The empress seemed to be deeply impressed by her nephew's threatening attitude,and promised to do her best to persuade the queen to grant all he asked,on condition,however,that Charles should allow the necessary time for carrying through so delicate a business.But Catherine profited by this delay to think out her own plan of revenge,and ensure the means of certain success.After starting several projects eagerly and then regretfully abandoning them,she fixed upon an infernal and unheard-of scheme,which the mind would refuse to believe but for the unanimous testimony of historians.
Poor Agnes of Duras,Charles's mother,had for some few days been suffering with an inexplicable weariness,a slow painful malady with which her son's restlessness and violence may have had not a little to do.The empress resolved that the first effect of her hatred was to fall upon this unhappy mother.She summoned the Count of Terlizzi and Dona Cancha,his mistress,who by the queen's orders had been attending Agnes since her illness began.Catherine suggested to the young chamberwoman,who was at that time with child,that she should deceive the doctor by representing that certain signs of her own condition really belonged to the sick woman,so that he,deceived by the false indications,should be compelled to admit to Charles of Durazzo that his mother was guilty and dishonoured.The Count of Terlizzi,who ever since he had taken part in the regicide trembled in fear of discovery,had nothing to oppose to the empress's desire,and Dona Cancha,whose head was as light as her heart was corrupt,seized with a foolish gaiety on any chance of taking her revenge on the prudery of the only princess of the blood who led a pure life at a court that was renowned for its depravity.Once assured that her accomplices would be prudent and obedient,Catherine began to spread abroad certain vague and dubious but terribly serious rumours,only needing proof,and soon after the cruel accusation was started it was repeated again and again in confidence,until it reached the ears of Charles.
At this amazing revelation the duke was seized with a fit of trembling.He sent instantly for the doctor,and asked imperiously what was the cause of his mother's malady.The doctor turned pale and stammered;but when Charles grew threatening he admitted that he had certain grounds for suspecting that the duchess was enceinte,but as he might easily have been deceived the first time,he would make a second investigation before pronouncing his opinion in so serious a matter.The next day,as the doctor came out of the bedroom,the duke met him,and interrogating him with an agonised gesture,could only judge by the silence that his fears were too well confirmed.
But the doctor,with excess of caution,declared that he would make a third trial.Condemned criminals can suffer no worse than Charles in the long hours that passed before that fatal moment when he learned that his mother was indeed guilty.On the third day the doctor stated on his soul and conscience that Agnes of Durazzo was pregnant.
"Very good,"said Charles,dismissing the doctor with no sign of emotion.
That evening the duchess took a medicine ordered by the doctor;and when,half an hour later,she was assailed with violent pains,the duke was warned that perhaps other physicians ought to be consulted,as the prescription of the ordinary doctor,instead of bringing about an improvement in her state,had only made her worse.
Charles slowly went up to the duchess's room,and sending away all the people who were standing round her bed,on the pretext that they were clumsy and made his mother worse,he shut the door,and they were alone.The poor Agnes,forgetting her internal agony when she saw her son,pressed his hand tenderly and smiled through her tears.
Charles,pale beneath his bronzed complexion,his forehead moist with a cold sweat,and his eyes horribly dilated,bent over the sick woman and asked her gloomily--"Are you a little better,mother?"
"Ah,I am in pain,in frightful pain,my poor Charles.I feel as though I have molten lead in my veins.O my son,call your brothers,so that I may give you all my blessing for the last time,for Icannot hold out long against this pain.I am burning.Mercy!Call a doctor:I know I have been poisoned."Charles did not stir from the bedside.
"Water!"cried the dying woman in a broken voice,--"water!Adoctor,a confessor!My children--I want my children!"And as the duke paid no heed,but stood moodily silent,the poor mother,prostrated by pain,fancied that grief had robbed her son of all power of speech or movement,and so,by a desperate effort,sat up,and seizing him by the arm,cried with all the strength she could muster--"Charles,my son,what is it?My poor boy,courage;it is nothing,Ihope.But quick,call for help,call a doctor.Ah,you have no idea of what I suffer.""Your doctor,"said Charles slowly and coldly,each word piercing his mother's heart like a dagger,--"your doctor cannot come.""Oh why?"asked Agnes,stupefied.
"Because no one ought to live who knows the secret of our shame.""Unhappy man!"she cried,overwhelmed with,pain and terror,"you have murdered him!Perhaps you have poisoned your mother too!
Charles,Charles,have mercy on your own soul!""It is your doing,"said Charles,without show of emotion:"you have driven me into crime and despair;you have caused my dishonour in this world and my damnation in the next.""What are you saying?My own Charles,have mercy!Do not let me die in this horrible uncertainty;what fatal delusion is blinding you?
Speak,my son,speak:I am not feeling the poison now.What have Idone?Of what have I been accused?"
She looked with haggard eyes at her son:her maternal love still struggled against the awful thought of matricide;at last,seeing that Charles remained speechless in spite of her entreaties,she repeated,with a piercing cry--"Speak,in God's name,speak before I die!"