flight: tell me truly, is he her lover? or is he an agent for
another's passion? I have often suspected Isabella's indifference
to my son: a thousand circumstances crowd on my mind that confirm
that suspicion. She herself was so conscious of it, that while I
discoursed her in the gallery, she outran my suspicious, and
endeavoured to justify herself from coolness to Conrad."

The Friar, who knew nothing of the youth, but what he had learnt
occasionally from the Princess, ignorant what was become of him,
and not sufficiently reflecting on the impetuosity of Manfred's
temper, conceived that it might not be amiss to sow the seeds of
jealousy in his mind: they might be turned to some use hereafter,
either by prejudicing the Prince against Isabella, if he persisted
in that union or by diverting his attention to a wrong scent, and
employing his thoughts on a visionary intrigue, prevent his
engaging in any new pursuit. With this unhappy policy, he answered
in a manner to confirm Manfred in the belief of some connection
between Isabella and the youth. The Prince, whose passions wanted
little fuel to throw them into a blaze, fell into a rage at the
idea of what the Friar suggested.

"I will fathom to the bottom of this intrigue," cried he; and
quitting Jerome abruptly, with a command to remain there till his
return, he hastened to the great hall of the castle, and ordered
the peasant to be brought before him.

"Thou hardened young impostor!" said the Prince, as soon as he saw
the youth; "what becomes of thy boasted veracity now? it was
Providence, was it, and the light of the moon, that discovered the
lock of the trap-door to thee? Tell me, audacious boy, who thou