queen victoria-第17部分

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　duchy；　and　miscellaneous　onlookers。　There　were　also　present；　besides　the　Duke　and　the　Dowager　Duchess；　their　Serene　Highnesses　the　Princes　Alexander　and　Ernest　of　Wurtemberg；　Prince　Leiningen；　Princess　Hohenlohe…Langenburg；　and　Princess　Hohenlohe…Schillingsfurst。　Dr。　Jacobi；　the　Court　chaplain；　presided　at　an　altar；　simply　but　appropriately　decorated；　which　had　been　placed　at　the　end　of　the　hall；　and　the　proceedings　began　by　the　choir　singing　the　first　verse　of　the　hymn；　〃Come；　Holy　Ghost。〃　After　some　introductory　remarks；　Dr。　Jacobi　began　the　examination。　〃The　dignified　and　decorous　bearing　of　the　Princes；〃　we　are　told　in　a　contemporary　account；　〃their　strict　attention　to　the　questions；　the　frankness；　decision；　and　correctness　of　their　answers；　produced　a　deep　impression　on　the　numerous　assembly。　Nothing　was　more　striking　in　their　answers　than　the　evidence　they　gave　of　deep　feeling　and　of　inward　strength　of　conviction。　The　questions　put　by　the　examiner　were　not　such　as　to　be　met　by　a　simple　〃yes〃　or　〃no。〃　They　were　carefully　considered　in　order　to　give　the　audience　a　clear　insight　into　the　views　and　feelings　of；the　young　princes。　One　of　the　most　touching　moments　was　when　the　examiner　asked　the　hereditary　prince　whether　he　intended　steadfastly　to　hold　to　the　Evangelical　Church；　and　the　Prince　answered　not　only　〃Yes！〃　but　added　in　a　clear　and　decided　tone：　〃I　and　my　brother　are　firmly　resolved　ever　to　remain　faithful　to　the　acknowledged　truth。〃　The　examination　having　lasted　an　hour；　Dr。　Jacobi　made　some　concluding　observations；　followed　by　a　short　prayer；　the　second　and　third　verses　of　the　opening　hymn　were　sung；　and　the　ceremony　was　over。　The　Princes；　stepping　down　from　the　altar；　were　embraced　by　the　Duke　and　the　Dowager　Duchess；　after　which　the　loyal　inhabitants　of　Coburg　dispersed；　well　satisfied　with　their　entertainment。

Albert's　mental　development　now　proceeded　apace。　In　his　seventeenth　year　he　began　a　careful　study　of　German　literature　and　German　philosophy。　He　set　about；　he　told　his　tutor；　〃to　follow　the　thoughts　of　the　great　Klopstock　into　their　depthsthough　in　this；　for　the　most　part；〃　he　modestly　added；　〃I　do　not　succeed。〃　He　wrote　an　essay　on　the　〃Mode　of　Thought　of　the　Germans；　and　a　Sketch　of　the　History　of　German　Civilisation；〃　〃making　use；〃　he　said；　〃in　its　general　outlines；　of　the　divisions　which　the　treatment　of　the　subject　itself　demands；〃　and　concluding　with　〃a　retrospect　of　the　shortcomings　of　our　time；　with　an　appeal　to　every　one　to　correct　those　shortcomings　in　his　own　case；　and　thus　set　a　good　example　to　others。〃　Placed　for　some　months　under　the　care　of　King　Leopold　at　Brussels；　he　came　under　the　influence　of　Adolphe　Quetelet；　a　mathematical　professor；　who　was　particularly　interested　in　the　application　of　the　laws　of　probability　to　political　and　moral　phenomena；　this　line　of　inquiry　attracted　the　Prince；　and　the　friendship　thus　begun　continued　till　the　end　of　his　life。　From　Brussels　he　went　to　the　University　of　Bonn；　where　he　was　speedily　distinguished　both　by　his　intellectual　and　his　social　activities；　his　energies　were　absorbed　in　metaphysics；　law；　political　economy；　music；　fencing；　and　amateur　theatricals。　Thirty　years　later　his　fellowstudents　recalled　with　delight　the　fits　of　laughter　into　which　they　had　been　sent　by　Prince　Albert's　mimicry。　The　verve　with　which　his　Serene　Highness　reproduced　the　tones　and　gestures　of　one　of　the　professors　who　used　to　point　to　a　picture　of　a　row　of　houses　in　Venice　with　the　remark；　〃That　is　the　Ponte…Realte；〃　and　of　another　who　fell　down　in　a　race　and　was　obliged　to　look　for　his　spectacles；　was　especially　appreciated。

After　a　year　at　Bonn；　the　time　had　come　for　a　foreign　tour；　and　Baron　Stockmar　arrived　from　England　to　accompany　the　Prince　on　an　expedition　to　Italy。　The　Baron　had　been　already；　two　years　previously；　consulted　by　King　Leopold　as　to　his　views　upon　the　proposed　marriage　of　Albert　and　Victoria。　His　reply　had　been　remarkable。　With　a　characteristic　foresight；　a　characteristic　absence　of　optimism；　a　characteristic　sense　of　the　moral　elements　in　the　situation；　Stockmar　had　pointed　out　what　were；　in　his　opinion；　the　conditions　essential　to　make　the　marriage　a　success。　Albert；　he　wrote；　was　a　fine　young　fellow；　well　grown　for　his　age；　with　agreeable　and　valuable　qualities；　and　it　was　probable　that　in　a　few　years　he　would　turn　out　a　strong　handsome　man；　of　a　kindly；　simple；　yet　dignified　demeanour。〃　Thus；　externally；　he　possesses　all　that　pleases　the　sex；　and　at　all　times　and　in　all　countries　must　please。〃　Supposing；　therefore；　that　Victoria　herself　was　in　favour　of　the　marriage；　the　further　question　arose　as　to　whether　Albert's　mental　qualities　were　such　as　to　fit　him　for　the　position　of　husband　of　the　Queen　of　England。　On　this　point；　continued　the　Baron；　one　heard　much　to　his　credit；　the　Prince　was　said　to　be　discreet　and　intelligent；　but　all　such　judgments　were　necessarily　partial；　and　the　Baron　preferred　to　reserve　his　opinion　until　he　could　come　to　a　trustworthy　conclusion　from　personal　observation。　And　then　he　added：　〃But　all　this　is　not　enough。　The　young　man　ought　to　have　not　merely　great　ability；　but　a　right　ambition；　and　great　force　of　will　as　well。　To　pursue　for　a　lifetime　a　political　career　so　arduous　demands　more　than　energy　and　inclinationit　demands　also　that　earnest　frame　of　mind　which　is　ready　of　its　own　accord　to　sacrifice　mere　pleasure　to　real　usefulness。　If　he　is　not　satisfied　hereafter　with　the　consciousness　of　having　achieved　one　of　the　most　influential　positions　in　Europe；　how　often　will　he　feel　tempted　to　repent　his　adventure！　If　he　does　not　from　the　very　outset　accept　it　as　a　vocation　of　grave　responsibility；　on　the　efficient　performance　of　which　his　honour　and　happiness　depend；　there　is　small　likelihood　of　his　succeeding。〃

Such　were　the　views　of　Stockmar　on　the　qualifications　necessary　for　the　due　fulfilment　of　that　destiny　which　Albert's　family　had　marked　out　for　him；　and　he　hoped；　during　the　tour　in　Italy；　to　come　to　some　conclusion　as　to　how　far　the　prince　possessed　them。　Albert　on　his　side　was　much　impressed　by　the　Baron；　whom　he　had　previously　seen　but　rarely；　he　also　became　acquainted；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　with　a　young　Englishman；　Lieutenant　Francis　Seymour；　who　had　been　engaged　to　accompany　him；　whom　he　found　sehr　liebens…wurdig；　and　with　whom　he　struck　up　a　warm　friendship。　He　delighted　in　the　galleries　and　scenery　of　Florence；　though　with　Rome　he　was　less　impressed。　〃But　for　some　beautiful　palaces；〃　he　said；　〃it　might　just　as　well　be　any　town　in　Germany。〃　In　an　interview　with　Pope　Gregory　XVI；　he　took　the　opportunity　of　displaying　his　erudition。　When　the　Pope　observed　that　the　Greeks　had　taken　their　art　from　the　Etruscans；　Albert　replied　that；　on　the　contrary；　in　his　opinion；　they　had　borrowed　from　the　Egyptians：　his　Holiness　politely　acquiesced。　Wherever　he　went　he　was　eager　to　increase　his　knowledge；　and；　at　a　ball　in　Florence；　he　was　observed　paying　no　attention　whatever　to　the　ladies；　and　deep　in　conversation　with　the　learned　Signor　Capponi。　〃Voila　un　prince　dont　nous　pouvons　etre　fiers；〃　said　the　Grand　Duke　of　Tuscany；　who　was　standing　by：　〃la　belle　danseuse　l'attend；　le　savant　l'occupe。〃

On　his　return　to　Germany；　Stockmar's　observations；　imparted　to　King　Leopold；　were　still　critical。　Albert；　he　said；　was　intelligent；　kind；　and　amiable；　he　was　full　of　the　best　intentions　and　the　noblest　resolutions；　and　his　judgment　was　in　many　things　beyond　his　years。　But　great　exertion　was　repugnant　to　him；　he　seemed　to　be　too　willing　to　spare　himself；　and　his　good　resolutions　too　often　came　to　nothing。　It　was　particularly　unfortunate　that　he　took　not　the　slightest　interest　in　politics；　and　never　read　a　newspaper。　In　his　manners；　too；　there　was　still　room　for　improvement。　〃He　will　always；〃　said　the　Baron；　〃have　more　success　with　men　than　with　women；　in　whose　society　he　shows　too　little　empressement；　and　is　too　indifferent　and　retiring。〃　One　other　feature　of　the　case　was　noted　by　the　keen　eye　of　the　old　physician：　the　Prince's　constitution　was　not　a　strong　one。　Yet；　on　the　whole；　he　was　favourable　to　the　projected　marriage。　But　by　now　the　chief　obstacle　seemed　to　lie　in　another　quarter；　Victoria　was　apparently　determined　to　commit　herself　to　nothing。　And　so　it　happened　that　when　Albert　went　to　England　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　withdraw　entirely　from　the　affair。　Nothing　would　induce　him；　he　confessed　to　a　friend；　to　be　kept　vaguely　waiting；　he　would　break　it　all　off　at　once。　His　reception　at　Windsor　threw　an　entirely　new　light　upon　the　situation。　The　wheel　of　fortune　turned　with　a　sudden　rapidity；　and　he　found；　in　the　arms　of　Victoria；　the　irrevocable　assurance　of　his　overwhelming　fate。

II

He　was　not　in　love　with　her。　Affection；　gratitude；　the　natural　reactions　to　the　unqualified　devotion　of　a　lively　young　cousin　who　was　also　a　queensuch　feelings　possessed　him；　but　the　ardours　of　reciprocal　passion　were　not　his。　Though　he　found　that　he　liked　Victoria　very　much；　what　immediately　interested　him　in　his　curious　position　was　less　her　than　himself。　Dazzled　and　delighted；　riding；　dancing；　singing；　laughing；　amid　the　splendours　of　Windsor；　he　was　aware　of　a　new　sensationthe　stirrings　of　ambition　in　his　breast。　His　place　would　indeed　be　a　high；　an　enviable　one！　And　then；　on　the　instant；　came　another　thought。　The　teaching　of　religion；　the　admonitions　of　Stockmar；　his　own　inmost　convictions；　all　spoke　with　the　same　utterance。　He　would　not　be　there　to　please　himself；　but　for　a　very　different　purposeto　do　good。　He　must　be　〃noble；　manly；　and　princely　in　all　things；〃　he　would　have　〃to　live　and　to　sacrifice　himself　for　the　benefit　of　his　new　country；〃　to　〃use　his　powers　and　endeavours　for　a　great　objectthat　of　promoting　the　welfare　of　multitudes　of　his　fellowmen。〃　One　serious　thought　led　on　to　another。　The　wealth　and　the　bustle　of　the　English　Court　might　be　delightful　for　the　moment；　but；　after　all；　it　was　Coburg　that　had　his　heart。　〃While　I　shall　be　untiring；〃　he　wrote　to　his　grandmother；　〃in　my　efforts　and　labours　for　the　country　to　which　I　shall　in　future　belong；　and　where　I　am　called　to　so　high　a　position；　I　shall　never　cease　ein　treuer　Deutscher；　Coburger；　Gothaner　zu　sein。〃　And　now　he　must　part　from　Coburg　for　ever！　Sobered　and　sad；　he