el；　when　I　think　of　the　possibility　of　this　excellent　and　truly　kind　man　not　remaining　my　Minister！　Yet　I　trust　ferventIy　that　He　who　has　so　wonderfully　protected　me　through　such　manifold　difficulties　will　not　now　desert　me！　I　should　have　liked　to　have　expressed　to　Lord　M。　my　anxiety；　but　the　tears　were　nearer　than　words　throughout　the　time　I　saw　him；　and　I　felt　I　should　have　choked；　had　I　attempted　to　say　anything。〃　Lord　Melbourne　realised　clearly　enough　how　undesirable　was　such　a　state　of　mind　in　a　constitutional　sovereign　who　might　be　called　upon　at　any　moment　to　receive　as　her　Ministers　the　leaders　of　the　opposite　party；　he　did　what　he　could　to　cool　her　ardour；　but　in　vain。
  With　considerable　lack　of　foresight；　too；　he　had　himself　helped　to　bring　about　this　unfortunate　condition　of　affairs。　From　the　moment　of　her　accession；　he　had　surrounded　the　Queen　with　ladies　of　his　own　party；　the　Mistress　of　the　Robes　and　all　the　Ladies　of　the　Bedchamber　were　Whigs。　In　the　ordinary　course；　the　Queen　never　saw　a　Tory：　eventually　she　took　pains　never　to　see　one　in　any　circumstances。　She　disliked　the　whole　tribe；　and　she　did　not　conceal　the　fact。　She　particularly　disliked　Sir　Robert　Peel；　who　would　almost　certainly　be　the　next　Prime　Minister。　His　manners　were　detestable；　and　he　wanted　to　turn　out　Lord　M。　His　supporters；　without　exception；　were　equally　bad；　and　as　for　Sir　James　Graham；　she　could　not　bear　the　sight　of　him；　he　was　exactly　like　Sir　John　Conroy。
  The　affair　of　Lady　Flora　intensified　these　party　rumours　still　further。　The　Hastings　were　Tories；　and　Lord　Melbourne　and　the　Court　were　attacked　by　the　Tory　press　in　unmeasured　language。　The　Queen's　sectarian　zeal　proportionately　increased。　But　the　dreaded　hour　was　now　fast　approaching。　Early　in　May　the　Ministers　were　visibly　tottering；　on　a　vital　point　of　policy　they　could　only　secure　a　majority　of　five　in　the　House　of　Commons；　they　determined　to　resign。　When　Victoria　heard　the　news　she　burst　into　tears。　Was　it　possible；　then；　that　all　was　over？　Was　she；　indeed；　about　to　see　Lord　M。　for　the　last　time？　Lord　M。　came；　and　it　is　a　curious　fact　that；　even　in　this　crowning　moment　of　misery　and　agitation；　the　precise　girl　noted；　to　the　minute；　the　exact　time　of　the　arrival　and　the　departure　of　her　beloved　Minister。　The　conversation　was　touching　and　prolonged；　but　it　could　only　end　in　one　waythe　Queen　must　send　for　the　Duke　of　Wellington。　When；　next　morning；　the　Duke　came；　he　advised　her　Majesty　to　send　for　Sir　Robert　Peel。　She　was　in　〃a　state　of　dreadful　grief；〃　but　she　swallowed　down　her　tears；　and　braced　herself；　with　royal　resolution；　for　the　odious；　odious　interview。
  Peel　was　by　nature　reserved；　proud；　and　shy。　His　manners　were　not　perfect；　and　he　knew　it；　he　was　easily　embarrassed；　and；　at　such　moments；　he　grew　even　more　stiff　and　formal　than　before；　while　his　feet　mechanically　performed　upon　the　carpet　a　dancing…master's　measure。　Anxious　as　he　now　was　to　win　the　Queen's　good　graces；　his　very　anxiety　to　do　so　made　the　attainment　of　his　object　the　more　difficult。　He　entirely　failed　to　make　any　headway　whatever　with　the　haughty　hostile　girl　before　him。　She　coldly　noted　that　he　appeared　to　be　unhappy　and　〃put　out；〃　and；　while　he　stood　in　painful　fixity；　with　an　occasional　uneasy　pointing　of　the　toe；　her　heart　sank　within　her　at　the　sight　of　that　manner；　〃Oh！　how　different；　how　dreadfully　different；　to　the　frank；　open；　natural；　and　most　kind　warm　manner　of　Lord　Melbourne。〃　Nevertheless；　the　audience　passed　without　disaster。　Only　at　one　point　had　there　been　some　slight　hint　of　a　disagreement。　Peel　had　decided　that　a　change　would　be　necessary　in　the　composition　of　the　royal　Household：　the　Queen　must　no　longer　be　entirely　surrounded　by　the　wives　and　sisters　of　his　opponents；　some；　at　any　rate；　of　the　Ladies　of　the　Bedchamber　should　be　friendly　to　his　Government。　When　this　matter　was　touched　upon；　the　Queen　had　intimated　that　she　wished　her　Household　to　remain　unchanged；　to　which　Sir　Robert　had　replied　that　the　question　could　be　settled　later；　and　shortly　afterwards　withdrew　to　arrange　the　details　of　his　Cabinet。　While　he　was　present；　Victoria　had　remained；　as　she　herself　said；　〃very　much　collected；　civil　and　high；　and　betrayed　no　agitation；〃　but　as　soon　as　she　was　alone　she　completely　broke　down。　Then　she　pulled　herself　together　to　write　to　Lord　Melbourne　an　account　of　all　that　had　happened；　and　of　her　own　wretchedness。　〃She　feels；〃　she　said；　〃Lord　Melbourne　will　understand　it；　amongst　enemies　to　those　she　most　relied　on　and　most　esteemed；　but　what　is　worst　of　all　is　the　being　deprived　of　seeing　Lord　Melbourne　as　she　used　to　do。〃
  Lord　Melbourne　replied　with　a　very　wise　letter。　He　attempted　to　calm　the　Queen　and　to　induce　her　to　accept　the　new　position　gracefully；　and　he　had　nothing　but　good　words　for　the　Tory　leaders。　As　for　the　question　of　the　Ladies　of　the　Household；　the　Queen；　he　said；　should　strongly　urge　what　she　desired；　as　it　was　a　matter　which　concerned　her　personally；　〃but；〃　he　added；　〃if　Sir　Robert　is　unable　to　concede　it；　it　will　not　do　to　refuse　and　to　put　off　the　negotiation　upon　it。〃　On　this　point　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　Lord　Melbourne　was　right。　The　question　was　a　complicated　and　subtle　one；　and　it　had　never　arisen　before；　but　subsequent　constitutional　practice　has　determined　that　a　Queen　Regnant　must　accede　to　the　wishes　of　her　Prime　Minister　as　to　the　personnel　of　the　female　part　of　her　Household。　Lord　Melbourne's　wisdom；　however；　was　wasted。　The　Queen　would　not　be　soothed；　and　still　less　would　she　take　advice。　It　was　outrageous　of　the　Tories　to　want　to　deprive　her　of　her　Ladies；　and　that　night　she　made　up　her　mind　that；　whatever　Sir　Robert　might　say；　she　would　refuse　to　consent　to　the　removal　of　a　single　one　of　them。　Accordingly；　when；　next　morning；　Peel　appeared　again；　she　was　ready　for　action。　He　began　by　detailing　the　Cabinet　appointments；　and　then　he　added　〃Now；　ma'am；　about　the　Ladies…〃　when　the　Queen　sharply　interrupted　him。　〃I　cannot　give　up　any　of　my　Ladies；〃　she　said。　〃What；　ma'am！〃　said　Sir　Robert；　〃does　your　Majesty　mean　to　retain　them　all？〃　〃All；〃　said　the　Queen。　Sir　Robert's　face　worked　strangely；　he　could　not　conceal　his　agitation。　〃The　Mistress　of　the　Robes　and　the　Ladies　of　the　Bedchamber？〃　he　brought　out　at　last。　〃All；〃　replied　once　more　her　Majesty。　It　was　in　vain　that　Peel　pleaded　and　argued；　in　vain　that　he　spoke；　growing　every　moment　more　pompous　and　uneasy；　of　the　constitution；　and　Queens　Regnant；　and　the　public　interest；　in　vain　that　he　danced　his　pathetic　minuet。　She　was　adamant；　but　he；　too；　through　all　his　embarrassment；　showed　no　sign　of　yielding；　and　when　at　last　he　left　her　nothing　had　been　decidedthe　whole　formation　of　the　Government　was　hanging　in　the　wind。　A　frenzy　of　excitement　now　seized　upon　Victoria。　Sir　Robert；　she　believed　in　her　fury；　had　tried　to　outwit　her；　to　take　her　friends　from　her；　to　impose　his　will　upon　her　own；　but　that　was　not　all：　she　had　suddenly　perceived；　while　the　poor　man　was　moving　so　uneasily　before　her；　the　one　thing　that　she　was　desperately　longing　fora　loop…hole　of　escape。　She　seized　a　pen　and　dashed　off　a　note　to　Lord　Melbourne。
  〃Sir　Robert　has　behaved　very　ill；〃　she　wrote；　〃he　insisted　on　my　giving　up　my　Ladies；　to　which　I　replied　that　I　never　would　consent；　and　I　never　saw　a　man　so　frightened。。。　I　was　calm　but　very　decided；　and　I　think　you　would　have　been　pleased　to　see　my　composure　and　great　firmness；　the　Queen　of　England　will　not　submit　to　such　trickery。　Keep　yourself　in　readiness；　for　you　may　soon　be　wanted。〃　Hardly　had　she　finished　when　the　Duke　of　Wellington　was　announced。　〃Well；　Ma'am；〃　he　said　as　he　entered；　〃I　am　very　sorry　to　find　there　is　a　difficulty。〃　〃Oh！〃　she　instantly　replied；　〃he　began　it；　not　me。〃　She　felt　that　only　one　thing　now　was　needed：　she　must　be　firm。　And　firm　she　was。　The　venerable　conqueror　of　Napoleon　was　outfaced　by　the　relentless　equanimity　of　a　girl　in　her　teens。　He　could　not　move　the　Queen　one　inch。　At　last；　she　even　ventured　to　rally　him。　〃Is　Sir　Robert　so　weak；〃　she　asked；　〃that　even　the　Ladies　must　be　of　his　opinion？〃　On　which　the　Duke　made　a　brief　and　humble　expostulation；　bowed　low；　and　departed。
  Had　she　won？　Time　would　show；　and　in　the　meantime　she　scribbled　down　another　letter。　〃Lord　Melbourne　must　not　think　the　Queen　rash　in　her　conduct。。。　The　Queen　felt　this　was　an　attempt　to　see　whether　she　could　be　led　and　managed　like　a　child。〃＇*＇　The　Tories　were　not　only　wicked　but　ridiculous。　Peel；　having；　as　she　understood；　expressed　a　wish　to　remove　only　those　members　of　the　Household　who　were　in　Parliament；　now　objected　to　her　Ladies。　〃I　should　like　to　know；〃　she　exclaimed　in　triumphant　scorn；　〃if　they　mean　to　give　the　Ladies　seats　in　Parliament？〃
  ＇*＇　The　exclamation　〃They　wished　to　treat　me　like　a　girl；　but　I　will　show　them　that　I　am　Queen　of　England！〃　often　quoted　as　the　Queen's；　is　apocryphal。　It　is　merely　part　of　Greville's　summary　of　the　two　letters　to　Melbourne。　It　may　be　noted　that　the　phrase　〃the　Queen　of　England　will　not　submit　to　such　trickery〃　is　omitted　in　〃Girlhood；〃　and　in　general　there　are　numerous　verbal　discrepancies　between　the　versions　of　the　journal　and　the　letters　in　the　two　books。
  The　end　of　the　crisis　was　now　fast　approaching。　Sir　Robert　re