The Prime Minister
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the Father Malagrida, where noone has ever thought of coming to search for him; so I was advised toshare it with him; and for my companions, they are my nearest relationsand friends, so do not be afraid of them," answered the Marquis, in anoffended tone.
As he finished speaking, the Father Malagrida addressed them. "Come, mysons," he said, "let us not tarry here, at the portals of my abode, butstraightway join the goodly company who are called together to hear mywords, and to consult about the welfare of our holy Church."
Having thus delivered himself, he led the way to the further end of thevault, followed by the young men; for, though Luis felt that he had beenunfairly seduced into associating with persons whom he more thansuspected were met together for some unlawful purpose, it was now, hethought, too late to withdraw. As they approached the party, who wereall in earnest conversation together, Luis, to his still greatersurprise, perceived a lady among them, in whom he recognised the elderMarchioness of Tavora. She was the only female among the party; butthere were present, besides many members of her own family, severalnobles of the highest rank, and dignitaries of the Church, with a few ofinferior grades in society, attached to the houses of the fidalgos, andwhose only rule of action was their masters' will. With many of thepersons assembled Luis was already acquainted; and, as he advanced amongthem, they rose to receive him, and welcome his return to Lisbon. TheMarchioness was most particular in her attentions, thanking him for theinterest he took in the welfare of her sons, and assuring him that sheshould be for ever grateful for what he had done.
"Why have you brought me here?" said Luis to Joze de Tavora, as soon ashe could escape from the Marchioness, and had led his young friend onone side of the vault, out of hearing of the rest of the party. "Hadyou forewarned me of whom I was to meet, I might have acted as I thoughtright."
"I brought you here to give you an opportunity of listening and judgingof the truth," was the answer. "Had I told you that you were to meetsome of the first nobles in the land, who were engaged in forming plansto protect their honour, their lives, and fortunes from destruction, youmight have answered that you would engage in no conspiracy; and as I wasnot at liberty to reveal any of their intentions, I could not havereasoned with you. But now you are here, stay and listen to what isproposed; if you like it not, you can depart without hindrance, for Iwill answer for your honour."
"I will remain, to convince those assembled here that I will not betraytheir place of meeting; but, except for the purpose of protecting mycousin, will I engage in no scheme whatever. My refusal arises from nofear of danger to myself individually, but from a dread of theconsequences to the nation at large. Inform your friends of myopinions, and I will here await the result."
"Such is unnecessary; they will ask none to join them who do notwillingly enter into their projects; so come, we will return to ourfriends; for hark! the prophet is addressing the assembly, and when youhave heard him, you will be convinced that his words are those ofinspiration."
Although there was, at that time, a more general belief in prophets andsaints, than there is, in Portugal at all events, in the present day,Luis was surprised to hear his young friend profess faith in theinspired character of a man whom he had learned to look upon as amadman, if not an hypocritical impostor; but still greater was hisastonishment when he discovered that the whole assembly placed the mostimplicit confidence in his declarations. On one side of the altar asort of pulpit had been formed of rough boards hastily nailed together,and into it Malagrida now mounted, stretching forth his hands to blesshis congregation. A complete silence ensued, and for some minutes herefrained from speaking, to cause a greater effect; at length hecommenced, in a slow and impressive tone, to deliver a discourse, ofwhich we shall venture only to give a few sentences.
"You have assembled here, my children, to listen to the words of one whohas propagated our holy religion even in the far corners of the world,but who now, through the wickedness and impiety of the rulers of thishapless country, is compelled, like a fox, to burrow beneath the earth,and to hide his head from the bright light of heaven. Will you--canyou--allow sin to be thus triumphant? Will you stand calmly by, and seeour holy religion trampled in the dust, your altars profaned, yourpriests degraded?"
"No! no! we will die to protect them," answered several voices.
He continued, without noticing the interruption. "Will you allow allyou have considered sacred to be despised, and yourselves to be insultedby the tyrant and his Minister?"
"We will not! we will not!" repeated the voices again.
"Hear me, then. Even now a decree is about to come forth to banish allthe true priests of the order of Jesus from the land. A few days, andthe impious command will be executed, if our rulers are not stopped intheir heaven-accursed career of crime. What say the sacred writings?`The judges of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together,against the Lord, and against his anointed.' Such do our rulers, andthey will not listen to the words of warning. Thrice has the King beenwarned, and he has turned a deaf ear to our words; still does he persistin his wickedness. We have, then, but one course to pursue--to avengeour wrongs, and right our grievances. Boldly I speak it, for I speakwhat is just, what Heaven demands at our hands--the King must die! andblessed is the man by whose hands the deed is done!"
The speaker paused, and at these words fear and trembling tookpossession of his infatuated audience. They doubted not that he spokethe words of inspiration, but each man feared lest he himself should becalled upon to perform a deed which he had longed to see executed by thehands of another. At last the young Marquis of Tavora, with much of hismother's boldness, mingled with superstition, arose and exclaimed, "Ihave been the most grievously wronged, and I will undertake to avengethe cause of all. I will lead a chosen band of followers into the veryheart of the palace, while others surround the building; and, while theKing deems himself most secure, I will accuse him of the foul injury hehas done me, and slay him on the spot. I will teach a lesson to all hissuccessors, and sovereigns shall learn to tremble, who, presuming ontheir power and station, dare to insult the dearest rights and honour oftheir subjects."
Some of the younger conspirators applauded the speech of the Marquis,but the older men shook their heads in disapprobation, and were silent,till Malagrida took upon himself to answer. "Alas! my son," he said,"such plans are hopeless! By force alone can force oftentimes berepelled, but never thus openly attack power. To ensure success,commence with secrecy and caution. Let not your enemy suppose that youfeel aught but friendship for him, and then strike him unawares, whennone can know who did the deed: the poisoned bowl, the dagger, or thepistol, are far more certain means than such as you propose. As theinjuries our foe inflicts are silent and secret, so, does Heaven decree,must be the retributive punishment."
To these observations the older men more cordially assented, but no oneproposed any definite plan. An air of doubt and uncertainty hung overall who were present, except the Marchioness, her eldest son, andMalagrida. Many whom they expected had not arrived; others had refusedto join them till their plans were successful, and all danger waspassed; these last were very numerous, and, in this case, the wisestpart of the nobility; "others," they reasoned, "will be found to riskthe peril, while we shall equally secure the profit, if they succeed."
"Why came not the Marquis of Tavora with his lady?" asked one of hisneighbour.
"He knows not of our designs," was the answer. "It is supposed he wouldnot approve of them, and his sons fear to confide them to him."
"The Duke of Aveiro ought to have been here long ago," said anothernoble. "He told me that he purposed coming, and no common cause would,I am sure, detain him."
"On the former night we met he seemed eager in our enterprise,"responded a fourth. "Can he have been suspected and apprehended? Ialways fear that vigilant-eyed plebeian--nothing escapes him."
"Can the Duke, fearing detection, have repented of his intentions, and,perhaps, informed the Minister of our designs?" observe
d one who wascynically inclined, and had ever hated the Duke. "It would be a certainway of securing his own pardon, though at the expense of a few of us."
"In mercy, do not put such dreadful thoughts into our heads--you quiteunnerve me," said the person he spoke to. "I wish I had refused to jointhe enterprise."
"That is a pity, seeing you will probably share the fate of all, if itmiscarries," answered his friend. "Do, my dear Count, _pretend_ to bebrave, or you will frighten the rest. You will not feel comfortable, Ifear, till it has succeeded."
"You offer rather doubtful consolation. I wish some one would proposehimself to kill our tyrant quietly--it would save much discussion."
"Likely enough. What, and if