LESSON 12 Nelson and Hardy
第十二课 纳尔逊和哈代
The life of Nelson abounds with illustrations of naval daring, but most of these are well known. One, however, narrated by Colonel Drinkwater Bethune, the historian of "The Siege of Gibraltar," and an eye-witness of what follows, is as well Worthy of general fame as some of Nelson's more splendid achievements. It is the more interesting as, on this occasion, that personal affection for his more immediate followers, which in every case secured their devoted attachment to himself, was the cause of a display of unwonted gallantry.
纳尔逊的生活中充满着在军舰上勇敢大胆的事迹，但是其中大多数都是很出名的。然而，有一件，由白求恩上校叙述，所谓历史学家口中的“直布罗陀的围攻”，见证过的目击证人认为，那是可以和纳尔逊取得的另一些更辉煌的成就相媲美的。更有趣的是，这一次，他个人对他那些最亲近的追随者的影响，是在任何的情况下都能保证他们是能为自己而献身的，是显现出这种不寻常的勇气的原因。
Commodore Nelson, whose broad pendant at that time was hoisted in the Minerve, Captain Cockburn, got under weigh from Gibraltar on the 11th of February 1797, in order to join Sir John Jervis's fleet. The frigate had scarcely cast round from her anchorage, when two of the three Spanish line-of-battle ships in the upper part of Gibraltar Bay were observed also to be in motion. The headmost of the Spanish ships gaining on the frigate, the latter prepared for action, and the Minerve's situation every instant becoming more hazardous, Colonel Drinkwater asked Nelson his opinion as to the probability of an engagement. The hero said he thought it was very possible, as the headmost ship appeared to be a good sailer; "but," continued he, looking up at the broad pendant, "before the Dons get hold of that bit of bunting I will have a struggle with them; and sooner than give up the frigate, I will run her ashore."
司令官纳尔逊，在米内尔夫时升起宽大的船帆，上校Cockburn，1797年2月17日从直布罗陀起锚，以加入爵士约翰杰维斯的舰队。护卫舰从来没有因为停锚而停下过。当观察到两三只西班牙的战列船也在直布罗陀的上部湾运转时，领头的西班牙船吸引了护卫舰的注意，而后者准备开始行动，米内而夫的每个瞬间情况越来越危险，上校问纳尔逊他的意见，关于双方正式交战的几率。这个英雄说他认为这非常有可能，领头的船看起来是艘不错的帆船；“但是，”他继续说，看到那宽阔的垂帆，“在大将掌控住他那一点点的旗帜之前，我将会与他们有一场斗争；并且不久就会放弃护卫舰，我将会驶她上岸。
Captain Cockburn, who had been taking a view of the chasing enemy, now joined the commodore, and observed that there was no doubt of the headmost ship gaining on the frigate. At this moment dinner was announced; but before Nelson and his guests left the deck, orders were given to set the studding-sails. Seated at dinner, Colonel Drinkwater was congratulating Lieutenant Hardy, who had lately been exchanged, on his being no longer a prisoner of war, when the sudden cry of "a man overboard" threw the dinner-party into disorder.
上校Cockburn，观望着追逐着的敌人，现在加入了海军准将，观察到，毫无疑问的领头的船舰吸引着护卫舰，在这时，晚餐宣布开始了，但是在纳尔逊和他的客人离开甲板之前，命令升起翼帆，在晚餐中就座，上校祝贺着 Lieutenant Hardy，这个不久前被用来交换的人，祝贺他不再是一个战争中的囚犯，突然的哭喊声传来，”有人落水了“将晚宴陷入了一片混乱。
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