the hour, repaired to thechamber of the King.
Joseph was about to retire to his couch when the Minister entered: hischeek was thinner and paler even than usual, from sickness andconfinement, though he moved his arms without difficulty, as ifperfectly recovered from the wounds he had received. Re-seating himselfin a large, high-backed arm-chair, before a table on which his supperhad been spread, he desired, in rather a querulous tone, to be informedwhy business was thus brought before him.
"It is a matter of the utmost importance, which will admit of no delay,Sire," answered Carvalho. "I have, at length, the strongest evidence ofwho were the perpetrators of the sacrilegious outrage against yourMajesty."
The King's tone and manner instantly changed. "Ah! and you can preventany like attempt for the future, my good friend," he answered eagerly."Let me hear the particulars."
On this the Minister laid before him several papers, with the notes hehad taken of Antonio's account, and a long list of the persons he hadcause to suspect; many of whom Antonio had also mentioned. As the Kingread on, Carvalho leaned over him, making his observations on thedifferent points of the case.
"Holy Virgin!" exclaimed Joseph, his voice trembling with agitation ashis eye glanced down the long list of names. "Here are many of the mostpowerful and wealthy nobles of my land. It is impossible that they canall be traitors. Some of them I have ever deemed the most loyal andobedient of my subjects."
"Still greater, therefore, is their treachery, Sire; and greater must betheir punishment," returned Carvalho, firmly.
"But what cause can they have to seek my death?" said the King. "Havethey not already all they can desire? Do they not enjoy the highestrank, and fill all the posts of honour I have to give?"
"As their ambition and pride are boundless, they would create yet higherones," answered Carvalho. "If your Majesty would again enjoy securityand repose, these guilty persons, without distinction of their rank orstation, must suffer the penalty of their crimes."
"Alas! I fear it must be so," said the King, hesitatingly; "but I hadnever supposed my nobles could have been guilty of so great a crime.Surely the assassins must have been villains of a lower order. Aveiro,the Tavoras, never could have done the deed."
"There are strong proofs of their guilt; and on their trial there willyet appear stronger," answered the Minister. "On my head be theirblood, if they be innocent. I must request your Majesty to sign thesewarrants for their apprehension, and I will issue them when I see afavourable opportunity. We must proceed with caution, for they have apowerful party in their favour. Unless this is done, I cannot, Sire,answer from day to day for the security of your life or crown."
The King unwillingly took the blank warrants which the Minister hadbrought, and signing them, returned them to him, as he wrote on each thename of some person from the list before him.
"According to the information I receive, I may have occasion toapprehend some of these criminals before your Majesty rises to-morrowmorning; but perhaps it may be advisable to allow some days further toelapse, that any others who are engaged in the conspiracy may furthercommit themselves," observed Carvalho, collecting the warrants.
"You have on your list the name of the Marquis of Tavora; but he is notmentioned as having been present at any of the meetings with theothers," said the King.
"But most of his family were, Sire," returned the Minister. "They mustinevitably suffer, as being the most guilty; and he must not be allowedto escape, lest he endeavour to avenge their deaths. He, also, in theeye of the law, is equally criminal, for he might have prevented theirguilt; and the safety of the state demands his punishment."
"Be cautious that none but the guilty suffer," said the King.
"That shall be my care, Sire," answered Carvalho. "Your Majesty'ssacred life has been, and will be still, in jeopardy, if theirpunishment is not severe; but I will make their fate such a lesson toothers, that, from thenceforth, treason shall be unknown in the land;and these proud fidalgos shall no longer insult your Majesty with theirhaughty bearing. Have I, Sire, your full authority to act as I deemrequisite on this momentous occasion?"
"You have, you have, my friend," answered the King. "Your judgment isalways right."
"Then, haughty fidalgos, you are mine own," muttered the Minister, as heretired from the presence of the King.
The meanest subject in those realms slept more calmly that night thandid King Joseph and his Prime Minister.
Volume 3, Chapter XIV.
The young Count d'Almeida had, since his arrival in Lisbon, been leadinga life of complete retirement, at the quiet abode Pedro had selected forhim. He had withdrawn himself from the society of the Tavoras, evenfrom that of young Joze de Tavora, whom he could not entirely forgivefor the deceit he had practised on him, in leading him into the meetingof the conspirators on the fatal night of the attempted assassination ofthe King. He could not banish from his mind the suspicion that some ofthe persons he had there met were, in some way or other, connected withthat diabolical outrage; and he felt assured, from knowing the characterof the Minister, that it would not, as people supposed, be overlooked;so that, notwithstanding the apparent tranquillity which reigned in thecity, the culprits would, sooner or later, be discovered. Of his ownsafety, though innocent of any criminal design, he was not at allsatisfied; and each day that he rose he felt might be the last withoutthe walls of a prison.
His friend, Captain Pinto, was at sea in the frigate he now commanded;and she was not, it was said, expected in the Tagus for some time.
When he inquired for Senhor Mendez, he was informed that, as soon as hishealth had been restored, he had sailed for England, nor did any oneknow when he was likely to return; so that Luis found himself deprivedof the advice of the two persons in whom he could most confide. For hiscousin, the Father Jacinto, he had long conceived the most completedistrust; and had not, therefore, even informed him of his return toLisbon, nor did he believe the holy Jesuit was aware of thecircumstance.
Our fair readers will naturally inquire if he had forgotten Donna Clara.He would have been unworthy of the pen of an historian if such couldhave been possible. He loved her as devotedly as before theirseparation, even though the last glow of hope was almost extinguished inhis heart; but the spark still existed, for the fatal vow had not yetbeen pronounced, which, like death, must tear her from him for ever,and, till then, he would hope on: his love, he felt, could end but inhis grave.
After some months of quietude, Lisbon was aroused from a lethargy (intowhich she was, in those days, rather more apt to fall than at present,when, every six months or so, she undergoes the excitement of arevolution) by the marriage of the eldest daughter of the Prime Ministerwith the Count Sampayo, to celebrate which important event preparationson a grand scale were made throughout the city. The King, who had notyet appeared in public, would, it was said, give a grand ball at thepalace, to which all the first fidalgos were invited; and the foreignershad also issued invitations for a magnificent fete, which they purposedgiving on the occasion, at their own ballroom, which might vie with anyother in the kingdom.
The fidalgos, unsuspicious of danger, flocked into Lisbon from all partsof the country; some really anxious to pay their respects to theirsovereign, and perhaps their court to his Minister; others, from verydifferent motives, afraid of absenting themselves.
The Count d'Almeida had determined, on this occasion, to enter for thefirst time into society, since the death of his father. Late in theday, he rode out into the country, as was his usual custom; and, afterproceeding some distance, he observed a large body of cavalry advancingrapidly towards the city. To avoid them, he turned his horse into across road, which led him into another highway, when he found himself inthe rear of a regiment of infantry. By making a still larger circuit hehoped to escape the annoyance of having to pass them; but, to hissurprise, he again encountered another body of troops.
At last, he determined to return homeward, wondering for what purposethe garrison of Lisbon was
thus so suddenly increased; and, as heapproached the barriers, he found each avenue to the city stronglyguarded; he being allowed to enter, but several persons, who seemedanxious to go out, were detained without receiving any explanation.
We often blame ourselves that ideas should not have occurred to us, whenafter circumstances have proved the great advantage we might havederived from them; and so Luis had cause to think before he closed hiseyes in sleep on that eventful night. He arrived at his solitary homewithout meeting any one from whom to inquire the cause of the suddenmovement of the troops. While dressing for the fete, he inquired ofPedro if he had heard anything on the subject; but the latter, whosemind was full of the magnificence of the preparations, could only informhim that it was reported, a few more military had marched into the cityto attend a