"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.