prince retired, leaving the Lady Iduna to her own unhappy thoughts.



CHAPTER 19


The Lady Iduna was at first inclined to view the conduct of the Prince
of Athens as one of those passionate and passing ebullitions in which
her long acquaintance with him had taught her he was accustomed to
indulge. But when on retiring soon after to her apartments, she was
informed by her attendant matron that she must in future consider
herself a prisoner, and not venture again to quit them without
permission, she began to tremble at the possible violence of an ill-
regulated mind. She endeavoured to interest her attendant in her
behalf; but the matron was too well schooled to evince any feeling or
express any opinion on the subject; and indeed, at length, fairly
informed Iduna that she was commanded to confine her conversation to
the duties of her office.

The Lady Iduna was very unhappy. She thought of her father, she
thought of Iskander. The past seemed a dream; she was often tempted to
believe that she was still, and had ever been, a prisoner in the Serail
of Adrianople; and that all the late wonderful incidents of her life
were but the shifting scenes of some wild slumber. And then some
slight incident, the sound of a bell or the sign of some holy emblem,
assured her she was in a Christian land, and convinced her of the
strange truth that she was indeed in captivity, and a prisoner, above
all others, to the fond companion of her youth. Her indignation at the
conduct of Nicaeus roused her courage; she resolved to make an effort to