queen victoria-第47章
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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Her political activity； no more than her social seclusion； was approved by the public。 As the years passed； and the royal mourning remained as unrelieved as ever； the animadversions grew more general and more severe。 It was observed that the Queen's protracted privacy not only cast a gloom over high society； not only deprived the populace of its pageantry； but also exercised a highly deleterious effect upon the dressmaking； millinery； and hosiery trades。 This latter consideration carried great weight。 At last； early in 1864； the rumour spread that Her Majesty was about to go out of mourning； and there was much rejoicing in the newspapers； but unfortunately it turned out that the rumour was quite without foundation。 Victoria； with her own hand； wrote a letter to The Times to say so。 〃This idea；〃 she declared； 〃cannot be too explicitly contradicted。 〃The Queen；〃 the letter continued； 〃heartily appreciates the desire of her subjects to see her； and whatever she CAN do to gratify them in this loyal and affectionate wish； she WILL do。。。 But there are other and higher duties than those of mere representation which are now thrown upon the Queen； alone and unassistedduties which she cannot neglect without injury to the public service； which weigh unceasingly upon her； overwhelming her with work and anxiety。〃 The justification might have been considered more cogent had it not been known that those 〃other and higher duties〃 emphasised by the Queen consisted for the most part of an attempt to counteract the foreign policy of Lord Palmerston and Lord John Russell。 A large sectionperhaps a majorityof the nation were violent partisans of Denmark in the Schleswig…Holstein quarrel； and Victoria's support of Prussia was widely denounced。 A wave of unpopularity； which reminded old observers of the period preceding the Queen's marriage more than twenty…five years before； was beginning to rise。 The press was rude； Lord Ellenborough attacked the Queen in the House of Lords； there were curious whispers in high quarters that she had had thoughts of abdicatingwhispers followed by regrets that she had not done so。 Victoria； outraged and injured； felt that she was misunderstood。 She was profoundly unhappy。 After Lord Ellenborough's speech； General Grey declared that he 〃had never seen the Queen so completely upset。〃 〃Oh； how fearful it is；〃 she herself wrote to Lord Granville； 〃to be suspecteduncheered unguided and unadvisedand how alone the poor Queen feels！ 〃 Nevertheless； suffer as she might； she was as resolute as ever； she would not move by a hair's breadth from the course that a supreme obligation marked out for her； she would be faithful to the end。
And so； when Schleswig…Holstein was forgotten； and even the image of the Prince had begun to grow dim in the fickle memories of men； the solitary watcher remained immutably concentrated at her peculiar task。 The world's hostility； steadily increasing； was confronted and outfaced by the impenetrable weeds of Victoria。 Would the world never understand？ It was not mere sorrow that kept her so strangely sequestered； it was devotion； it was self…immolation； it was the laborious legacy of love。 Unceasingly the pen moved over the black…edged paper。 The flesh might be weak； but that vast burden must be borne。 And fortunately； if the world would not understand； there were faithful friends who did。 There was Lord Granville； and there was kind Mr。 Theodore Martin。 Perhaps Mr。 Martin； who was so clever； would find means to make people realise the facts。 She would send him a letter； pointing out her arduous labours and the difficulties under which she struggled； and then he might write an article for one of the magazines。 〃It is not；〃 she told him in 1863； 〃the Queen's SORROW that keeps her secluded。 It is her OVERWHELMING WORK and her health； which is greatly shaken by her sorrow； and the totally overwhelming amount of work and responsibilitywork which she feels really wears her out。 Alice Helps was wonderfully struck at the Queen's room； and if Mrs。 Martin will look at it； she can tell Mr。 Martin what surrounds her。 From the hour she gets out of bed till she gets into it again there is work； work； work；letter…boxes； questions； etc。； which are dreadfully exhaustingand if she had not comparative rest and quiet in the evening she would most likely not be ALIVE。 Her brain is constantly overtaxed。〃 It was too true。
III
To carry on Albert's workthat was her first duty； but there was another； second only to that； and yet nearer； if possible； to her heartto impress the true nature of his genius and character upon the minds of her subjects。 She realised that during his life he had not been properly appreciated； the full extent of his powers； the supreme quality of his goodness； had been necessarily concealed； but death had removed the need of barriers； and now her husband； in his magnificent entirety； should stand revealed to all。 She set to work methodically。 She directed Sir Arthur Helps to bring out a collection of the Prince's speeches and addresses； and the weighty tome appeared in 1862。 Then she commanded General Grey to write an account of the Prince's early yearsfrom his birth to his marriage； she herself laid down the design of the book； contributed a number of confidential documents； and added numerous notes； General Grey obeyed； and the work was completed in 1866。 But the principal part of the story was still untold； and Mr。 Martin was forthwith instructed to write a complete biography of the Prince Consort。 Mr。 Martin laboured for fourteen years。 The mass of material with which he had to deal was almost incredible； but he was extremely industrious； and he enjoyed throughout the gracious assistance of Her Majesty。 The first bulky volume was published in 1874； four others slowly followed； so that it was not until 1880 that the monumental work was finished。
Mr。 Martin was rewarded by a knighthood； and yet it was sadly evident that neither Sir Theodore nor his predecessors had achieved the purpose which the Queen had in view。 Perhaps she was unfortunate in her coadjutors； but； in reality； the responsibility for the failure must lie with Victoria herself。 Sir Theodore and the others faithfully carried out the task which she had set themfaithfully put before the public the very image of Albert that filled her own mind。 The fatal drawback was that the public did not find that image attractive。 Victoria's emotional nature； far more remarkable for vigour than for subtlety； rejecting utterly the qualifications which perspicuity； or humour； might suggest； could be satisfied with nothing but the absolute and the categorical。 When she disliked she did so with an unequivocal emphasis which swept the object of her repugnance at once and finally outside the pale of consideration； and her feelings of affection were equally unmitigated。 In the case of Albert her passion for superlatives reached its height。 To have conceived of him as anything short of perfectperfect in virtue； in wisdom； in beauty； in all the glories and graces of manwould have been an unthinkable blasphemy： perfect he was； and perfect he must be shown to have been。 And so； Sir Arthur； Sir Theodore； and the General painted him。 In the circumstances； and under such supervision； to have done anything else would have required talents considerably more distinguished than any that those gentlemen possessed。 But that was not all。 By a curious mischance Victoria was also able to press into her service another writer； the distinction of whose talents was this time beyond a doubt。 The Poet Laureate； adopting； either from complaisance or conviction； the tone of his sovereign； joined in the chorus； and endowed the royal formula with the magical resonance of verse。 This settled the matter。 Henceforward it was impossible to forget that Albert had worn the white flower of a blameless life。
The result was doubly unfortunate。 Victoria； disappointed and chagrined； bore a grudge against her people for their refusal； in spite of all her efforts； to rate her husband at his true worth。 She did not understand that the picture of an embodied perfection is distasteful to the majority of mankind。 The cause of this is not so much an envy of the perfect being as a suspicion th
