s I could be of no use； and there is nothing to cause alarm。〃 The Princess Alice tried to tell her the truth； but her hopefulness would not be daunted。 On the morning of December 14； Albert； just as she had expected； seemed to be better； perhaps the crisis was over。 But in the course of the day there was a serious relapse。 Then at last she allowed herself to see that she was standing on the edge of an appalling gulf。 The whole family was summoned； and； one after another； the children took a silent farewell of their father。 〃It was a terrible moment；〃 Victoria wrote in her diary； 〃but； thank God！ I was able to command myself； and to be perfectly calm； and remained sitting by his side。〃 He murmured something； but she could not hear what it was； she thought he was speaking in French。 Then all at once he began to arrange his hair； 〃just as he used to do when well and he was dressing。〃 〃Es kleines Frauchen；〃 she whispered to him； and he seemed to understand。 For a moment； towards the evening； she went into another room； but was immediately called back； she saw at a glance that a ghastly change had taken place。 As she knelt by the bed； he breathed deeply； breathed gently； breathed at last no more。 His features became perfectly rigid； she shrieked one long wild shriek that rang through the terror…stricken castle and understood that she had lost him for ever。
CHAPTER VII。 WIDOWHOOD
I
The death of the Prince Consort was the central turning…point in the history of Queen Victoria。 She herself felt that her true life had ceased with her husband's； and that the remainder of her days upon earth was of a twilight naturean epilogue to a drama that was done。 Nor is it possible that her biographer should escape a similar impression。 For him； too； there is a darkness over the latter half of that long career。 The first fortytwo years of the Queen's life are illuminated by a great and varied quantity of authentic information。 With Albert's death a veil descends。 Only occasionally； at fitful and disconnected intervals； does it lift for a moment or two； a few main outlines； a few remarkable details may be discerned； the rest is all conjecture and ambiguity。 Thus； though the Queen survived her great bereavement for almost as many years as she had lived before it； the chronicle of those years can bear no proportion to the tale of her earlier life。 We must be content in our ignorance with a brief and summary relation。
The sudden removal of the Prince was not merely a matter of overwhelming personal concern to Victoria； it was an event of national； of European importance。 He was only forty…two； and in the ordinary course of nature he might have been expected to live at least thirty years longer。 Had he done so it can hardly be doubted that the whole development of the English polity would have been changed。 Already at the time of his death he filled a unique place in English public life； already among the inner circle of politicians he was accepted as a necessary and useful part of the mechanism of the State。 Lord Clarendon； for instance； spoke of his death as 〃a national calamity of far greater importance than the public dream of；〃 and lamented the loss of his 〃sagacity and foresight；〃 which； he declared； would have been 〃more than ever valuable〃 in the event of an American war。 And； as time went on； the Prince's influence must have enormously increased。 For； in addition to his intellectual and moral qualities； he enjoyed； by virtue of his position； one supreme advantage which every other holder of high office in the country was without： he was permanent。 Politicians came and went； but the Prince was perpetually installed at the centre of affairs。 Who can doubt that； towards the end of the century； such a man； grown grey in the service of the nation； virtuous； intelligent； and with the unexampled experience of a whole life…time of government； would have acquired an extraordinary prestige？ If； in his youth； he had been able to pit the Crown against the mighty Palmerston and to come off with equal honours from the contest； of what might he not have been capable in his old age？ What Minister； however able； however popular； could have withstood the wisdom； the irreproachability； the vast prescriptive authority； of the venerable Prince？ It is easy to imagine how； under such a ruler； an attempt might have been made to convert England into a State as exactly organised； as elaborately trained； as efficiently equipped； and as autocratically controlled； as Prussia herself。 Then perhaps； eventually； under some powerful leadera Gladstone or a Brightthe democratic forces in the country might have rallied together； and a struggle might have followed in which the Monarchy would have been shaken to its foundations。 Or； on the other hand； Disraeli's hypothetical prophecy might have come true。 〃With Prince Albert；〃 he said； 〃we have buried our。。。 sovereign。 This German Prince has governed England for twenty…one years with a wisdom and energy such as none of our kings have ever shown。 If he had outlived some of our 〃old stagers〃 he would have given us the blessings of absolute government。〃
The English Constitutionthat indescribable entityis a living thing； growing with the growth of men； and assuming ever…varying forms in accordance with the subtle and complex laws of human character。 It is the child of wisdom and chance。 The wise men of 1688 moulded it into the shape we know； but the chance that George I could not speak English gave it one of its essential peculiaritiesthe system of a Cabinet independent of the Crown and subordinate to the Prime Minister。 The wisdom of Lord Grey saved it from petrifaction and destruction； and set it upon the path of Democracy。 Then chance intervened once more； a female sovereign happened to marry an able and pertinacious man； and it seemed likely that an element which had been quiescent within it for yearsthe element of irresponsible administrative powerwas about to become its predominant characteristic and to change completely the direction of its growth。 But what chance gave chance took away。 The Consort perished in his prime； and the English Constitution； dropping the dead limb with hardly a tremor； continued its mysterious life as if he had never been。
One human being； and one alone； felt the full force of what had happened。 The Baron； by his fireside at Coburg； suddenly saw the tremendous fabric of his creation crash down into sheer and irremediable ruin。 Albert was gone； and he had lived in vain。 Even his blackest hypochondria had never envisioned quite so miserable a catastrophe。 Victoria wrote to him； visited him； tried to console him by declaring with passionate conviction that she would carry on her husband's work。 He smiled a sad smile and looked into the fire。 Then he murmured that he was going where Albert wasthat he would not be long。 He shrank into himself。 His children clustered round him and did their best to comfort him； but it was useless： the Baron's heart was broken。 He lingered for eighteen months； and then； with his pupil； explored the shadow and the dust。
II
With appalling suddenness Victoria had exchanged the serene radiance of happiness for the utter darkness of woe。 In the first dreadful moments those about her had feared that she might lose her reason； but the iron strain within her held firm； and in the intervals between the intense paroxysms of grief it was observed that the Queen was calm。 She remembered； too； that Albert had always disapproved of exaggerated manifestations of feeling； and her one remaining desire was to do nothing but what he would have wished。 Yet there were moments when her royal anguish would brook no restraints。 One day she sent for the Duchess of Sutherland； and； leading her to the Prince's room； fell prostrate before his clothes in a flood of weeping； while she adjured the Duchess to tell her whether the beauty of Albert's character had ever been surpassed。 At other times a feeling akin to indignation swept over her。 〃The poor fatherless baby of eight months；〃 she wrote to the King of the Belgians； 〃is now the utterly heartbroken and crushed widow of forty…two！ My LIFE as a HAPPY one is ENDED！ The world is gone for ME！。。。 Oh！ to be cut off in the prime of lifeto see our pure； happy； quiet； domestic life； which ALONE enabled me to bear my MUCH disliked position； CUT OFF at forty…twowhen I HAD hoped with such instinctive certainty that God never WOULD part us； and would let us grow old together （though HE always talked of the shortness of life）is TOO AWFUL； too cruel！〃 The tone of outraged Majesty seems to be discernible。 Did she wonder in her heart of hearts how the Deity could have dared？
But all other emotions gave way before her overmastering determination to continue； absolutely unchanged； and for the rest of her life on earth； her reverence； her obedience； her idolatry。 〃I am anxious to repeat ONE thing；〃 she told her uncle； 〃and THAT ONE is my firm resolve； my IRREVOCABLE DECISION； viz。； that HIS wishesHIS plansabout everything； HIS views about EVERY thing are to be MY LAW！ And NO HUMAN POWER will make me swerve from WHAT HE decided and wished。〃 She grew fierce； she grew furious； at the thought of any possible intrusion between her and her desire。 Her uncle was coming to visit her； and it flashed upon her that HE might try to interfere with her and seek to 〃rule the roost〃 as of old。 She would give him a hint。 〃I am ALSO DETERMINED；〃 she wrote； 〃that NO ONE personmay HE be ever so good； ever so devoted among my servantsis to lead or guide or dictate TO ME。 I know HOW he would disapprove it。。。 Though miserably weak and utterly shattered； my spirit rises when I think ANY wish or plan of his is to be touched or changed； or I am to be MADE TO DO anything。〃 She ended her letter in grief and affection。 She was； she said； his 〃ever wretched but devoted child； Victoria R。〃 And then she looked at the date： it was the 24th of December。 An agonising pang assailed her； and she dashed down a postcript〃What a Xmas！ I won't think of it。〃
At first； in the tumult of her distresses； she declared that she could not see her Ministers； and the Princess Alice； assisted by Sir Charles Phipps； the keeper of the Privy Purse； performed； to the best of her ability； the functions of an i