joan of naples- 第1部分

　Joan　of　Naples

1343…1382

By　ALEXANDER　DUMAS；　PERE




CHAPTER　I

In　the　night　of　the　15th　of　January　1343；　while　the　inhabitants　of　Naples　lay　wrapped　in　peaceful　slumber；　they　were　suddenly　awakened　by　the　bells　of　the　three　hundred　churches　that　this　thrice　blessed　capital　contains。　　In　the　midst　of　the　disturbance　caused　by　so　rude　a　call　the　first　bought　in　the　mind　of　all　was　that　the　town　was　on　fire；　or　that　the　army　of　some　enemy　had　mysteriously　landed　under　cover　of　night　and　could　put　the　citizens　to　the　edge　of　the　sword。　But　the　doleful；　intermittent　sounds　of　all　these　fills；　which　disturbed　the　silence　at　regular　and　distant　intervals；　were　an　invitation　to　the　faithful　pray　for　a　passing　soul；　and　it　was　soon　evident　that　no　disaster　threatened　the　town；　but　that　the　king　alone　was　in　danger。

Indeed；　it　had　been　plain　for　several　days　past　that　the　greatest　uneasiness　prevailed　in　Castel　Nuovo；　the　officers　of　the　crown　were　assembled　regularly　twice　a　day；　and　persons　of　importance；　whose　right　it　was　to　make　their　way　into　the　king's　apartments；　came　out　evidently　bowed　down　with　grief。　　But　although　the　king's　death　was　regarded　as　a　misfortune　that　nothing　could　avert；　yet　the　whole　town；　on　learning　for　certain　of　the　approach　of　his　last　hour；　was　affected　with　a　sincere　grief；　easily　understood　when　one　learns　that　the　man　about　to　die；　after　a　reign　of　thirty…three　years；　eight　months；　and　a　few　days；　was　Robert　of　Anjou；　the　most　wise；　just；　and　glorious　king　who　had　ever　sat　on　the　throne　of　Sicily。　　And　so　he　carried　with　him　to　the　tomb　the　eulogies　and　regrets　of　all　his　subjects。

Soldiers　would　speak　with　enthusiasm　of　the　long　wars　he　had　waged　with　Frederic　and　Peter　of　Aragon；　against　Henry　VII　and　Louis　of　Bavaria；　and　felt　their　hearts　beat　high；　remembering　the　glories　of　campaigns　in　Lombardy　and　Tuscany；　priests　would　gratefully　extol　his　constant　defence　of　the　papacy　against　Ghibelline　attacks；　and　the　founding　of　convents；　hospitals；　and　churches　throughout　his　kingdom；　in　the　world　of　letters　he　was　regarded　as　the　most　learned　king　in　Christendom；　Petrarch；　indeed；　would　receive　the　poet's　crown　from　no　other　hand；　and　had　spent　three　consecutive　days　answering　all　the　questions　that　Robert　had　deigned　to　ask　him　on　every　topic　of　human　knowledge。　　The　men　of　law；　astonished　by　the　wisdom　of　those　laws　which　now　enriched　the　Neapolitan　code；　had　dubbed　him　the　Solomon　of　their　day；　the　nobles　applauded　him　for　protecting　their　ancient　privileges；　and　the　people　were　eloquent　of　his　clemency；　piety；　and　mildness。　　In　a　word；　priests　and　soldiers；　philosophers　and　poets；　nobles　and　peasants；　trembled　when　they　thought　that　the　government　was　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　a　foreigner　and　of　a　young　girl；　recalling　those　words　of　Robert；　who；　as　he　followed　in　the　funeral　train　of　Charles；　his　only　son；　turned　as　he　reached　the　threshold　of　the　church　and　sobbingly　exclaimed　to　his　barons　about　him；　〃This　day　the　crown　has　fallen　from　my　head：　alas　for　me！　alas　for　you！〃

Now　that　the　bells　were　ringing　for　the　dying　moments　of　the　good　king；　every　mind　was　full　of　these　prophetic　words：　women　prayed　fervently　to　God；　men　from　all　parts　of　the　town　bent　their　steps　towards　the　royal　palace　to　get　the　earliest　and　most　authentic　news；　and　after　waiting　some　moments；　passed　in　exchanging　sad　reflections；　were　obliged　to　return　as　they　had　come；　since　nothing　that　went　on　in　the　privacy　of　the　family　found　its　way　outsidethe　castle　was　plunged　in　complete　darkness；　the　drawbridge　was　raised　as　usual；　and　the　guards　were　at　their　post。

Yet　if　our　readers　care　to　be　present　at　the　death　of　the　nephew　of　Saint　Louis　and　the　grandson　of　Charles　of　Anjou；　we　may　conduct　them　into　the　chamber　of　the　dying　man。　　An　alabaster　lamp　suspended　from　the　ceiling　serves　to　light　the　vast　and　sombre　room；　with　walls　draped　in　black　velvet　sewn　with　golden　fleur…de…lys。　　Near　the　wall　which　faces　the　two　entrance　doors　that　at　this　moment　are　both　shut　close；　there　stands　beneath　a　brocaded　canopy　an　ebony　bed；　supported　on　four　twisted　columns　carved　with　symbolic　figures。　　The　king；　after　a　struggle　with　a　violent　paroxysm；　has　fallen　swooning　in　the　arms　of　his　confessor　and　his　doctor；　who　each　hold　one　of　his　dying　hands；　feeling　his　pulse　anxiously　and　exchanging　looks　of　intelligence。　　At　the　foot　of　the　bed　stands　a　woman　about　fifty　years　of　age；　her　hands　clasped；　her　eyes　raised　to　heaven；　in　an　attitude　of　resigned　grief：　this　woman　is　the　queen；　No　tears　dim　her　eyes：　her　sunken　cheek　has　that　waxen　yellow　tinge　that　one　sees　on　the　bodies　of　saints　preserved　by　miracle。　　In　her　look　is　that　mingling　of　calm　and　suffering　that　points　to　a　soul　at　once　tried　by　sorrow　and　imbued　with　religion。　　After　the　lapse　of　an　hour；　while　no　movement　had　disturbed　the　profound　silence　which　reigned　about　the　bed　of　death；　the　king　trembled　slightly；　opened　his　eyes；　and　endeavoured　feebly　to　raise　his　head。　　They　thanking　the　physician　and　priest　with　a　smile；　who　had　both　hastened　to　arrange　his　pillows；　he　begged　the　queen　to　come　near；　and　told　her　in　a　low　voice　that　he　would　speak　with　her　a　moment　alone。　　The　doctor　and　confessor　retired；　deeply　bowing；　and　the　king　followed　them　with　his　eyes　up　to　the　moment　when　one　of　the　doors　closed　behind　them。　　He　passed　his　hand　across　his　brow；　as　though　seeking　to　collect　his　thoughts；　and　rallying　all　his　forces　for　the　supreme　effort；　pronounced　these　words：

〃What　I　must　say　to　you；　Sancha；　has　no　concern　with　those　two　good　persons　who　were　here　a　moment　ago：　their　task　is　ended。　　One　has　done　all　for　my　body　that　human　science　could　teach　him；　and　all　that　has　come　of　it　is　that　my　death　is　yet　a　little　deferred；　the　other　has　now　absolved　me　of　all　my　sins；　and　assured　me　of　God's　forgiveness；　yet　cannot　keep　from　me　those　dread　apparitions　which　in　this　terrible　hour　arise　before　me。　　Twice　have　you　seen　me　battling　with　a　superhuman　horror。　　My　brow　has　been　bathed　in　sweat；　my　limbs　rigid；　my　cries　have　been　stifled　by　a　hand　of　iron。　　Has　God　permitted　the　Evil　Spirit　to　tempt　me？　　Is　this　remorse　in　phantom　shape？　　These　two　conflicts　I　have　suffered　have　so　subdued　my　strength　that　I　can　never　endure　a　third。　　Listen　then；　my　Sandra；　for　I　have　instructions　to　give　you　on　which　perhaps　the　safety　of　my　soul　depends。〃

〃My　lord　and　my　master；〃　said　the　queen　in　the　most　gentle　accents　of　submission；　〃I　am　ready　to　listen　to　your　orders；　and　should　it　be　that　God；　in　the　hidden　designs　of　His　providence；　has　willed　to　call　you　to　His　glory　while　we　are　plunged　in　grief；　your　last　wishes　shall　be　fulfilled　here　on　earth　most　scrupulously　and　exactly。　But；〃　she　added；　with　all　the　solicitude　of　a　timid　soul；　〃pray　suffer　me　to　sprinkle　drops　of　holy　water　and　banish　the　accursed　one　from　this　chamber；　and　let　me　offer　up　some　part　of　that　service　of　prayer　that　you　composed　in　honour　of　your　sainted　brother　to　implore　God's　protection　in　this　hour　when　we　can　ill　afford　to　lose　it。〃

Then　opening　a　richly　bound　book；　she　read　with　fervent　devotion　certain　verses　of　the　office　that　Robert　had　written　in　a　very　pure　Latin　for　his　brother　Louis；　Bishop　of　Toulouse；　which　was；　in　use　in　the　Church　as　late　as　the　time　of　the　Council　of　Trent。

Soothed　by　the　charm　of　the　prayers　he　had　himself　composed；　the　king　was　near　forgetting　the　object　of　the　interview　he　had　so　solemnly　and　eagerly　demanded　and　letting　himself　lapse　into　a　state　of　vague　melancholy；　he　murmured　in　a　subdued　voice；　〃　Yes；　yes；　you　are　right；　pray　for　me；　for　you　too　are　a　saint；　and　I　am　but　a　poor　sinful　man。〃

〃Say　not　so；　my　lord；〃　interrupted　Dona　Sancha；　〃you　are　the　greatest；　wisest；　and　most　just　king　who　has　ever　sat　upon　the　throne　of　Naples。〃

〃But　the　throne　is　usurped；〃　replied　Robert　in　a　voice　of　gloom；　〃you　know　that　the　kingdom　belonged　to　my　elder　brother；　Charles　Martel；　and　since　Charles　was　on　the　throne　of　Hungary；　which　he　inherited　from　his　mother；　the　kingdom　of　Naples　devolved　by　right　upon　his　eldest　son；　Carobert；　and　not　on　me；　who　am　the　third　in　rank　of　the　family。　　And　I　have　suffered　myself　to　be　crowned　in　my　nephew's　stead；　though　he　was　the　only　lawful…king；　I　have　put　the　younger　branch　in　the　place　of　the　elder；　and　for　thirty…three　years　I　have　stifled　the　reproaches　of　my　conscience。　　True；　I　have　won　battles；　made　laws；　founded　churches；　but　a　single　word　serves　to　give　the　lie　to　all　the　pompous　titles　showered　upon　me　by　the　people's　admiration；　and　this　one　word　rings　out　clearer　in　my　ears　than　all　the；　flattery　of　courtiers；　all　the　songs　of　poets；　all　the　orations　of　the　crowd：I　am　an　usurper！〃

〃Be　not　unjust　towards　yourself；　my　lord；　and　bear　in　mind　that　if　you　did　not　abdicate　in　favour　of　the　rightful　heir；　it　was　because　you　wished　to　save　the　people　from　the　worst　misfortunes。　　Moreover；〃　continued　the　queen；　with　that　air　of　profound　conviction　that　an　unanswerable　argument　inspires；　〃you　have　remained　king　by　the　consent　and　authority　of　our　Holy　Father　the　sovereign　pontiff；　who　disposes　of　the　throne　as　a　fief　belonging　to　the　Church。〃

〃I　have　long　quieted　my　scruples　thus；〃　replied　the　dying　man；　〃and　the　pope's　authority　has　kept　me　silent；　but　whatever　security　one　may　pretend　to　feel　in　one's　lifetime；　there　yet　comes　a　dreadful　solemn　hour　when　all　illusions　needs　must　vanish：　this　hour　for　me　has　come；　and　now　I　must　appear　before　God；　the　one　unfailing　judge。〃

〃If　His　justice　cannot　fail；　is　not　His　mercy　infinite？〃　pursued　the　queen；　with　the　glow　of　sacred　inspiration。　　〃Even　if　there　were　good　reason　for　the　fear　that　has　shaken　your　soul；　what　fault　could　not　be　effaced　by　a　repentance　so　noble？　　Have　you　not　repaired　the　wrong　you　may　have　done　your　nephew　Carobert；　by　bringing　his　younger　son　Andre　to　your　kingdom　and　marrying　him　to　Joan；　your　poor　Charles's　elder　daughter？　　Will　not　they　inherit　your　crown？〃

〃Alas！〃　cried　Robert；　with　a　deep　sigh；　〃God　is　punishing　me　perhaps　for　thinking　too　late　of　this　just　reparation。　　O　my　good　and　noble　Sandra；　you　touch　a　chord　which　vibrates　sadly　in　my　heart；　and　you　anticipate　the　unhappy　confidence　I　was　about　to　make。　　I　feel　a　glo