joan of naples- 第14部分

〃Charles；　my　son；　what　is　it？　　My　poor　boy；　courage；　it　is　nothing；　I　hope。　　But　quick；　call　for　help；　call　a　doctor。　　Ah；　you　have　no　idea　of　what　I　suffer。〃

〃Your　doctor；〃　said　Charles　slowly　and　coldly；　each　word　piercing　his　mother's　heart　like　a　dagger；〃your　doctor　cannot　come。〃

〃Oh　why？〃　asked　Agnes；　stupefied。

〃Because　no　one　ought　to　live　who　knows　the　secret　of　our　shame。〃

〃Unhappy　man！〃　she　cried；　overwhelmed　with；　pain　and　terror；　〃you　have　murdered　him！　　Perhaps　you　have　poisoned　your　mother　too！　Charles；　Charles；　have　mercy　on　your　own　soul！〃

〃It　is　your　doing；〃　said　Charles；　without　show　of　emotion：　〃you　have　driven　me　into　crime　and　despair；　you　have　caused　my　dishonour　in　this　world　and　my　damnation　in　the　next。〃

〃What　are　you　saying？　　My　own　Charles；　have　mercy！　　Do　not　let　me　die　in　this　horrible　uncertainty；　what　fatal　delusion　is　blinding　you？　Speak；　my　son；　speak：　I　am　not　feeling　the　poison　now。　　What　have　I　done？　　Of　what　have　I　been　accused？〃

She　looked　with　haggard　eyes　at　her　son：　her　maternal　love　still　struggled　against　the　awful　thought　of　matricide；　at　last；　seeing　that　Charles　remained　speechless　in　spite　of　her　entreaties；　she　repeated；　with　a　piercing　cry

〃Speak；　in　God's　name；　speak　before　I　die！〃

〃Mother；　you　are　with　child。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Agnes；　with　a　loud　cry；　which　broke　her　very　heart。　〃O　God；　forgive　him！　　Charles；　your　mother　forgives　and　blesses　you　in　death。〃

Charles　fell　upon　her　neck；　desperately　crying　for　help：　he　would　now　have　gladly　saved　her　at　the　cost　of　his　life；　but　it　was　too　late。　He　uttered　one　cry　that　came　from　his　heart；　and　was　found　stretched　out　upon　his　mother's　corpse。

Strange　comments　were　made　at　the　court　on　the　death　of　the　Duchess　of　Durazzo　and　her　doctor's　disappearance；　but　there　was　no　doubt　at　all　that　grief　and　gloom　were　furrowing　wrinkles　on　Charles's　brow；　which　was　already　sad　enough。　　Catherine　alone　knew　the　terrible　cause　of　her　nephew's　depression；　for　to　her　it　was　very　plain　that　the　duke　at　one　blow　had　killed　his　mother　and　her　physician。　　But　she　had　never　expected　a　reaction　so　sudden　and　violent　in　a　man　who　shrank　before　no　crime。　　She　had　thought　Charles　capable　of　everything　except　remorse。　　His　gloomy；　self　absorbed　silence　seemed　a　bad　augury　for　her　plans。　　She　had　desired　to　cause　trouble　for　him　in　his　own　family；　so　that　he　might　have　no　time　to　oppose　the　marriage　of　her　son　with　the　queen；　but　she　had　shot　beyond　her　mark；　and　Charles；　started　thus　on　the　terrible　path　of　crime；　had　now　broken　through　the　bonds　of　his　holiest　affections；　and　gave　himself　up　to　his　bad　passions　with　feverish　ardour　and　a　savage　desire　for　revenge。　　Then　Catherine　had　recourse　to　gentleness　and　submission。　She　gave　her　son　to　understand　that　there　was　only　one　way　of　obtaining　the　queen's　hand；　and　that　was　by　flattering　the　ambition　of　Charles　and　in　some　sort　submitting　himself　to　his　patronage。　Robert　of　Tarentum　understood　this；　and　ceased　making　court　to　Joan；　who　received　his　devotion　with　cool　kindness；　and　attached　himself　closely　to　Charles；　paying　him　much　the　same　sort　of　respect　and　deference　that　he　himself　had　affected　for　Andre；　when　the　thought　was　first　in　his　mind　of　causing　his　ruin。　　But　the　Duke　of　Durazzo　was　by　no　means　deceived　as　to　the　devoted　friendship　shown　towards　him　by　the　heir　of　the　house　of　Tarentum；　and　pretending　to　be　deeply　touched　by　the　unexpected　change　of　feeling；　he　all　the　time　kept　a　strict　guard　on　Robert's　actions。

An　event　outside　all　human　foresight　occurred　to　upset　the　calculations　of　the　two　cousins。　　One　day　while　they　were　out　together　on　horseback；　as　they　often　were　since　their　pretended　reconciliation；　Louis　of　Tarentum；　Robert's　youngest　brother；　who　had　always　felt　for　Joan　a　chivalrous；　innocent　love；a　love　which　a　young　man　of　twenty　is　apt　to　lock　up　in　his　heart　as　a　secret　treasure；Louis；　we　say；　who　had　held　aloof　from　the　infamous　family　conspiracy　and　had　not　soiled　his　hands　with　Andre's　blood；　drawn　on　by　an　irrepressible　passion；　all　at　once　appeared　at　the　gates　of　Castel　Nuovo；　and　while　his　brother　was　wasting　precious　hours　in　asking　for　a　promise　of　marriage；　had　the　bridge　raised　and　gave　the　soldiers　strict　orders　to　admit　no　one。　　Then；　never　troubling　himself　about　Charles's　anger　or　Robert's　jealousy；　he　hurried　to　the　queen's　room；　and　there；　says　Domenico　Gravina；　without　any　preamble；　the　union　was　consummated。

On　returning　from　his　ride；　Robert；　astonished　that　the　bridge　was　not　at　once　lowered　for　him；　at　first　loudly　called　upon　the　soldiers　on　guard　at　the　fortress；　threatening　severe　punishment　for　their　unpardonable　negligence；　but　as　the　gates　did　not　open　and　the　soldiers　made　no　sign　of　fear　or　regret；　he　fell　into　a　violent　fit　of　rage；　and　swore　he　would　hang　the　wretches　like　dogs　for　hindering　his　return　home。　　But　the　Empress　of　Constantinople；　terrified　at　the　bloody　quarrel　beginning　between　the　two　brothers；　went　alone　and　on　foot　to　her　son；　and　making　use　of　her　maternal　authority　to　beg　him　to　master　his　feelings；　there　in　the　presence　of　the　crowd　that　had　come　up　hastily　to　witness　the　strange　scene；　she　related　in　a　low　voice　all　that　had　passed　in　his　absence。

A　roar　as　of　a　wounded　tiger　escaped　from　Robert's　breast：　all　but　blind　with　rage；　he　nearly　trampled　his　mother　under　the　feet　of　his　horse；　which　seemed　to　feel　his　master's　anger；　and　plunging　violently；　breathed　blood　from　his　nostrils。　　When　the　prince　had　poured　every　possible　execration　on　his　brother's　head；　he　turned　and　galloped　away　from　the　accursed　castle；　flying　to　the　Duke　of　Durazzo；　whom　he　had　only　just　left；　to　tell　him　of　this　outrage　and　stir　him　to　revenge。　　Charles　was　talking　carelessly　with　his　young　wife；　who　was　but　little　used　to　such　tranquil　conversation　and　expansiveness；　when　the　Prince　of　Tarentum；　exhausted；　out　of　breath；　bathed　in　perspiration；　came　up　with　his　incredible　tale。　　Charles　made　him　say　it　twice　over；　so　impossible　did　Louis's　audacious　enterprise　appear　to　him。　　Then　quickly　changing　from　doubt　to　fury；　he　struck　his　brow　with　his　iron　glove；　saying　that　as　the　queen　defied　him　he　would　make　her　tremble　even　in　her　castle　and　in　her　lover's　arms。　　He　threw　one　withering　look　on　Marie；　who　interceded　tearfully　for　her　sister；　and　pressing　Robert's　hand　with　warmth；　vowed　that　so　long　as　he　lived　Louis　should　never　be　Joan's　husband。

That　same　evening　he　shut　himself　up　in　his　study；　and　wrote　letters　whose　effect　soon　appeared。　　A　bull；　dated　June　2；　1346；　was　addressed　to　Bertram　de　Baux；　chief…justice　of　the　kingdom　of　Sicily　and　Count　of　Monte　Scaglioso；　with　orders　to　make　the　most　strict　inquiries　concerning　Andre's　murderers；　whom　the　pope　likewise　laid　under　his　anathema；　and　to　punish　them　with　the　utmost　rigour　of　the　law。　　But　a　secret　note　was　appended　to　the　bull　which　was　quite　at　variance　with　the　designs　of　Charles：　the　sovereign　pontiff　expressly　bade　the　chief…justice　not　to　implicate　the　queen　in　the　proceedings　or　the　princes　of　the　blood；　so　as　to　avoid　worse　disturbances；　reserving；　as　supreme　head　of　the　Church　and　lord　of　the　kingdom；　the　right　of　judging　them　later　on；　as　his　wisdom　might　dictate。

For　this　imposing　trial　Bertram　de　Baux　made　great　preparations。　A　platform　was　erected　in　the　great　hall　of　tribunal；　and　all　the　officers　of　the　crown　and　great　state　dignitaries；　and　all　the　chief　barons；　had　a　place　behind　the　enclosure　where　the　magistrates　sat。　Three　days　after　Clement　VI's　bull　had　been　published　in　the　capital；　the　chief…justice　was　ready　for　a　public　examination　of　two　accused　persons。　　The　two　culprits　who　had　first　fallen　into　the　hands　of　justice　were；　as　one　may　easily　suppose；　those　whose　condition　was　least　exalted；　whose　lives　were　least　valuable；　Tommaso　Pace　and　Nicholas　of　Melazzo。　　They　were　led　before　the　tribunal　to　be　first　of　all　tortured；　as　the　custom　was。　　As　they　approached　the　judges；　the　notary　passing　by　Charles　in　the　street　had　time　to　say　in　a　low　voice

〃My　lord；　the　time　has　come　to　give　my　life　for　you：　I　will　do　my　duty；　I　commend　my　wife　and　children　to　you。〃

Encouraged　by　a　nod　from　his　patron；　he　walked　on　firmly　and　deliberately。　　The　chief…justice；　after　establishing　the　identity　of　the　accused；　gave　them　over　to　the　executioner　and　his　men　to　be　tortured　in　the　public　square；　so　that　their　sufferings　might　serve　as　a　show　and　an　example　to　the　crowd。　　But　no　sooner　was　Tommaso　Pace　tied　to　the　rope；　when　to　the　great　disappointment　of　all　he　declared　that　he　would　confess　everything；　and　asked　accordingly　to　be　taken　back　before　his　judges。　　At　these　words；　the　Count　of　Terlizzi；　who　was　following　every　movement　of　the　two　men　with　mortal　anxiety；　thought　it　was　all　over　now　with　him　and　his　accomplices；　and　so；　when　Tommaso　Pace　was　turning　his　steps　towards　the　great　hall；　led　by　two　guards；　his　hands　tied　behind　his　back；　and　followed　by　the　notary；　he　contrived　to　take　him　into　a　secluded　house；　and　squeezing　his　throat　with　great　force；　made　him　thus　put　his　tongue　out；　whereupon　he　cut　it　off　with　a　sharp　razor。

The　yells　of　the　poor　wretch　so　cruelly　mutilated　fell　on　the　ears　of　the　Duke　of　Durazzo　：　he　found　his　way　into　the　room　where　the　barbarous　act　had　been　committed　just　as　the　Count　of　Terlizzi　was　coming　out；　and　approached　the　notary；　who　had　been　present　at　the　dreadful　spectacle　and　had　not　given　the　least　sign　of　fear　or　emotion。　　Master　Nicholas；　thinking　the　same　fate　was　in　store　for　him；　turned　calmly　to　the　duke；　saying　with　a　sad　smile

〃My　lord；　the　precaution　is　useless；　there　is　no　need　for　you　to　cut　out　my　tongue；　as　the　noble　count　has　done　to　my　poor　companion。　　The　last　scrap　of　my　flesh　may　be　torn　off　without　one　word　being　dragged　from　my　mouth。　　I　have　promised；　my　lord；　and　you　have　the　life　of　my　wife　and　the　future　of　my　children　as　guarantee　for　my　word。〃

〃I　do　not　ask　for　silence；〃　said　the　duke　solemnly；　〃you　can　free　me　from　all　my　enemies　at　once；　and　I　order　you　to　denounce　them　at　the　tribunal。〃

The　notary　bowed　his　head　with　mournful　resignation；　then　raising　it　in　affright；　made　one　step　up　to　the　duke　and　murmured　in　a　choking　voice

〃And　the　queen？〃