England's Mistress_ The Infamous Life of Emma Hamilton - Kate Williams [115]
Emma knew that Nelson's arrival in Naples was her opportunity to catapult herself onto a world stage. She desperately wanted to grab his attention and share some of his incredible fame. At the same time, she was determined to confirm him as the defender of her dear queen, proving herself the key political machinator of the court. Intent on captivating him, she wrote an extravagantly passionate letter:
How shall I begin, what shall I say to you 'tis impossible I can write…. I am delerious with joy, and assure you I have a fervour caused by agitation and pleasure. God, what a victory! Never, never has there been anything half so glorious, so compleat. I fainted when I heard the joyfull news, and fell on my side and am hurt, but well of that. I shou'd feil it a glory to die in such a cause. No I wou'd not like to die till I see and embrace the Victor of the Nile. How shall I describe to you the transports of Maria Carolina, 'tis not possible. She fainted and kissed her husband, her children, walked about the room, cried, kissed and embraced every person near her, exclaiming, Oh brave Nelson, oh, God bless and protect our brave deliverer, oh Nelson, Nelson what do we not owe to you, o Victor, Saviour of Itali, that my swolen heart cou'd now tell him personally what we owe to him!
The Neapolitans are made with joy, and if you wos here now, you wou'd be killed with kindness. Sonets on sonets, illuminations, rejoicings; not a French dog dare shew his face. How I glory in the honner of my Country and my Countryman! I walk and tread in the air with pride, feiling I was born in the same land with the victor Nelson and his gallant band….
We are preparing your appartment against you come. I hope it will not be long, for Sir William and I are so impatient to embrace you. I wish you cou'd have seen our house the 3 nights of illumination. Tis, 'twas covered with your glorious name. Their were 3 thousand Lamps, and their shou'd have been 3 millions if we had time…. For God's sake come to Naples soon. We receive so many sonets and letters of congratulation…. I woul'd rather be an English powder monkey or a swab in that great victory than an Emperor out of it.
My dress from head to foot is alia Nelson. Ask Hoste. Even my shawl is in Blue with gold anchors all over. My earrings are Nelson's anchors; in short, we are be-Nelsoned all over. I send you some Sonets…. I am afraid you will not be able to read this scrawl.5
After the Battle of the Nile, every woman in England and Naples wanted Nelson, but Emma made sure to get there first. Nelson was deeply gratified by her letter. Puffed with pride, he wrote to Fanny that on hearing the victory, Lady Hamilton "fell apparently dead and is not yet recovered from severe bruises."
CHAPTER 32
Falling into His Arms
Nelson arrived at Naples in the Vanguard on September 22, 1798. Five hundred boats spilling musicians and cheering courtiers flocked to meet him. Crowds lined the shore, and bands played “Rule Britannia” and “See the Conquering Hero.” Emma staged her own dramatic welcome. To the delight of the watching audience, she arrived on deck and flung herself against him, exclaiming in happiness and shedding sympathetic tears over his wounds. “Up flew her ladyship,” Nelson spluttered in excitement, “and exclaiming ‘Oh God is it possible’; fell into my arms more dead than alive.” Entranced by the display, he temporarily forgot he had only one arm.
Emma swept Nelson and also Josiah, now eighteen, back to the Palazzo Sessa. Nelson had bought Emma the present of a black maid, perhaps a Sudanese girl from a dealer who had set up shop on his ship after the Battle of the Nile. A black maid was a mark of extreme sophistication in England, kept by fine ladies to make their complexions look paler. Ecstatic about her new gift, Emma called her Fatima. Almost as soon as he arrived on shore, the battle-scarred hero collapsed with exhaustion. Emma devoted every hour to caring for him: serving him nourishing meals and warming drinks and helping him to sleep by soothing his brow. Hamilton had