joan of naples-第4部分

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on　rain。　　This　change；　anxiously　awaited；　was　soon　observed　by　Joan's　chamberwoman　：　she　stole　to　the　queen's　room；　and　falling　on　her　knees；　in　accents　of　flattery　and　affection；　she　offered　her　first　congratulations　to　her　lovely　mistress。　　Joan　opened　her　arms　and　held　her　in　a　long　embrace；　far　Dona　Cancha　was　far　more　to　her　than　a　lady…in…waiting；　she　was　the　companion　of　infancy；　the　depositary　of　all　her　secrets；　the　confidante　of　her　most　private　thoughts。　　One　had　but　to　glance　at　this　young　girl　to　understand　the　fascination　she　could　scarcely　fail　to　exercise　over　the　queen's　mind。　　She　had　a　frank　and　smiling　countenance；　such　as　inspires　confidence　and　captivates　the　mind　at　first　sight。　　Her　face　had　an　irresistible　charm；　with　clear　blue　eyes；　warm　golden　hair；　mouth　bewitchingly　turned　up　at　the　corners；　and　delicate　little　chin。　　Wild；　happy；　light　of　heart；　pleasure　and　love　were　the　breath　of　her　being；　her　dainty　refinement；　her　charming　inconstancies；　all　made　her　at　sixteen　as　lovely　as　an　angel；　though　at　heart　she　was　corrupt。　　The　whole　court　was　at　her　feet；　and　Joan　felt　more　affection　for　her　than　for　her　own　sister。

〃Well；　my　dear　Cancha；〃　she　murmured；　with　a　sigh；　〃you　find　me　very　sad　and　very　unhappy！〃

〃And　you　find　me；　fair　queen；〃　replied　the　confidante；　fixing　an　admiring　look　on　Joan；〃you　find　me　just　the　opposite；　very　happy　that　I　can　lay　at　your　feet　before　anyone　else　the　proof　of　the　joy　that　the　people　of　Naples　are　at　this　moment　feeling。　　Others　perhaps　may　envy　you　the　crown　that　shines　upon　your　brow；　the　throne　which　is　one　of　the　noblest　in　the　world；　the　shouts　of　this　entire　town　that　sound　rather　like　worship　than　homage；　but　I；　madam；　I　envy　you　your　lovely　black　hair；　your　dazzling　eyes；　your　more　than　mortal　grace；　which　make　every　man　adore　you。〃

〃And　yet　you　know；　my　Cancha；　I　am　much　to　be　pitied　both　as　a　queen　and　as　a　woman：　when　one　is　fifteen　a　crown　is　heavy　to　wear；　and　I　have　not　the　liberty　of　the　meanest　of　my　subjectsI　mean　in　my　affections；　for　before　I　reached　an　age　when　I　could　think　I　was　sacrificed　to　a　man　whom　I　can　never　love。〃

〃Yet；　madam；〃　replied　Cancha　in　a　more　insinuating　voice；　〃　in　this　court　there　is　a　young　cavalier　who　might　by　virtue　of　respect；　love；　and　devotion　have　made　you　forget　the　claims　of　this　foreigner；　alike　unworthy　to　be　our　king　and　to　be　your　husband。〃

The　queen　heaved　a　heavy　sigh。

〃When　did　you　lose　your　skill　to　read　my　heart？〃　she　cried。　　〃Must　I　actually　tell　you　that　this　love　is　making　me　wretched？　　True；　at　the　very　first　this　unsanctioned　love　was　a　keen　joy：　a　new　life　seemed　to　wake　within　my　heart；　I　was　drawn　on；　fascinated　by　the　prayers；　the　tears；　and　the　despair　of　this　man；　by　the　opportunities　that　his　mother　so　easily　granted；　she　whom　I　had　always　looked　upon　as　my　own　mother；　I　have　loved　him。。。。　　O　my　God；　I　am　still　so　young；　and　my　past　is　so　unhappy。　　At　times　strange　thoughts　come　into　my　mind：　I　fancy　he　no　longer　loves　me；　that　he　never　did　love　me；　I　fancy　he　has　been　led　on　by　ambition；　by　self…interest；　by　some　ignoble　motive；　and　has　only　feigned　a　feeling　that　he　has　never　really　felt。　I　feel　myself　a　coldness　I　cannot　account　for；　in　his　presence　I　am　constrained；　I　am　troubled　by　his　look；　his　voice　makes　me　tremble：　I　fear　him；　I　would　sacrifice　a　year　of　my　life　could　I；　never　have　listened　to　him。〃

These　words　seemed　to　touch　the　young　confidante　to　the　very　depths　of　her　soul；　a　shade　of　sadness　crossed　her　brow；　her　eyelids　dropped；　and　for　some　time　she　answered　nothing；　showing　sorrow　rather　than　surprise。　　Then；　lifting　her　head　gently；　she　said；　with　visible　embarrassment

〃I　should　never　have　dared　to　pass　so　severe　a　judgment　upon　a　man　whom　my　sovereign　lady　has　raised　above　other　men　by　casting　upon　him　a　look　of　kindness；　but　if　Robert　of　Cabane　has　deserved　the　reproach　of　inconstancy　and　ingratitude；　if　he　has　perjured　himself　like　a　coward；　he　must　indeed　be　the　basest　of　all　miserable　beings；　despising　a　happiness　which　other　men　might　have　entreated　of　God　the　whole　time　of　their　life　and　paid　for　through　eternity。　　One　man　I　know；　who　weeps　both　night　and　day　without　hope　or　consolation；　consumed　by　a　slow　and　painful　malady；　when　one　word　might　yet　avail　to　save　him；　did　it　come　from　the　lips　of　my　noble　mistress。〃

〃I　will　not　hear　another　word；〃　cried　Joan；　suddenly　rising；　〃there　shall　be　no　new　cause　for　remorse　in　my　life。　　Trouble　has　come　upon　me　through　my　loves；　both　lawful　and　criminal；　alas！　no　longer　will　I　try　to　control　my　awful　fate；　I　will　bow　my　head　without　a　murmur。　I　am　the　queen；　and　I　must　yield　myself　up　for　the　good　of　my　subjects。〃

〃Will　you　forbid　me；　madam；〃　replied　Dona　Cancha　in　a　kind；　affectionate　tone〃will　you　forbid　me　to　name　Bertrand　of　Artois　in　your　presence；　that　unhappy　man；　with　the　beauty　of　an　angel　and　the　modesty　of　a　girl？　　Now　that　you　are　queen　and　have　the　life　and　death　of　your　subjects　in　your　own　keeping；　will　you　feel　no　kindness　towards　an　unfortunate　one　whose　only　fault　is　to　adore　you；　who　strives　with　all　his　mind　and　strength　to　bear　a　chance　look　of　yours　without　dying　of　his　joy？〃

〃I　have　struggled　hard　never　to　look　on　him；〃　cried　the　queen；　urged　by　an　impulse　she　was　not　strong　enough　to　conquer：　then；　to　efface　the　impression　that　might　well　have　been　made　on　her　friend's　mind；　she　added　severely；　〃I　forbid　you　to　pronounce　his　name　before　me；　and　if　he　should　ever　venture　to　complain；　I　bid　you　tell　him　from　me　that　the　first　time　I　even　suspect　the　cause　of　his　distress　he　will　be　banished　for　ever　from　my　presence。〃

〃Ah；　madam；　dismiss　me　also；　for　I　shall　never　be　strong　enough　to　do　so　hard　a　bidding：　the　unhappy　man　who　cannot　awake　in　your　heart　so　much　as　a　feeling　of　pity　may　now　be　struck　down　by　yourself　in　your　wrath；　for　here　he　stands；　he　has　heard　your　sentence；　and　come　to　die　at　your　feet。〃

The　last　words　were　spoken　in　a　louder　voice；　so　that　they　might　be　heard　from　outside；　and　Bertrand　of　Artois　came　hurriedly　into　the　room　and　fell　on　his　knees　before　the　queen。　　For　a　long　time　past　the　young　lady…in…waiting　had　perceived　that　Robert　of　Cabane　had；　through　his　own　fault；　lost　the　love　of　Joan；for　his　tyranny　had　indeed　become　more　unendurable　to　her　than　her　husband's。

Dona　Cancha　had　been　quick　enough　to　perceive　that　the　eyes　of　her　young　mistress　were　wont　to　rest　with　a　kind　of　melancholy　gentleness　on　Bertrand；　a　young　man　of　handsome　appearance　but　with　a　sad　and　dreamy　expression；　so　when　she　made　up　her　mind　to　speak　in　his　interests；　she　was　persuaded　that　the　queen　already　loved　him。　Still；　a　bright　colour　overspread　Joan's　face；　and　her　anger　would　have　fallen　on　both　culprits　alike；　when　in　the　next　room　a　sound　of　steps　was　heard；　and　the　voice　of　the　grand　seneschal's　widow　in　conversation　with　her　son　fell　on　the　ears　of　the　three　young　people　like　a　clap　of　thunder。　　Dona　Cancha；　pale　as　death；　stood　trembling；　Bertrand　felt　that　he　was　lostall　the　more　because　his　presence　compromised　the　queen；　Joan　only；　with　that　wonderful　presence　of　mind　she　was　destined　to　preserve　in　the　most　difficult　crises　of　her　future　life；　thrust　the　young　man　against　the　carved　back　of　her　bed；　and　concealed　him　completely　beneath　the　ample　curtain：　she　then　signed　to　Cancha　to　go　forward　and　meet　the　governess　and　her　son。

But　before　we　conduct　into　the　queen's　room　these　two　persons；　whom　our　readers　may　remember　in　Joan's　train　about　the　bed　of　King　Robert；　we　must　relate　the　circumstances　which　had　caused　the　family　of　the　Catanese　to　rise　with　incredible　rapidity　from　the　lowest　class　of　the　people　to　the　highest　rank　at　court。　　When　Dona　Violante　of　Aragon；　first　wife　of　Robert　of　Anjou；　became　the　mother　of　Charles；　who　was　later　on　the　Duke　of　Calabria；　a　nurse　was　sought　for　the　infant　among　the　most　handsome　women　of　the　people。　　After　inspecting　many　women　of　equal　merit　as　regards　beauty；　youth；　and；　health；　the　princess's　choice　lighted　on　Philippa；　a　young　Catanese。　woman；　the　wife　of　a　fisherman　of　Trapani；　and　by　condition　a　laundress。　　This　young　woman；　as　she　washed　her　linen　on　the　bank　of　a　stream；　had　dreamed　strange　dreams：　she　had　fancied　herself　summoned　to　court；　wedded　to　a　great　personage；　and　receiving　the　honours　of　a　great　lady。　　Thus　when　she　was　called　to　Castel　Nuovo　her　joy　was　great；　for　she　felt　that　her　dreams　now　began　to　be　realised。　Philippa　was　installed　at　the　court；　and　a　few　months　after　she　began　to　nurse　the　child　the　fisherman　was　dead　and　she　was　a　widow。　　Meanwhile　Raymond　of　Cabane；　the　major…domo　of　King　Charles　II's　house；　had　bought　a　negro　from　some　corsairs；　and　having　had　him　baptized　by　his　own　name；　had　given　him　his　liberty；　afterwards　observing　that　he　was　able　and　intelligent；　he　had　appointed　him　head　cook　in　the　king's　kitchen；　and　then　he　had　gone　away　to　the　war。　During　the　absence　of　his　patron　the　negro　managed　his　own　affairs　at　the　court　so　cleverly；　that　in　a　short　time　he　was　able　to　buy　land；　houses；　farms；　silver　plate；　and　horses；　and　could　vie　in　riches　with　the　best　in　the　kingdom；　and　as　he　constantly　won　higher　favour　in　the　royal　family；　he　passed　on　from　the　kitchen　to　the　wardrobe。　　The　Catanese　had　also　deserved　very　well　of　her　employers；　and　as　a　reward　for　the　care　she　had　bestowed　on　the　child；　the　princess　married　her　to　the　negro；　and　he；　as　a　wedding　gift；　was　granted　the　title　of　knight。

》From　this　day　forward；　Raymond　of　Cabane　and　Philippa　the　laundress　rose　in　the　world　so　rapidly　that　they　had　no　equal　in　influence　at　court。　　After　the　death　of　Dona　Violante；　the　Catanese　became　the　intimate　friend　of　Dona　Sandra；　Robert's　second　wife；　whom　we　introduced　to　our　readers　at　the　beginning　of　this　narrative。　Charles；　her　foster　son；　loved　her　as　a　mother；　and　she　was　the　confidante　of　his　two　wives　in　turn；　especially　of　the　second　wife；　Marie　of　Valois。　　And　as　the　quondam　laundress　had　in　the　end　learned　all　the　manners　and　customs　of　the　court；　she　was　chosen　at　the　birth　of　Joan　and　her　sister　to　be　governess　and　mistress　over　the　young　girls；　and　at　this　juncture　Raymond　was　created　major…domo。　　Finally；　Marie　of　Valois　on　her　deathbed　commended　the　two　young　p