Osborne, 18 Septembre 1846.
Ma bien chère Louise,—Je te remercie pour ton retour de franchise; je ne désire pas que cette controverse entre de plus dans notre correspondance privée, comme elle est le sujet et le sera je crains encore davantage de discussion politique. Je veux seulement dire qu'il est impossible de donner à cette affaire le cachet d'une simple affaire de famille; l'attitude prise à Paris sur cette affaire de mariage dès le commencement était une fort étrange; il fallait toute la discrétion de Lord Aberdeen pour qu'elle n'amenât un éclat plutôt; mais ce dénouement, si contraire à la parole du Roi, qu'il m'a donnée lors de cette dernière visite à Eu spontanément, en ajoutant à la complication, pour la première fois, celle du projet de mariage de Montpensier, aura mauvaise mine devant toute l'Europe.
Rien de plus pénible n'aurait pu arriver que toute cette dispute qui prend un caractère si personnel....
Victoria R.
Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.
THE QUEEN'S INDIGNATION
Osborne, 21st September 1846.
My Dearest Uncle,—I have to thank you very much for your very kind letter of the 5th from Zurich. It is very unfortunate that you should be so far off at this moment. Since I wrote to you we have decided to remonstrate both at Madrid (this went a week ago), and at Paris, but this last not in a formal note but in a despatch to Lord Normanby, against this very unjustifiable breach of faith on the part of France. We have seen these despatches, which are very firm, but written in a very proper and kind tone, exposing at the same time the fallacy of what has been done; for the King himself declared that he would never let one of his sons marry the Queen, he insisted on her marrying a descendant of Philip V. This has been done, and at the same moment he says his son is to marry the Infanta, who may become Queen to-morrow! And to all this he says, "C'est seulement une affaire de famille"! The King is very fond of England, and still more of peace, and he never can sacrifice this (for though it would not be immediate war it would cause coolness with us and with other Powers, and would probably lead to war in a short time), for a breach of faith and for one of his sons' marriages. No quarrel or misunderstanding in the world could be more disagreeable and to me more cruelly painful, for it is so personal, and has come into the midst of all our communications and correspondence, and is too annoying. It is so sad, too, for dear Louise, to whom one cannot say that her father has behaved dishonestly. I hope, however, another ten days will show us some daylight. I will not mention anything about Leopold's24 answer, as Albert will, I doubt not, write to you all about it. It is very satisfactory, however.
We are since this day week in our charming new house, which is delightful, and to-morrow we go, alas! to Windsor, where we expect the Queen-Dowager and the Princess of Prussia, who will remain a week with us. Ever your devoted Niece,
Victoria R.