t；　and　most　generous；　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　Louis　of　Tarentum　would　have　obtained　the　crown。　　At　the　age　of　twenty…three　he　had　already　excelled　the　cavaliers　of　most　renown　in　feats　of　arms；　honest；　loyal；　and　brave；　he　no　sooner　conceived　a　project　than　he　promptly　carried　it　out。　　His　brow　shone　in　that　clear　light　which　seems　to；　serve　as　a　halo　of　success　to　natures　so　privileged　as　his；　his　fine　eyes；　of　a　soft　and　velvety　black；　subdued　the　hearts　of　men　who　could　not　resist　their　charm；　and　his　caressing　smile　made　conquest　sweet。　　A　child　of　destiny；　he　had　but　to　use　his　will；　some　power　unknown；　some　beneficent　fairy　had　watched　over　his　birth；　and　undertaken　to　smooth　away　all　obstacles；　gratify　all　desires。
  Near　to　him；　but　in　the　fourth　group；　his　cousin　Charles　of　Duras　stood　and　scowled。　　His　mother；　Agnes；　the　widow　of　the　Duke　of　Durazzo　and　Albania；　another　of　the　king's　brothers；　looked　upon　him　affrighted；　clutching　to　her　breast　her　two　younger　sons；　Ludovico；　Count　of　Gravina；　and　Robert；　Prince　of　Morea。　　Charles；　pale…faced；　with　short　hair　and　thick　beard；　was　glancing　with　suspicion　first　at　his　dying　uncle　and　then　at　Joan　and　the　little　Marie；　then　again　at　his　cousins；　apparently　so　excited　by　tumultuous　thoughts　that　he　could　not　stand　still。　　His　feverish　uneasiness　presented　a　marked　contrast　with　the　calm；　dreamy　face　of　Bertrand　d'Artois；　who；　giving　precedence　to　his　father　Charles；　approached　the　queen　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　and　so　found　himself　face　to　face　with　Joan。　　The　young　man　was　so　absorbed　by　the　beauty　of　the　princess　that　he　seemed　to　see　nothing　else　in　the　room。
  As　soon　as　Joan　and　Andre；　the　Princes　of　Tarentum　and　Durazzo；　the　Counts　of　Artois；　and　（queen　Sancha　had　taken　their　places　round　the　bed　of　death；　forming　a　semicircle；　as　we　have　just　described；　the　vice…chancellor　passed　through　the　rows　of　barons；　who　according　to　their　rangy　were　following　closely　after　the　princes　of　the　blood；　and　bowing　low　before　the　king；　unfolded　a　parchment　sealed　with　the　royal　seal；　and　read　in　a　solemn　voice；　amid　a　profound　silence：
  〃Robert；　by　the　grace　of　God　King　of　Sicily　and　Jerusalem；　Count　of　Provence；　Forcalquier；　and　Piedmont；　Vicar　of　the　Holy　Roman　Church；　hereby　nominates　and　declares　his　sole　heiress　in　the　kingdom　of　Sicily　on　this　side　and　the　other　side　of　the　strait；　as　also　in　the　counties　of　Provence；　Forcalquier；　and　Piedmont；　and　in　all　；his　other　territories；　Joan；　Duchess　of　Calabria；　elder　daughter　of　the　excellent　lord　Charles；　Duke　of　Calabria；　of　illustrious　memory。
  Moreover；　he　nominates　and　declares　the　honourable　lady　Marie；　younger　daughter　of　the　late　Duke　of　Calabria；　his　heiress　in　the　county　of　Alba　and　in　the　jurisdiction　of　the　valley　of　Grati　and　the　territory　of　Giordano；　with　all　their　castles　and　dependencies；　and　orders　that　the　lady　thus　named　receive　them　in　fief　direct　from　the　aforesaid　duchess　and　her　heirs；　on　this　condition；　however；　that　if　the　duchess　give　and　grant　to　her　illustrious　sister　or　to　her　assigns　the　sum　of　10；000　ounces　of　gold　by　way　of　compensation；　the　county　and　jurisdiction　aforesaidshall　remain　in　the　possession　of　the　duchess　and　her　heirs。
  〃Moreover；　he　wills　and　commands；　for　private　and　secret　reasons；　that　the　aforesaid　lady　Marie　shall　contract　a　marriage　with　the　very　illustrious　prince；　Louis；　reigning　King　of　Hungary。　　And　in　case　any　impediment　should　appear　to　this　marriage　by　reason　ofthe　union　said　to　be　already　arranged　and　signed　between　the　King　of　Hungary　and　the　King　of　Bohemia　and　his　daughter；　our　lord　the　king　commands　that　the　illustrious　lady　Marie　shall　contract　a　marriage　with　the　elder　son　of　the　mighty　lord　Don　Juan；　Duke　of　Normandy；　himself　the　elder　son　of　the　reigning　King　of　France。〃
  At　this　point　Charles　of　Durazzo　gave　Marie　a　singularly　meaning　look；　which　escaped　the　notice　of　all　present；　their　attention　being　absorbed　by　the　reading　of　Robert's　will。　　The　young　girl　herself；　from　the　moment　when　she　first　heard　her　own　name；　had　stood　confused　and　thunderstruck；　with　scarlet　cheeks；　not　daring　to　raise　her　eyes。
  The　vice…chancellor　continued：
  〃Moreover；　he　has　willed　and　commanded　that　the　counties　of　Forcalquier　and　Provence　shall　in　all　perpetuity　be　united　to　his　kingdom；　and　shall　form　one　sole　and　inseparable　dominion；　whether　or　not　there　be　several　sons　or　daughters　or　any　other　reason　of　any　kind　for　its　partition；　seeing　that　this　union　is　of　the　utmost　importance　for　the　security　and　common　prosperity　of　the　kingdom　and　counties　aforesaid。
  〃Moreover；　he　has　decided　and　commanded　that　in　case　of　the　death　of　the　Duchess　Joanwhich　God　avert！without　lawful　issue　of　her　body；　the　most　illustrious　lord　Andre；　Duke　of　Calabria；　her　husband；　shall　have　the　principality　of　Salerno；　with　the　title　fruits；　revenues；　and　all　the　rights　thereof；　together　with　the　revenue　of　2000　ounces　of　gold　for　maintenance。
  〃Moreover；　he　has　decided　and　ordered　that　the　Queen　above　all；　and　also　the　venerable　father　Don　Philip　of　Cabassole；　Bishop　of　Cavaillon；　vice…chancellor　of　the　kingdom　of　Sicily；　and　the　magnificent　lords　Philip　of　Sanguineto；　seneschal　of　Provence；　Godfrey　of　Marsan；　Count　of　Squillace；　admiral　of　the　kingdom；　and　Charles　of　Artois；　Count　of　Aire；　shall　be　governors；　regents；　and　administrators　of　the　aforesaid　lord　Andre　and　the　aforesaid　ladies　Joan　and　Marie；　until　such　time　as　the　duke；　the　duchess；　and　the　very　illustrious　lady　Marie　shall　have　attained　their　twenty…fifth　year；〃　etc。　　etc。
  When　the　vice…chancellor　had　finished　reading；　the　king　sat　up；　and　glancing　round　upon　his　fair　and　numerous　family；　thus　spoke：
  〃My　children；　you　have　heard　my　last　wishes。　　I　have　bidden　you　all　to　my　deathbed；　that　you　may　see　how　the　glory　of　the　world　passes　away。　　Those　whom　men　name　the　great　ones　of　the　earth　have　more　duties　to　perform；　and　after　death　more　accounts　to　render：　it　is　in　this　that　their　greatness　lies。　　I　have　reigned　thirty…three　years；　and　God　before　whom　I　am　about　to　appear；　God　to　whom　my　sighs　have　often　arisen　during　my　long　and　painful　life；　God　alone　knows　the　thoughts　that　rend　my　heart　in　the　hour　of　death。　　Soon　shall　I　be　lying　in　the　tomb；　and　all　that　remains　of　me　in　this　world　will　live　in　the　memory　of　those　who　pray　for　me。　　But　before　I　leave　you　for　ever；　you；　oh；　you　who　are　twice　my　daughters；　whom　I　have　loved　with　a　double　love；　and　you　my　nephews　who　have　had　from　me　all　the　care　and　affection　of　a　father；　promise　me　to　be　ever　united　in　heart　and　in　wish；　as　indeed　you　are　in　my　love。　　I　have　lived　longer　than　your　fathers；　I　the　eldest　of　all；　and　thus　no　doubt　God　has　wished　to　tighten　the　bonds　of　your　affection；　to　accustom　you　to　live　in　one　family　and　to　pay　honour　to　one　head。　　I　have　loved　you　all　alike；　as　a　father　should；　without　exception　or　preference。　　I　have　disposed　of　my　throne　according　to　the　law　of　nature　and　the　inspiration　of　my　conscience：　Here　are　the　heirs　of　the　crown　of　Naples；　you；　Joan；　and　you；　Andre；　will　never　forget　the　love　and　respect　that　are　due　between　husband　and　wife；　and　mutually　sworn　by　you　at　the　foot　of　the　altar；　and　you；　my　nephews　all；　my　barons；　my　officers；　render　homage　to　your　lawful　sovereigns；　Andre　of　Hungary；　Louis　of　Tarentum；　Charles　of　Durazzo；　remember　that　you　are　brothers；　woe　to　him　who　shall　imitate　the　perfidy　of　Cain！　　May　his　blood　fall　upon　his　own　head；　and　may　he　be　accursed　by　Heaven　as　he　is　by　the　mouth　of　a　dying　man；　and　may　the　blessing　of　the　Father；　the　Son；　and　the　Holy　Spirit　descend　upon　that　man　whose　heart　is　good；　when　the　Lord　of　mercy　shall　call　to　my　soul　Himself！〃
  The　king　remained　motionless；　his　arms　raised；　his　eyes　fixed　on　heaven；　his　cheeks　extraordinarily　bright；　while　the　princes；　barons；　and　officers　of　the　court　proffered　to　Joan　and　her　husband　the　oath　of　fidelity　and　allegiance。　　When　it　was　the　turn　of　the　Princes　of　Duras　to　advance；　Charles　disdainfully　stalked　past　Andre；　and　bending　his　knee　before　the　princess；　said　in　a　loud　voice；　as　he　kissed　her　hand
  〃To　you；　my　queen；　I　pay　my　homage。〃
  All　looks　were　turned　fearfully　towards　the　dying　man；　but　the　good　king　no　longer　heard。　　Seeing　him　fall　back　rigid　and　motionless；　Dona　Sancha　burst　into　sobs；　and　cried　in　a　voice　choked　with　tears
  〃The　king　is　dead；　let　us　pray　for　his　soul。〃
  At　the　very　same　moment　all　the　princes　hurried　from　the　room；　and　every　passion　hitherto　suppressed　in　the　presence　of　the　king　now　found　its　vent　like　a　mighty　torrent　breaking　through　its　banks。
  〃Long　live　Joan！　　〃Robert　of　Cabane；　Louis　of　Tarentum；　and　Bertrand　of　Artois　were　the　first　to　exclaim；　while　the　prince's　tutor；　furiously　breaking　through　the　crowd　and　apostrophising　the　various　members　of　the　council　of　regency；　cried　aloud　in　varying　tones　of　passion；　〃Gentlemen；　you　have　forgotten　the　king's　wish　already；　you　must　cry；　'Long　live　Andre！'　too〃；　then；　wedding　example　to　precept；　and　himself　making　more　noise　than　all　the　barons　together；　he　cried　in　a　voice　of　thunder
  〃Long　live　the　King　of　Naples！〃
  But　there　was　no　echo　to　his　cry；　and　Charles　of　Durazzo；　measuring　the　Dominican　with　a　terrible　look；　approached　the　queen；　a