Manfrone; or, the One-Handed Monk by Mary Anne Radcliffe

Author:Mary Anne Radcliffe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Valancourt Books
Published: 2021-07-07T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XII.

Rosalina was almost as impatient to see Montalto, as he was to urge his fond suit. She was anxious to inform him what she knew concerning the padre Grimaldi, of his residence in the castello, and various other circumstances which had taken place since they had last met. Montalto would likewise have wished to have related to her the miserable situation of his parent, but that he was restricted from so doing by his oath.

It was not till the second evening after he had seen the monk, that Montalto could find an opportunity of addressing, unseen, his adored Rosalina, when, in a retired aisle of the extensive chapel of the monastery, they contrived to escape observation; great was Montalto’s astonishment on learning the conduct of the duca towards the monk, particularly as he knew the part Grimaldi had acted since that circumstance had taken place; and he saw at once, or at least thought he saw, his motives for imposing on him the solemn promise of not revealing his parent’s captivity; for he began to imagine that there must be some secret plot against the duca’s life, else why should the monk have acted as he had done, in bringing him into the chamber of Rodolpho, after having armed him with a dagger, and inflamed his mind to the perpetration of any act, however dreadful, and which, indeed, nothing but the recollection of Rosalina had prevented him from performing? Still, however, the motives of the monk might have been alone confined to the wish of letting a son revenge his father’s wrongs. At all events, he had every reason to consider the monk as his friend, in whom he could with safety confide the most important secrets of his breast.

In the most tender and animated terms he urged Rosalina to make him the happiest of men, by consenting to a private union; but she thus addressed him:—

“To attempt to disguise my sentiments towards you, Montalto, or that a union with you would not complete my happiness, is alike unnecessary; for you must be well assured of it. Such a step as you wish me to follow might, perhaps, in some measure, have been excusable, when the duca, my father, sought to unite me, contrary to my inclinations, to the prince di Manfroné; but now that he is no more, the situation is far different: time, perhaps, will bring about an event so much desired by us; but without my father’s consent, Montalto must excuse my refusal.”

“Oh, say not so, my angel!” returned the marchese. “Alas! did you know the fatal secret which throbs for utterance in my bosom, you would acknowledge the necessity of such a step: but that secret I am forbid to unfold. The least delay is attended with the most dreadful consequences—consequences which may separate Rosalina and Montalto for ever!”

“Forever!” faintly returned Rosalina. “What have you heard—what new discovery—what dreadful secret is this which you dare not unfold?”

“I am bound by a solemn oath not

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