queen victoria-第13章
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ty of high advancement。 Within that charmed circle； whatever one's personal disabilities； it was difficult to fail； and to him； with all his advantages； success was well…nigh unavoidable。 With little effort； he attained political eminence。 On the triumph of the Whigs he became one of the leading members of the Government； and when Lord Grey retired from the premiership he quietly stepped into the vacant place。 Nor was it only in the visible signs of fortune that Fate had been kind to him。 Bound to succeed； and to succeed easily； he was gifted with so fine a nature that his success became him。 His mind； at once supple and copious； his temperament； at once calm and sensitive； enabled him not merely to work； but to live with perfect facility and with the grace of strength。 In society he was a notable talker； a captivating companion； a charming man。 If one looked deeper； one saw at once that he was not ordinary； that the piquancies of his conversation and his mannerhis free…and…easy vaguenesses； his abrupt questions； his lollings and loungings； his innumerable oathswere something more than an amusing ornament； were the outward manifestation of an individuality that was fundamental。
The precise nature of this individuality was very difficult to gauge： it was dubious； complex； perhaps selfcontradictory。 Certainly there was an ironical discordance between the inner history of the man and his apparent fortunes。 He owed all he had to his birth； and his birth was shameful； it was known well enough that his mother had passionately loved Lord Egremont； and that Lord Melbourne was not his father。 His marriage； which had seemed to be the crown of his youthful ardours； was a long； miserable； desperate failure： the incredible Lady Caroline； 〃With pleasures too refined to please； With too much spirit to be e'er at ease； With too much quickness to be ever taught； With too much thinking to have common thought；〃 was very nearly the destruction of his life。 When at last he emerged from the anguish and confusion of her folly； her extravagance； her rage； her despair； and her devotion； he was left alone with endless memories of intermingled farce and tragedy； and an only son； who was an imbecile。 But there was something else that he owed to Lady Caroline。 While she whirled with Byron in a hectic frenzy of love and fashion； he had stayed at home in an indulgence bordering on cynicism； and occupied his solitude with reading。 It was thus that he had acquired those habits of study； that love of learning； and that wide and accurate knowledge of ancient and modern literature； which formed so unexpected a part of his mental equipment。 His passion for reading never deserted him； even when he was Prime Minister he found time to master every new important book。 With an incongruousness that was characteristic； his favourite study was theology。 An accomplished classical scholar； he was deeply read in the Fathers of the Church； heavy volumes of commentary and exegesis he examined with scrupulous diligence； and at any odd moment he might be found turning over the pages of the Bible。 To the ladies whom he most liked； he would lend some learned work on the Revelation； crammed with marginal notes in his own hand； or Dr。 Lardner's 〃Observations upon the Jewish Errors with respect to the Conversion of Mary Magdalene。〃 The more pious among them had high hopes that these studies would lead him into the right way； but of this there were no symptoms in his after…dinner conversations。
The paradox of his political career was no less curious。 By temperament an aristocrat； by conviction a conservative； he came to power as the leader of the popular party； the party of change。 He had profoundly disliked the Reform Bill； which he had only accepted at last as a necessary evil； and the Reform Bill lay at the root of the very existence； of the very meaning； of his government。 He was far too sceptical to believe in progress of any kind。 Things were best as they were or rather； they were least bad。 〃You'd better try to do no good；〃 was one of his dictums； 〃and then you'll get into no scrapes。〃 Education at best was futile； education of the poor was positively dangerous。 The factory children？ 〃Oh； if you'd only have the goodness to leave them alone！〃 Free Trade was a delusion； the ballot was nonsense； and there was no such thing as a democracy。
Nevertheless； he was not a reactionary； he was simply an opportunist。 The whole duty of government； he said； was 〃to prevent crime and to preserve contracts。〃 All one could really hope to do was to carry on。 He himself carried on in a remarkable mannerwith perpetual compromises； with fluctuations and contradictions； with every kind of weakness； and yet with shrewdness； with gentleness； even with conscientiousness； and a light and airy mastery of men and of events。 He conducted the transactions of business with extraordinary nonchalance。 Important persons； ushered up for some grave interview； found him in a towselled bed； littered with books and papers； or vaguely shaving in a dressing…room； but； when they went downstairs again； they would realise that somehow or other they had been pumped。 When he had to receive a deputation； he could hardly ever do so with becoming gravity。 The worthy delegates of the tallow…chandlers； or the Society for the Abolition of Capital Punishment； were distressed and mortified when； in the midst of their speeches； the Prime Minister became absorbed in blowing a feather； or suddenly cracked an unseemly joke。 How could they have guessed that he had spent the night before diligently getting up the details of their case？ He hated patronage and the making of appointmentsa feeling rare in Ministers。 〃As for the Bishops；〃 he burst out； 〃I positively believe they die to vex me。〃 But when at last the appointment was made； it was made with keen discrimination。 His colleagues observed another symptomwas it of his irresponsibility or his wisdom？ He went to sleep in the Cabinet。
Probably； if he had been born a little earlier； he would have been a simpler and a happier man。 As it was； he was a child of the eighteenth century whose lot was cast in a new； difficult； unsympathetic age。 He was an autumn rose。 With all his gracious amenity； his humour； his happy…go…lucky ways； a deep disquietude possessed him。 A sentimental cynic； a sceptical believer； he was restless and melancholy at heart。 Above all； he could never harden himself； those sensitive petals shivered in every wind。 Whatever else he might be； one thing was certain： Lord Melbourne was always human； supremely humantoo human； perhaps。
And now； with old age upon him； his life took a sudden； new； extraordinary turn。 He became； in the twinkling of an eye； the intimate adviser and the daily companion of a young girl who had stepped all at once from a nursery to a throne。 His relations with women had been； like everything else about him； ambiguous。 Nobody had ever been able quite to gauge the shifting； emotional complexities of his married life； Lady Caroline vanished； but his peculiar susceptibilities remained。 Female society of some kind or other was necessary to him； and he did not stint himself； a great part of every day was invariably spent in it。 The feminine element in him made it easy； made it natural and inevitable for him to be the friend of a great many women； but the masculine element in him was strong as well。 In such circumstances it is also easy； it is even natural； perhaps it is even inevitable； to be something more than a friend。 There were rumours and combustions。 Lord Melbourne was twice a co…respondent in a divorce action； but on each occasion he won his suit。 The lovely Lady Brandon； the unhappy and brilliant Mrs。 Norton。。。 the law exonerated them both。 Beyond that hung an impenetrable veil。 But at any rate it was clear that； with such a record； the Prime Minister's position in Buckingham Palace must be a highly delicate one。 However； he was used to delicacies； and he met the situation with consummate success。 His behaviour was from the first moment impeccable。 His manner towards the young Queen mingled； with perfect facility； the watchfulness and the respect of a statesman and a courtier with the tender solicitude of a parent。 He was at once reverentia
