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lost its distinctive qualitythe comfortable order of the substantial unambiguous dishes； with their background of weighty glamour； half out of sight。
Her own existence came to harmonise more and more with what was around her。 Gradually； imperceptibly； Albert receded。 It was not that he was forgottenthat would have been impossiblebut that the void created by his absence grew less agonising； and even； at last； less obvious。 At last Victoria found it possible to regret the bad weather without immediately reflecting that her 〃dear Albert always said we could not alter it； but must leave it as it was；〃 she could even enjoy a good breakfast without considering how 〃dear Albert〃 would have liked the buttered eggs。 And； as that figure slowly faded； its place was taken； inevitably； by Victoria's own。 Her being； revolving for so many years round an external object； now changed its motion and found its centre in itself。 It had to be so： her domestic position； the pressure of her public work； her indomitable sense of duty； made anything else impossible。 Her egotism proclaimed its rights。 Her age increased still further the surrounding deference； and her force of character； emerging at length in all its plenitude； imposed absolutely upon its environment by the conscious effort of an imperious will。
Little by little it was noticed that the outward vestiges of Albert's posthumous domination grew less complete。 At Court the stringency of mourning was relaxed。 As the Queen drove through the Park in her open carriage with her Highlanders behind her； nursery…maids canvassed eagerly the growing patch of violet velvet in the bonnet with its jet appurtenances on the small bowing head。
It was in her family that Victoria's ascendancy reached its highest point。 All her offspring were married； the number of her descendants rapidly increased； there were many marriages in the third generation； and no fewer than thirty…seven of her great…grandchildren were living at the time of her death。 A picture of the period displays the royal family collected together in one of the great rooms at Windsora crowded company of more than fifty persons； with the imperial matriarch in their midst。 Over them all she ruled with a most potent sway。 The small concerns of the youngest aroused her passionate interest； and the oldest she treated as if they were children still。 The Prince of Wales； in particular； stood in tremendous awe of his mother。 She had steadily refused to allow him the slightest participation in the business of government； and he had occupied himself in other ways。 Nor could it be denied that he enjoyed himselfout of her sight； but； in that redoubtable presence； his abounding manhood suffered a miserable eclipse。 Once； at Osborne； when； owing to no fault of his； he was too late for a dinner party； he was observed standing behind a pillar and wiping the sweat from his forehead； trying to nerve himself to go up to the Queen。 When at last he did so； she gave him a stiff nod； whereupon he vanished immediately behind another pillar； and remained there until the party broke up。 At the time of this incident the Prince of Wales was over fifty years of age。
It was inevitable that the Queen's domestic activities should occasionally trench upon the domain of high diplomacy； and this was especially the case when the interests of her eldest daughter； the Crown Princess of Prussia； were at stake。 The Crown Prince held liberal opinions； he was much influenced by his wife； and both were detested by Bismarck； who declared with scurrilous emphasis that the Englishwoman and her mother were a menace to the Prussian State。 The feud was still further intensified when； on the death of the old Emperor （1888）； the Crown Prince succeeded to the throne。 A family entanglement brought on a violent crisis。 One of the daughters of the new Empress had become betrothed to Prince Alexander of Battenberg； who had lately been ejected from the throne of Bulgaria owing to the hostility of the Tsar。 Victoria； as well as the Empress； highly approved of the match。 Of the two brothers of Prince Alexander； the elder had married another of her grand…daughters； and the younger was the husband of her daughter； the Princess Beatrice； she was devoted to the handsome young man； and she was delighted by the prospect of the third brotheron the whole the handsomest； she thought； of the threealso becoming a member of her family。 Unfortunately； however； Bismarck was opposed to the scheme。 He perceived that the marriage would endanger the friendship between Germany and Russia； which was vital to his foreign policy； and he announced that it must not take place。 A fierce struggle between the Empress and the Chancellor followed。 Victoria； whose hatred of her daughter's enemy was unbounded； came over to Charlottenburg to join in the fray。 Bismarck； over his pipe and lager； snorted out his alarm。 The Queen of England's object； he said； was clearly politicalshe wished to estrange Germany and Russiaand very likely she would have her way。 〃In family matters；〃 he added； 〃she is not used to contradiction；〃 she would 〃bring the parson with her in her travelling bag and the bridegroom in her trunk； and the marriage would come off on the spot。〃 But the man of blood and iron was not to be thwarted so easily； and he asked for a private interview with the Queen。 The details of their conversation are unknown； but it is certain that in the course of it Victoria was forced to realise the meaning of resistance to that formidable personage； and that she promised to use all her influence to prevent the marriage。 The engagement was broken off； and in the following year Prince Alexander of Battenberg united himself to Fraulein Loisinger； an actress at the court theatre of Darmstad。
But such painful incidents were rare。 Victoria was growing very old； with no Albert to guide her； with no Beaconsfield to enflame her； she was willing enough to abandon the dangerous questions of diplomacy to the wisdom of Lord Salisbury； and to concentrate her energies upon objects which touched her more nearly and over which she could exercise an undisputed control。 Her homeher courtthe monuments at Balmoralthe livestock at Windsorthe organisation of her engagementsthe supervision of the multitudinous details of her daily routinesuch matters played now an even greater part in her existence than before。 Her life passed in an extraordinary exactitude。 Every moment of her day was mapped out beforehand； the succession of her engagements was immutably fixed； the dates of her journeysto Osborne； to Balmoral； to the South of France； to Windsor； to Londonwere hardly altered from year to year。 She demanded from those who surrounded her a rigid precision in details； and she was preternaturally quick in detecting the slightest deviation from the rules which she had laid down。 Such was the irresistible potency of her personality； that anything but the most implicit obedience to her wishes was felt to be impossible； but sometimes somebody was unpunctual； and unpunctuality was one of the most heinous of sins。 Then her displeasureher dreadful displeasurebecame all too visible。 At such moments there seemed nothing surprising in her having been the daughter of