queen victoria-第45节
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that the change was an attack upon her personal positionalmost an attack upon the personal position of Albert。 But she was helpless； and the Prime Minister had his way。 When she heard that the dreadful man had yet another reform in contemplationthat he was about to abolish the purchase of military commissionsshe could only feel that it was just what might have been expected。 For a moment she hoped that the House of Lords would come to the rescue； the Peers opposed the change with unexpected vigour； but Mr。 Gladstone； more conscious than ever of the support of the Almighty； was ready with an ingenious device。 The purchase of commissions had been originally allowed by Royal Warrant； it should now be disallowed by the same agency。 Victoria was faced by a curious dilemma： she abominated the abolition of purchase； but she was asked to abolish it by an exercise of sovereign power which was very much to her taste。 She did not hesitate for long； and when the Cabinet； in a formal minute； advised her to sign the Warrant； she did so with a good grace。
Unacceptable as Mr。 Gladstone's policy was； there was something else about him which was even more displeasing to Victoria。 She disliked his personal demeanour towards herself。 It was not that Mr。 Gladstone； in his intercourse with her； was in any degree lacking in courtesy or respect。 On the contrary； an extraordinary reverence impregnated his manner； both in his conversation and his correspondence with the Sovereign。 Indeed； with that deep and passionate conservatism which； to the very end of his incredible career； gave such an unexpected colouring to his inexplicable character； Mr。 Gladstone viewed Victoria through a haze of awe which was almost religiousas a sacrosanct embodiment of venerable traditionsa vital element in the British Constitutiona Queen by Act of Parliament。 But unfortunately the lady did not appreciate the compliment。 The well…known complaint〃He speaks to me as if I were a public meeting…〃 whether authentic or noand the turn of the sentence is surely a little too epigrammatic to be genuinely Victorianundoubtedly expresses the essential element of her antipathy。 She had no objection to being considered as an institution； she was one； and she knew it。 But she was a woman too； and to be considered ONLY as an institutionthat was unbearable。 And thus all Mr。 Gladstone's zeal and devotion； his ceremonious phrases； his low bows； his punctilious correctitudes； were utterly wasted； and when； in the excess of his loyalty； he went further； and imputed to the object of his veneration； with obsequious blindness； the subtlety of intellect； the wide reading； the grave enthusiasm； which he himself possessed； the misunderstanding became complete。 The discordance between the actual Victoria and this strange Divinity made in Mr。 Gladstone's image produced disastrous results。 Her discomfort and dislike turned at last into positive animosity； and； though her manners continued to be perfect； she never for a moment unbent； while he on his side was overcome with disappointment； perplexity； and mortification。
Yet his fidelity remained unshaken。 When the Cabinet met； the Prime Minister； filled with his beatific vision； would open the proceedings by reading aloud the letters which he had received from the Queen upon the questions of the hour。 The assembly sat in absolute silence while； one after another； the royal missives； with their emphases； their ejaculations； and their grammatical peculiarities； boomed forth in all the deep solemnity of Mr。 Gladstone's utterance。 Not a single comment； of any kind； was ever hazarded； and； after a fitting pause； the Cabinet proceeded with the business of the day。
II
Little as Victoria appreciated her Prime Minister's attitude towards her； she found that it had its uses。 The popular discontent at her uninterrupted seclusion had been gathering force for many years； and now burst out in a new and alarming shape。 Republicanism was in the air。 Radical opinion in England； stimulated by the fall of Napoleon III and the establishment of a republican government in France； suddenly grew more extreme than it ever had been since 1848。 It also became for the first time almost respectable。 Chartism had been entirely an affair of the lower classes； but now Members of Parliament； learned professors； and ladies of title openly avowed the most subversive views。 The monarchy was attacked both in theory and in practice。 And it was attacked at a vital point： it was declared to be too expensive。 What benefits； it was asked； did the nation reap to counterbalance the enormous sums which were expended upon the Sovereign？ Victoria's retirement gave an unpleasant handle to the argument。 It was pointed out that the ceremonial functions of the Crown had virtually lapsed； and the awkward question remained whether any of the other functions which it did continue to perform were really worth L385；000 per annum。 The royal balance…sheet was curiously examined。 An anonymous pamphlet entitled 〃What does she do with it？〃 appeared； setting forth the financial position with malicious clarity。 The Queen； it stated； was granted by the Civil List L60；000 a year for her private use； but the rest of her vast annuity was given； as the Act declared； to enable her 〃to defray the expenses of her royal household and to support the honour and dignity of the Crown。〃 Now it was obvious that； since the death of the Prince； the expenditure for both these purposes must have been very considerably diminished； and it was difficult to resist the conclusion that a large sum of money was diverted annually from the uses for which it had been designed by Parliament； to swell the private fortune of Victoria。 The precise amount of that private fortune it was impossible to discover； but there was reason to suppose that it was gigantic； perhaps it reached a total of five million pounds。 The pamphlet protested against such a state of affairs； and its protests were repeated vigorously in newspapers and at public meetings。 Though it is certain that the estimate of Victoria's riches was much exaggerated； it is equally certain that she was an exceedingly wealthy woman。 She probably saved L20；000 a year from the Civil List； the revenues of the Duchy of Lancaster were steadily increasing； she had inherited a considerable property from the Prince Consort； and she had been left； in 1852； an estate of half a million by Mr。 John Neild； an eccentric miser。 In these circumstances it was not surprising that when； in 1871； Parliament was asked to vote a dowry of L30；000 to the Princess Louise on her marriage with the eldest son of the Duke of Argyle； together with an annuity of L6；000； there should have been a serious outcry＇*＇。
＇*＇ In 1889 it was officially stated that the Queen's total savings from the Civil List amounted to L824；025； but that out of this sum much had been spent on special entertainments to foreign visitors。 Taking into consideration the proceeds from the Duchy of Lancaster； which were more than L60；000 a year； the savings of the Prince Consort； and Mr。 Neild's legacy； it seems probable that； at the time of her death； Victoria's private fortune approached two million pounds。
In order to conciliate public opinion； the Queen opened Parliament in person； and the vote was passed almost unanimously。 But a few months later another demand was made： the Prince Arthur had come of age； and the nation was asked to grant him an annuity of L15；000。 The outcry was redoubled。 The newspapers were filled with angry articles； Bradlaugh thundered against 〃princely paupers〃 to one of the largest crowds that had ever been seen in Trafalgar Square； and Sir Charles Dilke expounded the case for a republic in a speech to his constituents at Newcastle。 The Prince's annuity was ultimately sanctioned in the House of Commons by a large majority； but a minority of fifty members voted in favour of reducing the sum to L10；000。
Towards every aspect of this distasteful question； Mr。 Gladstone presented an iron front。 He absolutely discountenanced the extreme section of his followers。 He declared that the whole of the Queen's income was justly at her personal disposal； argued that to complain of royal savings was merely to encourage royal extravagance； and successfully convoyed through Parliament the unpopular annuities； which； he pointed out； were strictly in accordance with precedent。 When； in 1872； Sir Charles Dilke once more returned to the charge in the House of Commons； introducing a motion for a full enquiry into the Queen's expenditure with a view to a root and branch reform of the Civil List； the Prime Minister brought all the resources of his powerful and ingenious eloquence to the support of the Crown。 He was completely successful； and amid a scene of great disorder the motion was ignominiously dismissed。 Victoria was relieved； but she grew no fonder of Mr。 Gladstone。
It was perhaps the most miserable moment of her life。 The Ministers； the press； the public； all conspired to vex her； to blame her； to misinterpret her actions； to be unsympathetic and disrespectful in every way。 She was 〃a cruelly misunderstood woman；〃 she told Mr。 Martin； complaining to him bitterly of the unjust attacks which were made upon her； and declaring that
