登陆注册
15452500000002

第2章 I(2)

The younger son of a German princeling, he was at this time twenty-six years of age; he had served with distinction in the war against Napoleon; he had shown considerable diplomatic skill at the Congress of Vienna; and he was now to try his hand at the task of taming a tumultuous Princess. Cold and formal in manner, collected in speech, careful in action, he soon dominated the wild, impetuous, generous creature by his side. There was much in her, he found, of which he could not approve. She quizzed, she stamped, she roared with laughter; she had very little of that self-command which is especially required of princes; her manners were abominable. Of the latter he was a good judge, having moved, as he himself explained to his niece many years later, in the best society of Europe, being in fact "what is called in French de la fleur des pois." There was continual friction, but every scene ended in the same way. Standing before him like a rebellious boy in petticoats, her body pushed forward, her hands behind her back, with flaming cheeks and sparkling eyes, she would declare at last that she was ready to do whatever he wanted.

"If you wish it, I will do it," she would say. "I want nothing for myself," he invariably answered; "When I press something on you, it is from a conviction that it is for your interest and for your good."

Among the members of the household at Claremont, near Esher, where the royal pair were established, was a young German physician, Christian Friedrich Stockmar. He was the son of a minor magistrate in Coburg, and, after taking part as a medical officer in the war, he had settled down as a doctor in his native town. Here he had met Prince Leopold, who had been struck by his ability, and, on his marriage, brought him to England as his personal physician. A curious fate awaited this young man; many were the gifts which the future held in store for him--many and various--influence, power, mystery, unhappiness, a broken heart. At Claremont his position was a very humble one; but the Princess took a fancy to him, called him "Stocky," and romped with him along the corridors. Dyspeptic by constitution, melancholic by temperament, he could yet be lively on occasion, and was known as a wit in Coburg. He was virtuous, too, and served the royal menage with approbation. "My master," he wrote in his diary, "is the best of all husbands in all the five quarters of the globe; and his wife bears him an amount of love, the greatness of which can only be compared with the English national debt." Before long he gave proof of another quality--a quality which was to colour the whole of his life-cautious sagacity. When, in the spring of 1817, it was known that the Princess was expecting a child, the post of one of her physicians-in-ordinary was offered to him, and he had the good sense to refuse it. He perceived that his colleagues would be jealous of him, that his advice would probably not be taken, but that, if anything were to go wrong, it would be certainly the foreign doctor who would be blamed. Very soon, indeed, he came to the opinion that the low diet and constant bleedings, to which the unfortunate Princess was subjected, were an error; he drew the Prince aside, and begged him to communicate this opinion to the English doctors; but it was useless. The fashionable lowering treatment was continued for months. On November 5, at nine o'clock in the evening, after a labour of over fifty hours, the Princess was delivered of a dead boy. At midnight her exhausted strength gave way.

When, at last, Stockmar consented to see her; he went in, and found her obviously dying, while the doctors were plying her with wine. She seized his hand and pressed it. "They have made me tipsy," she said. After a little he left her, and was already in the next room when he heard her call out in her loud voice: "Stocky! Stocky!" As he ran back the death-rattle was in her throat. She tossed herself violently from side to side; then suddenly drew up her legs, and it was over.

The Prince, after hours of watching, had left the room for a few moments' rest; and Stockmar had now to tell him that his wife was dead. At first he could not be made to realise what had happened. On their way to her room he sank down on a chair while Stockmar knelt beside him: it was all a dream; it was impossible. At last, by the bed, he, too, knelt down and kissed the cold hands. Then rising and exclaiming, "Now I am quite desolate. Promise me never to leave me," he threw himself into Stockmar's arms.

同类推荐
  • 山至数

    山至数

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 说文解字

    说文解字

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 虎丘绍隆禅师语录

    虎丘绍隆禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大乘稻芉经随听疏决

    大乘稻芉经随听疏决

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 路傍草

    路傍草

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 魔皇毒妃

    魔皇毒妃

    她是新时代的一抹灵魂,好死不死的穿到了一个废物身上,好在她有灵魂戒指,所以炼药啦,练武啦,驾驭魔兽啦,都是杠杠滴。他是魔域里的魔皇,世人都怕他,全部技能都练到了顶级,却没有人见过他的真面目
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 一抬头就遇上你,王俊凯

    一抬头就遇上你,王俊凯

    茫茫人海中相遇,也算是一种缘分吧,她敢做敢言,什么都不怕,是一个十足的吃货,真是因为她敢,才会被人恨,被人爱。爱得人,王俊凯。(正文与此处不相符,抱歉,自己看咯,嘻嘻)
  • 冰侣续情

    冰侣续情

    上古,火凤凰冰封了数万人的军队。金凤历777年春分,极地进入永夜,凤凰一手导演的游戏异界拉开序幕。《冰侣续情》上传了。中意请收藏(加入书架)、推荐书友来看。群号180473601。
  • 五千五百佛名神咒除障灭罪经

    五千五百佛名神咒除障灭罪经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 死神之巴温特

    死神之巴温特

    无意间,被神丢到了死神的世界;成为了千年以前的巴温特;享受无穷的追杀与仇视;为了改变命运,拥有抵抗尸魂界的力量;努力提升着自己的实力,不管是正义还是邪恶;千年的时间。。。。。。足够了因为还要吃饭,所以巴温特这本书只能带着写了
  • 老子本义

    老子本义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 恰似人间

    恰似人间

    一路风风雨雨走过来,他们,未曾羽化,未曾升仙,只是恰似在人间。
  • 三族玄冥传记

    三族玄冥传记

    一个落后的大陆,三个族群,不断发生战争,不断相互超越,谁都想一统天下。乱世出英雄,一些企图改变玄冥大陆的英雄,为了心中的目标,不惜献出生命。
  • 魔鬼代号班

    魔鬼代号班

    鹿鸣曾经是顶级杀手,是世界兵王……却因为一次小小的事故,改变了他的人生。让他失去异能,变成一个大学学生,然后开始风生水起的生活。原本美好的生活,却又许多杀手刺杀鹿鸣,让他那可怕的生份再次……