Their impolicy. resolution the fixed points at which it became him to maintain his character and his reign, the dignity of his race, the impartiality of his mind, the sovereign umpirage of his heart between the parties. A restoration can never be anything but an amnesty. Pardor is not its virtue only, it is its law. BOOK THIRTY-FIRST. Murat-His flight from Naples-Arrival at the Isle of Ischia-His aidede-camp, the Duke of Rocca Romana-His departure for FranceHe lands at Cannes-Offers his services to the Emperor-Refusal of Napoleon-Terror in the South-Murat quits the neighbourhood of Toulon and conceals himself-Asks an asylum from Louis XVIII.— It is granted to him in Austria-Attempts at flight-He failsAdventures-His retreat-Dangers-He embarks for Corsica-Perils of the passage-Incidents-He is picked up at sea-His arrival in Corsica He retires to the mountains-Political situation of Corsica -Murat is summoned to surrender by the governor of the islandHis refusal-The governor sends a body of soldiers to arrest himTheir failure-Projects of Murat-He departs on an expedition to Naples-His march towards Ajaccio-Entry into the City-Arrival of Macirone-He sends him the passport for Austria-Murat's letter -His departure for Naples-Passage-Desertion of one of his vessels -Incidents-He disembarks at the port of Pizzo-Endeavours to raise the population-His arrest-Last moments-CondemnationDeath-Review of his life. I. But before we enter upon a narrative of those proscriptions, of those assassinations, of those trials, and those executions, which were to strike with dismay the second return of the King-sinister pages which the friends of the restoration would wish to tear from its history-let us first return to one of its most illustrious outlaws, whom the events of the hundred days led on to his ruin; and whose flight, last attempt, and death, commenced this period of vicissitudes, of vengeance, and of blood, We speak of Murat, whose life, like that of Napoleon, was not terminated by his first fall from the throne, and by the surrender of his kingdom to the Bourbons of Naples. It seemed to be the destiny of this satellite of Napoleon to rise with him, to fall with him, Murat's flight from Naples. to rise again with him, and to enact after him the heroic parody of a second reign, but also to fall again like him, no longer into banishment but the tomb. II. We left him, in the preceding volume of this history, vanquished, cast down, tearing himself in the night from the embraces of his wife, the sister of Napoleon, and of his children, who were going to fly on board an English vessel; himself stealing from his palace, with two faithful companions in misfortune, in borrowed clothes, looking for a fisherman's boat on the shore of his own kingdom, already invaded; embarking, under favour of night, at Cape Miseno, and rowing towards the little Isle of Ischia, where his authority still nominally existed, but where his flag was already lowered. On arriving there, he cut off his long hair, by which he was distinguished amongst other men of his camp and his kingdom. He did not make known there who he was, apprehensive that the islanders might deliver him up to the Austrians who had already entered Naples, or to the Bourbons who were approaching, that they might, by giving up his head to his enemies, earn the reward of treason. Some of his officers, commanding the forts of the island, were alone acquainted with his residence there. He hoped chance would give him an opportunity of flying to France. The next morning, when walking with his two companions in misfortune on the solitary shore of the island, between the town of Ischia and the garden walls of one of his old pleasure palaces, he saw a felucca, which was tacking undecidedly between the harbour and the beach on which he was walking; and which seemed by its manœuvres to have no other object than to be observed, and to wait for passengers at an appointed rendezvous. Murat surmised that this vessel, freighted by some unknown friends, might perhaps be an unexpected aid sent to him by fortune. He made signals therefore, which were instantly replied to by the officers on board. The vessel approached the beach, and sent her boat on shore. Murat Murat departs from Ischia for France. immediately jumped into it with his two friends, and in a few moments found himself on the deck of the felucca, and in the arms of his aide-de-camp, the Duke of Rocca-Romana. This officer who was called the Bayard of the Neapolitan army, had, beneath the aspect and outward form of a paladin, that antique and determined stamp of friendship in his character, which is now but rarely found in Italy, enervated by long servitude, but which, in those hearts where it is to be found, noble or plebeian, equals all that antiquity or chivalry can boast of an heroic and superhuman cast. Such was Rocca-Romana, worthy by his rank of the court of the Bourbons, worthy by his bravery of fighting by the side of Murat, and worthy by his fidelity to the fallen fortunes of his old general, of the esteem of both parties. His image, as we thus depict it, is still in our eyes and our memory. `III. The Duke of Rocca-Romana, on learning from his military and court friends, that Murat had taken the direction of Cape Miseno, conjectured that the King had taken refuge at Ischia. He hastened, therefore, in concert with the Duchess of Conégliano, Murat's niece, to embark on board a Calabrian felucca, belonging to a farmer on his estate, which was at the moment in the port of Naples; and he made sail towards the island, to seek for his master as chance might direct, to take him on board, and save him. Murat, Rocca-Romana, the Neapolitan Colonel Bonafoux, the Marquis Giuliano, and some other servants of the King, made sail for Toulon. The King hoped that Napoleon, who was then still at Paris, would grant him his pardon, and permit him to return to Paris, to fight as a chief, or as a volunteer in his cavalry, when he might redeem his ambitious infidelity with his blood. In this vague hope, but without daring to anticipate in Paris the pardon which he was preparing to solicit, he disembarked on the same coast where Napoleon himself had landed, at Cannes, the 28th May, as if he had wished to follow exactly the footsteps of his brother inlaw. He took refuge in a sort of half mystery, while waiting, He offers his services to the Emperor, and is refused. in a country villa, belonging to Admiral Lallemand, called Plaisance, in the vicinity of Toulon. He wrote from thence to Fouché, minister of police, who had been his guest a long time at Naples, and the confidant of all his family and political quarrels with the Emperor. He could not have made choice of a more powerful negociator. Fouché lent himself with his natural complaisance to this part of mediator and conciliator between the two brothers-in-law. He loved Murat, and thought him necessary to the success of the army. But at the first word he uttered on the subject to the Emperor, the latter became gloomy, and cast a glance at Fouché, which seemed to imply that the residence of Murat at Toulon, of which he wished to appear ignorant, was a sufficiently great indulgence. What treaty of peace, of which I am ignorant," said he to Fouché, "has been concluded between the King of Naples and France ?" Fouché did not venture to persist against a resentment, which might soon change to a threat. He acquainted Murat with the unfavourable dispositions of his brother-in-law, and counselled him to wait in obscurity until victory should recall Napoleon's generosity, or till reverses should restore friendship to his heart. Murat obeyed, trembling with impatience, his heart corroding with grief and remorse, in the solitude and idleness of his retreat. 66 IV. He was only aroused from this lethargy by the rumour of the catastrophe of Waterloo, the abdication and flight of the Emperor, and of the return of the Bourbons-his enemies at Paris, through the recollection, very unjust with respect to him, of the execution of the Duke d'Enghien; and his enemies at Naples, from a community of interest and of blood. The royalist risings at Marseilles-the murder of General Ramel at Toulouse-of General Lagarde at Nismes-of Marshal Brune, at Avignon-the reign of terror, which only changed its colours in the south, and which was raging even in Toulon, against all who adhered either by blood, by functions, or by opinions to Bonaparte-compelled him to quit the house of Admiral Lalle ད |