best colonels in Suchet's army, Pépé returned to Naples. Murat, who had
just come back from Russia, received him kindly, and made him a
major-general. Notwithstanding this, he entertained serious thoughts of
quitting the service. He had left Spain full of political hopes; and now
the independence which Napoleon's disasters had given to Murat rendered
their realization more than ever improbable. His discontent was
participated in by many of his countrymen, especially by the Carbonari,
which sect was greatly on the increase, fostered by the Bourbonites,
who, for their own purposes, sought to sow dissensions in Naples. "I
looked upon this sect," says General Pépé, "as a useful agent for the
civilisation of the popular classes; but, at the same time, I was of
opinion that, as it was necessary to force the king to grant liberal
institutions, it was needful to make use of the army to avoid, as much
as possible, all disorders of the state." The Abruzzi were the focus of
the Carbonaro doctrines, and thither the general had been despatched
with his brigade. When there, he learned Murat's departure for Dresden,
to command Napoleon's cavalry. "Such was the eccentricity of Joachim,
that a few days before quitting Naples, he had been in treaty with
England to proclaim the independence of Italy, that nation engaging to
furnish twenty thousand men and a considerable sum of money for this
purpose. The ratification of the treaty only reached Naples after the
departure of the king." Caroline Buonaparte, regent of Naples during her
husband's absence, hated Pépé for his liberal principles and declared
opposition to the French party, and showed him marked distrust. October
came; Leipsic was fought, Napoleon retreated towards the Rhine,--Murat
returned to Naples. Deprived of the support of his brother-in-law, whose
star was visibly on the decline, it was time he should think and act
for himself. In this critical conjuncture, he displayed, as usual, a
grievous want of judgment. With a strong Bourbonite party against him,
he could not make up his mind to conciliate, by concession, the liberal