the life of horatio lord nelson-第58部分

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ets　under　his　command　waited　for　the　attack　with　perfect　coolness。　Ten　minutes　before　twelve　they　opened　their　fire。　Eight　or　nine　of　the　ships　immediately　ahead　of　the　VICTORY；　and　across　her　bows；　fired　single　guns　at　her；　to　ascertain　whether　she　was　yet　within　their　range。　As　soon　as　Nelson　perceived　that　their　shot　passed　over　him；　he　desired　Blackwood　and　Captain　Prowse；　of　the　SIRIUS；　to　repair　to　their　respective　frigates；　and；　on　their　way；　to　tell　all　the　captains　of　the　line…of…battle　ships　that　he　depended　on　their　exertions；　and　that　if；　by　the　prescribed　mode　of　attack；　they　found　it　impracticable　to　get　into　action　immediately；　they　might　adopt　whatever　they　thought　best；　provided　it　led　them　quickly　and　closely　alongside　an　enemy。　As　they　were　standing　on　the　front　of　the　poop；　Blackwood　took　him　by　the　hand；　saying；　he　hoped　soon　to　return　and　find　him　in　possession　of　twenty　prizes。　He　replied；　〃God　bless　you；　Blackwood；　I　shall　never　see　you　again。〃

Nelson's　column　was　steered　about　two　points　more　to　the　north　than　Collingwood's；　in　order　to　cut　off　the　enemy's　escape　into　Cadiz：　the　lee　line；　therefore；　was　first　engaged。　〃See；〃　cried　Nelson；　pointing　to　the　ROYAL　SOVEREIGN；　as　she　steered　right　for　the　centre　of　the　enemy's　line；　cut　through　it　astern　of　the　SANTA　ANNA　three…decker；　and　engaged　her　at　the　muzzle　of　her　guns　on　the　starboard　side〃see　how　that　noble　fellow；　Collingwood；　carries　his　ship　into　action！〃　Collingwood；　delighted　at　being　first　in　the　heat　of　the　fire；　and　knowing　the　feelings　of　his　commander　and　old　friend；　turned　to　his　captain；　and　exclaimed：　〃Rotherham；　what　would　Nelson　give　to　be　here？〃　Both　these　brave　officers；　perhaps；　at　this　moment；　thought　of　Nelson　with　gratitude；　for　a　circumstance　which　had　occurred　on　the　preceding　day。　Admiral　Collingwood；　with　some　of　the　captains；　having　gone　on　board　the　VICTORY　to　receive　instructions；　Nelson　inquired　of　him　where　his　captain　was　and　was　told；　in　reply；　that　they　were　not　upon　good　terms　with　each　other。　〃Terms！〃　said　Nelson；〃good　terms　with　each　other！〃　Immediately　he　sent　a　boat　for　Captain　Rotherham；　led　him；　as　soon　as　he　arrived；　to　Collingwood；　and　saying；〃Look；　yonder　are　the　enemy！〃　bade　them　shake　hands　like　Englishmen。

The　enemy　continued　to　fire　a　gun　at　a　time　at　the　VICTORY；　till　they　saw　that　a　shot　had　passed　through　her　main…top…gallant　sail；　then　they　opened　their　broadsides；　aiming　chiefly　at　her　rigging；　in　the　hope　of　disabling　her　before　she　could　close　with　them。　Nelson；　as　usual；　had　hoisted　several　flags；　lest　one　should　be　shot　away。　The　enemy　showed　no　colours　till　late　in　the　action；　when　they　began　to　feel　the　necessity　of　having　them　to　strike。　For　this　reason；　the　SANTISSIMA　TRINIDAD；　Nelson's　old　acquaintance；　as　he　used　to　call　her；　was　distinguishable　only　by　her　four　decks；　and　to　the　bow　of　this　opponent　he　ordered　the　VICTORY　to　be　steered。　Meantime　an　incessant　raking　fire　was　kept　up　upon　the　VICTORY。　The　admiral's　secretary　was　one　of　the　first　who　fell；　he　was　killed　by　a　cannon…shot　while　conversing　with　Hardy。　Captain　Adair　of　the　marines；　with　the　help　of　a　sailor；　endeavoured　to　remove　the　body　from　Nelson's　sight；　who　had　a　great　regard　for　Mr。　Scott；　but　he　anxiously　asked：　〃Is　that　poor　Scott　that's　gone？〃　and　being　informed　that　was　indeed　so；　exclaimed：　〃Poor　fellow！〃　Presently；　a　double…headed　shot　struck　a　party　of　marines　who　were　drawn　up　on　the　poop；　and　killed　eight　of　them；　upon　which　Nelson　immediately　desired　Captain　Adair　to　disperse　his　men　round　the　ship；　that　they　might　not　suffer　so　much　from　being　together。　A　few　minutes　afterwards　a　shot　struck　the　four…brace　bits　on　the　quarter…deck；　and　passed　between　Nelson　and　Hardy；　a　splinter　from　the　bit　tearing　off　Hardy's　buckle；　and　bruising　his　foot。　Both　stopped；　and　looked　anxiously　at　each　other；　each　supposed　the　other　to　be　wounded。　Nelson　then　smiled；　and　said；　〃This　is　too　warm　work；　Hardy；　to　last　long。〃

The　VICTORY　had　not　yet　returned　a　single　gun：　fifty　of　her　men　had　been　by　this　time　killed　or　wounded；　and　her　main…top…mast；　with　all　her　studding…sails　and　her　booms；　shot　away。　Nelson　declared；　that；　in　all　his　battles；　he　had　seen　nothing　which　surpassed　the　cool　courage　of　his　crew　on　this　occasion。　At　four　minutes　after　twelve　she　opened　her　fire　from　both　sides　of　her　deck。　It　was　not　possible　to　break　the　enemy's　line　without　running　on　board　one　of　their　ships：　Hardy　informed　him　of　this；　and　asked　him　which　he　would　prefer。　Nelson　replied：　〃Take　your　choice；　Hardy；　it　does　not　signify　much。〃　The　master　was　ordered　to　put　the　helm　to　port；　and　the　VICTORY　ran　on　board　the　REDOUTABLE；　just　as　her　tiller　ropes　were　shot　away。　The　French　ship　received　her　with　a　broadside；　then　instantly　let　down　her　lower…deck　ports；　for　fear　of　being　bearded　through　them；　and　never　afterwards　fired　a　great　gun　during　the　action。　Her　tops；　like　those　of　all　the　enemy's　ships；　were　filled　with　riflemen。　Nelson　never　placed　musketry　in　his　tops；　he　had　a　strong　dislike　to　the　practice；　not　merely　because　it　endangers　setting　fire　to　the　sails；　but　also　because　it　is　a　murderous　sort　of　warfare；　by　which　individuals　may　suffer；　and　a　commander　now　and　then　be　picked　off；　but　which　never　can　decide　the　fate　of　a　general　engagement。

Captain　Harvey；　in　the　TEMERAIRE；　fell　on　board　the　REDOUTABLE　on　the　other　side。　Another　enemy　was　in　like　manner　on　board　the　TEMERAIRE；　so　that　these　four　ships　formed　as　compact　a　tier　as　if　they　had　been　moored　together；　their　heads　lying　all　the　same　way。　The　lieutenants　of　the　VICTORY；　seeing　this；　depressed　their　guns　of　the　middle　and　lower　decks；　and　fired　with　a　diminished　charge；　lest　the　shot　should　pass　through；　and　injure　the　TEMERAIRE。　And　because　there　was　danger　that　the　REDOUBTABLE　might　take　fire　from　the　lower…deck　guns；　the　muzzles　of　which　touched　her　side　when　they　were　run　out；　the　fireman　of　each　gun　stood　ready　with　a　bucket　of　water；　which；　as　soon　as　the　gun　was　discharged；　he　dashed　into　the　hole　made　by　the　shot。　An　incessant　fire　was　kept　up　from　the　VICTORY　from　both　sides；　her　larboard　guns　playing　upon　the　BUCENTAURE　and　the　huge　SANTISSIMA　TRINIDAD。

It　had　been　part　of　Nelson's　prayer　that　the　British　fleet　might　be　distinguished　by　humanity　in　the　victory　which　he　expected。　Setting　an　example　himself；　he　twice　gave　orders　to　cease　firing　upon　the　REDOUTABLE；　supposing　that　she　had　struck；　because　her　great　guns　were　silent；　for　as　she　carried　no　flag；　there　were　no　means　of　instantly　ascertaining　the　fact。　From　this　ship；　which　he　had　thus　twice　spared；　he　received　his　death。　A　ball　fired　from　her　mizzen…top；　which；　in　the　then　situation　of　the　two　vessels；　was　not　more　than　fifteen　yards　from　that　part　of　the　deck　where　he　was　standing；　struck　the　epaulette　on　his　left　shoulder；　about　a　quarter　after　one；　just　in　the　heat　of　action。　He　fell　upon　his　face；　on　the　spot　which　was　covered　with　his　poor　secretary's　blood。　Hardy；　who　was　a　few　steps　from　him；　turning　round；　saw　three　men　raising　him　up。〃They　have　done　for　me　at　last；　Hardy；〃　said　he。〃I　hope　not；〃　cried　Hardy。〃Yes！〃　he　replied；〃my　back…bone　is　shot　through。〃　Yet　even　now；　not　for　a　moment　losing　his　presence　of　mind；　he　observed；　as　they　were　carrying　him　down　the　ladder；　that　the　tiller　ropes；　which　had　been　shot　away；　were　not　yet　replaced；　and　ordered　that　new　ones　should　be　rove　immediately。　Then；　that　he　might　not　be　seen　by　the　crew；　he　took　out　his　handkerchief；　and　covered　his　face　and　his　stars。　Had　he　but　concealed　these　badges　of　honour　from　the　enemy；　England；　perhaps；　would　not　have　had　cause　to　receive　with　sorrow　the　news　of　the　battle　of　Trafalgar。　The　cockpit　was　crowded　with　wounded　and　dying　men；　over　whose　bodies　he　was　with　some　difficulty　conveyed；　and　laid　upon　a　pallet　in　the　midshipmen's　berth。　It　was　soon　perceived；　upon　examination；　that　the　wound　was　mortal。　This；　however；　was　concealed　from　all　except　Captain　Hardy；　the　chaplain；　and　the　medical　attendants。　He　himself　being　certain；　from　the　sensation　in　his　back；　and　the　gush　of　blood　he　felt　momently　within　his　breast；　that　no　human　care　could　avail　him；　insisted　that　the　surgeon　should　leave　him；　and　attend　to　those　to　whom　he　might　be　useful；　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃you　can　do　nothing　for　me。〃　All　that　could　be　done　was　to　fan　him　with　paper；　and　frequently　to　give　him　lemonade　to　alleviate　his　intense　thirst。　He　was　in　great　pain；　and　expressed　much　anxiety　for　the　event　of　the　action；　which　now　began　to　declare　itself。　As　often　as　a　ship　struck；　the　crew　of　the　VICTORY　hurrahed；　and　at　every　hurrah　a　visible　expression　of　joy　gleamed　in　the　eyes；　and　marked　the　countenance　of　the　dying　hero。　But　he　became　impatient　to　see　Captain　Hardy；　and　as　that　officer；　though　often　sent　for；　could　not　leave　the　deck；　Nelson　feared　that　some　fatal　cause　prevented　him；　and　repeatedly　cried；　〃Will　no　one　bring　Hardy　to　me？　He　must　be　killed！　He　is　surely　dead！〃　An　hour　and　ten　minutes　elapsed　from　the　time　when　Nelson　received　his　wound　before　Hardy　could　come　to　him。　They　shook　hands　in　silence；　Hardy　in　vain　struggling　to　repress　the　feelings　of　that　most　painful　and　yet　sublimest　moment。　〃Well；　Hardy；〃　said　Nelson；　〃how　goes　the