The Prime Minister
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Minister; "and regretthat some slight he conceives himself to have received should havedriven him from Court; for I cannot suppose that he is tainted withdisloyalty to our sovereign, which is more than I can say for some ofthe haughty fidalgos of the land, whose pride, by heavens! soars sohigh, that they seem to consider themselves his superiors; let thembeware, or it shall be brought low enough."
The manner of the speaker for a moment became excited; but he quicklyresumed his usual calm demeanour, as he continued--"Offer my complimentsto your father, and say I must request he will not detain you long away,for I feel confident that his majesty will wish to give you someemployment suitable to your rank, and the high talents I know you topossess."
Don Luis, surprised at the compliment, for he could not conceive how theminister knew anything about him, could only bow in return; nor was heparticularly pleased with its authoritative tone, as coming from a manwhom he had been taught to consider, on account of his birth, but oflittle consequence; particularly when he heard threats uttered againstthe class to which he belonged. The Minister, eyeing the young mannarrowly, to observe the effect of his observations, then addressed afew sentences to Captain Pinto, during which time Don Luis, happening tolook in the direction of the secretary, observed that his glance wasfixed on him; but it was immediately withdrawn, the latter personapplying himself studiously to his occupation; it was, however,sufficient to attract Don Luis's attention more especially to hiscountenance, which he could not help fancying that he had seen somewherebefore, and at no great distance of time. It was not probable that hehad met him abroad, so that it could have been only on the previousday;--perhaps he had passed him in the street--for he possessed only anundefined, dreamy sort of recollection of the countenance;--when, on asudden, it struck him that those expressive eyes and features were thesame he had for a moment seen in the corridor of the Jesuits' College.Yet it was extraordinary that a person employed by one who was aprofessed enemy of that order should have been found holdingcommunication with them, and he felt confident that the secretary hadeither been playing false to his master, or deceiving in some way theholy fathers. However, he wisely, for the present, kept his counsel:determining, as in duty bound, to take the first opportunity ofmentioning his suspicions to his cousin, Father da Costa, between whomand the Minister he knew there was no cordiality. He had just arrivedat this conclusion, when Carvalho again turned to him, making manyminute inquiries about his travels in England, which showed him,notwithstanding his declarations to the contrary, to be well acquaintedwith the laws and customs of that country. "Ambassadors," he observed,"have less chance than any other strangers of learning the true state ofa country; it is the interest of everybody round them to blind theireyes; and if they attempt to move about incognito, and alone, they areconsidered as spies, and every action is watched. In despoticcountries, such as Austria, and I hear also in Russia, the matter ismuch worse; and I have heard of the whole country, by the borders of aroad, being populated, and villages built, on the occasion of the visitof some distinguished personage, which vanished when he had passed by;though he went away with the impression that it was one of the mostfertile and populous countries in the world."
The Minister smiled at his own story, as, in duty bound, did his guests,and Don Luis began to doubt that he could possibly possess the violentand sanguinary temper which was reported: he made many more inquiries,and seemed much pleased with the answers Don Luis gave; then, in themost bland, and courteous manner, informed him and Captain Pinto, thathe would no longer detain them, begging the former to call upon him onhis return to Lisbon. As they rose to depart, Don Luis caught the eyeof the secretary again turned towards him, with a sort of inquiringglance, but he had no opportunity of observing further, as he wasobliged to follow the captain from the room.
As they were crossing a corridor, and about to descend the stairs, ayoung girl passed them, with light ringlets falling over her shoulders,and laughing blue eyes. In no way abashed at sight of the strangers,she bowed gracefully, and bounded on. "Who can that fair creature bewho passed us?" asked Don Luis.
"The eldest daughter of the Minister by his present wife, Donna Leonora,Countess Daun, whom he married during the time he was envoy at the Courtof Austria;" answered Captain Pinto; "she shows her mother's Saxonblood."
"Yes, and her high birth," said Don Luis: "she is very beautiful."
"Very," was the Captain's laconic reply.
"You appear to have pleased Senhor Carvalho," observed Captain Pinto, asthey walked homeward; "I should advise you to profit by the advantage."
"Why so? he will probably soon forget me," said Don Luis.
"Indeed he will not. He takes an interest in your welfare, from ayouthful friendship for some member of your family, who is no more, andfrom whom he received some deep obligation, which he would repay to you;and now you understand why he desired to see you."
Note. Hear the king!--a cry for help.
Volume 1, Chapter VII.
The Portuguese, with much _naivete_, relate a story which is toldagainst them, that Noah, a few years ago, paid a visit to this ourplanet, on which he once on a time played so conspicuous a part; butthat, as he travelled from country to country, and kingdom to kingdom,his fond anticipations of reviving the early recollections of his livingdays were far from being gratified; for not a spot of earth which hisrather numerous progeny now inhabit could he recognise, so many changeshad all undergone, and nowhere did he find himself comfortably at hometill he arrived on the shores of Lusitania. How did his heart beat withtender remembrances, as he travelled through the country! "Ah!" heexclaimed, enraptured, "this is indeed the land I love; the self-same asI left it: the same system of agriculture, the same style ofarchitecture, the identical roads, not a stone removed, a few more ruts,to be sure, caused by passing time, like the wrinkles in a friend'sface; the same manners, and the same customs. Ah! beloved Portugal,constant and unchangeable; here will I take up my abode." Saying which,the venerable patriarch pitched his tent, where he sojourned during hisstay on earth; and the inhabitants, in hope of being honoured by anothervisit, still adhere to the same system.
Now, although there can be no doubt that the above is a very wittystory, we can assure our readers that it is not perfectly correct in allrespects, inasmuch as there are fine churches, though it is difficult todetermine the order of their architecture; and there are palaces andcastles, which we do not in history find there were when Noah dwelt uponearth; but we do very strongly suspect that the roads, if there wereany, could not have been worse. Also, with respect to inns, or housesof public entertainment, they cannot be very much improved since histime; for anything more execrably bad than they generally are, in anycountry within a week's sail of England, can scarcely be conceived; andwe have good reason to suppose that they have not very much alteredsince the days of the Marquis of Pombal.
In describing, therefore, a Portuguese country inn of a hundred yearsago, the picture of one of the present day will fully answer ourpurpose, even of that to which we are about to conduct our readers,which yet exists with few marks of change about it. It stands on thenorthern edge of a wild sandy common, broken into irregular hillocks,partially sprinkled with gum-cistus, gentian, the flowering heath, andother low shrubs and plants, while, in the far distance, is perceivedthe long dark line of a pine-forest. The ground on the other side ofthe inn is cultivated, though very imperfectly; and here and there a fewmean cottages may be seen, with heaps of dirt in front, and pools ofmud, in which the favoured pigs of the inhabitants delight to wallow.The inn is a long low building, the bush hung out on a pole in frontbeing the sign that all are welcome to enter, as was once the custom inEngland. The walls are of rough stone, having a row of windows, withred shutters, rather battered, and destitute of glass, on the upperstory; but the only opening on the ground floor is the large entrancedoor, which leads at once into a spacious stable, strewed with straw,and with no very great attention to cleanliness; a manger, running roundit, without any divisions
for stalls; so that the animals therein may,at will, amuse themselves by kicking at each other, free from thoseunsocial restraints which English civilisation has introduced; very likea certain class of liberals, who would do away with wholesome laws, muchfor the same sensible object. This is decidedly the best part of thebuilding, as much attention being paid to the comfort of the animals asto that of their owners; though, by a partition of rough deal boards, anapartment is separated from it to the right, which serves the purpose ofkitchen, parlour, and bedroom, to the greater part of the family andguests. On a low hearth, on one side of it, a wood fire blazes, thesmoke escaping through the doors and windows, as it best can; and on thewalls, near the fire-place, are hung a few large and very ordinarykitchen utensils, the other parts being adorned with horse furniture,rows of onions,