queen victoria-第24章

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ome　branch　of　the　Coburg　family　might　be　available　for　the　position。　That　danger　might；　perhaps；　be　remote；　but　the　Spanish　danger　was　close　at　hand；　and　if　Prince　Leopold　were　to　marry　Queen　Isabella　the　position　of　France　would　be　one　of　humiliation；　if　not　of　positive　danger。　Such　were　the　asseverations　of　Louis　Philippe。　The　English　Government　had　no　wish　to　support　Prince　Leopold；　and　though　Albert　and　Victoria　had　some　hankerings　for　the　match；　the　wisdom　of　Stockmar　had　induced　them　to　give　up　all　thoughts　of　it。　The　way　thus　seemed　open　for　a　settlement：　England　would　be　reasonable　about　Leopold；　if　France　would　be　reasonable　about　Montpensier。　At　the　Chateau　d'Eu；　the　agreement　was　made；　in　a　series　of　conversations　between　the　King　and　Guizot　on　the　one　side；　and　the　Queen；　the　Prince；　and　Lord　Aberdeen　on　the　other。　Aberdeen；　as　Foreign　Minister；　declared　that　England　would　neither　recognise　nor　support　Prince　Leopold　as　a　candidate　for　the　hand　of　the　Queen　of　Spain；　while　Louis　Philippe　solemnly　promised；　both　to　Aberdeen　and　to　Victoria；　that　the　Duc　de　Montpensier　should　not　marry　the　Infanta　Fernanda　until　after　the　Queen　was　married　and　had　issue。　All　went　well；　and　the　crisis　seemed　to　be　over；　when　the　whole　question　was　suddenly　re…opened　by　Palmerston；　who　had　succeeded　Aberdeen　at　the　Foreign　Office。　In　a　despatch　to　the　English　Minister　at　Madrid；　he　mentioned；　in　a　list　of　possible　candidates　for　Queen　Isabella's　hand；　Prince　Leopold　of　Coburg；　and　at　the　same　time　he　took　occasion　to　denounce　in　violent　language　the　tyranny　and　incompetence　of　the　Spanish　Government。　This　despatch；　indiscreet　in　any　case；　was　rendered　infinitely　more　so　by　being　communicated　to　Guizot。　Louis　Philippe　saw　his　opportunity　and　pounced　on　it。　Though　there　was　nothing　in　Palmerston's　language　to　show　that　he　either　recognised　or　supported　Prince　Leopold；　the　King　at　once　assumed　that　the　English　had　broken　their　engagement；　and　that　he　was　therefore　free　to　do　likewise。　He　then　sent　the　despatch　to　the　Queen　Mother；　declared　that　the　English　were　intriguing　for　the　Coburg　marriage；　bade　her　mark　the　animosity　of　Palmerston　against　the　Spanish　Government；　and　urged　her　to　escape　from　her　difficulties　and　ensure　the　friendship　of　France　by　marrying　Isabella　to　the　Duke　of　Cadiz　and　Fernanda　to　Montpensier。　The　Queen　Mother；　alarmed　and　furious；　was　easily　convinced。　There　was　only　one　difficulty：　Isabella　loathed　the　very　sight　of　her　cousin。　But　this　was　soon　surmounted；　there　was　a　wild　supper…party　at　the　Palace；　and　in　the　course　of　it　the　young　girl　was　induced　to　consent　to　anything　that　was　asked　of　her。　Shortly　after；　and　on　the　same　day；　both　the　marriages　took　place。

The　news　burst　like　a　bomb　on　the　English　Government；　who　saw　with　rage　and　mortification　that　they　had　been　completely　outmanoeuvred　by　the　crafty　King。　Victoria；　in　particular；　was　outraged。　Not　only　had　she　been　the　personal　recipient　of　Louis　Philippe's　pledge；　but　he　had　won　his　way　to　her　heart　by　presenting　the　Prince　of　Wales　with　a　box　of　soldiers　and　sending　the　Princess　Royal　a　beautiful　Parisian　doll　with　eyes　that　opened　and　shut。　And　now　insult　was　added　to　injury。　The　Queen　of　the　French　wrote　her　a　formal　letter；　calmly　announcing；　as　a　family　event　in　which　she　was　sure　Victoria　would　be　interested；　the　marriage　of　her　son；　Montpensier〃qui　ajoutera　a　notre　bonheur　interieur；　le　seul　vrai　dans　ce　monde；　et　que　vous；　madame；　savez　si　bien　apprecier。〃　But　the　English　Queen　had　not　long　to　wait　for　her　revenge。　Within　eighteen　months　the　monarchy　of　Louis　Philippe；　discredited；　unpopular；　and　fatally　weakened　by　the　withdrawal　of　English　support；　was　swept　into　limbo；　while　he　and　his　family　threw　themselves　as　suppliant　fugitives　at　the　feet　of　Victoria。

II

In　this　affair　both　the　Queen　and　the　Prince　had　been　too　much　occupied　with　the　delinquencies　of　Louis　Philippe　to　have　any　wrath　to　spare　for　those　of　Palmerston；　and；　indeed；　on　the　main　issue；　Palmerston's　attitude　and　their　own　had　been　in　complete　agreement。　But　in　this　the　case　was　unique。　In　every　other　foreign　complicationand　they　were　many　and　seriousduring　the　ensuing　years；　the　differences　between　the　royal　couple　and　the　Foreign　Secretary　were　constant　and　profound。　There　was　a　sharp　quarrel　over　Portugal；　where　violently　hostile　parties　were　flying　at　each　other's　throats。　The　royal　sympathy　was　naturally　enlisted　on　behalf　of　the　Queen　and　her　Coburg　husband；　while　Palmerston　gave　his　support　to　the　progressive　elements　in　the　country。　It　was　not　until　1848；　however；　that　the　strain　became　really　serious。　In　that　year　of　revolutions；　when；　in　all　directions　and　with　alarming　frequency；　crowns　kept　rolling　off　royal　heads；　Albert　and　Victoria　were　appalled　to　find　that　the　policy　of　England　was　persistently　directedin　Germany；　in　Switzerland；　in　Austria；　in　Italy；　in　Sicilyso　as　to　favour　the　insurgent　forces。　The　situation；　indeed；　was　just　such　a　one　as　the　soul　of　Palmerston　loved。　There　was　danger　and　excitement；　the　necessity　of　decision；　the　opportunity　for　action；　on　every　hand。　A　disciple　of　Canning；　with　an　English　gentleman's　contempt　and　dislike　of　foreign　potentates　deep　in　his　heart；　the　spectacle　of　the　popular　uprisings；　and　of　the　oppressors　bundled　ignominiously　out　of　the　palaces　they　had　disgraced；　gave　him　unbounded　pleasure；　and　he　was　determined　that　there　should　be　no　doubt　whatever；　all　over　the　Continent；　on　which　side　in　the　great　struggle　England　stood。　It　was　not　that　he　had　the　slightest　tincture　in　him　of　philosophical　radicalism；　he　had　no　philosophical　tinctures　of　any　kind；　he　was　quite　content　to　be　inconsistentto　be　a　Conservative　at　home　and　a　Liberal　abroad。　There　were　very　good　reasons　for　keeping　the　Irish　in　their　places；　but　what　had　that　to　do　with　it？　The　point　was　thiswhen　any　decent　man　read　an　account　of　the　political　prisons　in　Naples　his　gorge　rose。　He　did　not　want　war；　but　he　saw　that　without　war　a　skilful　and　determined　use　of　England's　power　might　do　much　to　further　the　cause　of　the　Liberals　in　Europe。　It　was　a　difficult　and　a　hazardous　game　to　play；　but　he　set　about　playing　it　with　delighted　alacrity。　And　then；　to　his　intense　annoyance；　just　as　he　needed　all　his　nerve　and　all　possible　freedom　of　action；　he　found　himself　being　hampered　and　distracted　at　every　turn　by。。。　those　people　at　Osborne。　He　saw　what　it　was；　the　opposition　was　systematic　and　informed；　and　the　Queen　alone　would　have　been　incapable　of　it；　the　Prince　was　at　the　bottom　of　the　whole　thing。　It　was　exceedingly　vexatious；　but　Palmerston　was　in　a　hurry；　and　could　not　wait；　the　Prince；　if　he　would　insist　upon　interfering；　must　be　brushed　on　one　side。

Albert　was　very　angry。　He　highly　disapproved　both　of　Palmerston's　policy　and　of　his　methods　of　action。　He　was　opposed　to　absolutism；　but　in　his　opinion　Palmerston's　proceedings　were　simply　calculated　to　substitute　for　absolutism；　all　over　Europe；　something　no　better　and　very　possibly　worsethe　anarchy　of　faction　and　mob　violence。　The　dangers　of　this　revolutionary　ferment　were　grave；　even　in　England　Chartism　was　rampanta　sinister　movement；　which　might　at　any　moment　upset　the　Constitution　and　abolish　the　Monarchy。　Surely；　with　such　dangers　at　home；　this　was　a　very　bad　time　to　choose　for　encouraging　lawlessness　abroad。　He　naturally　took　a　particular　interest　in　Germany。　His　instincts；　his　affections；　his　prepossessions；　were　ineradicably　German；　Stockmar　was　deeply　involved　in　German　politics；　and　he　had　a　multitude　of　relatives　among　the　ruling　German　families；　who；　from　the　midst　of　the　hurly…burly　of　revolution；　wrote　him　long　and　agitated　letters　once　a　week。　Having　considered　the　question　of　Germany's　future　from　every　point　of　view；　he　came　to　the　conclusion；　under　Stockmar's　guidance；　that　the　great　aim　for　every　lover　of　Germany　should　be　her　unification　under　the　sovereignty　of　Prussia。　The　intricacy　of　the　situation　was　extreme；　and　the　possibilities　of　good　or　evil　which　every　hour　might　bring　forth　were　incalculable；　yet　he　saw　with　horror　that　Palmerston　neither　understood　nor　cared　to　understand　the　niceties　of　this　momentous　problem；　but　rushed　on　blindly；　dealing　blows　to　right　and　left；　quiteso　far　as　he　could　seewithout　system；　and　even　without　motiveexcept；　indeed；　a　totally　unreasonable　distrust　of　the　Prussian　State。

But　his　disagreement　with　the　details　of　Palmerston's　policy　was　in　reality　merely　a　symptom　of　the　fundamental　differences　between　the　characters　of　the　two　men。　In　Albert's　eyes　Palmerston　was　a　coarse；　reckless　egotist；　whose　combined　arrogance　and　ignorance　must　inevitably　have　their　issue　in　folly　and　disaster。　Nothing　could　be　more　antipathetic　to　him　than　a　mind　so　strangely　lacking　in　patience；　in　reflection；　in　principle；　and　in　the　habits　of　ratiocination。　For　to　him　it　was　intolerable　to　think　in　a　hurry；　to　jump　to　slapdash　decisions；　to　act　on　instincts　that　could　not　be　explained。　Everything　must　be　done　in　due　order；　with　careful　premeditation；　the　premises　of　the　position　must　first　be　firmly　established；　and　he　must　reach　the　correct　conclusion　by　a　regular　series　of　rational　steps。　In　complicated　questionsand　what　questions；　rightly　looked　at；　were　not　complicated？to　commit　one's　thoughts　to　paper　was　the　wisest　course；　and　it　was　the　course　which　Albert；　laborious　though　it　might　be；　invariably　adopted。　It　was　as　well；　too；　to　draw　up　a　reasoned　statement　after　an　event；　as　well　as　before　it；　and　accordingly；　whatever　happened；　it　was　always　found　that　the　Prince　had　made　a　memorandum。　On　one　occasion　he　reduced　to　six　pages　of　foolscap　the　substance　of　a　confidential　conversation　with　Sir　Robert　Peel；　and；　having　read　them　aloud　to　him；　asked　him　to　append　his　signature；　Sir　Robert；　who　never　liked　to　commit　himself；　became　extremely　uneasy；　upon　which　the　Prince；　understanding　that　it　was　necessary　to　humour　the　singular　susceptibilities　of　Englishmen；　with　great　tact　dropped　that　particular　memorandum　into　the　fire。　But　as　for　Palmerston；　he　never　even　gave　one　so　much　as　a　chance　to　read　him　a　memorandum；　he　positively　seemed　to　dislike　discussion；　and；　before　one　knew　where　one　was；　without　any　warning　whatever；　he　would　plunge　into　some　hare…brained；　violent　project；　which；　as　likely　as　not；　would　logically　involve　a　European　war。　Closely　connected；　too；　with　this　cautious；　painstaking　reasonableness　of　Albert's；　was　his　desire　to　examine　questions　thoroughly　from　every　point　of　view；　to　go　down　to　the　roots　of　things；　and　to　act　in　strict　accordance　with　some　well…defined　principle。　Under　Stockmar's　tutelage　he　was　constantly　engaged　in　enlarging　his　outlook　and　in　endeavouring　to　envisage　vital　problems　both　theoretically　and　practicallyboth　with　precision　and　with　depth。　To　one　whose　mind　was　thus　habitually　occupied；　the　empirical　activities　of　Palmerston；　who　had　no　notion　what　a　principle　meant；　resembled　the　incoherent　vagaries　of　a　tiresome　child。　What　did　Palmerston　know　of　economics；　of　science；　of　history？　What　did　he　care　for　morality　and　education？　How　much　consideration　had　he　devoted　in　the　whole　course　of　his　life　to　the　improvement　of　the　condition　of　the　working…classes　and　to　the　general　amelioration　of　the　human　race？　The　answers　to　such　questio