The Constant Prince

by Mrs. Molesworth

backstrongly to Nella's mind the visit of Dom Fernando, years ago.

  "My lord," said Sir Walter, "allow me to present to you my remainingdaughter Eleanor."

  Blushing, and with unwonted bashfulness, Nella curtsied timidly, in verydifferent style from her mock reverence five minutes before.

  "Welcome home, senorita," said Dom Enrique, with a grave smile. "Youcome at a sad time;" and then, as if he could hardly turn his thoughtsfrom the matter in hand, he continued, addressing her father,--

  "You know, Sir Walter, that the States-General have at length resolvedto offer a heavy ransom for my dear brother, and if this is refused, thePope offers a Bull of Crusade, and we strain every nerve to free him byforce of arms."

  "I am aware, my lord, that Ceuta is not to be ceded," said Sir Walterrather drily.

  "It has been so determined," said Enrique, with a sigh; for well he knewthat the decision had been made on no such lofty motives as actuatedhimself. Most men had thought Ceuta too precious to be parted with, notbecause it was a Christian town, but because it was a strong fortress;and Enrique had the unspeakable pain of finding himself on the same sidewith men who cared nothing for his brother; and whose principles hedespised.

  "The king resolves," he said, "on the strictest economy, to make thispossible. He has changed his mode of living, and cut off his fewpleasures, for our brother's sake. He hopes that his nobility willfollow his example."

  "The late king, my lord, was so generous to his nobles that they owetheir utmost to his blessed memory."

  "Even so," said Enrique. "But now, Sir Walter, I came here to-day tospeak with you of--of the foul treason that cut off our retreat, andmade my brother's sacrifice necessary. That most accursed traitor andrenegade, Brother Martin, has indeed disappeared; but it has beenwhispered that others--his friends and followers--knew of his intention,and that he had in some measure spread the poison of his apostasy amonghis followers and admirers. Think you this is so?"

  Harry Hartsed, who had been standing apart with Alvarez, gave anindignant start, and coming forward, said, impetuously,--

  "My lord, Brother Martin's preaching was ever in favour of the war. Henever uttered a word of treason in my hearing, and I saw much of him. Ido not believe that he was the traitor."

  "Softly, softly," said Sir Walter. "Master Harry, you speak too freelyto the duke."

  "Pardon," said Harry, doggedly; "but I will speak for my friends whenfalsely accused."

  "The treason of Brother Martin," said Enrique, "has been proved byeye-witnesses. No Christian gentleman should call him his friend."

  "If I may speak," said Alvarez, "Senor Hartsed was much with BrotherMartin, and in his councils."

  "What! You dare to say that he spoke treason to me!" cried Harry.

  "Young gentlemen," said the prince in his tone of grave dignity, "youforget yourselves. Sir,"--to Harry--"you have given your opinion, andthat is enough. Sir Walter, I must go, for I have much business onhand."

  Dom Enrique rose as he spoke, gave to Nella--who had retired to somedistance--a courteous farewell, and went out, his look of sorrowfuloppression never having given way during his visit. Alvarez followedhim.

  Sir Walter, when his guests had departed, turned back to Harry, andrebuked him sharply, both for daring to stand up for so foul a traitoras the renegade monk, and also for forgetting the respect due to theprince.

  Harry took the reproof sullenly. His heart too was sore at the thoughtof his lost master. Brother Martin's passionate preaching had reallystirred his emotions, and made him feel himself a true Crusader. Hethought him unjustly accused, and was determined to defend him.

  Alvarez, on the other hand, was filled with wrath at the very sound ofhis name, and the result was that the next time they met the two youngmen had a violent quarrel, in which Alvarez was passionate and Harryobstinate and sulky. They were silenced and rebuked by Sir Walter, whohappened to overhear them; but they parted in mutual anger and hatred.

  All was going wrong. The king suffered much in health from his sorrowand from the great labours which his endeavours to fill his emptyexchequer cost him. Dom Enrique was unapproachable in his grief andpre-occupation; and the gentle Fernando, whose eyes and ears had everbeen open to his followers' troubles, and who had managed to heal many aquarrel, was far away.

  Into the midst of this sad society, where every one was full ofmortification, sorrow, or anger, had come Nella Northberry, and her highspirits recoiled from it. She was sorry for the prince and angry atBrother Martin's treason, but she was not unhappy like the rest--onlydull, and a little home-sick. She soon became aware of her power bothover Harry and Alvarez, and her vanity was not quite proof against theflattery of the passionate homage of the young Portuguese. Her love ofmischief prompted her to provoke her old companion by as much saucinessas was consistent with the etiquette which she was compelled to observetowards him; for the queen had placed her among her ladies-in-waiting.Nella hated court life, was too young and undeveloped constantly to keepherself in sympathy with the prevailing troubles, and, in short, shediverted herself by making her two admirers jealous of each other.Nella was young, gay, and unguarded; but she soon had cause to regrether first month in Lisbon.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

  MISJUDGED.

  "But whispering tongues may poison truth."

  Spite of sadness of heart and severe retrenchments, a certain number ofcourt ceremonials were inevitable, particularly when the convocation ofthe States-General had filled Lisbon with the Portuguese nobility andgreat ecclesiastics.

  Nella did not love pomp and state; she had been accustomed to a life ofgreat freedom and simplicity, and, spite of some girlish pleasure in thehandsome dresses provided for her by her father, she found itunspeakably wearisome to stand behind Queen Leonor for hours while sheheld receptions. One of these took place as soon as the offer of aransom for Dom Fernando had been decided on, and the whole company werefull of the subject, discussing the wrongs and rights of it at everymoment when speech was possible. But besides the main question, therewas a strong undercurrent of suspicion and indignation against thesupposed sharers of Brother Martin's treason. A great many people whohad followed the apostate priest and had admired his preaching were loudin abuse of him, and repeated more than one saying which _now_ appearedto them suspicious. Harry Hartsed, from a mixture of obstinacy anddislike to join in an outcry on an absent man who could not defendhimself, declared that there was no proof against Brother Martin, andthat he had always heard him express the most loyal sentiments. He wasfresh from rather a sharp discussion on these points when the queen'smovements made it possible to approach Nella, who looked very handsome,her fair skin set off by her green and silver dress, and her golden headtowering above the other ladies. She smiled when she saw Harry, as ifhis presence was a pleasing variety.

  "Well sir," she said, in English, "these court receptions may be mightyfine for you, who have your tongue free to talk, but I find it dullenough to stand speechless for hours."

  "Speak now, then, fair mistress," said Harry, smiling; "and let me catchyour words as they fall. Or would you prefer to listen while I tell youthat I have but lived through the hours till I could reach your side?"

  "No," said Nella, pouting. "Why, have you grown into a courtier too?"

  "And do you really wish yourself back again at Northberry?"

  "Ay, that I do! Indeed, Harry," said Nella, with a sudden change toearnestness that reminded him of her childish days, "sometimes I thinkthat I do not love my good father nearly enough; for I cannot helpwishing to go back again to Devon, though since Adela and WalterCoplestone have married and left the old manor it has been solitaryenough."

  "I shall not be able to go back to Devon till I have seen war enoughmake my fortune," said Harry; "nor do I wish to go--now," he added,meaningly.

  Nella blushed a little and cast down her eyes, and as she raised themthey met those of Alvarez, fixed on her with an expression of suchpassionate jealousy that her heart
gave a frightened throb. How shewished that she had never teased Harry by encouraging his rival--for assuch she began to recognise Alvarez; and though she scarcely realisedthat Harry wished her to be more to him than his old playmate, he hadalways been jealous of interference, and the feelings of Alvarez wereunmistakable. The latter, too, was by far the best match, and Nella hada frightened conviction that her father would favour this suit wheneverit was formally offered. She was glad when the queen signed to her toattend her, so that further speech was impossible.

  While this little scene was passing a dance had been going forward--oneof those stately and ceremonious exercises which were limited to a fewcouples at a time, whose graceful movements afforded a spectacle