the life of horatio lord nelson-第35节

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uld　such　an　order　come　at　this　moment；〃　he　said；　in　a　letter　previously　written　to　the　Admiralty；　〃it　would　be　a　case　for　some　consideration；　whether　Minorca　is　to　be　risked；　or　the　two　kingdoms　of　Naples　and　Sicily；　I　rather　think　my　decision　would　be　to　risk　the　former。〃　And　after　he　had　acted　upon　this　opinion；　he　wrote　in　these　terms　to　the　Duke　of　Clarence；　with　whose　high　notions　of　obedience　he　was　well　acquainted：　〃I　am　well　aware　of　the　consequences　of　disobeying　my　orders；　but　as　I　have　often　before　risked　my　life　for　the　good　cause；　so　I　with　cheerfulness　did　my　commission；　for　although　a　military　tribunal　may　think　me　criminal；　the　world　will　approve　of　my　conduct；　and　I　regard　not　my　own　safety　when　the　honour　of　my　king　is　at　stake。〃

Nelson　was　right　in　his　judgment：　no　attempt　was　made　on　Minorca：　and　the　expulsion　of　the　French　from　Naples　may　rather　be　said　to　have　been　effected　than　accelerated　by　the　English　and　Portuguese　of　the　allied　fleet；　acting　upon　shore；　under　Troubridge。　The　French　commandant　at　St。　Elmo；　relying　upon　the　strength　of　the　place；　and　the　nature　of　the　force　which　attacked　it；　had　insulted　Captain　Foote　in　the　grossest　terms；　but　CITOYEN　Mejan　was　soon　taught　better　manners；　when　Trou…　bridge；　in　spite　of　every　obstacle；　opened　five　batteries　upon　the　fort。　He　was　informed　that　none　of　his　letters；　with　the　insolent　printed　words　at　the　top；　LIBERTE　EQALITE；　GUERRE　AUX　TYRANS；　&c。　would　be　received；　but　that　if　he　wrote　like　a　soldier　and　a　gentleman　he　would　be　answered　in　the　same　style。　The　Frenchman　then　began　to　flatter　his　antagonist　upon　the　BIENFAISANCE　and　HUMANITE　which；　he　said；　were　the　least　of　the　many　virtues　which　distinguished　Monsieur　Troubridge。　Monsieur　Troubridge's　BIENFAISANCE　was　at　this　time　thinking　of　mining　the　fort。　〃If　we　can　accomplish　that；〃　said　he；〃I　am　a　strong　advocate　to　send　them；　hostages　and　all；　to　Old　Nick；　and　surprise　him　with　a　group　of　nobility　and　republicans。　Meantime；〃　he　added；〃it　was　some　satisfaction　to　perceive　that　the　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　the