ord Derby to repeat it to your
Majesty.

Lord Malmesbury was not mistaken in believing that the Count had not
alluded idly to the subject, as he this day called on Lord Malmesbury,
and stated to him that the Emperor of the French had not decided
to negotiate a marriage with the Princess of Wasa;[56] but, on the
contrary, was rather averse to such an alliance; that he was anxious,
on the contrary, to make one which indirectly "_resserrerait les liens
d'amitie entre l'Angleterre et la France_," and that with this view
he wished Lord Malmesbury to ascertain from your Majesty whether any
objections would be raised on the part of your Majesty, or of the
Princess Adelaide's family, to his contracting a marriage with Her
Serene Highness. Your Majesty may suppose that he received this
intimation by a simple assurance that he would submit the French
Emperor's sentiments to your Majesty, and he added that he foresaw a
serious difficulty to the project in the fact that the Princess was
a Protestant. Count Walewski was evidently sincere in the earnestness
with which he spoke of the subject, and the impatience with which he
pressed Lord Malmesbury to inform your Majesty of his proposal.

[Footnote 55: The Queen's niece, daughter of Princess
Hohenlohe.]

[Footnote 56: The Princess Caroline Stephanie, daughter of
Prince Gustavus de Wasa, who was son of the last King of
Sweden of the earlier dynasty.]

[Pageheading: THE EMPEROR'S PROPOSED MARRIAGE]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Derby._

OSBORNE, _14th December 1852._

The Queen sends to Lord Derby a communication which she has received
from Lord Malmesbury.

The Queen is sorry to have been put in a situation which requires on
her part a direct answer, which to have been spared would have been in
every respect more prudent and safe. As it is, however, the Queen is
fully aware that the answer she is forced to give may really have,
or may hereafter be made appear to have, political consequences
disadvantageous to our political relations with France, and injurious
to the Queen's personal character.

The Queen therefore encloses for Lord Derby a draft of the answer she
intends to give to Lord Malmesbury,[57] asking that Lord Derby will
not only give these matters his fullest consideration, but that he
will return to the Queen the draft as soon as possible, with such of
his suggestions or alterations as he may think advisable to propose to
her.

T