the life of horatio lord nelson-第47部分

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ed　to　abstain　from　hostilities　should　he　meet　with　the　Swedish　fleet　at　sea。　Meantime　he　himself；　with　ten　sail　of　the　line；　two　frigates；　a　brig；　and　a　schooner；　made　for　the　Gulf　of　Finland。　Paul；　in　one　of　the　freaks　of　his　tyranny；　had　seized　upon　all　the　British　effects　in　Russia；　and　even　considered　British　subjects　as　his　prisoners。　〃I　will　have　all　the　English　shipping　and　property　restored；〃　said　Nelson；　〃but　I　will　do　nothing　violently；　neither　commit　the　affairs　of　my　country；　nor　suffer　Russia　to　mix　the　affairs　of　Denmark　or　Sweden　with　the　detention　of　our　ships。〃　The　wind　was　fair；　and　carried　him　in　four　days　to　Revel　Roads。　But　the　Bay　had　been　clear　of　firm　ice　on　the　29th　of　April；　while　the　English　were　lying　idly　at　Kioge。　The　Russians　had　cut　through　the　ice　in　the　mole　six　feet　thick；　and　their　whole　squadron　had　sailed　for　Cronstadt　on　the　3rd。　Before　that　time　it　had　lain　at　the　mercy　of　the　English。　〃Nothing；〃　Nelson　said；　〃if　it　had　been　right　to　make　the　attack；　could　have　saved　one　ship　of　them　in　two　hours　after　our　entering　the　bay。〃

It　so　happened　that　there　was　no　cause　to　regret　the　opportunity　which　had　been　lost；　and　Nelson　immediately　put　the　intentions　of　Russia　to　the　proof。　He　sent　on　shore；　to　say　that　he　came　with　friendly　views；　and　was　ready　to　return　a　salute。　On　their　part　the　salute　was　delayed；　till　a　message　was　sent　to　them　to　inquire　for　what　reason；　and　the　officer　whose　neglect　had　occasioned　the　delay；　was　put　under　arrest。　Nelson　wrote　to　the　emperor；　proposing　to　wait　on　him　personally　and　congratulate　him　on　his　accession；　and　urged　the　immediate　release　of　British　subjects；　and　restoration　of　British　property。

The　answer　arrived　on　the　16th：　Nelson；　meantime；　had　exchanged　visits　with　the　governor；　and　the　most　friendly　intercourse　had　subsisted　between　the　ships　and　the　shore。　Alexander's　ministers；　in　their　reply；　expressed　their　surprise　at　the　arrival　of　a　British　fleet　in　a　Russian　port；　and　their　wish　that　it　should　return：　they　professed；　on　the　part　of　Russia；　the　most　friendly　disposition　towards　Great　Britain；　but　declined　the　personal　visit　of　Lord　Nelson；　unless　he　came　in　a　single　ship。　There　was　a　suspicion　implied　in　this　which　stung　Nelson；　and　he　said　the　Russian　ministers　would　never　have　written　thus　if　their　fleet　had　been　at　Revel。　He　wrote　an　immediate　reply；　expressing　what　he　felt；　he　told　the　court　of　Petersburgh；　〃That　the　word　of　a　British　admiral；　when　given　in　explanation　of　any　part　of　his　conduct；　was　as　sacred　as　that　of　any　sovereign's　in　Europe。〃　And　he　repeated；　〃that；　under　other　circumstances；　it　would　have　been　his　anxious　wish　to　have　paid　his　personal　respects　to　the　emperor；　and　signed　with　his　own　hand　the　act　of　amity　between　the　two　countries。〃　Having　despatched　this；　he　stood　out　to　sea　immediately；　leaving　a　brig　to　bring　off　the　provisions　which　had　been　contracted　for；　and　to　settle　the　accounts。　〃I　hope　all　is　right；〃　said　he；　writing　to　our　ambassador　at　Berlin；　〃but　seamen　are　but　bad　negotiators；　for　we　put　to　issue　in　five　minutes　what　diplomatic　forms　would　be　five　months　doing。〃

On　his　way　down　the　Baltic；　however；　he　met　the　Russian　admiral；　Tchitchagof；　whom　the　emperor；　in　reply　to　Sir　Hyde's　overtures；　had　sent　to　communicate　personally　with　the　British　commander…in…chief。　The　reply　was　such　as　had　been　wished　and　expected；　and　these　negotiators　going；　seamen…like；　straight　to　their　object；　satisfied　each　other　of　the　friendly　intentions　of　their　respective　governments。　Nelson　then　anchored　off　Rostock；　and　there　he　received　an　answer　to　his　last　despatch　from　Revel；　in　which　the　Russian　court　expressed　their　regret　that　there　should　have　been　any　misconception　between　them；　informed　him　that　the　British　vessels　which　Paul　had　detained　were　ordered　to　be　liberated；　and　invited　him　to　Petersburgh；　in　whatever　mode　might　be　most　agreeable　to　himself。　Other　honours　awaited　him：　the　Duke　of　Mecklenburgh　Strelitz；　the　queen's　brother；　came　to　visit　him　on　board　his　ship；　and　towns　of　the　inland　parts　of　Mecklenburgh　sent　deputations；　with　their　public　books　of　record；　that　they　might　have　the　name　of　Nelson　in　them　written　by　his　own　hand。

From　Rostock　the　fleet　returned　to　Kioge　Bay。　Nelson　saw　that　the　temper　of　the　Danes　towards　England　was　such　as　naturally　arose　from　the　chastisement　which　they　had　so　recently　received。　〃In　this　nation；〃　said　he；　〃we　shall　not　be　forgiven　for　having　the　upper　hand　of　them：　I　only　thank　God　we　have；　or　they　would　try　to　humble　us　to　the　dust。〃　He　saw　also　that　the　Danish　cabinet　was　completely　subservient　to　France：　a　French　officer　was　at　this　time　the　companion　and　counsellor　of　the　Crown　Prince；　and　things　were　done　in　such　open　violation　of　the　armistice；　that　Nelson　thought　a　second　infliction　of　vengeance　would　soon　be　necessary。　He　wrote　to　the　Admiralty；　requesting　a　clear　and　explicit　reply　to　his　inquiry；　Whether　the　commander…in…chief　was　at　liberty　to　hold　the　language　becoming　a　British　admiral？　〃Which；　very　probably；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　am　here；　will　break　the　armistice；　and　set　Copenhagen　in　a　blaze。　I　see　everything　which　is　dirty　and　mean　going　on；　and　the　Prince　Royal　at　the　head　of　it。　Ships　have　been　masted；　guns　taken　on　board；　floating　batteries　prepared；　and　except　hauling　out　and　completing　their　rigging；　everything　is　done　in　defiance　of　the　treaty。　My　heart　burns　at　seeing　the　word　of　a　prince；　nearly　allied　to　our　good　king；　so　falsified；　but　his　conduct　is　such；　that　he　will　lose　his　kingdom　if　he　goes　on；　for　Jacobins　rule　in　Denmark。　I　have　made　no　representations　yet；　as　it　would　be　useless　to　do　so　until　I　have　the　power　of　correction。　　All　I　beg；　in　the　name　of　the　future　commander…in…　chief；　is；　that　the　orders　may　be　clear；　for　enough　is　done　to　break　twenty　treaties；　if　it　should　be　wished；　or　to　make　the　Prince　Royal　humble　himself　before　British　generosity。〃

Nelson　was　not　deceived　in　his　judgment　of　the　Danish　cabinet；　but　the　battle　of　Copenhagen　had　crippled　its　power。　The　death　of　the　Czar　Paul　had　broken　the　confederacy；　and　that　cabinet；　therefore；　was　compelled　to　defer　till　a　more　convenient　season　the　indulgence　of　its　enmity　towards　Great　Britain。　Soon　afterwards　Admiral　Sir　Charles　Maurice　Pole　arrived　to　take　the　command。　The　business；　military　and　political；　had　by　that　time　been　so　far　completed　that　the　presence　of　the　British　fleet　soon　became　no　longer　necessary。　Sir　Charles；　however；　made　the　short　time　of　his　command　memorable；　by　passing　the　Great　Belt　for　the　first　time　with　line…of…battle　ships；　working　through　the　channel　against　adverse　winds。　When　Nelson　left　the　fleet；　this　speedy　termination　of　the　expedition；　though　confidently　expected；　was　not　certain；　and　he；　in　his　unwillingness　to　weaken　the　British　force；　thought　at　one　time　of　traversing　Jutland　in　his　boat；　by　the　canal　to　Tonningen　on　the　Eyder　and　finding　his　way　home　from　thence。　This　intention　was　not　executed；　but　he　returned　in　a　brig；　declining　to　accept　a　frigate；　which　few　admirals　would　have　done；　especially　if；　like　him；　they　suffered　from　sea…sickness　in　a　small　vessel。　On　his　arrival　at　Yarmouth；　the　first　thing　he　did　was　to　visit　the　hospital　and　see　the　men　who　had　been　wounded　in　the　late　battlethat　victory　which　had　added　new　glory　to　the　name　of　Nelson；　and　which　was　of　more　importance　even　than　the　battle　of　the　Nile　to　the　honour；　the　strength；　and　security　of　England。

The　feelings　of　Nelson's　friends；　upon　the　news　of　his　great　victory　at　Copenhagen；　were　highly　described　by　Sir　William　Hamilton　in　a　letter　to　him。　〃We　can　only　expect；〃　he　says；　〃what　me　know　well；　and　often　said　before；　that　Nelson　WAS；　IS；　and　to　the　LAST　WILL　EVER　BE；　THE　FIRST。　Emma　did　not　know　whether　she　was　on　her　head　or　heelsin　such　a　hurry　to　tell　your　great　news；　that　she　could　utter　nothing　but　tears　of　joy　and　tenderness。　I　went　to　Davison；　and　found　him　still　in　bed；　having　had　a　severe　fit　of　the　gout；　and　with　your　letter；　which　he　had　just　received；　and　he　cried　like　a　child；　but；　what　was　very　extraordin…　ary；　assured　me　that；　from　the　instant　he　had　read　your　letter；　all　pain　had　left　him；　and　that　he　felt　himself　able　to　get　up　and　walk　about。　Your　brother；　Mrs。　Nelson；　and　Horace　dined　with　us。　Your　brother　was　more　extraordinary　than　ever。　He　would　get　up　suddenly　and　cut　a　caper；　rubbing　his　hands　every　time　that　the　thought　of　your　fresh　laurels　came　into　his　head。　But　I　am　sure　that　no　one　really　rejoiced　more　at　heart　than　I　did。　I　have　lived　too　long　to　have　ecstasies！　But　with　calm　reflection；　I　felt　for　my　friend　having　got　to　the　very　summit　of　glory！　the　NE　PLUS　ULTRA！　that　he　has　had　another　opportunity　of　rendering　his　country　the　most　important　service；　and　manifesting　again　his　judgment；　his　intrepidity；　and　his　humanity。〃

He　had　not　been　many　weeks　on　shore　before　he　was　called　upon　to　undertake　a　service；　for　which　no　Nelson　was　required。　Buonaparte；　who　was　now　first　consul；　and　in　reality　sole　ruler　of　France；　was　making　preparations；　upon　a　great　scale；　for　invading　England；　but　his　schemes　in　the　Baltic　had　been　baffled；　fleets　could　not　be　created　as　they　were　wanted；　and　his　armies；　therefore；　were　to　come　over　in　gun…bo