"Farewell. I bless you all. Never curse my memory. Remember that the
worst pang of my agony is in dying far from my children, far from my
wife, without a friend to close my eyes. Farewell, my own Caroline.
Farewell, my children. I send you my blessing, my most tender tears, my
last kisses. Farewell, farewell. Never forget your unhappy father,

"Pizzo, Oct. 13, 1815"

[We can guarantee the authenticity of this letter, having copied it
ourselves at Pizzo, from the Lavaliere Alcala's copy of the original]

Then he cut off a lock of his hair and put it in his letter. Just then
General Nunziante came in; Murat went to him and held out his hand.

"General," he said, "you are a father, you are a husband, one day you
will know what it is to part from your wife and sons. Swear to me that
this letter shall be delivered."

"On my epaulettes," said the general, wiping his eyes. [Madame Murat
never received this letter.]

"Come, come, courage, general," said Murat; "we are soldiers, we know how
to face death. One favour--you will let me give the order to fire, will
you not?"

The general signed acquiescence: just then the registrar came in with the
king's sentence in his hand.

Murat guessed what it was.