queen victoria-第18章

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al　to　taking　a　part　in　their　conversation；　she　insisted　that　the　evening　routine　should　remain　unaltered；　the　regulation　interchange　of　platitudes　with　official　persons　was　followed　as　usual　by　the　round　table　and　the　books　of　engravings；　while　the　Prince；　with　one　of　his　attendants；　played　game　after　game　of　double　chess。

It　was　only　natural　that　in　so　peculiar　a　situation；　in　which　the　elements　of　power；　passion；　and　pride　were　so　strangely　apportioned；　there　should　have　been　occasionally　something　more　than　mere　irritationa　struggle　of　angry　wills。　Victoria；　no　more　than　Albert；　was　in　the　habit　of　playing　second　fiddle。　Her　arbitrary　temper　flashed　out。　Her　vitality；　her　obstinacy；　her　overweening　sense　of　her　own　position；　might　well　have　beaten　down　before　them　his　superiorities　and　his　rights。　But　she　fought　at　a　disadvantage；　she　was；　in　very　truth；　no　longer　her　own　mistress；　a　profound　preoccupation　dominated　her；　seizing　upon　her　inmost　purposes　for　its　own　extraordinary　ends。　She　was　madly　in　love。　The　details　of　those　curious　battles　are　unknown　to　us；　but　Prince　Ernest；　who　remained　in　England　with　his　brother　for　some　months；　noted　them　with　a　friendly　and　startled　eye。　One　story；　indeed；　survives；　ill…authenticated　and　perhaps　mythical；　yet　summing　up；　as　such　stories　often　do；　the　central　facts　of　the　case。　When；　in　wrath；　the　Prince　one　day　had　locked　himself　into　his　room；　Victoria；　no　less　furious；　knocked　on　the　door　to　be　admitted。　〃Who　is　there？〃　he　asked。　〃The　Queen　of　England〃　was　the　answer。　He　did　not　move；　and　again　there　was　a　hail　of　knocks。　The　question　and　the　answer　were　repeated　many　times；　but　at　last　there　was　a　pause；　and　then　a　gentler　knocking。　〃Who　is　there？〃　came　once　more　the　relentless　question。　But　this　time　the　reply　was　different。　〃Your　wife；　Albert。〃　And　the　door　was　immediately　opened。

Very　gradually　the　Prince's　position　changed。　He　began　to　find　the　study　of　politics　less　uninteresting　than　he　had　supposed；　he　read　Blackstone；　and　took　lessons　in　English　Law；　he　was　occasionally　present　when　the　Queen　interviewed　her　Ministers；　and　at　Lord　Melbourne's　suggestion　he　was　shown　all　the　despatches　relating　to　Foreign　Affairs。　Sometimes　he　would　commit　his　views　to　paper；　and　read　them　aloud　to　the　Prime　Minister；　who；　infinitely　kind　and　courteous；　listened　with　attention；　but　seldom　made　any　reply。　An　important　step　was　taken　when；　before　the　birth　of　the　Princess　Royal；　the　Prince；　without　any　opposition　in　Parliament；　was　appointed　Regent　in　case　of　the　death　of　the　Queen。　Stockmar；　owing　to　whose　intervention　with　the　Tories　this　happy　result　had　been　brought　about；　now　felt　himself　at　liberty　to　take　a　holiday　with　his　family　in　Coburg；　but　his　solicitude；　poured　out　in　innumerable　letters；　still　watched　over　his　pupil　from　afar。　〃Dear　Prince；〃　he　wrote；　〃I　am　satisfied　with　the　news　you　have　sent　me。　Mistakes；　misunderstandings；　obstructions；　which　come　in　vexatious　opposition　to　one's　views；　are　always　to　be　taken　for　just　what　they　arenamely；　natural　phenomena　of　life；　which　represent　one　of　its　sides；　and　that　the　shady　one。　In　overcoming　them　with　dignity；　your　mind　has　to　exercise；　to　train；　to　enlighten　itself；　and　your　character　to　gain　force；　endurance；　and　the　necessary　hardness。〃　The　Prince　had　done　well　so　far；　but　he　must　continue　in　the　right　path；　above　all；　he　was　〃never　to　relax。〃　〃Never　to　relax　in　putting　your　magnanimity　to　the　proof；　never　to　relax　in　logical　separation　of　what　is　great　and　essential　from　what　is　trivial　and　of　no　moment；　never　to　relax　in　keeping　yourself　up　to　a　high　standardin　the　determination；　daily　renewed；　to　be　consistent；　patient；　courageous。〃　It　was　a　hard　programme　perhaps；　for　a　young　man　of　twenty…one；　and　yet　there　was　something　in　it　which　touched　the　very　depths　of　Albert's　soul。　He　sighed；　but　he　listenedlistened　as　to　the　voice　of　a　spiritual　director　inspired　with　divine　truth。　〃The　stars　which　are　needful　to　you　now；〃　the　voice　continued；　〃and　perhaps　for　some　time　to　come；　are　Love；　Honesty；　Truth。　All　those　whose　minds　are　warped；　or　who　are　destitute　of　true　feeling；　will　BE　APT　TO　MISTAKE　YOU；　and　to　persuade　themselves　and　the　world　that　you　are　not　the　man　you　areor；　at　least；　may　become。。。　Do　you；　therefore；　be　on　the　alert　be　times；　with　your　eyes　open　in　every　direction。。。　I　wish　for　my　Prince　a　great；　noble；　warm；　and　true　heart；　such　as　shall　serve　as　the　richest　and　surest　basis　for　the　noblest　views　of　human　nature；　and　the　firmest　resolve　to　give　them　development。〃

Before　long；　the　decisive　moment　came。　There　was　a　General　Election；　and　it　became　certain　that　the　Tories；　at　last；　must　come　into　power。　The　Queen　disliked　them　as　much　as　ever；　but；　with　a　large　majority　in　the　House　of　Commons；　they　would　now　be　in　a　position　to　insist　upon　their　wishes　being　attended　to。　Lord　Melbourne　himself　was　the　first　to　realise　the　importance　of　carrying　out　the　inevitable　transition　with　as　little　friction　as　possible；　and　with　his　consent；　the　Prince；　following　up　the　rapprochement　which　had　begun　over　the　Regency　Act；　opened；　through　Anson；　a　negotiation　with　Sir　Robert　Peel。　In　a　series　of　secret　interviews；　a　complete　understanding　was　reached　upon　the　difficult　and　complex　question　of　the　Bedchamber。　It　was　agreed　that　the　constitutional　point　should　not　be　raised；　but　that　on　the　formation　of　the　Tory　Government；　the　principal　Whig　ladies　should　retire；　and　their　places　be　filled　by　others　appointed　by　Sir　Robert。　Thus；　in　effect；　though　not　in　form；　the　Crown　abandoned　the　claims　of　1839；　and　they　have　never　been　subsequently　put　forward。　The　transaction　was　a　turning　point　in　the　Prince's　career。　He　had　conducted　an　important　negotiation　with　skill　and　tact；　he　had　been　brought　into　close　and　friendly　relations　with　the　new　Prime　Minister；　it　was　obvious　that　a　great　political　future　lay　before　him。　Victoria　was　much　impressed　and　deeply　grateful。　〃My　dearest　Angel；〃　she　told　King　Leopold；　〃is　indeed　a　great　comfort　to　me。　He　takes　the　greatest　interest　in　what　goes　on；　feeling　with　and　for　me；　and　yet　abstaining　as　he　ought　from　biasing　me　either　way；　though　we　talk　much　on　the　subject；　and　his　judgment　is；　as　you　say；　good　and　mild。〃　She　was　in　need　of　all　the　comfort　and　assistance　he　could　give　her。　Lord　M。　was　going；　and　she　could　hardly　bring　herself　to　speak　to　Peel。　Yes；　she　would　discuss　everything　with　Albert　now！

Stockmar；　who　had　returned　to　England；　watched　the　departure　of　Lord　Melbourne　with　satisfaction。　If　all　went　well；　the　Prince　should　now　wield　a　supreme　political　influence　over　Victoria。　But　would　all　go　well？？　An　unexpected　development　put　the　Baron　into　a　serious　fright。　When　the　dreadful　moment　finally　came；　and　the　Queen；　in　anguish；　bade　adieu　to　her　beloved　Minister；　it　was　settled　between　them　that；　though　it　would　be　inadvisable　to　meet　very　often；　they　could　continue　to　correspond。　Never　were　the　inconsistencies　of　Lord　Melbourne's　character　shown　more　clearly　than　in　what　followed。　So　long　as　he　was　in　office；　his　attitude　towards　Peel　had　been　irreproachable；　he　had　done　all　he　could　to　facilitate　the　change　of　government；　he　had　even；　through　more　than　one　channel；　transmitted　privately　to　his　successful　rival　advice　as　to　the　best　means　of　winning　the　Queen's　good　graces。　Yet；　no　sooner　was　he　in　opposition　than　his　heart　failed　him。　He　could　not　bear　the　thought　of　surrendering　altogether　the　privilege　and　the　pleasure　of　giving　counsel　to　Victoriaof　being　cut　off　completely　from　the　power　and　the　intimacy　which　had　been　his　for　so　long　and　in　such　abundant　measure。　Though　he　had　declared　that　he　would　be　perfectly　discreet　in　his　letters；　he　could　not　resist　taking　advantage　of　the　opening　they　afforded。　He　discussed　in　detail　various　public　questions；　and；　in　particular；　gave　the　Queen　a　great　deal　of　advice　in　the　matter　of　appointments。　This　advice　was　followed。　Lord　Melbourne　recommended　that　Lord　Heytesbury；　who；　he　said；　was　an　able　man；　should　be　made　Ambassador　at　Vienna；　and　a　week　later　the　Queen　wrote　to　the　Foreign　Secretary　urging　that　Lord　Heytesbury；　whom　she　believed　to　be　a　very　able　man；　should　be　employed　〃on　some　important　mission。〃　Stockmar　was　very　much　alarmed。　He　wrote　a　memorandum；　pointing　out　the　unconstitutional　nature　of　Lord　Melbourne's　proceedings　and　the　unpleasant　position　in　which　the　Queen　might　find　herself　if　they　were　discovered　by　Peel；　and　he　instructed　Anson　to　take　this　memorandum　to　the　ex…Minister。　Lord　Melbourne；　lounging　on　a　sofa；　read　it　through　with　compressed　lips。　〃This　is　quite　an　apple…pie　opinion；〃　he　said。　When　Anson　ventured　to　expostulate　further；　suggesting　that　it　was　unseemly　in　the　leader　of　the　Opposition　to　maintain　an　intimate　relationship　with　the　Sovereign；　the　old　man　lost　his　temper。　〃God　eternally　damn　it！〃　he　exclaimed；　leaping　up　from　his　sofa；　and　dashing　about　the　room。　〃Flesh　and　blood　cannot　stand　this！〃　He　continued　to　write　to　the　Queen；　as　before；　and　two　more　violent　bombardments　from　the　Baron　were　needed　before　he　was　brought　to　reason。　Then；　gradually；　his　letters　grew　less　and　less　frequent；　with　fewer　and　fewer　references　to　public　concerns；　at　last；　they　were　entirely　innocuous。　The　Baron　smiled；　Lord　M。　had　accepted　the　inevitable。

The　Whig　Ministry　resigned　in　September；　1841；　but　more　than　a　year　was　to　elapse　before　another　and　an　equally　momentous　change　was　effectedthe　removal　of　Lehzen。　For；　in　the　end；　the　mysterious　governess　was　conquered。　The　steps　are　unknown　by　which　Victoria　was　at　last　led　to　accept　her　withdrawal　with　composureperhaps　with　relief；　but　it　is　clear　that　Albert's　domestic　position　must　have　been　greatly　strengthened　by　the　appearance　of　children。　The　birth　of　the　Princess　Royal　had　been　followed　in　November；　1841；　by　that　of　the　Prince　of　Wales；　and　before　very　long　another　baby　was　expected。　The　Baroness；　with　all　her　affection；　could　have　but　a　remote　share　in　such　family　delights。　She　lost　ground　perceptibly。　It　was　noticed　as　a　phenomenon　that；　once　or　twice；　when　the　Court　travelled；　she　was　left　behind　at　Windsor。　The　Prince　was　very　cautious；　at　the　change　of　Ministry；　Lord　Melbourne　had　advised　him　to　choose　that　moment　for　decisive　action；　but　he　judged　it　wiser　to　wait。　Time　and　the　pressure　of　inevitable　circumstances　were　for　him；　every　day　his　predominance　grew　more　assuredand　every　night。　At　length　he　perceived　that　he　need　hesitate　no　longerthat　every　wish；　every　velleity　of　his　had　only　to　be　expressed　to　be　at　once　Victoria's。　He　spoke；　and　Lehzen　vanished　for　ever。　No　more　would　she　reign　in　that　royal　heart　and　those　royal　halls。　No　more；　watching　from　a　window　at　Windsor；　would　she　follow　her　pupil　and　her　sovereign　walking　on　the　terrace　among　the　obsequious　multitude；　with　the　eye　of　triumphant　love。　Returning　to　her　native　Hanover　she　established　herself　at　Buckeburg　in　a　small　but　comfortable　house；　the　walls　of　which　were　entirely　covered　by　portraits　of　Her　Majesty。　The　Baron；　in　spite　of　his　dyspepsia；　smiled　again：　Albert　was　supreme。



IV

The　early　discords　had　passed　away　completelyresolved　into　the　absolute　harmony　of　married　life。　Victoria；　overcome　by　a　new；　an　unimagined　revelation；　had　surrendered　her　whole　soul　to　her　hu