queen victoria-第26部分

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　diplomacy；　a　question　of　dominating　importance　in　the　foreign　policies　both　of　France　and　England。　For　several　years；　Louis　Philippe　and　his　Prime　Minister　Guizot　had　been　privately　maturing　a　very　subtle　plan。　It　was　the　object　of　the　French　King　to　repeat　the　glorious　coup　of　Louis　XIV；　and　to　abolish　the　Pyrenees　by　placing　one　of　his　grandsons　on　the　throne　of　Spain。　In　order　to　bring　this　about；　he　did　not　venture　to　suggest　that　his　younger　son；　the　Duc　de　Montpensier；　should　marry　Isabella；　that　would　have　been　too　obvious　a　move；　which　would　have　raised　immediate　and　insurmountable　opposition。　He　therefore　proposed　that　Isabella　should　marry　her　cousin；　the　Duke　of　Cadiz；　while　Montpensier　married　Isabella's　younger　sister；　the　Infanta　Fernanda；　and　pray；　what　possible　objection　could　there　be　to　that？　The　wily　old　King　whispered　into　the　chaste　ears　of　Guizot　the　key　to　the　secret；　he　had　good　reason　to　believe　that　the　Duke　of　Cadiz　was　incapable　of　having　children；　and　therefore　the　offspring　of　Fernanda　would　inherit　the　Spanish　crown。　Guizot　rubbed　his　hands；　and　began　at　once　to　set　the　necessary　springs　in　motion；　but；　of　course；　the　whole　scheme　was　very　soon　divulged　and　understood。　The　English　Government　took　an　extremely　serious　view　of　the　matter；　the　balance　of　power　was　clearly　at　stake；　and　the　French　intrigue　must　be　frustrated　at　all　hazards。　A　diplomatic　struggle　of　great　intensity　followed；　and　it　occasionally　appeared　that　a　second　War　of　the　Spanish　Succession　was　about　to　break　out。　This　was　avoided；　but　the　consequences　of　this　strange　imbroglio　were　far…reaching　and　completely　different　from　what　any　of　the　parties　concerned　could　have　guessed。

In　the　course　of　the　long　and　intricate　negotiations　there　was　one　point　upon　which　Louis　Philippe　laid　a　special　stressthe　candidature　of　Prince　Leopold　of　Saxe…Coburg。　The　prospect　of　a　marriage　between　a　Coburg　Prince　and　the　Queen　of　Spain　was；　he　declared；　at　least　as　threatening　to　the　balance　of　power　in　Europe　as　that　of　a　marriage　between　the　Duc　de　Montpensier　and　the　Infanta；　and；　indeed；　there　was　much　to　be　said　for　this　contention。　The　ruin　which　had　fallen　upon　the　House　of　Coburg　during　the　Napoleonic　wars　had　apparently　only　served　to　multiply　its　vitality；　for　that　princely　family　had　by　now　extended　itself　over　Europe　in　an　extraordinary　manner。　King　Leopold　was　firmly　fixed　in　Belgium；　his　niece　was　Queen　of　England；　one　of　his　nephews　was　the　husband　of　the　Queen　of　England；　and　another　the　husband　of　the　Queen　of　Portugal；　yet　another　was　Duke　of　Wurtemberg。　Where　was　this　to　end？　There　seemed　to　be　a　Coburg　Trust　ready　to　send　out　one　of　its　members　at　any　moment　to　fill　up　any　vacant　place　among　the　ruling　families　of　Europe。　And　even　beyond　Europe　there　were　signs　of　this　infection　spreading。　An　American　who　had　arrived　in　Brussels　had　assured　King　Leopold　that　there　was　a　strong　feeling　in　the　United　States　in　favour　of　monarchy　instead　of　the　misrule　of　mobs；　and　had　suggested；　to　the　delight　of　His　Majesty；　that　some　branch　of　the　Coburg　family　might　be　available　for　the　position。　That　danger　might；　perhaps；　be　remote；　but　the　Spanish　danger　was　close　at　hand；　and　if　Prince　Leopold　were　to　marry　Queen　Isabella　the　position　of　France　would　be　one　of　humiliation；　if　not　of　positive　danger。　Such　were　the　asseverations　of　Louis　Philippe。　The　English　Government　had　no　wish　to　support　Prince　Leopold；　and　though　Albert　and　Victoria　had　some　hankerings　for　the　match；　the　wisdom　of　Stockmar　had　induced　them　to　give　up　all　thoughts　of　it。　The　way　thus　seemed　open　for　a　settlement：　England　would　be　reasonable　about　Leopold；　if　France　would　be　reasonable　about　Montpensier。　At　the　Chateau　d'Eu；　the　agreement　was　made；　in　a　series　of　conversations　between　the　King　and　Guizot　on　the　one　side；　and　the　Queen；　the　Prince；　and　Lord　Aberdeen　on　the　other。　Aberdeen；　as　Foreign　Minister；　declared　that　England　would　neither　recognise　nor　support　Prince　Leopold　as　a　candidate　for　the　hand　of　the　Queen　of　Spain；　while　Louis　Philippe　solemnly　promised；　both　to　Aberdeen　and　to　Victoria；　that　the　Duc　de　Montpensier　should　not　marry　the　Infanta　Fernanda　until　after　the　Queen　was　married　and　had　issue。　All　went　well；　and　the　crisis　seemed　to　be　over；　when　the　whole　question　was　suddenly　re…opened　by　Palmerston；　who　had　succeeded　Aberdeen　at　the　Foreign　Office。　In　a　despatch　to　the　English　Minister　at　Madrid；　he　mentioned；　in　a　list　of　possible　candidates　for　Queen　Isabella's　hand；　Prince　Leopold　of　Coburg；　and　at　the　same　time　he　took　occasion　to　denounce　in　violent　language　the　tyranny　and　incompetence　of　the　Spanish　Government。　This　despatch；　indiscreet　in　any　case；　was　rendered　infinitely　more　so　by　being　communicated　to　Guizot。　Louis　Philippe　saw　his　opportunity　and　pounced　on　it。　Though　there　was　nothing　in　Palmerston's　language　to　show　that　he　either　recognised　or　supported　Prince　Leopold；　the　King　at　once　assumed　that　the　English　had　broken　their　engagement；　and　that　he　was　therefore　free　to　do　likewise。　He　then　sent　the　despatch　to　the　Queen　Mother；　declared　that　the　English　were　intriguing　for　the　Coburg　marriage；　bade　her　mark　the　animosity　of　Palmerston　against　the　Spanish　Government；　and　urged　her　to　escape　from　her　difficulties　and　ensure　the　friendship　of　France　by　marrying　Isabella　to　the　Duke　of　Cadiz　and　Fernanda　to　Montpensier。　The　Queen　Mother；　alarmed　and　furious；　was　easily　convinced。　There　was　only　one　difficulty：　Isabella　loathed　the　very　sight　of　her　cousin。　But　this　was　soon　surmounted；　there　was　a　wild　supper…party　at　the　Palace；　and　in　the　course　of　it　the　young　girl　was　induced　to　consent　to　anything　that　was　asked　of　her。　Shortly　after；　and　on　the　same　day；　both　the　marriages　took　place。

The　news　burst　like　a　bomb　on　the　English　Government；　who　saw　with　rage　and　mortification　that　they　had　been　completely　outmanoeuvred　by　the　crafty　King。　Victoria；　in　particular；　was　outraged。　Not　only　had　she　been　the　personal　recipient　of　Louis　Philippe's　pledge；　but　he　had　won　his　way　to　her　heart　by　presenting　the　Prince　of　Wales　with　a　box　of　soldiers　and　sending　the　Princess　Royal　a　beautiful　Parisian　doll　with　eyes　that　opened　and　shut。　And　now　insult　was　added　to　injury。　The　Queen　of　the　French　wrote　her　a　formal　letter；　calmly　announcing；　as　a　family　event　in　which　she　was　sure　Victoria　would　be　interested；　the　marriage　of　her　son；　Montpensier〃qui　ajoutera　a　notre　bonheur　interieur；　le　seul　vrai　dans　ce　monde；　et　que　vous；　madame；　savez　si　bien　apprecier。〃　But　the　English　Queen　had　not　long　to　wait　for　her　revenge。　Within　eighteen　months　the　monarchy　of　Louis　Philippe；　discredited；　unpopular；　and　fatally　weakened　by　the　withdrawal　of　English　support；　was　swept　into　limbo；　while　he　and　his　family　threw　themselves　as　suppliant　fugitives　at　the　feet　of　Victoria。

II

In　this　affair　both　the　Queen　and　the　Prince　had　been　too　much　occupied　with　the　delinquencies　of　Louis　Philippe　to　have　any　wrath　to　spare　for　those　of　Palmerston；　and；　indeed；　on　the　main　issue；　Palmerston's　attitude　and　their　own　had　been　in　complete　agreement。　But　in　this　the　case　was　unique。　In　every　other　foreign　complicationand　they　were　many　and　seriousduring　the　ensuing　years；　the　differences　between　the　royal　couple　and　the　Foreign　Secretary　were　constant　and　profound。　There　was　a　sharp　quarrel　over　Portugal；　where　violently　hostile　parties　were　flying　at　each　other's　throats。　The　royal　sympathy　was　naturally　enlisted　on　behalf　of　the　Queen　and　her　Coburg　husband；　while　Palmerston　gave　his　support　to　the　progressive　elements　in　the　country。　It　was　not　until　1848；　however；　that　the　strain　became　really　serious。　In　that　year　of　revolutions；　when；　in　all　directions　and　with　alarming　frequency；　crowns　kept　rolling　off　royal　heads；　Albert　and　Victoria　were　appalled　to　find　that　the　policy　of　England　was　persistently　directedin　Germany；　in　Switzerland；　in　Austria；　in　Italy；　in　Sicilyso　as　to　favour　the　insurgent　forces。　The　situation；　indeed；　was　just　such　a　one　as　the　soul　of　Palmerston　loved。　There　was　danger　and　excitement；　the　necessity　of　decision；　the　opportunity　for　action；　on　every　hand。　A　disciple　of　Canning；　with　an　English　gentleman's　contempt　and　dislike　of　foreign　potentates　deep　in　his　heart；　the　spectacle　of　the　popular　uprisings；　and　of　the　oppressors　bundled　ignominiously　out　of　the　palaces　they　had　disgraced；　gave　him　unbounded　pleasure；　and　he　was　determined　that　there　should　be　no　doubt　whatever；　all　over　the　Continent；　on　which　side　in　the　great　struggle　England　stood。　It　was　not　that　he　had　the　slightest　tincture　in　him　of　philosophical　radicalism；　he　had　no　philosophical　tinctures　of　any　kind；　he　was　quite　content　to　be　inconsistentto　be　a　Conservative　at　home　and　a　Liberal　abroad。　There　were　very　good　reasons　for　keeping　the　Irish　in　their　places；　but　what　had　that　to　do　with　it？　The　point　was　thiswhen　any　decent　man　read　an　account　of　the　political　prisons　in　Naples　his　gorge　rose。　He　did　not　want　war；　but　he　saw　that　without　war　a　skilful　and　determined　use　of　England's　power　might　do　much　to　further　the　cause　of　the　Liberals　in　Europe。　It　was　a　difficult　and　a　hazardous　game　to　play；　but　he　set　about　playing　it　with　delighted　alacrity。　And　then；　to　his　intense　annoyance；　just　as　he　needed　all　his　nerve　and　all　possible　freedom　of　action；　he　found　himself　being　hampered　and　distracted　at　every　turn　by。。。　those　people　at　Osborne。　He　saw　what　it　was；　the　opposition　was　systematic　and　informed；　and　the　Queen　alone　would　have　been　incapable　of　it；　the　Prince　was　at　the　bottom　of　the　whole　thing。　It　was　exceedingly　vexatious；　but　Palmerston　was　in　a　hurry；　and　could　not　wait；　the　Prince；　if　he　would　insist　upon　interfering；　must　be　brushed　on　one　side。

Albert　was　very　angry。　He　highly　disapproved　both　of　Palmerston's　policy　and　of　his　methods　of　action。　He　was　opposed　to　absolutism；　but　in　his　opinion　Palmerston's　proceedings　were　simply　calculated　to　substitute　for　absolutism；　all　over　Europe；　something　no　better　and　very　possibly　worsethe　anarchy　of　faction　and　mob　violence。　The　dangers　of　this　revolutionary　ferment　were　grave；　even　in　England　Chartism　was　rampanta　sinister　movement；　which　might　at　any　moment　upset　the　Constitution　and　abolish　the　Mona