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    The Castle of Otranto
    The Castle of Otranto
    The Castle of Otranto
    Ebook130 pages2 hours

    The Castle of Otranto

    By Horace Walpole

    3/5

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    About this ebook

    This provocative and playful tale of medieval dynastic and sexual politics is regarded as the first-ever published gothic novel and has inspired authors from Stoker to Poe to Rowling

    Abounding with unfulfilled prophecies, supernatural occurrences, adventure, suspense, and destiny, it follows the fortunes of the royal family of Sicily in the 13th century. Prince Conrad is crushed to death on the day of his wedding to the beautiful Princess Isabella. Heirless and terrified of an ancient prophecy that foretells the downfall of his dynasty, his father, King Manfred, divorces his wife and resolves to marry the princess himself. Far from enamored with her new fiancé, Isabella flees the royal castle and makes for the sanctuary of a nearby church with the help of the humble Theodore. When the pair are captured their respective fates seem inescapable; but at the moment of Theodore's death, delivery comes from the most unexpected of places.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHesperus Classics
    Release dateFeb 1, 2015
    ISBN9781780943442
    Author

    Horace Walpole

    Horace Walpole (1717-1797) was an English writer, art historian, Whig politician, and a man of letters, a group of intellectuals dedicated to solving society’s problems. As the youngest son of a prime minister, Walpole was born into a noble family and became an Earl in 1791. Long before that, Walpole was an elected member of parliament, where he represented the Whig party for thirteen years. Because Walpole’s house, called Strawberry Hill, had its own printing press, he was able to enjoy a prolific writing career, publishing many works of fiction and nonfiction. Walpole has been credited for creating the gothic literary genre with his novel The Castle of Otranto.

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    Reviews for The Castle of Otranto

    3/5

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    • 2/5
      From BadelyngeManfred is having a really bad day. No really, he's having a really, really bad day. It all starts with his son being crushed to death by a gigantic helmet that falls out of the sky. And his day is going to get much worse.The Castle of Otranto was written in 1764 by Horace Walpole. So many times I have heard the name of this book being dropped by literary historians citing its place as the forerunner to the gothic novel, works that would include author's such as Poe, Stoker and Du Maurier. In fact the book is little more than fluff that just happens to contain a castle and a penchant for the romantic, the unlikely and the plain ridiculous.
    • 3/5
      I found The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole to be an odd yet entertaining story about a tyrant knight called Manfred, Prince of Otranto, and his family. Considered to be the father of Gothic romance fiction this fantasy is set in the middle ages, and is peopled by characters experiencing strong emotional and psychological distress. The story develops around a supernatural event that occurs at the beginning of the story and causes the death of Manfred’s only son and heir. Unfolding in a castle that comes with underground passages, sealed vaults, and trap doors, my favorite part of the story was when the young Princess Isabella, fearful for her virtue, is running away from Manfred through the dark and haunted castle.In a melodramatic yet playful manner the story has the evil usurper, the noble yet humble rightful heir, two virtuous princesses and a host of other characters running around the Castle of Otranto confronting vanishing giants, pieces of enormous armour, moving artwork and each other.This deceptively simple story deals with issues of inheritance, power and morality and religion. It is important to remember that this novel is the first of its kind and the plot, which appears overworked and familiar today is, indeed, the first of it’s kind and did cause quite a sensation in it’s day.
    • 3/5
      We are all reptiles, miserable, sinful creatures. It is piety alone that can distinguish us from the dust whence we sprung, and whither we must return.

      The Goodreads reviews of this pioneer work are a caravan of groans; how sophisticated we've since become with our forensics and our shape-shfting (very-meta) protagonists. I may shudder and say, whoa, and allow the blush to fade from our consternation. Otranto is ridiculous, sure, but it is damn charming. Anyone ever encountered a contrivance or laughable twist in the Bard or even Nabokov: the car which killed Charlotte Haze dented our credulity, didn't it? I say onward with the GIANT HELMET! What lurks beneath is but prophesy and paternity. Walpole's book offers little in terms of fear. The pacing and revelation are no more haunting than a production of Hamlet. The notion of it being a "found" medieval text gives it sufficient distance to unnerve our sense of legacy.
    • 3/5
      Taken in the context of when it was written, and the fact that it was new to the genre, I can advise that it’s wortwhile reading it. I found it entertaining overall even if it was so,ewhat difficult because of the way dialogue is embeshed within paragraphs- one has to pay continuous attention to follow who is saying what.However, I could not but find many of the passages hilarious, partly because of the extreme situations kn which the characters are placed.
    • 5/5
      [Northanger Abbey]
      I think this is my favorite of Austen's works. It lacks any of the great romances that make her so popular amongst filmmakers and book clubs, but it shows off her greatest asset: her intelligence. Austen is, of course, famous for her wit and keen observations of social mores, and those are also put on display in Northanger Abbey. But this is one of the all-time great satires, demonstrating that she was capable of more than merely reproducing the world around her.

      This is the book that makes me wonder what Austen would be like if she was alive today. Time and critical reception have pigeon-holed her; she's recognized as a great talent, but I think she's often dismissed as well. She's about more than just female empowerment and laughing at the way people acted in the 1800s. Austen's books are all about how people communicate, and it's still relevant today.
    • 4/5
      It is always difficult to review a book that is considered a classic. On the one hand, you have to discuss how the book was received in its time, what it added to the literature of its day. On the other, you have to balance that with its effect on the modern reader.The fact that "The Caste of Otranto" was successful in its day is undisputed. It is typically held up as the genesis of the Gothic novel, with its dual focus on the supernatural and the effect of the supernatural on human emotion. The realistic, introspective character study is juxtaposed with things that are unrealistic and unbelievable. Although fantastical elements certainly existed before this time in literature, they had not been tackled with a modern sensibility of character. To this book, we owe not only the Gothic stories of Edgar Allen Poe, the Bronte sisters, etc, but also the entirety of modern fantasy.However, as a novel for the modern reader, it fails to grip. It is far too rooted in its past to be much more than a footnote of literature for casual, modern fans of Gothic stories. Characters are shallow by comparison to its descendents The supernatural elements run from mild to goofy to a reader already accustomed to bleeding statues or paintings that come to life.Recommendation: If you approach it as an early example of the genre, you will enjoy it. As a standalone novel, it doesn't have the staying power.
    • 4/5
      One of my reading goals for 2012 was to read through a few "classics" that I'd never read before. It hasn't gone as well as I'd hoped it would (those darn publishers just keep churning out new books!) but I've been able to enjoy at least of few of the titles I wanted to try. One of those was Walpole's The Castle of Otranto, considered the first gothic novel (Walpole's only novel, it was published in 1764).While to a modern reader some of the gothic tropes (scary castles, mysterious prophecies, portentously-timed thunderclaps, long-lost family members, mistaken identities, religious prejudices, unexplained bumps in the night, &c.) come across as more silly than scary, to readers unfamiliar with such motifs, this must have been quite an unconventional book indeed. It's easy to see how later authors (Radcliffe, Lewis, Brown) were able to develop the stories more thoroughly and create even more disturbing imagery and plot twists. The OUP edition I read contained a very useful introduction by E.J. Clery, contextualizing the work and examining some of the contemporary reaction to it.
    • 2/5
      What a silly book! My nose hurts from snorting. At first I was thinking "This would be great filmed by Ed Wood." but then I decided it would be more suited to a staging by the Monty Python troupe. It even features a giant foot at one point!
    • 3/5
      The Castle of Otranto is one of those must-read noteworthy books, but heck if I know why. It is listed as the first gothic novel and has those elements of romance and horror. But, I must say, gothic novels have come a looong way. This had many elements that we stereotype and mock - the fair maiden who above all else, must maintain her virtue and the evil villain whose goal in life is to make sure she fails. Ok reading for the historical sense, but not outstanding.
    • 4/5
      A rather short story and the only one published by Horace Walpole tell the story of Manfred, prince of Otranto and the death of his son and only heir Conrad. The castle with its vaults and secret passages make for the setting of a gothic novel. The setting is chivalric Middle Ages and deals with cruelty and tyranny as well as usurping of the castle and title of prince. It’s a very quick and easy read for those working on the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list.
    • 3/5
      The book that started the taste for gothic novels in England and later Germany and France, this is by no means the best of the genre but holds pride of place. Replete with ghosts, set in the heart of the dark ages and within the walls of a mood-setting castle, it's no surprise this tale sparked the imaginations of its readers and continues to cast its spell today.
    • 2/5
      The evil prince Manfred plots to marry his deceased son's fiancé but is thwarted. This is the ancestor of all gothic novels. Poor prose, but it does move at a steady pace for the 18th Century. Best read for a course requirement. I have no idea of which edition I read in 1971, but the information relates to the current Oxford paperback edition.
    • 5/5
      Said by some (like W. S. Lewis) to be the first Gothic novel in English literature, this 1674 novel offers every element now considered to be characteristic of Gothic horror. Here, Walpole set the standard for supernatural armour, furtive friars, family curses, and things that go bump in the castle vaults!
    • 5/5
      I'm reading this book right now and it is so cool. Supposedly the first gothic novel ever written. Secret passages, haunted castle, strange happenings, and a damsel in distress. One of the least boring classics I've ever read.
    • 2/5
      Let me put it this way...it's decent if you consider the historical aspect of the book (first horror novel, ect.) Otherwise, it's hilariously bad.
    • 3/5
      Considered a gothic masterpiece, I found this to be a clever little novel of a crumbling monarchy in it's final days. You can certainly see how it influenced later works of both fantasy and more conventional literature. A number of convoluted machinations, some patent villainy, lots of life-changing revelations, and just a few hints of the supernatural. I honestly could have done with a little less of the domestic implosion of the household and a little more of the fantastical elements, but it is what it is. My one major complaint is the dialogue is not formatted in the modern style of quotation marks and individually indented paragraphs, separated only by commas, periods and dashes, somewhat inconsistently too, making it somewhat tricky to read, though I managed well enough once I found the conversational rhythm in each passage.
    • 2/5
      I tried, just could not make hide nor hair of it. I got the jist of the story, but either I just found it simply too boring or missed a crucial element somewhere along the line.Of course I can see how gothic after was inspired by this, but I was expecting something a bit different.I loved the settings but just did not connect with any of the characters.
    • 4/5
      The original gothic novel, this reads preposterously if you don't know its pedigree. Gigantic elements of armour appear in the story without warning (though they are warnings in themselves), crushing the hapless and frightening other characters who respond as anyone might when faced with such inexplicable events: horror, shock, dismay, fear. It's the meshing of these that brought this novel lasting acclaim, however ridiculous its events now appear to a modern reader. I'm afraid I laughed in a few places I wasn't supposed to, but with a better understanding came a greater appreciation. It's a comfortably short read, and at least an interesting curiosity.
    • 3/5
      This book must be read in the knowledge that it is more than 250 years old. It is the original Gothic fiction. The story is somewhat gripping, although the dialogue is not punctuated as we would now expect, making you think twice about who is saying what at times. The spectre of the giant knight seems to fade away at the end, almost like the let-down from bad B-grade special effects but in literary form. I felt like every character actually liked to ball their eyes out every few minutes, too. But, taken in context, it is an enjoyable read. Only don't read the introduction and avoid checking the notes at every instance. Like many classic, the introduction, prefaces and notes are now longer than the story itself. It had to be read, and now it is done. If you are a fan of Gothic, then this is like what Evil Dead is to modern horror, or what Sherlock Holmes is to the modern detective story.
    • 4/5
      I wanted to read a gothic novel to help me better understand what Jane Austen is satirizing in Northanger Abbey. I picked The Castle of Otranto purely because it was the shortest.The book (published in 1764) starts with an introduction from Horace Walpole explaining that this is an English translation he has made of an Italian manuscript dating from 1529; however the introduction makes clear that it's possible that the original work was in fact written much earlier. Walpole also states his belief that the story he has translated is based on truth and events that must have really taken place In fact, none of this was true; it was written in English by Horace Walpole in the 18th century, but at the time it was considered much more worthwhile to read a true story than a fictional one. Interestingly the wikipedia article on the book seems to indicate that the work was critically quite well received until Walpole 'fessed up and admitted he'd made up the whole thing when all the critics promptly decided that it was worthless fluff.Once you're past the introduction this gothic tale kicks off with someone being crushed to death by a giant helmet:"he beheld his child dashed to pieces, and almost buried under an enormous helmet, an hundred times more large than any casque ever made for human being, and shaded with a proportionate quantity of black feathers"Right.All the other gothic staples are included of course; innocent virgins, noble knights, princes in disguise, incest, duels, gloomy castles and ghosts. It was difficult for me to take this book as seriously as I assume the original 18th century readers took it. Most of the scenes which are presumably supposed to be scary seem ridiculous to a modern reader (death by giant helmet being the prime example). There are also a lot of scenes which I think may have been intended to be comic as the introduction notes that 'some persons may perhaps think the characters of the domestics too little serious for the general cast of the story'; there were some wonderful scenes very reminiscent of Shakespeare where the domestics were constantly interrupting each other or wandering from the point to the infuriation of their lords and ladies.Ultimately, this was a short, enjoyable if somewhat strange read. Reading the free kindle version I definitely felt the lack of any explanatory notes to help me put this work in context but I think it was worth reading even so as it's given me a better understanding of Northanger Abbey.
    • 3/5
      Crazy story about a giant knights parts showing up in a cursed castle.
    • 5/5
      This is a gem of an early (1764) Gothic novel. There are some moments of genuine horror and a tense drive to the plot. Great stuff and the ending is very downbeat.
    • 2/5
      A castle and abbey with secret tunnels. A dark landscape, lecherous villains, supernatural visions, a hero with a secret lineage, and beautiful and imperiled women (with a tendency toward the hysterical).What more can you ask for :)As an exploration of the history of literature this “granddaddy” of the gothic novel is interesting and a lot of fun. This is not my favorite genre at all - and the plot is so contrived that you want to laugh - and do laugh a lot of times.This is the kind of literature Catherine Morland loves in Northanger Abbey - as she asks in anticipation of yet another thrilling read: “Is it really horrid?”. Yes, Catherine. It is indeed.
    • 3/5
      Not the most memorable of novels. It's three years since I read it yet even skimming other people's reviews and the synopsis hasn't jogged my memory!Well, I gave it three stars after finishing the book, so must've liked it, though clearly it's left no impression on me.
    • 3/5
      Read on serial reader. A classic early gothic novel, this is very dated. But somehow it is so bad it is kind of good. The mystical is not explained, characters are killed off left and right, and surprises abound.I am not even clear where this is supposed to take place--England, or generic continental Europe?
    • 3/5
      I can appreciate the impact that Horace Walpole's "The Castle of Otranto" had on storytelling and literature, but it's a novel that certainly hasn't aged well. Considered the first Gothic novel, it weaves together a terrific tale of tragedy with supernatural elements just accepted by everyone as real.The story centers around a prince named Manfred, the villain of the piece, and the tragedies that befall his family because his grandfather usurped the throne. There are romantic elements, including a fight between two girls over a future husband as well as plenty of fainting and coincidences to propel the story along.I found the plot interesting, even while rolling my eyes at the characters' reactions. This is a definitely a book that I'm glad I read just for the history behind it, rather than for the story itself.
    • 1/5
      Halfway through the story, a young peasant says, "I am no impostor, my Lord, nor have I deserved opprobrious language. I answered to every question your Highness put to me last night with the same veracity that I shall speak now: and that will not be from fear of your tortures, but because my soul abhors a falsehood. Please to repeat your questions, my Lord; I am ready to give you all the satisfaction in my power."

      WTF? I can only assume that this melodrama is a joke, for it is so elaborately ridiculous that any other conclusion is impossible. As a joke, it is funny but rather too long. Near the end, the main "villain" stabs his daughter in the heart. She has a chapter-long death scene, during which there is a lot of fainting, shouting, long expostulations of heritage, and really awful "old-timey" language. The very last paragraph details how her lover and her foster sister end up marrying so they can share their "meloncholy" till the end of their days.
    • 5/5
      The last third of this novel just blew me away. In it, all of the main characters kept turning up in unexpected places doing and saying unexpected things with unexpected results until an ancient prophesy was fulfilled. That part of the book alone was jaw-dropping!
    • 2/5
      Summary: When the Lord of Otranto's only son is killed on the morning of his wedding day (crushed by a giant metal helmet that appeared out of nowhere, no less), the Lord begins to scheme. In a desperate attempt to secure more heirs, he pursues Isabella, his son's promised bride. She (understandably) flees in terror, aided by a young villager, and so begins several days of terror and unbelievable happenings, complete with walking portraits, giant swords, black knights, secret tunnels, long-lost sons, mysterious prophecies, deathbed confessions, and love at first sight.Review: Holy cow. People used to read this? This is the highest form of melodrama, coupled with a bizarre kind of ghost story, and all rendered in prose so overwrought and purple that it's approaching ultraviolet. I couldn't ever get into the story because I kept thinking "....really?!?", and there was so much wailing and clutching at clothing that I never sympathized with any of the characters, either. I understand that the over-done and over-emphasized version of *everything* was the style, and that by reading this out of context and out of its time, I'm almost certainly judging it by an unfair set of standards. But MY GOD, everything about this was just So Much - so much drama, so many plot twists, so many coincidences and strange unexplained happenings, so many epiphanies and raging emotions and Dramatic Speeches - that it wound up feeling like a high school drama production. I feel like Shakespeare would have read this and been like "Damn, that's a lot of melodrama. Now let me go see if I can squeeze another death into the end of Hamlet." 2 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: It didn't do much for me, but I'm a total Philistine and I read it totally devoid of any historic context. Those who are better-versed in the literary period than I am will almost definitely have an easier time of things.
    • 4/5
      The original Gothic novel sets a standard of melodrama that soap operas would be proud to follow. And I say that in a good way. With hidden sons, love triangles, returning from the dead and ghosts and giants abounding, this quick read is good for a glimpse into what shaped the Gothic era of writing. Not wanting to say too much about the plot, since the story is only 92 pages long, I'll try to summarize it the best I can. Manfred, the current inhabitant of Otranto, is living according to a legacy that the true owner will come and take it from him. In an effort to prevent that, he decides that he must align himself with the rival family by marriage. Of course, nothing goes as planned.If you're interested in Gothic literature, why not read the source? It's quick, it's easy, and it's bound to entertain you.

    Book preview

    The Castle of Otranto - Horace Walpole

    Copyright

    CHAPTER I

    M

    ANFRED

    , P

    RINCE OF

    Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda. Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda. Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

    Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours. The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation. Hippolita, his wife, an amiable lady, did sometimes venture to represent the danger of marrying their only son so early, considering his great youth, and greater infirmities; but she never received any other answer than reflections on her own sterility, who had given him but one heir. His tenants and subjects were less cautious in their discourses. They attributed this hasty wedding to the Prince’s dread of seeing accomplished an ancient prophecy, which was said to have pronounced that the castle and lordship of Otranto ‘should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it’. It was difficult to make any sense of this prophecy; and still less easy to conceive what it had to do with the marriage in question. Yet these mysteries, or contradictions, did not make the populace adhere the less to their opinion.

    Young Conrad’s birthday was fixed for his espousals. The company was assembled in the chapel of the castle, and everything ready for beginning the divine office, when Conrad himself was missing. Manfred, impatient of the least delay, and who had not observed his son retire, despatched one of his attendants to summon the young Prince. The servant, who had not stayed long enough to have crossed the court to Conrad’s apartment, came running back breathless, in a frantic manner, his eyes staring, and foaming at the mouth. He said nothing, but pointed to the court.

    The company were struck with terror and amazement. The Princess Hippolita, without knowing what was the matter, but anxious for her son, swooned away. Manfred, less apprehensive than enraged at the procrastination of the nuptials, and at the folly of his domestic, asked imperiously what was the matter? The fellow made no answer, but continued pointing towards the courtyard; and at last, after repeated questions put to him, cried out, ‘Oh! the helmet! the helmet!’

    In the meantime, some of the company had run into the court, from whence was heard a confused noise of shrieks, horror, and surprise. Manfred, who began to be alarmed at not seeing his son, went himself to get information of what occasioned this strange confusion. Matilda remained endeavouring to assist her mother, and Isabella stayed for the same purpose, and to avoid showing any impatience for the bridegroom, for whom, in truth, she had conceived little affection.

    The first thing that struck Manfred’s eyes was a group of his servants endeavouring to raise something that appeared to him a mountain of sable plumes. He gazed without believing his sight.

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

    A volley of voices replied, ‘Oh! my Lord! the Prince! the Prince! the helmet! the helmet!’

    Shocked with these lamentable sounds, and dreading he knew not what, he advanced hastily, but what a sight for a father’s eyes! – he beheld his child dashed to pieces, and almost buried under an enormous helmet, an hundred times more large than any casque ever made for human being, and shaded with a proportionable quantity of black feathers.

    The horror of the spectacle, the ignorance of all around how this misfortune had happened, and above all, the tremendous phenomenon before him, took away the Prince’s speech. Yet his silence lasted longer than even grief could occasion. He fixed his eyes on what he wished in vain to believe a vision; and seemed less attentive to his loss, than buried in meditation on the stupendous object that had occasioned it. He touched, he examined the fatal casque; nor could even the bleeding mangled remains of the young Prince divert the eyes of Manfred from the portent before him.

    All who had known his partial fondness for young Conrad, were as much surprised at their Prince’s insensibility, as thunderstruck themselves at the miracle of the helmet. They conveyed the disfigured corpse into the hall, without receiving the least direction from Manfred. As little was he attentive to the ladies who remained in the chapel. On the contrary, without mentioning the unhappy princesses, his wife and daughter, the first sounds that dropped from Manfred’s lips were, ‘Take care of the Lady Isabella.’

    The domestics, without observing the singularity of this direction, were guided by their affection to their mistress, to consider it as peculiarly addressed to her situation, and flew to her assistance. They conveyed her to her chamber more dead than alive, and indifferent to all the strange circumstances she heard, except the death of her son.

    Matilda, who doted on her mother, smothered her own grief and amazement, and thought of nothing but assisting and comforting her afflicted parent. Isabella, who had been treated by Hippolita like a daughter, and who returned that tenderness with equal duty and affection, was scarce less assiduous about the Princess; at the same time endeavouring to partake and lessen the weight of sorrow which she saw Matilda strove to suppress, for whom she had conceived the warmest sympathy of friendship. Yet her own situation could not help finding its place in her thoughts. She felt no concern for the death of young Conrad, except commiseration; and she was not sorry to be delivered from a marriage which had promised her little felicity, either from her destined bridegroom, or from the severe temper of Manfred, who, though he had distinguished her by great indulgence, had imprinted her mind with terror, from his causeless rigour to such amiable princesses as Hippolita and Matilda.

    While the ladies were conveying the wretched mother to her bed, Manfred remained in the court, gazing on the ominous casque, and regardless of the crowd which the strangeness of the event had now assembled around him. The few words he articulated, tended solely to enquiries, whether any man knew from whence it could have come? Nobody could give him the least information. However, as it seemed to be the sole object of his curiosity, it soon became so to the rest of the spectators, whose conjectures were as absurd and improbable, as the catastrophe itself was unprecedented. In the midst of their senseless guesses, a young peasant, whom rumour had drawn thither from a neighbouring village, observed that the miraculous helmet was exactly like that on the figure in black marble of Alfonso the Good, one of their former princes, in the church of St Nicholas.

    ‘Villain! What sayest thou?’ cried Manfred, starting from his trance in a tempest of rage, and seizing the young man by the collar; ‘how darest thou utter such treason? Thy life shall pay for it.’

    The spectators, who as little comprehended the cause of the Prince’s fury as all the rest they had seen, were at a loss to unravel this new circumstance. The young peasant himself was still more astonished, not conceiving how he had offended the Prince. Yet recollecting himself, with a mixture of grace and humility, he disengaged himself from Manfred’s grip, and then with an obeisance, which discovered more jealousy of innocence than dismay, he asked, with respect, of what he was guilty? Manfred, more enraged at the vigour, however decently exerted, with which the young man had shaken off his hold, than appeased by his submission, ordered his attendants to seize him, and, if he had not been withheld by his friends whom he had invited to the nuptials, would have poignarded the peasant in their arms.

    During this altercation, some of the vulgar spectators had run to the great church, which stood near the castle, and came back open-mouthed, declaring that the helmet was missing from Alfonso’s statue. Manfred, at this news, grew perfectly frantic; and, as if he sought a subject on which to vent the tempest within him, he rushed again on the young peasant, crying –

    ‘Villain! Monster! Sorcerer! ’tis thou hast done this! ’tis thou hast slain my son!’

    The mob, who wanted some object within the scope of their capacities, on whom they might discharge their bewildered reasoning, caught the words from the mouth of their lord, and re-echoed –

    ‘Ay, ay; ’tis he, ’tis he: he has stolen the helmet from good Alfonso’s tomb, and dashed out the brains of our young Prince with it,’ never reflecting how enormous the disproportion was between the marble helmet that had been in the church, and that of steel before their eyes; nor how impossible it was for a youth seemingly not twenty, to wield a piece of armour of so prodigious a weight.

    The folly of these ejaculations brought Manfred to himself: yet whether provoked at the peasant having observed the resemblance between the two helmets, and thereby led to the farther discovery of the absence of that in the church, or wishing to bury any such rumour under so impertinent a supposition, he gravely pronounced that the young man was certainly a necromancer, and that till the Church could take cognisance of the affair, he would have the magician, whom they had thus detected, kept prisoner under the helmet itself, which he ordered his attendants to raise, and place the young man under it; declaring he should be kept there without food, with which his own infernal art might furnish him.

    It was in vain for the youth to represent against this preposterous sentence: in vain did Manfred’s friends endeavour to divert him from this savage and ill-grounded resolution. The generality were charmed with their lord’s decision, which, to their apprehensions, carried great appearance of justice, as the magician was to be punished by the very instrument with which he had offended: nor were they struck with the least compunction at the probability of the youth being starved, for they firmly believed that, by his diabolic skill, he could easily supply himself with nutriment.

    Manfred thus saw his commands even cheerfully obeyed; and appointing a guard with strict orders to prevent any food being conveyed to the prisoner, he dismissed his

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