murat-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　of　joy　prevented　the　king　from　keeping　up　his
incognito。　　Then　Senator　Casabianca；　Captain　Oletta；　a　nephew　of
Prince　Baciocchi；　a　staff…paymaster　called　Boerco；　who　were
themselves　fleeing　from　the　massacres　of　the　South；　were　all　on　board
the　vessel；　and　improvising　a　little　court；　they　greeted　the　king
with　the　title　of　〃your　Majesty。〃　　It　had　been　a　sudden　embarkation；
it　brought　about　a　swift　change：　he　was　no　longer　Murat　the　exile；　he
was　Joachim；　the　King　of　Naples。　　The　exile's　refuge　disappeared　with
the　foundered　boat；　in　its　place　Naples　and　its　magnificent　gulf
appeared　on　the　horizon　like　a　marvellous　mirage；　and　no　doubt　the
primary　idea　of　the　fatal　expedition　of　Calabria　was　originated　in
the　first　days　of　exultation　which　followed　those　hours　of　anguish。
The　king；　however；　still　uncertain　of　the　welcome　which　awaited　him
in　Corsica；　took　the　name　of　the　Count　of　Campo　Melle；　and　it　was
under　this　name　that　he　landed　at　Bastia　on　the　25th　August。　　But
this　precaution　was　useless；　three　days　after　his　arrival；　not　a　soul
but　knew　of　his　presence　in　the　town。

Crowds　gathered　at　once；　and　cries　of　〃Long　live　Joachim！〃　were
heard；　and　the　king；　fearing　to　disturb　the　public　peace；　left　Bastia
the　same　evening　with　his　three　companions　and　his　Mameluke。　　Two
hours　later　he　arrived　at　Viscovato；　and　knocked　at　the　door　of
General　Franceschetti；　who　had　been　in　his　service　during　his　whole
reign；　and　who；　leaving　Naples　at　the　same　time　as　the　king；　had　gone
to　Corsica　with　his　wife；　to　live　with　his　father…in…law；　M。　Colonna
Cicaldi。

He　was　in　the　middle　of　supper　when　a　servant　told　him　that　a
stranger　was　asking　to　speak　to　himhe　went　out；　and　found　Murat
wrapped　in　a　military　greatcoat；　a　sailor's　cap　drawn　down　on　his
head；　his　beard　grown　long；　and　wearing　a　soldier's　trousers；　boots；
and　gaiters。

The　general　stood　still　in　amazement；　Murat　fixed　his　great　dark　eyes
on　him；　and　then；　folding　his　arms：

〃Franceschetti；〃　said　he；　〃have　you　room　at　your　table　for　your
general；　who　is　hungry？　　Have　you　a　shelter　under　your　roof　for　your
king；　who　is　an　exile？〃

Franceschetti　looked　astonished　as　he　recognised　Joachim；　and　could
only　answer　him　by　falling　on　his　knees　and　kissing　his　hand。　　From
that　moment　the　general's　house　was　at　Murat's　disposal。

The　news　of　the　king's　arrival　had　hardly　been　handed　about　the
neighbourhood　before　officers　of　ail　ranks　hastened　to　Viscovato；
veterans　who　had　fought　under　him；　Corsican　hunters　who　were
attracted　by　his　adventurous　character；　in　a　few　days　the　general's
house　was　turned　into　a　palace；　the　village　into　a　royal　capital；　the
island　into　a　kingdom。

Strange　rumours　were　heard　concerning　Murat's　intentions。　　An　army　of
nine　hundred　men　helped　to　give　them　some　amount　of　confirmation。
It　was　then　that　Blancard；　Donadieu；　and　Langlade　took　leave　of　him；
Murat　wished　to　keep　them；　but　they　had　been　vowed　to　the　rescue　of
the　exile；　not　to　the　fortunes　of　the　king。

We　have　related　how　Murat　had　met　one　of　his　former　Mamelukes；　a　man
called　Othello；　on　board　the　Bastia　mailboat。　　Othello　had　followed
him　to　Viscovato；　and　the　ex…King　of　Naples　considered　how　to　make
use　of　him。　　Family　relations　recalled　him　naturally　to　Castellamare；
and　Murat　ordered　him　to　return　there；　entrusting　to　him　letters　for
persons　on　whose　devotion　he　could　depend。　　Othello　started；　and
reached　his　father…in…law's　safely；　and　thought　he　could　confide　in
him；　but　the　latter　was　horror…struck；　and　alarmed　the　police；　who
made　a　descent　on　Othello　one　night；　and　seized　the　letters。

The　next　day　each　man　to　whom　a　letter　was　addressed　was　arrested　and
ordered　to　answer　Murat　as　if　all　was　well；　and　to　point　out　Salerno
as　the　best　place　for　disembarking：　five　out　of　seven　were　dastards
enough　to　obey；　the　two　remaining；　who　were　two　Spanish　brothers；
absolutely　refused；　they　were　thrown　into　a　dungeon。

However；　on　the　17th　September；　Murat　left　Viscovato；　General
Franceschetti　and　several　Corsican　officers　served　as　escort；　he　took
the　road　to　Ajaccio　by　Cotone；　the　mountains　of　Serra　and　Bosco；
Venaco　and　Vivaro；　by　the　gorges　of　the　forest　of　Vezzanovo　and
Bogognone；　he　was　received　and　feted　like　a　king　everywhere；　and　at
the　gates　of　the　towns　he　was　met　by　deputations　who　made　him
speeches　and　saluted　him　with　the　title　of　〃Majesty〃；　at　last；　on　the
23rd　September；　he　arrived　at　Ajaccio。　　The　whole　population　awaited
him　outside　the　walls；　and　his　entry　into　the　town　was　a　triumphal
procession；　he　was　taken　to　the　inn　which　had　been　fixed　upon
beforehand　by　the　quartermasters。　　It　was　enough　to　turn　the　head　of
a　man　less　impressionable　than　Murat；　as　for　him；　he　was　intoxicated
with　it。　　As　he　went　into　the　inn　he　held　out　his　hand　to
Franceschetti。

〃You　see；〃　he　said；　〃what　the　Neapolitans　will　do　for　me　by　the　way
the　Corsicans　receive　me。〃

It　was　the　first　mention　which　had　escaped　him　of　his　plans　for　the
future；　and　from　that　very　day　he　began　to　give　orders　for　his
departure。

They　collected　ten　little　feluccas：　a　Maltese；　nam