CHAPTER XIII THE VAMPIRE-MONARCH FROM HUNGARY
Charles’s further acts as dictator—Rise of the favoured Louis of Taranto—Civil war—A scheme of the Empress of Constantinople—Interference of the King of Hungary—The Empress again to the rescue—Hungary’s advance—Death of the Empress—Flight of the Neapolitan nobles—Joan and her husband in Provence—Charles’s well-merited fate—The King of Hungary’s vengeance—Government by execution [pp. 244-257]
CHAPTER XIV END OF JOAN’S CAREER
Joan detained at Aix—Greeted as a Queen—Joan pronounced innocent—Plans to regain Naples—Sale of a city—Return to Naples—Indecisive war—Proposal for personal conflict—Flight of the Royal Family—Maria’s narrow escape—Hungarians repulsed—Pope Clement as intermediary—Departure of the King of Hungary—Festivity in Naples—Death of Louis and Joan’s further marital adventures—Joan in trouble—Her untimely end [pp. 258-275]
CHAPTER XV NAPLES UNDER MURAT
Beauty of Naples—Figures of its history—St. Januarius—Murat, King of Naples—Achievements as King—The Carbonari—England’s promises—Napoleonic diplomacy—Rise of the Bourbons—Alliance with Austria—Murat’s indecision—Distrust of the Allies—Murat’s statesmanship—Talleyrand’s diplomacy—Naples the gay—Conspiracy in the palace—The escape from Elba—Ideal government—War against Murat—Advance of the Austrians—Murat driven to Naples—Interview with his wife—Last instructions to his ministers—Escape [pp. 276-312]
CHAPTER XVI MURAT’S LAST DAYS
Naples in anarchy—Entrance of Austrians—Murat’s repulse by Napoleon and by Louis—His demon of ill-luck—Shipwrecked—Aid in Corsica—Emperor of Austria’s proposal—Attempt against Naples—Murat betrayed into Ferdinand’s hands—Murat’s “trial”—Letter to his wife—Before his “judges”—A brave death—Ferdinand, the “Butcher King” [pp. 313-328]
CHAPTER XVII ITALIAN SEAS
Our moods and the seas—Memories in landscapes—The healing of the sea—A vision in the Bay of Naples—Marion Crawford’s yacht expected—The family together at Leghorn—Lady Paget—A bathing scene—Hugh Fraser—“Spannocchi” for dinner—The avenging boatman—Livorno, an anomaly—Sunset on the Mare Ligure—Bay of Spezia, a splurge of colour and light—A hail-storm in Venice—The joy of a gondola—Moods of Venice—A Giorgione beauty—The nurseries of Venice—Her shops—Saints and heresies of the thirteenth century [pp. 329-353]