hurried away.
Scarcely had he gone, when Pedro rushed into the room, embracing hismaster's knees, in his joy at seeing him alive, and at liberty; but Luiswas obliged to hurry him away, to bring a change of raiment from hislodgings, and to procure horses, and make other preparations for hisjourney.
We need not give the interesting conversation which ensued between theuncle and nephew; one important part of it was, that the former informedthe latter that he would find five hundred pounds at his immediatedisposal on his arrival in England; and that he had already settled thebulk of a far larger fortune than his family had ever possessed uponhim, nor did he doubt, if he was in time to prevent Donna Clara fromtaking the veil, that her father would longer hesitate to bestow herupon him.
The Captain now returned in high spirits. "I told him the whole story,how the fidalgo had shut up his daughter in a convent, and how youwished to release her: so, as he hates the system of convents, and, Iverily believe, would like to thwart what he imagines the fidalgo'swishes, he has given you a passport, and an order for horses whereveryou may require them, besides an order to the Lady Abbess to deliverDonna Clara de Christovao into the charge of Don Luis d'Almeida: so now,the sooner you are off, after taking a little rest, the better. I sailto-morrow by day-break; and shall land at Oporto, while my ship cruisesoutside. I will wait for you, and take you on board after you have seenthe lady, and restored her to her home."
This plan being arranged, and Pedro having returned, and reported thathe had selected a couple of strong horses for the journey, the Captainrepaired on board his ship; and Luis endeavoured to snatch an hour'ssleep before the horses were in readiness. Long before daylight he wasin the saddle, after taking an affectionate farewell of his newly-founduncle. He had a journey of full one hundred and fifty miles before him,over rough roads, with dangers of all sorts; but he thought not of them,his only consideration being how he could most quickly perform thedistance. The time of year was in his favour, but three days was thevery least he could hope to do it in, and all depended on finding freshhorses on the road.
"Pedro!" he exclaimed; "we ride for life and death! You will not desertme? We must place Leiria to the south of us before we rest."
"Fear me not, my dear master, I will follow wherever you lead," answeredPedro, with enthusiasm; and away the two horsemen galloped; and beforethe sun rose, Lisbon was many leagues behind them. So well did thehorses perform their work, that it was still daylight when they reachedthe gates of Leiria. The Count, with the magic order from the Minister,instantly went in search of fresh steeds. Of course, no one had them,till he fortunately encountered an old acquaintance, who indicated tohim where they were to be found; and, with delight, he soon discoveredtwo, fresh and strong for the road. The surprise of the inhabitants wasgreat indeed to see the travellers again in their saddles, and gallopingout of the town. Night overtook them just as they reached the littleinn, where, two years before, their adventure with the banditti hadoccurred; but they thought not of danger, as they threw themselves fromtheir saddles, and, seeing their horses carefully attended to, were, itmust be confessed, after a hasty supper, soon fast asleep. The buxommaiden of former years had now become the landlady, nor did Pedro forgetto whisper Fre Diogo's name in her ear, for which he got a good box onhis own. Again they were on the road, and "Onward, onward!" was Luis'scry. Coimbra was reached safely, and once more they were fortunate infinding even better steeds than before. Pedro was already almostknocked up with the fatigue, but the lover felt it not, as he gallopedonward. He thought but of one thing the whole time, the quickest way toreach the end of his journey.
Alas! the end was not to be so prosperous. Within five leagues ofOporto both the horses began to stumble through fatigue, and at lastthat of Luis came to the ground. He was himself, fortunately,uninjured, but for some minutes the horse refused to move, and at lastthey found it utterly impossible to proceed further. A small inn was athand, where they took shelter, and from whence, the next morning, theyagain set out.
The sun was already high in the heavens when they came in sight ofOporto, rising on its cluster of hills directly opposite to them. Thesight of a goal, where his hopes were to be blest or blasted for ever,inspired Luis with renewed ardour. He dashed down the steep hill,through the town of Villa Nova, and reached a pontoon bridge whichconnects it with Oporto. He crossed without an accident, and the firstperson he encountered on the opposite side was Captain Pinto.
"Not a moment is to be lost, Luis," he exclaimed, pointing to his boat,a fast pulling, six-oared gig. "Up that way, and then up a flight ofsteep steps, you will reach the church--the ceremony has begun, butcannot have concluded."
Luis waited not to answer him, but, throwing his horse's bridle to abystander, as did Pedro, he sprung up the steps near him. He flew likelightning: breathless he rushed into the church. He gazed wildlyaround--Clara was at the altar. Had she pronounced the fatal oath? Hestopped not to inquire; but, thrusting the spectators aside, he utteredthe cry which caused her to faint. He sprung forward, he lifted her inhis arms, and exhibiting to the astonished eyes of the assembled monksand nuns the orders both of her father and the Minister, he bore her tothe open air.
"She is mine!" he exclaimed, "and I confide her to no one else."
"They are base forgeries," he heard the voice of Fre Alfonzo exclaim, ashe stood in advance of the rest. "Seize the sacrilegious wretch! Theholy Inquisition must be his judge."
Luis waited not to hear more; but, pressing the yet unconscious girl tohis heart, he leaped down the steep steps, while Pedro closely followed,keeping any one from attempting to seize him. Captain Pinto caught aglimpse of him as he neared the place of embarkation, and, shouting tohis crew to be prepared, he hastened to assist him in lifting the ladyinto the boat. Pedro jumped in after them, and the boat had just gainedthe centre of the stream as a group of monks and priests, with FreAlfonzo, had collected on the quay, uttering their anathemas against thedaring marauder, who had robbed the Church of their prey. The youngCount, his heart throbbing with joy and fear, heard them not, as he bentover the yet senseless form of the lovely Clara. There was but onecourse now to pursue. He well knew the dreadful deeds which had beendone by the ministers of religion and he could never venture to entrustthe rescued girl within the powers of the infuriated monks. He mustbear her on board the frigate.
"The only safe plan," said the Captain. "You have the Minister'sauthority, her's you will soon get, and her father can give his when youreturn; if not, you must do without it. Give way, my men!"
The boat shot rapidly down the stream, and ere long was breasting therolling billows of the Atlantic. The frigate stood towards her, thelady was carefully lifted on deck, the boat was hoisted in, and whenClara came to herself she found herself in the cabin, her head supportedby the young Count, who was kneeling by her side. She pronounced hisname. "Where am I?" she exclaimed, gazing wildly around.
"In safety, and borne onward, I trust, to happiness," answered herlover; and a very few sentences sufficed to explain all that hadoccurred.
"Thank Heaven," she whispered, "I am not shrouded, as I fancied, in thatdreadful black veil."
Favourable breezes carried them to the free and happy shores of England,where, a few days after their landing, they were married, with due pomp,at the Portuguese Embassy, a measure Goncalo Christovao highly approvedof, when he discovered that the Senhor d'Almeida had settled a handsomefortune on his nephew.
For many years they resided in England, where their generous relativejoined them; for his principles but ill agreed with the bigotry andignorant superstition which he encountered on every side. Clara had thehappiness of hearing of her brother's recovery and escape from prison;but the Conde San Vincente, by high bribes, avoided punishment.
The only person of whose fate we are not quite certain was Fre Diogo,though we have our fears that he figured in an Auto-da-fe in 1765; hiscrimes being, speaking ill of the holy office, not paying due reverenceto the holy sacramen
t, and entertaining scandalous and hereticalopinions.
The fate of the Prime Minister is well known. On the death of Joseph,he was deprived, by Donna Maria the First, of his offices, and banishedto his native town, where, at an advanced age, he died, his sonsinheriting his titles and property, of which his enemies could notdeprive him.
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FINIS.
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