queen victoria-第33章

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es　it　lift　for　a　moment　or　two；　a　few　main　outlines；　a　few　remarkable　details　may　be　discerned；　the　rest　is　all　conjecture　and　ambiguity。　Thus；　though　the　Queen　survived　her　great　bereavement　for　almost　as　many　years　as　she　had　lived　before　it；　the　chronicle　of　those　years　can　bear　no　proportion　to　the　tale　of　her　earlier　life。　We　must　be　content　in　our　ignorance　with　a　brief　and　summary　relation。

The　sudden　removal　of　the　Prince　was　not　merely　a　matter　of　overwhelming　personal　concern　to　Victoria；　it　was　an　event　of　national；　of　European　importance。　He　was　only　forty…two；　and　in　the　ordinary　course　of　nature　he　might　have　been　expected　to　live　at　least　thirty　years　longer。　Had　he　done　so　it　can　hardly　be　doubted　that　the　whole　development　of　the　English　polity　would　have　been　changed。　Already　at　the　time　of　his　death　he　filled　a　unique　place　in　English　public　life；　already　among　the　inner　circle　of　politicians　he　was　accepted　as　a　necessary　and　useful　part　of　the　mechanism　of　the　State。　Lord　Clarendon；　for　instance；　spoke　of　his　death　as　〃a　national　calamity　of　far　greater　importance　than　the　public　dream　of；〃　and　lamented　the　loss　of　his　〃sagacity　and　foresight；〃　which；　he　declared；　would　have　been　〃more　than　ever　valuable〃　in　the　event　of　an　American　war。　And；　as　time　went　on；　the　Prince's　influence　must　have　enormously　increased。　For；　in　addition　to　his　intellectual　and　moral　qualities；　he　enjoyed；　by　virtue　of　his　position；　one　supreme　advantage　which　every　other　holder　of　high　office　in　the　country　was　without：　he　was　permanent。　Politicians　came　and　went；　but　the　Prince　was　perpetually　installed　at　the　centre　of　affairs。　Who　can　doubt　that；　towards　the　end　of　the　century；　such　a　man；　grown　grey　in　the　service　of　the　nation；　virtuous；　intelligent；　and　with　the　unexampled　experience　of　a　whole　life…time　of　government；　would　have　acquired　an　extraordinary　prestige？　If；　in　his　youth；　he　had　been　able　to　pit　the　Crown　against　the　mighty　Palmerston　and　to　come　off　with　equal　honours　from　the　contest；　of　what　might　he　not　have　been　capable　in　his　old　age？　What　Minister；　however　able；　however　popular；　could　have　withstood　the　wisdom；　the　irreproachability；　the　vast　prescriptive　authority；　of　the　venerable　Prince？　It　is　easy　to　imagine　how；　under　such　a　ruler；　an　attempt　might　have　been　made　to　convert　England　into　a　State　as　exactly　organised；　as　elaborately　trained；　as　efficiently　equipped；　and　as　autocratically　controlled；　as　Prussia　herself。　Then　perhaps；　eventually；　under　some　powerful　leadera　Gladstone　or　a　Brightthe　democratic　forces　in　the　country　might　have　rallied　together；　and　a　struggle　might　have　followed　in　which　the　Monarchy　would　have　been　shaken　to　its　foundations。　Or；　on　the　other　hand；　Disraeli's　hypothetical　prophecy　might　have　come　true。　〃With　Prince　Albert；〃　he　said；　〃we　have　buried　our。。。　sovereign。　This　German　Prince　has　governed　England　for　twenty…one　years　with　a　wisdom　and　energy　such　as　none　of　our　kings　have　ever　shown。　If　he　had　outlived　some　of　our　〃old　stagers〃　he　would　have　given　us　the　blessings　of　absolute　government。〃

The　English　Constitutionthat　indescribable　entityis　a　living　thing；　growing　with　the　growth　of　men；　and　assuming　ever…varying　forms　in　accordance　with　the　subtle　and　complex　laws　of　human　character。　It　is　the　child　of　wisdom　and　chance。　The　wise　men　of　1688　moulded　it　into　the　shape　we　know；　but　the　chance　that　George　I　could　not　speak　English　gave　it　one　of　its　essential　peculiaritiesthe　system　of　a　Cabinet　independent　of　the　Crown　and　subordinate　to　the　Prime　Minister。　The　wisdom　of　Lord　Grey　saved　it　from　petrifaction　and　destruction；　and　set　it　upon　the　path　of　Democracy。　Then　chance　intervened　once　more；　a　female　sovereign　happened　to　marry　an　able　and　pertinacious　man；　and　it　seemed　likely　that　an　element　which　had　been　quiescent　within　it　for　yearsthe　element　of　irresponsible　administrative　powerwas　about　to　become　its　predominant　characteristic　and　to　change　completely　the　direction　of　its　growth。　But　what　chance　gave　chance　took　away。　The　Consort　perished　in　his　prime；　and　the　English　Constitution；　dropping　the　dead　limb　with　hardly　a　tremor；　continued　its　mysterious　life　as　if　he　had　never　been。

One　human　being；　and　one　alone；　felt　the　full　force　of　what　had　happened。　The　Baron；　by　his　fireside　at　Coburg；　suddenly　saw　the　tremendous　fabric　of　his　creation　crash　down　into　sheer　and　irremediable　ruin。　Albert　was　gone；　and　he　had　lived　in　vain。　Even　his　blackest　hypochondria　had　never　envisioned　quite　so　miserable　a　catastrophe。　Victoria　wrote　to　him；　visited　him；　tried　to　console　him　by　declaring　with　passionate　conviction　that　she　would　carry　on　her　husband's　work。　He　smiled　a　sad　smile　and　looked　into　the　fire。　Then　he　murmured　that　he　was　going　where　Albert　wasthat　he　would　not　be　long。　He　shrank　into　himself。　His　children　clustered　round　him　and　did　their　best　to　comfort　him；　but　it　was　useless：　the　Baron's　heart　was　broken。　He　lingered　for　eighteen　months；　and　then；　with　his　pupil；　explored　the　shadow　and　the　dust。

II

With　appalling　suddenness　Victoria　had　exchanged　the　serene　radiance　of　happiness　for　the　utter　darkness　of　woe。　In　the　first　dreadful　moments　those　about　her　had　feared　that　she　might　lose　her　reason；　but　the　iron　strain　within　her　held　firm；　and　in　the　intervals　between　the　intense　paroxysms　of　grief　it　was　observed　that　the　Queen　was　calm。　She　remembered；　too；　that　Albert　had　always　disapproved　of　exaggerated　manifestations　of　feeling；　and　her　one　remaining　desire　was　to　do　nothing　but　what　he　would　have　wished。　Yet　there　were　moments　when　her　royal　anguish　would　brook　no　restraints。　One　day　she　sent　for　the　Duchess　of　Sutherland；　and；　leading　her　to　the　Prince's　room；　fell　prostrate　before　his　clothes　in　a　flood　of　weeping；　while　she　adjured　the　Duchess　to　tell　her　whether　the　beauty　of　Albert's　character　had　ever　been　surpassed。　At　other　times　a　feeling　akin　to　indignation　swept　over　her。　〃The　poor　fatherless　baby　of　eight　months；〃　she　wrote　to　the　King　of　the　Belgians；　〃is　now　the　utterly　heartbroken　and　crushed　widow　of　forty…two！　My　LIFE　as　a　HAPPY　one　is　ENDED！　The　world　is　gone　for　ME！。。。　Oh！　to　be　cut　off　in　the　prime　of　lifeto　see　our　pure；　happy；　quiet；　domestic　life；　which　ALONE　enabled　me　to　bear　my　MUCH　disliked　position；　CUT　OFF　at　forty…twowhen　I　HAD　hoped　with　such　instinctive　certainty　that　God　never　WOULD　part　us；　and　would　let　us　grow　old　together　（though　HE　always　talked　of　the　shortness　of　life）is　TOO　AWFUL；　too　cruel！〃　The　tone　of　outraged　Majesty　seems　to　be　discernible。　Did　she　wonder　in　her　heart　of　hearts　how　the　Deity　could　have　dared？

But　all　other　emotions　gave　way　before　her　overmastering　determination　to　continue；　absolutely　unchanged；　and　for　the　rest　of　her　life　on　earth；　her　reverence；　her　obedience；　her　idolatry。　〃I　am　anxious　to　repeat　ONE　thing；〃　she　told　her　uncle；　〃and　THAT　ONE　is　my　firm　resolve；　my　IRREVOCABLE　DECISION；　viz。；　that　HIS　wishesHIS　plansabout　everything；　HIS　views　about　EVERY　thing　are　to　be　MY　LAW！　And　NO　HUMAN　POWER　will　make　me　swerve　from　WHAT　HE　decided　and　wished。〃　She　grew　fierce；　she　grew　furious；　at　the　thought　of　any　possible　intrusion　between　her　and　her　desire。　Her　uncle　was　coming　to　visit　her；　and　it　flashed　upon　her　that　HE　might　try　to　interfere　with　her　and　seek　to　〃rule　the　roost〃　as　of　old。　She　would　give　him　a　hint。　〃I　am　ALSO　DETERMINED；〃　she　wrote；　〃that　NO　ONE　personmay　HE　be　ever　so　good；　ever　so　devoted　among　my　servantsis　to　lead　or　guide　or　dictate　TO　ME。　I　know　HOW　he　would　disapprove　it。。。　Though　miserably　weak　and　utterly　shattered；　my　spirit　rises　when　I　think　ANY　wish　or　plan　of　his　is　to　be　touched　or　changed；　or　I　am　to　be　MADE　TO　DO　anything。〃　She　ended　her　letter　in　grief　and　affection。　She　was；　she　said；　his　〃ever　wretched　but　devoted　child；　Victoria　R。〃　And　then　she　looked　at　the　date：　it　was　the　24th　of　December。　An　agonising　pang　assailed　her；　and　she　dashed　down　a　postcript〃What　a　Xmas！　I　won't　think　of　it。〃

At　first；　in　the　tumult　of　her　distresses；　she　declared　that　she　could　not　see　her　Ministers；　and　the　Princess　Alice；　assisted　by　Sir　Charles　Phipps；　the　keeper　of　the　Privy　Purse；　performed；　to　the　best　of　her　ability；　the　functions　of　an　intermediary。　After　a　few　weeks；　however；　the　Cabinet；　through　Lord　John　Russell；　ventured　to　warn　the　Queen　that　this　could　not　continue。　She　realised　that　they　were　right：　Albert　would　have　agreed　with　them；　and　so　she　sent　for　the　Prime　Minister。　But　when　Lord　Palmerston　arrived　at　Osborne；　in　the　pink　of　health；　brisk；　with　his　whiskers　freshly　dyed；　and　dressed　in　a　brown　overcoat；　light　grey　trousers；　green　gloves；　and　blue　studs；　he　did　not　create　a　very　good　impression。

Nevertheless；　she　had　grown　attached　to　her　old　enemy；　and　the　thought　of　a　political　change　filled　her　with　agitated　apprehensions。　The　Government；　she　knew；　might　fall　at　any　moment；　she　felt　she　could　not　face　such　an　eventuality；　and　therefore；　six　months　after　the　death　of　the　Prince；　she　took　the　unprecedented　step　of　sending　a　private　message　to　Lord　Derby；　the　leader　of　the　Opposition；　to　tell　him　that　she　was　not　in　a　fit　state　of　mind　or　body　to　undergo　the　anxiety　of　a　change　of　Government；　and　that　if　he　turned　the　present　Ministers　out　of　office　it　would　be　at　the　risk　of　sacrificing　her　lifeor　her　reason。　When　this　message　reached　Lord　Derby　he　was　considerably　surprised。　〃Dear　me！〃　was　his　cynical　comment。　〃I　didn't　think　she　was　so　fond　of　them　as　THAT。〃

Though　the　violence　of　her　perturbations　gradually　subsided；　her　cheerfulness　did　not　return。　For　months；　for　years；　she　continued　in　settled　gloom。　Her　life　became　one　of　almost　complete　seclusion。　Arrayed　in　thickest　crepe；　she　passed　dolefully　from　Windsor　to　Osborne；　from　Osborne　to　Balmoral。　Rarely　visiting　the　capital；　refusing　to　take　any　part　in　the　ceremonies　of　state；　shutting　herself　off　from　the　slightest　intercourse　with　society；　she　became　almost　as　unknown　to　her　subjects　as　some　potentate　of　the　East。　They　might　murmur；　but　they　did　not　understand。　What　had　she　to　do　with　empty　shows　and　vain　enjoyments？　No！　She　was　absorbed　by　very　different　preoccupations。　She　was　the　devoted　guardian　of　a　sacred　trust。　Her　place　was　in　the　inmost　shrine　of　the　house　of　mourningwhere　she　alone　had　the　right　to　enter；　where　she　could　feel　the　effluence　of　a　mysterious　presence；　and　interpret；　however　faintly　and　feebly；　the　promptings　of　a　still　living　soul。　That；　and　that　only　was　her　glorious；　her　terrible　duty。　For　terrible　indeed　it　was。　As　the　years　passed　her　depression　seemed　to　deepen　and　her　loneliness　to　grow　more　intense。　〃I　am　on　a　dreary　sad　pinnacle　of　solitary　grandeur；〃　she　said。　Again　and　again　she　felt　that　she　could　bear　her　situation　no　longerthat　she　would　sink　under　the　strain。　And　then；　instantly；　that　Voice　spoke：　and　she　braced　herself　once　more　to　perform；　with　minute　conscientiousness；　her　grim　and　holy　task。

Above　all　else；　what　she　had　to　do　was　to　make　her　own　the　master…impulse　of　Albert's　lifeshe　must　work；　as　he　had　worked；　in　the　service　of　the　country。　That　vast　burden　of　toil　which　he　had　taken　upon　his　shoulders　it　was　now　for　her　to　bear。　She　assumed　the　gigantic　load；　and　naturally　she　staggered　under　it。　While　he　had　lived；　she　ha