joan of naples-第8章

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e　he　lowered　his　voice；〃I　blame　him　for　making　you　unhappy。〃

Joan　shuddered　as　though　a　wound　had　been　touched　by　an　unkind　hand；　but　hiding　her　emotion　beneath　an　appearance　of　calm；　she　replied　in　a　voice　of　perfect　indifference

〃You　must　be　dreaming；　Charles；　who　has　given　you　leave　to　suppose　I　am　unhappy？〃

〃Do　not　try　to　excuse　him；　'my　dear　cousin；〃　replied　Charles　eagerly；　〃you　will　injure　yourself　without　saving　him。〃

The　queen　looked　fixedly　at　her　cousin；　as　though　she　would　read　him　through　and　through　and　find　out　the　meaning　of　his　words；　but　as　she　could　not　give　credence　to　the　horrible　thought　that　crossed　her　mind；　she　assumed　a　complete　confidence　in　her　cousin's　friendship；　with　a　view　to　discovering　his　plans；　and　said　carelessly

〃Well；　Charles；　suppose　I　am　not　happy；　what　remedy　could　you　offer　me　that　I　might　escape　my　lot？〃

〃You　ask　me　that；　my　dear　cousin？　　Are　not　all　remedies　good　when　you　suffer；　and　when　you　wish　for　revenge？〃

〃One　must　fly　to　those　means　that　are　possible。　　Andre　will　not　readily　give　up　his　pretensions：　he　has　a　party　of　his　own；　and　in　case　of　open　rupture　his　brother　the　King　of　Hungary　may　declare　war　upon　us；　and　bring　ruin　and　desolation　upon　our　kingdom。〃

The　Duke　of　Duras　faintly　smiled；　and　his　countenance　assumed　a　sinister；　expression。

〃You　do　not　understand　me；〃　he　said。

〃Then　explain　without　circumlocution；〃　said　the　queen；　trying　to　conceal　the　convulsive　shudder　that　ran　through　her　limbs。

〃Listen；　Joan；〃　said　Charles；　taking　his　cousin's　hand　and　laying　it　upon　his　heart：　〃can　you　feel　that　dagger？〃

〃I　can；〃　said　Joan；　and　she　turned　pale。

〃One　word　from　youand〃

〃Yes？〃

〃To…morrow　you　will　be　free。〃

〃A　murder！〃　cried　Joan；　recoiling　in　horror：　〃then　I　was　not　deceived；　it　is　a　murder　that　you　have　proposed。〃

〃It　is　a　necessity；〃　said　the　duke　calmly：　〃today　I　advise；　later　on　you　will　give　your　orders。〃

〃Enough；　wretch！　　I　cannot　tell　if　you　are　more　cowardly　or　more　rash：　cowardly；　because　you　reveal　a　criminal　plot　feeling　sure　that　I　shall　never　denounce　you；　rash；　because　in　revealing　it　to　me　you　cannot　tell　what　witnesses　are　near　to　hear　it　all。〃

〃In　any　case；　madam；　since　I　have　put　myself　in　your　hands；　you　must　perceive　that　I　cannot　leave　you　till　I　know　if　I　must　look　upon　myself　as　your　friend　or　as　your　enemy。〃

〃Leave　me；〃　cried　Joan；　with　a　disdainful　gesture；　〃you　insult　your　queen。〃

〃You　forget；　my　dear　cousin；　that　some　day　I　may　very　likely　have　a　claim　to　your　kingdom。〃

〃Do　not　force　me　to　have　you　turned　out　of　this　room；〃　said　Joan；　advancing　towards　the　door。

〃Now　do　not　get　excited；　my　fair　cousin；　I　am　going：　but　at　least　remember　that　I　offered　you　my　hand　and　you　refused　it。　　Remember　what　I　say　at　this　solemn　moment：　to…day　I　am　the　guilty　man；　some　day　perhaps　I　may　be　the　judge。〃

He　went　away　slowly；　twice　turning　his　head；　repeating　in　the　language　of　signs　his　menacing　prophecy。　　Joan　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　for　a　long　time　remained　plunged　in　dismal　reflections；　then　anger　got　the　better　of　all　her　other　feelings；　and　she　summoned　Dona　Cancha；　bidding　her　not　to　allow　anybody　to　enter；　on　any　pretext　whatsoever。

This　prohibition　was　not　for　the　Count　of　Artois；　for　the　reader　will　remember　that　he　was　in　the　adjoining　room。




CHAPTER　III

Night　fell；　and　from　the　Molo　to　the　Mergellina；　from　the　Capuano　Castle　to　the　hill　of　St。　Elmo；　deep　silence　had　succeeded　the　myriad　sounds　that　go　up　from　the　noisiest　city　in　the　world。　　Charles　of　Durazzo；　quickly　walking　away　from　the　square　of　the　Correggi；　first　casting　one　last　look　of　vengeance　at　the　Castel　Nuovo；　plunged　into　the　labyrinth　of　dark　streets　that　twist　and　turn；　cross　and　recross　one　another；　in　this　ancient　city；　and　after　a　quarter　of　an　hour's　walking；　that　was　first　slow；　then　very　rapid；　arrived　at　his　ducal　palace　near　the　church　of　San　Giovanni　al　Mare。　He　gave　certain　instructions　in　a　harsh；　peremptory　tone　to　a　page　who　took　his　sword　and　cloak。　　Then　Charles　shut　himself　into　his　room；　without　going　up　to　see　his　poor　mother；　who　was　weeping；　sad　and　solitary　over　her　son's　ingratitude；　and　like　every　other　mother　taking　her　revenge　by　praying　God　to　bless　him。

The　Duke　of　Durazzo　walked　up　and　down　his　room　several　times　like　a　lion　in　a　cage；　counting　the　minutes　in　a　fever　of　impatience；　and　was　on　the　point　of　summoning　a　servant　and　renewing　his　commands；　when　two　dull　raps　on　the　door　informed　him　that　the　person　he　was　waiting　for　had　arrived。　　He　opened　at　once；　and　a　man　of　about。　fifty；　dressed　in　black　from　head　to　foot；　entered；　humbly　bowing；　and　carefully　shut　the　door　behind　him。　　Charles　threw　himself　into　an　easy…chair；　and　gazing　fixedly　at　the　man　who　stood　before　him；　his　eyes　on　the　ground　and　his　arms　crossed　upon　his　breast　in　an　attitude　of　the　deepest　respect　and　blind　obedience；　he　said　slowly；　as　though　weighing　each　word

〃Master　Nicholas　of　Melazzo；　have　you　any　remembrance　left　of　the　services　I　once　rendered　you？〃

The　man　to　whom　these　words　were　addressed　trembled　in　every　limb；　as　if　he　heard　the　voice　of　Satan　come　to　claim　his　soul；　then　lifting　a　look　of　terror　to　his　questioner's　face；　he　asked　in　a　voice　of　gloom

〃What　have　I　done；　my　lord；　to　deserve　this　reproach？〃

〃It　is　not　a　reproach：　I　ask　a　simple　question。〃

〃Can　my　lord　doubt　for　a　moment　of　my　eternal　gratitude？　　Can　I　forget　the　favours　your　Excellency　showed　me？　　Even　if　I　could　so　lose　my　reason　and　my　memory；　are　not　my　wife　and　son　ever　here　to　remind　me　that　to　you　we　owe　all　our　life；　our　honour；　and　our　fortune？　　I　was　guilty　of　an　infamous　act；〃　said　the　notary；　lowering　his　voice；　〃a　crime　that　would　not　only　have　brought　upon　my　head　the　penalty　of　death；　but　which　meant　the　confiscation　of　my　goods；　the　ruin　of　my　family；　poverty　and　shame　for　my　only　sonthat　very　son；　sire；　for　whom　I；　miserable　wretch；　had　wished　to　ensure　a　brilliant　future　by　means　of　my　frightful　crime：　you　had　in　your　hands　the　proofs　of　this！

〃I　have　them　still。〃

〃And　you　will　not　ruin　me；　my　lord；〃　resumed　the　notary；　trembling；　〃　I　am　at；　your　feet；　your　Excellency；　take　my　life　and　I　will　die　in　torment　without　a　murmur；　but　save　my　son　since　you　have　been　so　merciful　as　to　spare　him　till　now；　have　pity　on　his　mother；　my　lord；　have　pity！〃

〃Be　assured；〃　said　Charles；　signing　to　him　to　rise；　〃it　is　nothing　to　do　with　your　life；　that　will　come　later；　perhaps。　　What　I　wish　to　ask　of　you　now　is　a　much　simpler；　easier　matter。〃

〃My　lord；　I　await　your　command。〃

〃First；〃　said　the　duke；　in　a　voice　of　playful　irony；　〃you　must　draw　up　a　formal　contract　of　my　marriage。〃

〃At　once；　your　Excellency。〃

〃You　are　to　write　in　the　first　article　that　my　wife　brings　me　as　dowry　the　county　of　Alba；　the　jurisdiction　of　Grati　and　Giordano；　with　all　castles；　fiefs；　and　lands　dependent　thereto。〃

〃But；　my　lord…〃　replied　the　poor　notary；　greatly　embarrassed。

〃Do　you　find　any　difficulty；　Master　Nicholas？〃

〃God　forbid；　your　Excellency；　but…〃

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃

〃Because；　if　my　lord　will　permit　because　there　is　only　one　person　in　Naples　who　possesses　that　dowry　your　Excellency　mentions。〃

〃And　so？〃

〃And　she；〃　stammered　the　notary；　embarrassed　more　and　more；〃she　is　the　queen's　sister。〃

〃And　in　the　contract　you　will　write　the　name　of　Marie　of　Anjou。〃

〃But　the　young　maiden；〃　replied　Nicholas　timidly；　〃whom　your　Excellency　would　marry　is　destined；　I　thought；　under　the　will　of　our　late　king　of　blessed　memory；　to　become　the　wife　of　the　King　of　Hungary　or　else　of　the　grandson　of　the　King　of　France。〃

〃Ah；　I　understand　your　surprise：　you　may　learn　from　this　that　an　uncle's　intentions　are　not　always　the　same　as　his　nephew's。〃

〃In　that　case；　sire；　if　I　daredif　my　lord　would　deign　to　give　me　leaveif　I　had　an　opinion　I　might　give；　I　would　humbly　entreat　your　Excellency　to　reflect　that　this　would　mean　the　abduction　of　a　minor。〃

〃Since　when　did　you　learn　to　be　scrupulous；　Master　Nicholas？〃

These　words　were　uttered　with　a　glance　so　terrible　that　the　poor　notary　was　crushed；　and　had　hardly　the　strength　to　reply

〃In　an　hour　the　contract　will　be　ready。〃

〃Good：　we　agre