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第8章

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

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