adviser."
"Such is well, my son," answered the Jesuit; "and, ere long, your goodintentions will be rewarded. In the meantime, be prepared for theevents which are at hand, and be not dismayed by the difficulties inyour path. He who would succeed must suffer all things, and dare allthings; nor fear but that the Church will grant absolution, even untothe shedding the blood of the wicked."
"I understand your words; Father," answered the Duke, in an agitated andhollow tone. "The matter you speak of is of deep importance, andrequires mature consideration; yet would I hazard all to destroy thatupstart Carvalho, who so insolently lords it over us nobles, by birthhis masters."
Thus conversing, the Duke and Malagrida continued pacing the orangegrove till the quick coming shades of darkness made it no longer safe tospeak aloud on such dangerous subjects, lest any, unperceived, mightapproach and overhear them.
As the name of the Father Malagrida was at one time known over a greatpart of the Catholic world, by some lauded as a saint and prophet, byothers scorned as an impudent hypocrite and impostor, we may be excusedfor giving a slight sketch of his history.
Gabriel Malagrida, an Italian, was born in 1689, at Mercajo, in theMilanese, and was thus, at the time we have introduced him, upwards ofsixty years old. At an early age he migrated to Portugal, then theparadise of priests and religious adventurers of all classes, butparticularly of the Jesuits, who possessed the supreme control over theconsciences of the royal family and the chief nobility; and into thatorder he was there, after the usual probation, admitted. His peculiartalents were soon discovered, and he was despatched as a missionary toSouth America. Over the whole of that part under the dominion ofPortugal he travelled barefooted and alone; his only sustenance the wildroots and herbs, which he dug with his own hands; his body being coveredwith the marks imprinted on it by the teeth and claws of the wild beastshe encountered. Having escaped the glories of martyrdom, such a lifefully entitled him to the character of a saint of the very first order,which, on his recall by his superior, he took every opportunity toimprove; adding to it that of a prophet and worker of miracles,thousands being ready to swear to the fulfilment of the predictions hehad uttered, and to the miracles he had wrought. King John the Fifth,of pious memory, who ever preferred the society of bigots, flatterers,buffoons, and fools, to the cares of government, for which he probablyfelt a consciousness of total incapacity, leaving his kingdom to rapiddecay, while he was slowly toiling to merit heaven and gain forgivenessfor rather numerous peccadillos, which private memoirs hint he had somedifficulty in giving up, had distinguished Malagrida by markedpartiality, and had performed what were called exercises under hisdirection. He had, likewise, been a favourite with the queen, Mary Anneof Austria; and, on his return from South America, the present king,Joseph, then Prince of Brazil, had gone out to meet him, and throwinghimself at his feet, had implored his blessing. It is, indeed, scarcelypossible, in the present day, to conceive a Court so completely debasedby superstition, so overrun by herds of slothful, ignorant, or designingpriests, as was that of Lisbon; from whose worse than Augean filth itwas Carvalho's Herculean undertaking, in some degree, to cleanse it forthe time. Malagrida having thus retained almost supreme power over theconsciences of the chief persons in the realm for a long series ofyears, his hatred was rancorous and deadly against the man who haddeprived him of it; and the Minister had occasion for the utmostwatchfulness and talent to guard himself against the secret machinationsand the public attacks with which he and the rest of his order attemptedto destroy him.
When Carvalho first returned to Portugal, after his embassy to the Courtof London, he had paid every respect to the Jesuits, particularly toFather Moreira, the confessor to the Prince of Brazil, in order, by hisaid, to gain the confidence of the heir to the throne; but no sooner didhe find his power secure, than he threw off the mask and proclaimedhimself the enemy of the whole order, whom he declared the chief causeof the ignorance and bigotry of the people.
It is not surprising, therefore, that they should regard with fear andhatred a man so opposed to all their principles of government; and,accordingly, they used every means in their power to instigate thepeople against him, thundering anathemas on his head from their pulpits,and spreading tracts, loaded with abuse, among all circles. No oneequalled Malagrida in the measures he took, or the daring he exhibited;but, though years first rolled on, the bitter and relentless vengeanceof the Minister ultimately overtook him.
Such was the man we left with the Duke of Aveiro: their conference wasyet unfinished, when, having taken another turn, they had reached thefurther end of the avenue, which led to a small grotto of stone-work,surrounded by a thicket of low shrubs. Malagrida laid his arm on theshoulder of the Duke, exclaiming, with deep energy, "Nought but thedeath of the persecutor of its servants will satisfy the vengeance ofHeaven."
A hollow voice echoed, "the vengeance of Heaven!" and, at the same timea noise was heard in the shrubbery. Both the monk and the noblestarted--perhaps neither had quite deceived themselves as to theirsecret aims.
"Avaunt thee, Sathanas, if thou art the spirit of evil," exclaimedMalagrida.
The Duke trembled with agitation. The rustling noise was again heard."Ah! 'tis some villain spy," he cried, drawing his sword and rushingtowards the spot. "His death shall secure his silence."
Being now persuaded that it was a mortal enemy he had to encounter, hisboldness returned, and, without hesitation, he sprung into the thicket;but all was silent: the gloom preventing his seeing many feet beforehim. He beat about for a considerable time, plunging his sword intoevery bush that appeared darker than the others; but to no purpose, forthe sound was not repeated. Malagrida watched on the outside, but noone appeared.
"It was a deception of the evil one, to turn us from our path," hecried. "Come forth, my son, and fear not. That was no mortal voice weheard, and with me you need fear no spirit of darkness."
The Duke at length came out of the shrubbery, his dress torn anddisordered, and his voice yet trembling with alarm. "Surely some onemust have been hidden there," he said: "yet, if there was, he must haveescaped, and will report our words to one who is not likely to forgetthem."
"Fear not; no mortal could have remained undiscovered," answered theJesuit; "and of nought else need you be afraid."
"Since you affirm it, Father, I am convinced also that the noise wascaused by no mortal being," said the Duke; "but we ought no longer toremain here. I like not this threatening gloom. Let us return to themore open ground: the air here is oppressive and damp, and aids toconjure up doubts and fears to my mind."
"Again, I say, fear not; but remember my words--both dare and do,"returned Malagrida. "It is now time that I should depart."
"First come, then, to the house, holy Father, and take some refreshmentand rest," said the Duke.
"My body requires neither food nor rest when I am about a great work,"answered the Priest. "It is advisable, also, that I should be observedby none of your retainers. Return, then, to your house, and forget notwhat I have said. I will tarry in this spot to see if the evil oneshall again venture to make his presence known, and if he comes notbefore long, secretly, as I came, will I again depart. Farewell, myson."
The Duke, however, was unwilling to leave the side of the holy man, withthe prospect of a long dark avenue before him, which he must traversealone, exposed to the assaults of the spirits of evil; but Malagridasigned him to depart, waving his arms wildly round, and then, turningtowards the grotto, disappeared in the gloom.
He waited not a moment longer, but with quick steps hurried towards hishouse, his heart beating with apprehension; and, as he went, he fanciedthat he heard voices on every side gibbering and muttering threats andcurses against him, till his terror made him break into a run; nor didhe stop till he arrived at the door of his mansion. Pale and breathlesswith the exertion, his brow covered with perspiration, he rushed intothe room where his duchess was sitting, not perceiving her, and threwhimself into a seat. She looke
d up, alarmed, marking his disorderedappearance.
"What is the matter with my lord?" she said, as she approached him, andtook his hand.
The contact of a human being, and one for whom he possessed as muchaffection as he was capable of feeling for any, revived his spirits."Oh! nothing, nothing!" he answered. "A freak made me run faster than Ihave run since I was a boy."
"I rejoice to hear it; for I feared you were ill, or that something hadalarmed you," returned the Duchess.
"Oh no! I am well--perfectly well," exclaimed the Duke, bursting into awild laugh. "Ha! ha! What think you of the title of Queen, fair lady?Would it not be a proud thing to be a king, to trample on the neck ofthat insolent plebeian Carvalho, who now lords it so boldly?"
"He is a