murat-第1章

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　Murat



by　Alexander　Dumas；　pere






I

TOULON

On　the　18th　June；　1815；　at　the　very　moment　when　the　destiny　of　Europe
was　being　decided　at　Waterloo；　a　man　dressed　like　a　beggar　was
silently　following　the　road　from　Toulon　to　Marseilles。

Arrived　at　the　entrance　of　the　Gorge　of　Ollioulles；　he　halted　on　a
little　eminence　from　which　he　could　see　all　the　surrounding　country；
then　either　because　he　had　reached　the　end　of　his　journey；　or
because；　before　attempting　that　forbidding；　sombre　pass　which　is
called　the　Thermopylae　of　Provence；　he　wished　to　enjoy　the
magnificent　view　which　spread　to　the　southern　horizon　a　little
longer；　he　went　and　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　ditch　which　bordered
the　road；　turning　his　back　on　the　mountains　which　rise　like　an
amphitheatre　to　the　north　of　the　town；　and　having　at　his　feet　a　rich
plain　covered　with　tropical　vegetation；　exotics　of　a　conservatory；
trees　and　flowers　quite　unknown　in　any　other　part　of　France。

Beyond　this　plain；　glittering　in　the　last　rays　of　the　sun；　pale　and
motionless　as　a　mirror　lay　the　sea；　and　on　the　surface　of　the　water
glided　one　brig…of…war；　which；　taking　advantage　of　a　fresh　land
breeze；　had　all　sails　spread；　and　was　bowling　along　rapidly；　making
for　Italian　seas。　　The　beggar　followed　it　eagerly　with　his　eyes　until
it　disappeared　between　the　Cape　of　Gien　and　the　first　of　the　islands
of　Hyeres；　then　as　the　white　apparition　vanished　he　sighed　deeply；
let　his　head　fall　into　his　hands；　and　remained　motionless　and
absorbed　in　his　reflections　until　the　tramplings　of　a　cavalcade　made
him　start；　he　looked　up；　shook　back　his　long　black　hair；　as　if　he
wished　to　get　rid　of　the　gloomy　thoughts　which　were　overwhelming　him；
and；　looking　at　the　entrance　to　the　gorge　from　whence　the　noise　came；
he　soon　saw　two　riders　appear；　who　were　no　doubt　well　known　to　him；
for；　drawing　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　he　let　fall　the　stick　he
was　carrying；　and　folding　his　arms　he　turned　towards　them。　　On　their
side　the　new…comers　had　hardly　seen　him　before　they　halted；　and　the
foremost　dismounted；　threw　his　bridle　to　his　companion；　and
uncovering；　though　fifty　paces　from　the　man　in　rags；　advanced
respectfully　towards　him。　　The　beggar　allowed　him　to　approach　with　an
air　of　sombre　dignity　and　without　a　single　movement；　then；　when　he
was　quite　near

〃Well；　marshal；　have；　you　news　for　me？〃　said　the　beggar。

〃Yes；　sire；〃　said　the　other　sadly。

〃And　what　are　they？〃

〃Such　that　I　could　wish　it　were　anyone　but　myself　to　announce　them　to
your　Majesty〃

〃So　the　Emperor　refuses　my　services！　　He　forgets　the　victories　of
Aboukir；　Eylau；　and　Moscow？〃

〃No；　sire；　but　he　remembers　the　treaty　of　Naples；　the　taking　of
Reggio；　and　the　declaration　of　war　of　the　viceroy　of　Italy。〃

The　beggar　struck　his　forehead。

〃Yes；　yes！　　I　daresay　he　thinks　I　deserve　his　reproaches；　and　yet　it
seems　to　me　that　he　ought　to　remember　that　there　are　two　men　in　me
the　soldier　whom　he　made　his　brother；　and　the　brother　whom　he　made　a
king。。。。　　Yes；　as　brother　I　have　treated　him　illvery　ill；　but　as
king；　upon　my　soul；　I　could　not　have　acted　differently。。。。　　I　had　to
choose　between　my　sword　and　my　crown；　and　between　a　regiment　and　a
people。　　Listen；　Brune：　you　do　not　know　how　it　all　happened。　　There
was　an　English　fleet；　the　guns　of　which　were　growling　in　the　port；
there　was　a　Neapolitan　population　howling　in　the　streets。　　If　I　had
been　alone；　I　would　have　passed　through　the　fleet　with　one　boat；
through　the　crowd　with　my　sword　alone；　but　I　had　a　wife　and　children。
Yet　I　hesitated；　the　idea　of　being　called　traitor　and　deserter　caused
me　to　shed　more　tears　than　the　loss　of　my　throne；　or　perhaps　the
death　of　those　I　love　best；　will　ever　wring　from　me。。。。　　And　so　he
will　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　me？　　He　refuses　me　as　general；
captain；　private？　　Then　what　is　left　for　me　to　do？〃

〃Sire；　your　Majesty　must　leave　France　immediately。〃

〃And　if　I　don't　obey？〃

〃My　orders　are　to　arrest　you　and　deliver　you　up　to　a　court…martial！〃

〃Old　comrade；　you　will　not　do　that？〃

〃I　shall　do　it；　praying　God　to　strike　me　dead　in　the　moment　I　lay
hands　on　you！〃

〃That's　you　all　over；　Brune。　　You　have　been　able　to　remain　a　good；
loyal　fellow。　　He　did　not　give　you　a　kingdom；　he　did　not　encircle
your　brow　with　a　band　of　iron　which　men　call　a　crown　and　which　drives
one　mad；　he　did　not　place　you　between　your　conscience　and　your
family。　　So　I　must　leave　France；　begin　my　vagabond　life　again；　and
say　farewell　to　Toulon；　which　recalls　so　many　memories　to　me！　　See；
Brune；〃　continued　Murat；　leaning　on　the　arm　of　the　marshal；　〃are　not
the　pines　yonder　as　fine　as　any　at　the　Villa　Pamfili；　the　palms　as
imposing　as　any　at　Cairo；　the　mountains　as　grand　as　any　range　in　the
Tyrol？　　Look　to　your　left；　is　not　Cape　Gien　something　like
Castellamare　and　Sorrentoleaving　out　Vesuvius？　　And　see；　Saint…
Mandrier　at　the　farthest　point　of　the　gulf；　is　it　not　like　my　rock　of
Capri；　which　Lamarque　juggled　away　so　cleverly　from　that　idiot　of　a
Sir　Hudson　Lowe？　　My　God！　and　I　must　leave　all　this！　　Is　there　no　way
of　remaining　on　this　little　corner　of　French　groundtell　me；　Brune！〃

〃You'll　break　my　heart；　sire！〃　answered　the　marshal。

〃Well；　we'll　say　no　more　about　it。　　What　news？〃

〃The　Emperor　has　left　Paris　to　join　the　army。　　They　must　be　fighting
now。〃

〃Fighting　now　and　I　not　there！　　Oh；　I　feel　I　could　have　been　of　use
to　him　on　this　battlefield。　　How　I　would　have　gloried　in　charging
those　miserable　Prussians　and　dastardly　English！　　Brune；　give　me　a
passport；　I'll　go　at　full　speed；　I'll　reach　the　army；　I　will　make
myself　known　to　some　colonel；　I　shall　say；　'Give　me　your　regiment。'
I'll　charge　at　its　head；　and　if　the　Emperor　does　not　clasp　my　hand
to…night；　I'll　blow　my　brains　out；　I　swear　I　will。　　Do　what　I　ask；
Brune；　and　however　it　may　end；　my　eternal　gratitude　will　be　yours！〃

〃I　cannot；　sire。〃

〃Well；　well；　say　no　more　about　it。〃

〃And　your　Majesty　is　going　to　leave　France？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　Obey　your　orders；　marshal；　and　if　you　come　across　me
again；　have　me　arrested。　　That's　another　way　of　doing　something　for
me。　　Life　is　a　heavy　burden　nowadays。　　He　who　will　relieve　me　of　it
will　be　welcome。。。。　　Good…bye；　Brune。〃

He　held　out　his　hand　to　the　marshal；　who　tried　to　kiss　it；　but　Murat
opened　his　arms；　the　two　old　comrades　held　each　other　fast　for　a
moment；　with　swelling　hearts　and　eyes　full　of　tears；　then　at　last
they　parted。　　Brune　remounted　his　horse；　Murat　picked　up　his　stick
again；　and　the　two　men　went　away　in　opposite　directions；　one　to　meet
his　death　by　assassination　at　Avignon；　the　other　to　be　shot　at　Pizzo。
Meanwhile；　like　Richard　III；　Napoleon　was　bartering　his　crown　against
a　horse　at　Waterloo。

After　the　interview　that　has　just　been　related；　Murat　took　refuge
with　his　nephew；　who　was　called　Bonafoux；　and　who　was　captain　of　a
frigate；　but　this　retreat　could　only　be　temporary；　for　the
relationship　would　inevitably　awake　the　suspicions　of　the
authorities。　　In　consequence；　Bonafoux　set　about　finding　a　more
secret　place　of　refuge　for　his　uncle。　　He　hit　on　one　of　his　friends；
an　avocat；　a　man　famed　for　his　integrity；　and　that　very　evening
Bonafoux　went　to　see　him。

After　chatting　on　general　subjects；　he　asked　his　friend　if　he　had　not
a　house　at　the　seaside；　and　receiving　an　affirmative　answer；　he
invited　himself　to　breakfast　there　the　next　day；　the　proposal
naturally　enough　was　agreed　to　with　pleasure。　　The　next　day　at　the
appointed　hour　Bonafoux　arrived　at　Bonette；　which　was　the　name　of　the
country　house　where　M。　Marouin's　wife　and　daughter　were　staying。
M。　Marouin　himself　was　kept　by　his　work　at　Toulon。　　After　the
ordinary　greetings；　Bonafoux　stepped　to　the　window；　beckoning　to
Marouin　to　rejoin　him。

〃I　thought；〃　he　said　uneasily；　〃that　your　house　was　by　the　sea。〃

〃We　are　hardly　ten　minutes'　walk　from　it。〃

〃But　it　is　not　in　sight。〃

〃That　hill　prevents　you　from　seeing　it。〃

〃May　we　go　for　a　stroll　on　the　beach　before　breakfast　is　served？〃

〃By　all　means。　　Well；　your　horse　is　still　saddled。　　I　will　order
mineI　will　come　back　for　you。〃

Marouin　went　out。　　Bonafoux　remained　at　the　window；　absorbed　in　h