the life of horatio lord nelson-第50部分

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would　not　give　sixpence　to　call　the　king　his　uncle。〃　She　replied；　that　she　did　not　believe　him；　that　she　knew　that　he　was　longing　to　get　at　the　combined　fleets；　that　he　considered　them　as　his　own　property；　that　he　would　be　miserable　if　any　man　but　himself　did　the　business；　and　that　he　ought　to　have　them；　as　the　price　and　reward　of　his　two　years'　long　watching；　and　his　hard　chase。　〃Nelson；〃　said　she；　〃however　we　may　lament　your　absence；　offer　your　services；　they　will　be　accepted；　and　you　will　gain　a　quiet　heart　by　it：　you　will　have　a　glorious　victory；　and　then　you　may　return　here；　and　be　happy。〃　He　looked　at　her　with　tears　in　his　eyes：　〃Brave　Emma！　Good　Emma！　If　there　were　more　Emmas　there　would　be　more　Nelsons。〃

His　services　were　as　willingly　accepted　as　they　were　offered；　and　Lord　Barham；　giving　him　the　list　of　the　navy；　desired　him　to　choose　his　own　officers。　〃Choose　yourself；　my　lord；〃　was　his　reply：　〃the　same　spirit　actuates　the　whole　profession：　you　cannot　choose　wrong。〃　Lord　Barham　then　desired　him　to　say　what　ships；　and　how　many；　he　would　wish；　in　addition　to　the　fleet　which　he　was　going　to　command；　and　said　they　should　follow　him　as　soon　as　each　was　ready。　No　appointment　was　ever　more　in　unison　with　the　feelings　and　judgment　of　the　whole　nation。　They；　like　Lady　Hamilton；　thought　that　the　destruction　of　the　combined　fleets　ought　properly　to　be　Nelson's　work；　that　he　who　had　been

〃Half　around　the　sea…girt　ball；　The　hunter　of　the　recreant　Gaul；〃

ought　to　reap　the　spoils　of　the　chase　which　he　had　watched　so　long；　and　so　perseveringly　pursued。

Unremitting　exertions　were　made　to　equip　the　ships　which　he　had　chosen；　and　especially　to　refit　the　VICTORY；　which　was　once　more　to　bear　his　flag。　Before　he　left　London　he　called　at　his　upholsterer's；　where　the　coffin　which　Captain　Hallowell　had　given　him　was　deposited；　and　desired　that　its　history　might　be　engraven　upon　the　lid；　saying　that　it　was　highly　probable　he　might　want　it　on　his　return。　He　seemed；　indeed；　to　have　been　impressed　with　an　expectation　that　he　should　fall　in　the　battle。　In　a　letter　to　his　brother；　written　immediately　after　his　return；　he　had　said：　〃We　must　not　talk　of　Sir　Robert　Calder's　battleI　might　not　have　done　so　much　with　my　small　force。　If　I　had　fallen　in　with　them；　you　might　probably　have　been　a　lord　before　I　wished；　for　I　know　they　meant　to　make　a　dead　set　at　the　VICTORY。〃　Nelson　had　once　regarded　the　prospect　of　death　with　gloomy　satisfaction：　it　was　when　he　anticipated　the　upbraidings　of　his　wife；　and　the　displeasure　of　his　venerable　father。　The　state　of　his　feelings　now　was　expressed　in　his　private　journal　in　these　words：　〃Friday　night　（Sept。　13）；　at　half…past　ten；　I　drove　from　dear；　dear　Merton；　where　I　left　all　which　I　hold　dear　in　this　world；　to　go　and　serve　my　king　and　country。　May　the　great　GOD；　whom　I　adore；　enable　me　to　fulfil　the　expectations　of　my　country！　and　if　it　is　His　good　pleasure　that　I　should　return；　my　thanks　will　never　cease　being　offered　up　to　the　throne　of　His　mercy。　If　it　is　His　good　providence　to　cut　short　my　days　upon　earth；　I　bow　with　the　greatest　submission；　relying　that　he　will　protect　those　so　dear　to　me　whom　I　may　leave　behind！　His　will　be　done。　Amen！　Amen！　Amen！〃

Early　on　the　following　morning　he　reached　Portsmouth；　and　having　despatched　his　business　on　shore；　endeavoured　to　elude　the　populace　by　taking　a　by…way　to　the　beach；　but　a　crowd　collected　in　his　train；　pressing　forward　to　obtain　a　sight　of　his　face：　many　were　in　tears；　and　many　knelt　down　before　him　and　blessed　him　as　he　passed。　England　has　had　many　heroes；　but　never　one　who　so　entirely　possessed　the　love　of　his　fellow…countrymen　as　Nelson。　All　men　knew　that　his　heart　was　as　humane　as　it　was　fearless；　that　there　was　not　in　his　nature　the　slightest　alloy　of　selfishness　or　cupidity；　but　that　with　perfect　and　entire　devotion　he　served　his　country　with　all　his　heart；　and　with　all　his　soul；　and　with　all　his　strength；　and；　therefore；　they　loved　him　as　truly　and　as　fervently　as　he　loved　England。　They　pressed　upon　the　parapet　to　gaze　after　him　when　his　barge　pushed　off；　and　he　was　returning　their　cheers　by　waving　his　hat。　The　sentinels；　who　endeavoured　to　prevent　them　from　trespassing　upon　this　ground；　were　wedged　among　the　crowd；　and　an　officer　who；　not　very　prudently　upon　such　an　occasion；　ordered　them　to　drive　the　people　down　with　their　bayonets；　was　compelled　speedily　to　retreat；　for　the　people　would　not　be　debarred　from　gazing　till　the　last　moment　upon　the　herothe　darling　hero　of　England！

He　arrived　off　Cadiz　on　the　29th　of　Septemberhis　birthday。　Fearing　that　if　the　enemy　knew　his　force　they　might　be　deterred　from　venturing　to　sea；　he　kept　out　of　sight　of　land；　desired　Collingwood　to　fire　no　salute　and　hoist　no　colours；　and　wrote　to　Gibraltar　to　request　that　the　force　of　the　fleet　might　not　be　inserted　there　in　the　GAZETTE。　His　reception　in　the　Mediterranean　fleet　was　as　gratifying　as　the　farewell　of　his　countrymen　at　Portsmouth：　the　officers　who　came　on　board　to　welcome　him　forgot　his　rank　as　commander　in　their　joy　at　seeing　him　again。　On　the　day　of　his　arrival；　Villeneuve　received　orders　to　put　to　sea　the　first　opportunity。　Villeneuve；　however；　hesitated　when　he　heard　that　Nelson　had　resumed　the　command。　He　called　a　council　of　war；　and　their　determination　was；　that　it　would　not　be　expedient　to　leave　Cadiz；　unless　they　had　reason　to　believe　themselves　stronger　by　one…third　than　the　British　force。　In　the　public　measures　of　this　country　secrecy　is　seldom　practicable；　and　seldomer　attempted：　here；　however；　by　the　precautions　of　Nelson　and　the　wise　measures　of　the　Admiralty；　the　enemy　were　for　once　kept　in　ignorance；　for　as　the　ships　appointed　to　reinforce　the　Mediterranean　fleet　were　despatched　singly；　each　as　soon　as　it　was　ready；　their　collected　number　was　not　stated　in　the　newspapers；　and　their　arrival　was　not　known　to　the　enemy。　But　the　enemy　knew　that　Admiral　Louis；　with　six　sail；　had　been　detached　for　stores　and　water　to　Gibraltar。　Accident　also　contributed　to　make　the　French　admiral　doubt　whether　Nelson　himself　had　actually　taken　the　command。　An　American；　lately　arrived　from　England；　maintained　that　it　was　impossible；　for　he　had　seen　him　only　a　few　days　before　in　London；　and　at　that　time　there　was　no　rumour　of　his　going　again　to　sea。

The　station　which　Nelson　had　chosen　was　some　fifty　or　sixty　miles　to　the　west　of　Cadiz；　near　Cape　St。　Marys。　At　this　distance；　he　hoped　to　decoy　the　enemy　out　while　he　guarded　against　the　danger　of　being　caught　with　a　westerly　wind　near　Cadiz　and　driven　within　the　Straits。　The　blockade　of　the　port　was　rigorously　enforced；　in　hopes　that　the　combined　fleet　might　be　forced　to　sea　by　want。　The　Danish　vessels；　therefore；　which　were　carrying　provisions　from　the　French　ports　in　the　bay；　under　the　name　of　Danish　property；　to　all　the　little　ports　from　Ayamonte　to　Algeziras；　from　whence　they　were　conveyed　in　coasting　boats　to　Cadiz；　were　seized。　Without　this　proper　exertion　of　power；　the　blockade　would　have　been　rendered　nugatory　by　the　advantage　thus　taken　of　the　neutral　flag。　The　supplies　from　France　were　thus　effectually　cut　off。　There　was　now　every　indication　that　the　enemy　would　speedily　venture　out：　officers　and　men　were　in　the　highest　spirits　at　the　prospects　of　giving　them　a　decisive　blow；　such；　indeed；　as　would　put　an　end　to　all　further　contest　upon　the　seas。　Theatrical　amusements　were　performed　every　evening　in　most　of　the　ships；　and　God　save　the　King　was　the　hymn　with　which　the　sports　concluded。　〃I　verily　believe；〃　said　Nelson　（writing　on　the　6th　of　October）；　〃that　the　country　will　soon　be　put　to　some　expense　on　my　account；　either　a　monument；　or　a　new　pension　and　honours；　for　I　have　not　the　smallest　doubt　but　that　a　very　few　days；　almost　hours；　will　put　us　in　battle。　The　success　no　man　can　ensure；　but　for　the　fighting　them；　if　they　can　be　got　at；　I　pledge　myself。　The　sooner　the　better：　I　don't　like　to　have　these　things　upon　my　mind。〃

At　this　time　he　was　not　without　some　cause　of　anxiety：　he　was　in　want　of　frigates；　and　the　eyes　of　the　fleet；　as　he　always　called　them；　to　the　want　of　which　the　enemy　before　were　indebted　for　their　escape；　and　Buonaparte　for　his　arrival　in　Egypt。　He　had　only　twenty…three　ships；　others　were　on　the　way；　but　they　might　come　too　late；　and　though　Nelson　never　doubted　of　victory；　mere　victory　was　not　what　he　looked　to；　he　wanted　to　annihilate　the　enemy's　fleet。　The　Carthagena　squadron　might　effect　a　junction　with　this　fleet　on　the　one　side；　and　on　the　other　it　was　to　be　expected　that　a　similar　attempt　would　be　made　by　the　French　from　Brest；　in　either　case　a　formidable　contingency　to　be　apprehended　by　the　blockading　force。　The　Rochefort　squadron　did　push　out；　and　had　nearly　caught　the　AGAMEMNON　and　L'AIMABLE　in　their　way　to　reinforce　the　British　admiral。　Yet　Nelson　at　this　time　weakened　his　own　fleet。　He　had　the　unpleasant　task　to　perform　of　sending　home　Sir　Robert　Calder；　whose　conduct　was　to　be　made　the　subject　of　a　court…martial；　in　consequence　of　the　general　dissatisfaction　which　had　been　felt　and　expressed　at　his　imperfect　victory。　Sir　Robert　Calder　and　Sir　John　Orde；　Nelson　believed　to　be　the　only　two　enemies　whom　he　had　ever　had　in　his　profession；　and　from　that　sensitive　delicacy　which　distinguished　him；　this　made　him　the　more　scrupulously　anxious　to　show　every　possible　mark　of　respect　and　kindness　to　Sir　Robert。　He　wished　to　detain　him　till　after　the　expected　action；　when　the　services　which　he　might　perform；　and　the　triumphant　joy　which　would　be　excited；　would　leave　nothing　to　be　apprehended　from　an　inquiry　into　the　previous　engagement。　Sir　Robert；　however；　whose　situ…　ation　was　very　painful；　did　not　choose　to　delay　a　trial　from　the　result　of　which　he　confidently　expected　a　complete　justification；　and　Nelson；　instead　of　sending　him　home　in　a　frigate；　insisted　on　his　returning　in　his　own　ninety…gun　shipill　as　such　a　ship　could　at　that　time　be　spared。　Nothing　could　be　more　honourable　than　the　feeling　by　which　Nelson　was　influenced；　but；　at　such　a　crisis；　it　ought　not　to　have　been　indulged。

On　the　9th　Nelson　sent　Collingwood　what　he　called；　in　his　diary；　the　Nelson…touch。　〃I　send　you；〃　said　he；　〃my　plan　of　attack；　as　far　as　a　man　dare　venture　to　guess　at　the　very　uncertain　position　the　enemy　m