When the carriage sent by Albert to the hotel set off from Windsor Castle, Victor Umberto and Cavour were rehearsing the upcoming meeting over and over again, trying to leave a perfect impression for Queen Victoria and his wife.
impression.
"Your Majesty, it is an honor to meet you at Windsor Castle, which is full of history and splendor... I have heard of your kindness and wisdom for a long time, and I am very happy to receive your invitation to be a guest at Windsor Castle..." Victor
·Umberto spoke fluent English with a Sardinian accent, facing Cavour.
Cavour waited silently for Victor Umberto to finish his opening remarks smoothly, and then he complimented Victor Umberto, "Your Highness, after these days of hard work, you
The speech is perfect enough!”
Hearing Cavour's compliment, Victor Umberto's face immediately showed a hint of youthful joy.
This opening statement was completed by Victor Umberto with the "assistance" of Cavour. In order to be able to speak it smoothly and without losing emotion, Victor Umberto did not know how many times he rehearsed it.
Fortunately, Victor Umberto's efforts were not in vain. He finally got Cavour's approval, which meant that Umberto's opening remarks were enough to deal with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
However, Cavour's next words made Victor Umberto, who was originally smiling, regain his composure.
"However!" Cavour changed the topic and criticized Victor Umberto tactfully in a sincere tone, "Your Highness! I still hope that you can relax a little when you speak. What you are about to conduct is a monarch (
Meeting between Victor Umberto representing Victor Emmanuel II) and the monarch.
The tone between the two monarchs should be more easy-going, so as to shorten the distance between them!
And the tone of your speech just now was really too rigid, as if you were having an official meeting!"
"Your Excellency Prime Minister (Victor Umberto still habitually calls Cavour Prime Minister)!" Victor Umberto showed a serious expression and replied to Cavour sincerely, "Please allow me to try again!
"
Looking at the extremely serious Victor Umberto in front of him, Cavour could only nod in agreement. However, he knew very well that even if Victor Umberto practiced dozens or even hundreds of times, nothing would be too great.
big change.
The reason why Victor Umberto has such flaws is simply because he suffered from being too young.
Victor Umberto, who was born in 1844, is only 15 years old now. It is impossible to expect a 15-year-old boy to be able to calmly deal with the monarch of the most powerful country in the world.
Not to mention Victor Umberto, even some adults can't do it.
Victor Umberto has surpassed many of his peers in being able to achieve this.
Cavour could not really criticize Victor Umberto too harshly.
After all, this is simply not a task that a 15-year-old boy can undertake.
The person who originally assumed the task should be Victor Umberto's father, Victor Emmanuel, the King of the Kingdom of Sardinia.
However, Victor Emmanuel was concerned about the feelings of the French Empire, so he sent Crown Prince Victor Umberto secretly to the Kingdom of Britain to meet with Queen Victoria on his behalf.
Of course, it was not Victor Umberto who really dominated the conversation, but Cavour.
If Cavour can reach a preliminary agreement with Britain, then Victor Emmanuel will consider going to Britain to discuss it in person.
I believe that even if the French Empire knew about this, it would not take any drastic action against the Kingdom of Sardinia.
If Cavour did not reach an agreement with the British side, then Victor Emmanuel would have room for mediation.
Poor Victor Umberto was just a pawn used by Victor Emmanuel.
Thinking of this, Cavour looked at Victor Umberto with a hint of pity in his eyes.
Soon, Victor Umberto repeated the opening remarks again, and then looked at Cavour expectantly, as if he was waiting for Cavour's encouragement.
Cavour looked at Victor Umberto in front of him, determined to give Victor Umberto some encouragement.
Anyway, the time to meet Victoria and his wife is very close, no matter how much practice is done, it will not help. It is better to encourage Victor Umberto, maybe Victor Umberto can still perform at a super level.
After thinking for a while, Cavour gave a smile and encouraged, "Your Highness, this time is much better than the last time!"
"Your Excellency, Prime Minister, my decision is still a bit wrong!" Victor Umberto frowned and said to Cavour.
Just when Cavour wanted to continue talking, there was a knock on the door.
Upon seeing this, Cavour wanted to open the door, but Victor Umberto ran towards the door first and responded to Cavour, "Sir Cavour, it's better for me to open the door!"
Cavour stopped and looked at Victor Umberto who was walking towards the door of the room.
When Victor Umberto opened the door, John Brown, wearing a tuxedo, stood at the door. He first bowed to Victor Umberto, and then said to him, "Your Highness, I have ordered two of you to
Your Majesty has ordered you and your entourage (Cavour went as an entourage, together with Victor Umberto) to Windsor Castle!
If you have no urgent matters to deal with now, then please follow me with your entourage!"
After hearing John Brown's respectful response, Victor Umberto showed a panicked look on his face. He was a little afraid of meeting Victoria and his wife.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! So Victor Umberto subconsciously cast a look for help to Cavour in the room.
After receiving the look of help from Victor Umberto, Cavour immediately understood what Victor Umberto was thinking. He strode up to John Brown and responded politely to John Brown, "Dear
Mr. Brown, His Highness and I do have some minor issues that have not yet been resolved. Could you please wait for us outside the door for a moment?"
John Brown was stunned for a moment, and couldn't help feeling a little angry in his heart.
Except for Queen Victoria and his wife, no one in London had ever asked him to wait for a period of time.
However, it turned out that the prince and his entourage in front of him were guests specially requested by Prince Albert. John Brown had no choice but to suppress his displeasure and responded in a calm tone, "I hope you won't keep me waiting too long!"
"Thank you very much!" Cavour said to John Brown.
John Brown left the room alone, and Cavour closed the door again.
"Your Excellency Prime Minister, I'm sorry...I..." Victor Umberto sounded flustered, and he wanted to explain to Cavour.
"Your Highness, there is no need to say anything! I understand everything!" Cavour said to Victor Umberto like a persuasive teacher, "Are you just afraid that you will make a fool of yourself in front of Mr. and Mrs. Victoria?"
Victor Umberto nodded and responded to Cavour in a low voice, "Sir Cavour, actually I'm not ready yet!"
"Your Highness, what you are about to attend is not a grand speech, but a meeting with a monarch!
In fact, the meeting between two monarchs does not require too complicated steps!
You just need to keep a normal mind!
Even if you make a mistake, I don’t think Her Majesty Victoria will blame you!
Children have the right to make mistakes!" Cavour criticized me from the bottom of his heart to Victor Umberto, "Besides, there are some things that you cannot avoid just because you are afraid!
Your Highness, you are the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Sardinia, the future King of Sardinia, and even the King of Italy!
If you don’t even have the courage to face this difficulty, how will you face problems that are a hundred or a thousand times more difficult than this in the future!”
After listening to Cavour's speech, Victor Umberto also began to reflect on himself.
Mr. Cavour is right. If I have to shrink from even this small difficulty, then I will definitely shrink back again and again in the future... No, I have to muster the courage!
Victor Umberto clenched his fists involuntarily, silently feeling proud of himself.
After a while, Victor Umberto raised his head and said to Cavour with firm eyes, "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, let's go!"
"Your Highness, from now on, you don't have to call me Prime Minister!" Cavour said to Victor Umberto, "Now I am just your attendant, you call me..."
Cavour thought for a moment, then blurted out: "Luigi Farini!"
"I understand! Mr. Farini!" Victor Umberto still maintained his respect for Cavour.
Like a true attendant, Cavour followed Victor Umberto out of the hotel.
Under the guidance of John Brown, Cavour and Victor Umberto entered the carriage.
As the door closed, the carriage slowly moved toward the southeast.
After a long journey of nearly an hour, the carriage carrying Cavour and Victor Umberto finally arrived at Windsor Castle.
When the carriage slowly stopped in front of a majestic castle, Victor Umberto once again showed a trace of panic on his face, but this panic was quickly buried in Victor Umberto's heart.
John Brown once again opened the door for Victor Umberto and Cavour, and then under the guidance of John Brown, Victor Umberto and Cavour finally met Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Before Victor Umberto could express his gratitude to Queen Victoria and his wife, Prince Albert asked Victor Umberto first, "Your name is Victor Umberto, right?"
