murat-第7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！


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；〃　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　dev