the short interval which ensued, and while Trumeau was hugging the
knowledge of the discovery he had made, a stroke of luck had brought the
pretended chevalier to La Constantin. As Quennebert had kept an eye on
de Jars and was acquainted with all his movements, he was aware of
everything that happened at Perregaud's, and as Charlotte's death
preceded his second marriage by one day, he knew that no serious
consequences would ensue from the legal proceedings taken against him.
He produced the declarations made by Mademoiselle de Guerchi and the
commander, and had the body exhumed. Extraordinary and improbable as his
defence appeared at first to be, the exhumation proved the truth of his
assertions. These revelations, however, drew the eye of justice again on
Perregaud and his partner in crime, and this time their guilt was brought
home to them. They were condemned by parliamentary decree to "be hanged
by the neck till they were dead, on a gallows erected for that purpose at
the cross roads of the Croix-du-Trahoir; their bodies to remain there for
twenty-four hours, then to be cut down and brought back to Paris, where
they were to be exposed an a gibbet," etc., etc.

It was proved that they had amassed immense fortunes in the exercise of
their infamous calling. The entries in the books seized at their house,
though sparse, would have led, if made public, to scandals, involving
many in high places; it was therefore judged best to limit the accusation
to the two deaths by blood-poisoning of Angelique de Querchi and
Charlotte Boullenois.

JOAN OF NAPLES--1343-1382

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 thought
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 to 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