the life of horatio lord nelson-第27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！


his　baleful　revolution。　Troubridge　distributed　among　them　all　his　flour；　and　Nelson　pressed　the　Sicilian　court　incessantly　for　supplies；　telling　them　that　L10；000　given　away　in　provisions　would；　at　this　time；　purchase　a　kingdom。　Money；　he　was　told；　they　had　not　to　give；　and　the　wisdom　and　integrity　which　might　have　supplied　its　wants　were　not　to　be　found。　〃There　is　nothing；〃　said　he；　〃which　I　propose；　that　is　not；　so　far　as　orders　go；　implicitly　complied　with；　but　the　execution　is　dreadful；　and　almost　makes　me　mad。　My　desire　to　serve　their　majesties　faithfully；　as　is　my　duty；　has　been　such　that　I　am　almost　blind　and　worn　out；　and　cannot　in　my　present　state　hold　out　much　longer。〃

Before　any　government　can　be　overthrown　by　the　consent　of　the　people；　the　government　must　be　intolerably　oppressive；　or　the　people　thoroughly　corrupted。　Bad　as　the　misrule　at　Naples　had　been；　its　consequences　had　been　felt　far　less　there　than　in　Sicily；　and　the　peasantry　had　that　attachment　to　the　soil　which　gives　birth　to　so　many　of　the　noblest　as　well　as　of　the　happiest　feelings。　In　all　the　islands　the　people　were　perfectly　frantic　with　joy　when　they　saw　the　Neapolitan　colours　hoisted。　At　Procida；　Troubridge　could　not　procure　even　a　rag　of　the　tri…coloured　flag　to　lay　at　the　king's　feet：　it　was　rent　into　ten　thousand　pieces　by　the　inhabitants；　and　entirely　destroyed。　〃The　horrid　treatment　of　the　French；〃　he　said；　〃had　made　them　mad。〃　It　exasperated　the　ferocity　of　a　character　which　neither　the　laws　nor　the　religion　under　which　they　lived　tended　to　mitigate。　Their　hatred　was　especially　directed　against　the　Neapolitan　revolutionists；　and　the　fishermen；　in　concert　among　themselves；　chose　each　his　own　victim；　whom　he　would　stiletto　when　the　day　of　vengeance　should　arrive。　The　head　of　one　was　sent　off　one　morning　to　Troubridge；　with　his　basket　of　grapes　for　breakfast；　and　a　note　from　the　Italian　who　had；　what　he　called；　the　glory　of　presenting　it；　saying；　he　had　killed　the　man　as　he　was　running　away；　and　begging　his　excellency　to　accept　the　head；　and　consider　it　as　a　proof　of　the　writer's　attachment　to　the　crown。　With　the　first　successes　of　the　court　the　work　of　punishment　began。　The　judge　at　Ischia　said　it　was　necessary　to　have　a　bishop　to　degrade　the　traitorous　priests　before　he　could　execute　them；　upon　which　Troubridge　advised　him　to　hang　them　first；　and　send　them　to　him　afterwards；　if　he　did　not　think　that　degradation　sufficient。　This　was　said　with　the　straightforward　feeling　of　a　sailor；　who　cared　as　little　for　canon…law　as　he　knew　about　it；　but　when　he　discovered　that　the　judge's　orders　were　to　go　through　the　business　in　a　summary　manner；　under　his　sanction；　he　told　him　at　once　that　could　not　be；　for　the　prisoners　were　not　British　subjects；　and　he　declined　having　anything　to　do　with　it。　There　were　manifestly　persons　about　the　court；　who；　while　they　thirsted　for　the　pleasure　of　vengeance；　were　devising　how　to　throw　the　odium　of　it　upon　the　English。　They　wanted　to　employ　an　English　man…of…war　to　carry　the　priests　to　Palermo　for　degradation；　and　then　bring　them　back　for　execution；　and　they　applied　to　Troubridge　for　a　hangman；　which　he　indignantly　refused。　He；　meantime；　was　almost　heart…　broken　by　the　situation　in　which　he　found　himself。　He　had　promised　relief　to　the　islanders；　relying　upon　the　queen's　promise　to　him。　He　had　distributed　the　whole　of　his　private　stock；there　was　plenty　of　grain　at　Palermo；　and　in　its　neighbourhood；　and　yet　none　was　sent　him：　the　enemy；　he　complained；　had　more　interest　there　than　the　king；　and　the　distress　for　bread　which　he　witnessed　was　such；　he　said；　that　it　would　move　even　a　Frenchman　to　pity。

Nelson's　heart；　too；　was　at　this　time　a…shore。　〃To　tell　you；〃　he　says；　writing　to　Lady　Hamilton；　〃how　dreary　and　uncomfortable　the　VANGUARD　appears；　is　only　telling　you　what　it　is　to　go　from　the　pleasantest　society　to　a　solitary　cell；　or　from　the　dearest　friends　to　no　friends。　I　am　now　perfectly　the　GREAT　MANnot　a　creature　near　me。　》From　my　heart　I　wish　myself　the　little　man　again。　You　and　good　Sir　William　have　spoiled　me　for　any　place　but　with　you。〃

His　mind　was　not　in　a　happier　state　respecting　public　affairs。　〃As　to　politics；〃　said　he；　〃at　this　time　they　are　my　abomination：　the　ministers　of　kings　and　princes　are　as　great　scoundrels　as　ever　lived。　The　brother　of　the　emperor　is　just　going　to　marry　the　great　Something　of　Russia；　and　it　is　more　than　expected　that　a　kingdom　is　to　be　found　for　him　in　Italy；　and　that　the　king　of　Naples　will　be　sacrificed。〃　Had　there　been　a　wise　and　manly　spirit　in　the　Italian　states；　or　had　the　conduct　of　Austria　been　directed　by　anything　like　a　principle　of　honour；　a　more　favourable　opportunity　could　not　have　been　desired　for　restoring　order　and　prosperity　in　Europe；　than　the　misconduct　of　the　French　Directory　at　this　time　afforded。　But　Nelson　perceived　selfishness　and　knavery　wherever　he　looked；　and　even　the　pleasure　of　seeing　a　cause　prosper；　in　which　he　was　so　zealously　engaged；　was　poisoned　by　his　sense　of　the　rascality　of　those　with　whom　he　was　compelled　to　act。　At　this　juncture　intelligence　arrived　that　the　French　fleet　had　escaped　from　Brest；　under　cover　of　a　fog；　passed　Cadiz　unseen　by　Lord　Keith's　squadron；　in　hazy　weather；　and　entered　the　Mediterranean。　It　was　said　to　consist　of　twenty…four　sail　of　the　line；　six　frigates；　and　three　sloops。　The　object　of　the　French　was　to　liberate　the　Spanish　fleet；　form　a　junction　with　them；　act　against　Minorca　and　Sicily；　and　　overpower　our　naval　force　in　the　Mediterranean；　by　falling　in　with　detached　squadrons；　and　thus　destroying　it　in　detail。　When　they　arrived　off　Carthagena；　they　requested　the　Spanish　ships　to　make　sail　and　join；　but　the　Spaniards　replied　they　had　not　men　to　man　them。　To　this　it　was　answered　that　the　French　had　men　enough　on　board　for　that　purpose。　But　the　Spaniards　seem　to　have　been　apprehensive　of　delivering　up　their　ships　thus　entirely　into　the　power　of　such　allies；　and　refused　to　come　out。　The　fleet　from　Cadiz；　however；　consisting　of　from　seventeen　to　twenty　sail　of　the　line；　got　out；　under　Masaredo；　a　man　who　then　bore　an　honourable　name；　which　he　has　since　rendered　infamous　by　betraying　his　country。　They　met　with　a　violent　storm　off　the　coast　of　Oran；　which　dismasted　many　of　their　ships；　and　so　effectually　disabled　them　as　to　prevent　the　junction；　and　frustrate　a　well…planned　expedition。

Before　this　occurred；　and　while　the　junction　was　as　probable　as　it　would　have　been　formidable；　Nelson　was　in　a　state　of　the　greatest　anxiety。　〃What　a　state　am　I　in！〃　said　he　to　Earl　St。　Vincent。　〃If　I　go；　I　risk；　and　more　than　risk；　Sicily；　for　we　know；　from　experience；　that　more　depends　upon　opinion　than　upon　acts　themselves；　and；　as　I　stay；　my　heart　is　breaking。〃　His　first　business　was　to　summon　Troubridge　to　join　him；　with　all　the　ships　of　the　line　under　his　　command；　and　a　frigate；　if　possible。　Then　hearing　that　the　French　had　entered　the　Mediterranean；　and　expecting　them　at　Palermo；　where　he　had　only　his　own　shipwith　that　single　ship　he　prepared　to　make　all　the　resistance　possible。　Troubridge　having　joined　him；　he　left　Captain　E。　J。　Foote；　of　the　SEAHORSE；　to　command　the　smaller　vessels　in　the　bay　of　Naples；　and　sailed　with　six　shipsone　a　Portuguese；　and　a　Portuguese　corvettetelling　Earl　St。　Vincent　that　the　squadron　should　never　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。　〃And　before　we　are　destroyed；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　little　doubt　but　they　will　have　their　wings　so　completely　clipped　that　they　may　be　easily　overtaken。〃　It　was　just　at　this　time　that　he　received　from　Captain　Hallowell　the　present　of　the　coffin。　Such　a　present　was　regarded　by　the　men　with　natural　astonishment。　One　of　his　old　shipmates　in　the　AGAMEMNON　said；　〃We　shall　have　hot　work　of　it　indeed！　You　see　the　admiral　intends　to　fight　till　he　is　killed；　and　there　he　is　to　be　buried。〃　Nelson　placed　it　upright　against　the　bulkhead　of　his　cabin；　behind　his　chair；　where　he　sat　at　dinner。　The　gift　suited　him　at　this　time。　It　is　said　that　he　was　disappointed　in　the　step…son　whom　he　had　loved　so　dearly　from　his　childhood；　and　who　had　saved　his　life　at　Teneriffe；　and　it　is　certain　that　he　had　now　formed　an　infatuated　attachment　for　Lady　Hamilton；　which　totally　weaned　his　affections　from　his　wife。　Farther　than　this；　there　is　no　reason　to　believe　that　this　most　unfortunate　attachment　was　criminal；　but　this　was　criminality　enough；　and　it　brought　with　it　its　punishment。　Nelson　was　dissatisfied　with　himself；　and　therefore　weary　of　the　world。　This　feeling　he　now　frequently　expressed。　〃There　is　no　true　happiness　in　this　life；〃　said　he；　〃and　in　my　present　state　I　could　quit　it　with　a　smile。〃　And　in　a　letter　to　his　old　friend　Davison　he　said；　〃Believe　me；　my　only　wish　is　to　sink　with　honour　into　the　grave；　and　when　that　shall　please　God；　I　shall　meet　death　with　a　smile。　Not　that　I　am　insensible　to　the　honours　and　riches　my　king　and　country　have　heaped　upon　meso　much　more　than　any　officer　could　deserve；　yet　am　I　ready　to　quit　this　world　of　trouble；　and　envy　none　but　those　of　the　estate　six　feet　by　two。〃

Well　had　it　been　for　Nelson　if　he　had　made　no　other　sacrifices　to　this　unhappy　attachment　than　his　peace　of　mind；　but　it　led　to　the　only　blot　upon　his　public　character。　While　he　sailed　from　Palermo；　with　the　intention　of　collecting　his　whole　force；　and　keeping　off　Maretimo；　either　to　receive　reinforcements　there　if　the　French　were　bound　upwards；　or　to　hasten　to　Minorca　if　that　should　be　their　destination；　Captain　Foote；　in　the　Sea…horse；　with　the　Neapolitan　frigates；　and　some　small　vessels；　under　his　command；　was　left　to　act　with　a　land　force　consisting　of　a　few　regular　troops；　of　four　different　nations；　and　with　the　armed　rabble　which　Cardinal　Ruffo　called　the　Christian　army。　His　directions　were　to　co…operate　to　the　utmost　of　his　power　with　the　royalists；　at　whose　head　Ruffo　had　been　placed；　and　he　had　no　other　instructions　whatever。　Ruffo　advancing　　without　any　plan；　but　relying　upon　the　enemy's　want　of　numbers；　which　prevented　them　from　attempting　to　act　upon　the　offensive；　and　ready　to　take　advantage　of　any　accident　which　might　occur；　approached　Naples。　Fort　St。　Elmo；　which　commands　the　town；　was　wholly　garrisoned　by　the　French　troops；　the　castles　of　Uovo　and　Nuovo；　which　commanded　the　anchorage；　were　chiefly　defended　by　Neapolitan　　revolutionists；　the　powerful　men　among　them　having　taken　shelter　there。　If　these　castles　were　taken；　the　reduction　of　Fort　St。　Elmo　would　be　greatly　expedited。　They　were　strong　places；　and　there　was　reason　to　apprehend　that　the　French　fleet　might　arrive　to　relieve　them。　Ruffo　proposed　to　the　garrison　to　capitulate；　on　condition　that　their　persons　and　property　should　be　guaranteed；　and　that　they　should；　at　their　own　option；　either　be　sent　to　Toulon　or　remain　at　Naples；　without　being　molested　either　in　their　persons　or　families。　This　capitulation　was　accepted：　it　was　signed　by　the　cardinal；　and　the　Russian　and　Turkish　commanders；　and　lastly；　by　Captain　Foote；　as　commander　of　the　British　force。　About　six…and…thirty　hours　afterwards　Nelson　arrived　in　the　bay　with　a　force　which　had　joined　him　during　his　cruise；　consisting　of　seventeen　sail　of　the　line；　with　1700　troops　on　board；　and　the　Prince　Royal　of　Naples　in　the　admiral's　ship。　A　flag　of　truce　was　flying　on　the　castles；　and　on　boar