the life of horatio lord nelson-第59部分

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he　feelings　of　that　most　painful　and　yet　sublimest　moment。　〃Well；　Hardy；〃　said　Nelson；　〃how　goes　the　day　with　us？〃〃Very　well；〃　replied　Hardy；　〃ten　ships　have　struck；　but　five　of　the　van　have　tacked；　and　show　an　intention　to　bear　down　upon　the　VICTORY；　I　have　called　two　or　three　of　our　fresh　ships　round；　and　have　no　doubt　of　giving　them　a　drubbing。〃〃I　hope；〃　said　Nelson；　〃none　of　our　ships　have　struck？〃　Hardy　answered；　〃There　was　no　fear　of　that。〃　Then；　and　not　till　then；　Nelson　spoke　of　himself。　〃I　am　a　dead　man；　Hardy；〃　said　he：　〃I　am　going　fast：　it　will　be　all　over　with　me　soon。　Come　nearer　to　me。　Let　my　dear　Lady　Hamilton　have　my　hair；　and　all　other　things　belonging　to　me。〃　Hardy　observed　that　he　hoped　Mr。　Beatty　could　yet　hold　out　some　prospect　of　life。　〃Oh；　no！〃　he　replied；　〃it　is　impossible。　My　back　is　shot　through。　Beatty　will　tell　you　so。〃　Captain　Hardy　then；　once　more；　shook　hands　with　him；　and；　with　a　heart　almost　bursting；　hastened　upon　deck。

By　this　time　all　feeling　below　the　breast　was　gone；　and　Nelson；　having　made　the　surgeon　ascertain　this；　said　to　him：　〃You　know　I　am　gone；　I　know　it。　I　feel　something　rising　in　my　breast；〃　putting　his　hand　on　his　left　side；〃which　tells　me　so。〃　And　upon　Beatty's　inquiring　whether　his　pain　was　very　great；　he　replied；　〃So　great；　that　he　wished　he　was　dead。　Yet；〃　said　he；　in　a　lower　voice；　〃one　would　like　to　live　a　little　longer　too！〃　And　after　a　few　minutes；　in　the　same　under　tone；　he　added〃What　would　become　of　poor　Lady　Hamilton；　if　she　knew　my　situation！〃　Next　to　his　country　she　occupied　his　thoughts。　Captain　Hardy；　some　fifty　minutes　after　he　had　left　the　cockpit；　returned；　and；　again　taking　the　hand　of　his　dying　friend　and　commander；　congratulated　him　on　having　gained　a　complete　victory。　How　many　of　the　enemy　were　taken　he　did　not　know；　as　it　was　impossible　to　perceive　them　distinctly；　but　fourteen　or　fifteen　at　least。　〃That's　well；〃　cried　Nelson；　〃but　I　bargained　for　twenty。〃　And　then；　in　a　stronger　voice；　he　said：　〃Anchor；　Hardy；　anchor。〃　Hardy；　upon　this；　hinted　that　Admiral　Collingwood　would　take　upon　himself　the　direction　of　affairs。　〃Not　while　I　live；　Hardy；〃　said　the　dying　Nelson；　ineffectually　endeavouring　to　raise　himself　from　the　bed：　〃Do　you　anchor。〃　His　previous　order　for　preparing　to　anchor　had　shown　how　clearly　he　foresaw　the　necessity　of　this。　Presently；　calling　Hardy　back；　he　said　to　him　in　a　low　voice；　〃Don't　throw　me　overboard：〃　and　he　desired　that　he　might　be　buried　by　his　parents；　unless　it　should　please　the　king　to　order　otherwise。　Then　reverting　to　private　feelings：　〃Take　care　of　my　dear　Lady　Hamilton；　Hardy　take　care　of　poor　Lady　Hamilton。　Kiss　me；　Hardy；〃　said　he。　Hardy　knelt　down　and　kissed　his　cheek；　and　Nelson：　said；　〃Now　I　am　satisfied。　Thank　God　I　have　done　my　duty。〃　Hardy　stood　over　him　in　silence　for　a　moment　or　two；　then　knelt　again　and　kissed　his　forehead。　〃Who　is　that？〃　said　Nelson；　and　being　informed；　he　replied；　〃God　bless　you；　Hardy。〃　And　Hardy　then　left　him　for　ever。

Nelson　now　desired　to　be　turned　upon　his　right　side；　and　said；　〃I　wish　I　had　not　left　the　deck；　for　I　shall　soon　be　gone。〃　Death　was；　indeed；　rapidly　approaching。　He　said　to　the　chaplain；　〃Doctor；　I　have　NOT　been　a　GREAT　sinner；〃　and　after　a　short　pause；　〃Remember　that　I　leave　Lady　Hamilton　and　my　daughter　Horatia　as　a　legacy　to　my　country。〃　His　articulation　now　became　difficult；　but　he　was　　distinctly　heard　to　say；　〃Thank　God　I　have　done　my　duty。〃　These　words　he　repeatedly　pronounced；　and　they　were　the　last　words　which　he　uttered。　He　expired　at　thirty　minutes　after　fourthree　hours　and　a　quarter　after　he　had　received　his　wound。

Within　a　quarter　of　an　hour　after　Nelson　was　wounded；　above　fifty　of　the　VICTORY's　men　fell　by　the　enemy's　musketry。　They；　however；　on　their　part；　were　not　idle；　and　it　was　not　long　before　there　were　only　two　Frenchmen　left　alive　in　the　mizzen…top　of　the　REDOUTABLE。　One　of　them　was　the　man　who　had　given　the　fatal　wound：　he　did　not　live　to　boast　of　what　he　had　done。　An　old　quarter…master　had　seen　him　fire；　and　easily　recognised　him；　because　he　wore　a　glazed　cocked　hat　and　a　white　frock。　This　quarter…master　and　two　midshipmen；　Mr。　Collingwood　and　Mr。　Pollard；　were　the　only　persons　left　in　the　VICTORY's　poop；　the　two　midshipmen　kept　firing　at　the　top；　and　he　supplied　them　with　cartridges。　One　of　the　Frenchmen；　attempting　to　make　his　escape　down　the　rigging；　was　shot　by　Mr。　Pollard；　and　fell　on　the　poop。　But　the　old　quarter…　master；　as　he　cried　out；　〃That's　he；　that's　he；〃　and　pointed　at　the　other　who　was　coming　forward　to　fire　again；　received　a　shot　in　his　mouth；　and　fell　dead。　Both　the　midshipmen　then　fired　at　the　same　time；　and　the　fellow　dropped　in　the　top。　When　they　took　possession　of　the　prize；　they　went　into　the　mizzen…top；　and　found　him　dead；　with　one　ball　through　his　head；　and　another　through　his　breast。

The　REDOUTABLE　struck　within　twenty　minutes　after　the　fatal　shot　had　been　fired　from　her。　During　that　time　she　had　been　twice　on　fire　in　her　fore…chains　and　in　her　forecastle。　The　French；　as　they　had　done　in　other　battles；　made　use　in　this；　of　fire…balls　and　other　combustibles；　implements　of　destruction　which　other　nations；　from　a　sense　of　honour　and　humanity；　have　laid　aside；　which　add　to　the；　sufferings　of　the　wounded；　without　determining　the　issue　of　the　　combat：　which　none　but　the　cruel　would　employ；　and　which　never　can　be　successful　against　the　brave。　Once　they　succeeded　in　setting　fire；　from　the　REDOUTABLE；　to　some　ropes　and　canvas　on　the　VICTORY's　booms。　The　cry　ran　through　the　ship；　and　reached　the　cockpit；　but　even　this　dreadful　cry　produced　no　confusion：　the　men　displayed　that　perfect　self…possession　in　danger　by　which　English　seamen　are　characterised；　they　extinguished　the　flames　on　board　their　own　ship；　and　then　hastened　to　extinguish　them　in　the　enemy；　by　throwing　buckets　of　water　from　the　gangway。　When　the　REDOUTABLE　had　struck；　it　was　not　practicable　to　board　her　from　the　VICTORY；　for；　though　the　two　ships　touched；　the　upper　works　of　both　fell　in　so　much；　that　there　was　a　great　space　between　their　gangways；　and　she　could　not　be　boarded　from　the　lower　or　middle　decks　because　her　ports　were　down。　Some　of　our　men　went　to　Lieutenant　Quilliam；　and　offered　to　swim　under　her　bows；　and　get　up　there；　but　it　was　thought　unfit　to　hazard　brave　lives　in　this　manner。

What　our　men　would　have　done　from　gallantry；　some　of　the　crew　of　the　SANTISSIMA　TRINIDAD　did　to　save　themselves。　Unable　to　stand　the　tremendous　fire　of　the　VICTORY；　whose　larboard　guns　played　against　this　great　four…decker；　and　not　knowing　how　else　to　escape　them；　nor　where　else　to　betake　themselves　for　protection；　many　of　them　leaped　overboard　and　swam　to　the　VICTORY；　and　were　actually　helped　up　her　sides　by　the　English　during　the　action。　The　Spaniards　began　the　battle　with　less　vivacity　than　their　unworthy　allies；　but　they　continued　it　with　greater　firmness。　The　ARGONAUTA　and　BAHAMA　were　defended　till　they　had　each　lost　about　four　hundred　men；　the　SAN　JUAN　NEPOMUCENO　lost　three　hundred　and　fifty。　Often　as　the　superiority　of　British　courage　has　been　proved　against　France　upon　the　seas；　it　was　never　more　conspicuous　than　in　this　decisive　conflict。　Five　of　our　ships　were　engaged　muzzle　to　muzzle　with　five　of　the　French。　In　all　five　the　Frenchmen　lowered　their　lower…deck　ports；　and　deserted　their　guns；　while　our　men　continued　deliberately　to　load　and　fire　till　they　had　made　the　victory　secure。

Once；　amidst　his　sufferings；　Nelson　had　expressed　a　wish　that　he　were　dead；　but　immediately　the　spirit　subdued　the　pains　of　death；　and　he　wished　to　live　a　little　longer；　doubtless　that　he　might　hear　the　completion　of　the　victory　which　he　had　seen　so　gloriously　begun。　That　consolation；　that　joy；　that　triumph；　was　afforded　him。　He　lived　to　know　that　the　victory　was　decisive；　and　the　last　guns　which　were　fired　at　the　flying　enemy　were　heard　a　minute　or　two　before　he　expired。　The　ships　which　were　thus　flying　were　four　of　the　enemy's　van；　all　French；　under　Rear…Admiral　Dumanoir。　They　had　borne　no　part　in　the　action；　and　now；　when　they　were　seeking　safety　in　flight；　they　fired　not　only　into　the　VICTORY　and　ROYAL　SOVEREIGN　as　they　passed；　but　poured　their　broadsides　into　the　Spanish　captured　ships；　and　they　were　seen　to　back　their　topsails　for　the　purpose　of　firing　with　more　precision。　The　indignation　of　the　Spaniards　at　this　detestable　cruelty　from　their　allies；　for　whom　they　had　fought　so　bravely；　and　so　profusely　bled；　may　well　be　conceived。　It　was　such　that　when；　two　days　after　the　action；　seven　of　the　ships　which　had　escaped　into　Cadiz　came　out　in　hopes　of　re…taking　some　of　the　disabled　prizes；　the　prisoners　in　the　ARGONAUTA；　in　a　body；　offered　their　services　to　the　British　prize…master；　to　man　the　guns　against　any　of　the　French　ships；　saying；　that　if　a　Spanish　ship　came　alongside；　they　would　quietly　go　below；　but　they　requested　that　they　might　be　allowed　to　fight　the　French　in　resentment　for　the　murderous　usage　which　they　had　suffered　at　their　hands。　Such　was　their　earnestness；　and　such　the　implicit　confidence　which　could　be　placed　in　Spanish　honour；　that　the　offer　was　accepted　and　they　were　actually　stationed　at　the　lower…deck　guns。　Dumanoir　and　his　squadron　were　not　more　fortunate　than　the　f