She was, she told her Prime Minister, at the end of an official letter, "yours aff'ly V.R.
and I." In such a phrase the deep reality of her feeling is instantly manifest.

The Faery's feet were on the solid earth; it was the ruse cynic who was in the air.
He had taught her, however, a lesson, which she had learnt with alarming rapidity.

A second Gloriana, did he call her?
Very well, then, she would show that she deserved the compliment.

Disquieting symptoms followed fast.

In May, 1874, the Tsar, whose daughter had just been married to Victoria's second son, the Duke of Edinburgh, was in London, and, by an unfortunate error, it had been arranged that his departure should not take place until two days after the date on which his royal hostess had previously decided to go to Balmoral.