murat-第5章

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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　you　will　be　useful　at　the　pumps。〃

During　this　dialogue　the　storm　had　drawn　near；　it　rushed　on　the
travellers　like　a　war…horse；　breathing　out　fire　and　wind　through　its
nostrils；　neighing　like　thunder；　and　scattering　the　foam　of　the　waves
beneath　its　feet。

Donadieu　turned　the　rudder；　the　boat　yielded　as　if　it　understood　the
necessity　for　prompt　obedience；　and　presented　the　poop　to　the　shock
of　wind；　then　the　squall　passed；　leaving　the　sea　quivering；　and
everything　was　calm　again。　　The　storm　took　breath。

〃Will　that　gust　be　all？〃　asked　Murat。

〃No；　your　Majesty；　that　was　the　advance…guard　only；　the　body　of　the
army　will　be　up　directly。〃

〃And　are　you　not　going　to　prepare　for　it？〃　asked　the　king　gaily。

〃What　could　we　do？〃　said　Donadieu。　　〃We　have　not　an　inch　of　canvas　to
catch　the　wind；　and　as　long　as　we　do　not　make　too　much　water；　we
shall　float　like　a　cork。　　Look　out…sire！〃

Indeed；　a　second　hurricane　was　on　its　way；　bringing　rain　and
lightning；　it　was　swifter　than　the　first。　　Donadieu　endeavoured　to
repeat　the　same　manoeuvre；　but　he　could　not　turn　before　the　wind
struck　the　boat；　the　mast　bent　like　a　reed；　the　boat　shipped　a　wave。

〃To　the　pumps！〃　cried　Donadieu。　　〃Sire；　now　is　the　moment　to　help　us…
…〃

Blancard；　Langlade；　and　Murat　seized　their　hats　and　began　to　bale　out
the　boat。　　The　position　of　the　four　men　was　terribleit　lasted　three
hours。

At　dawn　the　wind　fell；　but　the　sea　was　still　high。　　They　began　to
feel　the　need　of　food：　all　the　provisions　had　been　spoiled　by
sea…water；　only　the　wine　had　been　preserved　from　its　contact。

The　king　took　a　bottle　and　swallowed　a　little　wine　first；　then　he
passed　it　to　his　companions；　who　drank　in　their　turn：　necessity　had
overcome　etiquette。　　By　chance　Langlade　had　on　him　a　few　chocolates；
which　he　offered　to　the　king。　　Murat　divided　them　into　four　equal
parts；　and　forced　his　companions　to　take　their　shares；　then；　when　the
meal　was　over；　they　steered　for　Corsica；　but　the　boat　had　suffered　so
much　that　it　was　improbable　that　it　would　reach　Bastia。

The　whole　day　passed　without　making　ten　miles；　the　boat　was　kept
under　the　jib；　as　they　dared　not　hoist　the　mainsail；　and　the　wind。
was　so　variable　that　much　time　was　lost　in　humouring　its　caprices。

By　evening　the　boat　had　drawn　a　considerable　amount　of　water；　it
penetrated　between　the　boards；　the　handkerchiefs　of　the　crew　served
to　plug　up　the　leaks；　and　night；　which　was　descending　in　mournful
gloom；　wrapped　them　a　second　time　in　darkness。　　Prostrated　with
fatigue；　Murat　fell　asleep；　Blancard　and　Langlade　took　their　places。
beside　Donadieu；　and　the　three　men；　who　seemed　insensible　to　the
calls　of　sleep　and　fatigue；　watched　over　his　slumbers。

The　night　was　calm　enough　apparently；　but　low　grumblings　were　heard
now　and　then。

The　three　sailors　looked　at　each　other　strangely　and　then　at　the
king；　who　was　sleeping　at　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　his　cloak　soaked
with　sea…water；　sleeping　as　soundly　as　he　had　slept　on　the　sands　of
Egypt　or　the　snows　of　Russia。

Then　one　of　them　got　up　and　went　to　the　other　end　of　the　boat；
whistling　between　his　teeth　a　Provencal　air；　then；　after　examining
the　sky；　the　waves；　and　the　boat；　he　went　back　to　his　comrades　and
sat　down；　muttering；　〃Impossible！　　Except　by　a　miracle；　we　shall
never　make　the　land。〃

The　night　passed　through　all　its　phases。　　At　dawn　there　was　a　vessel
in　sight。

〃A　sail！〃　cried　Donadieu；〃a　sail！〃

At　this　cry　the　kingawoke；　and　soon　a　little　trading　brig　hove　in
sight；　going　from　Corsica　to　Toulon。

Donadieu　steered　for　the　brig；　Blancard　hoisted　enough　sail　to　work
the　boat；　and　Langlade　ran　to　the　prow　and　held　up　the　king's　cloak
on　the　end　of　a　sort　of　harpoon。　　Soon　the　voyagers　perceived　that
they　had　been　sighted；　the　brig　went　about　to　approach　them；　and　in
ten　minutes　they　found　themselves　within　fifty　yards　of　it。　　The
captain　appeared　in　the　…bows。　　Then　the　king　hailed　him　and　offered
him　a　substantial　reward　if　he　would　receive　them　on　board　and　take
them　to　Corsica。　　The　captain　listened　to　the　proposal；　then
immediately　turning　to　the　crew；　he　gave　an　order　in　an　undertone
which　Donadieu　could　not　hear；　but　which　he　understood　probably　by
the　gesture；　for　he　instantly　gave　Langlade　and　Blancard　the　order　to
make　away　from　the　schooner。　　They　obeyed　with　the　unquestioning
promptitude　of　sailors；　but　the　king　stamped　his　foot。

〃What　are　you　doing；　Donadieu？　　What　are　you　about？　　Don't　you　see
that　she　is　coming　up　to　us？〃

〃Yesupon　my　soulso　she　is。。。。　　Do　as　I　say；　Langlade；　ready；
Blancard。　　Yes；　she　is　coming　upon　us；　and　perhaps　I　was　too　late　in
seeing　this。　　That's　all　rightthat's　all　right：　my　part　now。〃

Then　he　forced　over　the　rudder；　giving　it　so　violent　a　jerk　that　the
boat；　forced　to　change　her　course　suddenly；　seemed　to　rear　and　plunge
like　a　horse　struggling　against　the　curb；　finally　she　obeyed。　　A　huge
wave；　raised　by　the　giant　bearing　down　on　the　pinnace；　carried　it　on
like　a　leaf；　and　the　brig　passed　within　a　few　feet　of　the　stern。

〃Ah！。。。。　　traitor！〃　cried　the　king；　who　had　only　just　begun　to
realise　the　intention　of　the　captain。　　At　the　same　time；　he　pulled　a
pistol　from　his　belt；　crying　〃Board　her！　　board　her！〃　and　tried　to
fire　on　the　brig；　but　the　powder　was　wet　and　would　not　catch。　　The
king　was　furious；　and　went　on　shouting　〃Board　her！　　board　her！〃

〃Yes；　the　wretch；　or　rather　the　imbecile；〃　said　Donadieu；　〃he　took　us
for　pirates；　and　wanted　to　sink　usas　if　we　needed　him　to　do　that！〃

Indeed；　a　single　glance　at　the　boat　showed　that　she　was　beginning　to
make　water。

The　effortto　escape　which　Donadieu　had　made　had　strained　the　boat
terribly；　and　the　water　was　pouring　in　by　a　number　of　leaks　between
the　planks；　they　had　to　begin　again　bailing　out　with　their　hats；　and
went　on　at　it　for　ten　hours。　　Then　for　the　second　time　Donadieu　heard
the　consoling　cry；　〃A　sail！　　a　sail！〃　The　king　and　his　companions
immediately　left　off　bailing；　they　hoisted　the　sails　again；　and
steered　for　the　vessel　which　was　coming　towards　them；　and　neglected
to　fight　against　the　water；　which　was　rising　rapidly。

》From　that　time　forth　it　was　a　question　of　time；　of　minutes；　of
seconds；　it　was　a　question　of　reaching　the　ship　before　the　boat
foundered。

The　vessel；　however；　seemed　to　understand　the　desperate　position　of
the　men　imploring　help；　she　was　coming　up　at　full　speed。　　Langlade
was　the　first　to　recognise　her；　she　was　a　Government　felucca　plying
between　Toulon　and　Bastia。　　Langlade　was　a　friend　of　the　captain；　and
he　called　his　name　with　the　penetrating　voice　of　desperation；　and　he
was　heard。　　It　was　high　time：　the　water　kept　on　rising；　and　the　king
and　his　companions　were　already　up　to　their　knees；　the　boat　groaned
in　its　death…struggle；　it　stood　still；　and　began　to　go　round　and
round。

Just　then　two　or　three　ropes　thrown　from　the　felucca　fell　upon　the
boat；　the　king　seized　one；　sprang　forward；　and　reached　the
rope…ladder：　he　was　saved。

Blancard　and　Langlade　immediately　followed。　　Donadieu　waited　until
the　last；　as　was　his　duty；　and　as　he　put　his　foot　on　the　ladder　he
felt　the　other　boat　begin　to　go　under；　he　turned　round　with　all　a
sailor's　calm；　and　saw　the　gulf　open　its　jaws　beneath　him；　and　then
the　shattered　boat　capsized；　and　immediately　disappeared。　　Five
seconds　more；　and　the　four　men　who　were　saved　would　have　been　lost
beyond　recall！　＇These　details　are　well　known　to　the　people　of　Toulon；
and　I　have　heard　them　myself　a　score　of　times　during　the　two　stays
that　I　made　in　that　town　during　1834　and　1835。　　Some　of　the　people
who　related　them　had　them　first…hand　from　Langlade　and　Donadieu
themselves。＇

Murat　had　hardly　gained　the　deck　before　a　man　came　and　fell　at　his
feet：　it　was　a　Mameluke　whom　he　had　taken　to　Egypt　in　former　years；
and　had　since　married　at　Castellamare；　business　affairs　had　taken　him
to　Marseilles；　where　by　a　miracle　he　had　escaped　the　massacre　of　his
comrades；　and　in　spite　of　his　disguise　and　fatigue　he　had　recognised
his　former　master。

His　exclamations