great distance.
The hunting villa attached to the royal chase was a low stragglingbuilding, without the slightest attempt at architectural beauty, thelower story being devoted entirely to the use of the horses requisitefor the sport, and their attendant grooms; the upper, possessing a rowof windows at equal distances from each other on every side, wasdivided, with the exception of a few large rooms appropriated to theroyal owner, into a number of small ones for the numerous guests whoattended him. In front was a broad court-yard, now filled with a largeassemblage of horses and their grooms, while several men held in leashesa number of dogs, who were barking loudly, in their endeavours to freethemselves from thraldom; some of them, indeed, from being moretractable, probably, than their brethren, were allowed to wander looseamong the steeds: the latter, too, were neighing, and pawing the ground,eager to rush forward in the exciting course, which they seemed awarewas in store for them. The grooms and huntsmen, while waiting for theappearance of their masters, were laughing and hallooing to each other,cracking their jokes with unreserved freedom, none of that strictdecorum usually observed in the neighbourhood of royalty being thereperceptible. On a sudden, however, the noisy mirth was checked, and alleyes were directed towards the open gateway, through which the majesticperson of the Prime Minister was perceived advancing, mounted on acoal-black steed, which he sat with perfect ease and command. Theanimal's moistened neck and panting breath showed that he had nottarried on the road. As he drew in his rein, twenty servants sprangeagerly forward to aid him in dismounting; but, dispensing with theirservices, he threw himself off, and, without deigning to turn a glancetowards them, entered the building.
A few minutes only elapsed, when the King, who had apparently beenawaiting his arrival, issued forth in a hunting costume of green andsilver, closely followed by several of his nobles, the one nearest tohim being his chief favourite, the Marquis of Marialva, [Note] to whomhe was addressing his observations; but there was one among the partywho seemed neither to consider it an honour nor a pleasure to be inattendance,--this was the Duke of Aveiro, who had, by the Minister'sadvice, received a command to accompany his master in the proposedsports of the day. He took but little pains to conceal hisdissatisfaction, as he walked on with a haughty air and frowning brow,yet, at the same time, he would not yield the position in the _cortege_which his rank entitled him to hold, though he neither regarded noraddressed any near him.
"A fine morning we are favoured with, Senhor Marquis," cried the King,in a joyous tone, speaking to Marialva. "We shall have some good sport,if I mistake not, and many a long-tusked boar will die to-day. Who willbe the happy man to kill the first, I wonder?--'twill be your chance, myfriend, I trust."
"Your Majesty is generally the most fortunate hunter," returned theMarquis; "for few can successfully compete with you in the chase."
"That is because others are apt to hold back at times, I suspect," saidJoseph, laughing; for the anticipation of his favourite amusement hadraised his usually grave spirit. "But to-day, remember, cavaliers, allmust endeavour to do their best. We will allow no one to draw rein tillthey come up with the chase. Listen to my commands, Senhor Duqued'Aveiro. You are but a sluggard sportsman, I fear; but we must imbueyou with some of our own fondness for the exciting pastime, and then youwill vie with the best."
"When your Majesty commands, your subjects must obey," returned theDuke, in a tone which was far from agreeing with the obedient tenor ofhis words; for he neither had any predilection for the chase, nor was hefamed for his proficiency in equestrian accomplishments.
"We will tarry no longer," exclaimed the King. "To horse, to horse,cavaliers! 'Tis a sin to lose a moment of this tempting weather." Ashe spoke, he laid his hand on the bridle of a steed which some groomshad been leading backwards and forwards in readiness, but which they hadnow resigned to several of the nobles, the Marquis of Marialvaperforming the office of holding the stirrup while he mounted.
No sooner was he in the saddle than the rest of the party followed hisexample, a fresh horse being brought out for the Minister, who seemed toenjoy the thoughts of the sport as much as the youngest or idlest amongthem.
The King led the cavalcade, a little in advance, with Carvalho by hisside, who seemed to be communicating some matters of importance, at allevents not intended for the ears of the rest. Then came the Duke ofAveiro, the Marquis of Marialva, and other of the first nobles, followedby a crowd of attendants and huntsmen, among whom appeared that faithfulcounsellor of the Duke's, Senhor Policarpio; for without him his masternever now went abroad. That discreet personage did not seem to partakeat all either in his ill-humour or dislike to the amusement, chattingand laughing familiarly with his fellows, who could not fail to regardhim as a most amiable character.
Hunting parties have been before so often and ably described by fargreater artists than we can ever hope to be, that it were useless andtiresome to our readers to mention the costumes of the sportsmen, andthe trappings of their steeds, the numbers of attendants, with theirleashes of hounds, the men with long sticks and clappers to rouse thegame from their lairs, the cheering sound of the horns, the neighing ofthe horses, the barking of the dogs, and the shouts and cries of thehuman beings joining in one wild and exhilarating chorus. We defy any,except the most apathetic or heart-broken, (including some, perhaps, whoexperience a considerable share of fear in being obliged to sit onhorseback at all,) not to feel their spirits rise, and their heartsthrob with eagerness to come up with the chase, when they findthemselves in such scenes as we have seen depicted.
We do not, for another reason, mention this more minutely; for wesuspect that, were we to paint it exactly as it was, it would be foundto fall very far short, in interest and even in magnificence, of anEnglish meet, just as the fox breaks from cover. Boar hunting is a veryfine thing, we doubt not; but it cannot _beat that_. The boars inquestion being detained within the precincts of the park, by sundrytempting baits from time to time held out to them, on condition thatthey would make no objection to be hunted on occasions, and killed whenrequired, were not quite so fierce as their brethren in the forest ofArdennes, or those which the German barons hunt, as narrated in everyromance the scene of which is laid in that picturesque country of rocks,woods, and castles; nevertheless they were formidable adversaries toencounter when their bristles were up, without a long spear and a sharpcouteau de chasse in the hand; then an expert butcher could easily cuttheir throats. They were worth killing, too; for we can vouch for thevery excellent hams which their descendants of the present day make,when dried and salted. But we are descending too much into common-daylife, so must again mount our Pegasus, and follow the hounds.
The party rode on for some distance into the wood, at that easy pacewhich enabled the footmen to keep up with them without difficulty, beingjoined every now and then by some of the nobles who had been moresluggard in their movement.
There was, indeed, a gallant assemblage of cavaliers collected by thetime they reached a broad, sylvan glade, in the neighbourhood of whichit was expected that a boar, or perhaps a wolf, would be found; for bothanimals were equally objects of their search. Of the latter there weregreat numbers in the country, who, descending from their mountainfastnesses during the frosts of winter, took refuge in the forests onthe lower lands, where, finding an abundance of provision, they remainedtill hunted and destroyed, every one waging deadly war against them.
The beaters, with the huntsmen and dogs, now went in front, the firstforming a long line; and, with loud shouts and cries, striking everyclump of brushwood in their way, advanced slowly forward, the royalparty following them closely.
At length, a magnificent boar, of larger size than usual, started fromamong a mass of tangled shrubs. For a moment, he gazed at his enemies,as if he would have rushed on them, when the footmen retiring behind thecavaliers, the latter galloped their horses towards him. Instinctpointing out to him the hopelessness of contending with so large aforce, he turned, and endeavoured to escape by flight. Vain were
hisefforts: his speed did not equal that of his pursuers; the King, by thetacit consent of his courtiers, being allowed to be the first to come upwith him; for, although pretending to urge on their active steeds to theutmost, by swerving more than necessary, as if to avoid the brushwood intheir way, they easily effected their purpose. The dogs rushed on himfrom all sides, compelling him to stand at bay; two he laid, coveredwith gore, upon the turf; but the others he could not shake off, whenthe King, plunging his spear into the brawny neck of the now infuriatedanimal, brought him to the ground. He uttered a loud cry of pain andimpotent rage, and the Marquis of Marialva, leaping from his steed,finished the beast's life, with a stroke of his short hunting sword.The footmen then hastened forward to take possession of the carcass,which was to be conveyed to the royal residence.
While this scene was enacting, Captain Policarpio rode up to