joan of naples-第12部分

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e　convent　of　St。　Peter's　at　Majella　was　converted　into　a　royal　residence：　this　convent　had　been　built　by　Charles　II　in　the　year　of　our　Lord　1309。

While　the　grand　seneschal　was　giving　orders　for　supper　and　the　preparation　of　a　room　for　Andre　and　his　wife；　the　prince；　who　during　the　whole　day　had　abandoned　himself　entirely　to　his　favourite　amusement；　went　up　on　the　terrace　to　enjoy　the　evening　air；　accompanied　by　the　good　Isolda；　his　beloved　nurse；　who　loved　him　more　even　than　his　mother；　and　would　not　leave　his　side　for　a　moment。　Never　had　the　prince　appeared　so　animated　and　happy：　he　was　in　ecstasies　over　the　beauty　of　the　country；　the　clear　air；　the　scent　of　the　trees　around；　he　besieged　his　nurse　with　a　thousand　queries；　never　waiting　for　an　answer；　and　they　were　indeed　long　in　coming；　for　poor　Isolda　was　gazing　upon　him　with　that　appearance　of　fascination　which　makes　a　mother　absent…minded　when　her　child　is　talking：　Andre　was　eagerly　telling　her　about　a　terrible　boar　he　had　chased　that　morning　across　the　woods；　how　it　had　lain　foaming　at　his　feet；　and　Isolda　interrupted　him　to　say　he　had　a　grain　of　dust　in　his　eye。　Then　Andre　was　full　of　his　plans　for　the　future；　and　Isolda　stroked　his　fair　hair；　remarking　that　he　must　be　feeling　very　tired。　　Then；　heeding　nothing　but　his　own　joy　and　excitement；　the　young　prince　hurled　defiance　at　destiny；　calling　by　all　his　gods　on　dangers　to　come　forward；　so　that　he　might　have　the　chance　of　quelling　them；　and　the　poor　nurse　exclaimed；　in　a　flood　of　tears；　〃My　child；　you　love　me　no　longer。〃

Out　of　all　patience　with　these　constant　interruptions；　Andre　scolded　her　kindly　enough；　and　mocked　at　her　childish　fears。　　Then；　paying　no　attention　to　a　sort　of　melancholy　that　was　coming　over　him；　he　bade　her　tell　him　old　tales　of　his　childhood；　and　had　a　long　talk　about　his　brother　Louis；　his　absent　mother；　and　tears　were　in　his　eyes　when　he　recalled　her　last　farewell。　　Isolda　listened　joyfully；　and　answered　all　he　asked；　but　no　fell　presentiment　shook　her　heart：　the　poor　woman　loved　Andre　with　all　the　strength　of　her　soul；　for　him　she　would　have　given　up　her　life　in　this　world　and　in　the　world　to　come；　yet　she　was　not　his　mother。

When　all　was　ready；　Robert　of　Cabane　came　to　tell　the　prince　that　the　queen　awaited　him；　Andre　cast　one　last　look　at　the　smiling　fields　beneath　the　starry　heavens；　pressed　his　nurse's　hand　to　his　lips　and　to　his　heart；　and　followed　the　grand　seneschal　slowly　and；　it　seemed；　with　some　regret。　　But　soon　the　brilliant　lights　of　the　room；　the　wine　that　circulated　freely；　the　gay　talk；　the　eager　recitals　of　that　day's　exploits；　served　to　disperse　the　cloud　of　gloom　that　had　for　a　moment　overspread　the　countenance　of　the　prince。　　The　queen　alone；　leaning　on　the　table；　with　fixed　eyes　and　lips　that　never　moved；　sat　at　this　strange　feast　pale　and　cold　as　a　baleful　ghost　summoned　from　the　tomb　to　disturb　the　joy　of　the　party。　　Andre；　whose　brain　began　to　be　affected　by　the　draughts　of　wine　from　Capri　and　Syracuse；　was　annoyed　at　his　wife's　look；　and　attributing　it　to　contempt；　filled　a　goblet　to　the　brim　and　presented　it　to　the　queen。　　Joan　visibly　trembled；　her　lips　moved　convulsively；　but　the　conspirators　drowned　in　their　noisy　talk　the　involuntary　groan　that　escaped　her。　　In　the　midst　of　a　general　uproar；　Robert　of　Cabane　proposed　that　they　should　serve　generous　supplies　of　the　same　wine　drunk　at　the　royal　table　to　the　Hungarian　guards　who　were　keeping　watch　at　the　approaches　to　the　convent；　and　this　liberality　evoked　frenzied　applause。　　The　shouting　of　the　soldiers　soon　gave　witness　to　their　gratitude　for　the　unexpected　gift；　and　mingled　with　the　hilarious　toasts　of　the　banqueters。　　To　put　the　finishing　touch　to　Andre's　excitement；　there　were　cries　on　every　side　of　〃Long　live　the　（queen！　　Long　live　His　Majesty　the　King　of　Naples！〃

The　orgy　lasted　far　into　the　night：　the　pleasures　of　the　next　day　were　discussed　with　enthusiasm；　and　Bertrand　of　Artois　protested　in　a　loud　voice　that　if　they　were　so　late　now　some　would　not　rise　early　on　the　morrow。　　Andre　declared　that；　for　his　part；　an　hour　or　two's　rest　would　be　enough　to　get　over　his　fatigue；　and　he　eagerly　protested　that　it　would　be　well　for　others　to　follow　his　example。　　The　Count　of　Terlizzi　seemed　to　express　some　doubt　as　to　the　prince's　punctuality。　Andre　insisted；　and　challenging　all　the　barons　present　to　see　who　would　be　up　first；　he　retired　with　the　queen　to　the　room　that　had　been　reserved　for　them；　where　he　very　soon　fell　into　a　deep　and　heavy　sleep。　　About　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　Tommaso　Pace；　the　prince's　valet　and　first　usher　of　the　royal　apartments；　knocked　at　his　2876　master's　door　to　rouse　him　for　the　chase。　　At　the　first　knock；　all　was　silence；　at　the　second；　Joan；　who　had　not　closed　her　eyes　all　night；　moved　as　if　to　rouse　her　husband　and　warn　him　of　the　threatened　danger；　but　at　the　third　knock　the　unfortunate　young　man　suddenly　awoke；　and　hearing　in　the　next　room　sounds　of　laughter　and　whispering；　fancied　that　they　were　making　a　joke　of　his　laziness；　and　jumped　out　of　bed　bareheaded；　in　nothing　but　his　shirt；　his　shoes　half　on　and　half　off。　　He　opened　the　door；　and　at　this　point　we　translate　literally　the　account　of　Domenico　Gravina；　a　historian　of　much　esteem。　　As　soon　as　the　prince　appeared；　the　conspirators　all　at　once　fell　upon　him；　to　strangle　him　with　their　hands；　believing　he　could　not　die　by　poison　or　sword；　because　of　the　charmed　ring　given　him　by　his　poor　mother。　　But　Andre　was　so　strong　and　active；　that　when　he　perceived　the　infamous　treason　he　defended　himself　with　more　than　human　strength；　and　with　dreadful　cries　got　free　from　his　murderers；　his　face　all　bloody；　his　fair　hair　pulled　out　in　handfuls。　The　unhappy　young　man　tried　to　gain　his　own　bedroom；　so　as　to　get　some　weapon　and　valiantly　resist　the　assassins；　but　as　he　reached　the　door；　Nicholas　of　Melazzo；　putting　his　dagger　like　a　bolt　into　the　lock；　stopped　his　entrance。　　The　prince；　calling　aloud　the　whole　time　and　imploring　the　protection　of　his　friends；　returned　to　the　hall；　but　all　the　doors　were　shut；　and　no　one　held　out　a　helping　hand；　for　the　queen　was　silent；　showing　no　uneasiness　about　her　husband's　death。

But　the　nurse　Isolda；　terrified　by　the　shouting　of　her　beloved　son　and　lord；　leapt　from　her　bed　and　went　to　the　window；　filling　the　house　with　dreadful　cries。　　The　traitors；　alarmed　by　the　mighty　uproar；　although　the　place　was　lonely　and　so　far　from　the　centre　of　the　town　that　nobody　could　have　come　to　see　what　the　noise　was；　were　on　the　point　of　letting　their　victim　go；　when　Bertrand　of　Artois；　who　felt　he　was　more　guilty　than　the　others；　seized　the　prince　with　hellish　fury　round　the　waist；　and　after　a　desperate　struggle　got　him　down；　then　dragging　him　by　the　hair　of　his　head　to　a　balcony　which　gave　upon　the　garden；　and　pressing　one　knee　upon　his　chest；　cried　out　to　the　others

〃Come　here；　barons：　I　have　what　we　want　to　strangle　him　with。〃

And　round　his　neck　he　passed　a　long　cord　of　silk　and　gold；　while　the　wretched　man　struggled　all　he　could。　　Bertrand　quickly　drew　up　the　knot；　and　the　others　threw　the　body　over　the　parapet　of　the　balcony；　leaving　it　hanging　between　earth　and　sky　until　death　ensued。　　When　the　Count　of　Terlizzi　averted　his　eyes　from　the　horrid　spectacle；　Robert　of　Cabane　cried　out　imperiously

〃What　are　you　doing　there？　　The　cord　is　long　enough　for　us　all　to　hold：　we　want　not　witnesses；　we　want　accomplices！〃

As　soon　as　the　last　convulsive　movements　of　the　dying　man　had　ceased；　they　let　the　corpse　drop　the　whole　height　of　the　three　storeys；　and　opening　the　doors　of　the　hall；　departed　as　though　nothing　had　happened。

Isolda；　when　at　last　she　contrived　to　get　a　light；　rapidly　ran　to　the　queen's　chamber；　and　finding　the　door　shut　on　the　inside；　began　to　call　loudly　on　her　Andre。　　There　was　no　answer；　though　the　queen　was　in　the　room。　　The　poor　nurse；　distracted；　trembling；　desperate；　ran　down　all　the　corridors；　knocked　at　all　the　cells　and　woke　the　monks　one　by　one；　begging　them　to　help　her　look　for　the　prince。　　The　monks　said　that　they　had　indeed　heard　a　noise；　but　thinking　it　was　a　quarrel　between　soldiers　drunken　perhaps　or　mutinous；　they　had　not　thought　it　their　business　to　interfere。　　Isolda　eagerly；　entreated：　the　alarm　spread　through　the　convent；　the　monks　followed　the　nurse；　who　went　on　before　with　a　torch。　　She　entered　the　garden；　saw　something　white　upon　the　grass；　advanced　trembling；　gave　one　piercing　cry；　and　fell　backward。

The　wretched　Andre　was　lying　in　his　blood；　a　cord　round　his　neck　as　though　he　were　a　thief；　his　head　crushed　in　by　the　height　from　which　he　fell。　　Then　two　monks　went　upstairs　to　the　queen's　room；　and　respectfully　knocking　at　the　door；　asked　in　sepulchral　tones

〃Madam；　what　would　you　have　us　do　with　your　husband's　corpse？〃

And　when　the　queen　made　no　answer；　they　went　down　again　slowly　to　the　garden；　and　kneeling　one　at　the　head；　the　other　at　the　foot　of　the　dead　man；　they　began　to　recite　penitential　psalms　in　a　low　voice。　When　they　had　spent　an　hour　in　prayer；　two　other　monks　went　up　in　the　same　way　to　Joan's　chamber；　repeating　the　same　question　and　getting　no　answer；　whereupon　they　relieved　the　first　two；　and　began　themselves　to　pray。　　Next　a　third　couple　went　to　the　door　of　this　inexorable　room；　and　coming　away　perturbed　by　their　want　of　success；；　perceived　that　there　was　a　disturbance　of　people　outside　the　convent；　while　vengeful　cries　were　heard　amongst　the　indignant　crowd。　　The　groups　became　more　and　more　thronged；　threatening　voices　were　raised；　a　torrent　of　invaders　threatened　the　royal　dwelling；　when　the　queen's　guard　appeared；　lance　in　readiness；　and　a　litter　closely　shut；　surrounded　by　the　principal　barons　of　the　court；　passed　through　the　crowd；　which　stood　stupidly　gazing。　　Joan；　wrapped　in　a　black　veil；　went　back　to　Castel　Nuovo；　amid　her　escort；　and　nobody；　say　the　historians；　had　the　courage　to　say　a　word　about　this　terrible　deed。




CHAPTER　V

The　terrible　part　that　Charles　of　Durazzo　was　to　play　began　as　soon　as　this　crime　was　accomplished。　　The　duke　left　the　corpse　two　whole　days　exposed　to　the　wind　and　the　rain；　unburied　and　dishonoured；　the　corpse　of　a　man　whom　the　pope　had　made　King　of　Sicily　and　Jerusalem；　so　that　the　indignation　of　th