persuaded I love herto desperation; and, assuredly, I have done my utmost to make herbelieve so, to learn, through her, the secrets of the Tavora family.They little think how closely the meshes of the net are drawn aroundthem, to enclose them ere long, and drag them to shore, as yonderfishermen are now doing with their prey." As he thought this, he waswatching a party of fishermen hauling in their seine. "I must try andmake amends to Margarida, poor girl! I feel an interest in her. I didnot think she would so soon learn to love me. I was not born to be thatcursed wretch who would win a maiden's affections for the base, cowardlysatisfaction of tampering with them, and then deserting her. I leavesuch work to the wealthy and high-born. May they reap their reward!"
The sun was now setting over the mouth of the Tagus, casting a broad,glowing line of fire upon the smooth bosom of the stream, and tingingthe tower of Belem, the gothic spires of the church, and the hillsbeyond, with its ruddy hue. Antonio rose, for he calculated that itwould be dark by the time he reached the Quinta of the Marquis ofTavora. He met but few people on the way, nor were any near when,without much difficulty, he clambered in at the window in thegarden-wall, which Margarida had, according to her promise, leftunbolted.
It was now as dark as it was likely to be in a star-light night.Antonio carefully shut to the window, and looked around, but Margaridawas nowhere to be seen. He softly called her name, but she did notanswer. He then observed a building, which appeared to be asummer-house, at the end of a walk. "Ah! she will probably go there tolook for me; and if any one by chance comes into the garden, I shall notbe exposed to view as I am here." He accordingly advanced towards it,but when he arrived there, he found the door closed. He tried thehandle, but it was locked. He just then heard a step at a distance. Helistened attentively; it was too heavy for the elastic little feet ofhis mistress. It approached nearer, and in the direction of the spotwhere he stood. "I must find some place to hide in, or I shall becaught," he muttered.
At the back of the summer-house there were some shrubs growing closelytogether, a window overlooking them, which spot Antonio, as he lookedabout, selected to conceal himself till the person who was coming nearhad retired. He shrunk down on the ground, under the walls of thebuilding; and he had scarcely done so, when a person, applying the keyto the door, entered. Striking a light, the man lit a lamp on thetable, in the centre of the apartment, which, from the noise he made, heappeared to be placing in order. After having performed this office, heagain opened the door, when, at that instant, Antonio heard a light stepcoming along the path, and which he fancied he could recognise asMargarida's. Of this he was soon convinced, by hearing a voice, whichhe knew to be hers, exclaim--
"Oh! Senhor Ferreira, is that you? You quite frighten me! What areyou doing?"
"Let me rather ask you what you are doing here at this hour of theevening, Senhora Margarida," was the answer.
"I came out to pick some flowers for my mistress, which I forgot to doin the day-time, so, if you are gallant, you will come and assist me,"said Senhora Margarida.
"An odd time, to pick flowers in the dark," answered the man-servant;"but I cannot assist you now; I must return to the house."
"Many thanks for your gallantry, Senhor Ferreira," she responded, as heturned away; "I dare say I shall find enough myself;" and she stoopedover the flower-beds, as if in search of flowers.
Antonio guardedly peeped out of his concealment, and seeing his mistressalone, "Hist, Margarida, hist!" he whispered. "Come beneath the shadeof the summer-house; that prying servant will be less likely to observeus."
"Oh, Senhor Antonio, I am so glad to have found you, for when I passedby I found the window closed, and I was afraid you might not have gotin," said Margarida.
They sat themselves down on a stone bench placed against the side of thebuilding. Antonio, while declaring his affection for the young lady,some of which he had really begun to feel, at the same time managed todraw from her various pieces of information he was anxious to gain. Afew minutes had thus passed rapidly away, when the sound of approachingfootsteps was again heard.
"For the love of Heaven, conceal yourself," exclaimed Margarida, jumpingup and seizing a bunch of flowers, with which she had wisely providedherself previously to coming into the garden. "They will see you, ifyou attempt to reach the window. Down behind the summer-house. 'Tisthe young Marquis and some visitors. I must away." And she trippedalong the walk towards the house. "Who goes there?" exclaimed a sternvoice, as she passed the party by a different though parallel pathway.
"I have been gathering flowers, Senhor Duque--see, here they are,"answered Margarida, quickly.
"Gathering flowers at this time of night, indeed! Say rather, lookingfor a lover, senhora," exclaimed the voice; "think you we candistinguish them in this light? Go, Manoel, and watch her safely intothe house--we must have no prying eyes and listening ears to what we areabout."
Manoel being despatched to follow Margarida until he saw her out oftheir way, the party advanced and entered the summer-house, where, freshlamps being lit, they took their seats round the table which the servanthad arranged.
Antonio, in the mean time, unable to escape, was obliged to resume hisposition among the bushes, expecting every instant that the party wouldsearch round the building, and feeling confident from what he had learntfrom Margarida of their proceedings, that he should fall an instantsacrifice to their fears. He was somewhat relieved when he heard theirfeet on the floor of the summer-house, and their voices speaking intones which showed that they had no suspicion of the presence of a spyupon their actions.
After waiting some time, the persons within the summer-house havingbecome highly excited in their discussion, whatever it was, Antoniothought he might venture to move his position, so as to gain a view ofwhat was going forward. The shutters of the window, which looked overthe shrubbery in which he was concealed, were left partially open, sothat by carefully lifting his head among the branches of the evergreens,he was able to see clearly into the room without incurring any risk ofbeing himself observed.
At one end of the table, sat, or rather now stood, the Duke of Aveiro,who was, with vehement gestures, addressing the party: on each side werevarious members and connexions of the Tavora family, among them beingthe young Marquis and his brother, the Conde d'Atouquia, the oldMarchioness, and the Jesuit Malagrida.
"Ah! ah! thou old hypocrite," muttered Antonio, as he observed thelast-mentioned personage. "Wherever thou art there is sure to bemischief brewing; but I have thee now, if I mistake not;" and, like anIndian warrior approaching his foes, he crept close to the window,placing himself behind the shutter, so that, although he could hear moreclearly, he was less able to distinguish what was taking place, till hediscovered a broad chink, and, by putting his eye to it, he had completecommand of the greater part of the room.
"The very persons who met at the Jesuit's vault down the river," hethought to himself, "when they all fancied themselves so secure andunobserved; as did yon mad priest deem himself hidden from the searchingeye of the Minister: yet, forsooth, he made a capital bait to catchothers. Ah! I am glad to find my young friend the Conde d'Almeida isnot among them, and he has certainly not fled the country, for I saw himthis very morning."
We do not intend to give the whole particulars of the conversation whichAntonio overheard; suffice it to say, that he heard enough to prove thata dangerous and powerful conspiracy existed to overthrow the power ofthe Minister; and more, that one had existed to destroy the sovereign,fomented and encouraged by some of those now present, if indeed theactual would-have-been assassins were not among them. Antonio notedwell every word they uttered, every gesture they made, words sufficientto bring the speakers, as they themselves well knew, to the scaffold,had they deemed that an ear was listening to them; but, infatuated asthey were, they triumphed in fancied security, calling on Heaven to aidthem in their wickedness. Now some were seen to draw their swords, andto kiss the blades, as they ratified some dreadful oath; others graspedtheir
fire-arms, and vowed to use them to better effect than before;when Malagrida stood up and blessed the assembled conspirators and theircause.
Some movement now taking place among them, Antonio, fearful lest hisface might be perceived through the casement, stole back to his leafyshelter; and fortunate was it for him that he did so, for some one,perceiving that the shutter was unclosed, sent Manoel round to fastenit. Antonio held his breath, hiding his face beneath his cloak, for theman's feet almost touched his as he passed; and had not the eyes of thelatter been dazzled by the light within, he could not have avoidedperceiving him; as it was, the man performed his orders, and quicklyreturned to hear what his superiors were saying. Suddenly the lightswere extinguished, and Antonio heard the party hurrying from thebuilding towards