Don Francesco Pellegrino retired. No doubt he felt ill at ease before Joachim. But Antonio Masdea remained at the door.
“Did you not hear me?” asked the king.
“Yes, indeed,” answered the old man; “but permit me, sire, to hope that it was not your last word to me. It is not, the first time that I see you or beg something of you. I have already had occasion to ask a favour of you.”
“What was that?”
“When your Majesty came to Pizzo in 1810, I asked you for 25,000 francs to enable us to finish our church. Your Majesty sent me 40,000 francs.”
“I must have foreseen that I should be buried there,” said Murat, smiling.
“Ah, sire, I should like to think that you did not refuse my second boon any more than my first. Sire, I entreat you on my knees.”
The old man fell at Murat’s feet.
“Die as a Christian!”
“That would give you pleasure, then, would it?” said the king.