queen victoria-第20节
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ed enemy of one of the great parties in the State。 On two occasions； the Tories directly thwarted her in a matter on which she had set her heart。 She wished her husband's rank to be axed by statute； and their opposition prevented it。 She wished her husband to receive a settlement from the nation of L50；000 a year； and； again owing to the Tories； he was only allowed L30；000。 It was too bad。 When the question was discussed in Parliament； it had been pointed out that the bulk of the population was suffering from great poverty； and that L30；000 was the whole revenue of Coburg； but her uncle Leopold had been given L50；000； and it would be monstrous to give Albert less。 Sir Robert Peelit might have been expectedhad had the effrontery to speak and vote for the smaller sum。 She was very angry； and determined to revenge herself by omitting to invite a single Tory to her wedding。 She would make an exception in favour of old Lord Liverpool； but even the Duke of Wellington she refused to ask。 When it was represented to her that it would amount to a national scandal if the Duke were absent from her wedding； she was angrier than ever。 〃What！ That old rebel！ I won't have him：〃 she was reported to have said。 Eventually she was induced to send him an invitation； but she made no attempt to conceal the bitterness of her feelings； and the Duke himself was only too well aware of all that had passed。
Nor was it only against the Tories that her irritation rose。 As the time for her wedding approached； her temper grew steadily sharper and more arbitrary。 Queen Adelaide annoyed her。 King Leopold； too； was 〃ungracious〃 in his correspondence； 〃Dear Uncle；〃 she told Albert； 〃is given to believe that he must rule the roost everywhere。 〃However；〃 she added with asperity； 〃that is not a necessity。〃 Even Albert himself was not impeccable。 Engulfed in Coburgs； he failed to appreciate the complexity of English affairs。 There were difficulties about his household。 He had a notion that he ought not to be surrounded by violent Whigs； very likely； but he would not understand that the only alternatives to violent Whigs were violent Tories； and it would be preposterous if his Lords and Gentlemen were to be found voting against the Queen's。 He wanted to appoint his own Private Secretary。 But how could he choose the right person？ Lord M。 was obviously best qualified to make the appointment； and Lord M。 had decided that the Prince should take over his own Private SecretaryGeorge Anson； a staunch Whig。 Albert protested； but it was useless； Victoria simply announced that Anson was appointed； and instructed Lehzen to send the Prince an explanation of the details of the case。
Then； again； he had written anxiously upon the necessity of maintaining unspotted the moral purity of the Court。 Lord M's pupil considered that dear Albert was strait…laced； and； in a brisk Anglo…German missive； set forth her own views。 〃I like Lady A。 very much；〃 she told him； 〃only she is a little strict awl particular； and too severe towards others； which is not right； for I think one ought always to be indulgent towards other people； as I always think； if we had not been well taken care of； we might also have gone astray。 That is always my feeling。 Yet it is always right to show that one does not like to see what is obviously wrong； but it is very dangerous to be too severe； and I am certain that as a rule such people always greatly regret that in their youth they have not been so careful as they ought to have been。 I have explained this so badly and written it so badly； that I fear you will hardly be able to make it out。〃
On one other matter she was insistent。 Since the affair of Lady Flora Hastings； a sad fate had overtaken Sir James Clark。 His flourishing practice had quite collapsed； nobody would go to him any more。 But the Queen remained faithful。 She would show the world how little she cared for their disapproval； and she desired Albert to make 〃poor Clark〃 his physician in ordinary。 He did as he was told； but； as it turned out； the appointment was not a happy one。
The wedding…day was fixed； and it was time for Albert to tear himself away from his family and the scenes of his childhood。 With an aching heart； he had revisited his beloved hauntsthe woods and the valleys where he had spent so many happy hours shooting rabbits and collecting botanical specimens； in deep depression； he had sat through the farewell banquets in the Palace and listened to the Freischutz performed by the State band。 It was time to go。 The streets were packed as he drove through them； for a short space his eyes were gladdened by a sea of friendly German faces； and his ears by a gathering volume of good guttural sounds。 He stopped to bid a last adieu to his grandmother。 It was a heartrending moment。 〃Albert！ Albert！〃 she shrieked； and fell fainting into the arms of her attendants as his carriage drove away。 He was whirled rapidly to his destiny。 At Calais a steamboat awaited him； and； together with his father and his brother； he stepped； dejected； on board。 A little later； he was more dejected still。 The crossing was a very rough one； the Duke went hurriedly below； while the two Princes； we are told； lay on either side of the cabin staircase 〃in an almost helpless state。〃 At Dover a large crowd was collected on the pier； and 〃it was by no common effort that Prince Albert； who had continued to suffer up to the last moment； got up to bow to the people。〃 His sense of duty triumphed。 It was a curious omen： his whole life in England was foreshadowed as he landed on English ground。
Meanwhile Victoria； in growing agitation； was a prey to temper and to nerves。 She grew feverish； and at last Sir James Clark pronounced that she was going to have the measles。 But； once again； Sir James's diagnosis was incorrect。 It was not the measles that were attacking her； but a very different malady； she was suddenly prostrated by alarm； regret； and doubt。 For two years she had been her own mistressthe two happiest years； by far； of her life。 And now it was all to end！ She was to come under an alien dominationshe would have to promise that she would honour and obey。。。 someone； who might； after all； thwart her； oppose herand how dreadful that would be！ Why had she embarked on this hazardous experiment？ Why had she not been contented with Lord M。？ No doubt； she loved Albert； but she loved power too。 At any rate； one thing was certain： she might be Albert's wife； but she would always be Queen of England。 He reappeared； in an exquisite uniform； and her hesitations melted in his presence like mist before the sun。 On February 10； 1840； the marriage took place。 The wedded pair drove down to Windsor； but they were not； of course； entirely alone。 They were accompanied by their suites； and； in particular； by two personsthe Baron Stockmar and the Baroness Lehzen。
III
Albert had foreseen that his married life would not be all plain sailing； but he had by no means realised the gravity and the complication of the difficulties which he would have to face。 Politically； he was a cipher。 Lord Melbourne was not only Prime Minister； he was in effect the Private Secretary of the Queen； and thus controlled the whole of the political existence of the sovereign。 A queen's husband was an entity unknown to the British Constitution。 In State affairs there seemed to be no place for him； nor was Victoria herself at all unwilling that this should be so。 〃The English；〃 she had told the Prince when； during their engagement； a proposal had been made to give him a peerage； 〃are very jealous of any foreigner interfering in the government of this country； and have already in some of the papers expressed a hope that you would not interfere。 Now； though I know you never would； still； if you were a Peer； they would all say； the Prince meant to play a political part。 I know you never would！〃 In reality； she was not quite so certain； but she wished Albert to understand her views。 He would； she hoped； make a perfect husband； but； as for governing the country； he would see that she and Lord M。 between them could manage that very well； without his help。
But it was not only in politics that the Prince discovered that the part cut out for him was a negligible one。 Even as a husband； he found； his functions were to be of an extremely limited kind。 Over the whole of Victoria's private life the Baroness reigned supreme； and she had not the slightest intention of allowing that supremacy to be diminished by one iota。 Since the accession； her power had greatly increased。 Besides the undefined and enormous influence which she exercised through her management of the Queen's private correspondence； she was now the superintendent of the royal establishment and controlled the important office of Privy Purse。 Albert very soon perceived that he was not master in his own house。 Every detail of his own and his wife's existence was supervised by a third person： nothing could be done until the consent of Lehzen had first been obtained。 And Victoria； who adored Lehzen with unabated intensity； saw nothing in all this that was wrong。
Nor was the Prince happier in his social surroundings。 A shy young foreigner； awkward in ladies' company； unexpansive and self…opinionated； it was improbable that
