queen victoria-第20章

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no　doubt；　to　have　dominated　his　immediate　environment；　but　it　was　not　enough；　and；　besides；　in　the　very　completeness　of　his　success；　there　was　a　bitterness。　Victoria　idolised　him；　but　it　was　understanding　that　he　craved　for；　not　idolatry；　and　how　much　did　Victoria；　filled　to　the　brim　though　she　was　with　him；　understand　him？　How　much　does　the　bucket　understand　the　well？　He　was　lonely。　He　went　to　his　organ　and　improvised　with　learned　modulations　until　the　sounds；　swelling　and　subsiding　through　elaborate　cadences；　brought　some　solace　to　his　heart。　Then；　with　the　elasticity　of　youth；　he　hurried　off　to　play　with　the　babies；　or　to　design　a　new　pigsty；　or　to　read　aloud　the　〃Church　History　of　Scotland〃　to　Victoria；　or　to　pirouette　before　her　on　one　toe；　like　a　ballet…dancer；　with　a　fixed　smile；　to　show　her　how　she　ought　to　behave　when　she　appeared　in　public　places。　Thus　did　he　amuse　himself；　but　there　was　one　distraction　in　which　he　did　not　indulge。　He　never　flirtedno；　not　with　the　prettiest　ladies　of　the　Court。　When；　during　their　engagement；　the　Queen　had　remarked　with　pride　to　Lord　Melbourne　that　the　Prince　paid　no　attention　to　any　other　woman；　the　cynic　had　answered；　〃No；　that　sort　of　thing　is　apt　to　come　later；〃　upon　which　she　had　scolded　him　severely；　and　then　hurried　off　to　Stockmar　to　repeat　what　Lord　M。　had　said。　But　the　Baron　had　reassured　her；　though　in　other　cases；　he　had　replied；　that　might　happen；　he　did　not　think　it　would　in　Albert's。　And　the　Baron　was　right。　Throughout　their　married　life　no　rival　female　charms　ever　had　cause　to　give　Victoria　one　moment's　pang　of　jealosy

What　more　and　more　absorbed　himbringing　with　it　a　curious　comfort　of　its　ownwas　his　work。　With　the　advent　of　Peel；　he　began　to　intervene　actively　in　the　affairs　of　the　State。　In　more　ways　than　onein　the　cast　of　their　intelligence；　in　their　moral　earnestness；　even　in　the　uneasy　formalism　of　their　mannersthe　two　men　resembled　each　other；　there　was　a　sympathy　between　them；　and　thus　Peel　was　ready　enough　to　listen　to　the　advice　of　Stockmar；　and　to　urge　the　Prince　forward　into　public　life。　A　royal　commission　was　about　to　be　formed　to　enquire　whether　advantage　might　not　be　taken　of　the　rebuilding　of　the　Houses　of　Parliament　to　encourage　the　Fine　Arts　in　the　United　Kingdom；　and　Peel；　with　great　perspicacity；　asked　the　Prince　to　preside　over　it。　The　work　was　of　a　kind　which　precisely　suited　Albert：　his　love　of　art；　his　love　of　method；　his　love　of　coming　into　contactclose　yet　dignifiedwith　distinguished　menit　satisfied　them　all；　and　he　threw　himself　into　it　con　amore。　Some　of　the　members　of　the　commission　were　somewhat　alarmed　when；　in　his　opening　speech；　he　pointed　out　the　necessity　of　dividing　the　subjects　to　be　considered　into　〃categories…〃　the　word；　they　thought；　smacked　dangerously　of　German　metaphysics；　but　their　confidence　returned　when　they　observed　His　Royal　Highness's　extraordinary　technical　acquaintance　with　the　processes　of　fresco　painting。　When　the　question　arose　as　to　whether　the　decorations　upon　the　walls　of　the　new　buildings　should；　or　should　not；　have　a　moral　purpose；　the　Prince　spoke　strongly　for　the　affirmative。　Although　many；　he　observed；　would　give　but　a　passing　glance　to　the　works；　the　painter　was　not　therefore　to　forget　that　others　might　view　them　with　more　thoughtful　eyes。　This　argument　convinced　the　commission；　and　it　was　decided　that　the　subjects　to　be　depicted　should　be　of　an　improving　nature。　The　frescoes　were　carried　out　in　accordance　with　the　commission's　instructions；　but　unfortunately　before　very　long　they　had　become；　even　to　the　most　thoughtful　eyes；　totally　invisible。　It　seems　that　His　Royal　Highness's　technical　acquaintance　with　the　processes　of　fresco　painting　was　incomplete！

The　next　task　upon　which　the　Prince　embarked　was　a　more　arduous　one：　he　determined　to　reform　the　organisation　of　the　royal　household。　This　reform　had　been　long　overdue。　For　years　past　the　confusion；　discomfort；　and　extravagance　in　the　royal　residences；　and　in　Buckingham　Palace　particularly；　had　been　scandalous；　no　reform　had　been　practicable　under　the　rule　of　the　Baroness；　but　her　functions　had　now　devolved　upon　the　Prince；　and　in　1844；　he　boldly　attacked　the　problem。　Three　years　earlier；　Stockmar；　after　careful　enquiry；　had　revealed　in　an　elaborate　memorandum　an　extraordinary　state　of　affairs。　The　control　of　the　household；　it　appeared；　was　divided　in　the　strangest　manner　between　a　number　of　authorities；　each　independent　of　the　other；　each　possessed　of　vague　and　fluctuating　powers；　without　responsibility；　and　without　co…ordination。　Of　these　authorities；　the　most　prominent　were　the　Lord　Steward　and　the　Lord　Chamberlainnoblemen　of　high　rank　and　political　importance；　who　changed　office　with　every　administration；　who　did　not　reside　with　the　Court；　and　had　no　effective　representatives　attached　to　it。　The　distribution　of　their　respective　functions　was　uncertain　and　peculiar。　In　Buckingham　Palace；　it　was　believed　that　the　Lord　Chamberlain　had　charge　of　the　whole　of　the　rooms；　with　the　exception　of　the　kitchen；　sculleries；　and　pantries；　which　were　claimed　by　the　Lord　Steward。　At　the　same　time；　the　outside　of　the　Palace　was　under　the　control　of　neither　of　these　functionariesbut　of　the　Office　of　Woods　and　Forests；　and　thus；　while　the　insides　of　the　windows　were　cleaned　by　the　Department　of　the　Lord　Chamberlainor　possibly；　in　certain　cases；　of　the　Lord　Stewardthe　Office　of　Woods　and　Forests　cleaned　their　outsides。　Of　the　servants；　the　housekeepers；　the　pages；　and　the　housemaids　were　under　the　authority　of　the　Lord　Chamberlain；　the　clerk　of　the　kitchen；　the　cooks；　and　the　porters　were　under　that　of　the　Lord　Steward；　but　the　footmen；　the　livery…porters；　and　the　under…butlers　took　their　orders　from　yet　another　officialthe　Master　of　the　Horse。　Naturally；　in　these　circumstances　the　service　was　extremely　defective　and　the　lack　of　discipline　among　the　servants　disgraceful。　They　absented　themselves　for　as　long　as　they　pleased　and　whenever　the　fancy　took　them；　〃and　if；〃　as　the　Baron　put　it；　〃smoking；　drinking；　and　other　irregularities　occur　in　the　dormitories；　where　footmen；　etc。；　sleep　ten　and　twelve　in　each　room；　no　one　can　help　it。〃　As　for　Her　Majesty's　guests；　there　was　nobody　to　show　them　to　their　rooms；　and　they　were　often　left；　having　utterly　lost　their　way　in　the　complicated　passages；　to　wander　helpless　by　the　hour。　The　strange　divisions　of　authority　extended　not　only　to　persons　but　to　things。　The　Queen　observed　that　there　was　never　a　fire　in　the　dining…room。　She　enquired　why。　The　answer　was　〃the　Lord　Steward　lays　the　fire；　and　the　Lord　Chamberlain　lights　it；〃　the　underlings　of　those　two　great　noblemen　having　failed　to　come　to　an　accommodation；　there　was　no　help　for　itthe　Queen　must　eat　in　the　cold。

A　surprising　incident　opened　everyone's　eyes　to　the　confusion　and　negligence　that　reigned　in　the　Palace。　A　fortnight　after　the　birth　of　the　Princess　Royal　the　nurse　heard　a　suspicious　noise　in　the　room　next　to　the　Queen's　bedroom。　She　called　to　one　of　the　pages；　who；　looking　under　a　large　sofa；　perceived　there　a　crouching　figure　〃with　a　most　repulsive　appearance。〃　It　was　〃the　boy　Jones。〃　This　enigmatical　personage；　whose　escapades　dominated　the　newspapers　for　several　ensuing　months；　and　whose　motives　and　character　remained　to　the　end　ambiguous；　was　an　undersized　lad　of　17；　the　son　of　a　tailor；　who　had　apparently　gained　admittance　to　the　Palace　by　climbing　over　the　garden　wall　and　walking　in　through　an　open　window。　Two　years　before　he　had　paid　a　similar　visit　in　the　guise　of　a　chimney…sweep。　He　now　declared　that　he　had　spent　three　days　in　the　Palace；　hiding　under　various　beds；　that　he　had　〃helped　himself　to　soup　and　other　eatables；〃　and　that　he　had　〃sat　upon　the　throne；　seen　the　Queen；　and　heard　the　Princess　Royal　squall。〃　Every　detail　of　the　strange　affair　was　eagerly　canvassed。　The　Times　reported　that　the　boy　Jones　had　〃from　his　infancy　been　fond　of　reading；〃　but　that　〃his　countenance　is　exceedingly　sullen。〃　It　added：　〃The　sofa　under　which　the　boy　Jones　was　discovered；　we　understand；　is　one　of　the　most　costly　and　magnificent　material　and　workmanship；　and　ordered　expressly　for　the　accommodation　of　the　royal　and　illustrious　visitors　who　call　to　pay　their　respects　to　Her　Majesty。〃　The　culprit　was　sent　for　three　months　to　the　〃House　of　Correction。〃　When　he　emerged；　he　immediately　returned　to　Buckingham　Palace。　He　was　discovered；　and　sent　back　to　the　〃House　of　Correction〃　for　another　three　months；　after　which　he　was　offered　L4　a　week　by　a　music　hall　to　appear　upon　the　stage。　He　refused　this　offer；　and　shortly　afterwards　was　found　by　the　police　loitering　round　Buckingham　Palace。　The　authorities　acted　vigorously；　and；　without　any　trial　or　process　of　law；　shipped　the　boy　Jones　off　to　sea。　A　year　later　his　ship　put　into　Portsmouth　to　refit；　and　he　at　once　disembarked　and　walked　to　London。　He　was　re…arrested　before　he　reached　the　Palace；　and　sent　back　to　his　ship；　the　Warspite。　On　this　occasion　it　was　noticed　that　he　had　〃much　improved　in　personal　appearance　and　grown　quite　corpulent；〃　and　so　the　boy　Jones　passed　out　of　history；　though　we　catch　one　last　glimpse　of　him　in　1844　falling　overboard　in　the　night　between　Tunis　and　Algiers。　He　was　fished　up　again；　but　it　was　conjecturedas　one　of　the　Warspite's　officers　explained　in　a　letter　to　The　Timesthat　his　fall　had　not　been　accidental；　but　that　he　had　deliberately　jumped　into　the　Mediterranean　in　order　to　〃see　the　life…buoy　light　burning。〃　Of　a　boy　with　such　a　record；　what　else　could　be　supposed？

But　discomfort　and　alarm　were　not　the　only　results　of　the　mismanagement　of　the　household；　the　waste；　extravagance；　and　peculation　that　also　flowed　from　it　were　immeasurable。　There　were　preposterous　perquisites　and　malpractices　of　every　kind。　It　was；　for　instance；　an　ancient　and　immutable　rule　that　a　candle　that　had　once　been　lighted　should　never　be　lighted　again；　what　happened　to　the　old　candles；　nobody　knew。　Again；　the　Prince；　examining　the　accounts；　was　puzzled　by　a　weekly　expenditure　of　thirty…five　shillings　on　〃Red　Room　Wine。〃　He　enquired　into　the　matter；　and　after　great　difficulty　discovered　that　in　the　time　of　George　III　a　room　in　Windsor　Castle　with　red　hangings　had　once　been　used　as　a　guard…room；　and　that　five　shillings　a　day　had　been　allowed　to　provide　wine　for　the　officers。　The　guard　had　long　since　been　moved　elsewhere；　but　the　payment　for　wine　in　the　Red　Room　continued；　the　money　being　received　by　a　half…pay　officer　who　held　the　sinecure　position　of　under…butler。

After　much　laborious　investigation；　and　a　stiff　struggle　with　the　multitude　of　vested　interests　which　had　been　brought　into　being　by　long　years　of　neglect；　the　Prince　succeeded　in　effecting　a　complete　reform。　The　various　conflicting　authorities　were　induced　to　resign　their　powers　into　the　hands　of　a　single　official；　the　Master　of　the　Household；　who　became　responsible　for　the　entire　management　of　the　royal　palaces。　Great　economies　were　made；　and　the　whole　crowd　of　venerable　abuses　was　swept　away。　Among　others；　the　unlucky　half…pay　officer　of　the　Red　Room　was；　much　to　his　surprise；　given　the　choice　of　relinquishing　his　weekly　emolument　or　of　performing　the　duties　of　an　under…butler。　Even　the　irregularities　among　the　footmen；　etc。；　were　greatly　diminished。　There　were　outcries　and