The Prime Minister
Page 12
shape of cannon balls.Among them were seen, in strong contrast, the graceful, high-pointedlateen sails of the Portuguese Rasca, used chiefly in the coastingtrade; and the native schooner, or Hiate, with hulls not destitute ofbeauty, but rigged with masts raking at different angles, and theirgaffs peaked at unequal heights; and also the curious Lisbonfishing-boat, shaped like a bean-pod, curving up at stem and stern, witha short rounded deck at each end, and a single high lateen sail. Thenthere were sloops, schooners, etc., etc., but all made way for the royalcruiser, as she proudly sailed up the stream, lowering their flags asshe passed them in mark of respect. Passing close to the white tower ofBelem and its gothic church at the westernmost part of Lisbon, they atlength dropped their anchor opposite to that picturesquely-beautifulcity, which rises on many hills from the shores of the wide-flowingTagus, the white buildings glittering in the sun, crowned by the darkfrowning castle, surrounded by suburbs intermixed with gardens filledwith the richly-tinted orange-trees; but it was in those days veryinferior in point of size and beauty to what it is now, and, alas! onentering it, its outward promise was found to be sadly deceptive; thestreets were narrow, ill ventilated, and badly constructed, with adegree of dirt far surpassing that of any other European city; theextraordinary healthiness of the climate, and the heavy rains, aided bythe canine scavengers which swarmed in it, and contributed to carry offthe impurities, alone preventing it from being yearly visited by theplague, which the inhabitants took no other means to avoid. Amid thiscollection of dirt were, however, to be found numerous fine palaces,rich convents for both sexes, highly adorned churches of elegantarchitecture, and various other public buildings surpassed by few citiesof the time. The river is here several miles in breadth; and on theopposite shore, which is composed of rugged cliffs, once stood oldLisbon, [Note], the ancient capital of Lusitania; while, looking up thestream, it has, from its wide extent, the appearance of a magnificentlake, which diminishes considerably the apparent height of its banks.
As it is not our intention to give a topographical description ofLisbon, we will return to the more interesting subject, we doubt not, ofour narrative. No sooner were the sails furled, and the anchor hadtouched the ground, than, as the gallant bark rode securely on thesmooth surface of the Tagus, she was surrounded by hundreds of boats,filled with eager and questioning passengers, and such shouts, cries,and vociferations, filled the air, that it was difficult to hear anorder given or a reply made.
While Don Luis was waiting till the captain was prepared to accompanyhim on shore, and gazed admiringly on the beautiful panorama around him,his heart beat quick with the joyful anticipation of at length meetingher on whom, during his absence, all his thoughts had centred. Hepictured to himself her delighted surprise at his unexpected return, andthe rich blush which would suffuse her lovely cheeks, as, overcoming thenatural bashfulness of love, forgetful of the formal etiquette ofsociety, of everything, in her joy of seeing him, she would throwherself into his arms. Then he thought of the thousand questions shewould ask of his adventures, and the answers he should make; of theanimated glances of her bright eyes, as he described the storm andnight-engagement with the rover, with the share he had taken in thestrife; how she would tremble with agitation, as he recounted thedangers he had undergone, and how doubly dear he should be to her heartafter all his escapes. Not once did his good friend Pinto's warningsand forebodings occur to him; not once did he think of the history ofSenhor Mendez. How, indeed, could any dark or dismal thoughts intrude,surrounded by a scene of such loveliness, with that pure blue sky, andthat clear sparkling atmosphere! All appeared to him of rosy hue, nordid he remember how false and treacherous was the outward appearance ofthe very city at which he gazed--a fit emblem of the fair promises ofthe world, full of foulness and deceit.
His thoughts were quickly broken in upon by the captain summoning him tothe boat, which conveyed them on shore; and once more with joy did hepress his native soil, as, attended by Pedro, he hastened to hisfather's house, while Captain Pinto repaired to the Admiralty, to reportthe arrival of his ship.
Note. Ourique, opposite Lisbon, the birth-place of Portuguese monarchy.
Volume 1, Chapter IV.
We must now quit the free, boundless, ever-varying ocean, on which wedelight to dwell, with its exciting incidents of the chase, the tempest,and the fight, for the confined space of a crowded city.
The palace of the Marquis d'Alorna was situated near the centre ofLisbon, on the rise of a hill, at a short distance from the river; andalthough the approach to it was through what we should now considernarrow, dirty streets, it was an edifice of some consideration,constructed of fine hewn stone, with a handsome entrance, through whicha carriage might drive to the foot of a broad flight of steps, leadingto that part of the mansion inhabited by the family, the lower partbeing appropriated for stables, and for the use of the inferior order ofdomestics, and where also the family coaches stood in conspicuous array.But it is to the upper story of the building, where, in Portugal, arefrequently situated the most agreeable rooms of the house, that we wouldintroduce our readers. It was a large apartment, a broad balcony infront, with a heavy, highly-carved balustrade of stone-work, from whichwas seen a fine view of the Tagus, blue and sparkling in the brightsunshine, and covered with white dancing sails, wending their course inevery direction. The interior decorations of the room were rich, butnot according to the most approved taste of the present day. Over thewindows hung curtains of yellow damask, which cast a glare anything butbecoming to the complexions of the inmates, and the ceiling wasdecorated with a fresco painting of some allegorical subject, mostdifficult to determine. The walls were covered with tapestry,representing a scene in Arcadia, it might be presumed, from a number offair ladies figuring in the landscape in the fanciful costume ofshepherdesses, with crooks in their hands adorned with flowers andribbons, who ought to have been tending several flocks of sheepscattered far and wide; but their attention was diverted from thesepastoral duties by listening to the passionate addresses of sundryyouths, in bag wigs and swords, who were kneeling at their feet in allthe most approved attitudes of devotion. A surprising number ofwaterfalls, temples, bridges, and romantic cottages, fit abodes forlove, peace, contentment, and little children, filled up the interestingpicture. In a small alcove on one side was an altar, on which stood animage of the Virgin and Child; the mother dressed in robes of blue andgold stripes, trimmed with pink, and a crown of silver and preciousstones on her head, the whole figure surrounded by bright wreaths ofartificial flowers; but it appeared a pity, since so much expense hadbeen lavished on her decoration, that the same pious hand had notafforded even the slightest garment to shelter from the inclemency ofthe weather the little smiling cherub in her arms. The floor was ofhighly polished chestnut, not covered by any carpet, except a narrowstrip below a row of high-backed chairs, of dark carved mahogany, placedagainst the walls. Several doors opened from the room, affording a longvista beyond, of other apartments, to the opposite windows of thepalace, through which might pass the refreshing breeze from the river.
But it is time that we should describe the occupants of the chamber; forthere were several of the gentler sex seated in a circle near the openwindow, some on low chairs or stools, the others having placedthemselves on the ground in the eastern fashion, with their work beforethem.
The lady who seemed of most consequence in the party was reclining withher back to the side of the window, so as to command a view of the worldwithout, and, at the same time, to see and hear what was going forwardin the room. She was young--very young; by her appearance scarcelycounting eighteen summers of life, and beautiful as the pure sky of hernative clime; but already on that high and pure brow had thought, care,or passion, cast a faint, scarce perceptible sign, which came and passedaway like a thin fleeting cloud. The bright hue of health and spiritswas on her oval cheeks, and there was a sparkling lustre in her fulldark eye, which, at times, however, wanted, alas! that soft gentleexpression so much more requisite to the eye of eb
on hue than to anyother: but who could quarrel with the faultless features of herexquisitely chiselled countenance? Her figure was scarcely of theaverage middle height, but it was beautifully formed, every limb roundedto perfection; indeed it was rather full than otherwise, relieved by herswan-like throat, and the fine fall of her shoulders.
She was sumptuously dressed in richly flowered silks; her hair, of ravenhue, drawn from off her forehead, and slightly powdered, was arranged inmany curls, and fastened at the summit with pins of gold. She had beenoccupied, or rather pretended to be occupied, in working with silk oncanvass, the fashionable employment of ladies in those days; but thework appeared to be proceeding but slowly, as the small part only of adesign was seen, and it was now thrown, with various bright colouredballs, at her feet. The rest of the party were rather moreindustriously employed in the like sort of occupation, though the gaypeals of light laughter which rose from the circle, showed that