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 spent--the 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 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 Ihave 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 you--with 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.
