it, though Count Ro­deric could have but one design in it, which was to join his friends in the west, for, within half a league of the Castle, he was set upon by a party, and killed with the shot of an arque­buss, pointed directly at his breast, so close that his corslet was unable to resist the balls.

Not one of his attendants escaped; but the transaction was witnessed by some who knew his armour. They sought afterwards for the body, but that, as well as those of his attend­ants, was carried off, and probably for reasons known to Astolpho, if he were really the au­thor of this murder, buried in some sacred place.

The reflections of Rhinaldo upon this hor­rid catastrophe, were the most bitter that un­bounded [Page 23] grief and unavailing remorse could furnish. He looked upon himself as the mur­derer of his father. A settled gloom over­spread his mind, and nothing but the hope of revenge could have instigated him to perform the task he had undertaken, or have procra­stinated, for a moment, a discovery which must have proved fatal to him.

From these more than melancholy reflec­tions, he was aroused by intelligence which diverted his affections into a different channel. He learned that the Princess was actually, as he suspected, in the Castle; but nobody whom he could converse with had yet seen her. It was also reported that Rhodolpho was soon to be married to her.

Rhinaldo, acquainted as he was with the Castle from the days of his earliest youth, knew that, if she was actually there, she could not be long concealed from him, and resolved to watch the motions of Rhodolpho with a scrutinizing eye.

In the mean time hostilities were vigorously carried on between the two parties.

Astolpho had a very strong force with him at the Castle, with which he continued to make vigorous assaults against the Priory; but, besides that, that post was almost impregnable [Page 24] —it was defended by the most brave and ex­perienced knights—for such had been the fathers of St. Julian, before they devoted their days to the duties of religion.

The wound which had detained Count Tan­cred at the hermitage, proved more obstinate than he had expected; nor did the state of his mind in any way contribute to the for­warding its cure; but he found, in the con­versation of the venerable hermit, much alle­viation to his sorrows.

This holy father, who had long trod, in a distinguished character, the busy stage of the world, had not viewed mankind without ob­servation. His mind was, therefore, amply stored with true wisdom, that which is born of sound reflection upon long experience, and the sublime truths of religion had softened his heart to the frailties and infirmities of his fel­low-creatures, while they spread over his breast that delicious calm which they alone are capable of bestowing.

Count Tancred, who, in communicating his griefs to such a man, found the only alle­viation to his sorrows of which they were ca­pable, soon entrusted to him the secret of tha [...] melancholy, to which it was too apparent hi [...] heart was a prey.

CHAP. XIII.

CHAP. XIV.

THE hermit strove to calm the violent a­gitation, which he perceived the rela­tion of Count Tancred had raised in his bo­som, and, having soothed him to some degree of tranquillity, addressed him as follows:

CHAP. XV.

Such was the story which Emanuel related to the prior and community of St. Julian's—in the course of which it will occur to every [Page 47] one as a singular circumstance, that, instead of subjecting themselves to the hazard of the king's escape from his place of confinement, the conspirators did not immediately take a­way his life.

This was entirely owing to the superstition of Astolpho—a quality which is not unfre­quently attendant on the most daring courage, tho' seemingly extremely opposite to it in its nature.

Astolpho had been informed, early in life by an old man who pretended to be deeply vers­ed in judicial astrology, and who was, on that account, much respected by him, that he should not long survive his brother; and this idea, with the truth of which, as with that of all such predictions, he was fully impressed, prob­ably saved Emanuel's life.

He was willing to risque any thing but his own life, which he thought depended on Ema­nuel's, to obtain the crown.

He might also, perhaps, feel, in the midst of all his ambition, some degree of tenderness towards a relation, who had himself shewn so much affection towards him; and this con­jecture is rendered the more probable, when we reflect on his conduct towards the princess [Page 48] Isabel, whom he has educated with a care and tenderness which, tho' the attachment of the people toward [...] her might perhaps have in [...]ur­ed her from any attempt on her life, does not seem to have been necessary from any motives of policy.

During a reign of fourteen years, Astolpho had so [...]ell secured himself on the throne of his [...] brother, that it was improbable that any sudden [...]r [...]uption in favour of Emanuel should be attended with success.

It became, therefore, necessary that he should be secreted with care, 'till the strength of his frien [...]s could be tried; and it was a­greed that he should change the garment in which he escaped—which was a plain dress, provided for him by the Count de St. Amand, for the habit of the order, and enroll himself among the fathers of St. Julian. With these brave and faithful companions, then, has he resided for upwards of twelve months, during which time his health, which, notwithstanding his unwearied practice of taking as much ex­ercise everyday asthe size o [...] his prison would allow, was somewhat impaired, has been re­established, and measures have been most cau­tiously and indefatigably pursued to restore him to the throne, which his unworthy rela­tion has usurped.

[Page 49] In the course of this pursuit, the young Count Rhinaldo, whose father, Count Rode­ric, surnamed the Hardy, is lord of the Castle at the foot of the mountain, and of the do­main around it, was deemed worthy to be en­trusted with this secret and important event.

Virtuous, enterprising, and active, he was called by his father at the conclusion of the last campaign from the bustle of the field, to partake of that retirement to which the dis­pleasure of Astolpho had condemned this for­midable le [...]der.

Retirement at such a period of life, and with such a disposition, but ill suited the tem­per of Rhinaldo. He grew, on a sudden, me­lancholy, reserved, and gloomy, and his only consolation, amid the despondency which seemed to surround him at the Castle of his father, was the conversation of the fathers of St. Julian.

Knights, like himself, they still delighted in the tales of former times, but their rashness was tempered by experience, and their fero­city by age.

It was in this society that father Anthony, (for so was Emanuel called,) became acquaint­ed with him, and tho' he had been at variance with Count Roderic, who had, at a very early [Page 50] period of life, imbibed some discontent from a conduct which he had thought partial in the king, and had so behaved himself upon the discovery, as totally to alienate the affections of Emanuel, yet that Prince discovered so much virtuous energy and early wisdom in the conduct and conversation of the son, that he became speedily attached to him, and at length ventured to discover to him his se­cret—but under a solemn engagement, that he would never reveal it to his father, whom he could not prevail upon himself to confide in.

How was the loyalty of Rhinaldo confirmed, when he beheld in Emanuel, the father of his adored Lady Isabel! He pledged his faith to this revered but unfortunate sovereign, and became one, among a very few, entrusted with a plot lately formed in the capital, which has unfortunately proved unsuccessful, to seize upon the palace and the person of Astolpho.

What will be the event of this attempt to re-establish on the throne this brave but injured monarch, it is impossible at present to decide.

His friends are busy in the southern and western parts of the kingdom, and have al­ready raised forces, which appear formidable to Astolpho. At present that usurper has a superiority at the Castle, and has made some [Page 51] vigorous attacks on the mount, which is most resolutely defended by Emanuel and my bre­thren there, who have again resumed their arms. Old as I am, I had determined to join them; but it was judged that the little ser­vice I was able to perform in favour of a cause to which I feel so strong an attachment, might be, with better success, attempted here. I have a frequent but guarded communication with them, which my situation has hitherto con­cealed from the eyes of the enemy. If, however, it should at length be discovered, I shall remember that I am a knight, and gladly yield up the few hours which yet might have been spared to me in the cause of true loyalty.

The hermit thus concluded his story, which agitated the breast of Count Tancred with mingled indignation, pity, and surprise.

It for a while suspended his sorrows for the Princess Albina, and he felt that he had one more cause to lament the unhappy tardiness of his cure.

CHAP. XVI.

RHINALDO, under the disguise of a ser­vant, became again familiarized to the apartments of his paternal mansion.

[Page 52] He was every day a witness to the increas­ing favour of Rhodolpho with the usurper, a circumstance which excited less surprise in his breast than grief and indignation. He daily heard Emanuel treated in the Court of Astolpho as an impostor—a slander, to which, indeed, a claim revived after a silence of four­teen years, afforded some foundation; and he was aware that Rhodolpho was probably the only man who could lay open the foulness and falsehood of such an assertion.

He was not, however, aware of one circum­stance which had thrown Astolpho, more compleatly than he had conjectured, into the hands of his favourite.

The Count St. Amand had, with that pa­ternal fondness which the worst men some­times feel, entrusted his son, after binding him by many oaths to a strict concealment, with this important secret, as a means by which he might ensure the continuance of Astolpho's favour, in case that Prince should survive the Count—but fortune had done more for him. On the night of Emanuel's es­cape, he had left behind him, among other things, a book, in which he had minuted every occurrence which he thought worthy of no­tice during his long confinement.

As every day was much like the preceding [Page 53] one, this work was not very volumnious, but it contained a short account of his arrival at the mansion, and was continued at intervals nearly up to the day of his escape.

Upon visiting the rooms after the escape of the king, the Count St. Amand found this journal, and, even amidst the confusion which seized upon him when he discovered the es­cape of his prisoner, he did not forget to pos­ses himself of it.

This book, with annotations in many pages of it in his father's hand-writing, all combin­ing to bear testimony to the truth of its con­tents, fell into the hands of Rhodolpho upon the Count's death; as did a ring which was known to be Emanuel's, and which, as it was found among the rubbish by the workmen, who repaired the ruins which the storm had made, was probably lost by the king as he forced his way through the aperture in the wall in order to make his escape.

With such proofs in his power, (of the ex­istence of which Astolpho was not ignorant,) it was of the utmost importance to that prince that he should secure to himself the good will of Rhodolpho; and the servile adolation of that young nobleman rendered this by no means a difficult or unpleasant task.

[Page 54] Rhinaldo, however, beheld the influence he was possessed of with the utmost dread, a­ware as he was that it threw his beloved Isa­bel compleatly into the power of this unworthy rival. Nor was it long before he was con­vinced that his fears were but too well founded.

Incessantly employed in endeavours to dis­cover in what part of the Castle the Princess was confined, he in a short time perceived that two of Rhodolpho's servants, who were more constantly than the rest about their master's person at the hours of meals, always attended him with six covers for his table, though he himself always dined and supped with Astol­pho; these servants Rhinaldo resolved to watch; and, on the day succeeding that on which he had formed this resolution, he fol­lowed them, at the usual hour, towards their lord's apartments—he saw them enter with the covers which had been prepared, and short­ly after return, preceded by Rhodolpho, who led them up the great staircase, and unlocking a door, remained at it while they entered a suit of apartments, which Rhinaldo knew to terminate in a spacious chamber, formerly al­lotted to himself, which extended to the other side of the building. Satisfied with this disco­very he returned, and was crossing the court of the castle, to gain the opposite wing, when he was called to his duty, which was on that day to attend at the carrying up Astolpho's dinner.

[Page 55] Mad as he was at the delay which this de­grading duty occasioned, he was obliged to submit, and some hours passed before he was at leisure to pursue his intended design, for he could not omit any portion of the servile task allotted to him, without incurring suspicion, which might ruin his design, or without the danger of a dismission, which would effectually frustrate his long-cherished hopes.

Evening had for some time set in▪ when he found himself at liberty, and a second time crossing the court, gained the side of the house which had been so long the object of his anxi­ous solicitude.—He ascended a staircase, every step of which was familiar to him; though it seemed little frequented by the present inha­bitants of the Castle; and had not indeed been much used by his father, as it led to the most ancient part of this extensive pile, a part which had been for many years much neglect­ed, for the more modern portion of the build­ing, on which great cost had been bestowed. The steps of Rhinaldo, however, had frequent­ly traced this ven [...]rable and neglected fabric.—He loved to muse in a long gallery, hung with the pictures of his ancestors, and rendered a fit object for the indulgence of that enthusi­asm which is often the companion of youthful imagination, by the gloom which the narrow, coloured panes, and massy frames of its gothic windows threw ground.

[Page 56] To this gallery▪ which extended from wing to wing on one side of the building, a space of very considerable length, Rhinaldo now ascended, and tracing his way along it by the light of the moon, arrived at the opposite door to that by which he had entered.—He was much mortified when he found that this door, which was not far distant from the apartment, in which he conjectured that the Lady Isabel was confined, was locked.—He tried in vain to open or force it, and was considering what step he should pursue, when he recollected, that over the gallery there was another room of the same size, which had never been used but as a loft, through which he might pass and gain the apartments; on that side of the castle; he therefore returned along the gallery to the staircase he had just quitted, and as­cending still by a more narrow part of it, which, as it had been very seldom frequented, was somewhat incumbered by rubbish, he passed through one or two small rooms, and arrived at the door of the loft; this he laid hold on, and pushing it against some rubbish, which for a moment prevented its opening, he entered the loft.

As he entered he heard a noise at the far­ther end, and, by the light of the moon, ima­gined he perceived the figure of a man, which starting from a seat, or disappearing hastily by the opposite door. He could not, indeed, dis­tinctly [Page 57] ascertain the figure of this object, in delineating which he was, perhaps, deluded by his imagination; but upon the coolest re­flexion he was convinced he had seen some­thing move in that end of the loft, and that whatever it might be that was in motion, it was an object so polished as to reflect the moon's [...], and by which alone he had been enabled to discover it.

He puzzled himself in vain for some time, with reflexions on this singular circumstance, till at last, recollecting the primary object of his pursuit, he passed the loft, and entering at the opposite door, which he sound open, de­scended by another staircase, and soon arrived at those apartments from which the door of the gallery below had excluded him.—He pro­ceeded through two small rooms and gained a third, which joined to the apartment in which he supposed the princess to be confined.—This apartment, the last of those which were inhabited on that side of the house, had for­merly communicated by a small door with the room in which Rhinaldo now stood; but this door had long been nailed up, and the door­way had been plaistered over on the inside, to render it level with the wall, at a time when, by Count Roderic's order, the apartment had been hung with an elegant tapestry.— [...]t this door Rhinaldo listened, but could hear nothing.—He examined the fastenings, they were old [Page 58] and worn with rust; he found that if he could procure instruments, it would not be difficult to draw the nails, and thus open the door.—This he determined to attempt at an hour when the family were asleep, when he had little doubt that he might work undiscovered in so retired a part of the mansion.

Having formed this resolution, he returned through the loft, and mingling with the other servants, occupied himself in the duties of his office till the hour of rest approached.

A stillness now began by degrees to invade the roar and tumult to which the hours of was­sel gave birth.—Astolpho and his companions had retired to rest, and the menial servants on­ly waited till some of his inferior officers, who were indulging themselves in a sober silent de­bauch, should chuse to retire.

Rhinaldo, who had taken care to provide himself with tools fit for his purpose, waited with anxiety for the conclusion of their sup­per—the clock from the turret tolled out twelve, and this party, as if awakened from their lethargy by the sound, arose, to the secret joy of Rhinaldo, who saw them take their route to their several apartments. He retired to a small room allotted to him, and waited till the castle was buried in profound silence; then taking his tools in his hand, he set out in pursuit of his purpose.

[Page 59] As he passed the door of the long gallery, in his way to the loft above it, he heard a noise, and imagining that some part of the fa­mily were yet up, he determined to enter the gallery, and wait there.—He had no sooner set his foot within the door-way than he felt him­self for a moment rivetted by surprise to the spot where he stood.—The moon shone in full splendor thro' the windows of the gallery, and clad with an awful and solemn beauty, the go­thic ornaments of the place: when, by the light it diffused, Rhinaldo beheld, seated on a chair, beneath the picture of his father, the same [...]igure which he had before distinguished in the loft above, and which he could now plainly perceive to be that of a man, in com­plete armour.

As he entered the room the figure started up, and disappeared by the opposite door, which Rhinaldo had found shut on his previ­ous visit to that place. As soon as he could recover himself from the sudden astonishment and confusion with which he was overwhelm­ed; he followed hastily along the gallery, but found, when he arrived at the further end of it, the door, by which the figure had disap­peared, still locked. This circumstance im­pressed him with new astonishment, not un­mixed, in spite of all the firmness of his mind, with terror; he returned, however, through the gallery, and ascended the other flight of [Page 60] stairs, in order to pass through the loft to the apartment in which he was to proceed to work.

As he entered the loft he again saw the same figure which he had seen twice before, standing in the opposite door-way, and upon the noise he made on entrance it again disap­peared.—Rhinaldo now, agitated by a thou­sand different sensations, rushed hastily for­ward, and passing swiftly through the loft, gained the staircase at the other end of it, which led to the apartments which he had de­signed to visit.—He descended the stairs swift­ly, and examined minutely every apartment.—all was silence—he could perceive no object—he could hear no sound.—After musing some time he begun to be convinced that his ima­gination had deceived him, and searching for the little door which was to be the object of his labours, he proceeded to work. As he was fearful, if the adjoining apartment should really prove to be that of the Lady Isabel, the noise he might make would alarm her, he pro­ceeded on his work with extreme caution, and nearly, an hour had elapsed before he had com­pleatly conquered all the difficulties which op­posed themselves to him, and had opened the door, which he did very gently, lest the croak­ing of its rusty hinges should be heard.

He now found himself close to the apart­ment which he meant to explore; the only se­paration [Page 61] between the two rooms being a thin partition of plaister, which cased the door-way on the inside.—He listened—all was silent; this was to be expected at such an hour. He thrust one of the implements he had with him through the wall, to discover whether there was any light in the room; but the tapestry which covered the walls prevented this disco­very.

He paused again—After a short time he distinctly heard the stop of a man in the cham­ber, and concluding, from this circumstance, that his conjecture, as to this apartment, had been ill-founded, was preparing to retire, when he heard the voice of a man, who, addressing himself to another, in a low but hasty tone, said, ‘My lord, the King requires your pre­sence immediately.’

"Cursed ill-fortune," replied the other, in a voice which he knew to be Rhodolpho's, "What can he want with me at this hour?"

‘Something has dreadfully disordered him; he has risen from his bed; his looks are full of perplexity and horror; and he has desi­red your immediate presence.’

They now walked slowly from the place, and Rhinaldo, satisfied that he had taken his trouble for nothing, retired.

CHAP. XVII.

AFTER passing through the two adjacent apartments, Rhinaldo arrived at the door of the gallery which was locked, and was about to ascend the staircase which led to the loft above it, in order to return in his u­sual way, when he again beheld the same figure on the stairs, leaning with one hand against the wall.—The moon, through a small win­dow, which gave light to this part of the stair­case, disclosed, compleatly, the head of this figure; in the countenance of it, Rhinaldo, from the momentary view he gained, (for at his approach the figure turned hastily from him and disappeared) was convinced, that he saw that of his murdered father.—The helmet was his—the plumage, the very plumage he wore when he had last attended him in the field.

Struck with horror at this sight, he felt him­self for some moments rooted to the spot where he stood; but recovering himself, at length he ran hastily up the staircase, and entered the lobby.—He could see nothing—he listened—all was still.—In a short time he heard a mur­mer [Page 63] ascending from below, and the treading of several footsteps, as if the inhabitants of the castle were already stirring.

He crossed the loft, and descending into the hall, found several of Astolpho's attendants, and some of the servants, who were collected in different groupes, and huddled close toge­ther, as if listening to some dreadful tale.—He joined one of these parties, and learned, that the cause of the confusion he witnessed was the disordered state of the king, who had been awakened from his sleep in such a parox­ysm of horror, as to have spread, by his con­duct, a general alarm.

The cause of this was not certainly known, because, as soon as he became again master of himself, he imputed his alarm to a dream, and ordered his attendants again to their repose; but the first report had been, that the figure of Count Roderic, who was generally suspected to have been slain by his order, had appeared to him compleatly armed; that it had opened his curtains, and presented a dagger to his breast; but had, after a short pause, with a look of mingled contempt and pity, withdrawn it and disappeared. This figure had been seen by none of the attendants in the anti-chamber, who were buried in a profound sleep, except one indeed, who declared that he saw some­thing brush by him, and pass out at the door; [Page 64] but as this person had been in company with the rest, drinking freely in the course of the evening, this was generally imputed to the fumes of the liquor with which he had been indulging himself.

In the hurry of the first alarm Count Rho­dolpho had been sent for, but that order had been now countermanded: the king had sent to him, as he had done to others of his attend­ants, to tell him that he was not wanted, and had shut himself up in his chamber with the captain of his guard, an approved and valiant knight.

Agitated by this fresh intelligence, which concerned him so nearly, and bore so palpable a relation to the appearance which had three times encountered his sight in the course of the same evening, Rhinaldo was loft in medi­tation—his companions, dropping off one by one, left him alone in the hall; he sat musing for some time; at length, no longer able to bear the accumulated pangs of the various feel­ings which assailed him, he resolved again to explore that part of the building where he had already beheld this singular spectre; to address it.—if it fled, to follow it.—In short, at all events, if possible, to put an end to the horrid suspence which now oppressed him.

He accordingly ascended, for the third time, [Page 65] to the gallery.—All there was still and silent.—He again visited the loft.—He thought he perceived something—he advanced—it was only a singular appearance at an angle of the wall, caused by a particular direction of the moon-beam.—He passed along the loft, and began to descend by the opposite staircase.

He had reached the door of those apart­ments, in one of which he had so lately been at work, when he heard a noise behind him, as if on the top of the staircase, near the door of the loft. He re-ascended five or six steps of the staircase, and thought he perceived at the top of it something moving.—He was rush­ing forward to ascertain it, when he was stop­ped by loud and repeated shrieks from below; they were in a female voice.—The Lady Isa­bel was ever present to his imagination. He thought the voice was her's—he listened for a moment.—His suspicions grew stronger. He leaped down the stairs; the shrieks were re­peated.—He listened—they let him into the little suite of apartments—he rushed through them in an instant; in the third was the door which he had recently opened.—He now heard the voice of his Isabel distinctly; it proceeded from the apartment which he had at first sup­posed to be her's, and from which he was on­ly separated by a slight partition of plaister.—The shrieks for a moment ceased.—He heard [Page 66] the voice of Isabel, in a tone of terror and sup­plication, imploring the mercy of some person:

"Alas!" said she, ‘for pity's sake spare me.—If I must at last become your wife, cruel as is my destiny, I must submit; but for heaven's sake—for your own sake, do not attempt a deed which will call down accumulated vengeance on your own head.’

"I thank you," said Rhodolpho, (for it was to him that this prayer was addressed) in a tone of cruel and bitter raillery, ‘for your consent to marry me, thus unsolicited; while you were your uncle's presumptive heir, it was something; but your father's rash attempt has hurl'd you from his fa­vour.’

"At least," said Isabel, in a more deter­mined voice; "dread the vengeance of that father! of my uncle!"

"As to your uncle," said Rhodolpho, in a familiar tone; ‘my dear creature, he will never quarrel with a man for lowering your pride, in the present moment; and as to your father, I never fear dangers at a dis­tance.—Come, continued he, do not force me to harsh measures.’

The shrieks of the Lady Isabel were now [Page 67] repeated. Rhinaldo, in a transport of rage and indignation, setting his back against the slen­der fence which separated the two apartments, easily broke through it, and lifting the tapestry which covered it, discovered his beloved Isa­bel, in a night-dress, struggling with Rhodol­pho.—He sprung upon him like a lion, and seizing him with both hands by the collar, soon separated him from the princess.

"Vile dishonourable coward," said he, ‘who bravest distant dangers! shudder at one which has come thus unexpectedly upon thee, in the midst of thy villanies.’

‘Base born hind! dost thou know me? said Rhodolpho.—Unhand me instantly.’

Rhinaldo still held him: but perceiving that he felt about his girdle with his right­hand, he seized it just as it had grasped a dag­ger, and wrenching the weapon from him, bade him prepare to die. A shriek from the Lady Isabel now awakened his attention; and, throwing the dagger from him, he flew tow­ards her, and conducted her, almost fainting, to a chair.

The apartment they were now in had been assigned to the Lady Isabel, and was used by her as her dressing-room. On one side of it was a small apartment, in which stood her bed, [Page 68] connected with it, by an arched door-way, over which hung a curtain of silk, which was seldom let down, as it interrupted the free passage of the air.

Rhodolpho, to whose custody her uncle had consigned her, kept the keys of her pri­son, the outer apartments of which he kept safely locked; and Isabel, relying upon their being secured, neglected to take any precau­tion with the inner ones, as much, because she thought it useless, as because, by leaving them unfastened she preserved a communication with the chambers of her cousin Ellenor, and her servant Barbara, who were placed in other apartments, nearly adjacent to her's.

Ellenor, who had been awakened by the shrieks of her cousin, flew, with Barbara, to the door of her chamber; and, finding it lock'd, knock'd loud for admittance. Rhi­naldo ordered Rhodolpho to admit them, which the other did not chuse to refuse, but opening the door, suffered them to enter, and quitted the apartment.

Ellenor flew to embrace her cousin, and an­xiously inquired into the cause of her alarm.—Isabel satisfied her, and expressed the highest sense of the obligation, under which the sud­den and mysterious presence and interposition of the stranger had laid her.

[Page 69] "Do you not, then, know me?" said Rhi­naldo, falling at her feet, and pressing one of her hands to his lips.

The voice of Rhinaldo, now, for the first time, struck her ears; and the lamp, which burnt in her chamber, gave sufficient light to enable her to distinguish his countenance.

"Rhinaldo," said she, in a voice scarcely audible; she sunk into his arms; and the mo­ments flew, while these lovers gave themselves up to those chaste and pure raptures, which true passion alone can yield, and which the pre­sence of Ellenor, far from restraining, embol­dened the lovely Isabel to acknowledge with less reserve.

Raptures like these were not destined to en­dure long.—Barbara first alarmed them with the intelligence, that she heard the sound of footsteps approaching the chamber; and Rhi­naldo instinctively flew to the door, and se­cured it.

"Oh Rhinaldo!" exclaimed Isabel, ‘I know not how you came hither; but, for hea­ven's sake, if there is any mode of escape, fly from a fate, which, if you should be taken, must doubly embitter the remaining moments of a life, already sufficiently mi­serable.’ Here she burst into tears.

[Page 70] Rhinaldo, in a tone of fixed resolution, de­clared that he would remain where he was, to protect Isabel and her cousin; but this re­solution was combated with tears and intrea­ties by Ellenor, as well as Isabel, who repre­sented to him, that after the alarm which had been given, it was impossible that any imme­diate danger could accrue to Isabel; and, that as to any future evil, it was only by keeping himself free from discovery, that he could en­tertain a hope of averting it.

"Fly then," said Isabel, the tears stream­ing from her lovely eyes; "at least for my "sake."

This argument was, with Rhinaldo, unan­swerable.—They now distinctly heard many footsteps in the adjacent chamber.—He em­braced Isabel and her cousin, and hastily quit­ted the apartment by the cavity through which he had entered it.

CHAP. XVIII.

RHINALDO, who did not doubt but that in a few minutes his mode of retreat would be discovered, fastened the little door [Page 71] after him, by the bolts which still remained unimpaired, and hesitated for a moment what step to take. He conjectured that Rhodolpho might not have discovered him, and thought that no place offered more security than his own chamber, if he could gain it unperceived.

He heard the voices of several men in Isa­bel's apartment, and had no longer time to hesitate. He moved quickly up the stairs, and crossing hastily thro' the loft, began to descend on the other side. He had already passed the gallery door, when he heard voices at the foot of the stairs, and was enabled to distinguish, among others, these words: ‘Here is the staircase which leads to that side of the house.’

He returned in a moment, and ascended again to the loft. The gallery door was open, and he judged that his pursuers would take that way, which would compel them to return, and that he should thus gain time. They indeed entered the gallery; but instead of returning, upon finding the door shut, they forced it open; and when Rhinaldo, who had in the mean time crossed the loft, prepared to descend, he heard their voices at the bottom of the staircase. In the utmost per­plexity, he looked anxiously and eagerly a­round him, for an outlet; the door of the loft, on this side, opened into a small square [Page 72] room, which formed a kind of landing-place, whence the stairs descended. In one corner of this landing-place was a small door which opened, as Rhinaldo discovered, on a narrow winding staircase, leading, as it seemed, to the roof of the castle. As he had no time for choice, he began to ascend; but was suddenly surprised by a noise above him, on the stair­case, he listened, and thought he heard the steps of a man. Astonished as he was, he con­tinued to ascend, feeling his way along the wall with his hand, which at last encountered a small door; he pushed against it—it opened; but was immediately closed by some person from the inside, and fastened.

Thus excluded, he was obliged to pursue his way up the staircase; it ended in a narrow room, in the ceiling of which was a trap-door; but there was no ladder to enable him to reach it.—He heard a trampling in the room below. He looked round, and discovered a small win­dow, the casement of which was almost entire­ly gone.—It looked out upon the battlements, he perceived that it was just wide enough to admit the passage of his body through it.—He caught hold of a bar, which divided it is two, and springing up, thrust himself, with some little difficulty, through it, and found himself on the battlements of the loftiest part of the castle.—He pursued his way along them, though he found it somewhat impeded by the [Page 73] ruins which had fallen from the tower above him, out of which he had escaped, which was the most ancient part of the whole edifice, and, as has been before observed, the most neg­lected.

He arrived at length at a door, leading into one of the turrets, with which these battle­ments were flanked; this turret was nearly in as ruinous a state as the tower above. And Rhinaldo, when he pushed open the door, found himself impeded by the rubbish which had fallen on the inside of it.—He entered, however, with some little difficulty, and found himself at the top of the winding staircase of the turret, by which he resolved to descend; it was very old and broken; the walls emitted unusual dampness; and it bore every mark of having been deserted for ages.—After pursu­ing this descent for a considerable time, he found himself at a kind of resting-place; this was a long narrow vaulted passage, branching off to the left of the staircase, which, how­ever, still continued to descend.

Rhinaldo felt his way along this passage, which, from the length of time he had already been descending, and from his arched form, he judged to be situated among the vaults un­der the castle, and having pursued it for some time, found, at the end of it, a low door, seem­ingly very strong, studded with large nails, [Page 74] and almost choaked up with rubbish.—He now returned towards the staircase of the turret—he listened, but could hear nothing of his pur­suers, who, it was probable, had given up their search.—He hesitated whether he should re­turn or no; but curiosity prompting him, he resolved to explore to what profounder depth the staircase extended, having already con­ducted him, as he was convinced, many feet under ground.

He began again to descend—the staircase continued, winding downwards, till it ended in a low arched passage, extending in a con­trary direction to that above.—The mouth of this passage was closed by an iron grate, which hung sloping towards the ground, supported only by one of the hinges, (the other having given way) and the bolt on the opposite side. This grate Rhinaldo easily throw to the ground, and entered the passage.

After having walked for a considerable time, and immured in total darkness, and gradually descending as he went; he thought of return­ing; but perceiving, suddenly, that he began to ascend, he resolved again to proceed, and finding himself impelled by a curiosity, which every moment interested him more and more; he continued to move forward, feeling his way with his hands, and gradually ascending, till his foot struck against something, which, [Page 75] upon examination, he found to be a stone step; he felt with his hands, and discovered that he was at the bottom of a staircase, which he began to ascend.

This staircase was of considerable length, and Rhinaldo, who felt himself incommoded by the damp air of the subterraneous vault▪ was compelled, after some time, to stop and rest himself.

After a pause, he again proceeded, and found himself at length at the summit of the staircase, his farther progress being opposed by a trap-door of great weight. Rhinaldo placed his back against this door, and after some vi­gourous attempts, he succeeded in raising it. As it rose he felt himself almost covered with rubbish, and found, by a noise above, some­thing had been displaced by his efforts.—He entered a place, damp, close, and confined; he could not conjecture what it might be.—As he walked curiously round it, he felt his progress impeded; he stooped to discover the cause of this impediment, and his hand alight­ed on a coffin, covered with velvet, and stud­ded thick with nails.

Wrapt in the reflexions which this singu­lar object gave rise to, he proceeded slowly, till he came to a flight of steps, which he as­cended, and found, at the top of them, a pair [Page 76] of folding doors.—These he attempted to open, but, for a long time, in vain; at length, old, rotten, and crazy, they yielded to the vigorous and repeated efforts, which the hor­ror he conceived at being buried alive urged him to make, and he found himself within the iron railing which surrounded a magnificent tomb, in a small chapel, within that belonging to the monastery of St. Julian. This place he knew (for the moon still shed her mellow light through the painted windows of the chapel) to be the tomb of his ancestors; a privileged place of burial for the lords of the castle, and do­main around.

His rapture on this discovery is scarcely to be conceived.—He saw the usurper, Astolpho, delivered into the hands of his gracious and rightful sovereign, the great and good Ema­nuel. He saw his father revenged, and his princess delivered!

After having opened a gate in the iron rail­ing surrounding the tomb, which he effected by putting his hand between the bars, and pushing back a bolt; he passed through a wick­et of the same materials, which separated the little chapel from that of the convent and en­tered the latter; but despairing of making himself heard before the chapel should be o­pened at mattins, he placed himself on a bench in the choir, and musing on the singular ad­ventures [Page 77] ventures of the evening, was at length over­taken by sleep.

He had slept but a short space of time, when he was awakened by the step of some person walking slowly down the aisle, in which he sat.—What were his emotions, when he be­held, advancing towards him, the same armed figure which he had thrice before discovered in the course of the same evening!

He was a second time convinced that it was the armour of his father; the vizor of the helmet was up; he could no longer doubt it; the eye of his father was bent full upon him.—Rhinaldo fell on his knee, and with a mix­ture of enthusiastic affection and reverential awe exclaimed:

‘O sacred shade! which bearest the form of the most honoured, the most revered of fathers, disclose, I conjure thee, the cause of this most solemn visitation.’

"Can it be Rhinaldo!" exclaimed the seeming spectre, in the voice of Count Rode­ric; "arise, my son, and tell how it happens "that I thus encounter thee."

These words almost bereft Rhinaldo of his senses.—The surprise of the moment was scarcely to be borne..—That the father he sup­posed [Page 78] murdered should thus unaccountably stand before him! He seemed growing to the pavement, where he kneeled.—His father saw the conflict, and, advancing, raised him from the ground, and embraced him tenderly. Rhi­naldo now recovered himself.—He fell again at the feet of his father, and seizing his mailed hand, pressed the cold rivets to his lips, and bedewed it with the tears of filial affection.

A third person now joined them, who prov­ed to be a faithful domestic of Count Roderic, named Hugo; and some time was spent, be­tween the father and the son, in expressing their mutual surprise at so unexpected a meet­ing.

Rhinaldo having seated himself by his fa­ther, gave him an account of all the circum­stances which had, on his side, conduced to so extraordinary an event; and when he had finished his story, his father gratified his cu­riosity, by a short relation of the circumstances which had, on his part, contributed to this sin­gular encounter.

He told him, that upon perceiving Astol­pho's intentions, which though he had sus­pected them, he did not find himself enabled to resist, confirmed by his conduct when he entered the castle; he had, himself, firmly de­termined not to quit it, but to lie concealed [Page 79] till some opportunity should offer itself of re­gaining his lawful possession, or at least of ex­ecpting vengeance on his enemies. That in order to effect this, he had recourse to the ad­vice and assistance of his noble and valued friend, Leopold, who had agreed to leave the castle, and join the forces of Emanuel (though he had not yet declared himself on his side) on the western frontiers, clad in a suit of Count Roderic's armour, and accompanied by a chosen party of brave friends, who were them­selves, that the deception might be more cer­tain, to be persuaded that it was Roderic that accompanied them.

This scheme succeeded but too well for Leopold, who, being taken for his friend, was pursued by the malignant hatred of Astolpho, and perished.—Count Roderic in the mean time remained secreted in the old part of the castle, confining himself in the day time to a small room, which opened on the staircase, leading to the tower, from the battlements be­low which Rhinaldo had escaped.

He was here supplied with necessaries by the means of his faithful domestic, Hugo, who mixed, unsuspected, with the servants of the castle.—From him he learned the death of his friend, and, in a transport of grief and indig­nation, formed a firm resolution to revenge it. He resolved, however, to delay the execution [Page 80] of his vengeance till the time when other cir­cumstances should determine him to leave the castle. Since the period in which the conduct of Astolpho had become, towards him, that of an implacable enemy, Roderic, whom, after many years of faithful service, not even the juster claims of Emanuel would have induced to appear in arms against the usurper, suffered overtures to be conveyed, through the means of Hugo, to his oppressed and virtuous prince; through the same channel he received infor­mation, that a company of men at arms would quarter, on the very evening when this event­ful meeting took place, at about five miles from the castle.—Count Roderic resolved to join them; but before he executed that re­solve, he determined to exact the vengeance he meditated for the murder of his friend. Hugo had bribed the centinel on the bridge, that they might be suffered to pass at a more early hour than usual. Two of the Count's horses were ready in the stable; and it was probable, that an officer of the Count's ap­pearance, though he would scarcely have been permitted to enter them, might be suffered to quit the lines unsuspected.

This would probably have been the case, had he pursued only his design of escaping; but his mind was agitated by the hopes of ap­proaching vengeance. He was armed by the assistance of Hugo, and waited with impati­ence [Page 81] for the hour when the centinel on the bridge should be relieved, that the man whom Hugo had bribed might take his turn; it was during this period of suspense, that he was thrice seen by Rhinaldo.

At length the hour approached; he de­scended to the chamber where he knew Astol­pho slept.—He passed the anti-chamber with caution; the officers were buried in a profound sleep; he approached the bed of Astolpho, and putting aside the curtains, drew his dagger.—Astolpho awaked, and fixed his opening eyes on him till they exhibited a degree of hor­ror, which, in some measure, recalled Count Roderic to himself. The usurper lay speech­less, under the impression of the most agoniz­ing terrors.

Roderic was unfit for the office of an assas­sin.—He was a knight of hitherto unstained reputation; the victim before him he had long obeyed as his sovereign.—He sheathed his dagger, and slowly quitted the room, leaving Astolpho, who was extremely superstitious, under a firm conviction, that the object he had beheld was the spirit of the murdered Ro­deric, who had appeared to reproach him with his guilt.

The Count retired, as he had entered, un­molested; and his next object was to effect [Page 82] his retreat from the castle. He returned to the chamber in the staircase, in search of Hu­go.—The castle was now alarmed, and it be­came necessary to wait till all should again be quiet.

In the course of a short period the search af­ter Rhinaldo commenced, and led his pursuers to the very part of the castle in which the Count was concealed. When he heard their footsteps he did not, for a moment, doubt that he was the object of their search.—He heard them at the bottom of the staircase, the room in which Count Roderic was concealed, which was in the tower, communicated by a flight of narrow stairs with the platform.—There was no time for hesitation.—The Count, accompanied by Hugo, ascended, and they found themselves on the loftiest part of the roof of the castle; but even here, if pursued, they must be taken.

There seemed no mode of escape, unless they could gain the battlements below.—They perceived, on examination, that part of the parapet had in one place fallen in, towards the battlements, and rendered the descent not very difficult; they resolved to attempt it, and succeeded.

They pursued the path which Rhinaldo had trod before them; it was, indeed the only one [Page 83] they could take; they came to the turret.—it promised to them an asylum, as he had done to him before; they entered it; the courage of Count Roderic was as little to be daunted by the prospect of the subterraneous passage as that of his son, and the necessity of at­tempting his escape was, perhaps, more ur­gent.

He entered it, accompanied by Hugo, un­conscious whether it might lead him; for it had been long before his time disused, and the very knowledge of it, though palpably formed to add strength to the castle, by af­fording a communication with the mount, bu­ried in oblivion.—They arrived in the chapel at the period when Rhinaldo's fatigues had buried him in that sleep from which the sound of his father's footsteps awakened him.

CHAP. XIX.

DAY had scarcely begun to encroach up­on the pale light which the moon had diffused over the venerable walls of the chapel, when the sacristan unbarred the door, and was surprised by the sight of Count Roderic and his son. He conducted them, at their [Page 84] desire, to the officer of the guard, in whom Rhinaldo immediately discovered his friend Anselmo. After mutual embraces Rhinaldo informed him of the singular adventures which had led his father and himself to that spot; and Anselmo introduced them to the presence of Emanuel, who had already arisen, and was in arms,—This gracious prince received Rhi­naldo with a cordial embrace; for he had wit­nessed the virtues of this young knight, during their intimacy, while he concealed his rank, under the garb and name of Father Anthony.—To Count Roderic his demeanour was cor­dial, frank and open.

He had, not long before he was dispossessed of his throne, by the perfidy of Astolpho, conceived some displeasure at the conduct of Roderic, whose fiery unbending spirit had compelled the king at length to banish him his presence, and the intelligence he received, upon his enlargement, that this nobleman had, for many years, possessed, in a very high de­gree, the favour and confidence of Astolpho, led him to suspect that he was privy to the perfidy which had deprived him of his liberty and his crown. This suspicion, unfounded, as in truth it was; for Roderic owed his rise in the court of Astolpho, to his recent disgrace with Emanuel; and his continuance in the confidence of that usurper, to his power in the state, and his conduct in the field, so firmly [Page 85] possessed the mind of Emanuel, that though he had learned his late disgrace at the court of Astolpho, he did not think it safe to trust him with the secret, on which, not only his hopes of again ascending the throne of Lombardy, but even his very life depended. The suspi­cions were now wiped away; his displeasure had long subsided, and the daring spirit, and undisguised open temper and demeanour, which had procured this nobleman the appel­lation of Roderic the Hardy, again obtained their former credit in the mind of Emanuel.

The discovery of the subterraneous passage was made known to the king, and after a council of the knights had been called, it was agreed, that the castle should be surprised by the means of this inlet, while every prepara­tion was made for an active and vigorous co­operation from without.

The rising sun had not long shed its golden light on the turrets of Count Roderic's Castle, before a knight, completely armed, arrived at the gate and demanded admission to the pre­sence of Astolpho. As soon as that prince had arisen, and a council had been summoned, he was admitted. This knight, who was of a figure in which strength, grace, and agility were combined, was magnificently armed, and a large sable plume waved on his helmet.—He advanced towards the chair in which Astol­pho [Page 86] was seated, and bending one knee to the ground, demanded justice against a knight of his train, whom he pledged himself to prove a recreant, false to his God, and to his king; an oppressor, and base wrong-doer, towards that sex which he was bound by his oath, and the order he profaned, to succour and protect.

Astolpho promised him the battle, and de­manded if the knight were in presence, ur­ging him, at the same time, to speak boldly, and of good heart.—The knight with the sa­ble plume then rising▪ lifted the vizor of his helmet, and discovered the face of Count Tan­cred. He fixed his eyes on Rhodolpho, who stood near the chair of the king and addressed him thus:

‘Count Rhodolpho, as thou art a knight, attend.—Thou h [...]ldest in a rigorous and cruel captivity, if thy savage rage hath not yet destroyed her, the Princess Aspasia, the sister of this injured monarch, whose favour thou abusest.—The truth of this I pledge myself to make good upon thy head, when, and at what weapons, (provided they be such as may become a knight) thou wilt.’

At these words Count Tancred threw down his gauntlet, which Rhodolpho took up, de­nying, with many asseverations, but with ma­nifest confusion, the truth of the charge.

[Page 87] Astolpho, in whose countenance, amidst the strongest marks of astonishment, a thou­sand passions seemed struggling for mastery, arose, and ordering the lists to be prepared, and the battle to take place on the succeeding morning, at day break, left the chamber, and the council broke up.—In the mean time, Count Tancred, who was known to many of the knights in Astolpho's train, was welcomed to the castle, and care was taken that he should be honourably treated till the next morning should arrive.

Astolpho, in the mean time, remained in­volved in the deepest perplexity. Among his many faults, want of affection towards this sister had no place. He was fond of her, and it was much against his inclination that he had felt himself compelled to sacrifice her to the arms of the Count St. Amand.—His indigna­tion, therefore, against Rhodolpho was raised to the highest pitch, by the very idea, that the accusation of Count Tancred might be true; but the important secret, of which this fa­vourite was master, compelled him to stifle his resentment, and to hide in smiles the rage which rankled in his heart; for he well knew, that many persons of the first consequence, who at present supported his cause, did it from a conviction, which had been artfully instilled into them, that his opponent was an impostor, [Page 88] and that Emanuel had actually perished, as had been reported.

While he was musing in his chamber, agi­tated by these reflections, he was surprised by the presence of Rhodolpho, who had the pri­vilege of entering this apartment.—He could not readily account for this visit, at such a sea­son, and was not a little surprised to find, that the cause of it was the anxious desire which Rhodolpho felt to make a solemn denial of the foul charge, preferred against him in the pre­sence of his sovereign, a charge which he so­lemnly averred to be founded in the most at­trocious falshood, and the most inveterate ma­lignity, which, he added, he did not doubt he should fully prove on the succeeding morning; protesting at the same time, with the strongest asseverations, that he had not seen the Coun­tess since the death of his father.

This declaration was graciously received by Astolpho, and was, indeed, highly grateful to him.—He was willing to believe it true; but in spite of his inclination, he felt some doubts which he could not holy suppress. He had long suspected the courage of Rhodolpho, and could scarcely account for his meeting this charge with such determined resolution. This resolution, however, if it was not a proof that he was innocent, was, at least, a strong one that he was willing to appear so; a cir­cumstance [Page 89] which was calculated to spare to Astolpho much mortifying self-humiliation; nor could he help looking with some secret anxiety towards the event of the battle, which, by the death of Rhodolpho, might free him from a subject already become too powerful not to cause him much uneasiness.

CHAP. XX.

RHODOLPHO, in the mean time, who had never made this declaration till he had taken a resolution effectually to prevent the discovery of its falshood, thought of nothing less than of meeting Count Tancred in the field.—His brain, fertile in every pro­ject of villany, had engendered the plan of preventing the combat, before he had pledged himself to Astolpho, that he would so ardent­ly embrace that method of proving his inno­cence, and he retired from that prince's cham­ber to give more maturity to his design.—He knew no method of preventing the combat, which was to take place in the morning, so effectual as that of assassinating his adversary over night; nor did his heart, at once trea­cherous, cowardly and cruel, revolt at a crime, not sanctioned indeed, but unhappily rendered [Page 90] too frequent by the barbarous manners of the age.

He thought, that by the means of some worthless instruments, about his person, he might be enabled to do this undiscovered; but at all events, should suspicions arise, he was sure of protection from Astolpho. His only subject of debate now was how to accomplish his infamous design; and after some time spent in deliberation, he formed the following plan:

In consequence of his brutal and unmanner­ly attack on the defenceless Isabel, during the preceding night that lady had sent a most ear­nest intreaty to Astolpho, that if she was in future to be confined, her place of confine­ment might be near to his apartments; nor did Rhodolpho, whom the sudden appearance, and mysterious escape of Rhinaldo had filled with strange suspicions and fears, oppose this request; in consequence of which the princess, together with her cousin and attendant, was removed to an apartment nearly adjoining to that of Astolpho.

Rhodolpho, who had the superintendance of the household, though he could not, in this case, act officially, easily procured it to be intimated to the steward, who supplied his place, that the apartment lately quitted by the [Page 91] princess, would afford the most proper accom­modation for the strange knight; and that a­partment was, upon this intimation, prepared for him.

Rhodolpho now saw his enemy in his hands; he had, in the pursuit of Rhinaldo, discovered the door by which he had escaped; an inlet to the apartment which would be effectually concealed from the unsuspecting inhabitant by the tapestry. Through this door he determin­ed to give entrance, at midnight, to the ruf­fian, who had been privy to his infamous de­sign on the Lady Isabel, and to two others of his train, whom this man pointed out as pro­per instruments for the business.—These mis­creants were to dispatch the unfortunate Count and his attendant with their daggers, while Rhodolpho, himself, waited without to assist them in disposing of their bodies.

The plan being thus projected, and the hor­rid instruments of his infamous design well instructed; he saw his unsuspecting adversary retire from a slight meal, of which he partook with some friends, towards his apartment, for the night.—Astolpho also retired to rest. The tumult of the hall began, by degrees, to sub­side; and all grew silent.

Rhodolpho alone, with a mind agitated by all the accumulated horrors which fasten on [Page 92] a design so diabolical; yet urged by desperate cowardice to the perpetration of his guilt, paced, with trembling step, the still gloomy recesses of the castle.—The darkness and si­lence of the scene sh [...]d a double portion of terror, over his mind.

The clock toll'd two—this was the hour at which his accomplices had agreed to meet him—all was still silent, not a step to be heard; he thought they had mistaken the place of ap­pointment, and were, perhaps, already arrived at the spot, which was to be the scene of their infamous action.—He went up stairs, passed through the gallery, and arrived at the little door; he found no person there; the door was still fastened.—He had just opened it, when he heard the footsteps of some persons descending the stairs, on that side of the gal­lery; they entered the apartment with cau­tious silent steps.—Rhodolpho advanced to­wards them:

‘Come, said he, in a low tremulous voice; you are late; the door is opened; be care­ful, but be resolute. When the deed is done bring the bodies into this room, with every thing that can lead to a discovery, and we will dispose of them.’

He had scarcely uttered these words, when he received the sword of the person he ad­dressed [Page 93] through his body, and the voice of Rhi­naldo exclaimed, ‘Die, most infamous assas­sin.’

Rhinaldo, with his father, and friend Ansel­mo, had been deputed to conduct a select bo­dy of Emanuel's troops through the subterra­neous passage, and they had gained the tower, undiscovered, at the hour when it was judged that the inhabitants of the castle were lulled in profound repose.

Rhinaldo, to whom the safety and protection of the Lady Isabel had been particularly in­trusted by her father, hastened, accompanied by a few friends, towards that door, which he knew communicated with her apartment when he was thus met, and thus accosted by Rho­dolpho.

Rhodolpho, when he received the wound, groaned and fell.

Rhinaldo, impressed by the words of Rho­dolpho, with the utmost horror, drew his sword from the body, and rushing towards the door, which he found open, entered the apartment, accompanied by his attendants.—On lifting the tapestry▪ he was surprised to discover, by a light which burned in the room, a person busily employed in arranging and adjusting several pieces of armour; nor was this person, [Page 94] who was Count Trancred's former deliverer, less surprised to see a figure, with a sword im­brued with blood, advance from behind the tapestry.—He dropped the helmet which he held in his hand, and his sudden exclamations awakened his master. Count Tancred, who, slipping on a loose robe, and snatching up a sword which lay by him, entered from his chamber.

The mutual surprise of Rhinaldo and the Count, at this meeting, kept them, for some moments, silent.—Rhinaldo at length inform­ed his friend, in a few words, of the opera­tions of the night, and left him in the care of two of his attendants, while he himself proceeded in search of Isabel.

He passed hastily through the hall, where he had already perceived that the business was begun.—A party, near the steps of the range of apartments, which were occupied by Astol­pho, boldly, but unsuccessfully opposed ano­ther, at the head of which Rhinaldo discovered the plume of his father; he rushed forward to join him; the opposite party retreated up the steps towards the chambers of Astolpho. When they arrived at his chamber, they found it empty; nor were they long in discovering the fate of this guilty and unfortunate Prince.

The vision, as he thought it, of the preceding [Page 95] night, had so much occupied his mind, that the idea of it had, since its appearance, almost incessantly haunted his imagination.

He was observed to be thoughtful and gloo­my during the course of the day, and when, after supper, he again retired to bed, he en­deavoured in vain to compose himself to rest. After some hours spent in anxiety and terror, he arose, and, dressing himself, walked about his chamber, waiting impatiently for the dawn.

Tired, at length, with his own thoughts, he walked into his anti-chamber▪ where he found the officers of his guard and other attendants more alert than usual from the alarm of the preceding evening. He conversed with them at intervals for some time. During a pause in the conversation, he thought he heard the sound of footsteps without. The state of his mind made him awake to every suspicion—he listened again—it was no longer to be doubted. In a fit of desperation he rushed out at the head of his few attendants, and met his fate at the very first onset. He was found soon afterwards in the hall covered with wounds, and deprived of every symptoms of animation.

After having assisted to beat back the party who opposed his father, Rhinaldo, whose thoughts were continually bent upon his Isa­bel, again detached himself with a small party [Page 96] in pursuit of her. From the door of a cham­ber near to Astolpho's, he saw three females rush forth in all the wildness of sudden and extreme terror.—He met them, and repeating the name of Isabel, stopped their progress.—The first of these females pronouncing the name of Rhinaldo, rushed, as if for protec­tion, into his arms.

It was the Lady Isabel. He conducted her, with her Cousin and attendant, to the apart­ment of Count Tancred, under whose protec­tion he left them, that he might again join his father; but he found his presence useless. Emanuel had on the preceding day contrived to send intelligence to the party of cavalry which Count Roderic had prepared himself to join, of the plan in agitation, with orders to march in the night, and surprise, if possible, that part of Astolpho's lines, which was oppo­site to their quarters; at the same time he quitted the priory, and at the head of his cho­sen troops made an attack on those posts which were the nearest to him. Assaulted at once on opposite sides, and this in the middle of the night, Astolpho's troops made but a feeble re­sistance, and after a short stand they began to give way on all sides.

Count Roderic, in the mean time, having filled the Castle with his followers, and secured the soldiers within, who, lulled in a fatal secu­rity, [Page 97] were most of them surprised without arms, had by this measure effectually discon­certed the troops, who fled before Emanuel; for when they retreated for refuge to the Castle, they found the drawbridge in possession of their enemies.

They threw down their arms—the gates were soon opened to Emanuel, and the dawn of day saw his standard displayed on the walls.

CHAP. XXI.

RHINALDO had no sooner saluted his beloved and revered sovereign, and joined in the general congratulations on this singular success, than he flew to the apartment of Count Tancred, that he might introduce his Isabel to a parent whom she had not seen since the age of childhood, and whom she had so long lamented as dead.

He found the chamber empty—but, listen­ing, was attracted by the sound of voices to the little room behind the tapestry, where he discovered the Count, the Lady Isabel, Elle­nor, and their attendants.

[Page 98] They were surrounding a wretched man, who seemed mortally wounded. He was sit­ting on the ground with his back against the wall, and was supported on one side by one of the attendants.

It was Count Rhodolpho, whose groans had led them from the inner chamber to the spot where he lay.—When Rhinaldo entered, he was imploring the pardon of the surrounding audience, but particular of Tancred, for the offences he had committed, and for the farther ones which he had meditated against them.

He told Count Tancred that the Princess Aspasia was confined in his Castle, and, draw­ing a ring from his finger, informed him, that upon producing that token to his steward, who had then the command of the Castle, she would be immediately delivered to him.

He confessed, with much contrition, that a passion he had conceived for that lady, stron­ger than that which bound him towards the Lady Isabel, had caused him thus to secrete her.

As he was much exhausted, Rhinaldo or­dered him to be conveyed to the bed in the adjoining chamber.—This was with some dif­ficulty done.—His wound was there dressed, [Page 99] but he died in the course of the succeeding day.

Emanuel, thus restored to his throne, be­stowed every day fresh marks of his favour on Rhinaldo and his father, who had been the in­struments of this happy revolution.

For Rhinaldo he had long felt and long professed the affection of a father; he no sooner received his long-lost daughter from his hands, than he returned her to this affectionate lover, as the brightest boon he could bestow.—That she was indeed so, every hour which this en­viable father spent in her company convinced him; and, perhaps, if he had not so suddenly given her to Rhinaldo, the difficulty he felt in parting with her might have inclined him to hesitate.

Anselmo now interceded with Rhinaldo to mention his pretensions to the Lady Ellenor; nor were they for a moment disregarded. E­manuel expressed himself happy to be enabled thus to reward the attachment of this deserv­ing young nobleman.

The last words of the miserable Rhodolpho filled the bosom of Count Tancred with a tu­mult of hopes and fears. He had no sooner been introduced by his friend Rhinaldo to E­manuel, than he prepared to depart for Rho­dolpho's [Page 100] Castle, having obtained, in addition to the token he had received, a mandate from the king. It will be needless to describe the rapture which attended the meeting of these lovers.

By the intercession of Rhinaldo the Prin­cess obtained the restoration of the estates of the Count St. Amand, which had been forfeit­ed; and after some time passed in widowhood, from respect to the memory of an husband, who had so little deserved it, she rewarded the faithful attachment of Count Tancred with her hand.

The steady and zealous services of Rugiero were not forgotten by Rhinaldo, who obtained for him an honourable and lucrative situation. Nor did the Lady Isabel overlook in Barbara, the companion of her toils and her dangers; and they found, when, after a reign of many prosperous years, the death of Emanuel ex­alted them to the throne of Lombardy, in these steady and zealous adherents, true and loyal subjects, and firm and faithful friends.

The hours of adversity which Emanuel had known, had strengthened his mind, which his tedious solitude had much inured to habits of reflection; nor could he fail to observe, as of­ten [Page 101] as he contemplated the combination of cir­cumstances which had brought about a revo­lution so singular, how seldom, if we would wait patiently for events, we should have rea­son to inveigh against the success, even in this life, attending criminal actions; and with how little constancy and foresight we are to continue to lament those circumstances as evil, which eventually, though inexplicably, produce our greatest good.