But, without doubt, most memorable, most delightful of all were the expeditions--the rare, exciting expeditions up distant mountains, across broad rivers, through strange country, and lasting several days. With only two gillies--Grant and Brown--for servants, and with assumed names ... it was more like something in a story than real life. 'We had decided to call ourselves _Lord and Lady Churchill and party_--Lady Churchill passing as _Miss Spencer_ and General Grey as _Dr. Grey_! Brown once forgot this and called me "Your Majesty" as I was getting into the carriage, and Grant on the box once called Albert "Your Royal Highness," which set us off laughing, but no one observed it.' Strong, vigorous, enthusiastic, bringing, so it seemed, good fortune with her--the Highlanders declared she had 'a lucky foot'--she relished everything--the scrambles and the views and the contretemps and the rough inns with their coarse fare and Brown and Grant waiting at table. She could have gone on for ever and ever, absolutely happy with Albert beside her and Brown at {196} her pony's head. But the time came for turning homewards; alas! the time came for going back to England. She could hardly bear it; she sat disconsolate in her room and watched the snow falling. The last day! Oh! If only she could be snowed up![17] III The Crimean War brought new experiences, and most of them were pleasant ones. It was pleasant to be patriotic and pugnacious, to look out appropriate prayers to be read in the churches, to have news of glorious victories, and to know oneself, more proudly than ever, the representative of England. With that spontaneity of feeling which was so peculiarly her own, Victoria poured out her emotion, her admiration, her pity, her love, upon her 'dear soldiers.' When she gave them their medals her exultation knew no bounds. 'Noble fellows!' she wrote to the King of the Belgians. 'I own I feel as if these were _my own children_; my heart beats for _them_ as for my _nearest and dearest_. They were so touched, so pleased; many, I hear, cried--and they won't hear of giving up their medals to have their names engraved upon them for fear they should _not_ receive the _identical one_ put into _their hands by me_, which is quite touching. Several came by in a sadly mutilated state.'[18] She and they were at one. They felt that she had done them a splendid honour, and she, with perfect genuineness, shared their feeling. Albert's attitude towards such things was different; there was an austerity in him which quite prohibited the expansions of emotion. When General Williams returned {197} from the heroic defence of Kars and was presented at Court, the quick, stiff, distant bow with which the Prince received him struck like ice upon the beholders.[19] He was a stranger still.