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第37节

queen victoria-第37节

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ooms were furnished so much to her taste that she declared they gave her quite a home feelingthat; if her little dog were there; she should really imagine herself at home。 Nothing was said; but three days later her little dog barked a welcome to her as she entered the apartments。 The Emperor himself; sparing neither trouble nor expense; had personally arranged the charming surprise。 Such were his attentions。 She returned to England more enchanted than ever。 〃Strange indeed;〃 she exclaimed; 〃are the dispensations and ways of Providence!〃

The alliance prospered; and the war drew towards a conclusion。 Both the Queen and the Prince; it is true; were most anxious that there should not be a premature peace。 When Lord Aberdeen wished to open negotiations Albert attacked him in a 〃geharnischten〃 letter; while Victoria rode about on horseback reviewing the troops。 At last; however; Sebastopol was captured。 The news reached Balmoral late at night; and 〃in a few minutes Albert and all the gentlemen in every species of attire sallied forth; followed by all the servants; and gradually by all the population of the village…keepers; gillies; workmen〃up to the top of the cairn。〃 A bonfire was lighted; the pipes were played; and guns were shot off。 〃About three…quarters of an hour after Albert came down and said the scene had been wild and exciting beyond everything。 The people had been drinking healths in whisky and were in great ecstasy。〃 The 〃great ecstasy;〃 perhaps; would be replaced by other feelings next morning; but at any rate the war was overthough; to be sure; its end seemed as difficult to account for as its beginning。 The dispensations and ways of Providence continued to be strange。

IV

An unexpected consequence of the war was a complete change in the relations between the royal pair and Palmerston。 The Prince and the Minister drew together over their hostility to Russia; and thus it came about that when Victoria found it necessary to summon her old enemy to form an administration she did so without reluctance。 The premiership; too; had a sobering effect upon Palmerston; he grew less impatient and dictatorial; considered with attention the suggestions of the Crown; and was; besides; genuinely impressed by the Prince's ability and knowledge。 Friction; no doubt; there still occasionally was; for; while the Queen and the Prince devoted themselves to foreign politics as much as ever; their views; when the war was over; became once more antagonistic to those of the Prime Minister。 This was especially the case with regard to Italy。 Albert; theoretically the friend of constitutional government; distrusted Cavour; was horrified by Garibaldi; and dreaded the danger of England being drawn into war with Austria。 Palmerston; on the other hand; was eager for Italian independence; but he was no longer at the Foreign Office; and the brunt of the royal displeasure had now to be borne by Lord John Russell。 In a few years the situation had curiously altered。 It was Lord John who now filled the subordinate and the ungrateful role; but the Foreign Secretary; in his struggle with the Crown; was supported; instead of opposed; by the Prime Minister。 Nevertheless the struggle was fierce; and the policy; by which the vigorous sympathy of England became one of the decisive factors in the final achievement of Italian unity; was only carried through in face of the violent opposition of the Court。

Towards the other European storm…centre; also; the Prince's attitude continued to be very different to that of Palmerston。 Albert's great wish was for a united Germany under the leadership of a constitutional and virtuous Prussia; Palmerston did not think that there was much to be said for the scheme; but he took no particular interest in German politics; and was ready enough to agree to a proposal which was warmly supported by both the Prince and the Queenthat the royal Houses of England and Prussia should be united by the marriage of the Princess Royal with the Prussian Crown Prince。 Accordingly; when the Princess was not yet fifteen; the Prince; a young man of twenty…four; came over on a visit to Balmoral; and the betrothal took place。 Two years later; in 1857; the marriage was celebrated。 At the last moment; however; it seemed that there might be a hitch。 It was pointed out in Prussia that it was customary for Princes of the blood royal to be married in Berlin; and it was suggested that there was no reason why the present case should be treated as an exception。 When this reached the ears of Victoria; she was speechless with indignation。 In a note; emphatic even for Her Majesty; she instructed the Foreign Secretary to tell the Prussian Ambassador 〃not to ENTERTAIN the POSSIBILITY of such a question。。。 The Queen NEVER could consent to it; both for public and for private reasons; and the assumption of its being TOO MUCH for a Prince Royal of Prussia to come over to marry the Princess Royal of Great Britain in England is too ABSURD to say the least。 。 。 Whatever may be the usual practice of Prussian princes; it is not EVERY day that one marries the eldest daughter of the Queen of England。 The question must therefore be considered as settled and closed。〃 It was; and the wedding took place in St。 James's Chapel。 There were great festivitiesilluminations; state concerts; immense crowds; and general rejoicings。 At Windsor a magnificent banquet was given to the bride and bridegroom in the Waterloo room; at which; Victoria noted in her diary; 〃everybody was most friendly and kind about Vicky and full of the universal enthusiasm; of which the Duke of Buccleuch gave us most pleasing instances; he having been in the very thick of the crowd and among the lowest of the low。〃 Her feelings during several days had been growing more and more emotional; and when the time came for the young couple to depart she very nearly broke downbut not quite。 〃Poor dear child!〃 she wrote afterwards。 〃I clasped her in my arms and blessed her; and knew not what to say。 I kissed good Fritz and pressed his hand again and again。 He was unable to speak and the tears were in his eyes。 I embraced them both again at the carriage door; and Albert got into the carriage; an open one; with them and Bertie。。。 The band struck up。 I wished good…bye to the good Perponchers。 General Schreckenstein was much affected。 I pressed his hand; and the good Dean's; and then went quickly upstairs。〃

Albert; as well as General Schreckenstein; was much affected。 He was losing his favourite child; whose opening intelligence had already begun to display a marked resemblance to his ownan adoring pupil; who; in a few years; might have become an almost adequate companion。 An ironic fate had determined that the daughter who was taken from him should be sympathetic; clever; interested in the arts and sciences; and endowed with a strong taste for memoranda; while not a single one of these qualities could be discovered in the son who remained。 For certainly the Prince of Wales did not take after his father。 Victoria's prayer had been unanswered; and with each succeeding year it became more obvious that Bertie was a true scion of the House of Brunswick。 But these evidences of innate characteristics only served to redouble the efforts of his parents; it still might not be too late to incline the young branch; by ceaseless pressure and careful fastenings; to grow in the proper direction。 Everything was tried。 The boy was sent on a continental tour with a picked body of tutors; but the results were unsatisfactory。 At his father's request he kept a diary which; on his return; was inspected by the Prince。 It was found to be distressingly meagre: what a multitude of highly interesting reflections might have been arranged under the heading: 〃The First Prince of Wales visiting the Pope!〃 But there was not a single one。 〃Le jeune prince plaisit a tout le monde;〃 old Metternich reported to Guizot; 〃mais avait l'air embarrasse et tres triste。〃 On his seventeenth birthday a memorandum was drawn up over the names of the Queen and the Prince informing their eldest son that he was now entering upon the period of manhood; and directing him henceforward to perform the duties of a Christian gentleman。 〃Life is composed of duties;〃 said the memorandum; 〃and in the due; punctual and cheerful performance of them the true Christian; true soldier; and true gentleman is recognised。。。 A new sphere of life will open for you in which you will have to be taught what to do and what not to do; a subject requiring study more important than any in which you have hitherto been engaged。〃 On receipt of the memorandum Bertie burst into tears。 At the same time another memorandum was drawn up; headed 〃confidential: for the guidance of the gentlemen appointed to attend on the Prince of Wales。〃 This long and elaborate document laid down 〃certain principles〃 by which the 〃conduct and demeanour〃 of the gentlemen were to be regulated 〃and which it is thought may conduce to the benefit of the Prince of Wales。〃 〃The qualities which distinguish a gentleman in society;〃 continued this remarkable paper; 〃are:

  (1) His appearance; his deportment and dress。   (2) The character of his relations with; and treatment of; others。   (3) His desire and power to acquit himself creditably

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