from complete destruction. The Queen had but few personalcharms to boast of, being destitute also of those soft feminine graceswhich are so often found to make ample amends for the more evanescentquality of beauty. A haughty expression sat on her lips; her thin anderect figure was rather above the middle height, the inclination shemade as her subjects passed before her being stiff and formal. Near theKing stood the Infante Dom Pedro, silent, grave, and stern, his featuresdark and unprepossessing, a true index of his character, which wasbigoted, fierce, irascible, and sanguinary. Though in no way attachedto his sister-in-law, the Queen, he cordially joined with her in herhatred of the Minister Carvalho, against whom he never ceased hismachinations; and though his plots were discovered and defeated by thevigilance of the latter, it was more owing to his brother's clemency andgoodness of heart, than to any forbearance on the part of his enemy,that he escaped the condign punishment he so well merited at theirhands. Near the Queen stood the young Infanta Donna Maria, a princessequally prepossessing in appearance and manner, her eyes beaming withmildness and intelligence, and a sweet smile wreathing itself round lipswhich were never known to utter aught but words of gentleness. Shetruly dwelt in the hearts and affections of the people over whom she wasdestined to rule; and while to the rest of the royal family,lip-service, with the cold and formal bow, alone was paid, as thecourtiers drew near her, the eye brightened, and the heart beat withthose warm feelings of love and respect which are ever felt by the trueand loyal subjects of her august descendant and namesake, of Portugal,and by all who surround the throne of the young and beloved Queen ofBritain.
A drawing-room at the Portuguese Court, although formal and ceremonious,was not quite so tedious an affair as that to which the sovereign ofEngland is obliged to submit; for none but nobles being admitted to thathonour, fewer people were present. It was also the custom of the Kingand Queen to make some observations to those who came to pay theirrespects, a practice which would greatly relieve the monotony of thealmost interminable line of bowing figures, who pass, like characters ina raree-show, before their Majesties of England.
The King was standing, as we have said, surrounded by the royal family,and the immediate attendants at the palace, the more public part of theceremony not having yet commenced.
"Where is Senhor Carvalho?" he said, looking round; "he ought, methinks,to have been here before now; for it is not like him to exhibit any wantof respect to our person. Can any one say why he comes not?"
"We have not seen him, please your Majesty," said one of Carvalho'scolleagues in office; "though, doubtless, some affairs of your Majesty'sdetain him, for no business of his own could make a loyal subject forgethis duty to his King; yet 'tis said that Senhor Carvalho spends hisleisure time in a way some might consider derogatory to the high officehe holds," he added, ever ready to throw a slur on the character of onehe both hated and feared. Those words cost him dear.
"Ah! Senhor Carvalho is, doubtless, a most loyal subject, and devotedminister; but it is the interest of all political adventurers to appearso," chimed in the Queen; "and if his zeal were to be judged by his ownprotestations, he would assuredly be a paragon of perfection. Butmethinks your Majesty might find, among the pure, high-born fidalgos,some equally as zealous and able as this low pretender."
"No, no," answered the King, hastily. "Sebastiao Carvalho is nopretender, but has truly at heart the weal of my kingdom, with a mind toconceive, and a soul to execute, great purposes; and where is there aman in Portugal to be compared to him, either in mental or personalqualities."
"In talents he is not deficient, as he has proved, by working himselfinto power, and of brute strength he possesses enough, certainly,"observed a noble lord in waiting, who was privileged to say what hechose; "for I well remember, in one of his drunken fits, some years ago(I would rather not say how many) he broke my head, and nearly let outlife itself, by what he called a gentle tap with his sword. As fortalents, they were not discernible at College, at all events, except bythe quantity of wine he could drink, and the daring impudence of hisbearing among his superiors."
"Those are qualities in which plebeians most excel," added another; "butin loyalty and devotion to a generous sovereign, who can equal the noblefidalgos of the land? It is the one sentiment in which all combine."
"Perhaps he has first to pay his devotions at the shrine of his ladylove," observed the Queen, with a sneer; "yet we women might excuse himif his gallantry surpassed his loyalty."
The King, never very ready with answers in conversation, found no wordsto defend his Minister, to whose powerful mind his own had alreadylearned to yield, though he, as yet, neither loved him, nor put implicittrust in him: his power, therefore, was held but by a frail tenure,which the breath of malice might easily have destroyed. A few idle orbitter words frequently weaken that influence which it has been the toilof years in a statesman's life to gain; and such an opportunity as this,the numerous enemies of the rising Minister who surrounded the throne,were certain not to lose.
The courtiers now began to assemble, but the Minister came not.
Having taken a glance at the interior of the palace, we must returnagain to the streets in the neighbourhood, now thronged with carriagespressing forward to the one centre of attraction.
Our friend, Antonio, the cobbler, had given himself a holiday: not thathe was going to Court, though, as he observed, many a less honest man,with a finer coat, might be there; but he was anxious to learn theopinions of people on affairs in general, and he knew that he should beable to pick up a good deal of information in the crowd, among whom hewalked, dressed in his gala suit, unrecognised by any as Antonio ORemendao.
He was proceeding along a narrow street, at a short distance from thepalace, when he saw approaching, the proud Duke of Aveiro, in his coach,which monopolised the greater part of the way, and slowly proceeded, ata state pace, in accordance with his dignity. A carriage, drivenrapidly along, was endeavouring to pass the duke's conveyance; but hiscoachman, by swerving first on one side and then on the other, preventedit so doing.
"Make way there! make way for his Excellency Senhor Sebastiao Joze deCarvalho," shouted the driver of the hindermost carriage; but the otherheeded not his words. "Make way there! make way; my master is late topresent himself at Court, where his duty calls him, in which he will beimpeded by no one," again cried the Minister's coachman.
"Heed not the base-born churl," exclaimed the Duke, from his carriagewindow. "Does he dare to insult me by presuming to pass my coach?"
The duke's anger increased as the Minister's coachman persisted in theattempt. "Keep in your proper station, wretch," he cried, forgetful ofhis own dignity, "or by Heavens I will slay you on the spot."
At that moment the carriages had reached a wider space in the street,where Antonio stood, so that the Minister's carriage was enabled to passthe duke's: as it did so, Carvalho looked from the window. "I wish notto insult you, my lord duke," he said; "but the driver of my carriagehas my orders to hasten towards the palace, nor will I be disobeyed;regardless of the rank of those I may pass, my duty to my sovereign isabove all other considerations." The last words were scarce heard as hedrove by, while the the Duke shook his hand with fury.
The Cobbler laughed quietly to himself, as he beheld the scene. "Whatfools men are!" he muttered. "Now, that noble duke is enraged because aman who is in a hurry passes him while he is not; but he had better takecare, and not enrage the Minister in return, or he will be like the manwho put his head into the lion's mouth, and forgot to take it outagain."
"Ah! does this bold plebeian dare to insult me to my very face?"exclaimed the Duke, as he watched the Minister's carriage; "but, erelong, I will be revenged, and nought but his blood shall wipe out theremembrance of his audacity. He dreams not of the punishment thatawaits him. Ah! he shall be the first victim when I attain to power."
"Did your Excellency mark the look of proud derision he cast as hesucceeded in passing your coach?" observed the sycophantish CaptainPolicarpio, who
sat opposite to his master, and was ever ready toinflame his anger against those by whose downfall alone he had any hopesof succeeding in his ambitious projects.
"I marked it well, and shall not forget it till he mounts the scaffold,"returned the Duke, grinding his teeth with fury. "Boastful as he nowis, he will then be humble enough."
By the side of the Duke was his young nephew, to whom he had notventured to breathe any of his aspiring hopes, well knowing, thatneither by habits nor temper was he formed to aid in theiraccomplishment. The youth now looked up with an expression somewhat ofsurprise and pain on his countenance, and endeavoured to counteract theinfluence of Captain Policarpio's observations. "Senhor Carvalho