酷兔英语
    当前位置:
  1. 首页
  2. 文章
  3. 娱乐英语
  4. 原版小说
  5. 正文

The Life of Horatio Lord Nelson-Part21_Robert Southey(1774-1843)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

0 收藏 0 分享 0 赞

章节正文
文章总共2页
Nelson, "did not lose much honour, for, God knows, they had not much to



lose; but they lost all they had." General St. Philip commanded the

right wing, of 19,000 men. He fell in with 3000 of the enemy; and, as



soon as he came near enough, deserted to them. One of his men had virtue

enough to level a musket at him, and shot him through the arm; but the



wound was not sufficient to prevent him from joining with the French in

pursuit of his own countrymen. Cannon, tents, baggage, and military



chest, were all forsaken by the runaways, though they lost only forty

men; for the French having put them to flight and got possession of



everything, did not pursue an army of more than three times their own

number. The main body of the Neapolitans, under Mack, did not behave



better. The king returned to Naples, where every day brought with it

tidings of some new disgrace from the army and the discovery of some new



treachery at home; till, four days after his return, the general sent

him advice that there was no prospect of stopping the progress of the



enemy, and that the royal family must look to their own personal safety.

The state of the public mind at Naples was such, at this time, that



neither the British minister nor the British Admiral thought it prudent

to appear at court. Their motions were watched; and the revolutionists



had even formed a plan for seizing and detaining them as hostages, to

prevent an attack on the city after the French should have taken



possession of it. A letter which Nelson addressed at this time to the

First Lord of the Admiralty, shows in what manner he contemplated the



possible issue of the storm. it was in these words:--"My dear lord,

there is an old saying, that when things are at the worst they must



mend: now the mind of man cannot fancy things worse than they are here.

But, thank God! my health is better, my mind never firmer, and my heart



in the right trim to comfort, relieve, and protect those whom it is my

duty to afford assistance to. Pray, my lord, assure our gracious



sovereign that while I live, I will support his glory; and that if I

fall, it shall be in a manner worthy of your lordship's faithful and



obliged Nelson. I must not write more. Every word may be a text for a

long letter."



Meantime Lady Hamilton arranged every thing for the removal of the

royal family. This was conducted on her part with the greatest address,



and without suspicion, because she had been in habits of constant

correspondence with the queen. It was known that the removal could not



be effected without danger; for the mob, and especially the lazzaroni,

were attached to the king; and as at this time they felt a natural



presumption in their own numbers and strength, they insisted that he

should not leave Naples. Several persons fell victims to their fury;



among others was a messenger from Vienna, whose body was dragged under

the windows of the palace in the king's sight. The king and queen spoke



to the mob, and pacified them; but it would not have been safe, while

they were in this agitated state, to have embarked the effects of the



royal family openly. Lady Hamilton, like a heroine of modern romance,

explored with no little danger a subterraneous passage leading from the



palace to the sea-side: through this passage the royal treasures, the

choicest pieces of painting and sculpture, and other property to the



amount of two millions and a half, were conveyed to the shore, and

stowed safely on board the English ships. On the night. of the 21st, at



half-past eight, Nelson landed, brought out the whole royal family,

embarked them in three barges, and carried them safely, through a



tremendous sea, to the VANGUARD. Notice was then immediately given to

the British merchants, that they would be received on board any ships in



the squadron. Their property had previously been embarked in transports.

Two days were passed in the bay, for the purpose of taking such persons



on board as required an asylum; and, on the night of the 23rd, 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






文章总共2页
文章标签:名著  

章节正文
Copyright © 2023 Qeto All rights reserved.
商务合作 | 联系我们 | 关于我们 | 版权声明 | 隐私条款 | 如果智培

京ICP备05059198号-1 京公网安备 11011202003401号