Princess Ena was the only daughter in a family of four children, and her childhood was spent much in the company of her brothers, whose studies and play she shared. Before she was twelve years old she had learned to ride like a boy, to manage a boat and had acquired considerable skill with the fishing rod. After the death of her father, Prince Henry of Battenberg, Princess Ena assisted her mother in the administration of the Isle3 of Wight, which was the particular bailiwick of her family. Doubtless the early lessons of administration which she learned at this time was{8} the kind of preparation for the administrative4 duties of Queen, which, after her marriage, were to devolve upon her.
She received an education befitting a Princess of Great Britain. When still very young she had acquired a knowledge of French and German, and this practice in mastering new languages proved of great value later when she came to take up Spanish—a rich and full-throated tongue in which she became fluent within a few months.
Princess Ena also showed a decided5 talent for music and she is not only a ready, skilful6 pianist, but she also composes music.
Her young life was happy. She was the favourite, not only of Queen Victoria and Empress Eugenie, but of all the Royal family in England. There was no touch of the hard and sordid7 in those years. She dwelt in the midst of wholesome8, happy people and always in beautiful places. The Isle of Wight, her home, is a sweet, tranquil9 haven10, remote from the frequented paths of the world, far from the hurry and noise and dirt of modern England. In Spring and Summer it is like a great garden with abiding11 places set therein.
Balmoral in Scotland, where she was born and where she frequently lived, especially when her grandmother, Queen Victoria, was in residence in Scotland, is one of the most glorious spots in Britain. The magnificent Royal Park is widely encircled by the rugged12 mountains of that Northland. The river Dee, famed in song and story, runs close{9} to hand. This Northland is more mountainous and stern than Ayr or Dumfries, the land of Bobbie Burns, and as instinct with tradition of the fighting Jacobite times as the Border country—the land of Scott—or Loch Leven with its memories of Queen Mary. Princess Ena revelled13 in the stirring past as she breathed the strong air of the Cairngorms, growing physically14 strong and sturdy, innocent of the Destiny which was to shape her life and make her a Mother of Kings.
One winter Princess Henry of Battenberg went to Egypt, taking with her her four children. This proved a memorable15 year to Princess Ena, for she became familiar with new surroundings and acquainted with ancient civilisations, in which she evinced a remarkable16 interest. Here, too, the Princess had her first experience away from royal precincts, as the winter was mostly spent in the Cataract17 Hotel at Aswan. It was the wish of Princess Henry that she and her children be treated precisely as the other guests of the hotel were treated, and the Princess Ena came to know many people who were of a world far removed from her own.
Many stories are told in Egypt to-day of the laughing golden-haired English Princess who was never so weary as to cease from fun and mischief18, and many a prank19 instigated20 by her and her brothers is recalled. Her brightness and abounding21 good nature were widely appreciated and the memory she has left there is sweet and good.
Christmas Day in a foreign land is always dull{10} and dreary22, and English people, perhaps, miss home on this day above all others in the year.
The manager of the Cataract Hotel—Herr Steiger—being anxious to lift in some measure the pall23 of gloom which hung over his guests that Christmas planned a little surprise which he sprang at the dinner hour. Toward the close of the meal the lights in the dining salon24 were suddenly extinguished and a band of picturesque25 Orientals entered the room bearing lighted tapers26 and trays of gifts. Their fantastic garb27 of white bournous, red fez and white turbans looked weirdly28 strange against the darkness and as the file approached the table where sat the royal party a burst of loud applause came spontaneously from the guests at the other tables. No sooner had the first defile29 circled round the royal table than other similar groups entered the room and ranged around the other tables. In a moment of silence the Princess Ena was heard to exclaim: “Oh! how nice of Herr Steiger to have given this pleasure to everyone and not only to us!”
This charming consideration for others is a characteristic of her nature which has deepened with years and has proved one of the qualities which so quickly endeared her to the people of her adopted land.
At the age of eighteen Princess Ena had her formal “coming out” into Society. The event took place at the Infirmary Ball at Ryde, and immediately after she was presented at Windsor and en{11}tered upon a gay season in London. It was toward the end of this very first season that she met for the first time the impetuous and dashing young man who at first sight of her surrendered his heart and in record time led her up the steps of a throne to share with him the ermine of sovereignty.
In their meeting and courtship lies a tale of pure romance. No story of any “castle in Spain” runs more delightfully30, and no tale of the storied Alhambra quickens the pulse beats faster.
Don Alfonso XIII of Spain, who was literally32 born a king, his father having died several months before his birth, at the early age of 28, was still in his teens when his court and ministers began to drop thinly veiled hints concerning a possible alliance for the young sovereign. The King from earliest boyhood had showed that he had a mind and determination of his own, and whenever the matter of his marriage was broached33 he would make reply: “I shall marry a princess who takes my fancy, and nobody else. I want to love my wife.” A noble and worthy34 ambition surely, especially for a king!
The Emperor of Germany had long hoped to arrange a match between the King of Spain and a German princess, while several princesses in other countries of Europe nourished secret hopes that they might one day sit on the Spanish throne. Political exigencies35, however, demanded an English princess if a suitable and acceptable one could be found for the youthful monarch36.{12}
During the spring of Don Alfonso’s twentieth year, the very year of Princess Ena’s coming out, he went with a regal suite37 to London. Wiseacres had picked Princess Patricia of Connaught as the probable choice of the dashing young sovereign. Indeed the whispers of Mayfair drawing-rooms had the match entirely38 arranged long before the King arrived in London.
June in London is often a delightful31 and beautiful month—a month of awakening39 surprises, when the trees and flowers come quickly into bloom and blossom through the spring haze40. The June week chosen for the visit of the Spanish King, however, proved a disappointing exception, for mist and drizzling41 rain characterised the period of his stay, but all the rain and dampness of Britain, if concentrated in London, would not have marred42 the indefatigable43 energy of this strenuous44 young man, who not only participated in all the festivities arranged for him by the committees of the Court and Municipality, but also managed to do much extra sight-seeing and, most important of all, to make up his mind which princess should be the next Queen of Spain—his bride.
Despite the gossips who already had Princess Patricia the affianced bride of the young King, when these two met it was evident that neither attracted the other. Far too often in the history of nations personal attraction has not been a dominating influence in royal marriages. If reasons of state have demanded the marriage the individuals
[Image unavailable.]
THE QUEEN OF SPAIN.
{13}
have sunk their own feelings, surrendered their personal happiness—and lived on, perpetual victims of the political demands of their respective states. But Don Alfonso XIII had no desire to martyr45 himself in this way. No more the Princess Patricia.
The late King Edward had arranged dinners, dances and fêtes in Buckingham Palace in honour of the King of Spain. There were gathered the very flower of the youth of Britain. Don Alfonso was seen to be instantly struck by the sight of a certain golden-haired girl whom he saw flitting here and there across the rooms.
“Who is she?” he finally inquired.
“Princess Ena of Battenberg,” was the reply.
The two were presented. They talked together and were visibly interested in each other. They met again and each day so long as the King remained in London.
A few months later, King Alfonso confessed that the first moment he saw Princess Ena, he determined46 that she was the one who must share the responsibilities of his Kingdom with him, and that if his suit were not accepted by the Princess, or if any reasons of State intervened to prevent the marriage, his country would go without a queen so long as he lived. Fortunately, no reasons of State developed to hinder the marriage and the one obstacle raised by the Church was overcome when the Princess declared her readiness to accept the Roman Catholic Faith, for King Alfonso is{14} known as His Most Catholic Majesty47, and church influence, though waning48, is still strong in Spain.
The marriage was favoured and encouraged by King Edward, that gracious and genial49 Uncle of Europe, and his sanction was sufficiently50 strong to bring about what was to King Alfonso and to Spain an exceedingly desirable union. No public announcement of the betrothal51 was made for six months after the visit to England, but rumour52 carried abroad the suspicions which were later confirmed.
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1
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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administrative
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| adj.行政的，管理的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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abiding
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| adj.永久的，持久的，不变的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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revelled
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| v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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cataract
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| n.大瀑布，奔流，洪水，白内障 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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prank
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| n.开玩笑，恶作剧；v.装饰；打扮；炫耀自己 | |
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instigated
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| v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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abounding
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| adj.丰富的，大量的v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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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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salon
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| n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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tapers
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| （长形物体的）逐渐变窄( taper的名词复数 )； 微弱的光； 极细的蜡烛 | |
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garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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weirdly
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| 古怪地 | |
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defile
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| v.弄污，弄脏；n.(山间)小道 | |
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delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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broached
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| v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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exigencies
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| n.急切需要 | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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drizzling
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| 下蒙蒙细雨，下毛毛雨( drizzle的现在分词 ) | |
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marred
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| adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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indefatigable
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| adj.不知疲倦的，不屈不挠的 | |
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strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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45
martyr
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| n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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48
waning
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| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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49
genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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50
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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51
betrothal
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| n. 婚约, 订婚 | |
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52
rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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