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.