The Prime Minister Part 40

"He deserves no warning voice, holy brother," said the Father Jacinto, not believing that Malagrida had really appeared before the King. "But haste, inform all those who are willing to become the instruments of Heaven's vengeance that they must delay the work no longer. Let them take what means they think fit; it matters little, so that the deed be performed. Urge them to it by that mighty eloquence with which Heaven has endowed you for great purposes. a.s.sure them that they are performing a righteous act, which cannot fail to prosper; and thus many whose fears have restrained them, will gladly join in the enterprise.

One steady hand might perform the deed; but, alas! no man can be found alone to do it; they all suppose that security exists in numbers."

"'Tis enough for me to know that it must be done," answered Malagrida.

"Fear not, my brother, I will take measures that it shall be done. By to-morrow night, I will a.s.semble all those who are inimical to Joseph, and will so persuade them, that they shall no longer hesitate to execute my commands."

"You will perform good service to our holy order, and to our sacred religion," returned Father Jacinto.

"To that have I ever devoted my life and energies," said Father Malagrida.

"Truly have you ever been the great upholder of the faith, and have gained the esteem of our community, and the admiration of the world,"

answered Father Jacinto.

"A little flattery will incite this madman to the work," he thought.

"If it fails, it will be easy to persuade the world that the idea arose but from the wild workings of his disordered brain. No one will venture to suppose that we could have been the instigators."

"Brother, I must depart to the wilderness, where the wickedness of this second Pharaoh, and his evil counsellor, have compelled me to dwell,"

said Malagrida. "In three days we shall meet again, I trust triumphant; till then, farewell."

"Farewell, my brother," returned Father Jacinto, and they separated; the latter, after leaving the deserted garden, returning to his convent, while Malagrida sought the river's side. He there found a boat awaiting him, with a single rower. He silently took his seat in the stern, and the man plying his oars with vigour, the small skiff shot rapidly from the sh.o.r.e. The Jesuit, keeping a watchful eye on every side, directed her course so as to avoid any of the boats rowing guard on the river, which might have impeded his progress.

Volume 3, Chapter VI.

On the following morning, the King, accompanied by his Ministers, and the chief officers of his household, held a grand review of all the troops quartered in and about Lisbon, in an open s.p.a.ce in the neighbourhood of Belem.

After performing various evolutions, in no very perfect manner, it must be confessed, the troops marched past him in close order. At the head of a regiment of horse, called the Chaves Cavalry, rode the Marquis of Tavora, he being their colonel. He bowed respectfully to his sovereign, and pa.s.sed on to form his men in line with the other troops, before firing the parting salute.

"That man can be no traitor," said the King, in a low voice, to Carvalho, who was close to him.

"I wish he was the only one in the kingdom," answered the Minister; "but I fear me there are many more."

"I trust you are mistaken, my good friend," replied Joseph. "If there are no worse than the Marquis of Tavora in my kingdom, I shall have little to fear."

"Some day I shall be able to convince your Majesty by clear proofs,"

said the Minister; "otherwise I would not thus alarm you with reports which may seem idle."

The Portuguese army was at this time the very worst in Europe. Through the supine negligence of former sovereigns, it had been allowed to become completely disorganised. The troops were ill paid, ill clothed, and ill fed. The officers, chiefly of the inferior grades of society, were ignorant of their duty, and illiterate, without a particle of the _esprit de corps_ among them; nor did Carvalho, among his other designs at this period, take any measures to improve them.

The review being over, the King returned to his palace at Belem, where he received all those who had the _entree_ at Court. On these occasions, it was the custom for the n.o.bles to a.s.semble first, when the sovereign, entering the rooms, pa.s.sed among them, addressing each in their turn in a familiar way.

It was the duty of Teixeira, the chief domestic of the King, and the confidant of his amours, to stand at the door of the ante-room, to see that none but the privileged entered. He had, some time before, from some insolent behaviour, seriously offended the Marquis of Tavora, who threatened him with punishment. When the Marquis now approached, Teixeira, who was standing directly in the way, pretended not to observe him. The Marquis, enraged at the premeditated insult, exclaimed, "Stand out of my way, base pander, or I will run my sword through your body."

"If I am a pander, as your Excellency thinks fit to call me," answered Teixeira, turning round, and eyeing him malignantly, "I am one to your wife and daughter, haughty n.o.ble."

"Wretched slave, dare you speak thus to me?" returned the Marquis, forgetting, at the moment, that he was within the precincts of the palace; "you shall rue those insolent words;" and half drawing his sword, he made as if he would put his threat into execution.

"Your Excellency forgets where you are," exclaimed the servant, trembling for his life.

"I do not, nor do you, when you venture to speak thus," answered the Marquis; "but remember, insolent wretch, you will not escape punishment as easily as you expect;" and pa.s.sing on, without speaking another word, he entered the princ.i.p.al apartment.

When the King appeared, he made his complaint of Teixeira's insolence; but the former, a.s.suring him that the insult was not intended, took no further notice of the circ.u.mstance.

The Levee, for so it might properly be called, being quickly over, the King retiring to his private apartments, the Marquis returned to his home. As he sat down to dinner with the Marchioness and his family, while the domestics were standing round, he complained bitterly of the manner in which Teixeira had insulted him, and of the King's indifference to his complaints.

"The servant has but learnt to copy his master," said the Marchioness.

"Yet he deserves a severe chastis.e.m.e.nt, though it would disgrace your rank to bestow it. There are, however, many of your followers who will gladly avenge their master's honour."

Several of the attendants, who hated Teixeira for his good fortune, not more than for the insolence with which he had treated them, looked eagerly towards their master, as if they would willingly undertake the office; but he, either not observing them, or pretending not to do so, made no answer, and soon turned the conversation.

When left alone with her lord, the Marchioness used her utmost eloquence to persuade him to take instant vengeance for the insult he had received; for the circ.u.mstance alarmed her, lest her own plots might, by some extraordinary means, have been discovered.

"Depend on it," she said, "if the servant dares thus to act, he knows full well that his master will not be displeased."

"I think not thus of the King," answered the Marquis. "He has some faults, but he has too much respect for himself to ill-treat his n.o.bles.

On another occasion, I will complain of this villain Teixeira's conduct, and I doubt not he will be dismissed."

"I think far differently from you, my lord," returned the Marchioness.

"The King, by the instigation of his upstart Minister, has become jealous of the power and wealth of our Puritano families. In every one of us he has been taught to suspect a foe, and he waits but the first opportunity to crush us."

"Your feelings of indignation have exaggerated the danger, Donna Leonora. The only foe we have to fear is the Minister; and we must endeavour, by exhibiting our love and devotion to our sovereign, to counteract his evil influence."

"It will be the very way to increase the suspicions of the King,"

returned the Marchioness. "Half measures are of no avail. If we are to retain our wealth and influence, if we are to remain grandees of Portugal, we must either compel the King to dismiss his counsellor, or he himself must suffer the punishment of his obstinacy."

"What mean you?" exclaimed the Marquis, with an alarmed expression of countenance.

"I mean, my lord," returned Donna Leonora, with a firm voice, "that the King who dares insult his n.o.bles, who interferes with our privileges, who is a despiser of religion, and heaps contumely on its ministers, must die."

"Great heavens! utter not such dreadful treason!" cried the Marquis.

"The very walls might hear you; and such thoughts alone might bring ruin on yourself and your whole family. From henceforth banish such an idea from your mind."

"Never!" exclaimed the Marchioness. "I have far too great a respect for our family honour, and for our holy religion, to submit tamely to such indignities. If you forget that you are a Tavora and a Catholic, I do not forget that I am your wife."

"I prize the honour of my family as I do my life, but it shall never be said that a Tavora became a traitor to his sovereign," said the Marquis.

"None shall have cause to say it, my lord," answered his wife; "it is unsuccessful treason which is alone so stigmatised, and the n.o.ble enterprise in which I would have you engage will, I have been a.s.sured by a voice from heaven, succeed."

"Say rather, by the instigations of the evil one," said the Marquis, with agitation.

"It was through the voice of that living saint, the holy Father Malagrida," responded Donna Leonora. "He has ever led me in the right path to holiness, and why should I now doubt his words? Oh, harden not your heart, my lord, but put faith in that holy man, for be a.s.sured whatever he utters proceeds alone from the fountain of truth. Of what object would have been all his fastings, his penances, and his prayers, if Heaven had not more particularly selected him among men to utter the words of truth to mankind? I feel a.s.sured that those who follow his advice cannot err; then wherefore hesitate in this ease?"

"I doubt not the sanct.i.ty of the Father Malagrida, Donna Leonora, but I have reason to doubt his sanity. His enthusiastic mind has been overthrown, and what he now conceives to be the inspirations of Heaven, are but the workings of a disordered imagination."

"Cease, cease, my lord, from giving utterance to such dreadful impiety,"

exclaimed the Marchioness, interrupting him; "do not peril your immortal soul by speaking blasphemy. The holy Father Malagrida insane? The greatest prophet of modern days, the speaker of unknown tongues, a mere mad enthusiast! Oh, my beloved lord, say not thus, as you value my happiness."

"I will not discuss the character of the Father Malagrida," answered the Marquis. "But tell me how you would wish me to act, for against the sacred life of his Majesty will I not lift up my hand."

"I would wish you to act like a high n.o.ble of Portugal, worthy of your Puritano descent," returned Donna Leonora. "I would wish you to protect the high order to which you belong from the encroachments of the King and his Minister, and I would wish you to take fitting vengeance for every insult offered you."