424

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

window with its massy shutters for the door leading to thestaircase, while pulling at this shutter, one of the soldiersgot up to him and struck him across the back with his“ briquet,” which being very blunt, we found upon in-spection, had inflicted only a severe contusion. It appears,however, that the assailants, and even the General himself,received several hurts from each other while bewildered inthe dark. Rambaud lost his watch and his purse along witha portion of his garments.

The next morning, leaving Rambaud at my house, I wentto his to learn if any thing of the affair had transpired, soas to cause alarm to his mother and elder brother withwhom he lived in delightful harmony and comfort, as theyactually do now at Marseilles this year of our Lord, 1837! Ijudged it best to acquaint his mother and brother with thereal case in all its particulars, but I thought it prudent forRambaud to remain at my house until it should appearwhat steps were intended to be taken by General Cataneo.

To return to the latter gentleman, I cannot exactly statehow he passed the remainder of the night, but next morning,as early as etiquette would possibly allow, he hastened torequest an audience of the king, and laying before him allthe particulars of the case, just as General Rapp did with theEmperor on an analogous occurrence, he begged his Majesty’sadvice and the punishment of the guilty parties. Muratscarcely able to keep his gravity, politely assured theGeneral that he could not see how he could interfere, andjocosely hinting at his own participation in the liabilities ofall married people repeated in Italian, “ Calli e corni sonprivati compagni”—“Horns and corns are private thorns.”But, upon the earnest solicitations of the General, he gavehim permission to send his wife for a few days to thecastle of Sant Elmo.

Corsica has for many centuries been cursed with the