the life of horatio lord nelson-第37节

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navy；〃　said　he；　〃that　Malta　has　not　been　attacked　by　land；　but　we　have　neither　the　means　ourselves　nor　influence　with　those　who　have。〃　The　same　causes　of　demurral　existed　which　prevented　British　troops　from　assisting　in　the　expulsion　of　the　French　from　Rome。　Sir　James　Erskine　was　expecting　General　Fox；　he　could　not　act　without　orders；　and　not　having；　like　Nelson；　that　lively　spring　of　hope　within　him；　which　partakes　enough　of　the　nature　of　faith　to　work　miracles　in　war；　he　thought　it　〃evident　that　unless　a　respectable　land　force；　in　numbers　sufficient　to　undertake　the　siege　of　such　a　garrison；　in　one　of　the　strongest　places　of　Europe；　and　supplied　with　proportionate　artillery　and　stores；　were　sent　against　it；　no　reasonable　hope　could　be　entertained　of　its　surrender。〃　Nelson　groaned　over　the　spirit　of　over…reasoning　caution　and　unreasoning　obedience。　〃My　heart；〃　said　he；　〃is　almost　broken。　If　the　enemy　gets　supplies　in；　we　may　bid　adieu　to　Malta；　all　the　force　we　can　collect　would　then　be　of　little　use　against　the　strongest　place　in　Europe。　To　say　that　an　officer　is　never；　for　any　object；　to　alter　his　orders；　is　what　I　cannot　comprehend。　The　circumstances　of　this　war　so　often　vary；　that　an　officer　has　almost　every　moment　to　consider；　what　would　my　superiors　direct；　did　they　know　what　was　passing　under　my　nose？〃　〃But；　sir；〃　said　he　writing　to　the　Duke　of　Clarence；　〃I　find　few　think　as　I　do。　To　obey　orders　is　all　perfection。　To　serve　my　king；　and　to　destroy　the　French；　I　consider　as　the　great　order　of　all；　from　which　little　ones　spring；　and　if　one　of　these　militate　against　it　（for　who　can　tell　exactly　at　a　distance？）　I　go　back　and　obey　the　great　order　and　object；　to　downdown　with　the　damned　French　villains！my　blood　boils　at　the　name　of　Frenchmen！〃

At　length；　General　Fox　arrived　at　Minorcaand　at　length　permitted　Col。　Graham　to　go　to　Malta；　but　with　means　miserably　limited。　In　fact；　the　expedition　was　at　a　stand　for　want　of　money；　when　Troubridge　arriving　at　Messina　to　co…operate　in　it；　and　finding　this　fresh　delay；　immediately　offered　all　that　he　could　command　of　his　own。　〃I　procured　him；　my　lord；〃　said　he　to　Nelson；〃1500　of　my　cobsevery　farthing　and　every　atom　of　me　shall　be　devoted　to　the　cause。〃　〃What　can　this　mean？〃　said　Nelson；　when　he　learned　that　Col。　Graham　was　ordered　not　to　incur　any　expenses　for　stores；　or　any　articles　except　provisions！〃the　cause　cannot　stand　still　for　want　of　a　little　money。　If　nobody　will　pay　it；　I　will　sell　Bronte　and　the　Emperor　of　Russia's　box。〃　And　he　actually　pledged　Bronte　for　L6600　if　there　should　be　any　difficulty　about　paying　the　bills。　The　long…delayed　expedition　was　thus；　at　last；　sent　forth；　but　Troubridge　little　imagined　in　what　scenes　of　misery　he　was　to　bear　his　part。　He　looked　to　Sicily　for　supplies：　it　was　the　interest；　as　well　as　the　duty　of　the　Sicilian　government　to　use　every　exertion　for　furnishing　them；　and　Nelson　and　the　British　ambassador　were　on　the　spot　to　press　upon　them　the　necessity　of　exertion。　But；　though　Nelson　saw　with　what　a　knavish　crew　the　Sicilian　court　was　surrounded；　he　was　blind　to　the　vices　of　the　court　itself；　and　resigning　himself　wholly　to　Lady　Hamilton's　influence；　never　even　suspected　the　crooked　policy　which　it　was　remorselessly　pursuing。　The　Maltese　and　the　British　in　Malta　severely　felt　it。　Troubridge；　who　had　the　truest　affection　for　Nelson；　knew　his　infatuation；　and　feared　that　it　might　prove　injurious　to　his　character；　as　well　as　fatal　to　an　enterprise　which　had　begun　so　well；　and　been　carried　on　so　patiently。

〃My　lord；〃　said　he；　writing　to　him　from　the　siege；　〃we　are　dying　off　fast　for　want。　I　learn　that　Sir　William　Hamilton　says　Prince　Luzzi　refused　corn　some　time　ago；　and　Sir　William　does　not　think　it　worth　while　making　another　application。　If　that　be　the　case；　I　wish　he　commanded　this　distressing　scene　instead　of　me。　Puglia　had　an　immense　harvest；　near　thirty　sail　left　Messina　before　I　did；　to　load　corn。　Will　they　let　us　have　any？　If　not；　a　short　time　will　decide　the　business。　The　German　interest　prevails。　I　wish　I　was　at　your　Lordship's　elbow　for　an　hour。　ALL；　ALL；　will　be　thrown　on　you！…　I　will　parry　the　blow　as　much　as　in　my　power：　I　foresee　much　mischief　brewing。　God　bless　your　Lordship；　I　am　miserable　I　cannot　assist　your　operations　more。　Many　happy　returns　of　the　day　to　you（it　was　the　first　of　the　new　year）　I　never　spent　so　miserable　a　one。　I　am　not　very　tender…hearted；　but　really　the　distress　here　would　even　move　a　Neapolitan。〃　Soon　afterwards　he　wrote；〃I　have　this　day　saved　thirty　thousand　people　from　starving；　but　with　this　day　my　ability　ceases。　As　the　government　are　bent　on　starving　us；　I　see　no　alternative　but　to　leave　these　poor　unhappy　people　to　perish；　without　our　being　witnesses　of　their　distress。　I　curse　the　day　I　ever　served　the　Neapolitan　government。　We　have　characters；　my　lord；　to　lose；　these　people　have　none。　Do　not　suffer　their　infamous　conduct　to　fall　on　us。　Our　country　is　just；　but　severe。　Such　is　the　fever　of　my　brain　this　minute；　that　I　assure　you；　on　my　honour；　if　the　Palermo　traitors　were　here；　I　would　shoot　them　first；　and　then　myself。　Girgenti　is　full　of　corn；　the　money　is　ready　to　pay　for　it；　we　do　not　ask　it　as　a　gift。　Oh！　could　you　see　the　horrid　distress　I　daily　experience；　something　would　be　done。　Some　engine　is　at　work　against　us　at　Naples；　and　I　believe　I　hit　on　the　proper　person。　If　you　complain　he　will　be　immediately　promoted；　agreeably　to　the　Neapolitan　custom。　All　I　write　to　you　is　known　at　the　queen's。　For　my　own　part；　I　look　upon　the　Neapolitans　as　the　worst　of　intriguing　enemies：　every　hour　shows　me　their　infamy　and　duplicity。　I　pray　your　lordship　be　cautious：　your　honest；　open　manner　of　acting　will　be　made　a　handle　of。　When　I　see　you；　and　tell　of　their　infamous　tricks；　you　will　be　as　much　surprised　as　I　am。　The　whole　will　fall　on　you。〃

Nelson　was　not；　and　could　not　be；　insensible　to　the　distress　which　his　friend　so　earnestly　represented。　He　begged；　almost　on　his　knees；　he　said；　small　supplies　of　money　and　corn；　to　keep　the　Maltese　from　starving。　And　when　the　court　granted　a　small　supply；　protesting　their　poverty；　he　believed　their　protestations；　and　was　satisfied　with　their　professions；　instead　of　insisting　that　the　restrictions　upon　the　exportation　of　corn　should　be　withdrawn。　The　anxiety；　however；　which　he　endured；　affected　him　so　deeply　that　he　said　it　had　broken　his　spirit　for　ever。　Happily；　all　that　Troubridge　with　so　much　reason　foreboded；　did　not　come　to　pass。　For　Captain　Ball；　with　more　decision　than　Nelson　himself　would　have　shown　at　that　time　and　upon　that　occasion；　ventured　upon　a　resolute　measure；　for　which　his　name　would　deserve　always　to　be　held　in　veneration　by　the　Maltese；　even　if　it　had　no　other　claims　to　the　love　and　reverence　of　a　grateful　people。　Finding　it　hopeless　longer　to　look　for　succour　or　common　humanity　from　the　deceitful　and　infatuated　court　of　Sicily；　which　persisted　in　prohibiting　by　sanguinary　edicts　the　exportation　of　supplies；　at　his　own　risk；　he　sent　his　first　lieutenant　to　the　port　of　Girgenti；　with　orders　to　seize　and　bring　with　him　to　Malta　the　ships　which　were　there　lying　laden　with　corn；　of　the　numbers　of　which　he　had　received　accurate　information。　These　orders　were　executed　to　the　great　delight　and　advantage　of　the　shipowners　and　proprietors：　the　necessity　of　raising　the　siege　was　removed；　and　Captain　Ball　waited　in　calmness　for　the　consequences　to　himself。　The　Neapolitan　government　complained　to　the　English　ambassador；　and　the　complaint　was　communicated　to　Nelson；　who；　in　return；　requested　Sir　William　Hamilton　would　fully　and　plainly　state；　that　the　act　ought　not　to　be　considered　as　any　intended　disrespect　to　his　Sicilian　Majesty；　but　as　of　the　most　absolute　and　imperious　necessity；　the　alternative　being　either　of　abandoning　Malta　to　the　French；　or　of　anticipating　the　king's　orders　for　carrying　the　corn　in　those　vessels　to　Malta。　〃I　trust；〃　he　added；　〃that　the　government　of　the　country　will　never　again　force　any　of　our　royal　master's　servants　to　so　unpleasant　an　alternative。〃　Thus　ended　the　complaint　of　the　Neapolitan　court。　〃The　sole　result　was；〃　says　Mr。　Coleridge；　〃that　the　governor　of　Malta　became　an　especial　object　of　its　hatred；　its　fears；　and　its　respect。〃

Nelson　himself；　at　the　beginning　of　February；　sailed　for　that　island。　On　the　way　he　fell　in　with　a　French　squadron　bound　for　its　relief；　and　consisting　of　the　GENEREUX　seventy…four；　three　frigates；　and　a　corvette。　One　of　these　frigates　and　the　line…of…battle　ship　were　taken；　the　others　escaped；　but　failed　in　their　purpose　of　reaching　La　Valette。　This　success　was　peculiarly　gratifying　to　Nelson；　for　many　reasons。　During　some　months　he　had　acted　as　commander…in…chief　in　the　　Mediterranean；　while　Lord　Keith　was　in　England。　Lord　Keith　was　now　returned；　and　Nelson　had；　upon　his　own　plan；　and　at　his　own　risk；　left　him　to　sail　for　Malta；　〃for　which；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　had　not　　succeeded；　I　might　have　been　broke：　and　if　I　had　not　acted　thus；　the　GENEREUX　never　would　have　been　taken。〃　This　ship　was　one　of　those　which　had　escaped　from　Aboukir。　Two　frigates；　and　the　GUILLAUME　TELL；　eighty…six　were　all　that　now　remained　of　the　fleet　which　Buonaparte　had　conducted　to　Egypt。　The　GUILLAUME　TELL　was　at　this　time　closely