The　gardens　and　outside　courts　had　been　searched　for　any　trace　of　her；　every　corner　of　the　castle　had　been　examined；　the　guards　had　been　threatened　with　torture；　so　as　to　drag　the　truth　from　them；　no　one　had　seen　anything　of　the　princess；　and　nothing　could　be　found　that　suggested　either　flight　or　abduction。　　Joan；　struck　down　by　this　new　blow　in　the　midst　of　other　troubles；　was　for　a　time　utterly　prostrated；　then；　when　she　had　recovered　from　her　first　surprise；　she　behaved　as　all　people　do　if　despair　takes　the　place　of　reason：　she　gave　orders　for　what　was　already　done　to　be　done　again；　she　asked　the　same　questions　that　could　only　bring　the　same　answers；　and　poured　forth　vain　regrets　and　unjust　reproaches。　　The　news　spread　through　the　town；　causing　the　greatest　astonishment：　there　arose　a　great　commotion　in　the　castle；　and　the　members　of　the　regency　hastily　assembled；　while　couriers　were　sent　out　in　every　direction；　charged　to　promise　12；000　ducats　to　whomsoever　should　discover　the　place　where　the　princess　was　concealed。　　Proceedings　were　at　once　taken　against　the　soldiers　who　were　on　guard　at　the　fortress　at　the　time　of　the　disappearance。
  Bertrand　of　Artois　drew　the　queen　apart；　telling　her　his　suspicions；　which　fell　directly　upon　Charles　of　Durazzo；　but　Joan　lost　no　time　in　persuading　him　of　the　improbability　of　his　hypothesis：　first　of　all；　Charles　had　never　once　set　his　foot　in　Castel　Nuovo　since　the　day　of　his　stormy　interview　with　the　queen；　but　had　made　a　point　of　always　leaving　Andre　by　the　bridge　when　he　came　to　the　town　with　him；　besides；　it　had　never　been　noticed；　even　in　the　past；　that　the　young　duke　had　spoken　to　Marie　or　exchanged　looks　with　her：　the　result　of　all　attainable　evidence　was；　that　no　stranger　had　entered　the　castle　the　evening　before　except　a　notary　named　Master　Nicholas　of　Melazzo；　an　old　person；　half　silly；　half　fanatical；　for　whom　Tommaso　Pace；　valet　de　chambre　to　the　Duke　of　Calabria；　was　ready　to　answer　with　his　life。　　Bertrand　yielded　to　the　queen's　reasoning；　and　day　by　day　advanced　new　suggestions；　each　less　probable　than　the　last；　to　draw　his　mistress　on　to　feel　a　hope　that　he　was　far　from　feeling　himself。
  But　a　month　later；　and　precisely　on　the　morning　of　Monday　the　30th　of　April；　a　strange　and　unexpected　scene　took　place；　an　exhibition　of　boldness　transcending　all　calculations。　　The　Neapolitan　people　were　stupefied　in　astonishment；　and　the　grief　of　Joan　and　her　friends　was　changed　to　indignation。　Just　as　the　clock　of　San　Giovanni　struck　twelve；　the　gate　of　the　magnificent　palace　of　the　Durazzo　flung　open　its　folding　doors；　and　there　came　forth　to　the　sound　of　trumpets　a　double　file　of　cavaliers　on　richly　caparisoned　horses；　with　the　duke's　arms　on　their　shields。　　They　took　up　their　station　round　the　house　to　prevent　the　people　outside　from　disturbing　a　ceremony　which　was　to　take　place　before　the　eyes　of　an　immense　crowd；　assembled　suddenly；　as　by　a　miracle；　upon　the　square。　　At　the　back　of　the　court　stood　an　altar；　and　upon　the　steps　lay　two　crimson　velvet　cushions　embroidered　with　the　fleur…de…lys　of　France　and　the　ducal　crown。　Charles　came　forward；　clad　in　a　dazzling　dress；　and　holding　by　the　hand　the　queen's　sister；　the　Princess　Marie；　at　that　time　almost　thirteen　years　of　age。　　She　knelt　down　timidly　on　one　of　the　cushions；　and　when　Charles　had　done　the　same；　the　grand　almoner　of　the　Duras　house　asked　the　young　duke　solemnly　what　was　his　intention　in　appearing　thus　humbly　before　a　minister　of　the　Church。　　At　these　words　Master　Nicholas　of　Melazzo　took　his　place　on　the　left　of　the　altar；　and　read　in　a　firm；　clear　voice；　first；　the　contract　of　marriage　between　Charles　and　Marie；　and　then　the　apostolic　letters　from　His　Holiness　the　sovereign　pontiff；　Clement　VI；　who　in　his　own　name　removing　all　obstacles　that　might　impede　the　union；　such　as　the　age　of　the　young　bride　and　the　degrees　of　affinity　between　the　two　parties；　authorised　his　dearly　beloved　son　Charles；　Duke　of　Durazzo　and　Albania；　to　take　in　marriage　the　most　illustrious　Marie　of　Anjou；　sister　of　Joan；　Queen　of　Naples　and　Jerusalem；　and　bestowed　his　benediction　on　the　pair。
  The　almoner　then　took　the　young　girl's　hand；　and　placing　it　in　that　of　Charles；　pronounced　the　prayers　of　the　Church。　　Charles；　turning　half　round　to　the　people；　said　in　a　loud　voice
  〃Before　God　and　man；　this　woman　is　my　wife。〃
  〃And　this　man　is　my　husband；〃　said　Marie；　trembling。
  〃Long　live　the　Duke　and　Duchess　of　Durazzo！〃　cried　the　crowd；　clapping　their　hands。　　And　the　young　pair；　at　once　mounting　two　beautiful　horses　and　followed　by　their　cavaliers　and　pages；　solemnly　paraded　through　the　town；　and　re…entered　their　palace　to　the　sound　of　trumpets　and　cheering。
  When　this　incredible　news　was　brought　to　the　queen；　her　first　feeling　was　joy　at　the　recovery　of　her　sister；　and　when　Bertrand　of　Artois　was　eager　to　head　a　band　of　barons　and　cavaliers　and　bent　on　falling　upon　the　cortege　to　punish　the　traitor；　Joan　put　up　her　hand　to　stop　him　with　a　very　mournful　look。
  〃Alas！〃　she　said　sadly；　〃it　is　too　late。　　They　are　legally　married；　for　the　head　of　the　Churchwho　is　moreover　by　my　grandfather's　will　the　head　of　our　familyhas　granted　his　permission。　　I　only　pity　my　poor　sister；　I　pity　her　for　becoming　so　young　the　prey　of　a　wretched　man　who　sacrifices　her　to　his　own　ambition；　hoping　by　this　marriage　to　establish　a　claim　to　the　throne。　　O　God！　what　a　strange　fate　oppresses　the　royal　house　of　Anjou！　　My　father's　early　death　in　the　midst　of　his　triumphs；　my　mother's　so　quickly　after；　my　sister　and　I；　the　sole　offspring　of　Charles　I；　both　before　we　are　women　grown　fallen　into　the　hands　of　cowardly　men；　who　use　us　but　as　the　stepping…stones　of　their　ambition！〃　Joan　fell　back　exhausted　on　her　chair；　a　burning　tear　trembling　on　her　eyelid。
  〃This　is　the　second　time；〃　said　Bertrand　reproachfully；　〃that　I　have　drawn　my　sword　to　avenge　an　insult　offered　to　you；　the　second　time　I　return　it　by　your　orders　to　the　scabbard。　　But　remember；　Joan；　the　third　time　will　not　find　me　so　docile；　and　then　it　will　not　be　Robert　of　Cabane　or　Charles　of　Durazzo　that　I　shall　strike；　but　him　who　is　the　cause　of　all　your　misfortunes。〃
  〃Have　mercy；　Bertrand！　do　not　you　also　speak　these　words；　whenever　this　horrible　thought　takes　hold　of　me；　let　me　come　to　you：　this　threat　of　bloodshed　that　is　drummed　into　my　ears；　this　sinister　vision　that　haunts　my　sight；　let　me　come　to　you；　beloved；　and　weep　upon　your　bosom；　beneath　your　breath　cool　my　burning　fancies；　from　your　eyes　draw　some　little　courage　to　revive　my　perishing　soul。　Come；　I　am　quite　unhappy　enough　without　needing　to　poison　the　future　by　an　endless　remorse。　　Tell　me　rather　to　forgive　and　to　forget；　speak　not　of　hatred　and　revenge；　show　me　one　ray　of　hope　amid　the　darkness　that　surrounds　me；　hold　up　my　wavering　feet；　and　push　me　not　into　the　abyss。〃
  Such　altercations　as　this　were　repeated　as　often　as　any　fresh　wrong　arose　from　the　side　of　Andre　or　his　party；　and　in　proportion　as　the　attacks　made　by　Bertrand　and　his　friends　gained　in　vehemenceand　we　must　add；　in　justiceso　did　Joan's　objections　weaken。　　The　Hungarian　rule；　as　it　became；　more　and　more　arbitrary　and　unbearable；　irritated　men's　minds　to　such　a　point；　that　the　people　murmured　in　secret　and　the　nobles　proclaimed　aloud　their　discontent。　　Andre's　soldiers　indulged　in　a　libertinage　which　would　have　been　intolerable　in　a　conquered　city：　they　were　found　everywhere　brawling　in　the　taverns　or　rolling　about　disgustingly　drunk　in　the　gutters；　and　the　prince；　far　from　rebuking　such　orgies；　was　accused　of　sharing　them　himself。　　His　former　tutor；　who　ought　to　have　felt　bound　to　drag　him　away　from　so　ignoble　a　mode　of　life；　rather　strove　to　immerse　him　in　degrading　pleasures；　so　as　to　keep　him　out　of　business　matters；　without　suspecting　it；　he　was　hurrying　on　the　denouement　of　the　terrible　drama　that　was　being　acted　behind　the　scenes　at　Castel　Nuovo。　Robert's　widow；　Dona　Sancha　of　Aragon；　the　good　and　sainted　lady　whom　our　readers　may　possibly　have　forgotten；　as　her　family　had　done；　seeing　that　God's　anger　was　hanging　over　her　house；　and　that　no　counsels；　no　tears　or　prayers　of　hers　could　avail　to　arrest　it；　after　wearing　mourning　for　her　husband　one　whole　year；　according　to　her　promise；　had　taken　the　veil　at　the　convent　of　Santa　Maria　delta　Croce；　and　deserted　the　court　and　its　follies　and　passions；　just　as　the　prophets　of　old；　turning　their　back　on　some　accursed　city；　would　shake　the　dust　from　off　their　sandals　and　depart。　　Sandra's　retreat　was　a　sad　omen；　and　soon　the　family　dissensions；　long　with　difficulty　suppressed；　sprang　forth　to　open　view；　the　storm　that　had　been　threatening　from　afar　broke　suddenly　over　the　town；　and　the　thunderbolt　was　shortly　to　follow。
  On　the　last　day　of　August　1344；　Joan　rendered　homage　to　Americ；　Cardinal　of　Saint　Martin　and　legate　of　Clement　VI；　who　looked　upon　the　kingdom　of　Naples　as　being　a　fief　of　the　Church　ever　since　the　time　when　his　predecessors　had　presented　it　to　Charles　of　Anjou；　and　overthrown　and　excommunicated　the　house　of　Suabia。　　For　this　solemn　ceremony　the　church　of　Saint　Clara　was　chosen；　the　burial…place　of　Neapolitan　kings；　and　but　lately　the　tomb　of　the　grandfather　and　father　of　the　young　queen；　who　reposed　to　right