the life of horatio lord nelson-第43章

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　Nelson；　〃as　he　BEAT　ME　at　Boulogne；　to　beat　me　again；　but　he　seems　very　loath　to　try。〃　One　day；　while　the　main　body　of　our　fleet　was　out　of　sight　of　land；　Rear…Admiral　Campbell；　reconnoitring　with　the　CANOPUS；　DONEGAL；　and　AMAZON；　stood　in　close　to　the　port；　and　M。　Latouche；　taking　advantage　of　a　breeze　which　sprung　up；　pushed　out　with　four　ships　of　the　line　and　three　heavy　frigates；　and　chased　him　about　four　leagues。　The　Frenchman；　delighted　at　having　found　himself　in　so　novel　a　situation；　published　a　boastful　account；　affirming　that　he　had　given　chase　to　the　whole　British　fleet；　and　that　Nelson　had　fled　before　him！　Nelson　thought　it　due　to　the　Admiralty　to　send　home　a　copy　of　the　VICTORY's　log　upon　this　occasion。　〃As　for　himself；〃　he　said；　〃if　his　character　was　not　established　by　that　time　for　not　being　apt　to　run　away；　it　was　not　worth　his　while　to　put　the　world　right。〃〃If　this　fleet　gets　fairly　up　with　M。　Latouche；〃　said　he　to　one　of　his　correspondents；　〃his　letter；　with　all　his　ingenuity；　must　be　different　from　his　last。　We　had　fancied　that　we　chased　him　into　Toulon；　for；　blind　as　I　am；　I　could　see　his　water　line；　when　he　clued　his　topsails　up；　shutting　in　Sepet。　But　from　the　time　of　his　meeting　Captain　Hawker　in　the　ISIS；　I　never　heard　of　his　acting　otherwise　than　as　a　poltroon　and　a　liar。　Contempt　is　the　best　mode　of　treating　such　a　miscreant。〃　In　spite；　however；　of　contempt；　the　impudence　of　this　Frenchman　half　angered　him。　He　said　to　his　brother：　〃You　will　have　seen　Latouche's　letter；　how　he　chased　me　and　how　I　ran。　I　keep　it；　and　if　I　take　him；　by　God　he　shall　eat　it。〃

Nelson；　who　used　to　say；　that　in　sea　affairs　nothing　is　impossible；　and　nothing　improbable；　feared　the　more　that　this　Frenchman　might　get　out　and　elude　his　vigilance；　because　he　was　so　especially　desirous　of　catching　him；　and　administering　to　him　his　own　lying　letter　in　a　sandwich。　M。　Latouche；　however；　escaped　him　in　another　way。　He　died；　according　to　the　French　papers；　in　consequence　of　walking　so　often　up　to　the　signal…post　upon　Sepet；　to　watch　the　British　fleet。　〃I　always　pronounced　that　would　be　his　death；〃　said　Nelson。　〃If　he　had　come　out　and　fought　me；　it　would　at　least　have　added　ten　years　to　my　life。〃　The　patience　with　which　he　had　watched　Toulon；　he　spoke　of；　truly；　as　a　perseverance　at　sea　which　had　never　been　surpassed。　From　May；　1803；　to　August；　1805；　he　himself　went　out　of　his　ship　but　three　times；　each　of　those　times　was　upon　the　king's　service；　and　neither　time　of　absence　exceeded　an　hour。　In　1804　the　SWIFT　cutter　going　out　with　despatches　was　taken；　and　all　the　despatches　and　letters　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。　〃A　very　pretty　piece　of　work；〃　says　Nelson；　〃I　am　not　surprised　at　the　capture；　but　am　very　much　so　that　any　despatches　should　be　sent　in　a　vessel　with　twenty…three　men；　not　equal　to　cope　with　any　row…boat　privateer。　The　loss　of　the　HINDOSTAN　was　great　enough；　but　for　importance　it　is　lost　in　comparison　to　the　probable　knowledge　the　enemy　will　obtain　of　our　connexions　with　foreign　countries。　Foreigners　for　ever　say；　and　it　is　true；　we　dare　not　trust　England：　one　way　or　other　we　are　sure　to　be　committed。〃　In　a　subsequent　letter　he　says；　speaking　of　the　same　capture：　〃I　find；　my　dearest　Emma；　that　your　picture　is　very　much　admired　by　the　French　Consul　at　Barcelona；　and　that　he　has　not　sent　it　to　be　admired；　which　I　am　sure　it　would　be；　by　Buonaparte。　They　pretend　that　there　were　three　pictures　taken。　I　wish　I　had　them；　but　they　are　all　gone　as　irretrievably　as　the　despatches；　unless　we　may　read　them　in　a　book；　as　we　printed　their　correspondence　from　Egypt。　But　from　us　what　can　they　find　out？　That　I　love　you　most　dearly；　and　hate　the　French　most　damnably。　Dr。　Scott　went　to　Barcelona　to　try　to　get　the　private　letters；　but　I　fancy　they　are　all　gone　to　Paris。　The　Swedish　and　American　Consuls　told　him　that　the　French　Consul　had　your　picture　and　read　your　letters；　and　the　Doctor　thinks　one　of　them；　probably；　read　the　letters。　By　the　master's　account　of　the　cutter；　I　would　not　have　trusted　an　old　pair　of　shoes　in　her。　He　tells　me　she　did　not　sail；　but　was　a　good　sea…boat。　I　hope　Mr。　Marsden　will　not　trust　any　more　of　my　private　letters　in　such　a　conveyance：　if　they　choose　to　trust　the　affairs　of　the　public　in　such　a　thing；　I　cannot　help　it。〃

While　he　was　on　this　station；　the　weather　had　been　so　unusually　severe　that　he　said　the　Mediterranean　seemed　altered。　It　was　his　rule　never　to　contend　with　the　gales；　but　either　run　to　the　southward　　to　escape　their　violence；　or　furl　all　the　sails；　and　make　the　ships　as　easy　as　possible。　The　men；　though　he　said　flesh　and　blood　could　hardly　stand　it；　continued　in　excellent　health；　which　he　ascribed；　in　great　measure；　to　a　plentiful　supply　of　lemons　and　onions。　For　himself；　he　thought　he　could　only　last　till　the　battle　was　over。　One　battle　more　it　was　his　hope　that　he　might　fight。　〃However；〃　said　he；　〃whatever　happens；　I　have　run　a　glorious　race。〃　〃A　few　months〃　rest；〃　he　says；　〃I　must　have　very　soon。　If　I　am　in　my　grave；　what　are　the　mines　of　Peru　to　me？　But　to　say　the　truth；　I　have　no　idea　of　killing　myself。　I　may；　with　care；　live　yet　to　do　good　service　to　the　state。　My　cough　is　very　bad；　and　my　side；　where　I　was　struck　on　the　14th　of　February；　is　very　much　swelled：　at　times　a　lump　as　large　as　my　fist；　brought　on　occasionally　by　violent　coughing。　But　I　hope　and　believe　my　lungs　are　yet　safe。〃　He　was　afraid　of　blindness　and　this　was　the　only　evil　which　he　could　not　contemplate　without　unhappiness。　More　alarming　symptoms　he　regarded　with　less　apprehension；　describing　his　own　〃shattered　carcass〃　as　in　the　worst　plight　of　any　in　the　fleet；　and　he　says；〃I　have　felt　the　blood　gushing　up　the　left　side　of　my　head；　and；　the　moment　it　covers　the　brain；　I　am　fast　asleep。〃　The　fleet　was　in　worse　trim　than　the　men；　but　when　he　compared　it　with　the　enemy's；　it　was　with　a　right　English　feeling。　〃The　French　fleet　yesterday；〃　said　he；　in　one　of　his　letters；　〃was　to　appearance　in　high　feather；　and　as　fine　as　paint　could　make　them；　but　when　they　may　sail；　or　where　they　may　go；　I　am　very　sorry　to　say　is　a　secret　I　am　not　acquainted　with。　Our　weather…beaten　ships；　I　have　no　fear；　will　make　their　sides　like　a　plum…pudding。〃　〃Yesterday；〃　he　says；　on　another　occasion；　〃a　rear…admiral　and　seven　sail　of　ships　put　their　nose　outside　the　harbour。　If　they　go　on　playing　this　game；　some　day　we　shall　lay　salt　on　their　tails。〃

Hostilities　at　length　commenced　between　Great　Britain　and　Spain。　That　country；　whose　miserable　government　made　her　subservient　to　France；　was　once　more　destined　to　lavish　her　resources　and　her　blood　in　furtherance　of　the　designs　of　a　perfidious　ally。　The　immediate　occasion　of　the　war　was　the　seizure　of　four　treasure…ships　by　the　English。　The　act　was　perfectly　justifiable；　for　those　treasures　were　intended　to　furnish　means　for　France；　but　the　circumstances　which　attended　it　were　as　unhappy　as　they　were　unforeseen。　Four　frigates　had　been　despatched　to　intercept　them。　They　met　with　an　equal　force。　Resistance；　therefore；　became　a　point　of　honour　on　the　part　of　the　Spaniards；　and　one　of　their　ships　soon　blew　up　with　all　on　board。　Had　a　stronger　squadron　been　sent；　this　deplorable　catastrophe　might　have　been　spared：　a　catastrophe　which　excited　not　more　indignation　in　Spain　than　it　did　grief　in　those　who　were　its　unwilling　instruments；　in　the　English　government；　and　in　the　English　people。　On　the　5th　of　October　this　unhappy　affair　occurred；　and　Nelson　was　not　apprised　of　it　till　the　twelfth　of　the　ensuing　month。　He　had；　indeed；　sufficient　mortification　at　the　breaking　out　of　this　Spanish　war；　an　event　which；　it　might　reasonably　have　been　supposed；　would　amply　enrich　the　officers　of　the　Mediterranean　fleet；　and　repay　them　for　the　severe　and　unremitting　duty　on　which　they　had　been　so　long　employed。　But　of　this　harvest　they　were　deprived；　for　Sir　John　Orde　was　sent　with　a　small　squadron；　and　a　separate　command；　to　Cadiz。　Nelson's　feelings　were　never　wounded　so　deeply　as　now。　〃I　had　thought；〃　said　he；　writing　in　the　first　flow　and　freshness　of　indignation；　〃Fanciedbut　nay；　it　must　have　been　a　dream；　an　idle　dream；　yet　I　confess　it；　I　DID　fancy　that　I　had　done　my　country　service；　and　thus　they　use　me！　And　under　what　circumstances；　and　with　what　pointed　aggravation？　Yet；　if　I　know　my　own　thoughts；　it　is　not　for　myself；　or　on　my　own　account　chiefly；　that　I　feel　the　sting　and　the　disappointment。　No！　it　is　for　my　brave　officers：　for　my　noble　minded　friends　and　comrades。　Such　a　gallant　set　of　fellows！　Such　a　band　of　brothers！　My　heart　swells　at　the　thought　of　them。〃

War　between　Spain　and　England　was　now　declared；　and　on　the　eighteenth　of　January；　the　Toulon　fleet；　having　the　Spaniards　to　co…operate　with　them；　put　to　sea。　Nelson　was　at　anchor　off　the　coast　of　Sardinia；　where　the　Madelena　islands　form　one　of　the　finest　harbours　in　the　world；　when；　at　three　in　the　afternoon　of　the　nineteenth；　the　ACTIVE　and　SEAHORSE　frigates　brought　this　long…hoped…for　intelligence。　They　had　been　close　to　the　enemy　at　ten　on　the　preceding　night；　but　lost　sight　of　them　in　about　four　hours。　The　fleet　immediately　unmoored　and　weighed；　and　at　six　in　the　evening　ran　through　the　strait　between　Biche　and　Sardinia：　a　passage　so　narrow　that　the　ships　could　only　pass　one　at　a　time；　each　following　the　stern…lights　of　its　leader。　From　the　position　of　the　enemy；　when　they　were　last　seen；　it　was　inferred　that　they　must　be　bound　round　the　southern　end　of　Sardinia。　Signal　was　made　the　next　morning　to　prepare　for　battle。　Bad　weather　came　on；　baffling　the　one　fleet　in　its　object；　and　the　other　in　its　pursuit。　Nelson　beat　about　the　Sicilian　seas　for　ten　days；　without　obtaining　any　other　information　of　the　enemy　than　that　one　of　their　ships　had　put　into　Ajaccio；　dismasted；　and　having　seen　that　Sardinia；　Naples；　and　Sicily　were　safe；　believing　Egypt　to　be　their　destination；　for　Egypt　he　ran。　The　disappointment　and　distress　which　he　had　experienced　in　his　former　pursuits　of　the　French　through　the　same　seas　were　now　renewed；　but　Nelson；　while　he　endured　these　anxious　and　unhappy　feelings；　was　still　consoled　by　the　same　confidence　as　on　the　former　occasionthat；　though　his　judgment　might　be　erroneous；　under　all　circumstances　he　was　right　in　having　formed　it。　〃I　have　consulted　no　man；〃　said　he　to　the　Admiralty；　〃therefore　the　whole　blame　of　ignorance　in　forming　my　judgment　must　rest　with　me。　I　would　allow　no　man　to　take　from　me　an　atom　of　my　glory　had　I　fallen　in　with　the　French　fleet；　nor　do　I　desire　any　man　to　partake　any　of　the　responsibility。　All　is　mine；　right　or　wrong。〃　Then　stating　the　grounds　upon　which　he　had　proceeded；　he　added；　〃At　this　moment　of　sorrow；　I　still　feel　that　I　have　acted　right。〃　In　the　same　spirit　he　said　to　Sir　Alexander　Ball：　〃When　I　call　to　remembrance　all　the　circumstances；　I　approve；　if　nobody　else　does；　of　my　own　conduct。〃

Baffled　thus；　he　bore　up　for　Malta；　and　met　intelligence　from　Naples　that　the　French；　having　been　dispersed　in　a　gale；　had　put　back　to　Toulon。　From　the　same　quarter　he　learned　that　a　great　number　of　saddles　and　muskets　had　been　embarked；　and　this　confirmed　him　in　his　opinion　that　Egypt　was　their　destination。　That　they　should　have　put　him　back　in　consequence　of　storms　which　he　had　weathered；　gave　him　a　consoling　sense　of　B