queen victoria-第12部分

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ng　enterprise；'　he　said。　Canada　was　then　entirely　French；　and　the　British　only　came　afterwards。。。　Lord　M。　explained　this　very　clearly　（and　much　better　than　I　have　done）　and　said　a　good　deal　more　about　it。　He　then　read　me　Durham's　despatch；　which　is　a　very　long　one　and　took　him　more　than　1/2　an　hour　to　read。　Lord　M。　read　it　beautifully　with　that　fine　soft　voice　of　his；　and　with　so　much　expression；　so　that　it　is　needless　to　say　I　was　much　interested　by　it。〃　And　then　the　talk　would　take　a　more　personal　turn。　Lord　M。　would　describe　his　boyhood；　and　she　would　learn　that　〃he　wore　his　hair　long；　as　all　boys　then　did；　till　he　was　17；　（how　handsome　he　must　have　looked！）。〃　Or　she　would　find　out　about　his　queer　tastes　and　habitshow　he　never　carried　a　watch；　which　seemed　quite　extraordinary。　〃'I　always　ask　the　servant　what　o'clock　it　is；　and　then　he　tells　me　what　he　likes；'　said　Lord　M。〃　Or；　as　the　rooks　wheeled　about　round　the　trees；　〃in　a　manner　which　indicated　rain；〃　he　would　say　that　he　could　sit　looking　at　them　for　an　hour；　and　〃was　quite　surprised　at　my　disliking　them。　M。　said；　'　The　rooks　are　my　delight。'〃

The　day's　routine；　whether　in　London　or　at　Windsor；　was　almost　invariable。　The　morning　was　devoted　to　business　and　Lord　M。　In　the　afternoon　the　whole　Court　went　out　riding。　The　Queen；　in　her　velvet　ridinghabit　and　a　top…hat　with　a　veil　draped　about　the　brim；　headed　the　cavalcade；　and　Lord　M。　rode　beside　her。　The　lively　troupe　went　fast　and　far；　to　the　extreme　exhilaration　of　Her　Majesty。　Back　in　the　Palace　again；　there　was　still　time　for　a　little　more　fun　before　dinnera　game　of　battledore　and　shuttlecock　perhaps；　or　a　romp　along　the　galleries　with　some　children。　Dinner　came；　and　the　ceremonial　decidedly　tightened。　The　gentleman　of　highest　rank　sat　on　the　right　hand　of　the　Queen；　on　her　leftit　soon　became　an　established　rulesat　Lord　Melbourne。　After　the　ladies　had　left　the　dining…room；　the　gentlemen　were　not　permitted　to　remain　behind　for　very　long；　indeed；　the　short　time　allowed　them　for　their　wine…drinking　formed　the　subjectso　it　was　rumouredof　one　of　the　very　few　disputes　between　the　Queen　and　her　Prime　Minister；＇*＇　but　her　determination　carried　the　day；　and　from　that　moment　after…dinner　drunkenness　began　to　go　out　of　fashion。　When　the　company　was　reassembled　in　the　drawing…room　the　etiquette　was　stiff。　For　a　few　moments　the　Queen　spoke　in　turn　to　each　one　of　her　guests；　and　during　these　short　uneasy　colloquies　the　aridity　of　royalty　was　apt　to　become　painfully　evident。　One　night　Mr。　Greville；　the　Clerk　of　the　Privy　Council；　was　present；　his　turn　soon　came；　the　middle…aged；　hard…faced　viveur　was　addressed　by　his　young　hostess。　〃Have　you　been　riding　to…day；　Mr。　Greville？〃　asked　the　Queen。　〃No；　Madam；　I　have　not；〃　replied　Mr。　Greville。　〃It　was　a　fine　day；〃　continued　the　Queen。　〃Yes；　Madam；　a　very　fine　day；〃　said　Mr。　Greville。　〃It　was　rather　cold；　though；〃　said　the　Queen。　〃It　was　rather　cold；　Madam；〃　said　Mr。　Greville。　〃Your　sister；　Lady　Frances　Egerton；　rides；　I　think；　doesn't　she？〃　said　the　Queen。　〃She　does　ride　sometimes；　Madam；〃　said　Mr。　Greville。　There　was　a　pause；　after　which　Mr。　Greville　ventured　to　take　the　lead；　though　he　did　not　venture　to　change　the　subject。　〃Has　your　Majesty　been　riding　today？〃　asked　Mr。　Greville。　〃Oh　yes；　a　very　long　ride；〃　answered　the　Queen　with　animation。　〃Has　your　Majesty　got　a　nice　horse？〃　said　Mr。　Greville。　〃Oh；　a　very　nice　horse；〃　said　the　Queen。　It　was　over。　Her　Majesty　gave　a　smile　and　an　inclination　of　the　head；　Mr。　Greville　a　profound　bow；　and　the　next　conversation　began　with　the　next　gentleman。　When　all　the　guests　had　been　disposed　of；　the　Duchess　of　Kent　sat　down　to　her　whist；　while　everybody　else　was　ranged　about　the　round　table。　Lord　Melbourne　sat　beside　the　Queen；　and　talked　pertinaciouslyvery　often　a　propos　to　the　contents　of　one　of　the　large　albums　of　engravings　with　which　the　round　table　was　covereduntil　it　was　half…past　eleven　and　time　to　go　to　bed。

＇*＇　The　Duke　of　Bedford　told　Greville　he　was　〃sure　there　was　a　battle　between　her　and　Melbourne。。。　He　is　sure　there　was　one　about　the　men's　sitting　after　dinner；　for　he　heard　her　say　to　him　rather　angrily；　'it　is　a　horrid　custom…'　but　when　the　ladies　left　the　room　（he　dined　there）　directions　were　given　that　the　men　should　remain　five　minutes　longer。〃　Greville　Memoirs；　February　26；　1840　（unpublished）。

Occasionally；　there　were　little　diversions：　the　evening　might　be　spent　at　the　opera　or　at　the　play。　Next　morning　the　royal　critic　was　careful　to　note　down　her　impressions。　〃It　was　Shakespeare's　tragedy　of　Hamlet；　and　we　came　in　at　the　beginning　of　it。　Mr。　Charles　Kean　（son　of　old　Kean）　acted　the　part　of　Hamlet；　and　I　must　say　beautifully。　His　conception　of　this　very　difficult；　and　I　may　almost　say　incomprehensible；　character　is　admirable；　his　delivery　of　all　the　fine　long　speeches　quite　beautiful；　he　is　excessively　graceful　and　all　his　actions　and　attitudes　are　good；　though　not　at　all　good…looking　in　face。。。　I　came　away　just　as　Hamlet　was　over。〃　Later　on；　she　went　to　see　Macready　in　King　Lear。　The　story　was　new　to　her；　she　knew　nothing　about　it；　and　at　first　she　took　very　little　interest　in　what　was　passing　on　the　stage；　she　preferred　to　chatter　and　laugh　with　the　Lord　Chamberlain。　But；　as　the　play　went　on；　her　mood　changed；　her　attention　was　fixed；　and　then　she　laughed　no　more。　Yet　she　was　puzzled；　it　seemed　a　strange；　a　horrible　business。　What　did　Lord　M。　think？　Lord　M。　thought　it　was　a　very　fine　play；　but　to　be　sure；　〃a　rough；　coarse　play；　written　for　those　times；　with　exaggerated　characters。〃　〃I'm　glad　you've　seen　it；〃　he　added。　But；　undoubtedly；　the　evenings　which　she　enjoyed　most　were　those　on　which　there　was　dancing。　She　was　always　ready　enough　to　seize　any　excusethe　arrival　of　cousinsa　birthdaya　gathering　of　young　peopleto　give　the　command　for　that。　Then；　when　the　band　played；　and　the　figures　of　the　dancers　swayed　to　the　music；　and　she　felt　her　own　figure　swaying　too；　with　youthful　spirits　so　close　on　every　sidethen　her　happiness　reached　its　height；　her　eyes　sparkled；　she　must　go　on　and　on　into　the　small　hours　of　the　morning。　For　a　moment　Lord　M。　himself　was　forgotten。

V

The　months　flew　past。　The　summer　was　over：　〃the　pleasantest　summer　I　EVER　passed　in　MY　LIFE；　and　I　shall　never　forget　this　first　summer　of　my　reign。〃　With　surprising　rapidity；　another　summer　was　upon　her。　The　coronation　came　and　wenta　curious　dream。　The　antique；　intricate；　endless　ceremonial　worked　itself　out　as　best　it　could；　like　some　machine　of　gigantic　complexity　which　was　a　little　out　of　order。　The　small　central　figure　went　through　her　gyrations。　She　sat；　she　walked；　she　prayed；　she　carried　about　an　orb　that　was　almost　too　heavy　to　hold；　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury　came　and　crushed　a　ring　upon　the　wrong　finger；　so　that　she　was　ready　to　cry　out　with　the　pain；　old　Lord　Rolle　tripped　up　in　his　mantle　and　fell　down　the　steps　as　he　was　doing　homage；　she　was　taken　into　a　side　chapel；　where　the　altar　was　covered　with　a　table…cloth；　sandwiches；　and　bottles　of　wine；　she　perceived　Lehzen　in　an　upper　box　and　exchanged　a　smile　with　her　as　she　sat；　robed　and　crowned；　on　the　Confessor's　throne。　〃I　shall　ever　remember　this　day　as　the　PROUDEST　of　my　life；〃　she　noted。　But　the　pride　was　soon　merged　once　more　in　youth　and　simplicity。　When　she　returned　to　Buckingham　Palace　at　last　she　was　not　tired；　she　ran　up　to　her　private　rooms；　doffed　her　splendours；　and　gave　her　dog　Dash　its　evening　bath。

Life　flowed　on　again　with　its　accustomed　smoothnessthough；　of　course；　the　smoothness　was　occasionally　disturbed。　For　one　thing；　there　was　the　distressing　behaviour　of　Uncle　Leopold。　The　King　of　the　Belgians　had　not　been　able　to　resist　attempting　to　make　use　of　his　family　position　to　further　his　diplomatic　ends。　But；　indeed；　why　should　there　be　any　question　of　resisting？　Was　not　such　a　course　of　conduct；　far　from　being　a　temptation；　simply　〃selon　les　regles？〃　What　were　royal　marriages　for；　if　they　did　not　enable　sovereigns；　in　spite　of　the　hindrances　of　constitutions；　to　control　foreign　politics？　For　the　highest　purposes；　of　course；　that　was　understood。　The　Queen　of　England　was　his　niecemore　than　thatalmost　his　daughter；　his　confidential　agent　was　living；　in　a　position　of　intimate　favour；　at　her　court。　Surely；　in　such　circumstances；　it　would　be　preposterous；　it　would　be　positively　incorrect；　to　lose　the　opportunity　of　bending　to　his　wishes　by　means　of　personal　influence；　behind　the　backs　of　the　English　Ministers；　the　foreign　policy　of　England。

He　set　about　the　task　with　becoming　precautions。　He　continued　in　his　letters　his　admirable　advice。　Within　a　few　days　of　her　accession；　he　recommended　the　young　Queen　to　lay　emphasis；　on　every　possible　occasion；　upon　her　English　birth；　to　praise　the　English　nation；　〃the　Established　Church　I　also　recommend　strongly；　you　cannot；　without　PLEDGING　yourself　to　anything　PARTICULAR；　SAY　TOO　MUCH　ON　THE　SUBJECT。〃　And　then　〃before　you　decide　on　anything　important　I　should　be　glad　if　you　would　consult　me；　this　would　also　have　the　advantage　of　giving　you　time；〃　nothing　was　more　injurious　than　to　be　hurried　into　wrong　decisions　unawares。　His　niece　replied　at　once　with　all　the　accustomed　warmth　of　her　affection；　but　she　wrote　hurriedlyand；　perhaps；　a　trifle　vaguely　too。　〃YOUR　advice　is　always　of　the　GREATEST　IMPORTANCE　to　me；〃　she　said。

Had　he；　possibly；　gone　too　far？　He　could　not　be　certain；　perhaps　Victoria　HAD　been　hurried。　In　any　case；　he　would　be　careful；　he　would　draw　back〃pour　mieux　sauter〃　he　added　to　himself　with　a　smile。　In　his　next　letters　he　made　no　reference　to　his　suggestion　of　consultations　with　himself；　he　merely　pointed　out　the　wisdom；　in　general；　of　refusing　to　decide　upon　important　questions　off…hand。　So　far；　his　advice　was　taken；　and　it　was　noticed　that　the　Queen；　when　applications　were　made　to　her；　rarely　gave　an　immediate　answer。　Even　with　Lord　Melbourne；　it　was　the　same；　when　he　asked　for　her　opinion　upon　any　subject；　she　would　reply　that　she　would　think　it　over；　and　tell　him　her　conclusions　next　day。

King　Leopold's　counsels　continued。　The　Princess　de　Lieven；　he　said；　was　a　dangerous　woman；　there　was　reason　to　think　that　she　would　make　attempts　to　pry　into　what　did　not　concern　her；　let　Victoria　beware。　〃A　rule　which　I　cannot　suffici