prevented　indiscretion　of　any　kind　by　fixing　a　hook　in　the　tongue　of　each　one。　　The　poor　creatures　were　tortured　on　a　ship；　so　that　nobody　should　hear　the　terrible　confessions　their　sufferings　dragged　from　them。
  But　Joan；　in　spite　of　the　wrongs　that　most　of　the　conspirators　had　done　her；　felt　a　renewal　of　pity　for　the　woman　she　had　once　respected　as　a　mother；　for　her　childish　companions　and　her　friends；　and　possibly　also　some　remains　of　love　for　Robert　of　Cabane；　and　sent　two　messengers　to　beg　Bertram　de　Baux　to　show　mercy　to　the　culprits。　　But　the　chief…justice　seized　these　men　and　had　them　tortured；　and　on　their　confession　that　they　also　were　implicated　in　Andre's　murder；　he　condemned　them　to　the　same　punishment　as　the　others。　　Dona　Cancha　alone；　by　reason　of　her　situation；　escaped　the　torture；　and　her　sentence　was　deferred　till　the　day　of　her　confinement。
  As　this　beautiful　girl　was　returning　to　prison；　with　many　a　smile　for　all　the　handsomest　cavaliers　she　could　see　in　the　crowd；　she　gave　a　sign　to　Charles　of　Durazzo　as　she　neared　him　to　come　forward；　and　since　her　tongue　had　not　been　pierced　（for　the　same　reason）　with　an　iron　instrument；　she　said　some　words　to　him　a　while　in　a　low　voice。
  Charles　turned　fearfully　pale；　and　putting　his　hand　to　his　sword；　cried
  〃Wretched　woman！〃
  〃You　forget；　my　lord；　I　am　under　the　protection　of　the　law。〃
  〃My　mother！oh；　my　poor　mother！　　〃murmured　Charles　in　a　choked　voice；　and　he　fell　backward。
  The　next　morning　the　people　were　beforehand　with　the　executioner；　loudly　demanding　their　prey。　　All　the　national　troops　and　mercenaries　that　the　judicial　authorities　could　command　were　echelonned　in　the　streets；　opposing　a　sort　of　dam　to　the　torrent　of　the　raging　crowd。　The　sudden　insatiable　cruelty　that　too　often　degrades　human　nature　had　awaked　in　the　populace：　all　heads　were　turned　with　hatred　and　frenzy；　all　imaginations　inflamed　with　the　passion　for　revenge；　groups　of　men　and　women；　roaring　like　wild　beasts；　threatened　to　knock　down　the　walls　of　the　prison；　if　the　condemned　were　not　handed　over　to　them　to　take　to　the　place　of　punishment：　a　great　murmur　arose；　continuous；　ever　the　same；　like　the　growling　of　thunder：　the　queen's　heart　was　petrified　with　terror。
  But；　in　spite　of　the　desire　of　Bertram　de　Baux　to　satisfy　the　popular　wish；　the　preparations　for　the　solemn　execution　were　not　completed　till　midday；　when　the　sun's　rays　fell　scorchingly　upon　the　town。　There　went　up　a　mighty　cry　from　ten　thousand　palpitating　breasts　when　a　report　first　ran　through　the　crowd　that　the　prisoners　were　about　to　appear。　　There　was　a　moment　of　silence；　and　the　prison　doors　rolled　slowly　back　on　their　hinges　with　a　rusty；　grating　noise。　　A　triple　row　of　horsemen；　with　lowered　visor　and　lance　in　rest；　started　the　procession；　and　amid　yells　and　curses　the　condemned　prisoners　came　out　one　by　one；　each　tied　upon　a　cart；　gagged　and　naked　to　the　waist；　in　charge　of　two　executioners；　whose　orders　were　to　torture　them　the　whole　length　of　their　way。　　On　the　first　cart　was　the　former　laundress　of　Catana；　afterwards　wife　of　the　grand　seneschal　and　governess　to　the　queen；　Philippa　of　Cabane：　the　two　executioners　at　right　and　left　of　her　scourged　her　with　such　fury　that　the　blood　spurting　up　from　the　wounds　left　a　long　track　in　all　the　streets　passed　by　the　cortege。
  Immediately　following　their　mother　on　separate　carts　came　the　Countesses　of　Terlizzi　and　Morcone；　the　elder　no　more　than　eighteen　years　of　age。　　The　two　sisters　were　so　marvellously　beautiful　that　in　the　crowd　a　murmur　of　surprise　was　heard；　and　greedy　eyes　were　fixed　upon　their　naked　trembling　shoulders。　　But　the　men　charged　to　torture　them　gazed　with　ferocious　smiles　upon　their　forms　of　seductive　beauty；　and；　armed　with　sharp　knives；　cut　off　pieces　of　their　flesh　with　a　deliberate　enjoyment　and　threw　them　out　to　the　crowd；　who　eagerly　struggled　to　get　them；　signing　to　the　executioners　to　show　which　part　of　the　victims'　bodies　they　preferred。
  Robert　of　Cabane；　the　grand　seneschal；　the　Counts　of　Terlizzi　and　Morcone；　Raymond　Pace；　brother　of　the　old　valet　who　had　been　executed　the　day　before；　and　many　more；　were　dragged　on　similar　carts；　and　both　scourged　with　ropes　and　slashed　with　knives；　their　flesh　was　torn　out　with　red…hot　pincers；　and　flung　upon　brazen　chafing…dishes。　No　cry　of　pain　was　heard　from　the　grand　seneschal；　he　never　stirred　once　in　his　frightful　agony；　yet　the　torturers　put　such　fury　into　their　work　that　the　poor　wretch　was　dead　before　the　goal　was　reached。
  In　the　centre　of　the　square　of　Saint　Eligius　an　immense　stake　was　set　up：　there　the　prisoners　were　taken；　and　what　was　left　of　their　mutilated　bodies　was　thrown　into　the　flames。　　The　Count　of　Terlizzi　and　the　grand　seneschal's　widow　were　still　alive；　and　two　tears　of　blood　ran　down　the　cheeks　of　the　miserable　mother　as　she　saw　her　son's　corpse　and　the　palpitating　remains　of　her　two　daughters　cast　upon　the　firethey　by　their　stifled　cries　showed　that　they　had　not　ceased　to　suffer。　　But　suddenly　a　fearful　noise　overpowered　the　groans　of　the　victims　；　the　enclosure　was　broken　and　overturned　by　the　mob。　　Like　madmen；　they　rushed　at　the　burning　pile；armed　with　sabres；　axes；　and　knives；　and　snatching　the　bodies　dead　or　alive　from　the　flames；　tore　them　to　pieces；　carrying　off　the　bones　to　make　whistles　or　handles　for　their　daggers　as　a　souvenir　of　this　horrible　day。
  CHAPTER　VI
  The　spectacle　of　this　frightful　punishment　did　not　satisfy　the　revenge　of　Charles　of　Durazzo。　　Seconded　by　the　chief…justice；　he　daily　brought　about　fresh　executions；　till　Andre's　death　came　to　be　no　more　than　a　pretext　for　the　legal　murder　of　all　who　opposed　his　projects。　　But　Louis　of　Tarentum；　who　had　won　Joan's　heart；　and　was　eagerly　trying　to　get　the　necessary　dispensation　for　legalising　the　marriage；　from　this　time　forward　took　as　a　personal　insult　every　act　of　the　high　court　of　justice　which　was　performed　against　his　will　and　against　the　queen's　prerogative：　he　armed　all　his　adherents；　increasing　their　number　by　all　the　adventurers　he　could　get　together；　and　so　put　on　foot　a　strong　enough　force　to　support　his　own　party　and　resist　his　cousin。　　Naples　was　thus　split　up　into　hostile　camps；　ready　to　come　to　blows　on　the　smallest　pretext；　whose　daily　skirmishes；　moreover；　were　always　followed　by　some　scene　of　pillage　or　death。
  But　Louis　had　need　of　money　both　to　pay　his　mercenaries　and　to　hold　his　own　against　the　Duke　of　Durazzo　and　his　own　brother　Robert；　and　one　day　he　discovered　that　the　queen's　coffers　were　empty。　　Joan　was　wretched　and　desperate；　and　her　lover；　though　generous　and　brave　and　anxious　to　reassure　her　so　far　as　he　could；　did　not　very　clearly　see　how　to　extricate　himself　from　such　a　difficult　situation。　　But　his　mother　Catherine；　whose　ambition　was　satisfied　in　seeing　one　of　her　sons；　no　matter　which；　attain　to　the　throne　of　Naples；　came　unexpectedly　to　their　aid；　promising　solemnly　that　it　would　only　take　her　a　few　days　to　be　able　to　lay　at　her　niece's　feet　a　treasure　richer　than　anything　she　had　ever　dreamed　of；　queen　as　she　was。
  The　empress　then　took　half　her　son's　troops；　made　for　Saint　Agatha；　and　besieged　the　fortress　where　Charles　and　Bertrand　of　Artois　had　taken　refuge　when　they　fled　from　justice。　　The　old　count；　astonished　at　the　sight　of　this　woman；　who　had　been　the　very　soul　of　the　conspiracy；　and　not　in　the　least　understanding　her　arrival　as　an　enemy；　sent　out　to　ask　the　intention　of　this　display　of　military　force。　　To　which　Catherine　replied　in　words　which　we　translate　literally：
  〃My　friends；　tell　Charles；　our　faithful　friend；　that　we　desire　to　speak　with　him　privately　and　alone　concerning　a　matter　equally　interesting　to　us　both；　and　he　is　not　to　be　alarmed　at　our　arriving　in　the　guise　of　an　enemy；　for　this　we　have　done　designedly；　as　we　shall　explain　in　the　course　of　our　interview。　　We　know　he　is　confined　to　bed　by　the　gout；　and　therefore　feel　no　surprise　at　his　not　coming　out　to　meet　us。　　Have　the　goodness　to　salute　him　on　our　part　and　reassure　him；　telling　him　that　we　desire　to　come　in；　if　such　is　his　good　pleasure；　with　our　intimate　counsellor；　Nicholas　Acciajuoli；　and　ten　soldiers　only；　to　speak　with　him　concerning　an　important　matter　that　cannot　be　entrusted　to　go…betweens。〃
  Entirely　reassured　by　these　frank；　friendly　explanations；　Charles　of　Artois　sent　out　his　son　Bertrand　to　the　empress　to　receive　her　with　the　respect　due　to　her　rank　and　high　position　at　the　court　of　Naples。　Catherine　went　promptly　to　the　castle　with　many　signs　of　joy；　and　inquiring　after　the　count's　health　and　expressing　her　affection；　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　she　mysteriously　lowered　her　voice　and　explained　that　the　object　of　her　visit　was　to　consult　a　man　of　tried　experience　on　the　affairs　of　Naples；　and　to　beg　his　active　cooperation　in　the　queen's　favour。　　As；　however；　she　was　not　pressed　for　time；　she　could　wait　at　Saint　Agatha　for　the　count's　recovery　to　hear　his　views　and　tell　him　of　the　march　of　events　since　he　left　the　court。　　She　succeeded　so　well　in　gaining　the　old　man's　confidence　and　banishing　his　suspicions；　that　he　begged　her　to　honour　them　with　her　presence　as　long　as　she　was　able；　and　little　by　little　received　all　her　men　within　the　walls。　　This　was　what　Catherin