murat-第8节

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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　thousand　men。　　Murat
greeted　his　old　acquaintance　with　pleasure；　but　at　the　first　word　the
king　perceived　that　he　was　before　his　judge；　and　that　he　had　not　come
for　the　purpose　of　making　a　visit；　but　to　make　an　official　inquiry。

Murat　contented　himself　with　stating　that　he　had　been　on　his　way　from
Corsica　to　Trieste　with　a　passport　from　the　Emperor　of　Austria　when
stormy　weather　and　lack　of　provisions　had　forced　him　to　put　into
Pizzo。　　All　other　questions　Murat　met　with　a　stubborn　silence；　then
at　least；　wearied　by　his　importunity

〃General；〃　he　said；　〃can　you　lend　me　some　clothes　after　my　bath？〃

The　general　understood　that　he　could　expect　no　more　information；　and；
bowing　to　the　king；　he　went　out。　　Ten　minutes　later；　a　complete
uniform　was　brought　to　Murat；　he　put　it　on　immediately；　asked　for　a
pen　and　ink；　wrote　to　the　commander…in…chief　of　the　Austrian　troops
at　Naples；　to　the　English　ambassador；　and　to　his　wife；　to　tell　them
of　his　detention　at　Pizzo。　　These　letters　written；　he　got　up　and
paced　his　room　for　some　time　in　evident　agitation；　at　last；　needing
fresh　air；　he　opened　the　window。　　There　was　a　view　of　the　very　beach
where　he　had　been　captured。

Two　men　were　digging　a　hole　in　the　sand　at　the　foot　of　the　little
redoubt。　　Murat　watched　them　mechanically。　　When　the　two　men　had
finished；　they　went　into　a　neighbouring　house　and　soon　came　out；
bearing　a　corpse　in　their　arms。

The　king　searched　his　memory；　and　indeed　it　seemed　to　him　that　in　the
midst　of　that　terrible　scene　he　had　seen　someone　fall；　but　who　it　was
he　no　longer　remembered。　　The　corpse　was　quite　without　covering；　but
by　the　long　black　hair　and　youthful　outlines　the　king　recognised
Campana；　the　aide…decamp　he　had　always　loved　best。

This　scene；　watched　from　a　prison　window　in　the　twilight；　this
solitary　burial　on　the　shore；　in　the　sand；　moved　Murat　more　deeply
than　his　own　fate。　　Great　tears　filled　his　eyes　and　fell　silently
down　the　leonine　face。　　At　that　moment　General　Nunziante　came　in　and
surprised　him　with　outstretched　arms　and　face　bathed　with　tears。
Murat　heard　him　enter　and　turned　round；　and　seeing　the　old　soldier's
surprise。

〃Yes；　general；〃　he　said；　〃I　weep；　I　weep　for　that　boy；　just
twenty…four；　entrusted　to　me　by　his　parents；　whose　death　I　have
brought　about。　　I　weep　for　that　vast；　brilliant　future　which　is
buried　in　an　unknown　grave；　in　an　enemy's　country；　on　a　hostile
shore。　　Oh；　Campana！　　Campana！　　if　ever　I　am　king　again；　I　will　raise
you　a　royal　tomb。〃

The　general　had　had　dinner　served　in　an　adjacent　room。　　Murat
followed　him　and　sat　down　to　table；　but　he　could　not　eat。　　The　sight
which　he　had　just　witnessed　had　made　him　heartbroken；　and　yet　without
a　line　on　his　brow　that　man　had　been　through　the　battles　of　Aboukir；
Eylau；　and　Moscow！　　After　dinner；　Murat　went　into　his　room　again；
gave　his　various　letters　to　General　Nunziante；　and　begged　to　be　left
alone。　　The　general　went　away。

Murat　paced　round　his　room　several　times；　walking　with　long　steps；
and　pausing　from　time　to　time　before　the　window；　but　without　opening
it。

At　last　he　overcame　a　deep　reluctance；　put　his　hand　on　the　bolt　and
drew　the　lattice　towards　him。

It　was　a　calm；　clear　night：　one　could　see　the　whole　shore。　　He　looked
for　Campana's　grave。　　Two　dogs　scratching　the　sand　showed　him　the
spot。

The　king　shut　the　window　violently；　and　without　undressing　threw
himself　onto　his　bed。　　At　last；　fearing　that　his　agitation　would　be
attributed　to　personal　alarm；　he　undressed　and　went　to　bed；　to　sleep；
or　seem　to　sleep　all　night。

On　the　morning　of　the　9th　the　tailors　whom　Murat　had　asked　for
arrived。　　He　ordered　a　great　many　clothes；　taking　the　trouble　to
explain　all　the　details　suggested　by　his　fastidious　taste。　　He　was
thus　employed　when　General　Nunziante　came　in。　　He　listened　sadly　to
the　king's　commands。　　He　had　just　received　telegraphic　despatches
ordering　him　to　try　the　King　of　Naples　by　court…martial　as　a　public
enemy。　　But　he　found　the　king　so　confident；　so　tranquil；　almost
cheerful　indeed；　that　he　had　not　the　heart　to　announce　his　trial　to
him；　and　took　upon　himself　to　delay　the　opening　of　operation　until　he
received　written　instructions。　　These　arrived　on　the　evening　of　the
12th。　　They　were　couched　in　the　following　terms：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NAPLES；　October　9；　1815

〃Ferdinand；　by　the　grace　of　God；　etc　。　　。　　。　　。　　wills　and　decrees
the　following：

〃Art。　　1。　　General　Murat　is　to　be　tried　by　court…martial；　the　members
whereof　are　to　be　nominated　by　our　Minister　of　War。

〃Art。　　2。　　Only　half　an　hour　is　to　be　accorded　to　the　condemned　for
the　exercises　of　religion。

〃（Signed）　FERDINAND。


Another　despatch　from　the　minister　contained　the　names　of　the　members
of　the　commission。　　They　were：

Giuseppe　Fosculo；　adjutant；　commander…in…chief　of　the　staff；
president。

Laffaello　Scalfaro；　chief　of　the　legion　of　Lower　Calabria。

Latereo　Natali；　lieutenant…colonel　of　the　Royal　Marines。

Gennaro　Lanzetta；　lieutenant…colonel　of　the　Engineers。

W。　T。　captain　of　Artillery。

Francois　de　Venge；　ditto。

Francesco　Martellari；　lieutenant　of　Artillery。

Francesco　Froio；　lieutenant　in　the　3rd　regiment　of　the　line。

Giovanni　delta　Camera；　Public　Prosecutor　to　the　Criminal　Courts　of
Lower　Calabria。

Francesco　Papavassi；　registrar。


The　commission　assembled　that　night。

On　the　13th　October；　at　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　Captain　Stratti
came　into　the　king's　prison；　he　was　sound　asleep。　　Stratti　was　going
away　again；　when　he　stumbled　against　a　chair；　the　noise　awoke　Murat。

〃What　do　you　want　with　me；　captain？〃　asked　the　king。

Stratti　tried　to　speak；　but　his　voice　failed　him。

〃Ah　ha！〃　said　Murat；　〃you　must　have　had　news　from　Naples。〃

〃Yes；　sire；〃　muttered　Stratti。

〃What　are　they？〃　said　Murat。

〃Your　trial；　sire。〃

〃And　by　whose　order　will　sentence　be　pronounced；　if　you　please？
Where　will　they　find　peers　to　judge　me？　　If　they　consider　me　as　a
king；　I　must　have　a　tribunal　of　kings；　if　I　am　a　marshal　of　France；　I
must　have　a　court　of　marshals；　if　I　am　a　general；　and　that　is　the
least　I　can　be；　I　must　have　a　jury　of　generals。〃

〃Sire；　you　are　declared　a　public　enemy；　and　as　such　you　are　liable　to
be　judged　by　court…martial：　that　is　the　law　which　you　instituted
yourself　for　rebels。〃

〃That　law　was　made　for　brigands；　and　not　for　crowned　heads；　sir；〃
said　Murat　scornfully。　　〃I　am　ready；　let　them　butcher　me　if　they
like。　　I　did　not　think　King　Ferdinand　capable　of　such　an　action。〃

〃Sire；　will　you　not　hear　the　names　of　your　judges？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　I　will。　　It　must　be　a　curious　list。　　Read　it：　I　am
listening。〃

Captain　Stratti　read　out　the　names　that　we　have　enumerated。　　Murat
listened　with　a　disdainful　smile。

〃Ah；〃　he　said；　as　the　captain　finished；　〃it　seems　that　every
precaution　has　been　taken。〃

〃How；　sire？〃

〃Yes。　　Don't　you　know　that　all　these　men；　with　the　exception　of
Francesco　Froio；　the　reporter；　owe　their　promotion　to　me？　　They　will
be　afraid　of　being　accused　of　sparing　me　out　of　gratitude；　and　save
one　voice；　perhaps；　the　sentence　will　be　unanimous。〃

〃Sire；　suppose　you　were　to　appear　before　the　court；　to　plead　your　own
cause？〃

〃Silence；　sir；　silence！〃　said　Murat。　　〃I　could；　not　officially
recognise　the　judges　you　have　named　without　tearing　too　many　pages　of
history。　　Such　tribunal　is　quite　incompetent；　I　should　be　disgraced
if　I　appeared　before　it。　　I　know　I　could　not　save　my　life；　let　me　at
least　preserve　my　royal　dignity。〃

At　this　moment　Lieutenant　Francesco　Froio　came　in　to　interrogate　the
prisoner；　asking　his　name；　his　age；　and　his　nationality。　　Hearing
these　questions；　Murat　rose　with　an　expression　of　sublime　dignity。

〃I　am　Joachim　Napoleon；　King　of　the　Two　Sicilies；〃　he　answered；　〃and
I　order　you　to　leave　me。〃

The　registrar　obeyed。

Then　Murat　partially　dressed　himself；　and　asked　Stratti　if　he　could
write　a　farewell　to　his　wife　and　children。　　The　Captain　no　longer
able　to　speak；　answered　by　an　affirmative　sign；　then　Joachim　sat　down
to　the　table　and　wrote　this　letter：

〃DEAR　CAROLINE　OF