e attempts to pry into what did not concern her； let Victoria beware。 〃A rule which I cannot sufficiently recommend is NEVER TO PERMIT people to speak on subjects concerning yourself or your affairs； without you having yourself desired them to do so。〃 Should such a thing occur； 〃change the conversation； and make the individual feel that he has made a mistake。〃 This piece of advice was also taken； for it fell out as the King had predicted。 Madame de Lieven sought an audience； and appeared to be verging towards confidential topics； whereupon the Queen； becoming slightly embarrassed； talked of nothing but commonplaces。 The individual felt that she had made a mistake。
The King's next warning was remarkable。 Letters； he pointed out； are almost invariably read in the post。 This was inconvenient； no doubt； but the fact； once properly grasped； was not without its advantages。 〃I will give you an example： we are still plagued by Prussia concerning those fortresses； now to tell the Prussian Government many things； which we SHOULD NOT LIKE to tell them officially； the Minister is going to write a despatch to our man at Berlin； sending it BY POST； the Prussians ARE SURE to read it； and to learn in this way what we wish them to hear。 Analogous circumstances might very probably occur in England。 I tell you the TRICK；〃 wrote His Majesty； 〃that you should be able to guard against it。〃 Such were the subtleties of constitutional sovereignty。
It seemed that the time had come for another step。 The King's next letter was full of foreign politicsthe situation in Spain and Portugal； the character of Louis Philippe； and he received a favourable answer。 Victoria； it is true； began by saying that she had shown the POLITICAL PART of his letter to Lord Melbourne； but she proceeded to a discussion of foreign affairs。 It appeared that she was not unwilling to exchange observations on such matters with her uncle。 So far so good。 But King Leopold was still cautious； though a crisis was impending in his diplomacy； he still hung back； at last； however； he could keep silence no longer。 It was of the utmost importance to him that； in his manoeuvrings with France and Holland； he should have； or at any rate appear to have； English support。 But the English Government appeared to adopt a neutral attitude； it was too bad； not to be for him was to be against him； could they not see that？ Yet； perhaps； they were only wavering； and a little pressure upon them from Victoria might still save all。 He determined to put the case before her； delicately yet forciblyjust as he saw it himself。 〃All I want from your kind Majesty；〃 he wrote； 〃is； that you will OCCASIONALLY express to your Ministers； and particularly to good Lord Melbourne； that； as far as it is COMPATIBLE with the interests of your own dominions； you do NOT wish that your Government should take the lead in such measures as might in a short time bring on the DESTRUCTION of this country； as well as that of your uncle and his family。〃 The result of this appeal was unexpected； there was dead silence for more than a week。 When Victoria at last wrote； she was prodigal of her affection。〃 It would； indeed； my dearest Uncle； be VERY WRONG of you； if you thought my feelings of warm and devoted attachment to you； and of great affection for you； could be changednothing can ever change them〃but her references to foreign politics； though they were lengthy and elaborate； were non…committal in the extreme； they were almost cast in an official and diplomatic form。 Her Ministers； she said； entirely shared her views upon the subject； she understood and sympathised with the difficulties of her beloved uncle's position； and he might rest assured 〃that both Lord Melbourne and Lord Palmerston are most anxious at all times for the prosperity and welfare of Belgium。〃 That was all。 The King in his reply declared himself delighted； and re…echoed the affectionate protestations of his niece。 〃My dearest and most beloved Victoria；〃 he said； 〃you have written me a VERY DEAR and long letter； which has given me GREAT PLEASURE AND SATISFACTION。〃 He would not admit that he had had a rebuff。
A few months later the crisis came。 King Leopold determined to make a bold push； and to carry Victoria with him； this time； by a display of royal vigour and avuncular authority。 In an abrupt； an almost peremptory letter； he laid his case； once more； before his niece。 〃You know from experience；〃 he wrote； 〃that I NEVER ASK ANYTHING OF YOU。。。 But； as I said before； if we are not careful we may see serious consequences which may affect more or less everybody； and THIS ought to be the object of our most anxious attention。 I remain； my dear Victoria； your affectionate uncle； Leopold R。〃 The Queen immediately despatched this letter to Lord Melbourne； who replied with a carefully thought…out form of words； signifying nothing whatever； which； he suggested； she should send to her uncle。 She did so； copying out the elaborate formula； with a liberal scattering of 〃dear Uncles〃 interspersed； and she concluded her letter with a message of 〃affectionate love to Aunt Louise and the children。〃 Then at last King Leopold was obliged to recognise the facts。 His next letter contained no reference at all to politics。 〃I am glad；〃 he wrote； 〃to find that you like Brighton better than last year。 I think Brighton very agreeable at this time of the year； till the east winds set in。 The pavilion； besides； is comfortable； that cannot be denied。 Before my marriage； it was there that I met the Regent。 Charlotte afterwards came with old Queen Charlotte。 How distant all this already； but still how present to one's memory。〃 Like poor Madame de Lieven； His Majesty felt that he had made a mistake。
Nevertheless； he could not quite give up all hope。 Another opportunity offered； and he made another effortbut there was not very much conviction in it； and it was immediately crushed。 〃My dear Uncle；〃 the Queen wrote； 〃I have to thank you for your last letter which I received on Sunday。 Though you seem not to dislike my political sparks； I think it is better not to increase them； as they might finally take fire； particularly as I see with regret that upon this one subject we cannot agree。 I shall； therefore； limit myself to my expressions of very sincere wishes for the welfare and prosperity of Belgium。〃 After that； it was clear that there was no more to be said。 Henceforward there is audible in the King's letters a curiously elegiac note。 〃My dearest Victoria； your DELIGHTFUL little letter has just arrived and went like AN ARROW TO MY HEART。 Yes； my beloved Victoria！ I DO LOVE YOU TENDERLY。。。 I love you FOR YOURSELF； and I love in you the dear child whose welfare I tenderly watched。〃 He had gone through much； yet； if life had its disappointments； it had its satisfactions too。 〃I have all the honours that can be given； and I am； politically speaking； very solidly established。〃 But there were other things besides politics； there were romantic yearnings in his heart。 〃The only longing I still have is for the Orient； where I perhaps shall once end my life； rising in the west and setting in the east。〃 As for his devotion to his niece； that could never end。 〃I never press my services on you； nor my councils； though I may say with some truth that from the extraordinary fate which the higher powers had ordained for me； my experience； both political and of private life； is great。 I am ALWAYS READY to be useful to you when and where and it may be； and I repeat it； ALL I WANT IN RETURN IS SOME LITTLE SINCERE AFFECTION FROM YOU。〃
VI
The correspondence with King Leopold was significant of much that still lay partly hidden in the character of Victoria。 Her attitude towards her uncle had never wavered for a moment。 To all his advances she had presented an absolutely unyielding front。 The foreign policy of England was not his province； it was hers and her Ministers'； his insinuations； his entreaties； his strugglesall were quite useless； and he must understand that this was so。 The rigidity of her position was the more striking owing to the respectfulness and the affection with which it was accompanied。 From start to finish the unmoved Queen remained the devoted niece。 Leopold himself must have envied such perfect correctitude； but what may be admirable in an elderly statesman is alarming in a maiden of nineteen。 And privileged observers were not without their fears。 The strange mixture of ingenuous light…heartedness and fixed determination； of frankness and reticence； of childishness and pride； seemed to augur a future that was perplexed and full of dangers。 As time passed the less pleasant qualities in this curious composition revealed themselves more often and more seriously。 There were signs of an imperious； a peremptory temper； an egotism that was strong and hard。 It was noticed that the palace etiquette； far from relaxing； grew ever more and more inflexible。 By some； this was attributed to Lehzen's influence； but； if that was so； Lehzen had a willing pupil； for the slightest infringements of the freezing rules of regularity and deference were invariably and immediately visited by the sharp and haughty glances of the Queen。 Yet Her Majesty's eyes； crushing as they could be； were less crushing than her mouth。 The self…will depicted in those small projecting teeth and that small receding chin was of a more dismaying kind than that which a powerful jaw betokens； it was a selfwill imperturbable； impenetrable； unintelligent； a self…will dangerously akin to obstinacy。 And the obstinacy of monarchs is not as that of other men。
Within two years of her accession； the storm…clouds which； from the first； had been dimly visible on the horizon； gathered and burst。 Victoria's relations with her mother had not improved。 The Duchess of Kent； still surrounded by all the galling appearances of filial consideration； remained in Buckingham Palace a discarded figure； powerless and inconsolable。 Sir John Conroy； banished from the presence of the Queen； still presided over the Duchess's household； and the hostilities of Kensington continued unabated in the new surroundings。 Lady Flora Hastings still cracked her malicious jokes； the animosity of the Baroness was still unappeased。 One day； Lady Flora found the joke was turned against