the life of horatio lord nelson-第9部分

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f　his　life。

But　his　time　did　not　pass　away　thus　without　some　vexatious　cares　to　ruffle　it。　The　affair　of　the　American　ships　was　not　yet　over；　and　he　was　again　pestered　with　threats　of　prosecution。　〃I　have　written　them　word；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　them；　and　they　must　act　as　they　think　proper。　Government；　I　suppose；　will　do　what　is　right；　and　not　leave　me　in　the　lurch。　We　have　heard　enough　lately　of　the　consequences　of　the　Navigation　Act　to　this　country。　They　may　take　my　person；　but　if　sixpence　would　save　me　from　a　prosecution；　I　would　not　give　it。〃　It　was　his　great　ambition　at　this　time　to　possess　a　pony；　and　having　resolved　to　purchase　one；　he　went　to　a　fair　for　that　purpose。　During　his　absence　two　men　abruptly　entered　the　parsonage　and　inquired　for　him：　they　then　asked　for　Mrs。　Nelson；　and　after　they　had　made　her　repeatedly　declare　that　she　was　really　and　truly　the　captain's　wife；　presented　her　with　a　writ；　or　notification；　on　the　part　of　the　American　captains；　who　now　laid　their　damages　at　L20；000；　and　they　charged　her　to　give　it　to　her　husband　on　his　return。　Nelson；　having　bought　his　pony；　came　home　with　it　in　high　spirits。　He　called　out　his　wife　to　admire　the　purchase　and　listen　to　all　its　excellences：　nor　was　it　till　his　glee　had　in　some　measure　subsided　that　the　paper　could　be　presented　to　him。　His　indignation　was　excessive；　and　in　the　apprehension　that　he　should　be　exposed　to　the　anxieties　of　the　suit　and　the　ruinous　consequences　which　might　ensue；　he　exclaimed；　〃This　affront　I　did　not　deserve！　But　I'll　be　trifled　with　no　longer。　I　will　write　immediately　to　the　Treasury；　and　if　government　will　not　support　me；　I　am　resolved　to　leave　the　country。〃　Accordingly；　he　informed　the　Treasury　that；　if　a　satisfactory　answer　were　not　sent　him　by　return　of　post；　he　should　take　refuge　in　France。　To　this　he　expected　he　should　be　driven；　and　for　this　he　arranged　everything　with　his　characteristic　rapidity　of　decision。　It　was　settled　that　he　should　depart　immediately；　and　Mrs。　Nelson　follow；　under　the　care　of　his　elder　brother　Maurice；　ten　days　after　him。　But　the　answer　which　he　received　from　government　quieted　his　fears：　it　stated　that　Captain　Nelson　was　a　very　good　officer；　and　needed　to　be　under　no　apprehension；　for　he　would　assuredly　be　supported。

Here　his　disquietude　upon　this　subject　seems　to　have　ended。　Still　he　was　not　at　ease；　he　wanted　employment；　and　was　mortified　that　his　applications　for　it　produced　no　effect。　〃Not　being　a　man　of　fortune；〃　he　said；　〃was　a　crime　which　he　was　unable　to　get　over；　and　therefore　none　of　the　great　cared　about　him。〃　Repeatedly　he　requested　the　Admiralty　that　they　would　not　leave　him　to　rust　in　indolence。　During　the　armament　which　was　made　upon　occasion　of　the　dispute　concerning　Nootka　Sound；　he　renewed　his　application；　and　his　steady　friend；　Prince　William；　who　had　then　been　created　Duke　of　Clarence；　recommended　him　to　Lord　Chatham。　The　failure　of　this　recommendation　wounded　him　so　keenly　that　he　again　thought　of　retiring　from　the　service　in　disgust；　a　resolution　from　which　nothing　but　the　urgent　remonstrances　of　Lord　Hood　induced　him　to　desist。　Hearing　that　the　RAISONNABLE；　in　which　he　had　commenced　his　career；　was　to　be　commissioned；　he　asked　for　her。　This　also　was　in　vain；　and　a　coolness　ensued；　on　his　part；　toward　Lord　Hood；　because　that　excellent　officer　did　not　use　his　influence　with　Lord　Chatham　upon　this　occasion。　Lord　Hood；　however；　had　certainly　sufficient　reasons　for　not　interfering；　for　he　ever　continued　his　steady　friend。　In　the　winter　of　1792；　when　we　were　on　the　eve　of　the　revolutionary　war；　Nelson　once　more　offered　his　services；　earnestly　requested　a　ship；　and　added；　that　if　their　lordships　should　be　pleased　to　appoint　him　to　a　cockle…boat　he　should　feel　satisfied。　He　was　answered　in　the　usual　official　form：　〃Sir；　I　have　received　your　letter　of　the　5th　instant；　expressing　your　readiness　to　serve；　and　have　read　the　same　to　my　Lords　Commissioners　of　the　Admiralty。〃　On　the　12th　of　December　he　received　this　dry　acknowledgment。　The　fresh　mortification　did　not；　however；　affect　him　long；　for；　by　the　joint　interest　of　the　Duke　and　Lord　Hood；　he　was　appointed；　on　the　30th　of　January　following；　to　the　AGAMEMNON；　of　sixty…four　guns。




CHAPTER　III

1793　…　1795


The　AGAMEMNON　sent　to　the　MediteraneanCommencement　of　Nelson's　Aquaintance　with　Sir　W。　HamiltonHe　is　sent　to　Corsica；　to　co…　operate　with　PaoliState　of　Affairs　in　that　IslandNelson　undertakes　the　Siege　of　Bastia；　and　reduces　itTakes　a　distinguished　Part　in　the　Siege　of　Calvi；　where　he　loses　an　EyeAdmiral　Hotham's　ActionThe　AGAMEMNON　ordered　to　Genoa；　to　co…operate　with　the　Austrian　and　Sardinian　ForcesGross　Misconduct　of　the　Austrian　General。

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〃THERE　are　three　things；　young　gentleman；〃　said　Nelson　to　one　of　his　midshipmen；　〃which　you　are　constantly　to　bear　in　mind。　First；　you　must　always　implicitly　obey　orders；　without　attempting　to　form　any　opinion　of　your　own　respecting　their　propriety；　secondly；　you　must　consider　every　man　your　enemy　who　speaks　ill　of　your　king；　and；　thirdly；　you　must　hate　a　Frenchman　as　you　do　the　devil。〃　With　these　feelings　he　engaged　in　the　war。　Josiah；　his　son…in…law；　went　with　him　as　a　midshipman。

The　AGAMEMNON　was　ordered　to　the　Mediterranean　under　Lord　Hood。　The　fleet　arrived　in　those　seas　at　a　time　when　the　south　of　France　would　willingly　have　formed　itself　into　a　separate　republic；　under　the　protection　of　England。　But　good　principles　had　been　at　that　time　perilously　abused　by　ignorant　and　profligate　men；　and；　in　its　fear　and　hatred　of　democracy；　the　English　Government　abhorred　whatever　was　republican。　Lord　Hood　could　not　take　advantage　of　the　fair　occasion　which　presented　itself；　and　which；　if　it　had　been　seized　with　vigour；　might　have　ended　in　dividing　France：but　he　negotiated　with　the　people　of　Toulon；　to　take　possession　provisionally　of　their　port　and　city；　which；　fatally　for　themselves；　was　done。　Before　the　British　fleet　entered；　Nelson　was　sent　with　despatches　to　Sir　William　Hamilton；　our　envoy　at　the　Court　of　Naples。　Sir　William；　after　his　first　interview　with　him；　told　Lady　Hamilton　he　was　about　to　introduce　a　little　man　to　her；　who　could　not　boast　of　being　very　handsome；　but　such　a　man　as；　he　believed；　would　one　day　astonish　the　world。　〃I　have　never　before；〃　he　　continued；　〃entertained　an　officer　at　my　house；　but　I　am　determined　to　bring　him　here。　Let　him　be　put　in　the　room　prepared　for　Prince　Augustus。〃　Thus　that　acquaintance　began　which　ended　in　the　destruction　of　Nelson's　domestic　happiness。　It　seemed　to　threaten　no　such　consequences　at　its　commencement。　He　spoke　of　Lady　Hamilton；　in　a　letter　to　his　wife；　as　a　young　woman　of　amiable　manners；　who　did　honour　to　the　station　to　which　she　had　been　raised；　and　he　remarked；　that　she　had　been　exceedingly　kind　to　Josiah。　The　activity　with　which　the　envoy　exerted　himself　in　procuring　troops　from　Naples；　to　assist　in　garrisoning　Toulon；　so　delighted　him；　that　he　is　said　to　have　exclaimed；　〃Sir　William；　you　are　a　man　after　my　own　heart！you　do　business　in　my　own　way：〃　and　then　to　have　added；　〃I　am　now　only　a　captain；　but　I　will；　if　I　live；　be　at　the　top　of　the　tree。〃　Here；　also；　that　acquaintance　with　the　Neapolitan　court　commenced；　which　led　to　the　only　blot　upon　Nelson's　public　character。　The　king；　who　was　sincere　at　that　time　in　his　enmity　to　the　French；　called　the　English　the　saviours　of　Italy；　and　of　his　dominions　in　particular。　He　paid　the　most　flattering　attentions　to　Nelson；　made　him　dine　with　him；　and　seated　him　at　his　right　hand。

Having　accomplished　this　mission；　Nelson　received　orders　to　join　Commodore　Linzee　at　Tunis。　On　the　way；　five　sail　of　the　enemy　were　discovered　off　the　coast　of　Sardinia；　and　he　chased　them。　They　proved　to　be　three　forty…four　gun　frigates；　with　a　corvette　of　twenty…four　and　a　brig　of　twelve。　The　AGAMEMNON　had　only　345　men　at　quarters；　having　landed　part　of　her　crew　at　Toulon；　and　others　being　absent　in　prizes。　He　came　near　enough　one　of　the　frigates　to　engage　her；　but　at　great　disadvantage；　the　Frenchman　manoeuvring　well　and　sailing　greatly　better。　A　running　fight　of　three　hours　ensued；　during　which　the　other　ships；　which　were　at　some　distance；　made　all　speed　to　come　up。　By　this　time　the　enemy　was　almost　silenced；　when　a　favourable　change　of　wind　enabled　her　to　get　out　of　reach　of　the　AGAMEMNON's　guns；　and　that　ship　had　received　so　much　damage　in　the　rigging　that　she　could　not　follow　her。　Nelson；　conceiving　that　this　was　but　the　forerunner　of　a　far　more　serious　engagement；　called　his　officers　together；　and　asked　them　if　the　ship　was　fit　to　go　into　action　against　such　a　superior　force　without　some　small　refit　and　refreshment　for　the　men。　Their　answer　was；　that　she　certainly　was　not。　He　then　gave　these　orders；〃Veer　the　ship；　and　lay　her　head　to　the　westward：　let　some　of　the　best　men　be　employed　in　refit…　ting　the　rigging；　and　the　carpenter　in　getting　crows　and　capstan…bars　to　prevent　our　wounded　spars　from　coming　down：　and　get　the　wine　up　for　the　people；　with　some　bread；　for　it　may　be　half　an　hour　good　before　we　are　again　in　action。〃　But　when　the　French　came　up；　their　comrade　made　signals　of　distress；　and　they　all　hoisted　out　their　boats　to　go　to　her　assistance；　leaving　the　AGAMEMNON　unmolested。

Nelson　found　Commodore　Linzee　at　Tunis；　where　he　had　been　sent　to　expostulate　with　the　dey　upon　the　impolicy　of　his　supporting　the　revolutionary　government　of　France。　Nelson　represented　to　him　the　atrocity　of　that　government。　Such　arguments　were　of　little　avail　in　Barbary；　and　when　the　Dey　was　told　that　the　French　had　put　their　sovereign　to　death；　he　drily　replied；　that　〃Nothing　could　be　more　heinous；　and　yet；　if　historians　told　the　truth；　the　English　had　once　done　the　same。〃　This　answer　had　doubtless　been　suggested　by　the　French　about　him：　they　had　completely　gained　the　ascendancy；　and　all　negotiation　on　our　part　proved　fruitless。　Shortly　afterward；　Nelson　was　detached　with　a　small　squadron；　to　co…operate　with　General　Paoli　and　the　Anti…Gallican　party　in　Corsica。

Some　thirty　years　before　this　time　the　heroic　patriotism　of　the　Corsicans；　and　of　their　leader　Paoli；　had　been　the　admiration　of　England。　The　history　of　these　brave　people　is　but　a　melancholy　tale。　The　island　which　they　inhabit　h