queen victoria-第51节
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ath of General Gordon； her voice led the chorus of denunciation which raved against the Government。 In her rage； she despatched a fulminating telegram to Mr。 Gladstone； not in the usual cypher； but open； and her letter of condolence to Miss Gordon； in which she attacked her Ministers for breach of faith； was widely published。 It was rumoured that she had sent for Lord Hartington； the Secretary of State for War； and vehemently upbraided him。 〃She rated me；〃 he was reported to have told a friend； 〃as if I'd been a footman。〃 〃Why didn't she send for the butler？〃 asked his friend。 〃Oh；〃 was the reply； 〃the butler generally manages to keep out of the way on such occasions。〃
But the day came when it was impossible to keep out of the way any longer。 Mr。 Gladstone was defeated； and resigned。 Victoria； at a final interview； received him with her usual amenity； but； besides the formalities demanded by the occasion； the only remark which she made to him of a personal nature was to the effect that she supposed Mr。 Gladstone would now require some rest。 He remembered with regret how； at a similar audience in 1874； she had expressed her trust in him as a supporter of the throne； but he noted the change without surprise。 〃Her mind and opinions；〃 he wrote in his diary afterwards； 〃have since that day been seriously warped。〃
Such was Mr。 Gladstone's view；； but the majority of the nation by no means agreed with him； and； in the General Election of 1886； they showed decisively that Victoria's politics were identical with theirs by casting forth the contrivers of Home Rulethat abomination of desolationinto outer darkness； and placing Lord Salisbury in power。 Victoria's satisfaction was profound。 A flood of new unwonted hopefulness swept over her； stimulating her vital spirits with a surprising force。 Her habit of life was suddenly altered； abandoning the long seclusion which Disraeli's persuasions had only momentarily interrupted； she threw herself vigorously into a multitude of public activities。 She appeared at drawing…rooms； at concerts； at reviews； she laid foundation…stones； she went to Liverpool to open an international exhibition； driving through the streets in her open carriage in heavy rain amid vast applauding crowds。 Delighted by the welcome which met her everywhere； she warmed to her work。 She visited Edinburgh； where the ovation of Liverpool was repeated and surpassed。 In London； she opened in high state the Colonial and Indian Exhibition at South Kensington。 On this occasion the ceremonial was particularly magnificent； a blare of trumpets announced the approach of Her Majesty； the 〃Natiohal Anthem〃 followed； and the Queen； seated on a gorgeous throne of hammered gold； replied with her own lips to the address that was presented to her。 Then she rose； and； advancing upon the platform with regal port； acknowledged the acclamations of the great assembly by a succession of curtseys； of elaborate and commanding grace。
Next year was the fiftieth of her reign； and in June the splendid anniversary was celebrated in solemn pomp。 Victoria； surrounded by the highest dignitaries of her realm； escorted by a glittering galaxy of kings and princes； drove through the crowded enthusiasm of the capital to render thanks to God in Westminster Abbey。 In that triumphant hour the last remaining traces of past antipathies and past disagreements were altogether swept away。 The Queen was hailed at once as the mother of her people and as the embodied symbol of their imperial greatness； and she responded to the double sentiment with all the ardour of her spirit。 England and the people of England； she knew it； she felt it； were； in some wonderful and yet quite simple manner； hers。 Exultation； affection； gratitude； a profound sense of obligation； an unbounded pridesuch were her emotions； and； colouring and intensifying the rest； there was something else。 At last； after so long； happinessfragmentary； perhaps； and charged with gravity； but true and unmistakable none the lesshad returned to her。 The unaccustomed feeling filled and warmed her consciousness。 When； at Buckingham Palace again； the long ceremony over； she was asked how she was； 〃I am very tired； but very happy；〃 she said。
III
And so； after the toils and tempests of the day； a long evening followedmild； serene； and lighted with a golden glory。 For an unexampled atmosphere of success and adoration invested the last period of Victoria's life。 Her triumph was the summary； the crown； of a greater triumphthe culminating prosperity of a nation。 The solid splendour of the decade between Victoria's two jubilees can hardly be paralleled in the annals of England。 The sage counsels of Lord Salisbury seemed to bring with them not only wealth and power； but security； and the country settled down； with calm assurance； to the enjoyment of an established grandeur。 Andit was only naturalVictoria settled down too。 For she was a part of the establishmentan essential part as it seemeda fixturea magnificent； immovable sideboard in the huge saloon of state。 Without her the heaped…up banquet of 1890 would have lost its distinctive qualitythe comfortable order of the substantial unambiguous dishes； with their background of weighty glamour； half out of sight。
Her own existence came to harmonise more and more with what was around her。 Gradually； imperceptibly； Albert receded。 It was not that he was forgottenthat would have been impossiblebut that the void created by his absence grew less agonising； and even； at last； less obvious。 At last Victoria found it possible to regret the bad weather without immediately reflecting that her 〃dear Albert always said we could not alter it； but must leave it as it was；〃 she could even enjoy a good breakfast without considering how 〃dear Albert〃 would have liked the buttered eggs。 And； as that figure slowly faded； its place was taken； inevitably； by Victoria's own。 Her being； revolving for so many years round an external object； now changed its motion and found its centre in itself。 It had to be so： her domestic position； the pressure of her public work； her indomitable sense of duty； made anything else impossible。 Her egotism proclaimed its rights。 Her age increased still further the surrounding deference； and her force of character； emerging at length in all its plenitude； imposed absolutely upon its environment by the conscious effort of an imperious will。
Little by little it was noticed that the outward vestiges of Albert's posthumous domination grew less complete。 At Court the stringency of mourning was relaxed。 As the Queen drove through the Park in her open carriage with her Highlanders behind her； nursery…maids canvassed eagerly the growing patch of violet velvet in the bonnet with its jet appurtenances on the small bowing head。
It was in her family that Victoria's ascendancy reached its highest point。 All her offspring were married； the number of her descendants rapidly increased； there were many marriages in the third generation； and no fewer than thirty…seven of her great…grandchildren were living at the time of her death。 A picture of the period displays the royal family collected together in one of the great rooms at Windsora crowded company of more than fifty persons； with the imperial matriarch in their midst。 Over them all she ruled with a most potent sway。 The small concerns of the youngest aroused her passionate interest； and the oldest she treated as if they were children still。 The Prince of Wales； in particular； stood in tremendous awe of his mother。 She had steadily refused to allow him the slightest participation in the business of government； and he had occupied himself in other ways。 Nor could it be denied that he enjoyed himselfout of her sight； but； in that redoubtable presence； his abounding manhood suffered a miserable eclipse。 Once； at Osborne； when； owing to no fault of his； he was too late for a dinner party； he was observed standing behind a pillar and wiping the sweat from his forehead； trying to nerve himself to go up to the Queen。 When at last he did so； she gave him a stiff nod； whereupon he vanished immediately behind another pillar； and remained there until the party broke up。 At the time of this incident the Prince of Wales was over fifty years of age。
It was inevitable that the Queen's domestic activities should occasionally trench upon the domain of high diplomacy； and this was especially the case when the interests of her eldest daughter； the Crown Princess of Prussia； were at stake。 The Crown Prince held liberal opinions； he was much influenced by his wife； and both were detested by Bismarck； who declared with scurrilous emphasis that the Englishwoman and her mother were a menace to the Prussian State。 The feud was still further intensified when； on the death of the old Emperor （1888）； the Crown Prince succeeded to the throne。 A family entanglement brought on a violent crisis。 One of the daughters of the new Empress had become betrothed to Prince Alexander of Battenberg； who had lately been ejected from the throne of Bulgaria owing to the hostility of the Tsar。 Victoria； as well as the Empress； highly approved of the match。 Of the two brothers of Prince Alexander； the elder had married another of her grand…daughters； and the younger was
