the　middle　of　the　night。　Leaving　the　government　of　Naples　in　the　hands　of　Conrad　Lupo；　one　of　his　captains；　he　embarked　hastily　at　Berletta；　and　left　the　kingdom　in　very　much　the　same　way　as　Louis　of　Tarentum；　fleeing　from　him；　had　left　it　a　few　months　before。
  This　news　arrived　at　Avignon　just　when　the　pope　was　about　to　send　the　queen　his　bull　of　absolution。　It　was　at　once　decided　to　take　away　the　kingdom　from　Louis's　viceroy。　　Nicholas　Aeciajuoli　left　for　Naples　with　the　marvellous　bull　that　was　to　prove　to　all　men　the　innocence　of　the　queen；　to　banish　all　scruples　and　stir　up　a　new　enthusiasm。　The　counsellor　first　went　to　the　castle　of　Melzi；　commanded　by　his　son　Lorenzo：　this　was　the　only　fortress　that　had　always　held　out。　The　father　and　son　embraced　with　the　honourable　pride　that　near　relatives　may　justly　feel　when　they　meet　after　they　have　united　in　the　performance　of　a　heroic　duty。　From　the　governor　of　Melzi　Louis　of　Tarentum's　counsellor　learned　that　all　men　were　wearied　of　the　arrogance　and　vexatious　conduct　of　the　queen's　enemies；　and　that　a　conspiracy　was　in　train；　started　in　the　University　of　Naples；　but　with　vast　ramifications　all　over　the　kingdom；　and　moreover　that　there　was　dissension　in　the　enemy's　army。　　The　indefatigable　counsellor　went　from　Apulia　to　Naples；　traversing　towns　and　villages；　collecting　men　everywhere；　proclaiming　loudly　the　acquittal　of　the　queen　and　her　marriage　with　Louis　of　Tarentum；　also　that　the　pope　was　offering　indulgences　to　such　as　would　receive　with　joy　their　lawful　sovereigns。　　Then　seeing　that　the　people　shouted　as　he　went　by；　〃Long　live　Joan！　　Death　to　the　Hungarians！〃　he　returned　and　told　his　sovereigns　in　what　frame　of　mind　he　had　left　their　subjects。
  Joan　borrowed　money　wherever　she　could；　armed　galleys；　and　left　Marseilles　with　her　husband；　her　sister；　and　two　faithful　advisers；　Acciajuoli　and　Spinelli；　on　the　l0th　of　September　1348。　　The　king　and　queen　not　being　able　to　enter　at　the　harbour；　which　was　in　the　enemy's　power；　disembarked　at　Santa　Maria　del　Carmine；　near　the　river　Sebeto；　amid　the　frenzied　applause　of　an　immense　crowd；　and　accompanied　by　all　the　Neapolitan　nobles。　　They　made　their　way　to　the　palace　of　Messire　Ajutorio；　near　Porta　Capuana；　the　Hungarians　having　fortified　themselves　in　all　the　castles；　but　Acciatjuoli；　at　the　head　of　the　queen's　partisans；　blockaded　the　fortresses　so　ably　that　half　of　the　enemy　were　obliged　to　surrender；　and　the　other　half　took　to　flight　and　were　scattered　about　the　interior　of　the　kingdom。　　We　shall　now　follow　Louis　of　Tarentum　in　his　arduous　adventures　in　Apulia；　the　Calabrias；　and　the　Abruzzi；　where　he　recovered　one　by　one　the　fortresses　that　the　Hungarians　had　taken。　　By　dint　of　unexampled　valour　and　patience；　he　at　last　mastered　nearly　all　the　more　considerable　places；　when　suddenly　everything　changed；　and　fortune　turned　her　back　upon　him　for　the　second　time。　　A　German　captain　called　Warner；　who　had　deserted　the　Hungarian　army　to　sell　himself　to　the　queen；　had　again　played　the　traitor　and　sold　himself　once　more；　allowed　himself　to　be　surprised　at　Corneto　by　Conrad　Lupo；　the　King　of　Hungary's　vicar…general；　and　openly　joined　him；　taking　along　with　him　a　great　party　of　the　adventurers　who　fought　under　his　orders。　This　unexpected　defection　forced　Louis　of　Tarentum　to　retire　to　Naples。　　The　King　of　Hungary　soon　learning　that　the　troops　had　rallied　round　his　banner；　and　only　awaited　his　return　to　march　upon　the　capital；　disembarked　with　a　strong　reinforcement　of　cavalry　at　the　port　of　Manfredonia；　and　taking　Trani；　Canosa；　and　Salerno；　went　forward　to　lay　siege　to　Aversa。
  The　news　fell　like　a　thunder…clap　on　Joan　and　her　husband。　　The　Hungarian　army　consisted　of　10；000　horse　and　more　than　7000　infantry；　and　Aversa　had　only　500　soldiers　under　Giacomo　Pignatelli。　　In　spite　of　the　immense　disproportion　of　the　numbers；　the　Neapolitan　general　vigorously　repelled　the　attack；　and　the　King　of　Hungary；　fighting　in　the　front；　was　wounded　in　his　foot　by　an　arrow。　　Then　Louis；　seeing　that　it　would　be　difficult　to　take　the　place　by　storm；　determined　to　starve　them　out。　　For　three　months　the　besieged　performed　prodigies　of　valour；　and　further　assistance　was　impossible。　　Their　capitulation　was　expected　at　any　moment；　unless　indeed　they　decided　to　perish　every　man。　　Renaud　des　Baux；　who　was　to　come　from　Marseilles　with　a　squadron　of　ten　ships　to　defend　the　ports　of　the　capital　and　secure　the　queen's　flight；　should　the　Hungarian　army　get　possession　of　Naples；　had　been　delayed　by　adverse　winds　and　obliged　to　stop　on　the　way。　　All　things　seemed　to　conspire　in　favour　of　the　enemy。　　Louis　of　Tarentum；　whose　generous　soul　refused　to　shed　the　blood　of　his　brave　men　in　an　unequal　and　desperate　struggle；　nobly　sacrificed　himself；　and　made　an　offer　to　the　King　of　Hungary　to　settle　their　quarrel　in　single　combat。　　We　append　the　authentic　letters　that　passed　between　Joan's　husband　and　Andre's　brother。
  〃Illustrious　King　of　Hungary；　who　has　come　to　invade　our　kingdom；　we；　by　the　grace　of　God　King　of　Jerusalem　and　Sicily；　invite　you　to　single　combat。　　We　know　that　you　are　in　no　wise　disturbed　by　the　death　of　your　lancers　or　the　other　pagans　in　your　suite；　no　more　indeed　than　if　they　were　dogs；　but　we；　fearing　harm　to　our　own　soldiers　and　men…at…arms；　desire　to　fight　with　you　personally；　to　put　an　end　to　the　present　war　and　restore　peace　to　our　kingdom。　　He　who　survives　shall　be　king。　　And　therefore；　to　ensure　that　this　duel　shall　take　place；　we　definitely　propose　as　a　site　either　Paris；　in　the　presence　of　the　King　of　France；　or　one　of　the　towns　of　Perugia；　Avignon；　or　Naples。　　Choose　one　of　these　four　places；　and　send　us　your　reply。〃
  The　King　of　Hungary　first　consulted　with　his　council；　and　then　replied：
  Great　King；　we　have　read　and　considered　your　letter　sent　to　us　by　the　bearer　of　these　presents；　and　by　your　invitation　to　a　duel　we　are　most　supremely　pleased；　but　we　do　not　approve　of　any　of　the　places　you　propose；　since　they　are　all　suspect；　and　for　several　reasons。　The　King　of　France　is　your　maternal　grandfather；　and　although　we　are　also　connected　by　blood　with　him；　the　relationship　is　not　so　near。　The　town　of　Avignon；　although　nominally　belonging　to　the　sovereign　pontiff；　is　the　capital　of　Provence；　and　has　always　been　subject　to　your　rule。　　Neither　have　we　any　more　confidence　in　Perugia；　for　that　town　is　devoted　to　your　cause。
  As　to　the　city　of　Naples；　there　is　no　need　to　say　that　we　refuse　that　rendezvous；　since　it　is　in　revolt　against　us　and　you　are　there　as　king。　　But　if　you　wish　to　fight　with　us；　let　it　be　in　the　presence　of　the　Emperor　of　Germany；　who　is　lord　supreme；　or　the　King　of　England；　who　is　our　common　friend；　or　the　Patriarch　of　Aquilea；　a　good　Catholic。　　If　you　do　not　approve　of　any　of　the　places　we　propose；　we　shall　soon　be　near　you　with　our　army；　and　so　remove　all　difficulties　and　delays。　　Then　you　can　come　forth；　and　our　duel　can　take　place　in　the　presence　of　both　armies。〃
  After　the　interchange　of　these　two　letters；　Louis　of　Tarentum　proposed　nothing　further。　　The　garrison　at　Aversa　had　capitulated　after　a　heroic　resistance；　and　it　was　known　only　too　well　that　if　the　King　of　Hungary　could　get　so　far　as　the　walls　of　Naples；　he　would　not　have　to　endanger　his　life　in　order　to　seize　that　city。　　Happily　the　Provencal　galleys　had　reached　port　at　last。　　The　king　and　the　queen　had　only　just　time　to　embark　and　take　refuge　at　Gaeta。　　The　Hungarian　army　arrived　at　Naples。　　The　town　was　on　the　point　of　yielding；　and　had　sent　messengers　to　the　king　humbly　demanding　peace；　but　the　speeches　of　the　Hungarians　showed　such　insolence　that　the　people；　irritated　past　endurance；　took　up　arms；　and　resolved　to　defend　their　household　gods　with　all　the　energy　of　despair。
  CHAPTER　VIII
  While　the　Neapolitans　were　holding　out　against　their　enemy　at　the　Porta　Capuana；　a　strange　scene　was　being　enacted　at　the　other　side　of　the　town；　a　scene　that　shows　us　in　lively　colours　the　violence　and　treachery　of　this　barbarous　age。　　The　widow　of　Charles　of　Durazzo　was　shut　up　in；　the　castle　of　Ovo；　and　awaiting　in　feverish　anxiety　the　arrival　of　the　ship　that　was　to　take　her　to　the　queen。　　The　poor　Princess　Marie；　pressing　her　weeping　children　to　her　heart；　pale；　with　dishevelled　locks；　fixed　eyes；　and　drawn　lips；　was　listening　for　every　sound；　distracted　between　hope　and　fear。　　Suddenly　steps　resounded　along　the　corridor；　a　friendly　voice　was　heard；　Marie　fell　upon　her　knees　with　a　cry　of　joy：　her　liberator　had　come。
  Renaud　des　Baux；　admiral　of　the　Provencal　squadron；　respectfully　advanced；　followed　by　his　eldest　son　Robert　and　his　chaplain。
  〃God；　I　thank　Thee！〃　exclaimed　Marie；　rising　to　her　feet；　〃we　are　saved。〃
  〃One　moment；　madam；〃　said　Renaud；　stopping　her：　〃you　are　indeed　saved；　but　upon　one　condition。〃
  〃A　condition？〃　murmured　the　princess　in　surprise。
  〃Listen；　madam。　　The　King　of　Hungary；　the　avenger　of　Andre's　murderers；　the　slayer　of　your　husband；　is　at　the　gates　of　Naples；　the　people　and　soldiers　will　succumb；　as　soon　as　their　last　gallant　effort　is　spentthe　army　of　the　conqueror　is　about　to　spread　desolation　and　death　throughout　the　city　by　fire　and　the　sword。　　This　time　the　Hungarian　butcher　will　spare　no　victims：　he　will　kill　the　mot