The Prime Minister
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haddoubtless good reason for hurrying on to present himself before hisMajesty," he said. "Methinks, too, Senhor Policarpio must be mistakenwhen he supposed that the Minister could have intentionally insulted myuncle."
"There was no mistaking his proud glance, boy," returned the Duke. "Youknow not the daring impudence of the man; his sole delight is to showhis contempt of that rank to which he can never by right belong."
"Yet the King, whom we are all bound to reverence, places confidence inhim; and he has already shown good example of his abilities," observedthe young Viscount.
"The King is easily deceived by those who choose to flatter him,"answered the Duke; "but his flattery shall avail him but little. Ah! weare at the palace, and that daring plebeian has arrived before us. Weshall see with what a sneering and bold glance he will front us in thepresence chamber, if he escapes his weak master's anger at his dilatoryappearance. Let him gaze as he will, every glance shall be repaid by adrop of his life's blood."
While the Duke was thus venting his rage, the Minister, regardless ofthe anger he excited, drove rapidly on past all the other carriages, anddescending at the gate of the palace, hastened to the audience chamber,to kiss the hand of the sovereign, to whose welfare he was devoted.
As he approached, the King's ear was yet ringing with the tones of theinsidious voices of those who had been striving to blast his reputation;but the eyes of his slanderers, as if conscious that he knew their vileintent, sank abashed before his steady and confident gaze.
"Senhor Carvalho is late in paying his respects to us," began the King,as the Minister bent his knee before him.
"I trust that your Majesty will pardon me, your most faithful servant,when you learn that I was more deeply engaged in your Majesty's affairs,and the welfare of the state, than those who would poison your graciousears with lying tales against my credit;" and drawing up his commandingfigure, which towered above the crowd of courtiers, his eagle glanceranged over the frowning countenances of those who stood around. "But Iknow that your Majesty is too wise and generous to believe them, while Ican prove my devotion to your service. I have detected, and for thepresent counteracted, a conspiracy to deprive your Majesty of yoursovereign rights, and to bring your mind under subjection of your mostsubtle foes, the Jesuits. While many, who would endeavour to injure mein your estimation are passing their nights in sleep or dissipation, Ihave been consuming the midnight oil in your service, snatching, atintervals, a few hours of hurried rest. The details of my researches Iwill lay before your Majesty at some future period, and, till then, Itrust in your goodness not to condemn me."
"We fully trust to your zeal, my friend, and know you to be a mostloving and faithful servant," answered the King, banishing, in a moment,all the dark suspicions which had arisen in his mind. "Say no more onthe subject at present; but, when this ceremony is over, we will consultin private on the affair. See, numbers are pressing forward to paytheir duty to us."
"But not one whose heart beats with fonder devotion for your Majesty,"answered the Minister, again bending his knee, and kissing the hand ofthe King, held out to him, when he retired to his allotted station. TheQueen and Dom Pedro looked angrily at him, but dared not utter theirfeelings; the courtiers glanced at each other, when they were notobserved, and shrugged their shoulders, seeing that for the present itwas in vain to attempt to injure him with the King; but vowing not tolose another opportunity of renewing their attacks against one whom theyhad just reason to fear. Carvalho spoke a few words, in whispers, tohis colleagues, whose eyes sunk on the ground as he proceeded; and,indeed, no one of that assembly of the proudest and most noble in theland seemed as much at their ease as before he entered, except the Kinghimself, who, on the contrary, uttered his expressions of courtesy tothose who came to pay their respects, with greater ease and fluency.One of the first was the Marquis of Marialva, one of the mostjustly-esteemed nobles of the Court, who ever retained the affection ofthe King, though he did not escape the jealousy of the Minister, whowas, however, never able to injure him. "Do what you will with theothers," the King used to say; "but let alone my marquis." He nowentered, with a free and graceful manner, for which he was remarkable,and affectionately kissed the hand of his royal friend.
"Ah, my good marquis, we missed you much from our hunting partyyesterday," said the King. "We much required your active arm to slaythe beast, who gored one of our best dogs before he was slain."
"I had sprained my left arm, and could not guide my horse, or I shouldnot have missed the honour of accompanying your Majesty," returnedMarialva.
"We know; we heard of your accident, and are glad to find that you areso far recovered; and, as we have a favour to ask, let us know when youare perfectly strong. We wish to show the English Minister that we havesome nobles of our Court--and of no mean rank either--who are fullyequal to the feats of agility and strength of which his countrymenboast. Our father--to whose soul God be merciful!--sent to the EnglishCourt an ambassador, who was, we heard, the tallest among all the corpsdiplomatique, and not the least able, we suspect; so that we may viewith those islanders both in strength and size."
The Marquis smiled, as he answered, "I will gladly obey your Majesty inanything you may command, and hope in a few days sufficiently to recovermy strength to do so."
A few persons of less note followed, when a disturbance, most unusual atCourt, occurred, and a voice, as if in angry discussion, was heard, whenthe Duke of Aveiro was seen advancing in a hurried and disorderedmanner. A fierce fire burnt in his eye, and a frown deeply furrowed hisbrow, while his hand wandered unconsciously to the hilt of his sword;but, as he came close to the King, the presence of majesty restored himslightly to order; yet his carriage was far from having that respectfulmanner which he was bound to preserve: his step was irregular, and heyet snorted with rage, as, in a careless and indifferent way, he stoopedto kiss the hand of his sovereign.
"What has caused my lord duke to be so angry this morning?" said theKing. "He seems to forget that he is in the royal palace."
"I forget not where I am, for I have too much to remind me of it,"answered the Duke, haughtily. "I have been insulted grossly--insultedby one of the ministers in whom your Majesty pleases to confide, in away to which no noble can submit."
"Who is the culprit, my lord duke? It seems you have taken a lessonfrom him," said the King.
"He stands behind your Majesty, even now, I doubt not, plotting mischiefin his fertile brain against your throne and the Church--Senhor Carvalhois the man!" answered the Duke.
The Minister cast a withering glance at him.
"The punishment due to my crime is not to be found mentioned in the lawsof the realm," he said. "I therefore submit myself to your Majesty'sclemency. The offence was in passing my lord duke, in my eagerness toshow my respect to my sovereign."
"Is that the whole of the offence, Senhor Duke?" said the King, halfsmiling. "It is at once pardoned, and we must request your Excellencyto move out of the way in future, when any of our officers wish to passyou, in discharge of their duty;" and the King turned aside his head.
"The whole of the offence!" muttered the Duke of Aveiro, as he moved onone side. "For half such an one many a man has, ere now, died."
The highest fidalgos, their ladies and daughters, now followed in rapidsuccession; among them came the Marquis and Marchioness of Tavora, whohad lately been acting the part of viceroys in India, and were, perhaps,but little pleased at being obliged to take a secondary place on thepresent occasion. They presented their eldest son, shortly to be unitedto the lovely daughter of the Marquis d'Alorna. Both the sovereignslooked coldly on them as they passed, uttering merely the mostcommon-place observations.
"We have not seen you at Court for some time, my lord marquis," said theKing; "but we hope, in future, your own private affairs will not keepyou from us. We will not now detain you."
It was observed, that when the young marquis bent to kiss the King'shand, Joseph turned aside his head, with a frown, nor da
red to meet theeye of the young man, who, after paying the same compliment to theQueen, moved on one side. His betrothed bride, to whom he was to beunited in a few days, followed directly after, led forward by herfather, till she reached the presence chamber, when, with a slightagitation in her manner, visible only to the eye of a keen observer, sheadvanced towards the King, and, as she knelt to kiss his hand, hewhispered in her ear--"Fear not, dearest, this must be so; but our lovealters not." The unhappy girl blushed, and, as she rose, her eye caughtthat of the King, bent on her in admiration, when hers fell to theground, nor did she dare to encounter the angry and fierce glances theQueen cast on her. Her father was received with marked attention,which,