d　that　the　first　effect　of　her　hatred　was　to　fall　upon　this　unhappy　mother。　　She　summoned　the　Count　of　Terlizzi　and　Dona　Cancha；　his　mistress；　who　by　the　queen's　orders　had　been　attending　Agnes　since　her　illness　began。　　Catherine　suggested　to　the　young　chamberwoman；　who　was　at　that　time　with　child；　that　she　should　deceive　the　doctor　by　representing　that　certain　signs　of　her　own　condition　really　belonged　to　the　sick　woman；　so　that　he；　deceived　by　the　false　indications；　should　be　compelled　to　admit　to　Charles　of　Durazzo　that　his　mother　was　guilty　and　dishonoured。　　The　Count　of　Terlizzi；　who　ever　since　he　had　taken　part　in　the　regicide　trembled　in　fear　of　discovery；　had　nothing　to　oppose　to　the　empress's　desire；　and　Dona　Cancha；　whose　head　was　as　light　as　her　heart　was　corrupt；　seized　with　a　foolish　gaiety　on　any　chance　of　taking　her　revenge　on　the　prudery　of　the　only　princess　of　the　blood　who　led　a　pure　life　at　a　court　that　was　renowned　for　its　depravity。　　Once　assured　that　her　accomplices　would　be　prudent　and　obedient；　Catherine　began　to　spread　abroad　certain　vague　and　dubious　but　terribly　serious　rumours；　only　needing　proof；　and　soon　after　the　cruel　accusation　was　started　it　was　repeated　again　and　again　in　confidence；　until　it　reached　the　ears　of　Charles。
  At　this　amazing　revelation　the　duke　was　seized　with　a　fit　of　trembling。　　He　sent　instantly　for　the　doctor；　and　asked　imperiously　what　was　the　cause　of　his　mother's　malady。　　The　doctor　turned　pale　and　stammered；　but　when　Charles　grew　threatening　he　admitted　that　he　had　certain　grounds　for　suspecting　that　the　duchess　was　enceinte；　but　as　he　might　easily　have　been　deceived　the　first　time；　he　would　make　a　second　investigation　before　pronouncing　his　opinion　in　so　serious　a　matter。　　The　next　day；　as　the　doctor　came　out　of　the　bedroom；　the　duke　met　him；　and　interrogating　him　with　an　agonised　gesture；　could　only　judge　by　the　silence　that　his　fears　were　too　well　confirmed。　But　the　doctor；　with　excess　of　caution；　declared　that　he　would　make　a　third　trial。　　Condemned　criminals　can　suffer　no　worse　than　Charles　in　the　long　hours　that　passed　before　that　fatal　moment　when　he　learned　that　his　mother　was　indeed　guilty。　　On　the　third　day　the　doctor　stated　on　his　soul　and　conscience　that　Agnes　of　Durazzo　was　pregnant。
  〃Very　good；〃　said　Charles；　dismissing　the　doctor　with　no　sign　of　emotion。
  That　evening　the　duchess　took　a　medicine　ordered　by　the　doctor；　and　when；　half　an　hour　later；　she　was　assailed　with　violent　pains；　the　duke　was　warned　that　perhaps　other　physicians　ought　to　be　consulted；　as　the　prescription　of　the　ordinary　doctor；　instead　of　bringing　about　an　improvement　in　her　state；　had　only　made　her　worse。
  Charles　slowly　went　up　to　the　duchess's　room；　and　sending　away　all　the　people　who　were　standing　round　her　bed；　on　the　pretext　that　they　were　clumsy　and　made　his　mother　worse；　he　shut　the　door；　and　they　were　alone。　　The　poor　Agnes；　forgetting　her　internal　agony　when　she　saw　her　son；　pressed　his　hand　tenderly　and　smiled　through　her　tears。
  Charles；　pale　beneath　his　bronzed　complexion；　his　forehead　moist　with　a　cold　sweat；　and　his　eyes　horribly　dilated；　bent　over　the　sick　woman　and　asked　her　gloomily
  〃Are　you　a　little　better；　mother？〃
  〃Ah；　I　am　in　pain；　in　frightful　pain；　my　poor　Charles。　　I　feel　as　though　I　have　molten　lead　in　my　veins。　　O　my　son；　call　your　brothers；　so　that　I　may　give　you　all　my　blessing　for　the　last　time；　for　I　cannot　hold　out　long　against　this　pain。　　I　am　burning。　　Mercy！　　Call　a　doctor：　I　know　I　have　been　poisoned。〃
  Charles　did　not　stir　from　the　bedside。
  〃Water！〃　cried　the　dying　woman　in　a　broken　voice；〃　water！　　A　doctor；　a　confessor！　　My　childrenI　want　my　children！〃
  And　as　the　duke　paid　no　heed；　but　stood　moodily　silent；　the　poor　mother；　prostrated　by　pain；　fancied　that　grief　had　robbed　her　son　of　all　power　of　speech　or　movement；　and　so；　by　a　desperate　effort；　sat　up；　and　seizing　him　by　the　arm；　cried　with　all　the　strength　she　could　muster
  〃Charles；　my　son；　what　is　it？　　My　poor　boy；　courage；　it　is　nothing；　I　hope。　　But　quick；　call　for　help；　call　a　doctor。　　Ah；　you　have　no　idea　of　what　I　suffer。〃
  〃Your　doctor；〃　said　Charles　slowly　and　coldly；　each　word　piercing　his　mother's　heart　like　a　dagger；〃your　doctor　cannot　come。〃
  〃Oh　why？〃　asked　Agnes；　stupefied。
  〃Because　no　one　ought　to　live　who　knows　the　secret　of　our　shame。〃
  〃Unhappy　man！〃　she　cried；　overwhelmed　with；　pain　and　terror；　〃you　have　murdered　him！　　Perhaps　you　have　poisoned　your　mother　too！　Charles；　Charles；　have　mercy　on　your　own　soul！〃
  〃It　is　your　doing；〃　said　Charles；　without　show　of　emotion：　〃you　have　driven　me　into　crime　and　despair；　you　have　caused　my　dishonour　in　this　world　and　my　damnation　in　the　next。〃
  〃What　are　you　saying？　　My　own　Charles；　have　mercy！　　Do　not　let　me　die　in　this　horrible　uncertainty；　what　fatal　delusion　is　blinding　you？　Speak；　my　son；　speak：　I　am　not　feeling　the　poison　now。　　What　have　I　done？　　Of　what　have　I　been　accused？〃
  She　looked　with　haggard　eyes　at　her　son：　her　maternal　love　still　struggled　against　the　awful　thought　of　matricide；　at　last；　seeing　that　Charles　remained　speechless　in　spite　of　her　entreaties；　she　repeated；　with　a　piercing　cry
  〃Speak；　in　God's　name；　speak　before　I　die！〃
  〃Mother；　you　are　with　child。〃
  〃What！〃　cried　Agnes；　with　a　loud　cry；　which　broke　her　very　heart。　〃O　God；　forgive　him！　　Charles；　your　mother　forgives　and　blesses　you　in　death。〃
  Charles　fell　upon　her　neck；　desperately　crying　for　help：　he　would　now　have　gladly　saved　her　at　the　cost　of　his　life；　but　it　was　too　late。　He　uttered　one　cry　that　came　from　his　heart；　and　was　found　stretched　out　upon　his　mother's　corpse。
  Strange　comments　were　made　at　the　court　on　the　death　of　the　Duchess　of　Durazzo　and　her　doctor's　disappearance；　but　there　was　no　doubt　at　all　that　grief　and　gloom　were　furrowing　wrinkles　on　Charles's　brow；　which　was　already　sad　enough。　　Catherine　alone　knew　the　terrible　cause　of　her　nephew's　depression；　for　to　her　it　was　very　plain　that　the　duke　at　one　blow　had　killed　his　mother　and　her　physician。　　But　she　had　never　expected　a　reaction　so　sudden　and　violent　in　a　man　who　shrank　before　no　crime。　　She　had　thought　Charles　capable　of　everything　except　remorse。　　His　gloomy；　self　absorbed　silence　seemed　a　bad　augury　for　her　plans。　　She　had　desired　to　cause　trouble　for　him　in　his　own　family；　so　that　he　might　have　no　time　to　oppose　the　marriage　of　her　son　with　the　queen；　but　she　had　shot　beyond　her　mark；　and　Charles；　started　thus　on　the　terrible　path　of　crime；　had　now　broken　through　the　bonds　of　his　holiest　affections；　and　gave　himself　up　to　his　bad　passions　with　feverish　ardour　and　a　savage　desire　for　revenge。　　Then　Catherine　had　recourse　to　gentleness　and　submission。　She　gave　her　son　to　understand　that　there　was　only　one　way　of　obtaining　the　queen's　hand；　and　that　was　by　flattering　the　ambition　of　Charles　and　in　some　sort　submitting　himself　to　his　patronage。　Robert　of　Tarentum　understood　this；　and　ceased　making　court　to　Joan；　who　received　his　devotion　with　cool　kindness；　and　attached　himself　closely　to　Charles；　paying　him　much　the　same　sort　of　respect　and　deference　that　he　himself　had　affected　for　Andre；　when　the　thought　was　first　in　his　mind　of　causing　his　ruin。　　But　the　Duke　of　Durazzo　was　by　no　means　deceived　as　to　the　devoted　friendship　shown　towards　him　by　the　heir　of　the　house　of　Tarentum；　and　pretending　to　be　deeply　touched　by　the　unexpected　change　of　feeling；　he　all　the　time　kept　a　strict　guard　on　Robert's　actions。
  An　event　outside　all　human　foresight　occurred　to　upset　the　calculations　of　the　two　cousins。　　One　day　while　they　were　out　together　on　horseback；　as　they　often　were　since　their　pretended　reconciliation；　Louis　of　Tarentum；　Robert's　youngest　brother；　who　had　always　felt　for　Joan　a　chivalrous；　innocent　love；a　love　which　a　young　man　of　twenty　is　apt　to　lock　up　in　his　heart　as　a　secret　treasure；Louis；　we　say；　who　had　held　aloof　from　the　infamous　family　conspiracy　and　had　not　soiled　his　hands　with　Andre's　blood；　drawn　on　by　an　irrepressible　passion；　all　at　once　appeared　at　the　gates　of　Castel　Nuovo；　and　while　his　brother　was　wasting　precious　hours　in　asking　for　a　promise　of　marriage；　had　the　bridge　raised　and　gave　the　soldiers　strict　orders　to　admit　no　one。　　Then；　never　troubling　himself　about　Charles's　anger　or　Robert's　jealousy；　he　hurried　to　the　queen's　room；　and　there；　says　Domenico　Gravina；　without　any　preamble；　the　union　was　consummated。
  On　returning　from　his　ride；　Robert；　astonished　that　the　bridge　was　not　at　once　lowered　for　him；　at　first　loudly　called　upon　the　soldiers　on　guard　at　the　fortress；　threatening　severe　punishment　for　their　unpardonable　negligence；　but　as　the　gates　did　not　open　and　the　soldiers　made　no　sign　of　fear　or　regret；　he　fell　into　a　violent　fit　of　rage；　and　swore　he　would　hang　the　wretches　like　dogs　for　hindering　his　return　home。　　But　the　Empress　of　Constantinople；　terrified　at　the　bloody　quarrel　beginning　between　the　two　brothers；　went　alone　and　on　foot　to　her　son；　and　making　use　of　her　maternal　authority　to　beg　him　to　master　his　feelings；　there　in　the　presence　of　the　crowd　that　had　come　up　hastily　to　witness　the　strange　scene；　she　related　in　a　low　voice　all　that　had　passed　in　his　absence。
  A　roar　as　of　a　wo