The Prime Minister Part 52

"This is a very uneasy posture I am in," observed the Duke.

"It is better than your Excellency would enjoy on the scaffold," pithily answered the servant; and the master made no further complaints. "Hark!

what sound is that? Footsteps approach--silence, for our lives!"

whispered Manoel.

When the Desembargador had despatched the soldiers in pursuit of the fugitives, he had also ordered the Notary, Senhor de Leiro, to accompany them, an office that respectable personage was not very well qualified to perform, seeing that, although his fingers, from constant practice, were active and pliant, his legs, as for many years they had never moved faster than a sedate walk, were very far from being so. He had also read that the van of an advancing army was a far more dangerous post than the rear; and, as it was said that the terrible Duke had fired at the King, he felt that he would make very little ceremony in shooting him outright; he therefore allowed the fighting party to precede him, while he advanced in a more dignified way in the same direction. By the time, however, that he reached the side of the dell, the soldiers had already run completely out of sight. He sighed as he thought of the toil before him; but his duty peremptorily called on him to proceed; or it might have been that he dreaded the loss of his situation if he neglected it; so he managed to reach the bottom of the glen, and to scramble again up the opposite side. Here, however, fatigue overpowered him, and he was obliged to seat himself down on the bank to rest. While there, hoping that the soldiers would quickly return with the prisoners, and thus save him further exertion, and, bemoaning his hard fate, he observed a heap of dried boughs at the bottom of the glen begin to move, and a man's head protrude beyond it.

"Ah!" he thought, "that head belongs to one of the criminals, to a certainty. Now, if I were a strong man, I would capture him myself; but as I am not, I had better not attempt it, for he may think fit to give me a quietus instead."

The Notary having come to this judicious resolution, kept a vigilant watch on the heap of branches, in the hopes that some one would pa.s.s that way to afford him a.s.sistance in capturing the prey; nor had he long to wait before chance led a farmer and his servant to cross the wood at no great distance from where he sat. On his beckoning to them, they immediately came up to him; when, in a few words, he explained that he was on the watch for an atrocious criminal, and promised them a reward if they would a.s.sist in capturing him. They immediately a.s.sented, when they all three set forward towards the spot where the wretched Duke was concealed.

"Seize the traitor, alive or dead!" exclaimed Senhor de Leiro, in a loud voice, as he pointed to the underwood.

On hearing these words, Manoel, finding further concealment was hopeless, sprang up, determined to make one struggle for life, the Duke following his example, with the intention of flying. The appearance of two desperate men somewhat staggered the valour of the Notary, particularly when Manoel, rus.h.i.+ng towards him, seized the sword from his side, and would have run him through with his own weapon, when a cry from the Duke drew off his attention for the moment. On turning round, he beheld his master dragged away by the farmer and his servant.

"Release him, villains!" he cried; "he is the Duke of Aveiro!"

"We know that well enough," answered the farmer. "He shot at our gracious King!"

Manoel was about to avenge his master, or endeavour to release him, when the shouts of the soldiers, returning through the wood, struck his ear.

He now saw that all further attempts to save the Duke would be hopeless; so, abandoning him to his fate, he rushed past the Notary, who tried to impede him, and sought his own safety in flight. He was still in sight when the soldiers appeared on the top of the bank, and the Notary, pointing in the direction of the fugitive, some set off in pursuit, while others hastened forward to secure the greater prize.

The unfortunate Duke was dragged back to his mansion, and, without being allowed even to alter his dress, or to see his d.u.c.h.ess, he was hurried into a carriage, waiting ready in the court-yard to receive him. Just as he was driven off, he saw his young son brought in, vainly struggling in the grasp of the rude soldiers who held him.

No sooner had the Duke disappeared, than the d.u.c.h.ess was led down stairs, and desired to enter her own carriage, which was now brought round to the door. Almost fainting with grief and terror--for she had beheld her husband a prisoner, and her fears pictured his too probable fate--she requested that her son might accompany her; but this was peremptorily refused. She then entreated that she might be allowed to see him.

"Such cannot be, madam," answered the Desembargador. "My orders are explicit to allow no communication between the prisoners. Your destination is the Convent of the Grillos; the young Marquis must accompany me." Without waiting to hear the answer of the unhappy lady, he ordered the driver to proceed.

A third carriage was in attendance to convey the young Marquis to the prison intended for him. He was now brought out of the house in the custody of some soldiers. The news of his parent's apprehension had come on him like a thunderbolt; but he neither shed a tear, nor uttered a complaint. On being informed that he must quit his home, he insisted on being allowed to prepare for his journey: this was refused him. He then desired to return to his room, to procure some money and necessaries.

"No, senhor," answered the Desembargador, "you will require no money where you are going, and all necessaries will be supplied you. Come, quick, young sir; I am hurried."

"You seem to have the power to enforce your commands, so I must obey,"

said the young n.o.ble, haughtily, as he stepped into the carriage.

Looking from the window, to take a last farewell of the house, destined, poor youth, never to be his own, he saw, to his sorrow, the servant Manoel dragged forward bleeding, with his hands bound, and, with his father's page, thrown into a cart, which had been provided for the occasion. All the other men-servants were, likewise, carried as prisoners to Lisbon, while the officers of the crown took possession of the house.

The Desembargador then took his seat by the side of the young Marquis, and, as they drove towards Lisbon, he endeavoured, by a variety of questions, to gain as much information from him as possible respecting the Duke's movements; but the son was on his guard, and refused firmly to answer a word. He was then offered his liberty, if he would agree to a.s.sume the cowl of a monk.

"No," he answered, boldly, "I was born to be a n.o.ble of Portugal; and never will I consent to become a lazy monk. Lead me to prison: I am innocent, and fear you not."

"We shall see, young sir, if in a few days you do not change your tone,"

said the Desembargador, as the carriage stopped before the gloomy walls of the Jungueira.

"Never!" answered the young Marquis, firmly: nor could the dungeon into which he was thrown, and the barbarous treatment he received, compel him to change his determination.

Much of the above description we have extracted from a ma.n.u.script work written by the unfortunate Marquis d'Alorna, who was confined for many years in the Jungueira.

Volume 3, Chapter XVI.

Luis d'Almeida had already spent some time in prison, each successive day expecting to be informed of the cause of his detention, and to be brought to trial; but nothing of the sort occurred. He received, it is true, several visits from the polite and complaisant Governor, who appeared to take great pleasure in his conversation, and who was most liberal in his promises of a more airy and commodious lodging, and of every luxury which he had the power to bestow; but his memory appeared to be very bad, for the prisoner found no improvement in any way in his treatment. It is true that, on the night of his incarceration, he had been supplied with bedding, which the Governor, on his first visit, a.s.sured him was procured with considerable difficulty and expense, hinting that his most advisable plan would be to pay for it at once, lest it might be required for some other person, who might possess sufficient means to purchase it. Luis at once paid the exorbitant demand, requesting, at the same time, to be furnished with writing materials, which, though they were at once promised him, never made their appearance. He begged also to be allowed to send to his lodgings for a change of linen and clothes; but this was at once refused, he being informed that his friends must not learn even the place of his imprisonment.

On the first night after his incarceration, when the outer world was hushed in silence, as he lay awake on his wretched pallet, he fancied that he heard suppressed groans, as if proceeding from the ground beneath his cell. He listened attentively, and became certain that his senses had not deceived him. "Alas!" he thought, "can a human being be confined in a yet more wretched abode than I inhabit?" The groans were continued at intervals, and proceeded, apparently, from some unfortunate prisoner suffering from pain and sickness. Day after day they continued, but Luis was left in vain conjecture as to their origin.

One day, at about the usual hour, the Governor, with a complaisant smile on his countenance, made his appearance, and bowing politely to his prisoner, he seated himself on the bed, begging him to occupy the chair near the table.

"You must excuse ceremony, Senhor Conde," he began; "but though, to say the truth, I am rather hurried, I wished to enjoy the pleasure of a little conversation with you. I fear you must find it very solitary here, and must be getting heartily tired of your present life."

"Indeed I am, senhor," answered Luis; "and I shall much rejoice to find myself at liberty."

"Very naturally. Most prisoners think the same; but do not despair; you will, in the course of time, get perfectly accustomed to it. I have heard of people living twenty years in prison very happily, so that, at last, when they were allowed to quit it, they preferred remaining where they were."

"I trust that will not be my case," observed Luis.

"That depends on circ.u.mstances," said the Governor. "I might, indeed, point out a way by which you might instantly gain your freedom."

"Pray then inform me what it is, for I would do much to be set at liberty," said the prisoner.

"I am glad, at length, to hear you talk so reasonably," said the Governor. "I need not tell you an execrable conspiracy has been discovered against the life of his Majesty, in which several known friends of yours are implicated; now, if you will give information on the subject to the Minister, he will not only overlook any share you have taken in it, but will reward you in any way you may wish."

"As I have entered into no conspiracy against his Majesty, it is impossible that I should give information, which, in fact, I do not possess," answered Luis; "but a.s.sure the Minister, that my very soul revolts against the foul crime which was almost perpetrated, and that I would gladly a.s.sist in bringing the criminals to punishment."

"All prisoners speak much in the same strain, my dear sir; but, when once at liberty, they are very apt to forget their former promises,"

returned the Governor. "Though you may, for many reasons, not like to give any information direct to the Minister, if you will confide it to my ear, you may depend on my making a favourable report of your case to him; if not--I speak as a sincere friend--I fear that you will be deprived for ever of your liberty, if a worse fate does not await you."

Luis at once saw completely the object of the Governor's observations, and was ready to answer them. "I must prepare, then, to meet my fate to the best of my power, for information of any sort I am unable to give,"

he said.

"That is the answer many gentlemen similarly situated make at first,"

observed the Governor, smiling; "we find, however, that when put to the question, their powers of recollection are wonderfully stimulated. Of course it will not be necessary with you, Senhor Conde. Heaven forbid it, for the agony few people can support. To be sure, there are occasions when but little respect is paid to persons; indeed, to tell you the truth, such is the case at present; for the Minister has determined to sift this mysterious affair to the bottom, and he is not, you know, very scrupulous about the means he employs. It is whispered about in the prison circles, that the Duke of Aveiro, the Marquis of Tavora, with his sons and sons-in-law, and a few other individuals, underwent the question yesterday. The Duke suffered the most severely, and made extensive confessions; in consequence, several other persons were apprehended during the night. Oh, there is nothing to be compared to the question, for extracting the truth!" and the Governor fixed his keen grey eye upon his prisoner's countenance; but Luis retained his composure, as he answered calmly,--

"I cannot doubt, senhor, your wisdom and experience; but I do the efficacy of the measure you propose for learning the truth. Some men will endure the most excruciating tortures rather than reveal what they have vowed to keep secret; and others, again, who are unable to bear pain, will, in the hopes of avoiding further suffering, even invent a story, and accuse others falsely to save themselves."

"Silence! silence! Senhor Conde, this is blasphemy and treason you are talking," interrupted the Governor. "What! dare to doubt the efficacy of the rack and the thumb-screw? Horrible sacrilege! How could a good wholesome despotism exist without them, I should like to know? Take care,--such expressions are strongly confirmatory of your own guilt.

Beware!"

A cold shudder pa.s.sed through Luis's frame as his eye met the threatening glance of the Governor fixed on him, but he winced not under it, and, folding his arms on his breast, he prepared to listen in silence to whatever observations his unwelcome visitor might think proper to make.

The Governor, however, appeared satisfied that he could gain nothing from him by ordinary conversation, and therefore rose to take his leave, with his usual mock civility, after looking at him with the same sort of eye with which an experienced butcher regards the calf he has just bought, and is leading home to slaughter. "He is a tough subject, and will endure much before he utters a syllable," he muttered loud enough to be heard, as he left the cell, though Luis fortunately did not understand the tenor of his words.

The next day pa.s.sed, much to his satisfaction, without a visit from the Governor, though an under-gaoler brought him his food, and cleaned his cell, as usual. This man, whose manner and words showed him not to have been completely-hardened by the sufferings he had witnessed, would generally stop a few minutes more than his strict duty required, to offer a few expressions of comfort to the prisoner, for whom he had conceived a compa.s.sionate feeling.

Luis now took the opportunity to inquire from whence and from what unhappy prisoner the groans he had heard for several days past proceeded.

"Ah, senhor, I, am sorry they disturb you," answered the gaoler. "There is a poor gentleman confined in the very next cell to yours, who is continually groaning with pain, and bemoaning his hard fate, at being shut up for no crime at all; but the walls are so thick, that I should have thought you could not have heard the sounds."

"Know you his name?" asked Luis.

"I have never heard it, senhor, and never thought of asking him, but I will do so, and tell you. Poor young gentleman, I fear he will not last long."