the life of horatio lord nelson-第29部分

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　the　fleet　sailed。　The　next　day　a　more　violent　storm　arose　than　Nelson　had　ever　before　encountered。　On　the　25th；　the　youngest　of　the　princes　was　taken　ill；　and　died　in　Lady　Hamilton's　arms。　During　this　whole　trying　season；　Lady　Hamilton　waited　upon　the　royal　family　with　the　zeal　of　the　most　devoted　servant；　at　a　time　when；　except　one　man；　no　person　belonging　to　the　court　assisted　them。

On　the　morning　of　the　26th　the　royal　family　were　landed　at　Palermo。　It　was　soon　seen　that　their　flight　had　not　been　premature。　Prince　Pignatelli；　who　had　been　left　as　vicar…general　and　viceroy；　with　orders　to　defend　the　kingdom　to　the　last　rock　in　Calabria；　sent　plenipotentiaries　to　the　French　camp　before　Capua；　and　they；　for　the　sake　of　saving　the　capital；　signed　an　armistice；　by　which　the　greater　part　of　the　kingdom　was　given　up　to　the　enemy：　a　cession　that　necessarily　led　to　the　loss　of　the　whole。　This　was　on　the　10th　of　January。　The　French　advanced　towards　Naples。　Mack；　under　pretext　of　taking　shelter　from　the　fury　of　the　lazzaroni；　fled　to　the　French　General　Championet；　who　sent　him　under　an　escort　to　Milan；　but　as　France　hoped　for　further　services　from　this　wretched　traitor；　it　was　thought　prudent　to　treat　him　apparently　as　a　prisoner　of　war。　The　Neapolitan　army　disappeared　in　a　few　days：　of　the　men；　some；　following　their　officers；　deserted　to　the　enemy；　the　greater　part　took　the　opportunity　of　disbanding　themselves。　The　lazzaroni　proved　true　to　their　country；　they　attacked　the　enemy's　advanced　posts；　drove　them　in；　and　were　not　dispirited　by　the　murderous　defeat　which　they　suffered　from　the　main　body。　Flying　into　the　city；　they　continued　to　defend　it；　even　after　the　French　had　planted　their　artillery　in　the　principal　streets。　Had　there　been　a　man　of　genius　to　have　directed　their　enthusiasm；　or　had　there　been　any　correspondent　feelings　in　the　higher　ranks；　Naples　might　have　set　a　glorious　example　to　Europe；　and　have　proved　the　grave　of　every　Frenchman　who　entered　it。　But　the　vices　of　the　government　had　extinguished　all　other　patriotism　than　that　of　the　rabble；　who　had　no　other　than　that　sort　of　loyalty　which　was　like　the　fidelity　of　a　dog　to　its　master。　This　fidelity　the　French　and　their　adherents　counteracted　by　another　kind　of　devotion：　the　priests　affirmed　that　St。　Januarius　had　declared　in　favour　of　the　revolution。　The　miracle　of　his　blood　was　performed　with　the　usual　success；　and　more　than　usual　effect；　on　the　very　evening　when；　after　two　days　of　desperate　fighting；　the　French　obtained　possession　of　Naples。　A　French　guard　of　honour　was　stationed　at　his　church。　Championet　gave；　〃Respect　for　St。　Januarius！〃　as　the　word　for　the　army；　and　the　next　day　TE　DEUM　was　sung　by　the　archbishop　in　the　cathedral；　and　the　inhabitants　were　invited　to　attend　the　ceremony；　and　join　in　thanksgiving　for　the　glorious　entry　of　the　French；　who；　it　was　said；　being　under　the　peculiar　protection　of　Providence；　had　regenerated　the　Neapolitans；　and　were　come　to　establish　and　consolidate　their　happiness。

It　seems　to　have　been　Nelson's　opinion　that　the　Austrian　cabinet　regarded　the　conquest　of　Naples　with　complacency；　and　that　its　measures　were　directed　so　as　designedly　not　to　prevent　the　French　from　overrunning　it。　That　cabinet　was　assuredly　capable　of　any　folly；　and　of　any　baseness；　and　it　is　not　improbable　that　at　this　time；　calculating　upon　the　success　of　the　new　coalition；　it　indulged　a　dream　of　adding　extensively　to　its　former　Italian　possessions；　and；　therefore；　left　the　few　remaining　powers　of　Italy　to　be　overthrown；　as　a　means　which　would　facilitate　its　own　ambitious　views。　The　King　of　Sardinia；　finding　it　impossible　longer　to　endure　the　exactions　of　France　and　the　insults　of　the　French　commissary；　went　to　Leghorn；　embarked　on　board　a　Danish　frigate；　and　sailed；　under　British　protection；　to　Sardiniathat　part　of　his　dominions　which　the　maritime　supremacy　of　England　rendered　a　secure　asylum。　On　his　arrival　he　published　a　protest　against　the　conduct　of　France；　declaring；　upon　the　faith　and　word　of　a　king；　that　he　had　never　infringed；　even　in　the　slightest　degree；　the　treaties　which　he　had　made　with　the　French　republic。　Tuscany　was　soon　occupied　by　French　troopsa　fate　which　bolder　policy　might；　perhaps；　have　failed　to　avert；　but　which　its　weak　and　timid　neutrality　rendered　inevitable。　Nelson　began　to　fear　even　for　Sicily。　〃Oh；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　he；　writing　to　Commodore　Duckworth；　〃one　thousand　English　troops　would　save　Messina；　and　I　fear　General　Stuart　cannot　give　me　men　to　save　this　most　important　island！〃　But　his　representations　were　not　lost　upon　Sir　Charles　Stuart。　This　officer　hastened　immediately　from　Minorca　with　1000　men；　assisted　in　the　measures　of　defence　which　were　taken；　and　did　not　return　before　he　had　satisfied　himself　that；　if　the　Neapolitans　were　excluded　from　the　management　of　affairs；　and　the　spirit　of　the　peasantry　properly　directed；　Sicily　was　safe。　Before　his　coming；　Nelson　had　offered　the　king；　if　no　resources　should　arrive；　to　defend　Messina　with　the　ship's　company　of　an　English　man…of…war。

Russia　had　now　entered　into　the　war。　Corfu；　surrendered　to　a　Russian　and　Turkish　fleet；　acting　now；　for　the　first　time；　in　strange　confederacy　yet　against　a　power　which　was　certainly　the　common　and　worst　enemy　of　both。　Troubridge　having　given　up　the　blockade　of　Alexandria　to　Sir　Sidney　Smith；　joined　Nelson；　bringing　with　him　a　considerable　addition　of　strength；　and　in　himself　what　Nelson　valued　more；　a　man；　upon　whose　sagacity；　indefatigable　zeal；　and　inexhaustible　resources；　he　could　place　full　reliance。　Troubridge　was　intrusted　to　commence　the　operations　against　the　French　in　the　bay　of　Naples。　Meantime　Cardinal　Ruffo；　a　man　of　questionable　character；　but　of　a　temper　fitted　for　such　times；　having　landed　in　Calabria；　raised　what　he　called　a　Christian　army；　composed　of　the　best　and　the　vilest　materialsloyal　peasants；　enthusiastic　priests　and　friars；　galley　slaves；　the　emptying　of　the　jails；　and　banditti。　The　islands　in　the　bay　of　Naples　were　joyfully　delivered　up　by　the　inhabitants；　who　were　in　a　state　of　famine　already；　from　the　effect　of　this　baleful　revolution。　Troubridge　distributed　among　them　all　his　flour；　and　Nelson　pressed　the　Sicilian　court　incessantly　for　supplies；　telling　them　that　L10；000　given　away　in　provisions　would；　at　this　time；　purchase　a　kingdom。　Money；　he　was　told；　they　had　not　to　give；　and　the　wisdom　and　integrity　which　might　have　supplied　its　wants　were　not　to　be　found。　〃There　is　nothing；〃　said　he；　〃which　I　propose；　that　is　not；　so　far　as　orders　go；　implicitly　complied　with；　but　the　execution　is　dreadful；　and　almost　makes　me　mad。　My　desire　to　serve　their　majesties　faithfully；　as　is　my　duty；　has　been　such　that　I　am　almost　blind　and　worn　out；　and　cannot　in　my　present　state　hold　out　much　longer。〃

Before　any　government　can　be　overthrown　by　the　consent　of　the　people；　the　government　must　be　intolerably　oppressive；　or　the　people　thoroughly　corrupted。　Bad　as　the　misrule　at　Naples　had　been；　its　consequences　had　been　felt　far　less　there　than　in　Sicily；　and　the　peasantry　had　that　attachment　to　the　soil　which　gives　birth　to　so　many　of　the　noblest　as　well　as　of　the　happiest　feelings。　In　all　the　islands　the　people　were　perfectly　frantic　with　joy　when　they　saw　the　Neapolitan　colours　hoisted。　At　Procida；　Troubridge　could　not　procure　even　a　rag　of　the　tri…coloured　flag　to　lay　at　the　king's　feet：　it　was　rent　into　ten　thousand　pieces　by　the　inhabitants；　and　entirely　destroyed。　〃The　horrid　treatment　of　the　French；〃　he　said；　〃had　made　them　mad。〃　It　exasperated　the　ferocity　of　a　character　which　neither　the　laws　nor　the　religion　under　which　they　lived　tended　to　mitigate。　Their　hatred　was　especially　directed　against　the　Neapolitan　revolutionists；　and　the　fishermen；　in　concert　among　themselves；　chose　each　his　own　victim；　whom　he　would　stiletto　when　the　day　of　vengeance　should　arrive。　The　head　of　one　was　sent　off　one　morning　to　Troubridge；　with　his　basket　of　grapes　for　breakfast；　and　a　note　from　the　Italian　who　had；　what　he　called；　the　glory　of　presenting　it；　saying；　he　had　killed　the　man　as　he　was　running　away；　and　begging　his　excellency　to　accept　the　head；　and　consider　it　as　a　proof　of　the　writer's　attachment　to　the　crown。　With　the　first　successes　of　the　court　the　work　of　punishment　began。　The　judge　at　Ischia　said　it　was　necessary　to　have　a　bishop　to　degrade　the　traitorous　priests　before　he　could　execute　them；　upon　which　Troubridge　advised　him　to　hang　them　first；　and　send　them　to　him　afterwards；　if　he　did　not　think　that　degradation　sufficient。　This　was　said　with　the　straightforward　feeling　of　a　sailor；　who　cared　as　little　for　canon…law　as　he　knew　about　it；　but　when　he　discovered　that　the　judge's　orders　were　to　go　through　the　business　in　a　summary　manner；　under　his　sanction；　he　told　him　at　once　that　could　not　be；　for　the　prisoners　were　not　British　subjects；　and　he　declined　having　anything　to　do　with　it。　There　were　manifestly　persons　about　the　court；　who；　while　they　thirsted　for　the　pleasure　of　vengeance；　were　devising　how　to　throw　the　odium　of　it　upon　the　English。　They　wanted　to　employ　an　English　man…of…war　to　carry　the　priests　to　Palermo　for　degradation；　and　then　bring　them　back　for　execution；　and　they　applied　to　Troubridge　for　a　hangman；　which　he　indignantly　refused。　He；　meantime；　was　almost　heart…　broken　by　the　situation　in　which　he　found　himself。　He　had　promised　relief　to　the　islanders；　relying　upon　the　queen's　promise　to　him。　He　had　distributed　the　whole　of　his　private　stock；there　was　plenty　of　grain　at　Palermo；　and　in　its　neighbourhood；　and　yet　none　was　sent　him：　the　enemy；　he　complained；　had　more　interest　there　than　the　king；　and　the　distress　for　bread　which　he　witnessed　was　such；　he　said；　that　it　would　move　even　a　Frenchman　to　pity。

Nelson's　heart；　too；　was　at　this　time　a…shore。　〃To　tell　you；〃　he　says；　writing　to　Lady　Hamilton；　〃how　dreary　and　uncomfortable　the　VANGUARD　appears；　is　only　telling　you　what　it　is　to　go　from　the　pleasantest　society　to　a　solitary　cell；　or　from　the　dearest　friends　to　no　friends。　I　am　now　perfectly　the　GREAT　MANnot　a　creature　near　me。　》From　my　heart　I　wish　myself　the　little　man　again。　You　and　good　Sir　William　have　spoiled　me　for　any　place　but　with　you。〃

His　mind　was　not　in　a　happier　state　respecting　public　affairs。