queen victoria-第24节
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rtunate successor of the Princess Charlotte； when； in the early days of their marriage； she had attempted a feeble joke。 Did she not understand that the consort of a constitutional sovereign must not be frivolous？ She understood； at last； only too well； and when the startled walls of the state apartments re…echoed to the chattering and the laughter of Victoria； the poor lady found that she had almost forgotten how to smile。
Another year； Germany was visited； and Albert displayed the beauties of his home。 When Victoria crossed the frontier； she was much excitedand she was astonished as well。 〃To hear the people speak German；〃 she noted in her diary； 〃and to see the German soldiers； etc。； seemed to me so singular。〃 Having recovered from this slight shock； she found the country charming。 She was feted everywhere； crowds of the surrounding royalties swooped down to welcome her； and the prettiest groups of peasant children； dressed in their best clothes； presented her with bunches of flowers。 The principality of Coburg； with its romantic scenery and its well…behaved inhabitants； particularly delighted her； and when she woke up one morning to find herself in 〃dear Rosenau； my Albert's birthplace；〃 it was 〃like a beautiful dream。〃 On her return home； she expatiated； in a letter to King Leopold； upon the pleasures of the trip； dwelling especially upon the intensity of her affection for Albert's native land。 〃I have a feeling；〃 she said； 〃for our dear little Germany； which I cannot describe。 I felt it at Rosenau so much。 It is a something which touches me； and which goes to my heart； and makes me inclined to cry。 I never felt at any other place that sort of pensive pleasure and peace which I felt there。 I fear I almost like it too much。〃
V
The husband was not so happy as the wife。 In spite of the great improvement in his situation； in spite of a growing family and the adoration of Victoria； Albert was still a stranger in a strange land； and the serenity of spiritual satisfaction was denied him。 It was something； 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
