murat-第7章

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of　Austria？〃

〃Sir；〃　answered　Murat；　with　the　lofty　dignity　which　sat　so　well　on
his　fine　face；　〃tell　my　brother　Francis　what　you　have　seen　and　heard；
and　add　that　I　am　setting　out　this　very　night　to　reconquer　my　kingdom
of　Naples。〃




III

PIZZO

The　letters　which　had　made　Murat　resolve　to　leave　Corsica　had　been
brought　to　him　by　a　Calabrian　named　Luidgi。　　He　had　presented　himself
to　the　king　as　the　envoy　of　the　Arab；　Othello；　who　had　been　thrown
into　prison　in　Naples；　as　we　have　related；　as　well　as　the　seven
recipients　of　the　letters。

The　answers；　written　by　the　head　of　the　Neapolitan　police；　indicated
the　port　of　Salerno　as　the　best　place　for　Joachim　to　land；　for　King
Ferdinand　had　assembled　three　thousand　Austrian　troops　at　that　point；
not　daring　to　trust　the　Neapolitan　soldiers；　who　cherished　a
brilliant　and　enthusiastic　memory　of　Murat。

Accordingly　the　flotilla　was　directed　for　the　Gulf　of　Salerno；　but
within　sight　of　the　island　of　Capri　a　violent　storm　broke　over　it；
and　drove　it　as　far　as　Paola；　a　little　seaport　situated　ten　miles
from　Cosenza。　　Consequently　the　vessels　were　anchored　for　the　night
of　the　5th　of　October　in　a　little　indentation　of　the　coast　not　worthy
of　the　name　of　a　roadstead。　　The　king；　to　remove　all　suspicion　from
the　coastguards　and　the　Sicilian　scorridori；　＇Small　vessels　fitted　up
as　ships…of…war。＇　ordered　that　all　lights　should　be　extinguished　and
that　the　vessels　should　tack　about　during　the　night；　but　towards　one
o'clock　such　a　violent　land…wind　sprang　up　that　the　expedition　was
driven　out　to　sea；　so　that　on　the　6th　at　dawn　the　king's　vessel　was
alone。

During　the　morning　they　overhauled　Captain　Cicconi's　felucca；　and　the
two　ships　dropped　anchor　at　four　o'clock　in　sight　of　Santo…Lucido。
In　the　evening　the　king　commanded　Ottoviani；　a　staff　officer；　to　go
ashore　and　reconnoitre。　　Luidgi　offered　to　accompany　him。　　Murat
accepted　his　services。　　So　Ottoviani　and　his　guide　went　ashore；
whilst　Cicconi　and　his　felucca　put　out　to　sea　in　search　of　the　rest
of　the　fleet。

Towards　eleven　o'clock　at　night　the　lieutenant　of　the　watch　descried
a　man　in　the　waves　swimming　to　the　vessel。　　As　soon　as　he　was　within
hearing　the　lieutenant　hailed　him。　　The　swimmer　immediately　made
himself　known：　it　was　Luidgi。　　They　put　out　the　boat；　and　he　came　on
board。　　Then　he　told　them　that　Ottoviani　had　been　arrested；　and　he
had　only　escaped　himself　by　jumping　into　the　sea。　　Murat's　first　idea
was　to　go　to　the　rescue　of　Ottoviani；　but　Luidgi　made　the　king
realise　the　danger　and　uselessness　of　such　an　attempt；　nevertheless；
Joachim　remained　agitated　and　irresolute　until　two　o'clock　in　the
morning。

At　last　he　gave　the　order　to　put　to　sea　again。　　During　the　manoeuvre
which　effected　this　a　sailor　fell　overboard　and　disappeared　before
they　had　time　to　help　him。　　Decidedly　these　were　ill　omens。

On　the　morning　of　the　7th　two　vessels　were　in　sight。　　The　king　gave
the　order　to　prepare　for　action；　but　Barbara　recognised　them　as
Cicconi's　felucca　and　Courrand's　lugger；　which　had　joined　each　other
and　were　keeping　each　other　company。　　They　hoisted　the　necessary
signals；　and　the　two　captains　brought　up　their　vessels　alongside　the
admiral's。

While　they　were　deliberating　as　to　what　route　to　follow；　a　boat　came
up　to　Murat's　vessel。　　Captain　Pernice　was　on　board　with　a
lieutenant。　　They　came　to　ask　the　king's　permission　to　board　his
ship；　not　wishing　to　remain　on　Courrand's；　for　in　their　opinion　he
was　a　traitor。

Murat　sent　to　fetch　him；　and　in　spite　of　his　protestations　he　was
made　to　descend　into　a　boat　with　fifty　men；　and　the　boat　was　moored
to　the　vessel。　　The　order　was　carried　out　at　once；　and　the　little
squadron　advanced；　coasting　along　the　shores　of　Calabria　without
losing　sight　of　them；　but　at　ten　o'clock　in　the　evening；　just　as　they
came　abreast　of　the　Gulf　of　Santa…Eufemia；　Captain　Courrand　cut　the
rope　which　moored　his　boat　to　the　vessel；　and　rowed　away　from　the
fleet。

Murat　had　thrown　himself　on　to　his　bed　without　undressing；　they
brought　him　the　news。

He　rushed　up　to　the　deck；　and　arrived　in　time　to　see　the　boat；　which
was　fleeing　in　the　direction　of　Corsica；　grow　small　and　vanish　in　the
distance。　　He　remained　motionless；　not　uttering　a　cry；　giving　no
signs　of　rage；　he　only　sighed　and　let　his　head　fall　on　his　breast：　it
was　one　more　leaf　falling　from　the　exhausted　tree　of　his　hopes。

General　Franceschetti　profited　by　this　hour　of　discouragement　to
advise　him　not　to　land　in　Calabria；　and　to　go　direct　to　Trieste；　in
order　to　claim　from　Austria　the　refuge　which　had　been　offered。

The　king　was　going　through　one　of　those　periods　of　extreme
exhaustion；　of　mortal　depression；　when　courage　quite　gives　way：　he
refused　flatly　at　first；　and　there　at　last　agreed　to　do　it。

Just　then　the　general　perceived　a　sailor　lying　on　some　coils　of
ropes；　within　hearing　of　all　they　said；　he　interrupted　himself；　and
pointed　him　out　to　Murat。

The　latter　got　up；　went　to　see　the　man；　and　recognised　Luidgi；
overcome　with　exhaustion；　he　had　fallen　asleep　on　deck。　　The　king
satisfied　himself　that　the　sleep　was　genuine；　and　besides　he　had　full
confidence　in　the　man。　　The　conversation；　which　had　been　interrupted
for　a　moment；　was　renewed：　it　was　agreed　that　without　saying　anything
about　the　new　plans；　they　would　clear　Cape　Spartivento　and　enter　the
Adriatic；　then　the　king　and　the　general　went　below　again　to　the　lower
deck。

The　next　day；　the　8th　October；　they　found　themselves　abreast　of
Pizzo；　when　Joachim；　questioned　by　Barbara　as　to　what　he　proposed　to
do；　gave　the　order　to　steer　for　Messina。　　Barbara　answered　that　he
was　ready　to　obey；　but　that　they　were　in　need　of　food　and　water；
consequently　he　offered　to　go　on；　board　Cicconi's　vessel　and　to　land
with　him　to　get　stores。　　The　king　agreed；　Barbara　asked　for　the
passports　which　he　had　received　from　the　allied　powers；　in　order；　he
said；　not　to　be　molested　by　the　local　authorities。

These　documents　were　too　important　for　Murat　to　consent　to　part　with
them；　perhaps　the　king　was　beginning　to　suspect：　he　refused。　　Barbara
insisted；　Murat　ordered　him　to　land　without　the　papers；　Barbara
flatly　refused。

The　king；　accustomed　to　being　obeyed；　raised　his　riding…whip　to
strike　the　Maltese；　but；　changing　his　resolution；　he　ordered　the
soldiers　to　prepare　their　arms；　the　officers　to　put　on　full　uniform；
he　himself　set　the　example。　　The　disembarkation　was　decided　upon；　and
Pizzo　was　to　become　the　Golfe　Juan　of　the　new　Napoleon。

Consequently　the　vessels　were　steered　for　land。　　The　king　got　down
into　a　boat　with　twenty…eight　soldiers　and　three　servants；　amongst
whom　was　Luidgi。　　As　they　drew　near　the　shore　General　Franceschetti
made　a　movement　as　if　to　land；　but　Murat　stopped　him。

〃It　is　for　me　to　land　first；〃　he　said；　and　he　sprang　on　shore。

He　was　dressed　in　a　general's　coat；　white　breeches　and　riding…boots；
a　belt　carrying　two　pistols；　a　gold…embroidered　hat　with　a　cockade
fastened　in　with　a　clasp　made　of　fourteen　brilliants；　and　lastly　he
carried　under　his　arm　the　banner　round　which　he　hoped　to　rally　his
partisans。　　The　town　clock　of　Pizzo　struck　ten。　　Murat　went　straight
up　to　the　town；　from　which　he　was　hardly　a　hundred　yards　distant。　　He
followed　the　wide　stone　staircase　which　led　up　to　it。

It　was　Sunday。　　Mass　was　about　to　be　celebrated；　and　the　whole
population　had　assembled　in　the　Great　Square　when　he　arrived。　　No　one
recognised　him；　and　everyone　gazed　with　astonishment　at　the　fine
officer。　　Presently　he　saw　amongst　the　peasants　a　former　sergeant　of
his　who　had　served　in　his　guard　at　Naples。　　He　walked　straight　up　to
him　and　put　his　hand　on　the　man's　shoulder。

〃Tavella；〃　he　said；　〃　don't　you　recognise　me？〃

But　as　the　man　made　no　answer：

〃I　am　Joachim　Murat；　I　am　your　king；〃　he　said。　　〃Yours　be　the　honour
to　shout　'Long　live　Joachim！'　first。〃

Murat's　suite　instantly　made　the　air　ring　with　acclamations；　but　the
Calabrians　remained　silent；　and　not　one　of　his　comrades　took　up　the
cry　for　which　the　king　himself　had　given　the　signal；　on　the　contrary；
a　low　murmur　ran　through　the　crowd。　　Murat　well　understood　this
forerunner　of　the　storm。

〃Well；〃