CHAPTERIII
Nightfell，andfromtheMolototheMergellina，fromtheCapuanoCastletothehillofSt。Elmo，deepsilencehadsucceededthemyriadsoundsthatgoupfromthenoisiestcityintheworld。CharlesofDurazzo，quicklywalkingawayfromthesquareoftheCorreggi，firstcastingonelastlookofvengeanceattheCastelNuovo，plungedintothelabyrinthofdarkstreetsthattwistandturn，crossandrecrossoneanother，inthisancientcity，andafteraquarterofanhour’swalking，thatwasfirstslow，thenveryrapid，arrivedathisducalpalacenearthechurchofSanGiovannialMare。Hegavecertaininstructionsinaharsh，peremptorytonetoapagewhotookhisswordandcloak。ThenCharlesshuthimselfintohisroom，withoutgoinguptoseehispoormother，whowasweeping，sadandsolitaryoverherson’singratitude，andlikeeveryothermothertakingherrevengebyprayingGodtoblesshim。
TheDukeofDurazzowalkedupanddownhisroomseveraltimeslikealioninacage，countingtheminutesinafeverofimpatience，andwasonthepointofsummoningaservantandrenewinghiscommands，whentwodullrapsonthedoorinformedhimthatthepersonhewaswaitingforhadarrived。Heopenedatonce，andamanofabout。
fifty，dressedinblackfromheadtofoot，entered，humblybowing，andcarefullyshutthedoorbehindhim。Charlesthrewhimselfintoaneasy-chair，andgazingfixedlyatthemanwhostoodbeforehim，hiseyesonthegroundandhisarmscrosseduponhisbreastinanattitudeofthedeepestrespectandblindobedience，hesaidslowly，asthoughweighingeachword——
\"MasterNicholasofMelazzo，haveyouanyremembranceleftoftheservicesIoncerenderedyou？\"