the life of horatio lord nelson-第35章

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ility　upon　himself；　I　act　from　the　circumstances　of　the　moment；　as　I　feel　may　be　most　advantageous　for　the　cause　which　I　serve；　taking　all　responsibility　on　myself。〃　It　was　in　vain　to　hope　for　anything　vigorous　or　manly　from　such　men　as　Nelson　was　compelled　to　act　with。　The　crews　of　the　French　ships　and　their　allies　were　ordered　to　depart　in　two　days。　Four　days　elapsed　and　nobody　obeyed　the　order；　nor；　in　spite　of　the　representations　of　the　British　minister；　Mr。　Wyndham；　were　any　means　taken　to　enforce　it：　the　true　Neapolitan　shuffle；　as　Nelson　called　it；　took　place　on　all　occasions。　After　an　absence　of　ten　days　he　returned　to　Naples；　and　receiving　intelligence　there　from　Mr。　Wyndham　that　the　privateers　were　at　last　to　be　disarmed；　the　corn　landed；　and　the　crews　sent　away；　he　expressed　his　satisfaction　at　the　news　in　characteristic　language；　saying；　〃So　far　I　am　content。　The　enemy　will　be　distressed；　and；　thank　God；　I　shall　get　no　money。　The　world；　I　know；　think　that　money　is　our　god；　and　now　they　will　be　undeceived　as　far　as　relates　to　us。　Down；　down　with　the　French！　is　my　constant　prayer。〃

Odes；　sonnets；　and　congratulatory　poems　of　every　description　were　poured　in　upon　Nelson　on　his　arrival　at　Naples。　An　Irish　Franciscan；　who　was　one　of　the　poets；　not　being　content　with　panegyric　upon　this　occasion；　ventured　on　a　flight　of　prophecy；　and　predicted　that　Lord　Nelson　would　take　Rome　with　his　ships。　His　lordship　reminded　Father　M'Cormick　that　ships　could　not　ascend　the　Tiber；　but　the　father；　who　had　probably　forgotten　this　circumstance；　met　the　objection　with　a　bold　front；　and　declared　he　saw　that　it　would　come　to　pass　notwithstanding。　Rejoicings　of　this　kind　were　of　short　duration。　The　King　of　Naples　was　with　the　army　which　had　entered　Rome；　but　the　castle　of　St。　Angelo　was　held　by　the　French；　and　13；000　French　were　strongly　posted　in　the　Roman　states　at　Castallana。　Mack　had　marched　against　them　with　20；000　men。　Nelson　saw　that　the　event　was　doubtful；　or　rather　that　there　could　be　very　little　hope　of　the　result。　But　the　immediate　fate　of　Naples；　as　he　well　knew；　hung　upon　the　issue。　〃If　Mack　is　defeated；〃　said　he；　〃in　fourteen　days　this　country　is　lost；　for　the　emperor　has　not　yet　moved　his　army；　and　Naples　has　not　the　power　of　resisting　the　enemy。　It　was　not　a　case　for　choice；　but　of　necessity；　which　induced　the　king　to　march　out　of　his　kingdom；　and　not　wait　till　the　French　had　collected　a　force　sufficient　to　drive　him　out　of　it　in　a　week。〃　He　had　no　reliance　upon　the　Neapolitan　officers；　who；　as　he　described　them；　seemed　frightened　at　a　drawn　sword　or　a　loaded　gun；　and　he　was　perfectly　aware　of　the　consequences　which　the　sluggish　movements　and　deceitful　policy　of　the　Austrians　were　likely　to　bring　down　upon　themselves　and　all　their　continental　allies。　〃A　delayed　war　on　the　part　of　the　emperor；〃　said　he；　writing　to　the　British　minister　at　Vienna；　〃will　be　destructive　to　this　monarchy　of　Naples；　and；　of　course；　to　the　newly…acquired　dominions　of　the　Emperor　in　Italy。　Had　the　war　commenced　in　September　or　October；　all　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。