murat-第4章
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their own lives to convey Murat to Corsica； and who were in fact
risking their lives in order to accomplish their promise。 Murat saw
the deserted shore without uneasiness； indeed this delay afforded him
a few more moments of patriotic satisfaction。
On this little patch of land； this strip of sand； the unhappy exile
clung to his mother France； for once his foot touched the vessel
which was to carry him away； his separation from France would be
long； if not eternal。 He started suddenly amidst these thoughts and
sighed： he had just perceived a sail gliding over the waves like a
phantom through the transparent darkness of the southern night。 Then
a sailor's song was heard； Murat recognised the appointed signal； and
answered it by burning the priming of a pistol； and the boat
immediately ran inshore； but as she drew three feet of water； she was
obliged to stop ten or twelve feet from the beach； two men dashed
into the water and reached the beach； while a third remained
crouching in the stern…sheets wrapped in his boat…cloak。
〃Well； my good friends；〃 said the king； going towards Blancard and
Langlade until he felt the waves wet his feet 〃the moment is come； is
it not？ The wind is favourable； the sea calm； we must get to sea。〃
〃Yes； answered Langlade； 〃yes； we must start； and yet perhaps it
would be wiser to wait till to…morrow。〃
〃Why？〃 asked Murat。
Langlade did not answer； but turning towards the west； he raised his
hand； and according to the habit of sailors； he whistled to call the
wind。
〃That's no good；〃 said Donadieu； who had remained in the boat。 〃Here
are the first gusts； you will have more than you know what to do with
in a minute。。。。 Take care； Langlade； take care！ Sometimes in
calling the wind you wake up a storm。〃
Murat started； for he thought that this warning which rose from the
sea had been given him by the spirit of the waters； but the
impression was a passing one； and he recovered himself in a moment。
〃All the better；〃 he said； 〃the more wind we have； the faster we
shall go。〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Langlade； 〃but God knows where it will take us if it
goes on shifting like this。〃
〃Don't start to…night； sire；〃 said Blancard； adding his voice to
those of his two companions。
〃But why not？〃
〃You see that bank of black cloud there； don't you？ Well； at sunset
it was hardly visible； now it covers a good part of the sky； in an
hour there won't be a star to be seen。〃
〃Are you afraid？〃 asked Murat。
〃Afraid！〃 answered Langlade。 〃Of what？ Of the storm？ I might as
well ask if your Majesty is afraid of a cannon…ball。 We have
demurred solely on your account； sire； do you think seadogs like
ourselves would delay on account of the storm？〃
〃Then let us go！〃 cried Murat； with a sigh。
〃Good…bye； Marouin。。。。 God alone can reward you for what you have
done for me。 I am at your orders； gentlemen。〃
At these words the two sailors seized the king end hoisted him on to
their shoulders； and carried him into the sea； in another moment he
was on board。 Langlade and Blancard sprang in behind him。 Donadieu
remained at the helm； the two other officers undertook the management
of the boat； and began their work by unfurling the sails。 Immediately
the pinnace seemed to rouse herself like a horse at touch of the
spur； the sailors cast a careless glance back； and Murat feeling that
they were sailing away； turned towards his host and called for a last
time
〃You have your route as far as Trieste。 Do not forget my wife！。。。
Good…bye…good…bye！〃
〃God keep you； sire！〃 murmured Marouin。
And for some time； thanks to the white sail which gleamed through the
darkness； he could follow with his eyes the boat which was rapidly
disappearing； at last it vanished altogether。 Marouin lingered on
the shore； though he could see nothing； then he heard a cry； made
faint by the distance； it was Murat's last adieu to France。
When M。 Marouin was telling me these details one evening on the very
spot where it all happened； though twenty years had passed； he
remembered clearly the slightest incidents of the embarkation that
night。 From that moment he assured me that a presentiment of
misfortune seized him； he could not tear himself away from the shore；
and several times he longed to call the king back； but； like a man in
a dream； he opened his mouth without being able to utter a sound。
He was afraid of being thought foolish； and it was not until one
o'clock that is； two and a half hours after the departure of the
boat…that he went home with a sad and heavy heart。
The adventurous navigators had taken the course from Toulon to
Bastia； and at first it seemed to the king that the sailors'
predictions were belied； the wind； instead of getting up； fell little
by little； and two hours after the departure the boat was rocking
without moving forward or backward on the waves； which were sinking
from moment to moment。 Murat sadly watched the phosphorescent furrow
trailing behind the little boat： he had nerved himself to face a
storm； but not a dead calm； and without even interrogating his
companions； of whose uneasiness he took no account； he lay down in
the boat； wrapped in his cloak； closing his eyes as if he were
asleep； and following the flow of his thoughts； which were far more
tumultuous than that of the waters。 Soon the two sailors； thinking
him asleep； joined the pilot； and sitting down beside the helm； they
began to consult together。
〃You were wrong； Langlade；〃 said Donadieu； 〃in choosing a craft like
this； which is either too small or else too big； in an open boat we
can never weather a storm； and without oars we can never make any way
in a calm。〃
〃'Fore God！ I had no choice。 I was obliged to take what I could
get； and if it had not been the season for tunny…fishing I might not
even have got this wretched pinnace； or rather I should have had to
go into the harbour to find it； and they keep such a sharp lookout
that I might well have gone in without coming out again。〃
〃At least it is seaworthy；〃 said Blancard。
〃Pardieu； you know what nails and planks are when they have been
soaked in sea…water for ten years。 On any ordinary occasion； a man
would rather not go in her from Marseilles to the Chateau d'If； but
on an occasion like this one would willingly go round the world in a
nutshell。〃
〃Hush！〃 said Donadieu。 The sailors listened；； a distant growl was
heard； but it was so faint that only the experienced ear of a sailor
could have distinguished it。
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Langlade； 〃it is a warning for those who have legs
or wings to regain the homes and nests that they ought never to have
left。〃
〃Are we far from the islands？〃 asked Donadieu quickly。
〃About a mile off。〃
〃Steer for them。〃
〃What for？〃 asked Murat； looking up。
〃To put in there； sire； if we can。〃
〃No； no；〃 cried Murat； 〃I will not land except in Corsica。 I will
not leave France again。 Besides； the sea is calm and the wind is
getting up again〃
〃Down with the sails！〃 shouted Donadieu。 Instantly Langlade and
Blancard jumped forward to carry out the order。 The sail slid down
the mast and fell in a heap in the bottom of the boat。
〃What are you doing？〃 cried Murat。 〃Do you forget that I am king and
that I command you？〃
〃Sire；〃 said Donadieu； 〃there is a king more powerful than youGod；
there is a voice which drowns yoursthe voice of the tempest： let us
save your Majesty if possible； and demand nothing more of us。〃
Just then a flash of lightning quivered along the horizon； a clap of
thunder nearer than the first one was heard； a light foam appeared on
the surface of the water； and the boat trembled like a living thing。
Murat began to understand that danger was approaching； then he got up
smiling； threw his hat behind him； shook back his long hair； and
breathed in the storm like the smell of powderthe soldier was ready
for the battle。
〃Sire；〃 said Donadieu； 〃you have seen many a battle； but perhaps you
have never watched a storm if you are curious about it； cling to the
mast； for you have a fine opportunity now。〃
〃What ought I to do？〃 said Murat。 〃Can I not help you in any way？〃
〃No； not just now； sire； later
