murat-第3节

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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　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　underto