by　fire　and　the　sword。　　This　time　the　Hungarian　butcher　will　spare　no　victims：　he　will　kill　the　mother　before　her　children's　eyes；　the　children　in　their　mother's　arms。　　The　drawbridge　of　this　castle　is　up　and　there　are　none　on　guard；　every　man　who　can　wield　a　sword　is　now　at　the　other　end　of　the　town。　　Woe　to　you；　Marie　of　Durazzo；　if　the　King　of　Hungary　shall　remember　that　you　preferred　his　rival　to　him！〃
  〃But　have　you　not　come　here　to　save　me？〃　cried　Marie　in　a　voice　of　anguish。　　〃Joan；　my　sister；　did　she　not　command　you　to　take　me　to　her？〃
  〃Your　sister　is　no　longer　in　the　position　to　give　orders；〃　replied　Renaud；　with　a　disdainful　smile。　　〃She　had　nothing　for　me　but　thanks　because　I　saved　her　life；　and　her　husband's　too；　when　he　fled　like　a　coward　before　the　man　whom　he　had　dared　to　challenge　to　a　duel。〃
  Marie　looked　fixedly　at　the　admiral　to　assure　herself　that　it　was　really　he　who　thus　arrogantly　talked　about　his　masters。　　But　she　was　terrified　at　his　imperturbable　expression；　and　said　gently
  〃As　I　owe　my　life　and　my　children's　lives　solely　to　your　generosity；　I　am　grateful　to　you　beyond　all　measure。　　But　we　must　hurry；　my　lord：　every　moment　I　fancy　I　hear　cries　of　vengeance；　and　you　would　not　leave；　me　now　a　prey　to　my　brutal　enemy？〃
  〃God　forbid；　madam；　I　will　save　you　at　the　risk　of　my　life；　but　I　have　said　already；　I　impose　a　condition。〃
  〃What　is　it？〃　said　Marie；　with　forced　calm。
  〃That　you　marry　my　son　on　the　instant；　in　the　presence　of　our　reverend　chaplain。〃
  〃Rash　man！〃　cried　Marie；　recoiling；　her　face　scarlet　with　indignation　and　shame；　〃you　dare　to　speak　thus　to　the　sister　of　your　legitimate　sovereign？　　Give　thanks　to　God　that　I　will　pardon　an　insult　offered；　as　I　know；　in　a　moment　of　madness；　try　by　your　devotion　to　make　me　forget　what　you　have　said。〃
  The　count；　without　one　word；　signed　to　his　son　and　a　priest　to　follow；　and　prepared　to　depart。　　As　he　crossed　the　threshold　Marie　ran　to　him；　and　clasping　her　hands；　prayed　him　in　God's　name　never　to　forsake　her。　　Renaud　stopped。
  〃I　might　easily　take　my　revenge；〃　he　said；　〃for　your　affront　when　you　refuse　my　son　in　your　pride；　but　that　business　I　leave　to　Louis　of　Hungary；　who　will　acquit　himself；　no　doubt；　with　credit。〃
  〃Have　mercy　on　my　poor　daughters！〃　cried　the　princess；　〃mercy　at　least　for　my　poor　babes；　if　my　own　tears　cannot　move　you。〃
  〃If　you　loved　your　children；〃　said　the　admiral；　frowning；　〃you　would　have　done　your　duty　at　once。〃
  〃But　I　do　not　love　your　son！〃　cried　Marie；　proud　but　trembling。　〃O　God；　must　a　wretched　woman's　heart　be　thus　trampled？　　You；　father；　a　minister　of　truth　and　justice；　tell　this　man　that　God　must　not　be　called　on　to　witness　an　oath　dragged　from　the　weak　and　helpless！〃
  She　turned　to　the　admiral's　son；　and　added；　sobbing
  〃You　are　young；　perhaps　you　have　loved：　one　day　no　doubt　you　will　love。　　I　appeal　to　your　loyalty　as　a　young　man；　to　your　courtesy　as　a　knight；　to　all　your　noblest　impulses；　join　me；　and　turn　your　father　away　from　his　fatal　project。　　You　have　never　seen　me　before：　you　do　not　know　but　that　in　my　secret　heart　I　love　another。　　Your　pride　should　be　revolted　at　the　sight　of　an　unhappy　woman　casting　herself　at　your　feet　and　imploring　your　favour　and　protection。　　One　word　from　you；　Robert；　and　I　shall　bless　you　every　moment　of　my　life：　the　memory　of　you　will　be　graven　in　my　heart　like　the　memory　of　a　guardian　angel；　and　my　children　shall　name　you　nightly　in　their　prayers；　asking　God　to　grant　your　wishes。　　Oh；　say；　will　you　not　save　me？　　Who　knows；　later　on　I　may　love　youwith　real　love。〃
  〃I　must　obey　my　father；〃　Robert　replied；　never　lifting　his　eyes　to　the　lovely　suppliant。
  The　priest　was　silent。　　Two　minutes　passed；　and　these　four　persons；　each　absorbed　in　his　own　thoughts；　stood　motionless　as　statues　carved　at　the　four　corners　of　a　tomb。　　Marie　was　thrice　tempted　to　throw　herself　into　the　sea。　　But　a　confused　distant　sound　suddenly　struck　upon　her　ears：　little　by　little　it　drew　nearer；　voices　were　more　distinctly　heard；　women　in　the　street　were　uttering　cries　of　distress
  〃Fly；　fly！　　God　has　forsaken　us；　the　Hungarians　are　in　the　town！〃
  The　tears　of　Marie's　children　were　the　answer　to　these　cries；　and　little　Margaret；　raising　her　hands　to　her　mother；　expressed　her　fear　in　speech　that　was　far　beyond　her　years。　　Renaud；　without　one　look　at　this　touching　picture；　drew　his　son　towards　the　door。
  〃Stay；〃　said　the　princess；　extending　her　hand　with　a　solemn　gesture：　〃as　God　sends　no　other　aid　to　my　children；　it　is　His　will　that　the　sacrifice　be　accomplished。〃
  She　fell　on　her　knees　before　the　priest；　bending　her　head　like　a　victim　who　offers　her　neck　to　the　executioner。　　Robert　des　Baux　took　his　place　beside　her；　and　the　priest　pronounced　the　formula　that　united　them　for　ever；　consecrating　the　infamous　deed　by　a　sacrilegious　blessing。
  〃All　is　over！〃　murmured　Marie　of　Durazzo；　looking　tearfully　on　her　little　daughters。
  〃No；　all　is　not　yet　over；〃　said　the　admiral　harshly；　pushing　her　towards　another　room；　〃before　we　leave；　the　marriage　must　be　consummated。〃
  〃O　just　God！〃　cried　the　princess；　in　a　voice　torn　with　anguish；　and　she　fell　swooning　to　the　floor。
  Renaud　des　Baux　directed　his　ships　towards　Marseilles；　where　he　hoped　to　get　his　son　crowned　Count　of　Provence；　thanks　to　his　strange　marriage　with　Marie　of　Durazzo。　　But　this　cowardly　act　of　treason　was　not　to　go　unpunished。　　The　wind　rose　with　fury；　and　drove　him　towards　Gaeta；　where　the　queen　and　her　husband　had　just　arrived。　　Renaud　bade　his　sailors　keep　in　the　open；　threatening　to　throw　any　man　into　the　sea　who　dared　to　disobey　him。　　The　crew　at　first　murmured；　soon　cries　of　mutiny　rose　on　every　side。　　The　admiral；　seeing　he　was　lost；　passed　from　threats　to　prayers。　　But　the　princess；　who　had　recovered　her　senses　at　the　first　thunder…clap；　dragged　herself　up　to　the　bridge　and　screamed　for　help；
  〃Come　to　me；　Louis！　　Come；　my　barons！　　Death　to　the　cowardly　wretches　who　have　outraged　my　honour！〃
  Louis　of　Tarentum　jumped　into　a　boat；　followed　by　some　ten　of　his　bravest　men；　and；　rowing　rapidly；　reached　the　ship。　　Then　Marie　told　him　her　story　in　a　word；　and　he　turned　upon　the　admiral　a　lightning　glance；　as　though　defying　him　to　make　any　defence。
  〃Wretch！〃　cried　the　king；　transfixing　the　traitor　with　his　sword。
  Then　he　had　the　son　loaded　with　chains；　and　also　the　unworthy　priest　who　had　served　as　accomplice　to　the　admiral；　who　now　expiated　his　odious　crime　by　death。　　He　took　the　princess　and　her　children　in　his　boat；　and　re…entered　the　harbour。
  The　Hungarians；　however；　forcing　one　of　the　gates　of　Naples；　marched　triumphant　to　Castel　Nuovo。　　But　as　they　were　crossing　the　Piazza　delle　Correggie；　the　Neapolitans　perceived　that　the　horses　were　so　weak　and　the　men　so　reduced　by　all　they　had　undergone　during　the　siege　of　Aversa　that　a　mere　puff　of　wind　would　dispense　this　phantom…　like　army。　　Changing　from　a　state　of　panic　to　real　daring；　the　people　rushed　upon　their　conquerors；　and　drove　them　outside　the　walls　by　which　they　had　just　entered。　　The　sudden　violent　reaction　broke　the　pride　of　the　King　of　Hungary；　and　made　him　more　tractable　when　Clement　VI　decided　that　he　ought　at　last　to　interfere。　　A　truce　was　concluded　first　from　the　month　of　February　1350　to　the　beginning　of　April　1351；　and　the　next　year　this　was　converted　into　a　real　peace；　Joan　paying　to　the　King　of　Hungary　the　sum　of　300；000　florins　for　the　expenses　of　the　war。
  After　the　Hungarians　had　gone；　the　pope　sent　a　legate　to　crown　Joan　and　Louis　of　Tarentum；　and　the　25th　of　May；　the　day　of　Pentecost；　was　chosen　for　the　ceremony。　　All　contemporary　historians　speak　enthusiastically　of　this　magnificent　fete。　　Its　details　have　been　immortalised　by　Giotto　in　the　frescoes　of　the　church　which　from　this　day　bore　the　name　of　L'Incoronata。　　A　general　amnesty　was　declared　for　all　who　had　taken　part　in　the　late　wars　on　either　side；　and　the　king　and　queen　were　greeted　with　shouts　of　joy　as　they　solemnly　paraded　beneath　the　canopy；　with　all　the　barons　of　the　kingdom　in　their　train。
  But　the　day's　joy　was　impaired　by　an　accident　which　to　a　superstitious　people　seemed　of　evil　augury。　　Louis　of　Tarentum；　riding　a　richly　caparisoned　horse；　had　just　passed　the　Porta　Petruccia；　when　some　ladies　looking　out　from　a　high　window　threw　such　a　quantity　of　flowers　at　the　king　that　his　frightened　steed　reared　and　broke　his　rein。　　Louis　could　not　hold　him；　so　jumped　lightly　to　the　ground；　but　the　crown　fell　at　his　feet　and　was　broken　into　three　pieces。　　On　that　very　day　the　only　daughter　of　Joan　and　Louis　died。
  But　the　king　not　wishing　to　sadden　the　brilliant　ceremony　with　show　of　mourning；　kept　up　the　jousts　and　tournaments　for　three　days；　and　in　memory　of　his　coronation　instituted　the　order　of　'Chevaliers　du　Noeud'。　　But　from　that　day　begun　with　an　omen　so　sad；　his　life　was　nothing　but　a　series　of　disillusions。　　After　sustaining　wars　in　Sicily　and　Apulia；　and　quelling　the　insurrection　of　Louis　of　Durazzo；　who　ended　his　days　in　the　castle　of　Ovo；　Louis　of　Tarentum；　worn　out　by　a　life　of　pleasure；　his　health　undermined　by　slow　disease；　overwhelmed　with　domestic　trouble；　succumbed　to　an　acute　fever　on　the　5th　of　June　1362；　at　the　age　of　forty…two。　　His　body　had　not　been