Phipps； the keeper of the Privy Purse； performed； to the best of her ability； the functions of an intermediary。 After a few weeks； however； the Cabinet； through Lord John Russell； ventured to warn the Queen that this could not continue。 She realised that they were right： Albert would have agreed with them； and so she sent for the Prime Minister。 But when Lord Palmerston arrived at Osborne； in the pink of health； brisk； with his whiskers freshly dyed； and dressed in a brown overcoat； light grey trousers； green gloves； and blue studs； he did not create a very good impression。
Nevertheless； she had grown attached to her old enemy； and the thought of a political change filled her with agitated apprehensions。 The Government； she knew； might fall at any moment； she felt she could not face such an eventuality； and therefore； six months after the death of the Prince； she took the unprecedented step of sending a private message to Lord Derby； the leader of the Opposition； to tell him that she was not in a fit state of mind or body to undergo the anxiety of a change of Government； and that if he turned the present Ministers out of office it would be at the risk of sacrificing her lifeor her reason。 When this message reached Lord Derby he was considerably surprised。 〃Dear me！〃 was his cynical comment。 〃I didn't think she was so fond of them as THAT。〃
Though the violence of her perturbations gradually subsided； her cheerfulness did not return。 For months； for years； she continued in settled gloom。 Her life became one of almost complete seclusion。 Arrayed in thickest crepe； she passed dolefully from Windsor to Osborne； from Osborne to Balmoral。 Rarely visiting the capital； refusing to take any part in the ceremonies of state； shutting herself off from the slightest intercourse with society； she became almost as unknown to her subjects as some potentate of the East。 They might murmur； but they did not understand。 What had she to do with empty shows and vain enjoyments？ No！ She was absorbed by very different preoccupations。 She was the devoted guardian of a sacred trust。 Her place was in the inmost shrine of the house of mourningwhere she alone had the right to enter； where she could feel the effluence of a mysterious presence； and interpret； however faintly and feebly； the promptings of a still living soul。 That； and that only was her glorious； her terrible duty。 For terrible indeed it was。 As the years passed her depression seemed to deepen and her loneliness to grow more intense。 〃I am on a dreary sad pinnacle of solitary grandeur；〃 she said。 Again and again she felt that she could bear her situation no longerthat she would sink under the strain。 And then； instantly； that Voice spoke： and she braced herself once more to perform； with minute conscientiousness； her grim and holy task。
Above all else； what she had to do was to make her own the master…impulse of Albert's lifeshe must work； as he had worked； in the service of the country。 That vast burden of toil which he had taken upon his shoulders it was now for her to bear。 She assumed the gigantic load； and naturally she staggered under it。 While he had lived； she had worked； indeed； with regularity and conscientiousness； but it was work made easy； made delicious； by his care； his forethought； his advice； and his infallibility。 The mere sound of his voice； asking her to sign a paper； had thrilled her； in such a presence she could have laboured gladly for ever。 But now there was a hideous change。 Now there were no neat piles and docketings under the green lamp； now there were no simple explanations of difficult matters； now there was nobody to tell her what was right and what was wrong。 She had her secretaries； no doubt： there were Sir Charles Phipps； and General Grey； and Sir Thomas Biddulph； and they did their best。 But they were mere subordinates： the whole weight of initiative and responsibility rested upon her alone。 For so it had to be。 〃I am DETERMINED〃had she not declared it？〃that NO ONE person is to lead or guide or dictate to ME；〃 anything else would be a betrayal of her trust。 She would follow the Prince in all things。 He had refused to delegate authority； he had examined into every detail with his own eyes； he had made it a rule never to sign a paper without having first； not merely read it； but made notes on it too。 She would do the same。 She sat from morning till night surrounded by huge heaps of despatchboxes； reading and writing at her deskat her desk； alas！ which stood alone now in the room。
Within two years of Albert's death a violent disturbance in foreign politics put Victoria's faithfulness to a crucial test。 The fearful Schleswig…Holstein dispute； which had been smouldering for more than a decade； showed signs of bursting out into conflagration。 The complexity of the questions at issue was indescribable。 〃Only three people；〃 said Palmerston； 〃have ever really understood the Schleswig…Holstein businessthe Prince Consort； who is deada German professor； who has gone madand I； who have forgotten all about it。〃 But； though the Prince might be dead； had he not left a vicegerent behind him？ Victoria threw herself into the seething embroilment with the vigour of inspiration。 She devoted hours daily to the study of the affair in all its windings； but she had a clue through the labyrinth： whenever the question had been discussed； Albert； she recollected it perfectly； had always taken the side of Prussia。 Her course was clear。 She became an ardent champion of the Prussian point of view。 It was a legacy from the Prince； she said。 She did not realise that the Prussia of the Prince's day was dead； and that a new Prussia； the Prussia of Bismarck； was born。 Perhaps Palmerston； with his queer prescience； instinctively apprehended the new danger； at any rate； he and Lord John were agreed upon the necessity of supporting Denmark against Prussia's claims。 But opinion was sharply divided； not only in the country but in the Cabinet。 For eighteen months the controversy raged； while the Queen； with persistent vehemence； opposed the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary。 When at last the final crisis arosewhen it seemed possible that England would join forces with Denmark in a war against PrussiaVictoria's agitation grew febrile in its intensity。 Towards her German relatives she preserved a discreet appearance of impartiality； but she poured out upon her Ministers a flood of appeals； protests； and expostulations。 She invoked the sacred cause of Peace。 〃The only chance of preserving peace for Europe；〃 she wrote； 〃is by not assisting Denmark； who has brought this entirely upon herself。 The Queen suffers much； and her nerves are more and more totally shattered。。。 But though all this anxiety is wearing her out； it will not shake her firm purpose of resisting any attempt to involve this country in a mad and useless combat。〃 She was； she declared； 〃prepared to make a stand；〃 even if the resignation of the Foreign Secretary should follow。 〃The Queen；〃 she told Lord Granville； 〃is completely exhausted by the anxiety and suspense； and misses her beloved husband's help； advice； support； and love in an overwhelming manner。〃 She was so worn out by her efforts for peace that she could 〃hardly hold up her head or hold her pen。〃 England did not go to war； and Denmark was left to her fate； but how far the attitude of the Queen contributed to this result it is impossible； with our present knowledge； to say。 On the whole； however； it seems probable that the determining factor in the situation was the powerful peace party in the Cabinet rather than the imperious and pathetic pressure of Victoria。
It is； at any rate； certain that the Queen's enthusiasm for the sacred cause of peace was short…lived。 Within a few months her mind had completely altered。 Her eyes were opened to the true nature of Prussia； whose designs upon Austria were about to culminate in the Seven Weeks' War。 Veering precipitately from one extreme to the other； she now urged her Ministers to interfere by force of arms in support of Austria。 But she urged in vain。
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。