murat-第4节

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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　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　cap