Albert arrived; and the whole structure of her existence crumbled into nothingness like a house of cards. He was beautiful--she gasped--she knew no more. Then, in a flash, a thousand mysteries were revealed to her; the past, the present, rushed upon her with a new significance; the delusions of years were abolished, and an extraordinary, an irresistible certitude leapt into being in the light of those blue eyes, the smile of that lovely mouth. The succeeding hours passed in a rapture. She was able to observe a few more details--the 'exquisite nose,' the 'delicate moustachios and slight but very slight whiskers,' the 'beautiful figure, broad in the shoulders and a fine waist.' She rode with him, danced with him, talked with him, and it was all perfection. She had no shadow of a doubt. He had {96} come on a Thursday evening, and on the following Sunday morning she told Lord Melbourne that she had 'a good deal changed her opinion as to marrying.' Next morning, she told him that she had made up her mind to marry Albert. The morning after that, she sent for her cousin. She received him alone, and 'after a few minutes I said to him that I thought he must be aware _why_ I wished them to come here--and that it would make me _too happy_ if he would consent to what I wished (to marry me).' Then 'we embraced each other, and he was _so_ kind, _so_ affectionate.' She said that she was quite unworthy of him, while he murmured that he would be very happy 'Das Leben mit dir zu zubringen.' They parted, and she felt 'the happiest of human beings,' when Lord M. came in. At first she beat about the bush, and talked of the weather, and indifferent subjects. Somehow or other she felt a little nervous with her old friend. At last, summoning up her courage, she said, 'I have got well through this with Albert.' 'Oh! you have,' said Lord M.[70] [1] Greville, III, 411. [2] _Ibid._, IV, 7, 9, 14-15. [3] Walpole, I, 284. [4] Crawford, 156-7. [5] Greville, IV, 16. [6] _Girlhood_, I, 210-1. [7] Greville, IV, 15. [8] Greville, IV, 21-2. [9] Stockmar, 322-3; Maxwell, 159-60. [10] Stockmar, 109-10. [11] _Ibid._, 165-6. [12] _Ibid._, chaps. viii, ix, x, and xi. [13] _Girlhood_, II, 303. [14] Stockmar, 324. [15] _Ibid._, chap. xv, pt. 2. [16] _Ibid._, chap. xvii. [17] Stein, VI, 932. [18] Greville, VI, 247; Torrens, 14; Hayward, I, 336. [19] Greville, VI, 248. [20] Greville, III, 331; VI, 254; Haydon, III, 12: 'March 1, 1835. Called on Lord Melbourne, and found him reading the Acts, with a quarto Greek Testament that belonged to Samuel Johnson.' [21] Greville, III, 142; Torrens, 545. [22] _Girlhood_, II, 148; Torrens, 278, 431, 517; Greville, IV, 331; VIII, 162. [23] Greville, VI, 253-4; Torrens, 354. [24] Greville, IV, 135, 154; _Girlhood_, I, 249. [25] Creevey, II, 326. [26] _Girlhood_, I, 203. [27] _Ibid._, I, 206. [28] Lee, 79-81. [29] _Girlhood_, II, 3. [30] _Girlhood_, II, 29. [31] _Ibid._, II, 100.