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But Lady Hamilton had been a true prophet. The Neapolitan traitors were indeed sick of their bargain. To the south, too, an army of peasants was holding its own for royalty, while in the north Austria was giving a series of defeats to France. Then it was that the cowardly French withdrew from Naples, the hypocritical excuse being that they had accomplished their glorious mission of freedom, and that now the young nation would gain in dignity if left alone, to grow strong and prove itself worthy the great name of Republic. As well might one toss a hot-house flower into snowbank and tell it to fight the whirlwind. The few Neapolitans that had brought about this frightful fiasco of a revolution were in consternation. Now in all its grim truth did they realize the fact that in their revolt they had been mere puppets in the hands of bandits flaunting the flag of freedom; that they had been fleeced of their wealth and their honour and now were deserted to face alone their lawful sovereign, their indignant fellow-citizens and the English navy and its unforgiving Admiral.

These changed conditions deeply affected us at Palermo, and, you may be sure, the light-hearted court was not slow to resume its former career of pleasure. We of the English fleet, however, had

other matters to engross us. Nelson changed his flag to the Foudroyant, which I now commanded, and taking on board the Crown Prince, and, to my chagrin, Sir William and Lady Hamilton, set sail for Naples. It was supposedly as interpreter for Nelson and as secretary to her husband that Lady Hamilton accompanied us; but it was most unusual thus to take a woman of her rank on board a ship of war at such a time-and, even aside from that, I liked it not, as will be understood by any that may have read what I have already written. Certain it is, however, that during the succeeding period she acted as the personal representative of royalty, and for the time being was, indeed, Queen of Naples. Nor can I say, much as I wished her back at Palermo, that she ill became the part.

'Tis not required that I speak in detail of the republic's fall or of the restoration of the monarchy in Naples. But one resulting event I must narrate at some length, for it was an important link in the story of infatuation I have set out to tell. This link was fastened one morning at daybreak by the information brought to us of the fleet, that Caracciolo had been captured.

The Prince, whose leap from the palace window had been my last sight of him save for that moment's

glimpse during his mad attack at the entrance to the cave, had lied to Lady Hamilton when he claimed that for her sake he had instigated the revolution. He had joined it only when he saw that it was inevitable. But he spoke truly, I believe, when he expressed the hope that in the reaction he might reach the throne. And in all that he did, his mad passion for this woman was, to a large extent, the mainspring of his conduct. It brought about in him a certain insanity, now taking the form of a willingness to kill her that he might save himself, then again in the readiness to risk his own life in the attempt to gain possession of her. Upon the establishment of the republic he was given supreme command of its navy. Upon its downfall he fled hither and thither, writing to former friends letters imploring their protection, always hanging over him the offered reward for his apprehension. And at last the miserable traitor, disguised as a peasant, was tracked into the mountains, chained and brought straight on board the Foudroyant.

Much as I loathed the man I could not altogether resist his wretched appearance, particularly when I' compared present conditions with those of our early meetings at the Neapolitan court. I saw, too, that for days, perhaps, he had eaten nothing. There

fore I ordered that the chains be taken off him and that he be given food.

Doubtless that which followed was the most appalling in its tragic rapidity of anything known in the history of the English navy. I myself carried the news to Nelson, who was at breakfast with Lady Hamilton. Never shall I forget, although it is beyond my ability to express the full horror of the thing, the effect of my information. Both the Admiral and Lady Hamilton became livid. Then slowly he turned toward her, and she with swift fierceness toward him. For full a minute thus they stared at each other, he with a look almost of fear in his eyes, she with something akin to a cat-like, longing cruelty. She rose and leaned across the table: again, as that night at Naples months before, I heard the whispered words, "For my sake, see that he dies!"

In a strange fear and sudden revulsion of feeling against these two, I stepped forward, exclaiming, Surely, Nelson, you would not permit

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The Admiral's face flashed from white to scarlet. He sprang to his feet.

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Captain Hardy, you strangely forget yourself when you thus take advantage of our friendship. But, on account of that friendship, bring this man

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