e　strange　scene；　she　related　in　a　low　voice　all　that　had　passed　in　his　absence。
  A　roar　as　of　a　wounded　tiger　escaped　from　Robert's　breast：　all　but　blind　with　rage；　he　nearly　trampled　his　mother　under　the　feet　of　his　horse；　which　seemed　to　feel　his　master's　anger；　and　plunging　violently；　breathed　blood　from　his　nostrils。　　When　the　prince　had　poured　every　possible　execration　on　his　brother's　head；　he　turned　and　galloped　away　from　the　accursed　castle；　flying　to　the　Duke　of　Durazzo；　whom　he　had　only　just　left；　to　tell　him　of　this　outrage　and　stir　him　to　revenge。　　Charles　was　talking　carelessly　with　his　young　wife；　who　was　but　little　used　to　such　tranquil　conversation　and　expansiveness；　when　the　Prince　of　Tarentum；　exhausted；　out　of　breath；　bathed　in　perspiration；　came　up　with　his　incredible　tale。　　Charles　made　him　say　it　twice　over；　so　impossible　did　Louis's　audacious　enterprise　appear　to　him。　　Then　quickly　changing　from　doubt　to　fury；　he　struck　his　brow　with　his　iron　glove；　saying　that　as　the　queen　defied　him　he　would　make　her　tremble　even　in　her　castle　and　in　her　lover's　arms。　　He　threw　one　withering　look　on　Marie；　who　interceded　tearfully　for　her　sister；　and　pressing　Robert's　hand　with　warmth；　vowed　that　so　long　as　he　lived　Louis　should　never　be　Joan's　husband。
  That　same　evening　he　shut　himself　up　in　his　study；　and　wrote　letters　whose　effect　soon　appeared。　　A　bull；　dated　June　2；　1346；　was　addressed　to　Bertram　de　Baux；　chief…justice　of　the　kingdom　of　Sicily　and　Count　of　Monte　Scaglioso；　with　orders　to　make　the　most　strict　inquiries　concerning　Andre's　murderers；　whom　the　pope　likewise　laid　under　his　anathema；　and　to　punish　them　with　the　utmost　rigour　of　the　law。　　But　a　secret　note　was　appended　to　the　bull　which　was　quite　at　variance　with　the　designs　of　Charles：　the　sovereign　pontiff　expressly　bade　the　chief…justice　not　to　implicate　the　queen　in　the　proceedings　or　the　princes　of　the　blood；　so　as　to　avoid　worse　disturbances；　reserving；　as　supreme　head　of　the　Church　and　lord　of　the　kingdom；　the　right　of　judging　them　later　on；　as　his　wisdom　might　dictate。
  For　this　imposing　trial　Bertram　de　Baux　made　great　preparations。　A　platform　was　erected　in　the　great　hall　of　tribunal；　and　all　the　officers　of　the　crown　and　great　state　dignitaries；　and　all　the　chief　barons；　had　a　place　behind　the　enclosure　where　the　magistrates　sat。　Three　days　after　Clement　VI's　bull　had　been　published　in　the　capital；　the　chief…justice　was　ready　for　a　public　examination　of　two　accused　persons。　　The　two　culprits　who　had　first　fallen　into　the　hands　of　justice　were；　as　one　may　easily　suppose；　those　whose　condition　was　least　exalted；　whose　lives　were　least　valuable；　Tommaso　Pace　and　Nicholas　of　Melazzo。　　They　were　led　before　the　tribunal　to　be　first　of　all　tortured；　as　the　custom　was。　　As　they　approached　the　judges；　the　notary　passing　by　Charles　in　the　street　had　time　to　say　in　a　low　voice
  〃My　lord；　the　time　has　come　to　give　my　life　for　you：　I　will　do　my　duty；　I　commend　my　wife　and　children　to　you。〃
  Encouraged　by　a　nod　from　his　patron；　he　walked　on　firmly　and　deliberately。　　The　chief…justice；　after　establishing　the　identity　of　the　accused；　gave　them　over　to　the　executioner　and　his　men　to　be　tortured　in　the　public　square；　so　that　their　sufferings　might　serve　as　a　show　and　an　example　to　the　crowd。　　But　no　sooner　was　Tommaso　Pace　tied　to　the　rope；　when　to　the　great　disappointment　of　all　he　declared　that　he　would　confess　everything；　and　asked　accordingly　to　be　taken　back　before　his　judges。　　At　these　words；　the　Count　of　Terlizzi；　who　was　following　every　movement　of　the　two　men　with　mortal　anxiety；　thought　it　was　all　over　now　with　him　and　his　accomplices；　and　so；　when　Tommaso　Pace　was　turning　his　steps　towards　the　great　hall；　led　by　two　guards；　his　hands　tied　behind　his　back；　and　followed　by　the　notary；　he　contrived　to　take　him　into　a　secluded　house；　and　squeezing　his　throat　with　great　force；　made　him　thus　put　his　tongue　out；　whereupon　he　cut　it　off　with　a　sharp　razor。
  The　yells　of　the　poor　wretch　so　cruelly　mutilated　fell　on　the　ears　of　the　Duke　of　Durazzo　：　he　found　his　way　into　the　room　where　the　barbarous　act　had　been　committed　just　as　the　Count　of　Terlizzi　was　coming　out；　and　approached　the　notary；　who　had　been　present　at　the　dreadful　spectacle　and　had　not　given　the　least　sign　of　fear　or　emotion。　　Master　Nicholas；　thinking　the　same　fate　was　in　store　for　him；　turned　calmly　to　the　duke；　saying　with　a　sad　smile
  〃My　lord；　the　precaution　is　useless；　there　is　no　need　for　you　to　cut　out　my　tongue；　as　the　noble　count　has　done　to　my　poor　companion。　　The　last　scrap　of　my　flesh　may　be　torn　off　without　one　word　being　dragged　from　my　mouth。　　I　have　promised；　my　lord；　and　you　have　the　life　of　my　wife　and　the　future　of　my　children　as　guarantee　for　my　word。〃
  〃I　do　not　ask　for　silence；〃　said　the　duke　solemnly；　〃you　can　free　me　from　all　my　enemies　at　once；　and　I　order　you　to　denounce　them　at　the　tribunal。〃
  The　notary　bowed　his　head　with　mournful　resignation；　then　raising　it　in　affright；　made　one　step　up　to　the　duke　and　murmured　in　a　choking　voice
  〃And　the　queen？〃
  〃No　one　would　believe　you　if　you　ventured　to　denounce　her；　but　when　the　Catanese　and　her　son；　the　Count　of　Terlizzi　and　his　wife　and　her　most　intimate　friends；　have　been　accused　by　you；　when　they　fail　to　endure　the　torture；　and　when　they　denounce　her　unanimously…〃
  〃I　see；　my　lord。　　You　do　not　only　want　my　life；　you　would　have　my　soul　too。　　Very　well；　once　more　I　commend　to　you　my　children。〃
  With　a　deep　sigh　he　walked　up　to　the　tribunal。　　The　chief…justice　asked　Tommaso　Pace　the　usual　questions；　and　a　shudder　of　horror　passed　through　the　assembly　when　they　saw　the　poor　wretch　in　desperation　opening　his　mouth；　which　streamed　with　blood。　　But　surprise　and　terror　reached　their　height　when　Nicholas　of　Melazzo　slowly　and　firmly　gave　a　list　of　Andre's　murderers；　all　except　the　queen　and　the　princes　of　the　blood；　and　went　on　to　give　all　details　of　the　assassination。
  Proceedings　were　at　once　taken　for　the　arrest　of　the　grand　seneschal；　Robert　of　Cabane；　and　the　Counts　of　Terlizzi　and　Morcone；　who　were　present　and　had　not　ventured　to　make　any　movement　in　self…defence。　An　hour　later；　Philippa；　her　two　daughters；　and　Dona　Cancha　joined　them　in　prison；　after　vainly　imploring　the　queen's　protection。　Charles　and　Bertrand　of　Artois；　shut　up　in　their　fortress　of　Saint　Agatha；　bade　defiance　to　justice；　and　several　others；　among　them　the　Counts　of　Meleto　and　Catanzaro；　escaped　by　flight。
  As　soon　as　Master　Nicholas　said　he　had　nothing　further　to　confess；　and　that　he　had　spoken　the　whole　truth　and　nothing　but　the　truth；　the　chief…justice　pronounced　sentence　amid　a　profound　silence；　and　1897　without　delay　Tommaso　Pace　and　the　notary　were　tied　to　the　tails　of　two　horses；　dragged　through　the　chief　streets　of　the　town；　and　hanged　in　the　market　place。
  The　other　prisoners　were　thrown　into　a　subterranean　vault；　to　be　questioned　and　put　to　the　torture　on　the　following　day。　　In　the　evening；　finding　themselves　in　the　same　dungeon；　they　reproached　one　another；　each　pretending　he　had　been　dragged　into　the　crime　by　someone　else。　　Then　Dona　Cancha；　whose　strange　character　knew　no　inconsistencies；　even　face　to　face　with　death　and　torture；　drowned　with　a　great　burst　of　laughter　the　lamentations　of　her　companions；　and　joyously　exclaimed
  〃Look　here；　friends；　why　these　bitter　recriminationsthis　ill　mannered　raving？　　We　have　no　excuses　to　make；　and　we　are　all　equally　guilty。　　I　am　the　youngest　of　all；　and　not　the　ugliest；　by　your　leave；　ladies；　but　if　I　am　condemned；　at　least　I　will　die　cheerfully。　For　I　have　never　denied　myself　any　pleasure　I　could　get　in　this　world；　and　I　can　boast　that　much　will　be　forgiven　me；　for　I　have　loved　much：　of　that　you；　gentlemen；　know　something。　　You；　bad　old　man；〃　she　continued　to　the　Count　of　Terlizzi；　〃do　you　not　remember　lying　by　my　side　in　the　queen's　ante…chamber？　　Come；　no　blushes　before　your　noble　family；　confess；　my　lord；　that　I　am　with　child　by　your　Excellency；　and　you　know　how　we　managed　to　make　up　the　story　of　poor　Agues　of　Durazzo　and　her　pregnancyGod　rest　her　soul！　　For　my　part；　I　never　supposed　the　joke　would　take　such　a　serious　turn　all　at　once。　　You　know　all　this　and　much　more；　spare　your　lamentations；　for；　by　my　word；　they　are　getting　very　tiresome：　let　us　prepare　to　die　joyously；　as　we　have　lived。〃
  With　these　words　she　yawned　slightly；　and；　lying　down　on　the　straw；　fell　into　a　deep　sleep；　and　dreamed　as　happy　dreams　as　she　had　ever　dreamed　in　her　life。
  On　the　morrow　from　break　of　day　there　was　an　immense　crowd　on　the　sea　front。　　During　the　night　an　enormous　palisade　had　been　put　up　to　keep　the　people　away　far　enough　for　them　to　see　the　accused　without　hearing　anything。　　Charles　of　Durazzo；　at　the　head　of　a　brilliant　cortege　of　knights　and　pages；　mounted　on　a　magnificent　horse；　all　in　black；　as　a　sign　of　mourning；　waited　near　the　enclosure。　　Ferocious　joy　shone　in　his　eyes　as　the　accused　made　their　way　through　the　crowd；　two　by　two；　their　wrists　tied　with　ropes；　for　the　duke　every　minute　expected　to　hear　the　queen's　name　spoken。　　But　the　chief…　justice；　a　man　of　experience；　had　prevented　indiscretion　of　any　kind　by　fixing　a　hook　in　the　tongue　of　each　one。　　The　poor　creatures　w