... The horses started, and the carriage stopped. I
seized Victoria's hands and asked if the fright, had not shaken her, but
she laughed."
Almost immediately the fellow fired a second shot, from which the Queen
was saved probably by the presence of mind of the Prince, who drew her
down beside him. He states that the ball must have passed just over her
head. The wretch was at once arrested and taken away, and soon after
committed for trial, on the charge of high treason. The Queen was seen to
be very pale, but calm. She rose in the carriage to show the excited
people that she was not hurt, and then ordered the postilions to drive at
once to Ingestrie House, that the Duchess of Kent might hear of the
startling incident first from her and not be frightened by wild rumors.
It was a thoughtful and filial act, and brave, moreover, for there were
those about her who suspected that there might be a revolutionary
conspiracy, and that Oxford was only one of many banded assassins. These
alarmists advised her and her husband to show themselves abroad as little
as possible. How they heeded this advice is shown in another passage of
Prince Albert's letter: "We arrived safely at Aunt Kent's. From thence we
took a drive through the Park, to give Victoria a little air,--also to
show the people that we had not, on account of what had happened, lost
confidence in them.
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