the life of horatio lord nelson-第29章

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he　shells　fell　well；　and　broke　some　of　their　shins。〃　Finally；　to　complete　his　character；　Mejan　offered　to　surrender　for　150；000　ducats。　Great　Britain；　perhaps；　has　made　but　too　little　use　of　this　kind　of　artillery；　which　France　has　found　so　effectual　towards　subjugating　the　continent：　but　Troubridge　had　the　prey　within　his　reach；　and　in　the　course　of　a　few　days；　his　last　battery；　〃after　much　trouble　and　palaver；〃　as　he　said；　〃brought　the　vagabonds　to　their　senses。〃

Troubridge　had　more　difficulties　to　overcome　this　siege；　from　the　character　of　the　Neapolitans　who　pretended　to　assist　him；　and　whom　he　made　useful；　than　even　from　the　strength　of　the　place　and　the　skill　of　the　French。　〃Such　damned　cowards　and　villains；〃　he　declared；　〃he　had　never　seen　before。〃　The　men　at　the　advanced　posts　carried　on；　what　he　called；　〃a　diabolical　good　understanding〃　with　the　enemy；　and　the　workmen　would　sometimes　take　fright　and　run　away。　〃I　make　the　best　I　can；〃　said　he；　〃of　the　degenerate　race　I　have　to　deal　with；　the　whole　means　of　guns；　ammunition；　pioneers；　&c。；　with　all　materials；　rest　with　them。　With　fair　promises　to　the　men；　and　threats　of　instant　death　if　I　find　any　one　erring；　a　little　spur　has　been　given。〃　Nelson　said　of　him　with　truth；　upon　this　occasion；　that　he　was　a　first…rate　general。　〃I　find；　sir；〃　said　he　afterwards　in　a　letter　to　the　Duke　of　Clarence；　〃that　General　Koehler　does　not　approve　of　such　irregular　proceedings　as　naval　officers　attacking　and　defending　fortifications。　We　have　but　one　ideato　get　close　alongside。　None　but　a　sailor　would　have　placed　a　battery　only　180　yards　from　the　Castle　of　St。　Elmo；　a　soldier　must　have　gone　according　to　art；　and　the　////　way。　My　brave　Troubridge　went　straight　on；　for　we　had　no　time　to　spare。〃

Troubridge　then　proceeded　to　Capua；　and　took　the　command　of　the　motley　besieging　force。　One　thousand　of　the　best　men　in　the　fleet　were　sent　to　assist　in　the　siege。　Just　at　this　time　Nelson　received　a　peremptory　order　from　Lord　Keith　to　sail　with　the　whole　of　his　force　for　the　protection　of　Minorca；　or；　at　least；　to　retain　no　more　than　was　absolutely　necessary　at　Sicily。　〃You　will　easily　conceive　my　feelings；〃　said　he　in　communicating　this　to　Earl　St。　Vincent；　〃but　my　mind；　as　your　lordship　knows；　was　perfectly　prepared　for　this　order；　and　it　is　now；　more　than　ever；　made　up。　At　this　moment　I　will　not　part　with　a　single　ship；　as　I　cannot　do　that　without　drawing　a　hundred　and　twenty　men　from　each　ship；　now　at　the　siege　of　Capua。　I　am　fully　aware　of　the　act　I　have　committed；　but　I　am　prepared　for　any　fate　which　may　await　my　disobedience。　Capua　and　Gaieta　will　soon　fall；　and　the　moment　the　scoundrels　of　French　are　out　of　this　kingdom　I　shall　send　eight　or　nine　ships　of　the　line　to　Minorca。　I　have　done　what　I　thought　rightothers　may　think　differently；　but　it　will　be　my　consolation　that　I　have　gained　a　kingdom；　seated　a　faithful　ally　of　his　Majesty　firmly　on　his　throne；　and　restored　happiness　to　millions。〃

At　Capua；　Troubridge　had　the　same　difficulties　as　at　St。　Elmo；　and　being　farther　from　Naples；　and　from　the　fleet；　was　less　able　to　overcome　them。　The　powder　was　so　bad　that　he　suspected　treachery；　and　when　he　asked　Nelson　to　spare　him　forty　casks　from　the　ships；　he　told　him　it　would　be　necessary　that　some　Englishmen　should　accompany　it；　or　they　would　steal　one…half；　and　change　the　other。　〃All　the　men　you　see；〃　said　he；　〃gentle　and　simple；　are　such　notorious　villains；　that　it　is　misery　to　be　with　them。〃　Capua；　however；　soon　fell；　Gaieta　immediately　afterwards　surrendered　to　Captain　Louis　of　the　MINOTAUR。　Here　the　commanding　officer　acted　more　unlike　a　Frenchman；　Captain　Louis　said；　than　any　one　he　had　ever　met；　meaning　that　he　acted　like　a　man　of　honour。　He　required；　however；　that　the　garrison　should　carry　away　their　horses；　and　other　pillaged　property：　to　which　Nelson　replied；　〃That　no　property　which　they　did　not　bring　with　them　into　the　country　could　be　theirs：　and　that　the　greatest　care　should　be　taken　to　prevent　them　from　carrying　it　away。〃　〃I　am　sorry；〃　said　he　to　Captain　Louis；　〃that　you　have　entered　into　any　altercation。　There　is　no　way　of　dealing　with　a　Frenchman　but　to　knock　him　down；　to　be　civil　to　them　is　only　to　be　laughed　at；　when　they　are　enemies。〃

The　whole　kingdom　of　Naples　was　thus　delivered　by　Nelson　from　the　French。　The　Admiralty；　however；　thought　it　expedient　to　censure　him　for　disobeying　Lord　Keith's　orders；　and　thus　hazarding　Minorca；　without；　as　it　appeared　to　them；　any　sufficient　reason；　and　also　for　having　landed　seamen　for　the　siege　of　Capua；　to　form　part　of　an　army　employed　in　operations　at　a　distance　from　the　coast；　where；　in　case　of　defeat；　they　might　have　been　prevented　from　returning　to　their　ships；　and　they　enjoined　him；　〃not　to　employ　the　seamen　in　like　manner　in　future。〃　This　reprimand　was　issued　before　the　event　was　known；　though；　indeed；　the　event　would　not　affect　the　principle　upon　which　it　proceeded。　When　Nelson　communicated　the　tidings　of　his　complete　success；　he　said；　in　his　public　letter；　〃that　it　would　not　be　the　less　acceptable　for　having　been　principally　brought　about　by　British　sailors。〃　His　judgment　in　thus　employing　them　had　been　justified　by　the　result；　and　his　joy　was　evidently　heightened　by　the　gratification　of　a　professional　and　becoming　pride。　To　the　first　lord　he　said；　at　the　same　time；　〃I　certainly；　from　having　only　a　left　hand；　cannot　enter　into　details　which　may　explain　the　motives　that　actuated　my　conduct。　My　principle　is；　to　assist　in　driving　the　French　to　the　devil；　and　in　restoring　peace　and　happiness　to　mankind。　I　feel　that　I　am　fitter　to　do　the　action　than　to　describe　it。〃　He　then　added　that　he　would　take　care　of　Minorca。

In　expelling　the　French　from　Naples；　Nelson　had；　with　characteristic　zeal　and　ability；　discharged　his　duty；　but　he　deceived　himself　when　he　imagined　that　he　had　seated　Ferdinand　firmly　on　his　throne；　and　that　he　had　restored　happiness　to　millions。　These　objects　might　have　been　accomplished　if　it　had　been　possible　to　inspire　virtue　and　wisdom　into　a　vicious　and　infatuated　court；　and　if　Nelson's　eyes　had　not　been；　as　it　were；　spell…bound　by　that　unhappy　attachment；　which　had　now　completely　mastered　him；　he　would　have　seen　things　as　they　were；　and　might；　perhaps；　have　awakened　the　Sicilian　court　to　a　sense　of　their　interest；　if　not　of　their　duty。　That　court　employed　itself　in　a　miserable　round　of　folly　and　festivity；　while　the　prisons　of　Naples　were　filled　with　groans；　and　the　scaffolds　streamed　with　blood。　St。　Januarius　was　solemnly　removed　from　his　rank　as　patron　saint　of　the　kingdom；　having　been　convicted　of　Jacobinism；　and　St。　Antonio　as　solemnly　installed　in　his　place。　The　king；　instead　of　re…establishing　order　at　Naples　by　his　presence；　speedily　returned　to　Palermo；　to　indulge　in　his　favourite　amusements。　Nelson；　and　the　ambassador's　family；　accompanied　the　court；　and　Troubridge　remained；　groaning　over　the　villany　and　frivolity　of　those　with　whom　he　was　compelled　to　deal。　A　party　of　officers　applied　to　him　for　a　passage　to　Palermo；　to　see　the　procession　of　St。　Rosalia：　he　recommended　them　to　exercise　their　troops；　and　not　behave　like　children。　It　was　grief　enough　for　him　that　the　court　should　be　busied　in　these　follies；　and　Nelson　involved　in　them。　〃I　dread；　my　lord；〃　said　he；　〃all　the　feasting；　&c。　at　Palermo。　I　am　sure　your　health　will　be　hurt。　If　so；　all　their　saints　will　be　damned　by　the　navy。　The　king　would　be　better　employed　digesting　a　good　government；　everything　gives　way　to　their　pleasures。　The　money　spent　at　Palermo　gives　discontent　here；　fifty　thousand　people　are　unemployed；　trade　discouraged；　manufactures　at　a　stand。　It　is　the　interest　of　many　here　to　keep　the　king　away：　they　all　dread　reform。　Their　villanies　are　so　deeply　rooted；　that　if　some　method　is　not　taken　to　dig　them　out；　this　government　cannot　hold　together。　Out　of　twenty　millions　of　ducats；　collected　as　the　revenue；　only　thirteen　millions　reach　the　treasury；　and　the　king　pays　four　ducats　where　he　should　pay　one。　He　is　surrounded　by　thieves；　and　none　of　them　have　honour　or　honesty　enough　to　tell　him　the　real　and　true　state　of　things。〃　In　another　letter　he　expressed　his　sense　of　the　miserable　state　of　Naples。　〃There　are　upwards　of　forty　thousand　families；〃　said　he；〃who　have　relations　confined。　If　some　act　of　oblivion　is　not　passed；　there　will　be　no　end　of　persecution；　for　the　people　of　this　country　have　no　idea　of　anything　but　revenge；　and　to　gain　a　point　would　swear　ten　thousand　false　oaths。　Constant　efforts　are　made　to　get　a　man　taken　up；　in　order　to　rob　him。　The　confiscated　property　does　not　reach　the　king's　treasury。　All　thieves！　It　is　selling　for　nothing。　His　own　people；　whom　he　employs；　are　buying　it　up；　and　the　vagabonds　pocket　the　whole。　I　should　not　be　surprised　to　hear　that　they　brought　a　bill　of　expenses　against　him　for　the　sale。〃

The　Sicilian　court；　however；　were　at　this　time　duly　sensible　of　the　services　which　had　been　rendered　them　by　the　British　fleet；　and　their　gratitude　to　Nelson　was　shown　with　proper　and　princely　munificence。　They　gave　him　the　dukedom　and　domain　of　Bronte；　worth　about　L3000　a　year。　It　was　some　days　before　he　could　be　persuaded　to　accept　it；　the　argument　which　finally　prevailed　is　said　to　have　been　suggested　by　the　queen；　and　urged；　at　her　request；　by　Lady　Hamilton　upon　her　knees。　〃He　considered　his　own　honour　too　much；〃　she　said；　〃if　he　persisted　in　refusing　what　the　king　and　queen　felt　to　be　absolutely　necessary　for　the　preservation　of　theirs。〃　The　king　himself；　also；　is　said　to　have　addressed　him　in　words；　which　show　that　the　sense　of　rank　will　sometimes　confer　a　virtue　upon　those　who　seem　to　be　most　unworthy　of　the　lot　to　which　they　have　been　born：　〃Lord　Nelson；　do　you　wish　that　your　name　alone　should　pass　with　honour　to　posterity；　and　that　I；　Ferdinand　Bourbon；　should　appear　ungrateful？〃　He　gave　him　also；　when　the　dukedom　was　accepted；　a　diamond…　hilted　sword；　which　his　father；　Char。　III。　of　Spain；　had　given　him　on　his　accession　to　the　throne　of　the　two　Sicilies。　Nelson　said；　〃the　reward　was　magnificent；　and　worthy　of　a　king；　and　he　was　determined　that　the　inhabitants　on　the　domain　should　be　the　happiest　in　all　his　Sicilian　majesty's　dominions。　Yet；〃　said　he；　speaking　of　these　and　the　other　remunerations　which　were　made　him　for　his　services；　〃these　presents；　rich　as　they　are；　do　not　elevate　me。　My　pride　is；　that　at　Constantinople；　from　the　grand　seignior　to　the　lowest　Turk；　the　name　of　Nelson　is　familiar　in　their　mouths；　and　in　this　country　I　am　everything　which　a　grateful　monarch　and　people　can　call　me。〃　Nelson；　however；　had　a　pardonable　pride　in　the　outward　and　visible　signs　of　honour　which　he　had　so　fairly　won。　He　was　fond　of　his　Sicilian　title；　the　signification；　perhaps；　pleased　him；　Duke　of　Thunder　was　what　in　Dahomy　would　be　called　a　STRONG　NAME；　it　was　to　a　sailor's　taste；　and　certainly；　to　no　man　could　it　ever　be　more　applicable。　But　a　simple　offering；　which　he　received　not　long　afterwards；　from　the　island　of　Zante；　affected　him　with　a　deeper　and　finer　feeling。　The　Greeks　of　that　little　community　sent　him　a　golden…headed　sword　and　a　truncheon；　set　round　with　all　the　diamonds　that　the　island　could　furnish；　in　a　single　row。　They　thanked　him　〃for　having；　by　his　victory；　preserved　that　part　of　Greece　from　the