On the morning of the 7th two vessels were in sight. The king gave the
order to prepare for action, but Barbara recognised them as Cicconi's
felucca and Courrand's lugger, which had joined each other and were
keeping each other company. They hoisted the necessary signals, and the
two captains brought up their vessels alongside the admiral's.

While they were deliberating as to what route to follow, a boat came up
to Murat's vessel. Captain Pernice was on board with a lieutenant. They
came to ask the king's permission to board his ship, not wishing to
remain on Courrand's, for in their opinion he was a traitor.

Murat sent to fetch him, and in spite of his protestations he was made to
descend into a boat with fifty men, and the boat was moored to the
vessel. The order was carried out at once, and the little squadron
advanced, coasting along the shores of Calabria without losing sight of
them; but at ten o'clock in the evening, just as they came abreast of the
Gulf of Santa-Eufemia, Captain Courrand cut the rope which moored his
boat to the vessel, and rowed away from the fleet.

Murat had thrown himself on to his bed without undressing; they brought
him the news.

He rushed up to the deck, and arrived in time to see the boat, which was
fleeing in the direction of Corsica, grow small and vanish in the
distance. He remained motionless, not uttering a cry, giving no signs of
rage; he only sighed and let his head fall on his breast: it was one more
leaf falling from the exhausted tree of his hopes.

General Franceschetti profited by this hour of discouragement to advise