the drawing-room. His staff were there, all in full uniform: one might
have been at Caserte or at Capo di Monte. At last, after a moment's
hesitation, Maceroni approached Murat.

"Sir," he said, "what is my answer to be to His Majesty the Emperor of
Austria?"

"Sir," answered Murat, with the lofty dignity which sat so well on his
fine face, "tell my brother Francis what you have seen and heard, and add
that I am setting out this very night to reconquer my kingdom of Naples."




III--PIZZO

The letters which had made Murat resolve to leave Corsica had been
brought to him by a Calabrian named Luidgi. He had presented himself to
the king as the envoy of the Arab, Othello, who had been thrown into
prison in Naples, as we have related, as well as the seven recipients of
the letters.

The answers, written by the head of the Neapolitan police, indicated the
port of Salerno as the best place for Joachim to land; for King Ferdinand
had assembled three thousand Austrian troops at that point, not daring to
trust the Neapolitan soldiers, who cherished a brilliant and enthusiastic
memory of Murat.

Accordingly the flotilla was directed for the Gulf of Salerno, but within
sight of the island of Capri a violent storm broke over it, and drove it