The Queen’s Distrust of French Policy--Her Conferences with Lord Clarendon--The French Pamphlet on “The Pope and the Congress”--Palmerston’s Proposal of an Alliance Offensive and Defensive with France--Intriguing between Palmerston and Persigny--Recall of Cavour--Affairs in China--Mr. Cobden’s Commercial Treaty with France--Cession of Nice and Savoy to France--The Anglo-French Alliance at an End--Lord John Russell’s Reform Bill--Threatened Rupture with France--Russia Attempts to Re-open the Eastern Question--Garibaldi’s Invasion of the Two Sicilies--Collapse of the Neapolitan Monarchy--The Piedmontese Invade the Papal States--Annexation of the Sicilies to Sardinia--Meeting between Napoleon III. and the German Sovereigns at Baden--A New Holy Alliance--The Mahometan Atrocities in Syria--The Macdonald Scandal--Palmerston’s Fortification Scheme--The Lords Reject the Bill Abolishing the Paper Duty--The Volunteer Movement--Reviews in Hyde Park and Edinburgh--The Queen at Wimbledon--The Prince of Wales’s Tour in Canada and the United States--Betrothal of the Princess Alice--The Queen and her Grandchild--Serious Accident to the Prince Consort--Illness of the Queen 43 CHAPTER IV. THE DEATH OF THE PRINCE CONSORT. England in 1861--The Jumble of Parties--Secret Alliance Between Palmerston and the Tories--Opening of Parliament--The Prince Consort and the “Two Old Italian Masters”--Lady William Russell’s _Salon_--The Proposed Sale of Venice--The Fall of Gaeta--Prussia and Italy--Death of Cavour--A _Casus Belli_ against France--Napoleon in the East--Denmark and the Duchies--The Queen’s Private Sorrows--Last Illness and Death of the Duchess of Kent--Renewed Attacks in the Press on Prince Albert--Palmerston Accused of Tampering with Despatches--Anecdote of Lord Derby and Lord Granville--The Budget--Repeal of the Paper Duty--Palmerston’s “Grudge” Against Prince Albert--The Marriage of the Princess Alice announced--The Queen and Her Social Duties--Two Drawing-Rooms and Two Investitures--A Season of Mourning--Death of Lord Herbert of Lea--Lord John Russell’s Peerage--Reform and the Working Classes--Ministerial Changes--The Queen’s Tour in Ireland--The Queen and German Unity--Coronation of the King of Prussia--Death of the King of Portugal--Fatigue of the Prince Consort--Signs of His Last Illness--The Queen at Her Husband’s Sick-Bed--A Mournful Vigil--The Prince Consort’s Last Words--Scene at the Death-Bed--The Sorrow of the Country--The Queen’s Despair--Her Removal from Windsor--Prince Albert’s Character and Career--His Funeral--The Scene at the Grave--The Queen and the Princess Alice 73 CHAPTER V. WAR AND FAMINE.