210 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book iv.

turn) were to fall into a decline of more or lessduration. The grand master began a long list of whohad ceased to govern. Never has the direct con-trary of honesty is the best policy, prevailed to sobarefaced an extent as throughout the times alludedto. An armistice of twenty-four hours was proposed;hut Buonaparte’s people set about making preparationsfor Iris entry, as if the city was already taken, and ex-plained the flag of truce into surrender; and a capitu-lation not signed by both the principals, as had beeneven of the barbarous Turk at Bhodes, allowed invadersto walk into Malta and insult the grand master withinhis own fortress ; round which the invading artillerywere being placed by who knew very well that theircommander-in-chief was sleeping there; the terrorthey had caused was enough, and no need of firing.By this most insidious operation, work of secrettreason, to which that of sappers, miners, is asnothing, was taken without a shot one of the best-fortified towns in existence. Indeed even Buona-parte thought it inexpugnable; and looking onsome of the pieces said, “ Well for us that we hadfriends to open the doors !” The whole night be-tween the 10th and 11th of June was spent in themost tumultuous manner. An insurrection of thepeople was tried at with unexampled diligence andtreachery—accusing the French knights of being in