his wife's death, had taken the alarm, and withdrawn herself to
some more secret place of concealment. This new flight would
probably carry the Prince's fury to the height. The report of
Hippolita's death, though it seemed almost incredible, increased
his consternation; and though Isabella's escape bespoke her
aversion of Manfred for a husband, Jerome could feel no comfort
from it, while it endangered the life of his son. He determined to
return to the castle, and made several of his brethren accompany
him to attest his innocence to Manfred, and, if necessary, join
their intercession with his for Theodore.

The Prince, in the meantime, had passed into the court, and ordered
the gates of the castle to be flung open for the reception of the
stranger Knight and his train. In a few minutes the cavalcade
arrived. First came two harbingers with wands. Next a herald,
followed by two pages and two trumpets. Then a hundred foot-
guards. These were attended by as many horse. After them fifty
footmen, clothed in scarlet and black, the colours of the Knight.
Then a led horse. Two heralds on each side of a gentleman on
horseback bearing a banner with the arms of Vicenza and Otranto
quarterly--a circumstance that much offended Manfred--but he
stifled his resentment. Two more pages. The Knight's confessor
telling his beads. Fifty more footmen clad as before. Two Knights
habited in complete armour, their beavers down, comrades to the
principal Knight. The squires of the two Knights, carrying their
shields and devices. The Knight's own squire. A hundred gentlemen
bearing an enormous sword, and seeming to faint under the weight of
it. The Knight himself on a chestnut steed, in complete armour,
his lance in the rest, his face entirely concealed by his vizor,
which was surmounted by a large plume of scarlet and black