But the chief-justice, a man of experience, had prevented indiscretion of any kind by fixing a hook in the tongue of each one.

The poor creatures were tortured on a ship, so that nobody should hear the terrible confessions their sufferings dragged from them.
But Joan, in spite of the wrongs that most of the conspirators had done her, felt a renewal of pity for the woman she had once respected as a mother, for her childish companions and her friends, and possibly also some remains of love for Robert of Cabane, and sent two messengers to beg Bertram de Baux to show mercy to the culprits.

But the chief-justice seized these men and had them tortured; and on their confession that they also were implicated in Andre's murder, he condemned them to the same punishment as the others.

Dona Cancha alone, by reason of her situation, escaped the torture, and her sentence was deferred till the day of her confinement.
As this beautiful girl was returning to prison, with many a smile for all the handsomest cavaliers she could see in the crowd, she gave a sign to Charles of Durazzo as she neared him to come forward, and since her tongue had not been pierced (for the same reason) with an iron instrument, she said some words to him a while in a low voice.
Charles turned fearfully pale, and putting his hand to his sword, cried-- "Wretched woman!" "You forget, my lord, I am under the protection of the law." "My mother!--oh, my poor mother!" murmured Charles in a choked voice, and he fell backward.
The next morning the people were beforehand with the executioner, loudly demanding their prey.

All the national troops and mercenaries that the judicial authorities could command were echeloned in the streets, opposing a sort of dam to the torrent of the raging crowd.