The sorrowful troop no sooner arrived at the castle, than they were
met by Hippolita and Matilda, whom Isabella had sent one of the
domestics before to advertise of their approach. The ladies
causing Frederic to be conveyed into the nearest chamber, retired,
while the surgeons examined his wounds. Matilda blushed at seeing
Theodore and Isabella together; but endeavoured to conceal it by
embracing the latter, and condoling with her on her father's
mischance. The surgeons soon came to acquaint Hippolita that none
of the Marquis's wounds were dangerous; and that he was desirous of
seeing his daughter and the Princesses.

Theodore, under pretence of expressing his joy at being freed from
his apprehensions of the combat being fatal to Frederic, could not
resist the impulse of following Matilda. Her eyes were so often
cast down on meeting his, that Isabella, who regarded Theodore as
attentively as he gazed on Matilda, soon divined who the object was
that he had told her in the cave engaged his affections. While
this mute scene passed, Hippolita demanded of Frederic the cause of
his having taken that mysterious course for reclaiming his
daughter; and threw in various apologies to excuse her Lord for the
match contracted between their children.

Frederic, however incensed against Manfred, was not insensible to
the courtesy and benevolence of Hippolita: but he was still more
struck with the lovely form of Matilda. Wishing to detain them by
his bedside, he informed Hippolita of his story. He told her that,
while prisoner to the infidels, he had dreamed that his daughter,
of whom he had learned no news since his captivity, was detained in