the life of horatio lord nelson-第11章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


。　It　has；　I　am　persuaded；　made　them　equal　to　double　their　numbers。〃　This　is　one　proof；　of　many；　that　for　our　soldiers　to　equal　our　seamen；　it　is　only　necessary　for　them　to　be　equally　well　commanded。　They　have　the　same　heart　and　soul；　as　well　as　the　same　flesh　and　blood。　Too　much　may；　indeed；　be　exacted　from　them　in　a　retreat；　but　set　their　face　toward　a　foe；　and　there　is　nothing　within　the　reach　of　human　achievement　which　they　cannot　perform。　The　French　had　improved　the　leisure　which　our　military　commander　had　allowed　them；　and　before　Lord　Hood　commenced　his　operations；　he　had　the　mortification　of　seeing　that　the　enemy　were　every　day　erecting　new　works；　strengthening　old　ones；　and　rendering　the　attempt　more　difficult。　La　Combe　St。　Michel；　the　commissioner　from　the　national　convention；　who　was　in　the　city；　replied　in　these　terms　to　the　summons　of　the　British　admiral〃I　have　hot　shot　for　your　ships；　and　bayonets　for　your　troops。　When　two…thirds　of　our　men　are　killed；　I　will　then　trust　to　the　generosity　of　the　English。〃　The　siege；　however；　was　not　sustained　with　the　firmness　which　such　a　reply　seemed　to　augur。　On　the　19th　of　May　a　treaty　of　capitulation　was　begun；　that　same　evening　the　troops　from　St。　Fiorenzo　made　their　appearance　on　the　hills；　and；　on　the　following　morning；　General　d'Aubant　arrived　with　the　whole　army　to　take　possession　of　Bastia。

The　event　of　the　siege　had　justified　the　confidence　of　the　sailors；　but　they　themselves　excused　the　opinion　of　the　generals　when　they　saw　what　they　had　done。　〃I　am　all　astonishment；〃　said　Nelson；　〃when　I　reflect　on　what　we　have　achieved；　1000　regulars；　1500　national　guards；　and　a　large　party　of　Corsican　troops；　4000　in　all；　laying　down　their　arms　to　1200　soldiers；　marines；　and　seamen！　I　always　was　of　opinion；　have　ever　acted　up　to　it；　and　never　had　any　reason　to　repent　it；　that　one　Englishman　was　equal　to　three　　Frenchmen。　Had　this　been　an　English　town；　I　am　sure　it　would　not　have　been　taken　by　them。〃　When　it　had　been　resolved　to　attack　the　place；　the　enemy　were　supposed　to　be　far　inferior　in　number；　and　it　was　not　till　the　whole　had　been　arranged；　and　the　siege　publicly　undertaken；　that　Nelson　received　certain　information　of　the　great　superiority　of　the　garrison。　This　intelligence　he　kept　secret；　fearing　lest；　if　so　fair　a　pretext　were　afforded；　the　attempt　would　be　abandoned。　〃My　own　honour；〃　said　he　to　his　wife；　〃Lord　Hood's　honour；　and　the　honour　of　our　country；　must　have　been　sacrificed　had　I　mentioned　what　I　knew；　therefore　you　will　believe　what　must　have　been　my　feelings　during　the　whole　siege；　when　I　had　often　proposals　made　to　me　to　write　to　Lord　Hood　to　raise　it。〃　Those　very　persons　who　thus　advised　him；　were　rewarded　for　their　conduct　at　the　siege　of　Bastia：　Nelson；　by　whom　it　may　truly　be　affirmed　that　Bastia　was　taken；　received　no　reward。　Lord　Hood's　thanks　to　him；　both　public　and　private；　were；　as　he　himself　said；　the　handsomest　which　man　could　give；　but　his　signal　merits　were　not　so　mentioned　in　the　despatches　as　to　make　them　sufficiently　known　to　the　nation；　nor　to　obtain　for　him　from　government　those　honours　to　which　they　so　amply　entitled　him。　This　could　only　have　arisen　from　the　haste　in　which　the　despatches　were　written；　certainly　not　from　any　deliberate　purpose；　for　Lord　Hood　was　uniformly　his　steady　and　sincere　friend。

One　of　the　cartel's　ships；　which　carried　the　garrison　of　Bastia　to　Toulon；　brought　back　intelligence　that　the　French　were　about　to　sail　from　that　port；…such　exertions　had　they　made　to　repair　the　damage　done　at　the　evacuation；　and　to　fit　out　a　fleet。　The　intelligence　was　speedily　verified。　Lord　Hood　sailed　in　quest　of　them　toward　the　islands　of　Hieres。　The　AGAMEMNON　was　with　him。　〃I　pray　God；〃　said　Nelson；　writing　to　his　wife；　〃that　we　may　meet　their　fleet。　If　any　accident　should　happen　to　me；　I　am　sure　my　conduct　will　be　such　as　will　entitle　you　to　the　royal　favour；　not　that　I　have　the　least　idea　but　I　shall　return　to　you；　and　full　of　honour：　if　not；　the　Lord's　will　be　done。　My　name　shall　never　be　a　disgrace　to　those　who　may　belong　to　me。　The　little　I　have；　I　have　given　to　you；　except　a　small　annuityI　wish　it　was　more；　but　I　have　never　got　a　farthing　dishonestly：　it　descends　from　clean　hands。　Whatever　fate　awaits　me；　I　pray　God　to　bless　you；　and　preserve　you；　for　your　son's　sake。〃　With　a　mind　thus　prepared；　and　thus　confident；　his　hopes　and　wishes　seemed　on　the　point　of　being　gratified；　when　the　enemy　were　discovered　close　under　the　land；　near　St。　Tropez。　The　wind　fell；　and　prevented　Lord　Hood　from　getting　between　them　and　the　shore；　as　he　designed：　boats　came　out　from　Antibes　and　other　places　to　their　assistance；　and　towed　them　within　the　shoals　in　Gourjean　Roads；　where　they　were　protected　by　the　batteries　on　isles　St。　Honore　and　St。　Marguerite；　and　on　Cape　Garousse。　Here　the　English　admiral　planned　a　new　mode　of　attack；　meaning　to　double　on　five　of　the　nearest　ships；　but　the　wind　again　died　away；　and　it　was　found　that　they　had　anchored　in　compact　order；　guarding　the　only　passage　for　large　ships。　There　was　no　way　of　effecting　this　passage；　except　by　towing　or　warping　the　vessels；　and　this　rendered　the　attempt　impracticable。　For　this　time　the　enemy　escaped；　but　Nelson　bore　in　mind　the　admirable　plan　of　attack　which　Lord　Hood　had　devised；　and　there　came　a　day　when　they　felt　its　tremendous　effects。

The　AGAMEMNON　was　now　despatched　to　co…operate　at　the　siege　of　Calvi　with　General　Sir　Charles　Stuart；　an　officer　who；　unfortunately　　for　his　country；　never　had　an　adequate　field　allotted　him　far　the　display　of　those　eminent　talents　which　were；　to　all　who　knew　him；　so　conspicuous。　Nelson　had　less　responsibility　here　than　at　Bastia；　and　was　acting　with　a　man　after　his　own　heart；　who　was　never　sparing　of　himself；　and　slept　every　night　in　the　advanced　battery。　But　the　service　was　not　less　hard　than　that　of　the　former　siege。　〃We　will　fag　ourselves　to　death；〃　said　he　to　Lord　Hood；　〃before　any　blame　shall　lie　at　our　doors。　I　trust　it　will　not　be　forgotten；　that　twenty…five　pieces　of　heavy　ordnance　have　been　dragged　to　the　different　batteries；　mounted；　and；　all　but　three；　fought　by　seamen；　except　one　artilleryman　to　point　the　guns。〃　The　climate　proved　more　destructive　than　the　service；　for　this　was　during　the　lion　sun；　as　they　call　our　season　of　the　dog…days。　Of　2000　men；　above　half　were　sick；　and　the　rest　like　so　many　phantoms。　Nelson　described　himself　as　the　reed　among　the　oaks；　bowing　before　the　storm　when　they　were　laid　low　by　it。　〃All　the　prevailing　disorders　have　attacked　me；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　have　not　strength　enough　for　them　to　fasten　on。〃　The　loss　from　the　enemy　was　not　great；　but　Nelson　received　a　serious　injury：　a　shot　struck　the　ground　near　him；　and　drove　the　sand　and　small　gravel　into　one　of　his　eyes。　He　spoke　of　it　slightly　at　the　time：　writing　the　same　day　to　Lord　Hood；　he　only　said　that　he　bad　got　a　little　hurt　that　morning；　not　much；　and　the　next　day；　he　said；　he　should　be　able　to　attend　his　duty　in　the　evening。　In　fact；　he　suffered　it　to　confine　him　only　one　day；　but　the　sight　was　lost。

After　the　fall　of　Calvi；　his　services　were；　by　a　strange　omission；　altogether　overlooked；　and　his　name　was　not　even　mentioned　in　the　list　of　wounded。　This　was　no　ways　imputable　to　the　admiral；　for　he　sent　home　to　government　Nelson's　journal　of　the　siege；　that　they　might　fully　understand　the　nature　of　his　indefatigable　and　unequalled　exertions。　If　those　exertions　were　not　rewarded　in　the　conspicuous　manner　which　they　deserved；　the　fault　was　in　the　administration　of　the　day；　not　in　Lord　Hood。　Nelson　felt　himself　neglected。　〃One　hundred　and　ten　days；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　been　actually　engaged　at　sea　and　on　shore　against　the　enemy；　three　actions　against　ships；　two　against　Bastia　in　my　ship；　four　boat　actions；　and　two　villages　taken；　and　twelve　sail　of　vessels　burnt。　I　do　not　know　that　any　one　has　done　more。　I　have　had　the　comfort　to　be　always　applauded　by　my　Commander…in…Chief；　but　never　to　be　rewarded；　and；　what　is　more　mortifying；　for　services　in　which　I　have　been　wounded；　others　have　been　praised；　who；　at　the　same　time；　were　actually　in　bed；　far　from　the　scene　of　action。　They　have　not　done　me　justice。　But　never　mind；　I'll　have　a　GAZETTE　of　my　own。〃　How　amply　was　this　second…sight　of　glory　realised！

The　health　of　his　ship's　company　had　now；　in　his　own　words；　been　miserably　torn　to　pieces　by　as　hard　service　as　a　ship's　crew　ever　performed：　150　were　in　their　beds　when　he　left　Calvi；　of　them　he　lost　54　and　believed　that　the　constitutions　of　the　rest　were　entirely　destroyed。　He　was　now　sent　with　despatches　to　Mr。　Drake；　at　Genoa；　and　had　his　first　interview　with　the　Doge。　The　French　had；　at　this　time；　taken　possession　of　Vado　Bay；　in　the　Genoese　territory；　and　Nelson　foresaw　that；　if　their　thoughts　were　bent　on　the　invasion　of　Italy；　they　would　accomplish　it　the　ensuing　spring。　〃The　allied　powers；〃　he　said；　〃were　jealous　of　each　other；　and　none　but　England　was　hearty　in　the　cause。〃　His　wish　was　for　peace　on　fair　terms；　because　England　he　thought　was　draining　herself　to　maintain　allies　who　would　not　fight　for　themselves。　Lord　Hood　had　now　returned　to　England；　and　the　command　devolved　on　Admiral　Hotham。　The　affairs　of　the　Mediterranean　wore　at　this　time　a　gloomy　aspect。　The　arts；　as　well　as　the　arms　of　the　enemy；　were　gaining　the　ascendancy　there。　Tuscany　concluded　peace　relying　upon　the　faith　of　France；　which　was；　in　fact；　placing　itself　at　her　mercy。　Corsica　was　in　danger。　We　had　taken　that　island　for　ourselves；　annexed　it　formally　to　the　crown　of　Great　Britain；　and　given　it　a　constitution　as　free　as　our　own。　This　was　done　with　the　consent　of　the　majority　of　the　inhabitants；　and　no　transaction　between　two　countries　was　ever　more　fairly　or　legitimately　conducted：　yet　our　conduct　was　unwise；the　island　is　large　enough　to　form　an　independent　state；　and　such　we　should　have　made　it；　under　our　protection；　as　long　as　protection　might　be　needed；　the　Corsicans　would　then　have　felt　as　a　nation；　but　when　one　party　had　given　up　the　country　to　England；　the　natural　consequence　was　that　the　other　looked　to　France。　The　question　proposed　to　the　people　was；　to　which　would　they　belong？　Our　language　and　our　religion　were　against　us；　our　unaccommodating　manners；　it　is　to　be　feared；　still　more　so。　The　French　were　better　politicians。　In　intrigue　they　have　ever　been　unrivalled；　and　it　now　became　apparent　that；　in　spite　of　old　wrongs；　which　ought　never　to　have　been　forgotten　nor　forgiven；　their　partisans　were　daily　acquiring　strength。　It　is　part　of　the　policy　of　France；　and　a　wise　policy　it　is；　to　impress　upon　other　powers　the　opinion　of　its　strength；　by　lofty　language：　and　by　threatening　before　it　strikes；　a　system　which；　while　it　keeps　up　the　spirit　of　its　allies；　and　perpetually　stimulates　their　hopes；　tends　also　to　dismay　its　enemies。　　Corsica　was　now　loudly　threatened。　〃The　French；　who　had　not　yet　been　taught　to　feel　their　own　inferiority　upon　the　seas；　braved　us　in　contempt　upon　that　element。〃　They　had　a　superior　fleet　in　the　Mediterranean；　and　they　sent　it　out　with　express　orders　to　seek　the　English　and　engage　them。　Accordingly；　the　Toulon　fleet；　consisting　of　seventeen　ships　of　the　line　and　five　smaller　vessels；　put　to　sea。　Admiral　Hotham　received　this　information　at　Leghorn；　and　sailed　immediatel