He concluded an armistice accordingly, which was soon followed by a formal peace, with the King of the Two Sicilies; and the Neapolitan troops, who had recently behaved with eminent gallantry, abandoning the Austrian general, began their march to the south of Italy.
This transaction placed another of Napoleon's destined victims entirely within his grasp.

With no friend behind him, the Pope saw himself at the mercy of the invader; and in terror prepared to submit.

Buonaparte occupied immediately his legations of Bologna and Ferrara, making prisoners in the latter of these towns four hundred of the papal troops, and a cardinal, under whose orders they were.

The churchman militant was dismissed on parole; but, being recalled to headquarters, answered that his master, the Pope, had given him a dispensation to break his promise.
This exercise of the old dispensing power excited the merriment of the conquerors.

The Vatican, meanwhile, perceived that no time was to be lost.