Her Majesty6, Queen Victoria
Her Majesty, Queen Victoria.
(From a photograph by A. Bassano.)
England would not permit such an event as this to pass without a celebration. Preparations for the "Diamond Jubilee7" to mark Victoria's sixty years of sovereignty were commenced many months before the time appointed. More than a million strangers were expected to be in London during the two weeks of the festivities, and the hotel-keepers began to plan how to feed them. Non-perishable foods were brought thousands of miles, and fields of vegetables were bought before they were planted. Next to something to eat, the visitors would wish for a place to see, and owners of houses standing8 on the route to be taken by the procession expected to get more for a single window than the usual rent of a house for a year. The tenants9 of these houses were given notice to quit, and as the time drew near, those who refused to leave were put out by force. These removals were called "Jubilee Evictions."
Not everybody was busy with plans for money-making. There was an enormous amount of decorating going on. "V. R." was everywhere and in all sorts of materials, from cut glass and gold to red calico. There were roses, lions, crowns, unicorns10, wreaths, banners, and pictures of the Queen at every turn. The route which the procession was to follow wound past the homes of the poor as well as those of the rich, and even the poorest found means to brighten the dingiest11 abode12 with a bit of color.
As June 22, 1897, drew near, troops from every British colony began to be seen in the streets of London. Uniforms of red, white, yellow, brown, green, blue, and all kinds of minglings and mixtures decorated the city. There were so many Chinese, Africans, and Hindus, brown people, yellow people, and white people, from every part of the world, that one might almost wonder whether there would be room in the streets for the Londoners, if they should attempt to leave their homes. It looked as if it might be a little difficult to leave some of the houses, for scaffoldings had been built in front of them, and sometimes even far above the roofs, so that as many seats as possible might be rented. The procession was to follow a route six miles long, and so many high scaffolds had been raised that the march would be like a journey through a canyon13 whose sides were all aglow14 with every kind of decoration that could be imagined; for the people seemed to feel that the brighter their hangings were, the more loyal they were showing themselves to be, and the result was gorgeous if not always beautiful.
In the colonies the day was being celebrated15, and telegrams of loyalty16 and congratulation were coming to the Queen by the score. As she passed through the doors of Buckingham Palace at eleven o'clock, she sent to every colony the message: "From my heart I thank you, my beloved people. May God bless you." Then she entered her carriage and passed on, escorted by kings, princes, long lines of seamen17, masses of British troops and masses of colonial troops. The long cavalcade18 went on slowly to Temple Bar, the old entrance to the city. There the Queen paused, and the thousands in line paused. The Mayor, most imposing19 in his long velvet20 cloak, presented her with the sword of London in token of the city's homage21. She touched the sword in acceptance, and the procession moved on.
The second stop was at St. Paul's. The eight cream-colored horses were reined22 up before a superb mass of color and glitter, for on the steps of the church were ambassadors, bishops23, archbishops, judges, and musicians, flashing with diamonds, gleaming in cloth of gold, gorgeous in the red, blue, and pink hoods24 of the universities, and all framing in a great square of white-robed little choir-boys. Prayer was offered, the Te Deum was chanted, "God Save the Queen" was sung, and thousands of people wiped their eyes as they joined in "Praise God from whom all blessings25 flow." The benediction26 was pronounced and the procession turned slowly away. And as the tread of the horses sounded again on the pavement, the Archbishop forgot his magnificent canonicals, he forgot everything except that he was an Englishman and that Victoria was his Queen, and he led the whole ten thousand people in three tremendous cheers for their sovereign.
That night everything was illuminated27 that could be illuminated; and, as in 1887, beacon28 fires flashed from hill to hill and from headland to headland. The Prince of Wales suggested that the best memorial of the day would be a general subscription29 to pay the debts of the principal hospitals, and in a great sweep of generosity30 $3,750,000 was promptly31 subscribed32. The Princess of Wales wrote to the Lord Mayor of London, expressing her interest in the poor of the city, and gifts amounting to $1,500,000 were made at once for their benefit. The rejoicing went on for a fortnight. There were reviews of soldiers and of battleships, there were concerts, exhibitions, and dinners for the poor. One part of the celebration was the manufacture of a mammoth33 cake by the same firm that made the coronation cake. This Jubilee cake weighed five hundred pounds, and five hundred more was added to it in frosting and sugar ornaments34. Around it was a great wreath of sugar roses. A lofty tower of sugar rose from within the wreath with many monograms35, medallions, crowns, lions, unicorns, angels of fame and of glory blowing great sugar trumpets36; and at the very top was the angel of Peace with white and shining wings.
It would have been a source of deep happiness to the Queen if peace could have prevailed throughout the empire during those last years of her life, but in 1899 war arose between the English and the Boers of South Africa. As usual, she hoped to the last that there would be no war, but when she saw that it must come, she had no patience with the least delay in sending troops, and she urged re-enforcing the army so that the war might be ended as soon as possible. She was not satisfied with acting37 through others; she wanted to do something for the men herself with her own hands, and she set to work to knit caps and comforters to be sent them. When Christmas came, she distributed toys and candy among the soldiers' children; and, remembering that "Men are only boys grown tall," she sent 100,000 boxes of chocolate to her soldiers at the front. When the wounded and the ill were brought home, she often went to the hospitals, and she had many convalescents come to visit her at Windsor.
In this African war the Irish troops had shown such bravery that the heart of the Queen was completely won. She said to her Ministers:
"I have decided38 to pay a visit to Ireland to thank those brave Irishmen."
The Ministers were delighted to have her make the visit, but they remembered that she had not been in Ireland for forty years and that the Irish felt they had little reason to love the English government. "It will be only wise to have an escort of cavalry39 around your carriage," they suggested.
"No," she answered. "I am their Queen, and they are my people. If I showed any distrust of them, they would think I deserved to be afraid of them."
Punch published a picture of Hibernia kissing the hand of the sovereign and saying: "Sure, your Majesty, there's no place like home, and it's at home you'll be with us."
The Queen was right in trusting herself without fear to the people of Ireland; for however they might feel toward the English government, they would show nothing but respect to the English Queen who had made herself the guest of their country.
She landed at Kingstown and was received with all due form by the Lord Lieutenant40 of Ireland; but the more ceremonious reception was awaiting her at Dublin, where elaborate preparations had been made. The Lord Mayor and the other officials of the city were all in their long red robes heavily trimmed with fur. Attendants in black velvet and silver lace followed them, one holding a great basket of flowers high up, so that all the people could see it. A table, richly draped with silk, was placed before the Mayor. On the table was a blue satin cushion, and on the cushion was a golden casket. The casket was lined with pearl-colored silk strewn with shamrocks embroidered41 in blue, and in the casket were the keys of the city, and an address to the sovereign.
Of course these were not real keys of a real gate, for Dublin has no gates, but in order to carry out the interesting old ceremony, tall gates and towers of painted canvas had been erected42, and as the Queen and her escort drew near, a trumpeter from the highest watchtower blew three resounding43 blasts and cried:
"The Athlone pursuivant is at the gates."
"With what message does he come?" asked the Lord Mayor.
"He is the bearer of a request from the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland," replied the trumpeter.
"He may enter."
The pursuivant entered, and the Lord Mayor demanded:
"With what message do you come to the gates of the city of Dublin?"
"I bear the request of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland that she may enter her city of Dublin," he replied.
"Open the gates and admit the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland," commanded the Lord Mayor.
The pursuivant galloped44 back; the gates were flung wide open; the Household Cavalry dashed through; and then came the Queen. The Lord Mayor presented the beautiful casket and made his address; the Queen handed him a written reply; the Lady Mayoress presented the basket of flowers; and the Queen had been formally received as the guest of the nation.
This three-weeks' visit to Ireland was one of the Queen's "vacations," but it was hardly a restful time, for she visited hospitals, orphan45 asylums46, schools, and convents; she received delegations47 of nurses and doctors, and entertained the prominent people of the country. She went to the Zo?logical Gardens and made the acquaintance of a baby bear, and two baby lions, who were just as cross as if she had not been their lawful48 sovereign. She took drives about the city and the country; she reviewed troops; and finally she accepted an invitation to review thirty thousand school children. In this review, she was much amused when one small child called out, "Sure, you're a nice old lady!" One school was delayed, but in order not to disappoint the children, the Queen arranged a little reception for them later in the day.
The visit to Ireland had given the Queen pleasure, but the continued fighting with the Boers was a grief to her, and in the summer of 1900 she had to meet trouble that touched her even more nearly in the death of her son Alfred, Duke of Connaught. The Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha had asked him to become its ruler, and the Duke of Albany had been appointed his successor. This Duke of Albany, who had reviewed his regiment49 of Highlanders when he was six years of age, was now sixteen, and in two years more he would sit on a throne.
So the years of the Queen passed on with their joys and sorrows. Her visit to Ireland took place in 1900. For four or five years previous to this date she had suffered so much from rheumatism51 that it was hard for her to walk, and in the house she was generally moved about in a wheeled chair. The door of her special car was widened so that the chair could be taken in easily. Two years before going to Ireland, her eyes began to trouble her. "Use black ink and a broad pen" were the instructions she gave to her Ministers; but even though her sight grew faint, she would not lay down the task that she felt was her own.
Toward the end of 1900 she seemed less strong than usual. "You must save yourself in every possible way," ordered the physicians, "and you must not write more than is absolutely necessary." Christmas was near, but this year her greetings to each member of her family were written for her. Letters and telegrams were read to her, but her interest in all matters was as strong as ever, and her judgments52 were as rapid and sagacious. She met Lord Roberts on his return from South Africa and questioned him closely about all the details of the war. Two or three days later, when she awoke in the morning, she seemed very weak, and her speech was less clear than usual. Telegrams were sent to the members of her family. Germany was in the midst of an enthusiastic celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the establishment of the Prussian monarchy; but Emperor William said: "It is my sorrow and my nation's sorrow. Let the festivities cease." He left his kingdom and hastened to England. On the day after his arrival, January 22, 1901, Queen Victoria, with her children and grandchildren about her, passed quietly away.
The Queen had never liked the gloomy trappings of funerals, and long before this she had bidden that about her own there should be no touch of the somber53 and sorrowful. The room in which she lay was hung with deep red. There were palms and flowers around it, and about the bier were many tall white candles. The ermine-lined robe of the Garter was laid upon her coffin54 together with the flag of the country that she had loved. Grenadiers stood motionless, two at the head and two at the foot, keeping guard about her with bowed heads and arms reversed.
So she lay in her own home at Osborne until the day of the funeral was come. No hearse was driven to her door, for the soldier's gun-carriage was to bear the soldier's daughter to her resting place. The bier was covered with ruby55 velvet. Over it was thrown a pall56 of white satin with heavy edge of gold and the royal arms in each corner. On this was laid the royal standard, the crown, the insignia of the Garter, and the golden orb57 of empire which she had carried in her hand at her coronation. In white and gold, the emblems58 of purity and royalty59, she went forth60 from her home for the last time. Her children and grandchildren, princes and princesses, walked slowly behind her down the long avenue of trees, whose branches shown out clear and distinct against the bright blue of the sky. At the water's edge, the gun-carriage was drawn61 on board the yacht Alberta. Followed by the Victoria and Albert, the Osborne, and the massive Hohenzollern of the Emperor William, the little yacht moved through the mighty62 lines of warships63, English, German, and French, whose cannon64 thundered out their last salute65.
This was the farewell of the navy. That night the yacht with its precious burden lay quietly in harbor; and in the morning the body of the Queen was placed on the train to be carried to London. There houses that so lately had been all aglow with the colors of gladness were now draped with purple and white. Throngs66 were in the streets, but they stood in perfect silence, the men bareheaded, and every woman with some badge of mourning. Slowly the gun-carriage was drawn through the city, followed first by the two sons of the Queen with the German Emperor, then by her other relatives, by members of the royal family in Europe, and troops representing every branch of the army. The navy was also present in a guard of honor of sailors, and it was they who were called upon to perform a last service for their Queen. At Windsor the horses of the gun-carriage had become uneasy, and in a moment, with hardly a word of command, they were unharnessed, and the sailors themselves drew the gun-carriage to the castle. That afternoon the funeral rites67 were observed in St. George's Chapel68 with words of prayer and the strains of music that the Queen herself had chosen. The herald69 made solemn proclamation that Queen Victoria was dead and that her oldest son, Edward VII., was King of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India.
On the following morning the body of the Queen was borne to the beautiful mausoleum at Frogmore which she had erected for Prince Albert nearly forty years before. Muffled70 drums were beaten; sad, sweet funeral marches were played by the martial71 bands; and so, through the long avenues lined with soldiers, the procession moved onward72. At Frogmore, the bands were hushed, and the Highland50 pipers, walking before the coffin, played the weird73, mournful strains of the "Lament74 of the Black Watch." Prayer was said, earth from the Mount of Olives was dropped softly upon the coffin, and the Queen was laid to rest beside her beloved Prince.
Next morning the flowers were faded, the flags were no longer at half-mast, the stores and offices were opened, and life went on as before; but in the homes of England those who had known and loved the Queen were talking of her tenderly and thoughtfully. "She always did what she believed was right," said some. "She was always sorry for those who suffered," said others; and some repeated reverently75 the words of the Scottish pastor76 who had known her so well:
"I admire her as a woman, love her as a friend, and reverence77 her as a Queen."
THE END
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1
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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3
reigning
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| adj.统治的，起支配作用的 | |
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assassination
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| n.暗杀；暗杀事件 | |
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monarchy
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| n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国 | |
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6
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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jubilee
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| n.周年纪念；欢乐 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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10
unicorns
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| n.（传说中身体似马的）独角兽( unicorn的名词复数 )；一角鲸；独角兽标记 | |
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11
dingiest
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| adj.暗淡的，乏味的( dingy的最高级 )；肮脏的 | |
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12
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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canyon
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| n.峡谷，溪谷 | |
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aglow
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| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
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15
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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20
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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21
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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23
bishops
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| （基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象 | |
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24
hoods
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| n.兜帽( hood的名词复数 )；头巾；（汽车、童车等的）折合式车篷；汽车发动机罩v.兜帽( hood的第三人称单数 )；头巾；（汽车、童车等的）折合式车篷；汽车发动机罩 | |
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25
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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26
benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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beacon
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| n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔 | |
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subscription
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| n.预订，预订费，亲笔签名，调配法，下标（处方） | |
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30
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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subscribed
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| v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
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33
mammoth
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| n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的 | |
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ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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35
monograms
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| n.字母组合( monogram的名词复数 ) | |
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trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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37
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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38
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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39
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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41
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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42
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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43
resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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44
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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45
orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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46
asylums
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| n.避难所( asylum的名词复数 )；庇护；政治避难；精神病院 | |
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47
delegations
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| n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派 | |
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48
lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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49
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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50
highland
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| n.(pl.)高地，山地 | |
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51
rheumatism
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| n.风湿病 | |
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52
judgments
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| 判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判 | |
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53
somber
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| adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的 | |
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54
coffin
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| n.棺材，灵柩 | |
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55
ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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56
pall
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| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
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57
orb
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| n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形 | |
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58
emblems
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| n.象征，标记( emblem的名词复数 ) | |
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59
royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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60
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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61
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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62
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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63
warships
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| 军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只 | |
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64
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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65
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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66
throngs
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| n.人群( throng的名词复数 )v.成群，挤满( throng的第三人称单数 ) | |
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67
rites
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| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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70
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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lament
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| n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹 | |
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reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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pastor
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| n.牧师，牧人 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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