Nelson's Lady Hamilton by Meynell, Esther (surface ebook reader txt) 📕

man whose past was bright with glorious deeds without a blot to darken it—to them at this dangerous and inflammable time came no voice saying, " Have regard to thy name ; for that shall continue with thee above a thousand great treasures of gold."

CHAPTER X THE FLIGHT FROM NAPLES

FOR the first and last time in his life Nelson was to counsel flight.He came back to Naples from Leghorn on the fth of December, and ten days later was writing urgently to Trou-bridge—

" Things are in such a critital state here, that I desire you will join me without one moment's loss of time. . . . The King is returned here, and everything is as bad as possible. For God's sake make haste! Approach the place with caution. Messina, probably, I shall be found at; but you can inquire at the Lipari Islands if we are at Palermo."

Things were indeed "as bad as possible." The population of Naples was in a ferment. The upper and middle classes were most affected by the republican spirit—which did not touch the uneducated and priest-ridden peasants and fisherfolk —and were already turning in secret welcome towards the oncoming French, while traitors and spies lurked about the precincts of the 'Palace.

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The Lazzaroni, as has been said, were loyal to the King and Queen ; but their loyalty took the alarming form of going up and down the streets murdering those suspected of French sympathies or French birth, and continually shouting for Ferdinand and Maria Carolina, that with their own eyes they might be satisfied the sovereigns had not fled, but were trusting to the loyalty and courage of their brave Lazzaroni to protect them from the French armies now rapidly drawing near Naples.

The Queen was no coward, and her wish was to stay in Naples and await what might befall. The early disasters that overtook General Mack left her determination unshaken. When Nelson and Lady Hamilton urged upon her the pressing necessity of flight, she could only see it as disgrace, and a " fresh blow to her soul and spirit." She was anxious to send her children out of danger, but even that seemed impossible in face of the thronging difficulties. The dignity of despair came to her. " I have renounced this world," she wrote. " I have renounced my reputation as wife and mother. I am preparing to die, and making ready for an eternity for which I long. This is all that is left to me."

But Emma was by no means making ready for eternity; she had no intention of quitting the world's stage at this very moment of highest

LADY HAMILTON

V. I5ENNET

From an engraving by K. Mackenzie

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dramatic interest. It was not that she feared death—her physical courage, as was shortly to be proved, was of a very genuine and reliable quality—but she loved life too much to be prepared to leave it without a struggle. It is impossible to help feeling that the universal air of tragedy and gloom, a kingdom shaking to its fall, revolutions, invading armies, a queen in tears, appealed to the play-actress in Emma as a superb stage-setting. She moved through these days to the accompaniment of appropriate music —muted strings, and the threatening thunder of the double-bass.

But she was practical as well as dramatic. If the royal family had to fly they must carry their valuables with them, not leaving gold, jewels, rare vases and paintings, to fall into the hands of the execrable French. This was an affair of considerable difficulty, for the bulky treasure had to be packed and removed in secrecy, lest rumour of the intended flight should get abroad. Here was a matter specially adapted to Emma's gifts, by reason of her skill and quickness of resource. Nelson provided transport ; he sent for the Goliath, for Troubridge in the Culloden, and his squadron; and on the 14th of December Captain Hope in the Alcmene arrived from Egypt—the Vanguard till their arrival having been the only man-of-war in the Bay. Besides this, there were three transports for the

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effects of the English refugees, and a number of merchant ships. During these anxious days of preparation the Vanguard was being painted and fitted with cots to receive the royal guests, while Nelson's Journal contains notes of other preparations. "Getting ready for sea," he writes, "and getting off the valuable effects of Her Sicilian Majesty in the night time." The next day it is, " Smuggling on board the Queen's diamonds, etc."

While he worked with the ships in the Bay, Emma worked on shore. She cheered the Queen, she fetched or received at the British Embassy cases containing the royal valuables, which were then transported to the ships. In secrecy and danger she played her part to admiration. There was none of the timid care in Lady Hamilton that induced Nelson's wife to beg him, after St. Vincent, " to leave boarding to captains." Emma was made of very different stuff, coarser in texture, but strong to stand a strain ; while her gallant spirit responded instantly all on fire to the heroic act, the daring deed. Even when the odds were life or death or a kingdom, cold caution never checked her courage. " The whole correspondence relative to this import business," wrote Nelson to St. Vincent, 4 'was carried on with the greatest address by Lady Hamilton and the Queen, who being constantly in the habits of correspondence, no one

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could suspect. It would have been highly imprudent in either Sir William Hamilton or myself to have gone to Court, as we knew that all our movements were watched, and even