queen victoria-第23部分

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。　Even　the　irregularities　among　the　footmen；　etc。；　were　greatly　diminished。　There　were　outcries　and　complaints；　the　Prince　was　accused　of　meddling；　of　injustice；　and　of　saving　candle…ends；　but　he　held　on　his　course；　and　before　long　the　admirable　administration　of　the　royal　household　was　recognised　as　a　convincing　proof　of　his　perseverance　and　capacity。

At　the　same　time　his　activity　was　increasing　enormously　in　a　more　important　sphere。　He　had　become　the　Queen's　Private　Secretary；　her　confidential　adviser；　her　second　self。　He　was　now　always　present　at　her　interviews　with　Ministers。　He　took；　like　the　Queen；　a　special　interest　in　foreign　policy；　but　there　was　no　public　question　in　which　his　influence　was　not　felt。　A　double　process　was　at　work；　while　Victoria　fell　more　and　more　absolutely　under　his　intellectual　predominance；　he；　simultaneously；　grew　more　and　more　completely　absorbed　by　the　machinery　of　high　politicsthe　incessant　and　multifarious　business　of　a　great　State。　Nobody　any　more　could　call　him　a　dilettante；　he　was　a　worker；　a　public　personage；　a　man　of　affairs。　Stockmar　noted　the　change　with　exultation。　〃The　Prince；〃　he　wrote；　〃has　improved　very　much　lately。　He　has　evidently　a　head　for　politics。　He　has　become；　too；　far　more　independent。　His　mental　activity　is　constantly　on　the　increase；　and　he　gives　the　greater　part　of　his　time　to　business；　without　complaining。〃

〃The　relations　between　husband　and　wife；〃　added　the　Baron；　〃are　all　one　could　desire。〃

Long　before　Peel's　ministry　came　to　an　end；　there　had　been　a　complete　change　in　Victoria's　attitude　towards　him。　His　appreciation　of　the　Prince　had　softened　her　heart；　the　sincerity　and　warmth　of　his　nature；　which；　in　private　intercourse　with　those　whom　he　wished　to　please；　had　the　power　of　gradually　dissipating　the　awkwardness　of　his　manners；　did　the　rest。　She　came　in　time　to　regard　him　with　intense　feelings　of　respect　and　attachment。　She　spoke　of　〃our　worthy　Peel；〃　for　whom；　she　said；　she　had　〃an　EXTREME　admiration〃　and　who　had　shown　himself　〃a　man　of　unbounded　LOYALTY；　COURAGE　patriotism；　and　HIGH…MINDEDNESS；　and　his　conduct　towards　me　has　been　CHIVALROUS　almost；　I　might　say。〃　She　dreaded　his　removal　from　office　almost　as　frantically　as　she　had　once　dreaded　that　of　Lord　M。　It　would　be；　she　declared；　a　GREAT　CALAMITY。　Six　years　before；　what　would　she　have　said；　if　a　prophet　had　told　her　that　the　day　would　come　when　she　would　be　horrified　by　the　triumph　of　the　Whigs？　Yet　there　was　no　escaping　it；　she　had　to　face　the　return　of　her　old　friends。　In　the　ministerial　crises　of　1845　and　1846；　the　Prince　played　a　dominating　part。　Everybody　recognised　that　he　was　the　real　centre　of　the　negotiationsthe　actual　controller　of　the　forces　and　the　functions　of　the　Crown。　The　process　by　which　this　result　was　reached　had　been　so　gradual　as　to　be　almost　imperceptible；　but　it　may　be　said　with　certainty　that；　by　the　close　of　Peel's　administration；　Albert　had　become；　in　effect；　the　King　of　England。



VI

With　the　final　emergence　of　the　Prince　came　the　final　extinction　of　Lord　Melbourne。　A　year　after　his　loss　of　office；　he　had　been　struck　down　by　a　paralytic　seizure；　he　had　apparently　recovered；　but　his　old　elasticity　had　gone　for　ever。　Moody；　restless；　and　unhappy；　he　wandered　like　a　ghost　about　the　town；　bursting　into　soliloquies　in　public　places；　or　asking　odd　questions；　suddenly；　a　propos　de　bottes。　〃I'll　be　hanged　if　I　do　it　for　you；　my　Lord；〃　he　was　heard　to　say　in　the　hall　at　Brooks's；　standing　by　himself；　and　addressing　the　air　after　much　thought。　〃Don't　you　consider；〃　he　abruptly　asked　a　fellow…guest　at　Lady　Holland's；　leaning　across　the　dinner…table　in　a　pause　of　the　conversation；　〃that　it　was　a　most　damnable　act　of　Henri　Quatre　to　change　his　religion　with　a　view　to　securing　the　Crown？〃　He　sat　at　home；　brooding　for　hours　in　miserable　solitude。　He　turned　over　his　bookshis　classics　and　his　Testamentsbut　they　brought　him　no　comfort　at　all。　He　longed　for　the　return　of　the　past；　for　the　impossible；　for　he　knew　not　what；　for　the　devilries　of　Caro；　for　the　happy　platitudes　of　Windsor。　His　friends　had　left　him；　and　no　wonder；　he　said　in　bitternessthe　fire　was　out。　He　secretly　hoped　for　a　return　to　power；　scanning　the　newspapers　with　solicitude；　and　occasionally　making　a　speech　in　the　House　of　Lords。　His　correspondence　with　the　Queen　continued；　and　he　appeared　from　time　to　time　at　Court；　but　he　was　a　mere　simulacrum　of　his　former　self；　〃the　dream；〃　wrote　Victoria；　〃is　past。〃　As　for　his　political　views；　they　could　no　longer　be　tolerated。　The　Prince　was　an　ardent　Free　Trader；　and　so；　of　course；　was　the　Queen；　and　when；　dining　at　Windsor　at　the　time　of　the　repeal　of　the　Corn　Laws；　Lord　Melbourne　suddenly　exclaimed；　〃Ma'am；　it's　a　damned　dishonest　act！〃　everyone　was　extremely　embarrassed。　Her　Majesty　laughed　and　tried　to　change　the　conversation；　but　without　avail；　Lord　Melbourne　returned　to　the　charge　again　and　again　with〃I　say；　Ma'am；　it's　damned　dishonest！〃until　the　Queen　said　〃Lord　Melbourne；　I　must　beg　you　not　to　say　anything　more　on　this　subject　now；〃　and　then　he　held　his　tongue。　She　was　kind　to　him；　writing　him　long　letters；　and　always　remembering　his　birthday；　but　it　was　kindness　at　a　distance；　and　he　knew　it。　He　had　become　〃poor　Lord　Melbourne。〃　A　profound　disquietude　devoured　him。　He　tried　to　fix　his　mind　on　the　condition　of　Agriculture　and　the　Oxford　Movement。　He　wrote　long　memoranda　in　utterly　undecipherable　handwriting。　He　was　convinced　that　he　had　lost　all　his　money；　and　could　not　possibly　afford　to　be　a　Knight　of　the　Garter。　He　had　run　through　everything；　and　yetif　Peel　went　out；　he　might　be　sent　forwhy　not？　He　was　never　sent　for。　The　Whigs　ignored　him　in　their　consultations；　and　the　leadership　of　the　party　passed　to　Lord　John　Russell。　When　Lord　John　became　Prime　Minister；　there　was　much　politeness；　but　Lord　Melbourne　was　not　asked　to　join　the　Cabinet。　He　bore　the　blow　with　perfect　amenity；　but　he　understood；　at　last；　that　that　was　the　end。

For　two　years　more　he　lingered；　sinking　slowly　into　unconsciousness　and　imbecility。　Sometimes；　propped　up　in　his　chair；　he　would　be　heard　to　murmur；　with　unexpected　appositeness；　the　words　of　Samson：

　　　〃So　much　I　feel　my　general　spirit　droop；　　　　　My　hopes　all　flat；　nature　within　me　seems；　　　　　In　all　her　functions　weary　of　herself；　　　　　My　race　of　glory　run；　and　race　of　shame；　　　　　And　I　shall　shortly　be　with　them　that　rest。〃

A　few　days　before　his　death；　Victoria；　learning　that　there　was　no　hope　of　his　recovery；　turned　her　mind　for　a　little　towards　that　which　had　once　been　Lord　M。　〃You　will　grieve　to　hear；〃　she　told　King　Leopold；　〃that　our　good；　dear；　old　friend　Melbourne　is　dying。。。　One　cannot　forget　how　good　and　kind　and　amiable　he　was；　and　it　brings　back　so　many　recollections　to　my　mind；　though；　God　knows！　I　never　wish　that　time　back　again。〃

She　was　in　little　danger。　The　tide　of　circumstance　was　flowing　now　with　irresistible　fullness　towards　a　very　different　consummation。　The　seriousness　of　Albert；　the　claims　of　her　children；　her　own　inmost　inclinations；　and　the　movement　of　the　whole　surrounding　world；　combined　to　urge　her　forward　along　the　narrow　way　of　public　and　domestic　duty。　Her　family　steadily　increased。　Within　eighteen　months　of　the　birth　of　the　Prince　of　Wales　the　Princess　Alice　appeared；　and　a　year　later　the　Prince　Alfred；　and　then　the　Princess　Helena；　and；　two　years　afterwards；　the　Princess　Louise；　and　still　there　were　signs　that　the　pretty　row　of　royal　infants　was　not　complete。　The　parents；　more　and　more　involved　in　family　cares　and　family　happiness；　found　the　pomp　of　Windsor　galling；　and　longed　for　some　more　intimate　and　remote　retreat。　On　the　advice　of　Peel　they　purchased　the　estate　of　Osborne；　in　the　Isle　of　Wight。　Their　skill　and　economy　in　financial　matters　had　enabled　them　to　lay　aside　a　substantial　sum　of　money；　and　they　could　afford；　out　of　their　savings；　not　merely　to　buy　the　property　but　to　build　a　new　house　for　themselves　and　to　furnish　it　at　a　cost　of　L200；000。　At　Osborne；　by　the　sea…shore；　and　among　the　woods；　which　Albert；　with　memories　of　Rosenau　in　his　mind；　had　so　carefully　planted；　the　royal　family　spent　every　hour　that　could　be　snatched　from　Windsor　and　Londondelightful　hours　of　deep　retirement　and　peaceful　work。　The　public　looked　on　with　approval。　A　few　aristocrats　might　sniff　or　titter；　but　with　the　nation　at　large　the　Queen　was　now　once　more　extremely　popular。　The　middle…classes；　in　particular；　were　pleased。　They　liked　a　love…match；　they　liked　a　household　which　combined　the　advantages　of　royalty　and　virtue；　and　in　which　they　seemed　to　see；　reflected　as　in　some　resplendent　looking…glass；　the　ideal　image　of　the　very　lives　they　led　themselves。　Their　own　existences；　less　exalted；　but　oh！　so　soothingly　similar；　acquired　an　added　excellence；　an　added　succulence；　from　the　early　hours；　the　regularity；　the　plain　tuckers；　the　round　games；　the　roast　beef　and　Yorkshire　pudding　oft　Osborne。　It　was　indeed　a　model　Court。　Not　only　were　its　central　personages　the　patterns　of　propriety；　but　no　breath　of　scandal；　no　shadow　of　indecorum；　might　approach　its　utmost　boundaries。　For　Victoria；　with　all　the　zeal　of　a　convert；　upheld　now　the　standard　of　moral　purity　with　an　inflexibility　surpassing；　if　that　were　possible；　Albert's　own。　She　blushed　to　think　how　she　had　once　believedhow　she　had　once　actually　told　HIMthat　one　might　be　too　strict　and　particular　in　such　matters；　and　that　one　ought　to　be　indulgent　towards　other　people's　dreadful　sins。　But　she　was　no　longer　Lord　M's　pupil：　she　was　Albert's　wife。　She　was　morethe　embodiment；　the　living　apex　of　a　new　era　in　the　generations　of　mankind。　The　last　vestige　of　the　eighteenth　century　had　disappeared；　cynicism　and　subtlety　were　shrivelled　into　powder；　and　duty；　industry；　morality；　and　domesticity　triumphed　over　them。　Even　the　very　chairs　and　tables　had　assumed；　with　a　singular　responsiveness；　the　forms　of　prim　solidity。　The　Victorian　Age　was　in　full　swing。

VII

Only　one　thing　more　was　needed：　material　expression　must　be　given　to　the　new　ideals　and　the　new　forces　so　that　they　might　stand　revealed；　in　visible　glory；　before　the　eyes　of　an　astonished　world。　It　was　for　Albert　to　supply　this　want。　He　mused；　and　was　inspired：　the　Great　Exhibition　came　into　his　head。

Without　consulting