queen victoria-第60章
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pleased。 That was just as it should be； but then came the dismaying thoughteverything slips away； crumbles； vanishes； Sevres dinner…services get broken； even golden basins go unaccountably astray； even one's self； with all the recollections and experiences that make up one's being； fluctuates； perishes； dissolves。。。 But no！ It could not； should not be so！ There should be no changes and no losses！ Nothing should ever moveneither the past nor the presentand she herself least of all！ And so the tenacious woman； hoarding her valuables； decreed their immortality with all the resolution of her soul。 She would not lose one memory or one pin。
She gave orders that nothing should be thrown awayand nothing was。 There； in drawer after drawer； in wardrobe after wardrobe； reposed the dresses of seventy years。 But not only the dresses the furs and the mantles and subsidiary frills and the muffs and the parasols and the bonnetsall were ranged in chronological order； dated and complete。 A great cupboard was devoted to the dolls； in the china room at Windsor a special table held the mugs of her childhood； and her children's mugs as well。 Mementoes of the past surrounded her in serried accumulations。 In every room the tables were powdered thick with the photographs of relatives； their portraits； revealing them at all ages； covered the walls； their figures； in solid marble； rose up from pedestals； or gleamed from brackets in the form of gold and silver statuettes。 The dead； in every shapein miniatures； in porcelain； in enormous life…size oil…paintingswere perpetually about her。 John Brown stood upon her writing…table in solid gold。 Her favourite horses and dogs； endowed with a new durability； crowded round her footsteps。 Sharp； in silver gilt； dominated the dinner table； Boy and Boz lay together among unfading flowers； in bronze。 And it was not enough that each particle of the past should be given the stability of metal or of marble： the whole collection； in its arrangement； no less than its entity； should be immutably fixed。 There might be additions； but there might never be alterations。 No chintz might change； no carpet； no curtain； be replaced by another； or； if long use at last made it necessary； the stuffs and the patterns must be so identically reproduced that the keenest eye might not detect the difference。 No new picture could be hung upon the walls at Windsor； for those already there had been put in their places by Albert； whose decisions were eternal。 So； indeed； were Victoria's。 To ensure that they should be the aid of the camera was called in。 Every single article in the Queen's possession was photographed from several points of view。 These photographs were submitted to Her Majesty； and when； after careful inspection； she had approved of them； they were placed in a series of albums； richly bound。 Then； opposite each photograph； an entry was made； indicating the number of the article； the number of the room in which it was kept； its exact position in the room and all its principal characteristics。 The fate of every object which had undergone this process was henceforth irrevocably sealed。 The whole multitude； once and for all； took up its steadfast station。 And Victoria； with a gigantic volume or two of the endless catalogue always beside her； to look through； to ponder upon； to expatiate over； could feel； with a double contentment； that the transitoriness of this world had been arrested by the amplitude of her might。
Thus the collection； ever multiplying； ever encroaching upon new fields of consciousness； ever rooting itself more firmly in the depths of instinct； became one of the dominating influences of that strange existence。 It was a collection not merely of things and of thoughts； but of states of mind and ways of living as well。 The celebration of anniversaries grew to be an important branch of itof birthdays and marriage days and death days； each of which demanded its appropriate feeling； which； in its turn； must be itself expressed in an appropriate outward form。 And the form； of coursethe ceremony of rejoicing or lamentationwas stereotyped with the rest： it was part of the collection。 On a certain day； for instance； flowers must be strewn on John Brown's monument at Balmoral； and the date of the yearly departure for Scotland was fixed by that fact。 Inevitably it was around the central circumstance of deathdeath； the final witness to human mutabilitythat these commemorative cravings clustered most thickly。 Might not even death itself be humbled； if one could recall enoughif one asserted； with a sufficiently passionate and reiterated emphasis； the eternity of love？ Accordingly； every bed in which Victoria slept had attached to it； at the back； on the right…hand side； above the pillow； a photograph of the head and shoulders of Albert as he lay dead； surmounted by a wreath of immortelles。 At Balmoral； where memories came crowding so closely； the solid signs of memory appeared in surprising profusion。 Obelisks； pyramids； tombs； statues； cairns； and seats of inscribed granite； proclaimed Victoria's dedication to the dead。 There； twice a year； on the days that followed her arrival； a solemn pilgrimage of inspection and meditation was performed。 There； on August 26Albert's birthdayat the foot of the bronze statue of him in Highland dress； the Queen； her family； her Court； her servants； and her tenantry； met together and in silence drank to the memory of the dead。 In England the tokens of remembrance pullulated hardly less。 Not a day passed without some addition to the multifold assemblagea gold statuette of Ross； the pipera life…sized marble group of Victoria and Albert； in medieval costume； inscribed upon the base with the words： 〃Allured to brighter worlds and led the way…〃 a granite slab in the shrubbery at Osborne； informing the visitor of 〃Waldmann： the very favourite little dachshund of Queen Victoria； who brought him from Baden； April 1872； died； July 11； 1881。〃
At Frogmore； the great mausoleum； perpetually enriched； was visited almost daily by the Queen when the Court was at Windsor。 But there was another； a more secret and a hardly less holy shrine。 The suite of rooms which Albert had occupied in the Castle was kept for ever shut away from the eyes of any save the most privileged。 Within those precincts everything remained as it had been at the Prince's death； but the mysterious preoccupation of Victoria had commanded that her husband's clothing should be laid afresh； each evening； upon the bed； and that； each evening； the water should be set ready in the basin； as if he were still alive； and this incredible rite was performed with scrupulous regularity for nearly forty years。
Such was the inner worship； and still the flesh obeyed the spirit； still the daily hours of labour proclaimed Victoria's consecration to duty and to the ideal of the dead。 Yet； with the years； the sense of self…sacrifice faded； the natural energies of that ardent being discharged themselves with satisfaction into the channel of public work； the love of business which； from her girlhood； had been strong within her； reasserted itself in all its vigour； and； in her old age； to have been cut off from her papers and her boxes would have been； not a relief； but an agony to Victoria。 Thus； though toiling Ministers might sigh and suffer； the whole process of government continued； till the very end； to pass before her。 Nor was that all； ancient precedent had made the validity of an enormous number of official transactions dependent upon the application of the royal sign…manual； and a great proportion of the Queen's working hours was spent in this mechanical task。 Nor did she show any desire to diminish it。 On the contrary； she voluntarily resumed the duty of signing commissions in the army； from which she had been set free by Act of Parliament； and from which； during the years of middle life； she had abstained。 In no case would she countenance the proposal that she should use a stamp。 But； at last； when the increasing pressure of business made the delays of the antiquated system intolerable； she consented that； for certain classes of documents； her oral sanction should be sufficient。 Each paper was read aloud to her； and she said at the end 〃Approved。〃 Oft
