Complete Works of Thomas Hardy (Illustrated) (1027 page)

Remember, too, what I have already told:

Remind them of it now.  They must not pause

For signallings from me amid a strife

Whose chaos may prevent my clear discernment,

Or may forbid my signalling at all.

The voice of honour then becomes the chief's;

Listen they thereto, and set every stitch

To heave them on into the fiercest fight.

Now I will sum up all: heed well the charge;

EACH CAPTAIN, PETTY OFFICER, AND MAN

IS ONLY AT HIS POST WHEN UNDER FIRE.

[The ships of the whole fleet turn their bows from south to

north as directed, and close up in two parallel curved columns,

the concave side of each column being towards the enemy, and

the interspaces of the first column being, in general, opposite

the hulls of the second.]

AN OFFICER
[straining his eyes towards the English fleet]

How they skip on!  Their overcrowded sail

Bulge like blown bladders in a tripeman's shop

The market-morning after slaughterday!

PETTY OFFICER

It's morning before slaughterday with us,

I make so bold to bode!

[The English Admiral is seen to be signalling to his fleet.  The

signal is: "ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN TO DO HIS DUTY."  A loud

cheering from all the English ships comes undulating on the wind

when the signal is read.]

VILLENEUVE

They are signalling too—Well, business soon begins!

You will reserve your fire.  And be it known

That we display no admirals' flags at all

Until the action's past.  'Twill puzzle them,

And work to our advantage when we close.—

Yes, they are double-ranked, I think, like us;

But we shall see anon.

MAGENDIE

     The foremost one

Makes for the "Santa Ana."  In such case

The "Fougueux" might assist her.

VILLENEUVE

    Be it so—

There's time enough.—Our ships will be in place,

And ready to speak back in iron words

When theirs cry Hail! in the same sort of voice.

[They prepare to receive the northernmost column of the enemy's

ships headed by the "Victory," trying the distance by an occasional

single shot.  During their suspense a discharge is heard southward,

and turning they behold COLLINGWOOD at the head of his column in

the "Royal Sovereign," just engaging with the Spanish "Santa Ana."

Meanwhile the "Victory's" mizzen-topmast, with spars and a quantity

of rigging, is seen to have fallen, her wheel to be shot away, and

her deck encumbered with dead and wounded men.]

VILLENEUVE

'Tis well!  But see; their course is undelayed,

And still they near in clenched audacity!

DAUDIGNON

Which aim deft Lucas o' the "Redoubtable"

Most gallantly bestirs him to outscheme.—

See, how he strains, that on his timbers fall

Blows that were destined for his Admiral!

[During this the French ship "Redoubtable" is moving forward

to interpose itself between the approaching "Victory" and the

"Bucentaure."]

VILLENEUVE

Now comes it!  The "Santisima Trinidad,"

The old "Redoubtable's" hard sides, and ours,

Will take the touse of this bombastic blow.

Your grapnels and your boarding-hatchets—ready!

We'll dash our eagle on the English deck,

And swear to fetch it!

CREW

     Ay!  We swear.  Huzza

Long live the Emperor!

[But the "Victory" suddenly swerves to the rear of the "Bucentaure,"

and crossing her stern-waters, discharges a broadside into her and

the "Redoubtable" endwise, wrapping the scene in folds of smoke.

The point of view changes.]

SCENE II

THE SAME.  THE QUARTER-DECK OF THE "VICTORY"

[The van of each division of the English fleet has drawn to the

windward side of the combined fleets of the enemy, and broken

their order, the "Victory" being now parallel to and alongside

the "Redoubtable," the "Temeraire" taking up a station on the

other side of that ship.  The "Bucentaure" and the "Santisima

Trinidad" become jammed together a little way ahead.  A smoke

and din of cannonading prevail, amid which the studding-sail

booms are shot away.

NELSON, HARDY, BLACKWOOD, SECRETARY SCOTT, LIEUTENANT PASCO,

BURKE the Purser, CAPTAIN ADAIR of the Marines, and other

officers are on or near the quarter-deck.]

NELSON

See, there, that noble fellow Collingwood,

How straight he helms his ship into the fire!—

Now you'll haste back to yours
[to BLACKWOOD]
.

—We must henceforth

Trust to the Great Disposer of events,

And justice of our cause!...

[BLACKWOOD leaves.  The battle grows hotter.  A double-headed shot

cuts down seven or eight marines on the "Victory's" poop.]

Captain Adair, part those marines of yours,

And hasten to disperse them round the ship.—

Your place is down below, Burke, not up here;

Ah, yes; like David you would see the battle!

[A heavy discharge of musket-shot comes from the tops of the

"Santisima Trinidad.  ADAIR and PASCO fall.  Another swathe

of Marines is mowed down by chain-shot.]

SCOTT

My lord, I use to you the utmost prayers

That I have privilege to shape in words:

Remove your stars and orders, I would beg;

That shot was aimed at you.

NELSON

They were awarded to me as an honour,

And shall I do despite to those who prize me,

And slight their gifts?  No, I will die with them,

If die I must.

[He walks up and down with HARDY.]

HARDY

     At least let's put you on

Your old greatcoat, my lord—
[the air is keen.]
.—

'Twill cover all.  So while you still retain

Your dignities, you baulk these deadly aims

NELSON

Thank 'ee, good friend.  But no,—I haven't time,

I do assure you—not a trice to spare,

As you well will see.

[A few minutes later SCOTT falls dead, a bullet having pierced

his skull.  Immediately after a shot passes between the Admiral

and the Captain, tearing the instep of Hardy's shoe, and striking

away the buckle.  They shake off the dust and splinters it has

scattered over them.  NELSON glances round, and perceives what

has happened to his secretary.]

NELSON

Poor Scott, too, carried off!  Warm work this, Hardy;

Too warm to go on long.

HARDY

     I think so, too;

Their lower ports are blocked against our hull,

And our charge now is less.  Each knock so near

Sets their old wood on fire.

NELSON

     Ay, rotten as peat.

What's that?  I think she has struck, or pretty nigh!

[A cracking of musketry.]

HARDY

Not yet.—Those small-arm men there, in her tops,

Thin our crew fearfully.  Now, too, our guns

Have dipped full down, or they would rake

The "Temeraire" there on the other side.

NELSON

True.—While you deal good measure out to these,

Keep slapping at those giants over here—

The "Trinidad," I mean, and the "Bucentaure,"

To win'ard—swelling up so pompously.

HARDY

I'll see no slackness shall be shown that way.

[They part and go in their respective directions.  Gunners, naked

to the waist and reeking with sweat, are now in swift action on

the several decks, and firemen carry buckets of water hither and

thither.  The killed and wounded thicken around, and are being

lifted and examined by the surgeons.  NELSON and HARDY meet again.]

NELSON

Bid still the firemen bring more bucketfuls,

And dash the water into each new hole

Our guns have gouged in the "Redoubtable,"

Or we shall all be set ablaze together.

HARDY

Let me once more advise, entreat, my lord,

That you do not expose yourself so clearly.

Those fellows in the mizzen-top up there

Are peppering round you quite perceptibly.

NELSON

Now, Hardy, don't offend me.  They can't aim;

They only set their own rent sails on fire.—

But if they could, I would not hide a button

To save ten lives like mine.  I have no cause

To prize it, I assure 'ee.—Ah, look there,

One of the women hit,—and badly, too.

Poor wench!  Let some one shift her quickly down.

HARDY

My lord, each humblest sojourner on the seas,

Dock-labourer, lame longshore-man, bowed bargee,

Sees it as policy to shield his life

For those dependent on him.  Much more, then,

Should one upon whose priceless presence here

Such issues hang, so many strivers lean,

Use average circumspection at an hour

So critical for us all.

NELSON

     Ay, ay.  Yes, yes;

I know your meaning, Hardy,; and I know

That you disguise as frigid policy

What really is your honest love of me.

But, faith, I have had my day.  My work's nigh done;

I serve all interests best by chancing it

Here with the commonest.—Ah, their heavy guns

Are silenced every one!  Thank God for that.

HARDY

'Tis so.  They only use their small arms now.

[He goes to larboard to see what is progressing on that side

between his ship and the "Santisima Trinidad."]

OFFICER
[to seaman]

Swab down these stairs.  The mess of blood about

Makes 'em so slippery that one's like to fall

In carrying the wounded men below.

[While CAPTAIN HARDY is still a little way off, LORD NELSON turns

to walk aft, when a ball from one of the muskets in the mizzen-

top of the "Redoubtable" enters his left shoulder.  He falls upon

his face on the deck.  HARDY looks round, and sees what has

happened.]

HARDY
[hastily]

Ah—what I feared, and strove to hide I feared!...

[He goes towards NELSON, who in the meantime has been lifted by

SERGEANT-MAJOR SECKER and two seamen.]

NELSON

Hardy, I think they've done for me at last!

HARDY

I hope not!

NELSON

     Yes.  My backbone is shot through.

I have not long to live.

[The men proceed to carry him below.]

     Those tiller ropes

They've torn away, get instantly repaired!

[At sight of him borne along wounded there is great agitation

among the crew.]

Cover my face.  There will be no good be done

By drawing their attention off to me.

Bear me along, good fellows; I am but one

Among the many darkened here to-day!

[He is carried on to the cockpit over the crowd of dead and

wounded.]

Doctor, I'm gone.  I am waste o' time to you.

HARDY
[remaining behind]

Hills, go to Collingwood and let him know

That we've no Admiral here.

[He passes on.]

A LIEUTENANT

Now quick and pick him off who did the deed—

That white-bloused man there in the mizzen-top.

POLLARD, a midshipman
[shooting]

No sooner said than done.  A pretty aim!

[The Frenchman falls dead upon the poop.

The spectacle seems now to become enveloped in smoke, and the

point of view changes.]

SCENE III

THE SAME.  ON BOARD THE "BUCENTAURE"

[The bowsprit of the French Admiral's ship is stuck fast in the

stern-gallery of the "Santisima Trinidad," the starboard side of

the "Bucentaure" being shattered by shots from two English three-

deckers which are pounding her on that hand.  The poop is also

reduced to ruin by two other English ships that are attacking

her from behind.

On the quarter-deck are ADMIRAL VILLENEUVE, the FLAG-CAPTAIN

MAGENDIE, LIEUTENANTS DAUDIGNON, FOURNIER, and others, anxiously

occupied.  The whole crew is in desperate action of battle and

stumbling among the dead and dying, who have fallen too rapidly

to be carried below.]

VILLENEUVE

We shall be crushed if matters go on thus.—

Direct the "Trinidad" to let her drive,

That this foul tangle may be loosened clear!

DAUDIGNON

It has been tried, sir; but she cannot move.

VILLENEUVE

Then signal to the "Hero" that she strive