Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/693

Rh announced that if he did not promptly capitulate the Maltese would open negotiations with Bonaparte themselves, and treat for the surrender of the town without further reference to him.

Alarmed at this threat, von Hompesch summoned his council to deliberate upon the demand of the insurgents, and at that dead hour of the night the dignitaries of the Order assembled within the palace, and proceeded to debate the question. Whilst the discussion was going on, and different views were being put forward, a tumult outside the door of the council-chamber betokened a fresh interruption. A few moments after, a body of rioters rushed in, bearing in triumph on their shoulders Boisredont de Ransijat, the treasurer of the fraternity, who had, at the commencement of hostilities, written to the Grand-Master announcing that, as a knight of the Order of St. John, his duty was to combat against the infidel, but not to take part in a struggle against his countrymen, at the same time tendering the resignation of his office. Von Hompesch had ordered the recreant commander to be confined in fort St. Angelo, and now the friends of the revolutionary party had released him by force. This incident completed the panic of the members. Alarmed less the city should be surrendered without reference to them, they decided that a deputation should be selected to wait upon General Bonaparte, and demand a suspension of arms as a preliminary to capitulation. The persons named for this duty were the bailiff Saousa, the knights Miari and Monferret, the Maltese baron d’Aurel, and M. Fremeaux, the Dutch consul. As soon as the mission had departed on its errand, orders were sent by von Hompesch to the different posts to cease firing, and ere long a complete silence reigned through. out the town, broken only by the distant booming of the guns of St. Lucian’s tower, at the Mama Scirocco, commanded by La Guérivière, a valiant knight, who maintained an active resistance in his little isolated post until the 11th June, when he was forced to surrender, his garrison having been twenty- four hours without food.

Bonaparte, who had all along been kept acquainted with the course matters were taking, had awaited with impatience the demand for an armistice. Ho was so certain that his friends would secure the surrender of the plane without much effort on