queen victoria-第6部分

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ich　she　was　familiar；　but　English　and　French　quickly　followed；　and　she　became　virtually　trilingual；　though　her　mastery　of　English　grammar　remained　incomplete。　At　the　same　time；　she　acquired　a　working　knowledge　of　Italian　and　some　smattering　of　Latin。　Nevertheless；　she　did　not　read　very　much。　It　was　not　an　occupation　that　she　cared　for；　partly；　perhaps；　because　the　books　that　were　given　her　were　all　either　sermons；　which　were　very　dull；　or　poetry；　which　was　incomprehensible。　Novels　were　strictly　forbidden。　Lord　Durham　persuaded　her　mother　to　get　her　some　of　Miss　Martineau's　tales；　illustrating　the　truths　of　Political　Economy；　and　they　delighted　her；　but　it　is　to　be　feared　that　it　was　the　unaccustomed　pleasure　of　the　story　that　filled　her　mind；　and　that　she　never　really　mastered　the　theory　of　exchanges　or　the　nature　of　rent。

It　was　her　misfortune　that　the　mental　atmosphere　which　surrounded　her　during　these　years　of　adolescence　was　almost　entirely　feminine。　No　father；　no　brother；　was　there　to　break　in　upon　the　gentle　monotony　of　the　daily　round　with　impetuosity；　with　rudeness；　with　careless　laughter　and　wafts　of　freedom　from　the　outside　world。　The　Princess　was　never　called　by　a　voice　that　was　loud　and　growling；　never　felt；　as　a　matter　of　course；　a　hard　rough　cheek　on　her　own　soft　one；　never　climbed　a　wall　with　a　boy。　The　visits　to　Claremontdelicious　little　escapes　into　male　societycame　to　an　end　when　she　was　eleven　years　old　and　Prince　Leopold　left　England　to　be　King　of　the　Belgians。　She　loved　him　still；　he　was　still　〃il　mio　secondo　padre　or；　rather；　solo　padre；　for　he　is　indeed　like　my　real　father；　as　I　have　none；〃　but　his　fatherliness　now　came　to　her　dimly　and　indirectly；　through　the　cold　channel　of　correspondence。　Henceforward　female　duty；　female　elegance；　female　enthusiasm；　hemmed　her　completely　in；　and　her　spirit；　amid　the　enclosing　folds；　was　hardly　reached　by　those　two　great　influences；　without　which　no　growing　life　can　truly　prosperhumour　and　imagination。　The　Baroness　Lehzenfor　she　had　been　raised　to　that　rank　in　the　Hanoverian　nobility　by　George　IV　before　he　diedwas　the　real　centre　of　the　Princess's　world。　When　Feodora　married；　when　Uncle　Leopold　went　to　Belgium；　the　Baroness　was　left　without　a　competitor。　The　Princess　gave　her　mother　her　dutiful　regards；　but　Lehzen　had　her　heart。　The　voluble；　shrewd　daughter　of　the　pastor　in　Hanover；　lavishing　her　devotion　on　her　royal　charge；　had　reaped　her　reward　in　an　unbounded　confidence　and　a　passionate　adoration。　The　girl　would　have　gone　through　fire　for　her　〃PRECIOUS　Lehzen；〃　the　〃best　and　truest　friend；〃　she　declared；　that　she　had　had　since　her　birth。　Her　journal；　begun　when　she　was　thirteen；　where　she　registered　day　by　day　the　small　succession　of　her　doings　and　her　sentiments；　bears　on　every　page　of　it　the　traces　of　the　Baroness　and　her　circumambient　influence。　The　young　creature　that　one　sees　there；　self…depicted　in　ingenuous　clarity；　with　her　sincerity；　her　simplicity；　her　quick　affections　and　pious　resolutions；　might　almost　have　been　the　daughter　of　a　German　pastor　herself。　Her　enjoyments；　her　admirations；　her　engouements　were　of　the　kind　that　clothed　themselves　naturally　in　underlinings　and　exclamation　marks。　〃It　was　a　DELIGHTFUL　ride。　We　cantered　a　good　deal。　SWEET　LITTLE　ROSY　WENT　BEAUTIFULLY！！　We　came　home　at　a　1/4　past　1。。。　At　20　minutes　to　7　we　went　out　to　the　Opera。。。　Rubini　came　on　and　sang　a　song　out　of　'Anna　Boulena'　QUITE　BEAUTIFULLY。　We　came　home　at　1/2　past　11。〃　In　her　comments　on　her　readings；　the　mind　of　the　Baroness　is　clearly　revealed。　One　day；　by　some　mistake；　she　was　allowed　to　take　up　a　volume　of　memoirs　by　Fanny　Kemble。　〃It　is　certainly　very　pertly　and　oddly　written。　One　would　imagine　by　the　style　that　the　authoress　must　be　very　pert；　and　not　well　bred；　for　there　are　so　many　vulgar　expressions　in　it。　It　is　a　great　pity　that　a　person　endowed　with　so　much　talent；　as　Mrs。　Butler　really　is；　should　turn　it　to　so　little　account　and　publish　a　book　which　is　so　full　of　trash　and　nonsense　which　can　only　do　her　harm。　I　stayed　up　till　20　minutes　past　9。〃　Madame　de　Sevigne's　letters；　which　the　Baroness　read　aloud；　met　with　more　approval。　〃How　truly　elegant　and　natural　her　style　is！　It　is　so　full　of　naivete；　cleverness；　and　grace。〃　But　her　highest　admiration　was　reserved　for　the　Bishop　of　Chester's　'Exposition　of　the　Gospel　of　St。　Matthew。'　〃It　is　a　very　fine　book　indeed。　Just　the　sort　of　one　I　like；　which　is　just　plain　and　comprehensible　and　full　of　truth　and　good　feeling。　It　is　not　one　of　those　learned　books　in　which　you　have　to　cavil　at　almost　every　paragraph。　Lehzen　gave　it　me　on　the　Sunday　that　I　took　the　Sacrament。〃　A　few　weeks　previously　she　had　been　confirmed；　and　she　described　the　event　as　follows：　〃I　felt　that　my　confirmation　was　one　of　the　most　solemn　and　important　events　and　acts　in　my　life；　and　that　I　trusted　that　it　might　have　a　salutary　effect　on　my　mind。　I　felt　deeply　repentant　for　all　what　I　had　done　which　was　wrong　and　trusted　in　God　Almighty　to　strengthen　my　heart　and　mind；　and　to　forsake　all　that　is　bad　and　follow　all　that　is　virtuous　and　right。　I　went　with　the　firm　determination　to　become　a　true　Christian；　to　try　and　comfort　my　dear　Mamma　in　all　her　griefs；　trials；　and　anxieties；　and　to　become　a　dutiful　and　affectionate　daughter　to　her。　Also　to　be　obedient　to　DEAR　Lehzen；　who　has　done　so　much　for　me。　I　was　dressed　in　a　white　lace　dress；　with　a　white　crepe　bonnet　with　a　wreath　of　white　roses　round　it。　I　went　in　the　chariot　with　my　dear　Mamma　and　the　others　followed　in　another　carriage。〃　One　seems　to　hold　in　one's　hand　a　small　smooth　crystal　pebble；　without　a　flaw　and　without　a　scintillation；　and　so　transparent　that　one　can　see　through　it　at　a　glance。

Yet　perhaps；　after　all；　to　the　discerning　eye；　the　purity　would　not　be　absolute。　The　careful　searcher　might　detect；　in　the　virgin　soil；　the　first　faint　traces　of　an　unexpected　vein。　In　that　conventual　existence　visits　were　exciting　events；　and；　as　the　Duchess　had　many　relatives；　they　were　not　infrequent；　aunts　and　uncles　would　often　appear　from　Germany；　and　cousins　too。　When　the　Princess　was　fourteen　she　was　delighted　by　the　arrival　of　a　couple　of　boys　from　Wurtemberg；　the　Princes　Alexander　and　Ernst；　sons　of　her　mother's　sister　and　the　reigning　duke。　〃They　are　both　EXTREMELY　TALL；〃　she　noted；　〃Alexander　is　VERY　HANDSOME；　and　Ernst　has　a　VERY　KIND　EXPRESSION。　They　are　both　extremely　AMIABLE。〃　And　their　departure　filled　her　with　corresponding　regrets。　〃We　saw　them　get　into　the　barge；　and　watched　them　sailing　away　for　some　time　on　the　beach。　They　were　so　amiable　and　so　pleasant　to　have　in　the　house；　they　were　ALWAYS　SATISFIED；　ALWAYS　GOOD…HUMOURED；　Alexander　took　such　care　of　me　in　getting　out　of　the　boat；　and　rode　next　to　me；　so　did　Ernst。〃　Two　years　later；　two　other　cousins　arrived；　the　Princes　Ferdinand　and　Augustus。　〃Dear　Ferdinand；〃　the　Princess　wrote；　〃has　elicited　universal　admiration　from　all　parties。。。　He　is　so　very　unaffected；　and　has　such　a　very　distinguished　appearance　and　carriage。　They　are　both　very　dear　and　charming　young　men。　Augustus　is　very　amiable；　too；　and；　when　known；　shows　much　good　sense。〃　On　another　occasion；　Dear　Ferdinand　came　and　sat　near　me　and　talked　so　dearly　and　sensibly。　I　do　SO　love　him。　Dear　Augustus　sat　near　me　and　talked　with　me；　and　he　is　also　a　dear　good　young　man；　and　is　very　handsome。〃　She　could　not　quite　decide　which　was　the　handsomer　of　the　two。　〃On　the　whole；〃　she　concluded；　〃I　think　Ferdinand　handsomer　than　Augustus；　his　eyes　are　so　beautiful；　and　he　has　such　a　lively　clever　expression；　BOTH　have　such　a　sweet　expression；　Ferdinand　has　something　QUITE　BEAUTIFUL　in　his　expression　when　he　speaks　and　smiles；　and　he　is　SO　good。〃　However；　it　was　perhaps　best　to　say　that　they　were　〃both　very　handsome　and　VERY　DEAR。〃　But　shortly　afterwards　two　more　cousins　arrived；　who　threw　all　the　rest　into　the　shade。　These　were　the　Princes　Ernest　and　Albert；　sons　of　her　mother's　eldest　brother；　the　Duke　of　Saxe…Coburg。　This　time　the　Princess　was　more　particular　in　her　observations。　〃Ernest；〃　she　remarked；〃　is　as　tall　as　Ferdinand　and　Augustus；　he　has　dark　hair；　and　fine　dark　eyes　and　eyebrows；　but　the　nose　and　mouth　are　not　good；　he　has　a　most　kind；　honest；　and　intelligent　expression　in　his　countenance；　and　has　a　very　good　figure。　Albert；　who　is　just　as　tall　as　Ernest　but　stouter；　is　extremely　handsome；　his　hair　is　about　the　same　colour　as　mine；　his　eyes　are　large　and　blue；　and　he　has　a　beautiful　nose　and　a　very　sweet　mouth　with　fine　teeth；　but　the　charm　of　his　countenance　is　his　expression；　which　is　most　delightful；　c'est　a　la　fois　full　of　goodness　and　sweetness；　and　very　clever　and　intelligent。〃　〃Both　my　cousins；〃　she　added；　〃are　so　kind　and　good；　they　are　much　more　formes　and　men　of　the　world　than　Augustus；　they　speak　English　very　well；　and　I　speak　it　with　them。　Ernest　will　be　18　years　old　on　the　21st　of　June；　and　Albert　17　on　the　26th　of　August。　Dear　Uncle　Ernest　made　me　the　present　of　a　most　delightful　Lory；　which　is　so　tame　that　it　remains　on　your　hand　and　you　may　put　your　finger　into　its　beak；　or　do　anything　with　it；　without　its　ever　attempting　to　bite。　It　is　larger　than　Mamma's　grey　parrot。〃　A　little　later；　〃I　sat　between　my　dear　cousins　on　the　sofa　and　we　looked　at　drawings。　They　both　draw　very　well；　particularly　Albert；　and　are　both　exceedingly　fond　of　music；　they　play　very　nicely　on　the　piano。　The　more　I　see　them　the　more　I　am　delighted　with　them；　and　the　more　I　love　them。。。　It　is　delightful　to　be　with　them；　they　are　so　fond　of　being　occupied　too；　they　are　quite　an　example　for　any　young　person。〃　When；　after　a　stay　of　three　weeks；　the　time　came　for　the　young　men　and　their　father　to　return　to　Germany；　the　moment　of　parting　was　a　melancholy　one。　〃It　was　our　last　HAPPY　HAPPY　breakfast；　with　this　dear　Uncle　and　those　DEAREST　beloved　cousins；　whom　I　DO　love　so　VERY　VERY　dearly；　MUCH　MORE　DEARLY　than　any　other　cousins　in　the　WORLD。　Dearly　as　I　love　Ferdinand；　and　also　good　Augustus；　I　love　Ernest　and　Albert　MORE　than　them；　oh　yes；　MUCH　MORE。。。　They　have　both　learnt　a　good　deal；　and　are　very　clever；　naturally　clever；　particularly　Albert；　who　is　the　most　reflecting　of　the　two；　and　they　like　very　much　talking　about　serious　and　instructive　things　and　yet　are　so　VERY　VERY　merry　and　gay　and　hap