The Prime Minister
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race, for their haughty contempt of his plebeianextraction. Choose which course you will; allow your newly-raisedscruples to conquer your former resolution, and see all those you lovedestroyed; or take the means of winning a power far greater than anyother female in the land can hold."
"But will the means you advise gain that power?" she asked, with adoubtful tone. "Already have I lost much of my former influence withthe King. He begins to doubt the sincerity of my love, and accuses meof coldness and indifference, urging me with prayers and entreaties togive him stronger proofs of my affections, endeavouring to persuade meto sacrifice my honour to his passion."
The priest of God looked steadily at the young girl. "Theresa," hesaid, "I know that you are superior to the foolish superstitions ofmankind; and, being convinced of the fallacy of what many call the moralrules of conduct, you will laugh at the prejudices which now cause youto hesitate in performing a necessary duty. With us, the _only_ truepriesthood, rests alone the knowledge of what ought or ought not to beperformed under certain circumstances. There are rules necessarilypromulgated to keep in check the mass of mankind; but they are notwithout exceptions. What is a crime when performed by one person,becomes a virtue in another. It is the cause and effect of the actionwhich constitutes a crime. When a man in a fit of causeless anger,slays another, he is guilty of murder; or when, to conceal previousguilt, through revenge, or to wrench his gold, one kills another, he isa murderer; but, with the same knife, and in the same way, a man maykill another to attain some good end, or to punish guilt, and he hasperformed a righteous deed. In the same way, if a woman, through thefrailty of her sex, yields to the temptation of passion, she commitswhat is looked upon as a crime, according to the code at presentreceived as the rule of conduct; but should a woman employ thosecaptivating qualities with which nature has endowed her to attain somedesirable object, instead of committing a crime, she has performed ameritorious action; the more so, that she has exposed herself to censurefrom her fellow-creatures for the purpose."
Theresa answered with energy, "Oh, Father! but it surely cannot bejustifiable to deceive my husband, to barter his honour, and to betraythe secrets drawn from my confiding sovereign in a moment of affection."
"The honour of a husband you do not love, and whose affection for youyou have found but of short endurance, is but of little worth," answeredthe Father. "Besides, by acting as I would have you do, you perform afar greater service to him and his family than in preserving what hedoes not value. You treat him far better than he deserves. Let notthat thought trouble you. With regard to winning the secrets of yoursovereign, you injure him in no possible way; it is through him alone wemay hope to arrive at many of the secrets of the Minister; for to no oneelse are they confided; and against our enemy alone is a blowmeditated."
Donna Theresa had no further excuse to make for her refusal; yet herheart (for that was not quite convinced by the cunning arguments ofsophistry) told her that she would be acting a treacherous and sinfulpart in following her confessor's counsels. But then again, herambition urged her on,--and, more than all, she loved! A moth may notplay round the flame without scorching its wings; and a woman can seldomtamper with the affections of another without injuring her own. Fromthe moment that she felt she loved the weak monarch, she was no longerable to act the treacherous part she had before been taught to play.She grew cold and distant, for she could not trust herself; and, whileher royal lover fancied himself further from his object, he was on thevery verge of attaining it. Now, then, her scruples on one score werebanished; for she had no further reason to hesitate, when her onlycounsellor assured her she was committing no crime; but it was not inher nature to be deceitful, and she began to doubt how far she wasjustified in gaining the confidence of the King in order to betray it.Before she loved, this thought had never occurred to her. Her aim, fromthe first, had been to gain power; and vanity had led her on from stepto step.
It is extraordinary in what different lights we mortals view the sameobjects under various circumstances. What at one time appears the thingof all others the most desirable to be gained, and for which we wouldsacrifice our present happiness, and, perhaps, all those dear to us, wethe next instant look upon as worthless. What we once thought a heinouscrime, we too soon, alas! learn to consider as a slight failing, thoughfar less often do we shudder at crimes which we before committed withuntroubled consciences.
"I do not advise you to yield to the King's passion," continued thePriest; "but as you value all you have loved, at every expense, retainthe power you have gained over him. Bind those captivating chains roundhim, which your charms are so well calculated to forge, and fromhenceforth it will not be he, but you, who rule these fair realms ofPortugal. Promise me you will do this, Theresa, and I will afford suchcomplete absolution for aught which may trouble your conscience, that itshall remain as bright and pure as at present."
"Father, I do promise you," returned Donna Theresa. "You have convincedme both of the necessity of the end, and of the innocence of the means.From henceforth no vain scruples shall deter me!"
There was the slightest possible tone of sarcasm in her voice, for shewas not convinced, but she was unable to answer. Such is veryfrequently the case; and an acute reasoner, who has brought all thearguments of logic and sophistry into play, fancies he has won avictory, because he has silenced a battery, while in reality thefortress remains as impregnable as before. The Jesuit pretended not tonotice the irony with which she spoke, as he answered,--"Spoken as Ishould ever wish my fair pupil to utter her thoughts. By acting as Iwould desire, you will deserve the warmest gratitude from all youbenefit, and the King himself will in time learn to thank you for havingrescued him from the thraldom of the tyrant who now holds him in suchabject subjection. He is a man who must be governed by some one; and itis far better he should be under the mild sway of a lovely woman, thanbe the slave of a bloodthirsty monster." He rose as he spoke."Farewell, Donna Theresa;--a business of importance calls me away; and Itrust, when I next call on you, I shall hear you have obtained thevaluable information I so much require."
He did not wait to receive an answer, for he felt confident that hisobject would be attained; and he left his last observations to taketheir full effect.
As Father Jacinto was leaving the palace, he encountered the littleblack dwarf, Donna Florinda, just getting out of her chair; but,pretending not to observe her, he passed on, muttering to himself, "Ah!is this the way the royal lover is about to work? Let him beware thatthe betrayer is not betrayed!"
Donna Florinda was far too much occupied in arranging her own dress, inher eagerness to bustle up stairs to exhibit her credentials to her newmistress, to observe the dark figure of the priest. She had receivedbut one charge, being the very simple one of praising the King, andkeeping all other lovers at a distance. The young Marchioness receivedher with great civility, for she had the capability of making herselfvery amusing, by detailing all the events and scandal of the Court,there being abundance of material for the latter; and she was,therefore, constantly welcome, wherever she went.
The little sable lady was in no way altered in appearance since the timewe first introduced her to our readers, being dressed in the sameextravagant and gaudy style of costume, and exhibiting a like perfectunconsciousness of the ridiculous figure she made. This was a failingnot at all peculiar to herself in her day, nor do we think any verygreat change has since taken place in the world. She smirked andcurtsied as she entered, and presented a letter to Donna Theresa, who,requesting her to be seated, broke the seal, and scanned it over witheagerness.
"Their Majesties are, indeed, very kind, to make me so valuable apresent as yourself, Donna Florinda," said the young Marchioness; "but Ifear you will be very unwilling to exchange the splendour and gaiety ofthe Court for the private residence of one who lives so secluded a lifeas I do."
"Far from it, my sweet mistress; I am too happy to come and reside withone so charming and gentle as you are, instead of the cross-grainedQu
een," returned the Dwarf. "You well know how I have always loved you;so I was overjoyed when I heard the King propose sending me to you, andin a fright lest her Majesty should take it into her head to refuse topart with me. As soon, therefore, as the point was settled, I hurriedaway, after paying my most dutiful respects, lest they should againchange their minds. To tell you the truth, the King had some difficultyabout the matter, but he knew that it would please you, and that hadmade him determine to carry his point. Ah, he is, indeed, a King to winthe hearts of every one,--so kind, so gentle, so loving! You do notappreciate all his surpassing qualities, Donna Theresa, or you would notbe so cruel as I suspect you are to him. The other day, when speakingof the beautiful ladies of his Court, he said there were many brightmoons which lighted up the night, but they all faded when the