and asked what he had done, that the king wanted to get rid of him. To
add to the peril, it was a bright moonlight night. Instead of perishing,
however, he was fortunate enough to capture an English boat, having on
board eight smugglers, spies of General Stewart. Murat's impatience was
so great, that he came into the saloon of his tent, with only his shirt
on, to receive his successful emissary; and General Pépé confesses, that
if the king was delighted at receiving news, he himself was no less so,
at having escaped with life and liberty. At last the invasion was
attempted by a division of Neapolitan troops, and totally failed. Part
of the invaders were taken prisoners: the remainder only escaped by
favour of the strong current, which prevented the English from coming up
with them. Murat returned to Naples, having spent a vast deal of money
on these very expensive and fruitless operations. To Napoleon alone had
they been of any use. He had "succeeded in conveying the necessary
provisions to the Ionian islands whilst the seas were free from the
enemy. At the same time, he had not to contend in Spain with that
portion of the British forces which had been sent to protect Sicily."

In the stir and excitement of campaigning, Pépé managed to endure the
presence of the French, whom he disliked, not because they were
_Frenchmen_, but in their quality of foreigners, and of intruders in his
country. He felt them to be a necessary evil, in the absence of an
efficient native army, which Murat, impatient of his dependence on
Napoleon,--who, according to his custom, treated him rather as a subject
than as a sovereign,--perseveringly endeavoured to organise. Had the
king's talents been equal to his decision and industry, he could not
have failed of success. As it was, his efforts had little result. Pépé
observed this with pain, and his exaggerated feelings of nationality
again obtaining the ascendency, he determined once more to expatriate
himself. He reminded Murat of an old promise to give him the command of