joan of naples-第5章

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d　her　head；　for　now　her　love　was　changed　to　scorn。　　Robert；　amazed　at　her　cold　and　haughty　reception　of　him；　following　on　so　great　a　love；　was　stung　by　jealousy　and　wounded　pride。　　He　broke　out　into　bitter　reproach　and　violent　recrimination；　and；　letting　fall　the　mask；　once　for　all　lost　his　place　in　Joan's　heart。

His　mother　at　last　saw　that　it　was　time　to　interfere：　she　rebuked　her　son；　accusing　him　of　upsetting　all　her　plans　by　his　clumsiness。

〃As　you　have　failed　to　conquer　her　by　love；〃　she　said；　〃you　must　now　subdue　her　by　fear。　　The　secret　of　her　honour　is　in　our　hands；　and　she　will　never　dare　to　rebel。　　She　plainly　loves　Bertrand　of　Artois；　whose　languishing　eyes　and　humble　sighs　contrast　in　a　striking　manner　with　your　haughty　indifference　and　your　masterful　ways。　　The　mother　of　the　Princes　of　Tarentum；　the　Empress　of　Constantinople；　will　easily　seize　an　occasion　of　helping　on　the　princess's　love　so　as　to　alienate　her　more　and　more　from　her　husband：　Cancha　will　be　the　go　between；　and　sooner　or　later　we　shall　find　Bertrand　at　Joan's　feet。　Then　she　will　be　able　to　refuse　us　nothing。〃

While　all　this　was　going　on；　the　old　king　died；　and　the　Catanese；　who　had　unceasingly　kept　on　the　watch　for　the　moment　she　had　so　plainly　foreseen；　loudly　called　to　her　son；　when　she　saw　Bertrand　slip　into　Joan's　apartment；　saying　as　she　drew　him　after　her

〃Follow　me；　the　queen　is　ours。〃

It　was　thus　that　she　and　her　son　came　to　be　there。　　Joan；　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　chamber；　pallid；　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　curtains　of　the　bed；　concealed　her　agitation　with　a　smile；　and　took　one　step　forward　towards　her　governess；　stooping　to　receive　the　kiss　which　the　latter　bestowed　upon　her　every　morning。　　The　Catanese　embraced　her　with　affected　cordiality；　and　turning　；　to　her　son；　who　had　knelt　upon　one　knee；　said；　pointing　to　Robert

〃My　fair　queen；　allow　the　humblest　of　your　subjects　to　offer　his　sincere　congratulations　and　to　ay　his　homage　at　your　feet。〃

〃Rise；　Robert；〃　said　Joan；　extending　her　hand　kindly；　and　with　no　show　of　bitterness。　　〃We　were　brought　up　together；　and　I　shall　never　forget　that　in　our　childhoodI　mean　those　happy　days　when　we　were　both　innocentI　called　you　my　brother。〃

〃As　you　allow　me；　madam；〃　said　Robert；　with　an　ironical　smile；　〃I　too　shall　always　remember　the　names　you　formerly　gave　me。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　the　Catanese；　〃shall　forget　that　I　speak　to　the　Queen　of　Naples；　in　embracing　once　more　my　beloved　daughter。　　Come；　madam；　away　with　care：　you　have　wept　long　enough；　we　have　long　respected　your　grief。　　It　is　now　time　to　show　yourself　to　these　good　Neapolitans　who　bless　Heaven　continually　for　granting　them　a　queen　so　beautiful　and　good；　it　is　time　that　your　favours　upon　the　heads　of　your　faithful　subjects；　and　my　son；　who　surpasses　all　in　his　fidelity；　comes　first　to　ask　a　favour　of　you；　in　order　that　he　may　serve　you　yet　more　zealously。〃

Joan　cast　on　Robert　a　withering　look；　and；　speaking　to　the　Catanese；　said　with　a　scornful　air

〃You　know；　madam；　I　can　refuse　your　son　nothing。〃

〃All　he　asks；〃　continued　the　lady；　〃is　a　title　which　is　his　due；　and　which　he　inherited　from　his　fatherthe　title　of　Grand　Seneschal　of　the　Two　Sicilies：　I　trust；　my；　daughter；　you　will　have　no　difficulty　in　granting　this。〃

〃But　I　must　consult　the　council　of　regency。〃

〃The　council　will　hasten　to　ratify　the　queen's　wishes；〃　replied　Robert；　handing　her　the　parchment　with　an　imperious　gesture：　〃you　need　only　speak　to　the　Count　of　Artois。〃

And　he　cast　a　threatening　glance　at　the　curtain；　which　had　slightly　moved。

〃You　are　right；〃　said　the　queen　at　once；　and　going　up　to　a　table　she　signed　the　parchment　with　a　trembling　hand。

〃Now；　my　daughter；　I　have　come　in　the　name　of　all　the　care　I　bestowed　on　your　infancy；　of　all　the　maternal　love　I　have　lavished　on　you；　to　implore　a　favour　that　my　family　will　remember　for　evermore。〃

The　queen　recoiled　one'　step；　crimson　with　astonishment　and　rage；　but　before　she　could　find　words　to　reply；　the　lady　continued　in　a　voice　that　betrayed　no　feeling

〃I　request　you　to　make　my　son　Count　of　Eboli。〃

〃That　has　nothing　to　do　with　me；　madam；　the　barons　of　this　kingdom　would　revolt　to　a　man　if　I　were　on　my　own　authority　to　exalt　to　one　of　the　first　dignities　the　son　of　a…〃

〃A　laundress　and　a　negro；　you　would　say；　madam？〃　said　Robert；　with　a　sneer。　　〃Bertrand　of　Artois　would　be　annoyed　perhaps　if　I　had　a　title　like　his。〃

He　advanced　a　step　towards　the　bed；　his　hand　upon　the　hilt　of　his　sword。

〃Have　mercy；　Robert！〃　cried　the　queen；　checking　him：　〃I　will　do　all　you　ask。〃

And　she　signed　the　parchment　naming　him　Count　of　Eboli。

〃And　now；〃　Robert　went　on　impudently；　〃to　show　that　my　new　title　is　not　illusory；　while　you　are　busy　about　signing　documents；　let　me　have　the　privilege　of　taking　part　in　the　councils　of　the　crown：　make　a　declaration　that；　subject　to　your　good　pleasure；　my　mother　and　I　are　to　have　a　deliberative　voice　in　the　council　whenever　an　important　matter　is　under　discussion。〃

〃Never！〃　cried　Joan；　turning　pale。　　〃Philippa　end　Robert；　you　abuse　my　weakness　and　treat　your　queen　shamefully。　　In　the　last　few　days　I　have　wept　and　suffered　continually；　overcome　by　a　terrible　grief；　I　have　no　strength　to　turn　to　business　now。　　Leave　me；　I　beg：　I　feel　my　strength　gives；　way。〃

〃What；　my　daughter；〃　cried　the　Catanese　hypocritically；　〃are　you　feeling　unwell？　　Come　and　lie　down　at　once。〃　　And　hurrying　to　the　bed；　she　took　hold　of　the　curtain　that　concealed　the　Count　of　Artois。

The　queen　uttered　a　piercing　cry；　and　threw　herself　before　Philippa　with　the　fury　of　a　lioness。　　〃Stop！〃　she　cried　in　a　choking　voice；　〃take　the　privilege　you　ask；　and　now；　if　you　value　your　own　life；　leave　me。〃

The　Catanese　and　her　son　departed　instantly；　not　even　waiting　to　reply；　for　they　had　got　all　they　wanted；　while　Joan；　trembling；　ran　desperately　up　to　Bertrand；　who　had　angrily　drawn　his　dagger；　and　would　have　fallen　upon　the　two　favourites　to　take　vengeance　for　the　insults　they　had　offered　to　the　queen；　but　he　was　very　soon　disarmed　by　the　lovely　shining　eyes　raised　to　him　in　supplication；　the　two　arms　cast　about　him；　and　the　tears　shed　by　Joan：　he　fell　at　her　feet　and　kissed　them　rapturously；　with　no　thought　of　seeking　excuse　for　his　presence；　with　no　word　of　love；　for　it　was　as　if　they　had　loved　always：　he　lavished　the　tenderest　caresses　on　her；　dried　her　tears；　and　pressed　his　trembling　lips　upon　her　lovely　head。　　Joan　began　to　forget　her　anger；　her　vows；　and　her　repentance：　soothed　by　the　music　of　her　lover's　speech；　she　returned　uncomprehending　monosyllables：　her　heart　beat　till　it　felt　like　breaking；　and　once　more　she　was　falling　beneath　love's　resistless　spell；　when　a　new　interruption　occurred；　shaking　her　roughly　out　of　her　ecstasy；　but　this　time　the　young　count　was　able　to　pass　quietly　and　calmly　into　a　room　adjoining；　and　Joan　prepared　to　receive　her　importunate　visitor　with　severe　and　frigid　dignity。

The　individual　who　arrived　at　so　inopportune　a　moment　was　little　calculated　to　smooth　Joan's　ruffled　brow；　being　Charles；　the　eldest　son　of　the　Durazzo　family。　　After　he　had　introduced　his　fair　cousin　to　the　people　as　their　only　legitimate　sovereign；　he　had　sought　on　various　occasions　to　obtain　an　interview　with　her；　which　in　all　probability　would　be　decisive。　　Charles　was　one　of　those　men　who　to　gain　their　end　recoil　at　nothing；　devoured　by　raging　ambition　and　accustomed　from　his　earliest　years　to　conceal　his　most　ardent　desires　beneath　a　mask　of　careless　indifference；　he　marched　ever　onward；　plot　succeeding　plot；　towards　the　object　he　was　bent　upon　securing；　and　never　deviated　one　hair's…breadth　from　the　path　he　had　marked　out；　but　only　acted　with　double　prudence　after　each　victory；　and　with　double　courage　after　each　defeat。　　His　cheek　grew　pale　with　joy；　when　he　hated　most；　he　smiled；　in　all　the　emotions　of　his　life；　however　strong；　he　was　inscrutable。　　He　had　sworn　to　sit　on　the　throne　of　Naples；　and　long　had　believed　himself　the　rightful　heir；　as　being　nearest　of　kin　to　Robert　of　all　his　nephews。　　To　him　the　hand　of　Joan　would　have　been　given；　had　not　the　old　king　in　his　latter　days　conceived　the　plan　of　bringing　Andre　from　Hungary　and　re…establishing　the　elder　branch　in　his　person；　though　that　had　long　since　been　forgotten。　　But　his　resolution　had　never　for　a　moment　been　weakened　by　the　arrival　of　Andre　in　the　kingdom；　or　by　the　profound　indifference　wherewith　Joan；　preoccupied　with　other　passion；　had　always　received　the　advances　of　her　cousin　Charles　of　Durazzo。　Neither　the　love　of　a　woman　nor　the　life　of　a　man　was　of　any　account　to　him　when　a　crown　was　weighed　in　the　other　scale　of　the　balance。

During　the　whole　time　that　the　queen　had　remained　invisible；　Charles　had　hung　about　her　apartments；　and　now　came　into　her　presence　with　respectful　eagerness　to　inquire　for　his　cousin's　health。　　The　young　duke　had　been　at　pains　to　set　off　his　noble　features　and　elegant　figure　by　a　magnificent　dress　covered　with；　golden　fleur…de…lys　and　glittering　with　precious　stones。　　His　doublet　of　scarlet　velvet　and　cap　of　the　same　showed　upby　their　own　splendour　the　warm　colouring　of　his　skin；　while　his　face　seemed　illumined　by　his　black　eyes　that　shone　keen　as　an　eagle's。

Charles　spoke　long　with　his　cousin　of　the　people's　enthusiasm　on　her　accession　and　of　the　brilliant　destiny　before　her；　he　drew　a　hasty　but　truthful　sketch　of　the　state　of　the　kingdom；　and　while　he　lavished　praises　on　the　queen's　wisdom；　he　cleverly　pointed　out　what　reforms　were　most　urgently　needed　by　the　country；　he　contrived　to　put　so　much　warmth；　yet　so　much　reserve；　into　his　speech　that　he　destroyed　the　disagreeable　impression　his　arrival　had　produced。　　In　spite　of　the　irregularities　of　her　youth　and　the　depravity　brought　about　by　her　wretched　education；　Joan's　nature　impelled　her　to　noble　action：　when　the　welfare　of　her　subjects　was　concerned；　she　rose　above　the　limitations　of　her　age　and　sex；　and；　forgetting　her　strange　position；　listened　to　the　Duke　of　Durazzo　with　the　liveliest　interest　and　the　kindliest　attention。　　He　then　hazarded　allusions　to　the　dangers　that　beset　a　young　queen；　spoke　vaguely　of　the　difficulty　in　distinguishing　between　true　devotion　and　cowardly　complaisance　or　interested　attachment；　he　spoke　of　the　ingratitude　of　many　who　had　been　loaded　with　benefits；　and　had　been　most　completely　trusted。　Joan；　who　had　just　learned　the　truth　of　his　words　by　sad　experience；　replied　with　a　sigh；　and　after　a　moment's　silence　added

May　God；　whom　I　call　to　witness　for　the　loyalty　and　uprightness　of　my　intentions；　may　God　unmask　all　traitors　and　show　me　my　true　friends！　I　know　that　the　burden　laid　upon　me　is　heavy；　and　I　presume　not　on　my　strength；　but　I　trust　that　the　tried　experience；　of　those　counsellors　to　whom　my　uncle　entrusted　me；　the　support　of　my　family；　and　your　warm　and　sincere　friendship　above　all；　my　dear　cousin；　will　help　me　to　accomplish　my　duty。〃

〃My　sincerest　prayer　is　that　you　may　succeed；　my　fair　cousin；　and　I　will　not　darken　with　doubts　and　fears　a　time　that　ought　to　be　given　up　to　joy；　I　will　not　mingle　with　the　shouts　of　gladness　that　rise　on　all　sides　to　proclaim　you　queen；　any　vain　regrets　over　that　blind　fortune　which　has　placed　beside　the　woman　whom　we　all　alike　adore；　whose　single　glan