this mean?"

"Alas!" said Isabella, "the purity of your own heart prevents your
seeing the depravity of others. Manfred, your lord, that impious
man--"

"Hold," said Hippolita; "you must not in my presence, young lady,
mention Manfred with disrespect: he is my lord and husband, and--"

"Will not long be so," said Isabella, "if his wicked purposes can
be carried into execution."

"This language amazes me," said Hippolita. "Your feeling,
Isabella, is warm; but until this hour I never knew it betray you
into intemperance. What deed of Manfred authorises you to treat
him as a murderer, an assassin?"

"Thou virtuous, and too credulous Princess!" replied Isabella; "it
is not thy life he aims at--it is to separate himself from thee! to
divorce thee! to--"

"To divorce me!" "To divorce my mother!" cried Hippolita and
Matilda at once.

"Yes," said Isabella; "and to complete his crime, he meditates--I
cannot speak it!"

"What can surpass what thou hast already uttered?" said Matilda.

Hippolita was silent. Grief choked her speech; and the