joan of naples-第15部分

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〃And　the　queen？〃

〃No　one　would　believe　you　if　you　ventured　to　denounce　her；　but　when　the　Catanese　and　her　son；　the　Count　of　Terlizzi　and　his　wife　and　her　most　intimate　friends；　have　been　accused　by　you；　when　they　fail　to　endure　the　torture；　and　when　they　denounce　her　unanimously…〃

〃I　see；　my　lord。　　You　do　not　only　want　my　life；　you　would　have　my　soul　too。　　Very　well；　once　more　I　commend　to　you　my　children。〃

With　a　deep　sigh　he　walked　up　to　the　tribunal。　　The　chief…justice　asked　Tommaso　Pace　the　usual　questions；　and　a　shudder　of　horror　passed　through　the　assembly　when　they　saw　the　poor　wretch　in　desperation　opening　his　mouth；　which　streamed　with　blood。　　But　surprise　and　terror　reached　their　height　when　Nicholas　of　Melazzo　slowly　and　firmly　gave　a　list　of　Andre's　murderers；　all　except　the　queen　and　the　princes　of　the　blood；　and　went　on　to　give　all　details　of　the　assassination。

Proceedings　were　at　once　taken　for　the　arrest　of　the　grand　seneschal；　Robert　of　Cabane；　and　the　Counts　of　Terlizzi　and　Morcone；　who　were　present　and　had　not　ventured　to　make　any　movement　in　self…defence。　An　hour　later；　Philippa；　her　two　daughters；　and　Dona　Cancha　joined　them　in　prison；　after　vainly　imploring　the　queen's　protection。　Charles　and　Bertrand　of　Artois；　shut　up　in　their　fortress　of　Saint　Agatha；　bade　defiance　to　justice；　and　several　others；　among　them　the　Counts　of　Meleto　and　Catanzaro；　escaped　by　flight。

As　soon　as　Master　Nicholas　said　he　had　nothing　further　to　confess；　and　that　he　had　spoken　the　whole　truth　and　nothing　but　the　truth；　the　chief…justice　pronounced　sentence　amid　a　profound　silence；　and　1897　without　delay　Tommaso　Pace　and　the　notary　were　tied　to　the　tails　of　two　horses；　dragged　through　the　chief　streets　of　the　town；　and　hanged　in　the　market　place。

The　other　prisoners　were　thrown　into　a　subterranean　vault；　to　be　questioned　and　put　to　the　torture　on　the　following　day。　　In　the　evening；　finding　themselves　in　the　same　dungeon；　they　reproached　one　another；　each　pretending　he　had　been　dragged　into　the　crime　by　someone　else。　　Then　Dona　Cancha；　whose　strange　character　knew　no　inconsistencies；　even　face　to　face　with　death　and　torture；　drowned　with　a　great　burst　of　laughter　the　lamentations　of　her　companions；　and　joyously　exclaimed

〃Look　here；　friends；　why　these　bitter　recriminationsthis　ill　mannered　raving？　　We　have　no　excuses　to　make；　and　we　are　all　equally　guilty。　　I　am　the　youngest　of　all；　and　not　the　ugliest；　by　your　leave；　ladies；　but　if　I　am　condemned；　at　least　I　will　die　cheerfully。　For　I　have　never　denied　myself　any　pleasure　I　could　get　in　this　world；　and　I　can　boast　that　much　will　be　forgiven　me；　for　I　have　loved　much：　of　that　you；　gentlemen；　know　something。　　You；　bad　old　man；〃　she　continued　to　the　Count　of　Terlizzi；　〃do　you　not　remember　lying　by　my　side　in　the　queen's　ante…chamber？　　Come；　no　blushes　before　your　noble　family；　confess；　my　lord；　that　I　am　with　child　by　your　Excellency；　and　you　know　how　we　managed　to　make　up　the　story　of　poor　Agues　of　Durazzo　and　her　pregnancyGod　rest　her　soul！　　For　my　part；　I　never　supposed　the　joke　would　take　such　a　serious　turn　all　at　once。　　You　know　all　this　and　much　more；　spare　your　lamentations；　for；　by　my　word；　they　are　getting　very　tiresome：　let　us　prepare　to　die　joyously；　as　we　have　lived。〃

With　these　words　she　yawned　slightly；　and；　lying　down　on　the　straw；　fell　into　a　deep　sleep；　and　dreamed　as　happy　dreams　as　she　had　ever　dreamed　in　her　life。

On　the　morrow　from　break　of　day　there　was　an　immense　crowd　on　the　sea　front。　　During　the　night　an　enormous　palisade　had　been　put　up　to　keep　the　people　away　far　enough　for　them　to　see　the　accused　without　hearing　anything。　　Charles　of　Durazzo；　at　the　head　of　a　brilliant　cortege　of　knights　and　pages；　mounted　on　a　magnificent　horse；　all　in　black；　as　a　sign　of　mourning；　waited　near　the　enclosure。　　Ferocious　joy　shone　in　his　eyes　as　the　accused　made　their　way　through　the　crowd；　two　by　two；　their　wrists　tied　with　ropes；　for　the　duke　every　minute　expected　to　hear　the　queen's　name　spoken。　　But　the　chief…　justice；　a　man　of　experience；　had　prevented　indiscretion　of　any　kind　by　fixing　a　hook　in　the　tongue　of　each　one。　　The　poor　creatures　were　tortured　on　a　ship；　so　that　nobody　should　hear　the　terrible　confessions　their　sufferings　dragged　from　them。

But　Joan；　in　spite　of　the　wrongs　that　most　of　the　conspirators　had　done　her；　felt　a　renewal　of　pity　for　the　woman　she　had　once　respected　as　a　mother；　for　her　childish　companions　and　her　friends；　and　possibly　also　some　remains　of　love　for　Robert　of　Cabane；　and　sent　two　messengers　to　beg　Bertram　de　Baux　to　show　mercy　to　the　culprits。　　But　the　chief…justice　seized　these　men　and　had　them　tortured；　and　on　their　confession　that　they　also　were　implicated　in　Andre's　murder；　he　condemned　them　to　the　same　punishment　as　the　others。　　Dona　Cancha　alone；　by　reason　of　her　situation；　escaped　the　torture；　and　her　sentence　was　deferred　till　the　day　of　her　confinement。

As　this　beautiful　girl　was　returning　to　prison；　with　many　a　smile　for　all　the　handsomest　cavaliers　she　could　see　in　the　crowd；　she　gave　a　sign　to　Charles　of　Durazzo　as　she　neared　him　to　come　forward；　and　since　her　tongue　had　not　been　pierced　（for　the　same　reason）　with　an　iron　instrument；　she　said　some　words　to　him　a　while　in　a　low　voice。

Charles　turned　fearfully　pale；　and　putting　his　hand　to　his　sword；　cried

〃Wretched　woman！〃

〃You　forget；　my　lord；　I　am　under　the　protection　of　the　law。〃

〃My　mother！oh；　my　poor　mother！　　〃murmured　Charles　in　a　choked　voice；　and　he　fell　backward。

The　next　morning　the　people　were　beforehand　with　the　executioner；　loudly　demanding　their　prey。　　All　the　national　troops　and　mercenaries　that　the　judicial　authorities　could　command　were　echelonned　in　the　streets；　opposing　a　sort　of　dam　to　the　torrent　of　the　raging　crowd。　The　sudden　insatiable　cruelty　that　too　often　degrades　human　nature　had　awaked　in　the　populace：　all　heads　were　turned　with　hatred　and　frenzy；　all　imaginations　inflamed　with　the　passion　for　revenge；　groups　of　men　and　women；　roaring　like　wild　beasts；　threatened　to　knock　down　the　walls　of　the　prison；　if　the　condemned　were　not　handed　over　to　them　to　take　to　the　place　of　punishment：　a　great　murmur　arose；　continuous；　ever　the　same；　like　the　growling　of　thunder：　the　queen's　heart　was　petrified　with　terror。

But；　in　spite　of　the　desire　of　Bertram　de　Baux　to　satisfy　the　popular　wish；　the　preparations　for　the　solemn　execution　were　not　completed　till　midday；　when　the　sun's　rays　fell　scorchingly　upon　the　town。　There　went　up　a　mighty　cry　from　ten　thousand　palpitating　breasts　when　a　report　first　ran　through　the　crowd　that　the　prisoners　were　about　to　appear。　　There　was　a　moment　of　silence；　and　the　prison　doors　rolled　slowly　back　on　their　hinges　with　a　rusty；　grating　noise。　　A　triple　row　of　horsemen；　with　lowered　visor　and　lance　in　rest；　started　the　procession；　and　amid　yells　and　curses　the　condemned　prisoners　came　out　one　by　one；　each　tied　upon　a　cart；　gagged　and　naked　to　the　waist；　in　charge　of　two　executioners；　whose　orders　were　to　torture　them　the　whole　length　of　their　way。　　On　the　first　cart　was　the　former　laundress　of　Catana；　afterwards　wife　of　the　grand　seneschal　and　governess　to　the　queen；　Philippa　of　Cabane：　the　two　executioners　at　right　and　left　of　her　scourged　her　with　such　fury　that　the　blood　spurting　up　from　the　wounds　left　a　long　track　in　all　the　streets　passed　by　the　cortege。

Immediately　following　their　mother　on　separate　carts　came　the　Countesses　of　Terlizzi　and　Morcone；　the　elder　no　more　than　eighteen　years　of　age。　　The　two　sisters　were　so　marvellously　beautiful　that　in　the　crowd　a　murmur　of　surprise　was　heard；　and　greedy　eyes　were　fixed　upon　their　naked　trembling　shoulders。　　But　the　men　charged　to　torture　them　gazed　with　ferocious　smiles　upon　their　forms　of　seductive　beauty；　and；　armed　with　sharp　knives；　cut　off　pieces　of　their　flesh　with　a　deliberate　enjoyment　and　threw　them　out　to　the　crowd；　who　eagerly　struggled　to　get　them；　signing　to　the　executioners　to　show　which　part　of　the　victims'　bodies　they　preferred。

Robert　of　Cabane；　the　grand　seneschal；　the　Counts　of　Terlizzi　and　Morcone；　Raymond　Pace；　brother　of　the　old　valet　who　had　been　executed　the　day　before；　and　many　more；　were　dragged　on　similar　carts；　and　both　scourged　with　ropes　and　slashed　with　knives；　their　flesh　was　torn　out　with　red…hot　pincers；　and　flung　upon　brazen　chafing…dishes。　No　cry　of　pain　was　heard　from　the　grand　seneschal；　he　never　stirred　once　in　his　frightful　agony；　yet　the　torturers　put　such　fury　into　their　work　that　the　poor　wretch　was　dead　before　the　goal　was　reached。

In　the　centre　of　the　square　of　Saint　Eligius　an　immense　stake　was　set　up：　there　the　prisoners　were　taken；　and　what　was　left　of　their　mutilated　bodies　was　thrown　into　the　flames。　　The　Count　of　Terlizzi　and　the　grand　seneschal's　widow　were　still　alive；　and　two　tears　of　blood　ran　down　the　cheeks　of　the　miserable　mother　as　she　saw　her　son's　corpse　and　the　palpitating　remains　of　her　two　daughters　cast　upon　the　firethey　by　their　stifled　cries　showed　that　they　had　not　ceased　to　suffer。　　But　suddenly　a　fearful　noise　overpowered　the　groans　of　the　victims　；　the　enclosure　was　broken　and　overturned　by　the　mob。　　Like　madmen；　they　rushed　at　the　burning　pile；armed　with　sabres；　axes；　and　knives；　and　snatching　the　bodies　dead　or　alive　from　the　flames；　tore　them　to　pieces；　carrying　off　the　bones　to　make　whistles　or　handles　for　their　daggers　as　a　souvenir　of　this　horrible　day。




CHAPTER　VI

The　spectacle　of　this　frightful　punishment　did　not　satisfy　the　revenge　of　Charles　of　Durazzo。　　Seconded　by　the　chief…justice；　he　daily　brought　about　fresh　executions；　till　Andre's　death　came　to　be　no　more　than　a　pretext　for　the　legal　murder　of　all　who　opposed　his　projects。　　But　Louis　of　Tarentum；　who　had　won　Joan's　heart；　and　was　eagerly　trying　to　get　the　necessary　dispensation　for　legalising　the　marriage；　from　this　time　forward　took　as　a　personal　insult　every　act　of　the　high　court　of　justice　which　was　performed　against　his　will　and　against　the　queen's　prerogative：　he　armed　all　his　adherents；　increasing　their　number　by　all　the　adventurers　he　could　get　together；　and　so　put　on　foot　a　strong　enough　force　to　support　his　own　party　and　resist　his　cousin。　　Naples　was　thus　split　up　into