The Prime Minister
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up for no crime at all; but the walls are so thick, that I shouldhave thought you could not have heard the sounds."
"Know you his name?" asked Luis.
"I have never heard it, senhor, and never thought of asking him, but Iwill do so, and tell you. Poor young gentleman, I fear he will not lastlong."
"Do you think, my friend, that you could manage to let me see myfellow-prisoner?" asked Luis, who felt that it was his duty to offerevery consolation in his power to the sick man, besides a naturalcuriosity to learn more of one whose voice had sounded in his ear for somany days past; "you may trust to my discretion, and that I will notbetray your kindness."
"I am not afraid of you, senhor; but if it was by any means discoveredthat I allowed such a thing, I should not only lose my situation, but beimprisoned in one of the darkest cells, as a warning to my brothergaolers, though I wish that I could do as you desire, for I do not seethat any harm can come of it."
Luis was, however, determined not to be defeated in his project; andtaking the opportunity to make a present, which he had before intended,to the kind-hearted gaoler, he at length induced him to promise that hewould allow him to pay a visit to the neighbouring cell on the firstsafe opportunity; probably directly after the Governor had gone hisrounds,--the time which, in all prisons, gaolers seize to afford similarfavours to their captives, as our readers have no doubt observed whileperusing every history or romance on the subject.
To a prisoner, the slightest variation in the monotonous routine of hislife affords subject of interest; and thus Luis looked forward withanxiety to the time when he was to be allowed to pay a visit to hiscompanion in captivity, though he was aware that but little benefitcould be expected to result to either of them from the interview. TheGovernor at last came his rounds; Luis heard the bolts of his cell doorwithdrawn, but that worthy personage, merely putting his head in to seethat his prisoner was safe, wished him good night, and again retired.
After he had been gone about half an hour, the under-gaoler, faithful tohis promise, made his appearance, having carefully opened the door,which, by long practice, he was able to do without any noise, andtelling Luis to follow, he gently opened the door of the cell in whichthe sick man was confined, when, desiring him to enter, he closed andbolted it as before.
The sick man scarcely noticed the entrance of a stranger, as Luis placedhimself by the side of the rude couch whereon he lay; but continued hisgroaning and piteous cries for fresh air and liberty. A lamp, burningon the table, shed its feeble rays around the cell. Luis rose to trimit, and again seated himself, the sick man continuing with his faceaverted towards the wall. Luis spoke to draw his attention.
"I have come, as a brother in affliction, to offer every assistance inmy power to a fellow-prisoner," he said.
Suddenly the sick man turned round, when the light falling on his thinand emaciated countenance, Luis started with amazement, a thrill of joyshooting through his frame; for in those features, though sadly alteredby disease and confinement, he beheld the long-lost brother of hisbeloved Clara, of whose death he had been accused,--the younger GoncaloChristovao. He pronounced his name.
"Who is it that calls on one long-lost to the joyous world?" exclaimedthe young Fidalgo, in a feeble voice, raising himself on his arm, andgazing wildly at his visitor.
"One you have seen but seldom, who has been vilely traduced, and accusedof your death--Luis d'Almeida."
"You have been amply avenged, then, senhor, for the evil thoughts Ientertained of you," answered the young Goncalo. "This is truecharity--thus to visit, in a loathsome dungeon, one who has so wrongedand injured you. Ah! It is too late now--I have but short time tosurvive." And he again sunk down exhausted.
"I have never for a moment had a hostile feeling towards you," saidLuis, offering his hand, which the other took, with a gratefulexpression on his countenance.
"Thanks, thanks! it is a consolation to know that a friend of those dearto me will receive my dying breath, and convey my last wishes to myfather and sweet sister,--or do I see in you the husband of Clara?"
"Alas! no, my friend," replied Luis, deeply affected. "I am a prisonerlike yourself, and, perchance, shall be released but by death."
"What! have you also fallen a victim to the wiles of that vilemiscreant, San Vincente?"
"I know not even of what crime I am accused," answered Luis; and heexplained, in a few words, the supposed conspiracy, and its fatalconsequences. "But tell me by what extraordinary circumstances I seeyou here?" he continued.
"By the machinations of a villain!" returned the young Fidalgo. "But Iam faint, and can scarce tell my tale. A few drops from yonder flask ofwine, supplied me by the charity of my kind gaoler, will give mestrength to proceed, if you will hand it to me."
Luis brought the flask, when Goncalo, somewhat revived by a draught ofthe light refreshing wine of Lisbon, commenced an account of hisadventures since the fatal night when Luis had so unintentionallywounded him. His sentences were short and broken, he frequently beingobliged to stop, in order to recover strength to proceed.
"I was half mad with intoxication and the excitement of revelry, when,urged on by my evil counsellor, San Vincente, I made that wanton assaultupon you, for which I have been so severely punished; but I mustconfess, that when your sword entered my side, I felt that I deserved myfate. When I returned to consciousness,--for in my fall I must havestruck my head, which, aided by the effects of wine, had rendered meinsensible--I found myself borne rapidly along the streets by severalmen. I inquired where they were carrying me; but, though I repeated thequestion several times, I received no answer; and at length, from thecopious effusion of blood, I again fainted. When I once more recoveredmy senses, I found myself in a low vaulted chamber, on a mean pallet,with the rest of the scanty furniture of the commonest description, anda wrinkled old hag, of the most sinister expression of countenance,sitting in one corner, occupied in spinning. I anxiously inquired whereI was; but, putting her finger to her mouth, she pretended to be dumb,to prevent my asking further questions; nor had I the slightest means ofconjecturing to what part of the city I had been conveyed. When Iendeavoured to rise, I found myself too weak to stand, and was obligedto give up the attempt in despair. It now occurred to me that I hadbeen brought to this place for some sinister motive, and, though Iacquitted you of having any share in my detention, I began strongly tosuspect that San Vincente was the author of the outrage. I had for somedays previously entertained uneasy doubts as to his character, which, inmy more serious moments, made me regret that I had favoured his suit tomy sister. I recollected, also, that I had lately won from him, at thegambling-table, some large sums of money; and now, incensed against him,I deemed him capable of the darkest acts. It struck me that hesupposed, if he married my sister, I should release him from his debt,or, if he could get me out of the way, he should be equally free.Subsequent events proved the correctness of my supposition. Why he didnot murder me at once, when I was so entirely in his power, I have neverbeen able, to this day, to determine. Either he is not so bad as Isuspected, and felt some compunction at killing an old friend, and thebrother of his intended wife, or the fear of discovery and punishmentdeterred him. I remained thus for two days, without seeing anybody butthe old woman, who still retained her taciturnity, and even when shebrought me a scanty allowance of food, did so with a morose andunwilling air.
"Never could I forget, if life were prolonged, the awful sensations Iexperienced when the first shock of the earthquake was felt. I wasalone, unable to move,--the terrific sound rang in my ears,--the groansof the dying, the shrieks of despair, reached even that remote spot,--the walls and roof trembled and cracked,--pieces fell around and onme,--I was almost stifled by the dust; yet, utterly helpless, I resignedmyself to my fate. Shock after shock occurred, yet still, to mysurprise, the walls stood uninjured. I was reserved for more severesuffering."
He ceased speaking, from exhaustion.
"Ah!" thought Luis, as this account brought back the re
collection ofthat dire event, "at that time was I rescuing your sweet sister fromdestruction. Both our fates have been cruel; yet yours, poor youth,even worse than mine."
Goncalo, now recovering, continued. "For the whole of that day ofhorrors, and the following one, I continued without food, becoming eachmoment more weak, till I thought death must put an end to my suffering,when a tall masked figure entered the vault, a few streams of light,entering from a barred window near the roof, enabling me to distinguishhim. At a glance, notwithstanding his disguise, I recognised the CountSan Vincente. He looked eagerly towards the spot where I lay, andHeaven forgive me, if I wrong him in believing that he felt disappointedon discovering I was still in existence. Without uttering a word, hedirectly quitted the vault, and soon afterwards returned with a basketof provisions, which he