queen victoria-第50节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Eventually； the 〃simple mountaineer〃 became almost a state personage。 The influence which he wielded was not to be overlooked。 Lord Beaconsfield was careful； from time to time； to send courteous messages to 〃Mr。 Brown〃 in his letters to the Queen； and the French Government took particular pains to provide for his comfort during the visits of the English Sovereign to France。 It was only natural that among the elder members of the royal family he should not have been popular； and that his failingsfor failings he had； though Victoria would never notice his too acute appreciation of Scotch whiskyshould have been the subject of acrimonious comment at Court。 But he served his mistress faithfully； and to ignore him would be a sign of disrespect to her biographer。 For the Queen； far from making a secret of her affectionate friendship； took care to publish it to the world。 By her orders two gold medals were struck in his honour； on his death； in 1883； a long and eulogistic obituary notice of him appeared in the Court Circular； and a Brown memorial broochof gold； with the late gillie's head on one side and the royal monogram on the otherwas designed by Her Majesty for presentation to her Highland servants and cottagers； to be worn by them on the anniversary of his death； with a mourning scarf and pins。 In the second series of extracts from the Queen's Highland Journal； published in 1884； her 〃devoted personal attendant and faithful friend〃 appears upon almost every page； and is in effect the hero of the book。 With an absence of reticence remarkable in royal persons； Victoria seemed to demand； in this private and delicate matter； the sympathy of the whole nation； and yetsuch is the worldthere were those who actually treated the relations between their Sovereign and her servant as a theme for ribald jests。
II
The busy years hastened away； the traces of Time's unimaginable touch grew manifest； and old age； approaching； laid a gentle hold upon Victoria。 The grey hair whitened； the mature features mellowed； the short firm figure amplified and moved more slowly； supported by a stick。 And； simultaneously； in the whole tenour of the Queen's existence an extraordinary transformation came to pass。 The nation's attitude towards her； critical and even hostile as it had been for so many years； altogether changed； while there was a corresponding alteration in the temper ofVictoria's own mind。
Many causes led to this result。 Among them were the repeated strokes of personal misfortune which befell the Queen during a cruelly short space of years。 In 1878 the Princess Alice； who had married in 1862 the Prince Louis of HesseDarmstadt； died in tragic circumstances。 In the following year the Prince Imperial； the only son of the Empress Eugenie； to whom Victoria； since the catastrophe of 1870； had become devotedly attached； was killed in the Zulu War。 Two years later； in 1881； the Queen lost Lord Beaconsfield； and； in 1883； John Brown。 In 1884 the Prince Leopold； Duke of Albany； who had been an invalid from birth； died prematurely； shortly after his marriage。 Victoria's cup of sorrows was indeed overflowing； and the public； as it watched the widowed mother weeping for her children and her friends； displayed a constantly increasing sympathy。
An event which occurred in 1882 revealed and accentuated the feelings of the nation。 As the Queen； at Windsor； was walking from the train to her carriage； a youth named Roderick Maclean fired a pistol at her from a distance of a few yards。 An Eton boy struck up Maclean's arm with an umbrella before the pistol went off； no damage was done； and the culprit was at once arrested。 This was the last of a series of seven attempts upon the Queenattempts which； taking place at sporadic intervals over a period of forty years； resembled one another in a curious manner。 All； with a single exception； were perpetrated by adolescents； whose motives were apparently not murderous； since； save in the case of Maclean； none of their pistols was loaded。 These unhappy youths； who； after buying their cheap weapons； stuffed them with gunpowder and paper； and then went off； with the certainty of immediate detection； to click them in the face of royalty； present a strange problem to the psychologist。 But； though in each case their actions and their purposes seemed to be so similar； their fates were remarkably varied。 The first of them； Edward Oxford； who fired at Victoria within a few months of her marriage； was tried for high treason； declared to be insane； and sent to an asylum for life。 It appears； however； that this sentence did not commend itself to Albert； for when； two years later； John Francis committed the same of fence； and was tried upon the same charge； the Prince propounced that there was no insanity in the matter。 〃The wretched creature；〃 he told his father； was 〃not out of his mind； but a thorough scamp。〃 〃I hope；〃 he added； 〃his trial will be conducted with the greatest strictness。〃 Apparently it was； at any rate； the jury shared the view of the Prince； the plea of insanity was； set aside； and Francis was found guilty of high treason and condemned to death； but； as there was no proof of an intent to kill or even to wound； this sentence； after a lengthened deliberation between the Home Secretary and the Judges； was commuted for one of transportation for life。 As the law stood； these assaults； futile as they were； could only be treated as high treason； the discrepancy between the actual deed and the tremendous penalties involved was obviously grotesque； and it was； besides； clear that a jury； knowing that a verdict of guilty implied a sentence of death； would tend to the alternative course； and find the prisoner not guilty but insanea conclusion which； on the face of it； would have appeared to be the more reasonable。 In 1842； therefore； an Act was passed making any attempt to hurt the Queen a misdemeanor； punishable by transportation for seven years； or imprisonment； with or without hard labour； for a term not exceeding three yearsthe misdemeanant； at the discretion of the Court； 〃to be publicly or privately whipped； as often； and in such manner and form； as the Court shall direct； not exceeding thrice。〃 The four subsequent attempts were all dealt with under this new law； William Bean； in 1842； was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment； William Hamilton； in 1849； was transported for seven years； and； in 1850； the same sentence was passed upon Lieutenant Robert Pate； who struck the Queen on the head with his cane in Piccadilly。 Pate； alone among these delinquents； was of mature years； he had held a commission in the Army； dressed himself as a dandy； and was； the Prince declared； 〃manifestly deranged。〃 In 1872 Arthur O'Connor； a youth of seventeen； fired an unloaded pistol at the Queen outside Buckingham Palace； he was immediately seized by John Brown； and sentenced to one year's imprisonment and twenty strokes of the birch rod。 It was for his bravery upon this occasion that Brown was presented with one of his gold medals。 In all these cases the jury had refused to allow the plea of insanity； but Roderick Maclean's attempt in 1882 had a different issue。 On this occasion the pistol was found to have been loaded； and the public indignation； emphasised as it was by Victoria's growing popularity； was particularly great。 Either for this or for some other reason the procedure of the last forty years was abandoned； and Maclean was tried for high treason。 The result was what might have been expected： the jury brought in a verdict of 〃not guilty； but insane〃； and the prisoner was sent to an asylum during Her Majesty's pleasure。 Their verdict； however； produced a remarkable consequence。 Victoria； who doubtless carried in her mind some memory of Albert's disapproval of a similar verdict in the case of Oxford； was very much annoyed。 What did the jury mean； she asked； by saying that Maclean was not guilty？ It was perfectly clear that he was guiltyshe had seen him fire off the pistol herself。 It was in vain that Her Majesty's constitutional advisers reminded her of the principle of English law which lays down that no man can be found guilty of a crime unless he be proved to have had a criminal intention。 Victoria was quite unconvinced。 〃If that is the law；〃 she said； 〃the law must be altered：〃 and altered it was。 In 1883 an Act was passed changing the form of the verdict in cases of insanity； and the confusing anomaly remains upon the Statute Book to this day。
But it was not only through the feelingscommiserating or indignantof personal sympathy that the Queen and her people were being drawn more nearly together； they were beginning； at last； to come to a close and permanent agreement upon the conduct of public affairs。 Mr。 Gladstone's second administration （1880…85） was a succession of failures； ending in disaster and disgrace； liberalism fell into discredit with the country； and Victoria perceived with joy that her distrust of her Ministers was shared by an ever…increasing number of her subjects。 During the crisis in the Sudan； the popular temper was her own。 She had been among the first to urge the necessity of an expedition to Khartoum； and； when the news came of the catastrophic death of General Gordon； her voice led the chorus of den
