The Prime Minister
Page 47
Don Luis's pistol had, at this juncture of affairs, calledanother actor on the scene, whom Pedro, at all events, did not expect tofind in the character of a friend. This personage was no other than theworthy Fre Diogo, who was seen rushing down the hill, flourishing acudgel very similar to the one he had used with such effect in theirservice at the inn, and shouting at the top of his voice, "Off, off yourascals! Is this the way you dare to treat my friends?"
He was quickly on the spot, dealing his blows with no gentle force onevery side, soon emancipating Pedro from thraldom, and driving off thosewho held Don Luis. "How dare you, ye villains, attack a friend of mine,who came to visit me, with my word pledged for his security?" he cried."I hope, senhor, you are not injured. Well, then, it does not matter,and I see you have punished one of them. Pick up that fellow, and awaywith you; for I see he's more frightened than hurt."
The men sulkily obeyed, raising their fallen comrade, who proved to beonly stunned, the pistol ball having merely grazed his head.
So quickly had these incidents occurred, that Don Luis had scarcely timeto speak before he found himself again at liberty; and when he turned tothank his deliverer, he could not help being amused at his appearance.The dark robes, the rim of carroty hair, and the red eyes were there;but above the eyes were a pair of thick, bushy, white eyebrows. "Thevenerable hermit!" he exclaimed.
"What, senhor, have you found me out?" said Fre Diogo, laughing. "Well,don't betray me, or you will injure my character for sanctity, and 'tisthe last thing I have now to depend on."
"I should be ungrateful for the service you have just now afforded me,"answered Don Luis. "Though, for your own sake, my friend, I wish itwere more justly established."
"Oh! that is a trifle, senhor,--I mean, the service I have done you,"said the Friar. "What do you stand gaping there for, you rogues? Offwith you," he shouted to the robbers, who still stood at some littledistance, while Luis and his servant mounted their horses.
"Come, Senhor Frade, pay us for our work, then," answered one of themen. "We came to rob this young fidalgo by your orders, and we won't,go back empty-handed."
"Oh, you villains! you will ruin my character if you talk thus;--thatwas to be if the young fidalgo was not charitable; but he has won myheart; and remember, the man who injures him is my enemy. However, hereis more than you deserve," and he flung them the ten milreas Luis hadleft for the hermit, on which each of the men made him a low bow, andhurried away. Nothing abashed, he again turned to Don Luis. "You see,senhor, the truth of the saying exemplified, that charity brings its ownreward. Now, if you had not been charitable, I confess the temptationto rob you was very great; but when I found the amount of your offering,I repented, and, as you see, came to rescue you. If you have a trifleabout you, you can repay me at once;--well, never mind, if you have not;another time will do;--but don't say a Capuchin is ungrateful, that'sall. Now, farewell, senhor; we shall meet again, I doubt not. You willnot betray me, I know; and I am sure Senhor Pedro there will not, for heis an honest fellow; and if he does, I shall break his head some time orother. You had better make the best of your way home, and not encounterthose men, as they have not the same feelings of honour that I have.Now, don't answer;--I know what you would say, that I am a rogue ingrain; but it cannot be helped... Adeos, senhor."
Without waiting for an answer to this specimen of consummate impudence,which, indeed, Don Luis would have had some difficulty in making, heagain began to mount the hill, indulging in a loud chuckle as he went.Don Luis and Pedro, however, followed his advice, though they could notadmire his principles.
"That friar seems to be a very great rogue, senhor," said Pedro, as theyrode home.
"Not much greater, I suspect, than many others," answered his master;"only he certainly does not take much pains to conceal it."
We must apologise to our readers for occupying so much of their timewith this rather unromantic adventure of Don Luis's, and hope that hischaracter will not have been injured in their estimation by it.
He remained some weeks longer under his father's roof, without any veryimportant event occurring to him; and, in the mean time, we must begleave to fly back again to Lisbon.
Volume 2, Chapter III.
We find it chronicled in history, that, either on the 10th or 20th ofOctober, for the figures are nearly obliterated in the manuscript beforeus, AD 1754, their Majesties of Portugal held a Beja Mao, or what is inEngland styled a drawing-room, at which all the first fidalgos andnobles of the land were expected to attend. The palace the royal familythen inhabited was very different to the one in which their augustsuccessors now reside; not one stone of the former remaining uponanother to mark the spot where that proud building stood, every vestigehaving been obliterated by that relentless and fell destroyer theearthquake, and by the devouring flames it caused. It was situated morein the centre of the city, in no way to be compared as a structure tothe present edifice, which, were it but finished, would be remarkablefor its grandeur and beauty; but, alas! it stands a monument of highaims and vast ideas, but of feeble and unenergetic execution. But weare talking of the old palace, which was, however, a considerablebuilding of highly-wrought stone work, the interior being richlydecorated with painted ceilings and walls, with gilt mouldings, costlyhangings of crimson damask and brocade, tables of silver inlaid withjewels, besides tapestry and silks in profusion, and many other valuablearticles too numerous to describe.
Although so late in the year, the heats of summer were not abated; andthough for many weeks past the sun had constantly been obscured by darkand unaccountable vapours, it at times broke forth with even greaterforce than usual, as it did on the morning of which we speak, upon theheads of a vast throng collected in front of the palace, to witness thenobles alighting from their carriages of state. And, truly, thecarriages of that day in Portugal were very remarkable vehicles, such aswould most certainly collect a crowd, were they to make theirreappearance in any country in Christendom. They were huge lumberingaffairs, the arms of their noble owners being emblazoned on every part,painted in the brightest and most glaring colours; but, as nothingsuperior had ever been seen in the country, the people thought them verymagnificent, and the more they were covered with paint and gold, thewarmer were the praises bestowed upon them; indeed, it may strongly besuspected, that if a modern equipage, with its simple elegance andstrength alone to recommend it, had appeared, it would have been scoutedas not worthy of notice, so generally are true merit and beautydisregarded by the undiscriminating eye of the vulgar.
Those being the days when bag-wigs and swords were in general use, thecourtiers did not afford so much amusement to the spectators as they doin front of St. James's Palace; the Portuguese Court having, with moretaste, changed according to the fashion of the times, not requiring allloyal subjects, who are anxious to pay their respects to theirsovereign, to make themselves ridiculous, by appearing habited in theantiquated and ill-fashioned suits of their grandfathers. There wouldbe some sense in masquerading, if every gentleman were obliged to dressin the rich and elegant costume of the age of Henry the Eighth, orElizabeth; and it would also have the beneficial effect of keeping awaya vast number of penniless plebeians, who, on the day of eachdrawing-room and levee, crowd the royal antechambers, to the greatinjury of the ladies' dresses and the amusement of the nobles andofficers. But we are describing Portugal, and ought not to be talkingof England, and its many amusing follies and prejudices.
A guard of honour was drawn up in front of the palace; but theirpresence was scarcely required to keep the peace, for there was noshouting or disturbance of any sort. The young nobles were morereputably employed than usual, being decked in their gala attire,attending on their sovereigns,--the chief use for which they werecreated, though they seem to forget it; while the people, untaught bythe patriotism of demagogues, to exhibit the liberty and independence ofman on every public occasion, by causing annoyance to the other half ofthe community, as has been so successfully done in the present century,remained quie
t spectators of the scene.
We must now proceed to the interior of the palace, which was crowdedwith the usual number of guards, pages, and attendants of variousdescriptions. Two of the ministers of the crown had already arrived,and paid their respects; the foreign ambassadors followed, taking theirallotted places in the handsome saloon in which the Court was held,where also stood the different members of the royal family, arranged oneach side of the sovereigns. The King had just attained his fortiethyear, and was of good height, and that free carriage, which aconsciousness of rank and power rarely fails to bestow; but his featureswere far from handsome, with no approach to intellectuality about them,though there was just that degree of acuteness and firmness which taughthim to select and protect the only man in his realm capable of rescuingthe country