queen victoria-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



As　it　turned　out；　both　the　brothers　decided　to　marry。　The　Duke　of　Kent；　selecting　the　Princess　of　Saxe…Coburg　in　preference　to　the　Princess　of　Baden；　was　united　to　her　on　May　29；　1818。　On　June　11；　the　Duke　of　Clarence　followed　suit　with　a　daughter　of　the　Duke　of　Saxe…Meiningen。　But　they　were　disappointed　in　their　financial　expectations；　for　though　the　Government　brought　forward　proposals　to　increase　their　allowances；　together　with　that　of　the　Duke　of　Cumberland；　the　motions　were　defeated　in　the　House　of　Commons。　At　this　the　Duke　of　Wellington　was　not　surprised。　〃By　God！〃　he　said；　〃there　is　a　great　deal　to　be　said　about　that。　They　are　the　damnedest　millstones　about　the　necks　of　any　Government　that　can　be　imagined。　They　have　insultedPERSONALLY　insultedtwo…thirds　of　the　gentlemen　of　England；　and　how　can　it　be　wondered　at　that　they　take　their　revenge　upon　them　in　the　House　of　Commons？　It　is　their　only　opportunity；　and　I　think；　by　God！　they　are　quite　right　to　use　it。〃　Eventually；　however；　Parliament　increased　the　Duke　of　Kent's　annuity　by　L6000。　The　subsequent　history　of　Madame　St。　Laurent　has　not　transpired。

IV

The　new　Duchess　of　Kent；　Victoria　Mary　Louisa；　was　a　daughter　of　Francis；　Duke　of　Saxe…Coburg…Saalfeld；　and　a　sister　of　Prince　Leopold。　The　family　was　an　ancient　one；　being　a　branch　of　the　great　House　of　Wettin；　which　since　the　eleventh　century　had　ruled　over　the　March　of　Meissen　on　the　Elbe。　In　the　fifteenth　century　the　whole　possessions　of　the　House　had　been　divided　between　the　Albertine　and　Ernestine　branches：　from　the　former　descended　the　electors　and　kings　of　Saxony；　the　latter；　ruling　over　Thuringia；　became　further　subdivided　into　five　branches；　of　which　the　duchy　of　Saxe…Coburg　was　one。　This　principality　was　very　small；　containing　about　60；000　inhabitants；　but　it　enjoyed　independent　and　sovereign　rights。　During　the　disturbed　years　which　followed　the　French　Revolution；　its　affairs　became　terribly　involved。　The　Duke　was　extravagant；　and　kept　open　house　for　the　swarms　of　refugees；　who　fled　eastward　over　Germany　as　the　French　power　advanced。　Among　these　was　the　Prince　of　Leiningen；　an　elderly　beau；　whose　domains　on　the　Moselle　had　been　seized　by　the　French；　but　who　was　granted　in　compensation　the　territory　of　Amorbach　in　Lower　Franconia。　In　1803　he　married　the　Princess　Victoria；　at　that　time　seventeen　years　of　age。　Three　years　later　Duke　Francis　died　a　ruined　man。　The　Napoleonic　harrow　passed　over　Saxe…Coburg。　The　duchy　was　seized　by　the　French；　and　the　ducal　family　were　reduced　to　beggary；　almost　to　starvation。　At　the　same　time　the　little　principality　of　Amorbach　was　devastated　by　the　French；　Russian；　and　Austrian　armies；　marching　and　counter…marching　across　it。　For　years　there　was　hardly　a　cow　in　the　country；　nor　enough　grass　to　feed　a　flock　of　geese。　Such　was　the　desperate　plight　of　the　family　which；　a　generation　later；　was　to　have　gained　a　foothold　in　half　the　reigning　Houses　of　Europe。　The　Napoleonic　harrow　had　indeed　done　its　work；　the　seed　was　planted；　and　the　crop　would　have　surprised　Napoleon。　Prince　Leopold；　thrown　upon　his　own　resources　at　fifteen；　made　a　career　for　himself　and　married　the　heiress　of　England。　The　Princess　of　Leiningen；　struggling　at　Amorbach　with　poverty；　military　requisitions；　and　a　futile　husband；　developed　an　independence　of　character　and　a　tenacity　of　purpose　which　were　to　prove　useful　in　very　different　circumstances。　In　1814；　her　husband　died；　leaving　her　with　two　children　and　the　regency　of　the　principality。　After　her　brother's　marriage　with　the　Princess　Charlotte；　it　was　proposed　that　she　should　marry　the　Duke　of　Kent；　but　she　declined；　on　the　ground　that　the　guardianship　of　her　children　and　the　management　of　her　domains　made　other　ties　undesirable。　The　Princess　Charlotte's　death；　however；　altered　the　case；　and　when　the　Duke　of　Kent　renewed　his　offer；　she　accepted　it。　She　was　thirty…two　years　oldshort；　stout；　with　brown　eyes　and　hair；　and　rosy　cheeks；　cheerful　and　voluble；　and　gorgeously　attired　in　rustling　silks　and　bright　velvets。

She　was　certainly　fortunate　in　her　contented　disposition；　for　she　was　fated；　all　through　her　life；　to　have　much　to　put　up　with。　Her　second　marriage；　with　its　dubious　prospects；　seemed　at　first　to　be　chiefly　a　source　of　difficulties　and　discomforts。　The　Duke；　declaring　that　he　was　still　too　poor　to　live　in　England；　moved　about　with　uneasy　precision　through　Belgium　and　Germany；　attending　parades　and　inspecting　barracks　in　a　neat　military　cap；　while　the　English　notabilities　looked　askance；　and　the　Duke　of　Wellington　dubbed　him　the　Corporal。　〃God　damme！〃　he　exclaimed　to　Mr。　Creevey；　〃d'ye　know　what　his　sisters　call　him？　By　God！　they　call　him　Joseph　Surface！〃　At　Valenciennes；　where　there　was　a　review　and　a　great　dinner；　the　Duchess　arrived　with　an　old　and　ugly　lady…in…waiting；　and　the　Duke　of　Wellington　found　himself　in　a　difficulty。　〃Who　the　devil　is　to　take　out　the　maid　of　honour？〃　he　kept　asking；　but　at　last　he　thought　of　a　solution。　〃Damme；　Freemantle；　find　out　the　mayor　and　let　him　do　it。〃　So　the　Mayor　of　Valenciennes　was　brought　up　for　the　purpose；　andso　we　learn　from　Mr。　Creevey〃a　capital　figure　he　was。〃　A　few　days　later；　at　Brussels；　Mr。　Creevey　himself　had　an　unfortunate　experience。　A　military　school　was　to　be　inspectedbefore　breakfast。　The　company　assembled；　everything　was　highly　satisfactory；　but　the　Duke　of　Kent　continued　for　so　long　examining　every　detail　and　asking　meticulous　question　after　meticulous　question；　that　Mr。　Creevey　at　last　could　bear　it　no　longer；　and　whispered　to　his　neighbour　that　he　was　damned　hungry。　The　Duke　of　Wellington　heard　him；　and　was　delighted。　〃I　recommend　you；〃　he　said；　〃whenever　you　start　with　the　royal　family　in　a　morning；　and　particularly　with　THE　CORPORAL；　always　to　breakfast　first。〃　He　and　his　staff；　it　turned　out；　had　taken　that　precaution；　and　the　great　man　amused　himself；　while　the　stream　of　royal　inquiries　poured　on；　by　pointing　at　Mr。　Creevey　from　time　to　time　with　the　remark；　〃Voila　le　monsieur　qui　n'a　pas　dejeune！〃

Settled　down　at　last　at　Amorbach；　the　time　hung　heavily　on　the　Duke's　hands。　The　establishment　was　small；　the　country　was　impoverished；　even　clock…making　grew　tedious　at　last。　He　broodedfor　in　spite　of　his　piety　the　Duke　was　not　without　a　vein　of　superstitionover　the　prophecy　of　a　gipsy　at　Gibraltar　who　told　him　that　he　was　to　have　many　losses　and　crosses；　that　he　was　to　die　in　happiness；　and　that　his　only　child　was　to　be　a　great　queen。　Before　long　it　became　clear　that　a　child　was　to　be　expected：　the　Duke　decided　that　it　should　be　born　in　England。　Funds　were　lacking　for　the　journey；　but　his　determination　was　not　to　be　set　aside。　Come　what　might；　he　declared；　his　child　must　be　English…born。　A　carriage　was　hired；　and　the　Duke　himself　mounted　the　box。　Inside　were　the　Duchess；　her　daughter　Feodora；　a　girl　of　fourteen；　with　maids；　nurses；　lap…dogs；　and　canaries。　Off　they　drovethrough　Germany；　through　France：　bad　roads；　cheap　inns；　were　nothing　to　the　rigorous　Duke　and　the　equable；　abundant　Duchess。　The　Channel　was　crossed；　London　was　reached　in　safety。　The　authorities　provided　a　set　of　rooms　in　Kensington　Palace；　and　there；　on　May　24；　1819；　a　female　infant　was　born。



CHAPTER　II。　CHILDHOOD

I

The　child　who；　in　these　not　very　impressive　circumstances；　appeared　in　the　world；　received　but　scant　attention。　There　was　small　reason　to　foresee　her　destiny。　The　Duchess　of　Clarence；　two　months　before；　had　given　birth　to　a　daughter；　this　infant；　indeed；　had　died　almost　immediately；　but　it　seemed　highly　probable　that　the　Duchess　would　again　become　a　mother；　and　so　it　actually　fell　out。　More　than　this；　the　Duchess　of　Kent　was　young；　and　the　Duke　was　strong；　there　was　every　likelihood　that　before　long　a　brother　would　follow；　to　snatch　her　faint　chance　of　the　succession　from　the　little　princess。

Nevertheless；　the　Duke　had　other　views：　there　were　prophecies。。。　At　any　rate；　he　would　christen　the　child　Elizabeth；　a　name　of　happy　augury。　In　this；　however；　he　reckoned　without　the　Regent；　who；　seeing　a　chance　of　annoying　his　brother；　suddenly　announced　that　he　himself　would　be　present　at　the　baptism；　and　signified　at　the　same　time　that　one　of　the　godfathers　was　to　be　the　Emperor　Alexander　of　Russia。　And　so　when　the　ceremony　took　place；　and　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury　asked　by　what　name　he　was　to　baptise　the　child；　the　Regent　replied　〃Alexandria。〃　At　this　the　Duke　ventured　to　suggest　that　another　name　might　be　added。　〃Certainly；〃　said　the　Regent；　〃Georgina？〃　〃Or　Elizabeth？〃　said　the　Duke。　There　was　a　pause；　during　which　the　Archbishop；　with　the　baby　in　his　lawn　sleeves；　looked　with　some　uneasiness　from　one　Prince　to　the　other。　〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　the　Regent　at　last；　〃call　her　after　her　mother。　But　Alexandrina　must　come　first。〃　Thus；　to　the　disgust　of　her　father；　the　child　was　christened　Alexandrina　Victoria。

The　Duke　had　other　subjects　of　disgust。　The　meagre　grant　of　the　Commons　had　by　no　means　put　an　end　to　his　financial　distresses。　It　was　to　be　feared　that　his　services　were　not　appreciated　by　the　nation。　His　debts　continued　to　grow。　For　many　years　he　had　lived　upon　L7000　a　year；　but　now　his　expenses　were　exactly　doubled；　he　could　make　no　further　reductions；　as　it　was；　there　was　not　a　single　servant　in　his　meagre　grant　establishment　who　was　idle　for　a　moment　from　morning　to　night。　He　poured　out　his　griefs　in　a　long　letter　to　Robert　Owen；　whose　sympathy　had　the　great　merit　of　being　practical。　〃I　now　candidly　state；〃　he　wrote；　〃that；　after　viewing　the　subject　in　every　possible　way；　I　am　satisfied　that；　to　continue　to　live　in　England；　even　in　the　quiet　way　in　which　we　are　going　on；　WITHOUT　SPLENDOUR；　and　WITHOUT　SHOW；　NOTHING　SHORT　OF　DOUBLING　THE　SEVEN　THOUSAND　POUNDS　WILL　DO；　REDUCTION　BEING　IMPOSSIBLE。〃　It　was　clear　that　he　would　be　obliged　to　sell　his　house　for　L51；300；　if　that　failed；　he　would　go　and　live　on　the　Continent。　〃If　my　services　are　useful　to　my　country；　it　surely　becomes　THOSE　WHO　HAVE　THE　POWER　to　support　me　in　substantiating　those　just　claims　I　have　for　the　very　extensive　losses　and　privations　I　have　experienced；　during　the　very　long　period　of　my　professional　servitude　in　the　Colonies；　and　if　this　is　not　attainable；　IT　IS　A　CLEAR　PROOF　TO　ME　THAT　THEY　ARE　THEY　ARE　NOT　APPRECIATED；　and　under　t