Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/120

94 INSANITY OF JOANNA. PART 11. First symp- toms of her insanity. The qiirnn hastens to her. notwithstanding the affectionate remonstrances of the queen, who represented the impracticability of traversing France, agitated, as it then was, with all the bustle of warlike preparation, or of venturing by sea at this inclement and stormy season. One evening, while her mother was absent at Segovia, Joanna, whose residence was at Medina del Campo, left her apartment in the castle, and sallied out, though in dishabille, without announcing her purpose to any of her attendants. They fol- lowed, however, and used every argument and en- treaty to prevail on her to return, at least for the night, but without effect ; until the bishop of Bur- gos, who had charge of her household, finding every other means ineffectual, was compelled to close the castle gates, in order to prevent her departure. The princess, thus thwarted in her purpose, gave way to the most violent indignation. She menaced the attendants with her utmost vengeance for their disobedience, and, taking her station on the barrier, she obstinately refused to reenter the castle, or even to put on any additional clothing, but remained cold and shivering on the spot till the following morning. The good bishop, sorely embarrassed by the dilem- ma to which he found himself reduced, of offending the queen by complying with the mad humor of the princess, or the latter still more, by resisting it, despatched an express in all haste to Isabella, acquainting her with the affair, and begging in- structions how to proceed. The queen, who was staying, as has been said, at Segovia, about forty miles distant, alarmed at the