murat-第3章
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Voltaire。 Below the story of 'Micromegas' the king had written：
＇The volume is still in the hands of M。 Marouin； at Toulon。＇
Reassure yourself； dear Caroline； although unhappy； I am free。 I am
departing； but I do not know whither I am bound。 Wherever I may be
my heart will be with you and my children。 〃J。 M。〃
Ten minutes later Murat and his host were waiting on the beach at
Bonette for the boat which was to take them out to the ship。
They waited until midday； and nothing appeared； and yet on the
horizon they could see the brig which was to be his refuge； unable to
lie at anchor on account of the depth of water； sailing along the
coast at the risk of giving the alarm to the sentinels。
At midday the king； worn out with fatigue and the heat of the sun；
was lying on the beach； when a servant arrived； bringing various
refreshments； which Madame Marouin； being very uneasy； had sent at
all hazards to her husband。 The king took a glass of wine and water
and ate an orange； and got up for a moment to see whether the boat he
was expecting was nowhere visible on the vastness of the sea。 There
was not a boat in sight； only the brig tossing gracefully on the
horizon； impatient to be off； like a horse awaiting its master。
The king sighed and lay down again on the sand。
The servant went back to Bonette with a message summoning
M。 Marouin's brother to the beach。 He arrived in a few minutes； and
almost immediately afterwards galloped off at full speed to Toulon；
in order to find out from M。 Bonafoux why the boat had not been sent
to the king。 On reaching the captain's house； he found it occupied
by an armed force。 They were making a search for Murat。
The messenger at last made his way through the tumult to the person
he was in search of； and he heard that the boat had started at the
appointed time； and that it must have gone astray in the creeks of
Saint Louis and Sainte Marguerite。 This was； in fact； exactly what
had happened。
By five o'clock M。 Marouin had reported the news to his brother and
the king。 It was bad news。 The king had no courage left to defend
his life even by flight； he was in a state of prostration which
sometimes overwhelms the strongest of men； incapable of making any
plan for his own safety； and leaving M。 Marouin to do the best he
could。 Just then a fisherman was coming into harbour singing。
Marouin beckoned to him； and he came up。
Marouin began by buying all the man's fish； then； when he had paid
him with a few coins； he let some gold glitter before his eyes； and
offered him three louis if he would take a passenger to the brig
which was lying off the Croix…des…Signaux。 The fisherman agreed to
do it。 This chance of escape gave back Murat all his strength； he
got up； embraced Marouin； and begged him to go to the queen with the
volume of Voltaire。 Then he sprang into the boat； which instantly
left the shore。
It was already some distance from the land when the king stopped the
man who was rowing and signed to Marouin that he had forgotten
something。 On the beach lay a bag into which Murat had put a
magnificent pair of pistols mounted with silver gilt which the queen
had given him； and which he set great store on。 As soon as he was
within hearing he shouted his reason for returning to his host。
Marouin seized the valise； and without waiting for Murat to land he
threw it into the boat； the bag flew open； and one of the pistols
fell out。 The fisherman only glanced once at the royal weapon； but
it was enough to make him notice its richness and to arouse his
suspicions。 Nevertheless； he went on rowing towards the frigate。
M。 Marouin seeing him disappear in the distance； left his brother on
the beach； and bowing once more to the king； returned to the house to
calm his wife's anxieties and to take the repose of which he was in
much need。
Two hours later he was awakened。 His house was to be searched in its
turn by soldiers。 They searched every nook and corner without
finding a trace of the king。 Just as they were getting desperate；
the brother came in； Maroum smiled at him； believing the king to be
safe； but by the new…comer's expression he saw that some fresh
misfortune was in the wind。 In the first moment's respite given him
by his visitors he went up to his brother。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I hope the king is on board？〃
〃The king is fifty yards away； hidden in the outhouse。〃
〃Why did he come back？〃
〃The fisherman pretended he was afraid of a sudden squall； and
refused to take him off to the brig。〃
〃The scoundrel！〃
The soldiers came in again。
They spent the night in fruitless searching about the house and
buildings； several times they passed within a few steps of the king；
and he could hear their threats and imprecations。 At last； half an
hour before dawn； they went away。 Marouin watched them go； and when
they were out of sight he ran to the king。 He found him lying in a
corner； a pistol clutched in each hand。 The unhappy man had been
overcome by fatigue and had fallen asleep。 Marouin hesitated a
moment to bring him back to his wandering； tormented life； but there
was not a minute to lose。 He woke him。
They went down to the beach at once。 A morning mist lay over the
sea。 They could not see anything two hundred yards ahead。 They were
obliged to wait。 At last the first sunbeams began to pierce this
nocturnal mist。 It slowly dispersed； gliding over the sea as clouds
move in the sky。 The king's hungry eye roved over the tossing waters
before him； but he saw nothing； yet he could not banish the hope that
somewhere behind that moving curtain he would find his refuge。
Little by little the horizon came into view； light wreaths of mist；
like smoke； still floated about the surface of the water； and in each
of them the king thought he recognised the white sails of his vessel。
The last gradually vanished； the sea was revealed in all its
immensity； it was deserted。 Not daring to delay any longer； the ship
had sailed away in the night。
〃So；〃 said the king； 〃the die is cast。 I will go to Corsica。〃
The same day Marshal Brune was assassinated at Avignon。
II
CORSICA
Once more on the same beach at Bonette； in the same bay where he had
awaited the boat in vain； still attended by his band of faithful
followers； we find Murat on the 22nd August in the same year。 It was
no longer by Napoleon that he was threatened； it was by Louis XVIII
that he was proscribed； it was no longer the military loyalty of
Marshal Brune who came with tears in his eyes to give notice of the
orders he had received； but the ungrateful hatred of M。 de Riviere；
who had set a price ＇48；000 francs。＇ on the head of the man who had
saved his own。＇Conspiracy of Pichegru。＇ M。 de Riviere had indeed
written to the ex…King of Naples advising him to abandon himself to
the good faith and humanity of the King of France； but his vague
invitation had not seemed sufficient guarantee to the outlaw；
especially on the part of one who had allowed the assassination
almost before his eyes of a man who carried a safe…conduct signed by
himself。 Murat knew of the massacre of the Mamelukes at Marseilles；
the assassination of Brune at Avignon； he had been warned the day
before by the police of Toulon that a formal order for his arrest was
out； thus it was impossible that he should remain any longer in
France。 Corsica； with its hospitable towns； its friendly mountains；
its impenetrable forests； was hardly fifty leagues distant； he must
reach Corsica； and wait in its towns； mountains； and forests until
the crowned heads of Europe should decide the fate of the man they
had called brother for seven years。
At ten o'clock at； night the king went down to the shore。 The boat
which was to take him across had not reached the rendezvous； but this
time there was not the slightest fear that it would fail； the bay had
been reconnoitred during the day by three men devoted to the fallen
fortunes of the kingMessieurs Blancard； Langlade； and Donadieu； all
three naval officers； men of ability and warm heart； who had sworn by
their own lives to convey Murat to Corsica； and who were in fact
risking their lives in or
