queen victoria-第32章
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ering； exasperating； and alarming。 In Paris they spoke with bated breath of 〃ce terrible milord Palmerston；〃 and in Germany they made a little song about him
〃Hat der Teufel einen Sohn； So ist er sicher Palmerston。〃
But their complaints； their threats； and their agitations were all in vain。 Palmerston； with his upper lip sardonically curving； braved consequences； and held on his course。
The first diplomatic crisis which arose after his return to office； though the Prince and the Queen were closely concerned with it； passed off without serious disagreement between the Court and the Minister。 For some years past a curious problem had been perplexing the chanceries of Europe。 Spain； ever since the time of Napoleon a prey to civil convulsions； had settled down for a short interval to a state of comparative quiet under the rule of Christina； the Queen Mother； and her daughter Isabella； the young Queen。 In 1846； the question of Isabella's marriage； which had for long been the subject of diplomatic speculations； suddenly became acute。 Various candidates for her hand were proposedamong others； two cousins of her own； another Spanish prince； and Prince Leopold of Saxe…Coburg； a first cousin of Victoria's and Albert's； for different reasons； however； none of these young men seemed altogether satisfactory。 Isabella was not yet sixteen； and it might have been supposed that her marriage could be put off for a few years more； but this was considered to be out of the question。 〃Vous ne savez pas；〃 said a high authority； 〃ce que c'est que ces princesses espagnoles； elles ont le diable au corps； et on a toujours dit que si nous ne nous hations pas； l'heritier viendrait avant le mari。〃 It might also have been supposed that the young Queen's marriage was a matter to be settled by herself； her mother； and the Spanish Government； but this again was far from being the case。 It had become； by one of those periodical reversions to the ways of the eighteenth century； which； it is rumoured； are still not unknown in 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
