Charles　followed　them；　unresisting；　to　the　fatal　balcony　where　Andre　had　been　hanged。　　He　was　there　asked　if　he　desired　to　confess；　and　when　he　said　yes；　they　brought　a　monk　from　the　sane　convent　where　the　terrible　scene　had　been　enacted：　he　listened　to　the　confession　of　all　his　sins；　and　granted　him　absolution。　　The　duke　at　once　rose　and　walked　to　the　place　where　Andre　had　been　thrown　down　for　the　cord　to　be　put　round　his　neck；　and　there；　kneeling　again；　he　asked　his　executioners
  〃Friends；　in　pity　tell　me；　is　there　any　hope　for　my　life？〃
  And　when　they　answered　no；　Charles　exclaimed：
  〃Then　carry　out　your　instructions。〃
  At　these　words；　one　of　the　equerries　plunged　his　sword　into　his　breast；　and　the　other　cut　his　head　off　with　a　knife；　and　his　corpse　was　thrown　over　the　balcony　into　the　garden　where　Andre's　body　had　lain　for　three　days　unburied。
  CHAPTER　VII
  The　King　of　Hungary；　his　black　flag　ever　borne　before　him；　started　for　Naples；　reusing　all　offered　honours；　and　rejecting　the　canopy　beneath　which　he　was　to　make　his　entry；　not　even　stopping　to　give　audience　to　the　chief　citizens　or　to　receive　the　acclamations　of　the　crowd。　　Armed　at　all　points；　he　made　for　Castel　Nuovo；　leaving　behind　him　dismay　and　fear。　　His　first　act　on　entering　the　city　was　to　order　Dona　Cancha　to　be　burnt；　her　punishment　having　been　deferred　by　reason　of　her　pregnancy。　　Like　the　others；　she　was　drawn　on　a　cart　to　the　square　of　St。　Eligius；　and　there　consigned　to　the　flames。　　The　young　creature；　whose　suffering　had　not　impaired　her　beauty；　was　dressed　as　for　a　festival；　and　laughing　like　a　mad　thing　up　to　the　last　moment；　mocked　at　her　executioners　and　threw　kisses　to　the　crowd。
  A　few　days　later；　Godfrey　of　Marsana；　Count　of　Squillace　and　grand　admiral　of　the　kingdom；　was　arrested　by　the　king's　orders。　　His　life　was　promised　him　on　condition　of　his　delivering　up　Conrad　of　Catanzaro；　one　of　his　relatives；　accused　of　conspiring　against　Andre。　The　grand　admiral　committed；　this　act　of　shameless　treachery；　and　did　not　shrink　from　sending　his　own　son　to　persuade　Conrad　to　come　to　the　town。　　The　poor　wretch　was　given　over　to　the　king；　and　tortured　alive　on　a　wheel　made　with　sharp　knives。　　The　sight　of　these　barbarities；　far　from　calming　the　king's　rage；　seemed　to　inflame　it　the　more。　Every　day　there　were　new　accusations　and　new　sentences。　　The　prisons　were　crowded：　Louis's　punishments　were　redoubled　in　severity。　　A　fear　arose　that　the　town；　and　indeed　the　whole　kingdom；　were　to　be　treated　as　having　taken　part　in　Andre's　death。　　Murmurs　arose　against　this　barbarous　rule；　and　all　men's　thoughts　turned　towards　their　fugitive　queen。　　The　Neapolitan　barons　had　taken　the　oath　of　fidelity　with　no　willing　hearts；　and　when　it　came　to　the　turn　of　the　Counts　of　San　Severino；　they　feared　a　trick　of　some　kind；　and　refused　to　appear　all　together　before　the　Hungarian；　but　took　refuge　in　the　town　of　Salerno；　and　sent　Archbishop　Roger；　their　brother；　to　make　sure　of　the　king's　intentions　beforehand。　　Louis　received　him　magnificently；　and　appointed　him　privy　councillor　and　grand　proto　notary。　　Then；　and　not　till　then；　did　Robert　of　San　Severino　and　Roger；　Count　of　Chiaramonte；　venture　into　the　king's　presence；　after　doing　homage；　they　retired　to　their　homes。　　The　other　barons　followed　their　example　of　caution；　and　hiding　their　discontent　under　a　show　of　respect；　awaited　a　favourable　moment　for　shaking　off　the　foreign　yoke。　　But　the　queen　had　encountered　no　obstacle　in　her　flight；　and　arrived　at　Nice　five　days　later。　　Her　passage　through　Provence　was　like　a　triumph。　　Her　beauty；　youth；　and　misfortunes；　even　certain　mysterious　reports　as　to　her　adventures；　all　contributed　to　arouse　the　interest　of　the　Provencal　people。　　Games　and　fetes　were　improvised　to　soften　the　hardship　of　exile　for　the　proscribed　princess；　but　amid　the　outbursts　of　joy　from　every　town；　castle；　and　city；　Joan；　always　sad；　lived　ever　in　her　silent　grief　and　glowing　memories。
  At　the　gates　of　Aix　she　found　the　clergy；　the　nobility；　and　the　chief　magistrates；　who　received　her　respectfully　but　with　no　signs　of　enthusiasm。　　As　the　queen　advanced；　her　astonishment　increased　as　she　saw　the　coldness　of　the　people　and　the　solemn；　constrained　air　of　the　great　men　who　escorted　her。　　Many　anxious　thoughts　alarmed　her；　and　she　even　went　so　far　as　to　fear　some　intrigue　of　the　King　of　Hungary。　Scarcely　had　her　cortege　arrived　at　Castle　Arnaud；　when　the　nobles；　dividing　into　two　ranks；　let　the　queen　pass　with　her　counsellor　Spinelli　and　two　women；　then　closing　up；　they　cut　her　off　from　the　rest　of　her　suite。　　After　this；　each　in　turn　took　up　his　station　as　guardian　of　the　fortress。
  There　was　no　room　for　doubt：　the　queen　was　a　prisoner；　but　the　cause　of　the　manoeuvre　it　was　impossible　to　guess。　　She　asked　the　high　dignitaries；　and　they；　protesting　respectful　devotion；　refused　to　explain　till　they　had　news　from　Avignon。　　Meanwhile　all　honours　that　a　queen　could　receive　were　lavished　on　Joan；　but　she　was　kept　in　sight　and　forbidden　to　go　out。　　This　new　trouble　increased　her　depression：　she　did　not　know　what　had　happened　to　Louis　of　Tarentum；　and　her　imagination；　always　apt　at　creating　disasters；　instantly　suggested　that　she　would　soon　be　weeping　for　his　loss。
  But　Louis；　always　with　his　faithful　Acciajuoli；　had　after　many　fatiguing　adventures　been　shipwrecked　at　the　port　of　Pisa；　thence　he　had　taken　route　for　Florence；　to　beg　men　and　money；　but　the　Florentines　decided　to　keep　an　absolute　neutrality；　and　refused　to　receive　him。　　The　prince；　losing　his　last　hope；　was　pondering　gloomy　plans；　when　Nicholas　Acciajuoli　thus　resolutely　addressed　him：
  〃My　lord；　it　is　not　given　to　mankind　to　enjoy　prosperity　for　ever：　there　are　misfortunes　beyond　all　human　foresight。　　You　were　once　rich　and　powerful；　and　you　are　now　a　fugitive　in　disguise；　begging　the　help　of　others。　　You　must　reserve　your　strength　for　better　days。　　I　still　have　a　considerable　fortune；　and　also　have　relations　and　friends　whose　wealth　is　at　my　disposal：　let　us　try　to　make　our　way　to　the　queen；　and　at　once　decide　what　we　can　do。　　I　myself　shall　always　defend　you　and　obey　you　as　my　lord　and　master。〃
  The　prince　received　these　generous　offers　with　the　utmost　gratitude；　and　told　his　counsellor　that　he　placed　his　person　in　his　hands　and　all　that　remained　of　his　future。　　Acciajuoli；　not　content　with　serving　his　master　as　a　devoted　servant；　persuaded　his　brother　Angelo；　Archbishop　of　Florence；　who　was　in　great　favour　at　Clement　VI's　court；　to　join　with　them　in　persuading　the　pope　to　interest　himself　in　the　cause　of　Louis　of　Tarentum。　　So；　without　further　delay；　the　prince；　his　counsellor；　and　the　good　prelate　made　their　way　to　the　port　of　Marseilles；　but　learning　that　the　queen　was　a　prisoner　at　Aix；　they　embarked　at　Acque…Morte；　and　went　straight　to　Avignon。　　It　soon　appeared　that　the　pope　had　a　real　affection　and　esteem　for　the　character　of　the　Archbishop　of　Florence；　for　Louis　was　received　with　paternal　kindness　at　the　court　of　Avignon；　which　was　far　more　than　he　had　expected：　When　he　kneeled　before　the　sovereign　pontiff；　His　Holiness　bent　affectionately　towards　him　and　helped　him　to　rise；　saluting　him　by　the　title　of　king。
  Two　days　later；　another　prelate；　the　Archbishop　of　Aix；　came　into　the　queen's　presence；
  〃Most　gracious　and　dearly　beloved　sovereign；　permit　the　most　humble　and　devoted　of　your　servants　to　ask　pardon；　in　the　name　of　your　subjects；　for　the　painful　but　necessary　measure　they　have　thought　fit　to　take　concerning　your　Majesty。　　When　you　arrived　on　our　coast；　your　loyal　town　of　Aix　had　learned　from　a　trustworthy　source　that　the　King　of　France　was　proposing　to　give　our　country　to　one　of　his　own　sons；　making　good　this　loss　to　you　by　the　cession　of　another　domain；　also　that　the　Duke　of　Normandy　had　come　to　Avignon　to　request　this　exchange　in　person。　　We　were　quite　decided；　madam；　and　had　made　a　vow　to　God　that　we　would　give　up　everything　rather　than　suffer　the　hateful　tyranny　of　the　French。　　But　before　spilling　blood　we　thought　it　best　to　secure　your　august　person　as　a　sacred　hostage；　a　sacred　ark　which　no　man　dared　touch　but　was　smitten　to　the　ground；　which　indeed　must　keep　away　from　our　walls　the　scourge　of　war。　　We　have　now　read　the　formal　annulment　of　this　hateful　plan；　in　a　brief　sent　by　the　sovereign　pontiff　from　Avignon；　and　in　this　brief　he　himself　guarantees　your　good　faith。
  〃We　give　you　your　full　and　entire　liberty；　and　henceforth　we　shall　only　endeavour　to　keep　you　among　us　by　prayers　and　protestations。　　Go　then；　madam；　if　that　is　your　pleasure；　but　before　you　leave　these　lands；　which　will　be　plunged　into　mourning　by　your　withdrawal；　leave　with　us　some　hope　that　you　forgive　the　apparent　violence　to　which　we　have　subjected　you；　only　in　the　fear　that　we　might　lose　you；　and　remember　that　on　the　day　when　you　cease　to　be　our　queen　you　sign　the　death…warrant　of　all　your　subjects。〃
  Joan　reassured　the　archbishop　and　the　deputation　from　her　good　town　of　Aix　with　a　melancholy　smile；　and　promised　that　she　would　always　cherish　the　memory　of　their　affection。　　For　this　time　she　could　not　be　deceived　as　to　the　real　sentiments　of　the　nobles　and　people；　and　a　fidelity　so　uncommon；　revealed　with　sincere　tears；　touched　her　heart　and