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 Catherine was waiting for:on the very day when her army was installed at Saint Agatha,she suddenly entered the count's room,followed by four soldiers,and seizing the old man by the throat,exclaimed wrathfully--"Miserable traitor,you will not escape from our hands before you have received the punishment you deserve.In the meanwhile,show me where your treasure is hidden,if you would not have me throw your body out to feed the crows that are swooping around these dungeons."The count,half choking,the dagger at his breast,did not even attempt to call for help;he fell on his knees,begging the empress to save at least the life of his son,who was not yet well from the terrible attack of melancholia that had shaken his reason ever since the catastrophe.Then he painfully dragged himself to the place where he had hidden his treasure,and pointing with his finger,cried--"Take all;take my life;but spare my son."
Catherine could not contain herself for joy when she saw spread out at her feet exquisite and incredibly valuable cups,caskets of pearls,diamonds and rubies of marvellous value,coffers full of gold ingots,and all the wonders of Asia that surpass the wildest imagination.But when the old man,trembling,begged for the liberty of his son as the price of his fortune and his own life,the empress resumed her cold,pitiless manner,and harshly replied--"I have already given orders for your son to be brought here;but prepare for an eternal farewell,for he is to be taken to the fortress of Melfi,and you in all probability will end your days beneath the castle of Saint Agatha."The grief of the poor count at this violent separation was so great,that a few days later he was found dead in his dungeon,his lips covered with a bloody froth,his hands gnawed in despair.Bertrand did not long survive him.He actually lost his reason when he heard of his father's death,and hanged himself on the prison grating.
Thus did the murderers of Andre destroy one another,like venomous animals shut up in the same cage.
