the life of horatio lord nelson-第30章

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n　a　single　row。　They　thanked　him　〃for　having；　by　his　victory；　preserved　that　part　of　Greece　from　the　horrors　of　anarchy；　and　prayed　that　his　exploits　might　accelerate　the　day；　in　which；　amidst　the　glory　and　peace　of　thrones；　the　miseries　of　the　human　race　would　cease。〃　This　unexpected　tribute　touched　Nelson　to　the　heart。　〃No　officer；〃　he　said；　〃had　ever　received　from　any　country　a　higher　acknowledgment　of　his　services。〃

The　French　still　occupied　the　Roman　states；　from　which；　according　to　their　own　admission；　they　had　extorted　in　jewels；　plate；　specie；　and　requisitions　of　every　kind；　to　the　enormous　amount　of　eight　millions　sterling；　yet　they　affected　to　appear　as　deliverers　among　the　people　whom　they　were　thus　cruelly　plundering；　and　they　distributed　portraits　of　Buonaparte；　with　the　blasphemous　inscription；　〃This　is　the　true　likeness　of　the　holy　saviour　of　the　world！〃　The　people；　detesting　the　impiety；　and　groaning　beneath　the　exactions　of　these　perfidious　robbers；　were　ready　to　join　any　regular　force　that　should　come　to　their　assistance；　but　they　dreaded　Cardinal　Ruffo's　rabble；　and　declared　they　would　resist　him　as　a　banditti；　who　came　only　for　the　purpose　of　pillage。　Nelson　perceived　that　no　object　was　now　so　essential　for　the　tranquillity　of　Naples　as　the　recovery　of　Rome；　which　in　the　present　state　of　things；　when　Suvarof　was　driving　the　French　before　him；　would　complete　the　deliverance　of　Italy。　He　applied；　therefore；　to　Sir　James　St。　Clair　Erskine；　who　in　the　absence　of　General　Fox　commanded　at　Minorca；　to　assist　in　this　great　object　with　1200　men。　〃The　field　of　glory；〃　said　he；　〃is　a　large　one；　and　was　never　more　open　to　any　one　than　at　this　moment　to　you。　Rome　would　throw　open　her　gates　and　receive　you　as　her　deliverer；　and　the　pope　would　owe　his　restoration　to　a　heretic。〃　But　Sir　James　Erskine　looked　only　at　the　difficulties　of　the　undertaking。　〃Twelve　hundred　men；　he　thought；　would　be　too　small　a　force　to　be　committed　in　such　an　enterprise；　for　Civita　Vecchia　was　a　regular　fortress；　the　local　situation　and　climate　also　were　such；　that　even　if　this　force　were　adequate；　it　would　be　proper　to　delay　the。expedition　till　October。　General　Fox；　too；　was　soon　expected；　and　during　his　absence；　and　under　existing　circumstances；　he　did　not　feel　justified　in　sending　away　such　a　detachment。〃

What　this　general　thought　it　imprudent　to　attempt；　Nelson　and　Troubridge　effected　without　his　assistance；　by　a　small　detachment　from　the　fleet。　Troubridge　first　sent　Captain　Hallowell　to　Civita　Vecchia　to　offer　the　garrison　there　and　at　Castle　St。　Angelo　the　same　terms　which　had　been　granted　to　Gaieta。　Hallowell　perceived；　by　the　overstrained　civility　of　the　officers　who　came　off　to　him；　and　the　compliments　which　they　paid　to　the　English　nation；　that　they　were　sensible　of　their　own　weakness　and　their　inability　to　offer　any　effectual　resistance；　but　the　French　know；　that　while　they　are　in　a　condition　to　serve　their　government；　they　can　rely　upon　it　for　every　possible　exertion　in　their　support；　and　this　reliance　gives　them　hope　and　confidence　to　the　last。　Upon　Hallowell's　report；　Troubridge；　who　had　now　been　made　Sir　Thomas　for　his　services；　sent　Captain　Louis　with　a　squadron　to　enforce　the　terms　which　he　had　offered；　and；　as　soon　as　he　could　leave　Naples；　he　himself　followed。　The　French；　who　had　no　longer　any　hope　from　the　fate　of　arms；　relied　upon　their　skill　in　negotiation；　and　proposed　terms　to　Troubridge　with　that　effrontery　which　characterises　their　public　proceedings；　but　which　is　as　often　successful　as　it　is　impudent。　They　had　a　man　of　the　right　stamp　to　deal　with。　Their　ambassador　at　Rome　began　by　saying；　that　the　Roman　territory　was　the　property　of　the　French　by　right　of　conquest。　The　British　commodore　settled　that　point；　by　replying；　〃It　is　mine　by　reconquest。〃　A　capitulation　was　soon　concluded　for　all　the　Roman　states；　and　Captain　Louis　rowed　up　the　Tiber　in　his　barge；　hoisted　English　colours　on　the　capitol；　and　acted　for　the　time　as　governor　of　Rome。　The　4prophecy　of　the　Irish　poet　was　thus　accomplished；　and　the　friar　reaped　the　fruits；　for　Nelson；　who　was　struck　with　the　oddity　of　the　circumstance；　and　not　a　little　pleased　with　it；　obtained　preferment　for　him　from　the　King　of　Sicily；　and　recommended　him　to　the　Pope。

Having　thus　completed　his　work　upon　the　continent　of　Italy；　Nelson's　whole　attention　was　directed　towards　Malta；　where　Captain　Ball；　with　most　inadequate　means；　was　besieging　the　French　garrison。　Never　was　any　officer　engaged　in　more　anxious　and　painful　service：　the　smallest　reinforcement　from　France　would；　at　any　moment；　have　turned　the　scale　against　him；　and　had　it　not　been　for　his　consummate　ability；　and　the　love　and　veneration　with　which　the　Maltese　regarded　him；　Malta　must　have　remained　in　the　hands　of　the　enemy。　Men；　money；　foodall　things　were　wanting。　The　garrison　consisted　of　5000　troops；　the　besieging　force　of　500　English　and　Portuguese　marines；　and　about　1500　armed　peasants。　Long　and　repeatedly　did　Nelson　solicit　troops　to　effect　the　reduction　of　this　important　place。　〃It　has　been　no　fault　of　the　navy；〃　said　he；　〃that　Malta　has　not　been　attacked　by　land；　but　we　have　neither　the　means　ourselves　nor　influence　with　those　who　have。〃　The　same　causes　of　demurral　existed　which　prevented　British　troops　from　assisting　in　the　expulsion　of　the　French　from　Rome。　Sir　James　Erskine　was　expecting　General　Fox；　he　could　not　act　without　orders；　and　not　having；　like　Nelson；　that　lively　spring　of　hope　within　him；　which　partakes　enough　of　the　nature　of　faith　to　work　miracles　in　war；　he　thought　it　〃evident　that　unless　a　respectable　land　force；　in　numbers　sufficient　to　undertake　the　siege　of　such　a　garrison；　in　one　of　the　strongest　places　of　Europe；　and　supplied　with　proportionate　artillery　and　stores；　were　sent　against　it；　no　reasonable　hope　could　be　entertained　of　its　surrender。〃　Nelson　groaned　over　the　spirit　of　over…reasoning　caution　and　unreasoning　obedience。　〃My　heart；〃　said　he；　〃is　almost　broken。　If　the　enemy　gets　supplies　in；　we　may　bid　adieu　to　Malta；　all　the　force　we　can　collect　would　then　be　of　little　use　against　the　strongest　place　in　Europe。　To　say　that　an　officer　is　never；　for　any　object；　to　alter　his　orders；　is　what　I　cannot　comprehend。　The　circumstances　of　this　war　so　often　vary；　that　an　officer　has　almost　every　moment　to　consider；　what　would　my　superiors　direct；　did　they　know　what　was　passing　under　my　nose？〃　〃But；　sir；〃　said　he　writing　to　the　Duke　of　Clarence；　〃I　find　few　think　as　I　do。　To　obey　orders　is　all　perfection。　To　serve　my　king；　and　to　destroy　the　French；　I　consider　as　the　great　order　of　all；　from　which　little　ones　spring；　and　if　one　of　these　militate　against　it　（for　who　can　tell　exactly　at　a　distance？）　I　go　back　and　obey　the　great　order　and　object；　to　downdown　with　the　damned　French　villains！my　blood　boils　at　the　name　of　Frenchmen！〃

At　length；　General　Fox　arrived　at　Minorcaand　at　length　permitted　Col。　Graham　to　go　to　Malta；　but　with　means　miserably　limited。　In　fact；　the　expedition　was　at　a　stand　for　want　of　money；　when　Troubridge　arriving　at　Messina　to　co…operate　in　it；　and　finding　this　fresh　delay；　immediately　offered　all　that　he　could　command　of　his　own。　〃I　procured　him；　my　lord；〃　said　he　to　Nelson；〃1500　of　my　cobsevery　farthing　and　every　atom　of　me　shall　be　devoted　to　the　cause。〃　〃What　can　this　mean？〃　said　Nelson；　when　he　learned　that　Col。　Graham　was　ordered　not　to　incur　any　expenses　for　stores；　or　any　articles　except　provisions！〃the　cause　cannot　stand　still　for　want　of　a　little　money。　If　nobody　will　pay　it；　I　will　sell　Bronte　and　the　Emperor　of　Russia's　box。〃　And　he　actually　pledged　Bronte　for　L6600　if　there　should　be　any　difficulty　about　paying　the　bills。　The　long…delayed　expedition　was　thus；　at　last；　sent　forth；　but　Troubridge　little　imagined　in　what　scenes　of　misery　he　was　to　bear　his　part。　He　looked　to　Sicily　for　supplies：　it　was　the　interest；　as　well　as　the　duty　of　the　Sicilian　government　to　use　every　exertion　for　furnishing　them；　and　Nelson　and　the　British　ambassador　were　on　the　spot　to　press　upon　them　the　necessity　of　exertion。　But；　though　Nelson　saw　with　what　a　knavish　crew　the　Sicilian　court　was　surrounded；　he　was　blind　to　the　vices　of　the　court　itself；　and　resigning　himself　wholly　to　Lady　Hamilton's　influence；　never　even　suspected　the　crooked　policy　which　it　was　remorselessly　pursuing。　The　Maltese　and　the　British　in　Malta　severely　felt　it。　Troubridge；　who　had　the　truest　affection　for　Nelson；　knew　his　infatuation；　and　feared　that　it　might　prove　injurious　to　his　character；　as　well　as　fatal　to　an　enterprise　which　had　begun　so　well；　and　been　carried　on　so　patiently。

〃My　lord；〃　said　he；　writing　to　him　from　the　siege；　〃we　are　dying　off　fast　for　want。　I　learn　that　Sir　William　Hamilton　says　Prince　Luzzi　refused　corn　some　time　ago；　and　Sir　William　does　not　think　it　worth　while　making　another　application。　If　that　be　the　case；　I　wish　he　commanded　this　distressing　scene　instead　of　me。　Puglia　had　an　immense　harvest；　near　thirty　sail　left　Messina　before　I　did；　to　load　corn。　Will　they　let　us　have　any？　If　not；　a　short　time　will　decide　the　business。　The　German　interest　prevails。　I　wish　I　was　at　your　Lordship's　elbow　for　an　hour。　ALL；　ALL；　will　be　thrown　on　you！…　I　will　parry　the　blow　as　much　as　in　my　power：　I　foresee　much　mischief　brewing。　God　bless　your　Lordship；　I　am　miserable　I　cannot　assist　your　operations　more。　Many　happy　returns　of　the　day　to　you（it　was　the　first　of　the　new　year）　I　never　spent　so　miserable　a　one。　I　am　not　very　tender…hearted；　but　really　the　distress　here　would　even　move　a　Neapolitan。〃　Soon　afterwards　he　wrote；〃I　have　this　day　saved　thirty　thousand　people　from　starving；　but　with　this　day　my　ability　ceases。　As　the　government　are　bent　on　starving　us；　I　see　no　alternative　but　to　leave　these　poor　unhappy　people　to　perish；　without　our　being　witnesses　of　their　distress。　I　curse　the　day　I　ever　served　the　Neapolitan　government。　We　have　characters；　my　lord；　to　lose；　these　people　have　none。　Do　not　suffer　their　infamous　conduct　to　fall　on　us。　Our　country　is　just；　but　severe。　Such　is　the　fever　of　my　brain　this　minute；　that　I　assure　you；　on　my　honour；　if　the　Palermo　traitors　were　here；　I　would　shoot　them　first；　and　then　myself。　Girgenti　is　full　of　corn；　the　money　is　ready　to　pay　for　it；　we　do　not　ask　it　as　a　gift。　Oh！　could　you　see　the　horrid　distress　I　daily　experience；　something　would　be　done。　Some　engine　is　at　work　against　us　at　Naples；　and　I　believe　I　hit　on　the　proper　person。　If　you　complain　he　will　be　immediately　promoted；　agreeably　to　the　Neapolitan　custom。　All　I　write　to　you　is　known　at　the　queen's。　For　my　own　part；　I　look　upon　the　Neapolitans　as　the　worst　of　intriguing　enemies：　every　hour　shows　me　their　infamy　and　duplicity。　I　pray　your　lordship　be　cautious：　your　honest；　open　manner　of　acting　will　be　made　a　handle　of。　When　I　see　you；　and　tell　of　their　infamous　tricks；　you　will　be　as　much　surprised　as　I　am。　The　whole　will　fall　on　you。〃

Nelson　was　not；　and　could　not　be；　insensible　to　the　distress　which　his　friend　so　earnestly　represented。　He　begged；　almost　on　his　knees；　he　said；　small　supplies　of　money　and　corn；　to　keep　the　Maltese　from　starving。　And　when　the　court　granted　a　small　supply；　protesting　their　poverty；　he　believed　their　protestations；　and　was　satisfied　with　their　professions；　inste