out of the reach of my resentment," said Manfred. "When Providence
had taught thee to open the lock, it abandoned thee for a fool, who
did not know how to make use of its favours. Why didst thou not
pursue the path pointed out for thy escape? Why didst thou shut
the trap-door before thou hadst descended the steps?"

"I might ask you, my Lord," said the peasant, "how I, totally
unacquainted with your castle, was to know that those steps led to
any outlet? but I scorn to evade your questions. Wherever those
steps lead to, perhaps I should have explored the way--I could not
be in a worse situation than I was. But the truth is, I let the
trap-door fall: your immediate arrival followed. I had given the
alarm--what imported it to me whether I was seized a minute sooner
or a minute later?"

"Thou art a resolute villain for thy years," said Manfred; "yet on
reflection I suspect thou dost but trifle with me. Thou hast not
yet told me how thou didst open the lock."

"That I will show you, my Lord," said the peasant; and, taking up a
fragment of stone that had fallen from above, he laid himself on
the trap-door, and began to beat on the piece of brass that covered
it, meaning to gain time for the escape of the Princess. This
presence of mind, joined to the frankness of the youth, staggered
Manfred. He even felt a disposition towards pardoning one who had
been guilty of no crime. Manfred was not one of those savage
tyrants who wanton in cruelty unprovoked. The circumstances of his
fortune had given an asperity to his temper, which was naturally
humane; and his virtues were always ready to operate, when his
passions did not obscure his reason.