the life of horatio lord nelson-第25章

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　saw　the　danger　in　its　true　magnitude；　but　was　blind　to　these　grievances；　and　found　herself　compelled　to　support　systems　which　had　formerly　been　equally　the　object　of　her　abhorrence　and　her　contempt。　This　was　the　state　of　Nelson's　mind；　he　knew　that　there　could　be　no　peace　for　Europe　till　the　pride　of　France　was　humbled；　and　her　strength　broken；　and　he　regarded　all　those　who　were　the　friends　of　France　as　traitors　to　the　common　cause；　as　well　as　to　their　own　individual　sovereigns。　There　are　situations　in　which　the　most　opposite　and　hostile　parties　may　mean　equally　well；　and　yet　act　equally　wrong。　The　court　of　Naples；　unconscious　of　committing　any　crime　by　continuing　the　system　of　misrule　to　which　they　had　succeeded；　conceived　that；　in　maintaining　things　as　they　were；　they　were　maintaining　their　own　rights；　and　preserving　the　people　from　such　horrors　as　had　been　perpetrated　in　France。　The　Neapolitan　revolutionists　thought　that　without　a　total　change　of　system；　any　relief　from　the　present　evils　was　impossible；　and　they　believed　themselves　justified　in　bringing　about　that　change　by　any　means。　Both　parties　knew　that　it　was　the　fixed　intention　of　the　French　to　revolutionise　Naples。　The　revolutionists　supposed　that　it　was　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　a　free　government；　the　court；　and　all　disinterested　persons；　were　perfectly　aware　that　the　enemy　had　no　other　object　than　conquest　and　plunder。

The　battle　of　the　Nile　shook　the　power　of　France。　Her　most　successful　general；　and　her　finest　army；　were　blocked　up　in　Egypt　hopeless；　as　it　appeared；　of　return；　and　the　government　was　in　the　hands　of　men　without　talents；　without　character；　and　divided　among　themselves。　Austria；　whom　Buonaparte　had　terrified　into　a　peace；　at　a　time　when　constancy　on　her　part　would　probably　have　led　to　his　destruction；　took　advantage　of　the　crisis　to　renew　the　war。　Russia　also　was　preparing　to　enter　the　field　with　unbroken　forces；　led　by　a　general；　whose　extraordinary　military　genius　would　have　entitled　him　to　a　high　and　honourable　rank　in　history；　if　it　had　not　been　sullied　by　all　the　ferocity　of　a　barbarian。　Naples；　seeing　its　destruction　at　hand；　and　thinking　that　the　only　means　of　averting　it　was　by　meeting　the　danger；　after　long　vacillations；　which　were　produced　by　the　fears　and　treachery　of　its　council；　agreed　at　last　to　join　this　new　coalition　with　a　numerical　force　of　80；000　men。　Nelson　told　the　king；　in　plain　terms；　that　he　had　his　choice；　either　to　advance；　trusting　to　God　for　his　blessing　on　a　just　cause；　and　prepared　to　die　sword　in　hand；　or　to　remain　quiet；　and　be　kicked　out　of　his　kingdom；　one　of　these　things　must　happen。　The　king　made　answer　he　would　go　on；　and　trust　in　God　and　Nelson；　and　Nelson；　who　would　else　have　returned　to　Egypt；　for　the　purpose　of　destroying　the　French　shipping　in　Alexandria；　gave　up　his　intention　at　the　desire　of　the　Neapolitan　court；　and　resolved　to。　remain　on　that　station；　in　the　hope　that　he　might　be　useful　to　the　movements　of　the　army。　He　suspected　also；　with　reason；　that　the　continuance　of　his　fleet　was　so　earnestly　requested；　because　the　royal　family　thought　their　persons　would　be　safer；　in　case　of　any　mishap；　under　the　British　flag；　than　under　their　own。

His　first　object　was　the　recovery　of　Maltaan　island　which　the　King　of　Naples　pretended　to　claim。　The　Maltese；　whom　the　villanous　knights　of　their　order　had　betrayed　to　France；　had　taken　up　arms　against　their　rapacious　invaders；　with　a　spirit　and　unanimity　worthy　of　the　highest　praise。　They　blockaded　the　French　garrison　by　land；　and　a　small　squadron；　under　Captain　Ball；　began　to　blockade　them　by　sea；　on　the　12th　of　October。　Twelve　days　afterwards　Nelson　arrived。　〃It　is　as　I　suspected；〃　he　says：　〃the　ministers　at　Naples　know　nothing　of　the　situation　of　the　island。　Not　a　house　or　bastion　of　the　town　is　in　possession　of　the　islanders：　and　the　Marquis　de　Niza　tells　us　they　want　arms；　victuals；　and　support。　He　does　not　know　that　any　Neapolitan　officers　are　on　the　island；　perhaps；　although　I　have　their　names；　none　are　arrived；　and　it　is　very　certain；　by　the　marquis's　account；　that　no　supplies　have　been　sent　by　the　governors　of　Syracuse　and　Messina。〃　The　little　island　of　Gozo；　dependent　upon　Malta；　which　had　also　been　seized　and　garrisoned　by　the　French；　capitulated　soon　after　his　arrival；　and　was　taken　possession　of　by　the　British；　in　the　name　of　his　Sicilian　Majestya　power　who　had　no　better　claim　to　it　than　France。　Having　seen　this　effected；　and　reinforced　Captain　Ball；　he　left　that　able　officer　to　perform　a　most　arduous　and　important　part；　and　returned　himself　to　co…　operate　with　the　intended　movements　of　the　Neapolitans。

General　Mack　was　at　the　head　of　the　Neapolitan　troops。　All　that　is　now　doubtful　concerning　this　man　is；　whether　he　was　a　coward　or　a　traitor。　At　that　time　he　was　assiduously　extolled　as　a　most　consummate　commander；　to　whom　Europe　might　look　for　deliverance。　And　when　he　was　introduced　by　the　king　and　queen　to　the　British　admiral；　the　queen　said　to　him；　〃Be　to　us　by　land；　general；　what　my　hero　Nelson　has　been　by　sea。〃　Mack；　on　his　part；　did　not　fail　to　praise　the　force　which　he　was　appointed　to　command。　〃It　was；〃　he　said；〃the　finest　army　in　Europe。〃　Nelson　agreed　with　him　that　there　could　not　be　finer　men；　but　when　the　general；　at　a　review；　so　directed　the　operations　of　a　mock　fight；　that　by　an　unhappy　blunder　his　own　troops　were　surrounded；　instead　of　those　of　the　enemy；　he　turned　to　his　friends　and　exclaimed　with　bitterness；　that　the　fellow　did　not　understand　his　business。　Another　circumstance；　not　less　characteristic；　confirmed　Nelson　in　his　judgment。　〃General　Mack：〃　said　he；　in　one　of　his　letters；　〃cannot　move　without　five　carriages！　I　have　formed　my　opinion。　I　heartily　pray　I　may　be　mistaken。〃

While　Mack；　at　the　head　of　32；000　men；　marched　into　the　Roman　state；　5000　Neapolitans　were　embarked　on　board　the　British　and　Portuguese　squadron；　to　take　possession　of　Leghorn。　This　was　effected　without　opposition；　and　the　Grand　Duke　of　Tuscany；　whose　neutrality　had　been　so　outrageously　violated　by　the　French；　was　better　satisfied　with　the　measure　than　some　of　the　Neapolitans　themselves。　Nasseli；　their　general；　refused　to　seize　the　French　vessels　at　Leghorn；　because　he　and　the　Duke　di　Sangro；　who　was　ambassador　at　the　Tuscan　court；　maintained　that　the　king　of　Naples　was　not　at　war　with　France。　〃What！〃　said　Nelson；　〃has　not　the　king　received；　as　a　conquest　made　by　him；　the　republican　flag　taken　at　Gozo？　Is　not　his　own　flag　flying　there；　and　at　Malta；　not　only　by　his　permission；　but　by　his　order？　Is　not　his　flag　shot　at　every　day　by　the　French；　and　their　shot　returned　from　batteries　which　bear　that　flag？　Are　not　two　frigates　and　a　corvette　placed　under　my　orders　ready　to　fight　the　French；　meet　them　where　they　may？　Has　not　the　king　sent　publicly　from　Naples　guns；　mortars；　&c。；　with　officers　and　artillery；　against　the　French　in　Malta？　If　these　acts　are　not　tantamount　to　any　written　paper；　I　give　up　all　knowledge　of　what　is　war。〃　This　reasoning　was　of　less　avail　than　argument　addressed　to　the　general's　fears。　Nelson　told　him　that；　if　he　permitted　the　many　hundred　French　who　were　then　in　the　mole　to　remain　neutral；　till　they　had　a　fair　opportunity　of　being　active；　they　had　one　sure　resource；　if　all　other　schemes　failed；　which　was　to　set　one　vessel　on　fire；　the　mole　would　be　destroyed；　probably　the　town　also；　and　the　port　ruined　for　twenty　years。　This　representation　made　Naselli　agree　to　the　half　measure　of　laying　an　embargo　on　the　vessels；　among　them　were　a　great　number　of　French　privateers；　some　of　which　were　of　such　force　as　to　threaten　the　greatest　mischief　to　our　commerce；　and　about　seventy　sail　of　vessels　belonging　to　the　Ligurian　republic；　as　Genoa　was　now　called；　laden　with　corn；　and　ready　to　sail　for　Genoa　and　France；　where　their　arrival　would　have　expedited　the　entrance　of　more　French　troops　into　Italy。　〃The　general；〃　said　Nelson；　〃saw；　I　believe；　the　consequence　of　permitting　these　vessels　to　depart；　in　the　same　light　as　myself；　but　there　is　this　difference　between　us：　he　prudently；　and　certainly　safely；　waits　the　orders　of　his　court；　taking　no　responsibility　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