the life of horatio lord nelson-第26章

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l　Italy　would；　at　this　moment；　have　been　liberated。　This　month　is　worse　than　the　last；　the　next　will　render　the　contest　doubtful；　and；　in　six　months；　when　the　Neapolitan　republic　will　be　organised；　armed；　and　with　its　numerous　resources　called　forth；　the　emperor　will　not　only　be　defeated　in　Italy；　but　will　totter　on　his　throne　at　Vienna。　DOWN；　DOWN　WITH　THE　FRENCH！　ought　to　be　written　in　the　council…room　of　every　country　in　the　world；　and　may　Almighty　God　give　right　thoughts　to　every　sovereign；　is　my　constant　prayer！〃　His　perfect　foresight　of　the　immediate　event　was　clearly　shown　in　this　letter；　when　he　desired　the　ambassador　to　assure　the　empress　（who　was　a　daughter　of　the　house　of　Naples）　that；　notwithstanding　the　councils　which　had　shaken　the　throne　of　her　father　and　mother；　he　would　remain　there；　ready　to　save　their　persons；　and　her　brothers　and　sisters；　and　that　he　had　also　left　ships　at　Leghorn　to　save　the　lives　of　the　grand　duke　and　her　sister：　〃For　all；〃　said　he；　〃must　be　a　republic；　if　the　emperor　does　not　act　with　expedition　and　vigour。〃

His　fears　were　soon　verified。　〃The　Neapolitan　officers；〃　said　Nelson；　〃did　not　lose　much　honour；　for；　God　knows；　they　had　not　much　to　lose；　but　they　lost　all　they　had。〃　General　St。　Philip　　commanded　the　right　wing；　of　19；000　men。　He　fell　in　with　3000　of　the　enemy；　and；　as　soon　as　he　came　near　enough；　deserted　to　them。　One　of　his　men　had　virtue　enough　to　level　a　musket　at　him；　and　shot　him　through　the　arm；　but　the　wound　was　not　sufficient　to　prevent　him　from　joining　with　the　French　in　pursuit　of　his　own　countrymen。　Cannon；　tents；　baggage；　and　military　chest；　were　all　forsaken　by　the　runaways；　though　they　lost　only　forty　men；　for　the　French　having　put　them　to　flight　and　got　possession　of　everything；　did　not　pursue　an　army　of　more　than　three　times　their　own　number。　The　main　body　of　the　Neapolitans；　under　Mack；　did　not　behave　better。　The　king　returned　to　Naples；　where　every　day　brought　with　it　tidings　of　some　new　disgrace　from　the　army　and　the　discovery　of　some　new　treachery　at　home；　till；　four　days　after　his　return；　the　general　sent　him　advice　that　there　was　no　prospect　of　stopping　the　progress　of　the　enemy；　and　that　the　royal　family　must　look　to　their　own　personal　safety。　The　state　of　the　public　mind　at　Naples　was　such；　at　this　time；　that　neither　the　British　minister　nor　the　British　Admiral　thought　it　prudent　to　appear　at　court。　Their　motions　were　watched；　and　the　revolutionists　had　even　formed　a　plan　for　seizing　and　detaining　them　as　hostages；　to　prevent　an　attack　on　the　city　after　the　French　should　have　taken　possession　of　it。　A　letter　which　Nelson　addressed　at　this　time　to　the　First　Lord　of　the　Admiralty；　shows　in　what　manner　he　contemplated　the　possible　issue　of　the　storm。　it　was　in　these　words：〃My　dear　lord；　there　is　an　old　saying；　that　when　things　are　at　the　worst　they　must　mend：　now　the　mind　of　man　cannot　fancy　things　worse　than　they　are　here。　But；　thank　God！　my　health　is　better；　my　mind　never　firmer；　and　my　heart　in　the　right　trim　to　comfort；　relieve；　and　protect　those　whom　it　is　my　duty　to　afford　assistance　to。　Pray；　my　lord；　assure　our　gracious　sovereign　that　while　I　live；　I　will　support　his　glory；　and　that　if　I　fall；　it　shall　be　in　a　manner　worthy　of　your　lordship's　faithful　and　obliged　Nelson。　I　must　not　write　more。　Every　word　may　be　a　text　for　a　long　letter。〃

Meantime　Lady　Hamilton　arranged　every　thing　for　the　removal　of　the　royal　family。　This　was　conducted　on　her　part　with　the　greatest　address；　and　without　suspicion；　because　she　had　been　in　habits　of　constant　correspondence　with　the　queen。　It　was　known　that　the　removal　could　not　be　effected　without　danger；　for　the　mob；　and　especially　the　lazzaroni；　were　attached　to　the　king；　and　as　at　this　time　they　felt　a　natural　presumption　in　their　own　numbers　and　strength；　they　insisted　that　he　should　not　leave　Naples。　Several　persons　fell　victims　to　their　fury；　among　others　was　a　messenger　from　Vienna；　whose　body　was　dragged　under　the　windows　of　the　palace　in　the　king's　sight。　The　king　and　queen　spoke　to　the　mob；　and　pacified　them；　but　it　would　not　have　been　safe；　while　they　were　in　this　agitated　state；　to　have　embarked　the　effects　of　the　royal　family　openly。　Lady　Hamilton；　like　a　heroine　of　modern　romance；　explored　with　no　little　danger　a　subterraneous　passage　leading　from　the　palace　to　the　sea…side：　through　this　passage　the　royal　treasures；　the　choicest　pieces　of　painting　and　sculpture；　and　other　property　to　the　amount　of　two　millions　and　a　half；　were　conveyed　to　the　shore；　and　stowed　safely　on　board　the　English　ships。　On　the　night。　of　the　21st；　at　half…past　eight；　Nelson　landed；　brought　out　the　whole　royal　family；　embarked　them　in　three　barges；　and　carried　them　safely；　through　a　tremendous　sea；　to　the　VANGUARD。　Notice　was　then　immediately　given　to　the　British　merchants；　that　they　would　be　received　on　board　any　ships　in　the　squadron。　Their　property　had　previously　been　embarked　in　transports。　Two　days　were　passed　in　the　bay；　for　the　purpose　of　taking　such　persons　on　board　as　required　an　asylum；　and；　on　the　night　of　the　23rd；　the　fleet　sailed。　The　next　day　a　more　violent　storm　arose　than　Nelson　had　ever　before　encountered。　On　the　25th；　the　youngest　of　the　princes　was　taken　ill；　and　died　in　Lady　Hamilton's　arms。　During　this　whole　trying　season；　Lady　Hamilton　waited　upon　the　royal　family　with　the　zeal　of　the　most　devoted　servant；　at　a　time　when；　except　one　man；　no　person　belonging　to　the　court　assisted　them。

On　the　morning　of　the　26th　the　royal　family　were　landed　at　Palermo。　It　was　soon　seen　that　their　flight　had　not　been　premature。　Prince　Pignatelli；　who　had　been　left　as　vicar…general　and　viceroy；　with　orders　to　defend　the　kingdom　to　the　last　rock　in　Calabria；　sent　plenipotentiaries　to　the　French　camp　before　Capua；　and　they；　for　the　sake　of　saving　the　capital；　signed　an　armistice；　by　which　the　greater　part　of　the　kingdom　was　given　up　to　the　enemy：　a　cession　that　necessarily　led　to　the　loss　of　the　whole。　This　was　on　the　10th　of　January。　The　French　advanced　towards　Naples。　Mack；　under　pretext　of　taking　shelter　from　the　fury　of　the　lazzaroni；　fled　to　the　French　General　Championet；　who　sent　him　under　an　escort　to　Milan；　but　as　France　hoped　for　further　services　from　this　wretched　traitor；　it　was　thought　prudent　to　treat　him　apparently　as　a　prisoner　of　war。　The　Neapolitan　army　disappeared　in　a　few　days：　of　the　men；　some；　following　their　officers；　deserted　to　the　enemy；　the　greater　part　took　the　opportunity　of　disbanding　themselves。　The　lazzaroni　proved　true　to　their　country；　they　attacked　the　enemy's　advanced　posts；　drove　them　in；　and　were　not　dispirited　by　the　murderous　defeat　which　they　suffered　from　the　main　body。　Flying　into　the　city；　they　continued　to　defend　it；　even　after　the　French　had　planted　their　artillery　in　the　principal　streets。　Had　there　been　a　man　of　genius　to　have　directed　their　enthusiasm；　or　had　there　been　any　correspondent　feelings　in　the　higher　ranks；　Naples　might　have　set　a　glorious　example　to　Europe；　and　have　proved　the　grave　of　every　Frenchman　who　entered　it。　But　the　vices　of　the　government　had　extinguished　all　other　patriotism　than　that　of　the　rabble；　who　had　no　other　than　that　sort　of　loyalty　which　was　like　the　fidelity　of　a　dog　to　its　master。　This　fidelity　the　French　and　their　adherents　counteracted　by　another　kind　of　devotion：　the　priests　affirmed　that　St。　Januarius　had　declared　in　favour　of　the　revolution。　The　miracle　of　his　blood　was　performed　with　the　usual　success；　and　more　than　usual　effect；　on　the　very　evening　when；　after　two　days　of　desperate　fighting；　the　French　obtained　possession　of　Naples。　A　French　guard　of　honour　was　stationed　at　his　church。　Championet　gave；　〃Respect　for　St。　Januarius！〃　as　the　word　for　the　army；　and　the　next　day　TE　DEUM　was　sung　by　the　archbishop　in　the　cathedral；　and　the　inhabitants　were　invited　to　attend　the　ceremony；　and　join　in　thanksgiving　for　the　glorious　entry　of　the　French；　who；　it　was　said；　being　under　the　peculiar　protection　of　Providence；　had　regenerated　the　Neapolitans；　and　were　come　to　establish　and　consolidate　their　happiness。

It　seems　to　have　been　Nelson's　opinion　that　the　Austrian　cabinet　regarded　the　conquest　of　Naples　with　complacency；　and　that　its　measures　were　directed　so　as　designedly　not　to　prevent　the　French　from　overrunning　it。　That　cabinet　was　assuredly　capable　of　any　folly；　and　of　any　baseness；　and　it　is　not　improbable　that　at　this　time；　calculating　upon　the　success　of　the　new　coalition；　it　indulged　a　dream　of　adding　extensively　to　its　former　Italian　possessions；　and；　therefore；　left　the　few　remaining　powers　of　Italy　to　be　overthrown；　as　a　means　which　would　facilitate　its　own　ambitious　views。　The　King　of　Sardinia；　finding　it　impossible　longer　to　endure　the　exactions　of　France　and　the　insults　of　the　French　commissary；　went　to　Leghorn；　embarked　on　board　a　Danish　frigate；　and　sailed；　under　British　protection；　to　Sardiniathat　part　of　his　dominions　which　the　maritime　supremacy　of　England　rendered　a　secure　asylum。　On　his　arrival　he　published　a　protest　against　the　conduct　of　France；　declaring；　upon　the　faith　and　word　of　a　king；　that　he　had　never　infringed；　even　in　the　slightest　degree；　the　treaties　which　he　had　made　with　the　French　republic。　Tuscany　was　soon　occupied　by　French　troopsa　fate　which　bolder　policy　might；　perhaps；　have　failed　to　avert；　but　which　its　weak　and　timid　neutrality　rendered　inevitable。　Nelson　began　to　fear　even　for　Sicily。　〃Oh；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　he；　writing　to　Commodore　Duckworth；　〃one　thousand　English　troops　would　save　Messina；　and　I　fear　General　Stuart　cannot　give　me　men　to　save　this　most　important　island！〃　But　his　representations　were　not　lost　upon　Sir　Charles　Stuart。　This　officer　hastened　immediately　from　Minorca　with　1000　men；　assisted　in　the　measures　of　defence　which　were　taken；　and　did　not　return　before　he　had　satisfied　himself　that；　if　the　Neapolitans　were　excluded　from　the　management　of　affairs；　and　the　spirit　of　the　peasantry　properly　directed；　Sicily　was　safe。　Before　his　coming；　Nelson　had　offered　the　king；　if　no　resources　should　arrive；　to　defend　Messina　with　the　ship's　company　of　an　English　man…of…war。

Russia　had　now　entered　into　the　war。　Corfu；　surrendered　to　a　Russian　and　Turkish　fleet；　acting　now；　for　the　first　time；　in　strange　confederacy　yet　against　a　power　which　was　certainly　the　common　and　worst　enemy　of　both。　Troubridge　having　given　up　the　blockade　of　Alexandria　to　Sir　Sidney　Smith；　joined　Nelson；　bringing　with　him　a　considerable　addition　of　strength；　and　in　himself　what　Nelson　valued　more；　a　man；　upon　whose　sagacity；　indefatigable　zeal；　and　inexhaustible　resources；　he　could　place　full　reliance。　Troubridge　was　intrusted　to　commence　the　operations　against　the　French　in　the　bay　of　Naples。　Meantime　Cardinal　Ruffo；　a　man　of　questionable　character；　but　of　a　temper　fitted　for　such　times；　having　landed　in　Calabria；　raised　what　he　called　a　Christian　army；　composed　of　the　best　and　the　vilest　materialsloyal　peasants；　enthusiastic　priests　and　friars；　galley　slaves；　the　emptying　of　the　jails；　and　banditti。　The　islands　in　the　bay　of　Naples　were　joyfully　delivered　up　by　the　inhabitants；　who　were　in　a　state　of　famine　already；　from　the　effect　of　this　baleful　revolution。　Troubridge　distributed　among　them　all　his　flour；　and　Nelson　pressed　the　Sici