queen victoria-第9节

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anover；　and　she　sprinkled　them　on　her　bread　and　butter；　her　cabbage；　and　even　her　roast　beef。　Lady　Flora　could　not　resist　a　caustic　observation；　it　was　repeated　to　the　Baroness；　who　pursed　her　lips　in　fury；　and　so　the　mischief　grew。

＇*＇　Greville；　IV；　21；　and　August　15；　1839　（unpublished）。　〃The　cause　of　the　Queen's　alienation　from　the　Duchess　and　hatred　of　Conroy；　the　Duke　＇of　Wellington＇　said；　was　unquestionably　owing　to　her　having　witnessed　some　familiarities　between　them。　What　she　had　seen　she　repeated　to　Baroness　Spaeth；　and　Spaeth　not　only　did　not　hold　her　tongue；　but　（he　thinks）　remonstrated　with　the　Duchess　herself　on　the　subject。　The　consequence　was　that　they　got　rid　of　Spaeth；　and　they　would　have　got　rid　of　Lehzen；　too；　if　they　had　been　able；　but　Lehzen；　who　knew　very　well　what　was　going　on；　was　prudent　enough　not　to　commit　herself；　and　who　was；　besides；　powerfully　protected　by　George　IV　and　William　IV；　so　that　they　did　not　dare　to　attempt　to　expel　her。〃

V

The　King　had　prayed　that　he　might　live　till　his　niece　was　of　age；　and　a　few　days　before　her　eighteenth　birthdaythe　date　of　her　legal　majoritya　sudden　attack　of　illness　very　nearly　carried　him　off。　He　recovered；　however；　and　the　Princess　was　able　to　go　through　her　birthday　festivitiesa　state　ball　and　a　drawing…roomwith　unperturbed　enjoyment。　〃Count　Zichy；〃　she　noted　in　her　diary；　〃is　very　good…looking　in　uniform；　but　not　in　plain　clothes。　Count　Waldstein　looks　remarkably　well　in　his　pretty　Hungarian　uniform。〃　With　the　latter　young　gentleman　she　wished　to　dance；　but　there　was　an　insurmountable　difficulty。　〃He　could　not　dance　quadrilles；　and；　as　in　my　station　I　unfortunately　cannot　valse　and　gallop；　I　could　not　dance　with　him。〃　Her　birthday　present　from　the　King　was　of　a　pleasing　nature；　but　it　led　to　a　painful　domestic　scene。　In　spite　of　the　anger　of　her　Belgian　uncle；　she　had　remained　upon　good　terms　with　her　English　one。　He　had　always　been　very　kind　to　her；　and　the　fact　that　he　had　quarrelled　with　her　mother　did　not　appear　to　be　a　reason　for　disliking　him。　He　was；　she　said；　〃odd；　very　odd　and　singular；〃　but　〃his　intentions　were　often　ill　interpreted。〃　He　now　wrote　her　a　letter；　offering　her　an　allowance　of　L10；000　a　year；　which　he　proposed　should　be　at　her　own　disposal；　and　independent　of　her　mother。　Lord　Conyngham；　the　Lord　Chamberlain；　was　instructed　to　deliver　the　letter　into　the　Princess's　own　hands。　When　he　arrived　at　Kensington；　he　was　ushered　into　the　presence　of　the　Duchess　and　the　Princess；　and；　when　he　produced　the　letter；　the　Duchess　put　out　her　hand　to　take　it。　Lord　Conyngham　begged　her　Royal　Highness's　pardon；　and　repeated　the　King's　commands。　Thereupon　the　Duchess　drew　back；　and　the　Princess　took　the　letter。　She　immediately　wrote　to　her　uncle；　accepting　his　kind　proposal。　The　Duchess　was　much　displeased；　L4000　a　year；　she　said；　would　be　quite　enough　for　Victoria；　as　for　the　remaining　L6000；　it　would　be　only　proper　that　she　should　have　that　herself。

King　William　had　thrown　off　his　illness；　and　returned　to　his　normal　life。　Once　more　the　royal　circle　at　Windsortheir　Majesties；　the　elder　Princesses；　and　some　unfortunate　Ambassadress　or　Minister's　wifemight　be　seen　ranged　for　hours　round　a　mahogany　table；　while　the　Queen　netted　a　purse；　and　the　King　slept；　occasionally　waking　from　his　slumbers　to　observe　〃Exactly　so；　ma'am；　exactly　so！〃　But　this　recovery　was　of　short　duration。　The　old　man　suddenly　collapsed；　with　no　specific　symptoms　besides　an　extreme　weakness；　he　yet　showed　no　power　of　rallying；　and　it　was　clear　to　everyone　that　his　death　was　now　close　at　hand。

All　eyes；　all　thoughts；　turned　towards　the　Princess　Victoria；　but　she　still　remained；　shut　away　in　the　seclusion　of　Kensington；　a　small；　unknown　figure；　lost　in　the　large　shadow　of　her　mother's　domination。　The　preceding　year　had　in　fact　been　an　important　one　in　her　development。　The　soft　tendrils　of　her　mind　had　for　the　first　time　begun　to　stretch　out　towards　unchildish　things。　In　this　King　Leopold　encouraged　her。　After　his　return　to　Brussels；　he　had　resumed　his　correspondance　in　a　more　serious　strain；　he　discussed　the　details　of　foreign　politics；　he　laid　down　the　duties　of　kingship；　he　pointed　out　the　iniquitous　foolishness　of　the　newspaper　press。　On　the　latter　subject；　indeed；　he　wrote　with　some　asperity。　〃If　all　the　editors；〃　he　said；　〃of　the　papers　in　the　countries　where　the　liberty　of　the　press　exists　were　to　be　assembled；　we　should　have　a　crew　to　which　you　would　NOT　confide　a　dog　that　you　would　value；　still　less　your　honour　and　reputation。〃　On　the　functions　of　a　monarch；　his　views　were　unexceptionable。　〃The　business　of　the　highest　in　a　State；〃　he　wrote；　〃is　certainly；　in　my　opinion；　to　act　with　great　impartiality　and　a　spirit　of　justice　for　the　good　of　all。〃　At　the　same　time　the　Princess's　tastes　were　opening　out。　Though　she　was　still　passionately　devoted　to　riding　and　dancing；　she　now　began　to　have　a　genuine　love　of　music　as　well；　and　to　drink　in　the　roulades　and　arias　of　the　Italian　opera　with　high　enthusiasm。　She　even　enjoyed　reading　poetryat　any　rate；　the　poetry　of　Sir　Walter　Scott。

When　King　Leopold　learnt　that　King　William's　death　was　approaching；　he　wrote　several　long　letters　of　excellent　advice　to　his　niece。　〃In　every　letter　I　shall　write　to　you；〃　he　said；　〃I　mean　to　repeat　to　you；　as　a　FUNDAMENTAL　RULE；　TO　BE　FIRM；　AND　COURAGEOUS；　AND　HONEST；　AS　YOU　HAVE　BEEN　TILL　NOW。〃　For　the　rest；　in　the　crisis　that　was　approaching；　she　was　not　to　be　alarmed；　but　to　trust　in　her　〃good　natural　sense　and　the　TRUTH〃　of　her　character；　she　was　to　do　nothing　in　a　hurry；　to　hurt　no　one's　amour…propre；　and　to　continue　her　confidence　in　the　Whig　administration！　Not　content　with　letters；　however；　King　Leopold　determined　that　the　Princess　should　not　lack　personal　guidance；　and　sent　over　to　her　aid　the　trusted　friend　whom；　twenty　years　before；　he　had　taken　to　his　heart　by　the　death…bed　at　Claremont。　Thus；　once　again；　as　if　in　accordance　with　some　preordained　destiny；　the　figure　of　Stockmar　is　discernibleinevitably　present　at　a　momentous　hour。

On　June　18；　the　King　was　visibly　sinking。　The　Archbishop　of　Canterbury　was　by　his　side；　with　all　the　comforts　of　the　church。　Nor　did　the　holy　words　fall　upon　a　rebellious　spirit；　for　many　years　his　Majesty　had　been　a　devout　believer。　〃When　I　was　a　young　man；〃　he　once　explained　at　a　public　banquet；　〃as　well　as　I　can　remember；　I　believed　in　nothing　but　pleasure　and　follynothing　at　all。　But　when　I　went　to　sea；　got　into　a　gale；　and　saw　the　wonders　of　the　mighty　deep；　then　I　believed；　and　I　have　been　a　sincere　Christian　ever　since。〃　It　was　the　anniversary　of　the　Battle　of　Waterloo；　and　the　dying　man　remembered　it。　He　should　be　glad　to　live；　he　said；　over　that　day；　he　would　never　see　another　sunset。　〃I　hope　your　Majesty　may　live　to　see　many；〃　said　Dr。　Chambers。　〃Oh！　that's　quite　another　thing；　that's　quite　another　thing；〃　was　the　answer。　One　other　sunset　he　did　live　to　see；　and　he　died　in　the　early　hours　of　the　following　morning。　It　was　on　June　20；　1837。

When　all　was　over；　the　Archbishop　and　the　Lord　Chamberlain　ordered　a　carriage；　and　drove　post…haste　from　Windsor　to　Kensington。　They　arrived　at　the　Palace　at　five　o'clock；　and　it　was　only　with　considerable　difficulty　that　they　gained　admittance。　At　six　the　Duchess　woke　up　her　daughter；　and　told　her　that　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury　and　Lord　Conyngham　were　there；　and　wished　to　see　her。　She　got　out　of　bed；　put　on　her　dressing…gown；　and　went；　alone；　into　the　room　where　the　messengers　were　standing。　Lord　Conyngham　fell　on　his　knees；　and　officially　announced　the　death　of　the　King；　the　Archbishop　added　some　personal　details。　Looking　at　the　bending；　murmuring　dignitaries　before　her；　she　knew　that　she　was　Queen　of　England。　〃Since　it　has　pleased　Providence；〃　she　wrote　that　day　in　her　journal；　〃to　place　me　in　this　station；　I　shall　do　my　utmost　to　fulfil　my　duty　towards　my　country；　I　am　very　young；　and　perhaps　in　many；　though　not　in　all　things；　inexperienced；　but　I　am　sure；　that　very　few　have　more　real　good　will　and　more　real　desire　to　do　what　is　fit　and　right　than　I　have。〃　But　there　was　scant　time　for　resolutions　and　reflections。　At　once；　affairs　were　thick　upon　her。　Stockmar　came　to　breakfast；　and　gave　some　good　advice。　She　wrote　a　letter　to　her　uncle　Leopold；　and　a　hurried　note　to　her　sister　Feodora。　A　letter　came　from　the　Prime　Minister；　Lord　Melbourne；　announcing　his　approaching　arrival。　He　came　at　nine；　in　full　court　dress；　and　kissed　her　hand。　She　saw　him　alone；　and　repeated　to　him　the　lesson　which；　no　doubt；　the　faithful　Stockmar　had　taught　her　at　breakfast。　〃It　has　long　been　my　intention　to　retain　your　Lordship　and　the　rest　of　the　present　Ministry　at　the　head　of　affairs；〃　whereupon　Lord　Melbourne　again　kissed　her　hand　and　shortly　after　left　her。　She　then　wrote　a　letter　of　condolence　to　Queen　Adelaide。　At　eleven；　Lord　Melbourne　came　again；　and　at　half…past　eleven　she　went　downstairs　into　the　red　saloon　to　hold　her　first　Council。　The　great　assembly　of　lords　and　notables；　bishops；　generals；　and　Ministers　of　State；　saw　the　doors　thrown　open　and　a　very　short；　very　slim　girl　in　deep　plain　mourning　come　into　the　room　alone　and　move　forward　to　her　seat　with　extraordinary　dignity　and　grace；　they　saw　a　countenance；　not　beautiful