murat-第8章
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a low murmur ran through the crowd。 Murat well understood this
forerunner of the storm。
〃Well；〃 he said to Tavella； 〃if you won't cry 'Long live Joachim！'
you can at least fetch me a horse； and from sergeant I will promote
you to be captain。〃
Tavella walked away without answering； but instead of carrying out
the king's behest； went into his house； and did not appear again。
In the meantime the people were massing together without evincing any
of the sympathy that the king had hoped for。 He felt that he was
lost if he did not act instantly。
〃To Monteleone！〃 he cried； springing forward towards the road which
led to that town。
〃To Monteleone！〃 shouted his officers and men； as they followed him。
And the crowd； persistently silent； opened to let them pass。
But they had hardly left the square before a great disturbance broke
out。 A man named Giorgio Pellegrino came out of his house with a gun
and crossed the square； shouting； 〃To your arms！〃
He knew that Captain Trenta Capelli commanding the Cosenza garrison
was just then in Pizzo； and he was going to warn him。
The cry 〃To arms！〃 had more effect on the crowd than the cry 〃Long
live Joachim！〃
Every Calabrian possesses a gun； and each one ran to fetch his； and
when Trenta Capelli and Giorgio Pellegrino came back to the square
they found nearly two hundred armed men there。
They placed themselves at the head of the column； and hastened
forward in pursuit of the king； they came up with him about ten
minutes from the square； where the bridge is nowadays。 Seeing them；
Murat stopped and waited for them。
Trenta Capelli advanced； sword in hand； towards the king。
〃Sir；〃 said the latter； 〃will you exchange your captain's epaulettes
for a general's？ Cry 'Long live Joachim！' and follow me with these
brave fellows to Monteleone。〃
〃Sire；〃 said Trenta Capelli； 〃we are the faithful subjects of King
Ferdinand； and we come to fight you； and not to bear you company。
Give yourself up； if you would prevent bloodshed。〃
Murat looked at the captain with an expression which it would be
impossible to describe； then without deigning to answer； he signed to
Cagelli to move away； while his other hand went to his pistol。
Giotgio Pellegrino perceived the movement。
〃Down； captain； down！〃 he cried。 The captain obeyed。 Immediately a
bullet whistled over his head and brushed Murat's head。
〃Fire！〃 commanded Franceschetti。
〃Down with your arms！〃 cried Murat。
Waving his handkerchief in his right hand； he made a step towards the
peasants； but at the same moment a number of shots were fired； an
officer and two or three men fell。 In a case like this； when blood
has begun to flow； there is no stopping it。
Murat knew this fatal truth； and his course of action was rapidly
decided on。 Before him he had five hundred armed men； and behind him
a precipice thirty feet high： he sprang from the jagged rock on which
he was standing； and alighting on the sand； jumped up safe and sound。
General Franceschetti and his aide…de…camp Campana were able to
accomplish the jump in the same way； and all three went rapidly down
to the sea through the little wood which lay within a hundred yards
of the shore； and which hid them for a few moments from their
enemies。
As they came out of the wood a fresh discharge greeted them； bullets
whistled round them； but no one was hit； and the three fugitives went
on down to the beach。
It was only then that the king perceived that the boat which had
brought them to land had gone off again。 The three ships which
composed the fleet； far from remaining to guard his landing； were
sailing away at full speed into the open sea。
The Maltese； Barbara； was going off not only with Murat's fortune；
but with his hopes likewise； his salvation； his very life。 They
could not believe in such treachery； and the king took it for some
manoeuvre of seamanship； and seeing a fishing…boat drawn up on the
beach on some nets； he called to his two companions； 〃Launch that
boat！〃
They all began to push it down to the sea with the energy of despair；
the strength of agony。
No one had dared to leap from the rock in pursuit of them； their
enemies； forced to make a detour； left them a few moments of liberty。
But soon shouts were heard： Giorgio Pellegrino； Trenta Capelli；
followed by the whole population of Pizzo； rushed out about a hundred
and fifty paces from where Murat； Franceschetti； and Campana were
straining themselves to make the boat glide down the sand。
These cries were immediately followed by a volley。 Campana fell；
with a bullet through his heart。
The boat； however； was launched。 Franceschetti sprang into it； Murat
was about to follow； but he had not observed that the spurs of his
riding…boots had caught in the meshes of the net。 The boat； yielding
to the push he gave it； glided away； and the king fell head foremost；
with his feet on land and his face in the water。 Before he had time
to pick himself up； the populace had fallen on him： in one instant
they had torn away his epaulettes； his banner； and his coat； and
would have torn him to bits himself； had not Giorgio Pellegrino and
Trenta Capelli taken him under their protection； and giving him an
arm on each side； defended him in their turn against the people。
Thus he crossed the square as a prisoner where an hour before he had
walked as a king。
His captors took him to the castle： he was pushed into the common
prison； the door was shut upon him； and the king found himself among
thieves and murderers； who； not knowing him； took him for a companion
in crime； and greeted him with foul language and hoots of derision。
A quarter of an hour later the door of the gaol opened and Commander
Mattei came in： he found Murat standing with head proudly erect and
folded arms。 There was an expression of indefinable loftiness in
this half…naked man whose face was stained with blood and bespattered
with mud。 Mattei bowed before him。
〃Commander；〃 said Murat； recognising his rank by his epaulettes；
〃look round you and tell me whether this is a prison for a king。〃
Then a strange thing happened： the criminals； who； believing Murat
their accomplice； had welcomed him with vociferations and laughter；
now bent before his royal majesty； which had not overawed Pellegrino
and Trenta Capelli； and retired silently to the depths of their
dungeon。
Misfortune had invested Murat with a new power。
Commander Mattei murmured some excuse； and invited Murat to follow
him to a room that he had had prepared for him； but before going out；
Murat put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a handful of gold and
let it fall in a shower in the midst of the gaol。
〃See；〃 he said； turning towards the prisoners； 〃it shall not be said
that you have received a visit from a king； prisoner and crownless as
he is； without having received largesse。〃
〃Long live Joachim！〃 cried the prisoners。
Murat smiled bitterly。 Those same words repeated by the same number
of voices an hour before in the public square； instead of resounding
in the prison； would have made him King of Naples。
The most important events proceed sometimes from such mere trifles；
that it seems as if God and the devil must throw dice for the life or
death of men； for the rise or fall of empires。
Murat followed Commander Mattei： he led him to a little room which
the porter had put at his disposal。 Mattei was going to retire when
Murat called him back。
〃Commander；〃 he said； 〃I want a scented bath。〃
〃Sire； it will be difficult to obtain。〃
〃Here are fifty ducats； let someone buy all the eau de Cologne that
can be obtained。 Ahand let some tailors be sent to me。〃
〃It will be impossible to find anyone here capable of making anything
but a peasant's clothes。〃
〃Send someone to Monteleone to fetch them from there。〃
The commander bowed and went out。
Murat was in his bath when the Lavaliere Alcala was announced； a
General and Governor of the town。 He had sent damask coverlets；
curtains； and arm…chairs。 Murat was touched by this attention； and
it gave him fresh composure。 At two o'clock the same day General
Nunziante arrived from Santa…Tropea with three tho
