The Prime Minister by William Henry Giles Kingston
de Incarnacao, oneof the many priests by whom the old king, John the Fifth, wassurrounded, being soon after nominated Prime Minister, through hisinterest, the dukedom of Aveiro, which had previously become extinct,was bestowed on Dom Joseph. During the reign of that imbecile andfanatical sovereign, he had enjoyed considerable influence at Court,when he had made a deadly and personal enemy of Sebastiao Joze deCarvalho, then a young and daring adventurer, without power orinfluence, who had presumed to lift his eyes towards a lady of hisfamily, whose affections his handsome figure and gallant manners hadwon. The duke, highly indignant at the daring presumption of one whomhe designated as a low-born plebeian, strenuously opposed the match,threatening vengeance on the head of the lover if he presumed topersevere, at the same time insulting him with every term of opprobrium.But the man who was destined to curb and break the haughty spirits ofthe whole body of a potent nobility, was not likely to be deterred fromhis purpose by the threats of a single family; and, in spite of alltheir care, he bore the lady off from the seclusion in which they hadimmured her to keep her out of his way. In consequence of this insultto the honour of his family, the duke had sworn the most deadlyvengeance against Carvalho, taking every means to thwart his aspiringaims; and thus did the blackest hatred rankle in the breasts of both,each seeking the first opportunity to destroy the other. His duchess,by whom he had one son, the Marquis of Gouvea, yet a child, was sisterto the Marchioness of Tavora, but devoid of her pride and ambition, anddevoted entirely to her domestic duties.
The duke, at the time of which we write, had retired, during the heat ofthe summer, to his country-house of Azeitao, on the borders of theTagus, at some distance from Lisbon. A hot and sultry day was neardrawing to a close, the setting sun just tingeing the topmost boughs ofa grove of shining leaved orange-trees, beneath whose shade the masterof the domain had for some time past been pacing, in no very enviablemood, it would seem, from the fierce and discontented expression whichsat upon his brow, and the violent action in which he was indulging.His outward appearance certainly did not betoken his lofty birth andancient lineage, except that the haughty and imperious air he woreshowed that he was accustomed to have his commands implicitly obeyed;his figure being low, and destitute of symmetry and grace. "Curses onthe man who has dared to come between me and my plans," he exclaimed, ashe struck his clenched hand against his brow. "Trusting in theconfidence the king has foolishly reposed in him, he has dared, not onlyto treat me, the chief noble in the realm, as an equal, forsooth, butwith marked insult and disdain, to exhibit his hatred and jealousy of myrank; but he shall not continue so to do much longer, all powerful as hedeems himself. Would that the assassin's knife could reach his bosom!but the fools are afraid of his giant strength and figure, and declarethat no steel can harm him. Oh, that heaven or hell would send me aidto work out my vengeance!--I would give half my wealth to see him deadat my feet!"
"What wouldst thou, my son?" said a voice, in a deep and hollow tone.He started, with horror on his countenance. His thoughts, hisconscience told him, had been evil, and he was one over whomsuperstition and bigotry held full sway; for a moment, therefore, heexpected to see the father of sin in a bodily presence rising up beforehim. He looked up, and beheld a dark figure of gigantic height, itseemed, amid the thickening shadows of the trees. A cold sweat stood onhis brow. Had his dark thoughts then conjured up a spirit of evil?With noiseless steps the figure approached over the soft mossy ground,and, instead of the unwelcome visitor he had expected, he saw the FatherMalagrida standing before him. He breathed more freely, and felt hiscourage revive in the presence of so righteous a man, whose sign alonewas sufficient to keep at bay the whole infernal host.
"What would you, my son?" repeated the Father. "Some half-utteredsentences fell on my ear, and I observed your violent action. Tell me,my son, what thoughts oppress your bosom, and I will pour balm into it."
"Father, you cannot aid me," said the Duke; "it is beyond yourprovince."
"There is nothing beyond my province, there is nothing I cannotforesee," exclaimed the Jesuit, in a deep tone. "Think you I see withthe mortal eyes men see with, or judge with the judgment of the vulgar?No, my son, my spirit is elevated above the world. The vision ofprophecy illumines my mind, and where men of common souls, unenlightenedby Divine grace, grope on in the dark, like blind moles, all before meis clear and light. Speak not, then. I know your thoughts, and youneed not fear to indulge in them; for they are righteous and sanctified.You would seek to inflict a just punishment on the evil doer--you wouldchastise him who has elevated himself, by aid of the spirit of darkness,to a post of power, in order that he may heap damnation on his own headby afflicting with cruelties and insults those chosen of the Lord as hisservants."
"Father, you have divined my thoughts," exclaimed the Duke. "I was, atthe moment you arrived, considering by what means I could bring downpunishment on the head of that man, Sebastiao Joze de Carvalho, equallythe foe of the fidalgos and of religion."
"All means are allowable when the end proposed is holy," answered theJesuit. "And what more righteous object than the punishment of thewicked? Be assured, my son, that Heaven will avenge itself in due timeon the destroyer of its servants, and blessed will those be who arechosen as the instruments to work out its inscrutable ends. Hear me,Duke of Aveiro! The Lord of Heaven has chosen me, as he did the mostholy prophet Balaam of olden time, whose deep learning taught him tounderstand the language of the beasts of the field; and to me he hasgiven in charge to deliver his messages to the kings and potentates whorule the world. Thus does he declare that he who is exalted shall bebrought low, and that he who will protect his servants shall be exaltedeven to sit on the regal throne."
The Duke started. "Is such the message Heaven deigns to send to me?" heexclaimed, as he gazed with a look of doubt and astonishment at thespeaker.
"Ah, thou confidest not in my sayings," exclaimed Malagrida; "thoudoubtest that I speak the words of inspiration. Beware, Duke of Aveiro,beware of the temptations of Satan!"
"Holy Father, I believe your words," answered the Duke, trembling.
"Rememberest thou not, then, that in thy veins flows the royal blood ofPortugal? then why not mount that throne when he who now reigns hasdeparted? Say! ought he to rule a Catholic people, who cherishes thepersecutor of our holy religion, who confides in one who would destroythe bulwarks of the Church, who has driven its most devoted servantsfrom his presence? No, my son, I will answer for you, no. Such a manought not to live, and blessed is he who does the work of Heaven indestroying him."
The Duke stood gazing on the Jesuit as one whose senses are bewilderedby the sudden communication either of joyful or disastrous intelligence.Had he ever before indulged in thoughts such as these words conjuredup? Yes, he had; but, as he thought, he trembled; but now all his fearswere banished, and those imaginings which he had before fancied were theinstigations of the evil one, he was now told, were the inspirations ofthe Divine will. Neither the Duke nor Malagrida had moved since theyfirst met; the tall gaunt figure of the priest appearing of stillgreater height from a bright gleam of sunshine, which, piercing throughthe foliage, fell upon his head, as he waved his arms wildly round whilehe spoke; the former now standing in the deep shade beneath the thicklygrowing orange-trees, which extended in a long avenue, the groundbeneath being striped with lines of the brightest gold and black. Now,some may suppose that Malagrida was an impersonification of the evilone, come to tempt the unfortunate Duke to his destruction; but such wasnot the case. He had from his earliest day's been an enthusiast, withan eager mind, weakened by the exercises of superstition, and nowinsanity was making rapid progress over it, though he still retained aconsiderable spice of that species of cunning which often accompaniesmadness, pointing out the best means of attaining what was mostadvantageous to him. He thus, while he fancied that he was givingutterance to the inspirations of Heaven, was perfectly well aware thathe was making a tool of the weak and bigoted Duke, not discovering thathe was himself influe
nced by another his superior, but who, in hisestimation, was vastly his inferior in talent and holiness. Respectingthe latter quality he might not have far erred.
He stood gazing down on his noble dupe for several minutes. "Come," hesaid, "my son, whose brow I may some day see graced by a regal diadem,let us walk beneath this shady grove, and talk further on this subject.Should Heaven not alter its intention of placing you on the throne ofthese realms, you will not forget the interests of the Church, and ofone of its most devoted servants, who has been the privileged and trueprophet of your elevation."
"No, holy Father, trust to my gratitude," answered the Duke. "TheChurch, under my protection, shall flourish in full power; and you shallever remain the guardian of my conscience, and my spiritual
The duke, at the time of which we write, had retired, during the heat ofthe summer, to his country-house of Azeitao, on the borders of theTagus, at some distance from Lisbon. A hot and sultry day was neardrawing to a close, the setting sun just tingeing the topmost boughs ofa grove of shining leaved orange-trees, beneath whose shade the masterof the domain had for some time past been pacing, in no very enviablemood, it would seem, from the fierce and discontented expression whichsat upon his brow, and the violent action in which he was indulging.His outward appearance certainly did not betoken his lofty birth andancient lineage, except that the haughty and imperious air he woreshowed that he was accustomed to have his commands implicitly obeyed;his figure being low, and destitute of symmetry and grace. "Curses onthe man who has dared to come between me and my plans," he exclaimed, ashe struck his clenched hand against his brow. "Trusting in theconfidence the king has foolishly reposed in him, he has dared, not onlyto treat me, the chief noble in the realm, as an equal, forsooth, butwith marked insult and disdain, to exhibit his hatred and jealousy of myrank; but he shall not continue so to do much longer, all powerful as hedeems himself. Would that the assassin's knife could reach his bosom!but the fools are afraid of his giant strength and figure, and declarethat no steel can harm him. Oh, that heaven or hell would send me aidto work out my vengeance!--I would give half my wealth to see him deadat my feet!"
"What wouldst thou, my son?" said a voice, in a deep and hollow tone.He started, with horror on his countenance. His thoughts, hisconscience told him, had been evil, and he was one over whomsuperstition and bigotry held full sway; for a moment, therefore, heexpected to see the father of sin in a bodily presence rising up beforehim. He looked up, and beheld a dark figure of gigantic height, itseemed, amid the thickening shadows of the trees. A cold sweat stood onhis brow. Had his dark thoughts then conjured up a spirit of evil?With noiseless steps the figure approached over the soft mossy ground,and, instead of the unwelcome visitor he had expected, he saw the FatherMalagrida standing before him. He breathed more freely, and felt hiscourage revive in the presence of so righteous a man, whose sign alonewas sufficient to keep at bay the whole infernal host.
"What would you, my son?" repeated the Father. "Some half-utteredsentences fell on my ear, and I observed your violent action. Tell me,my son, what thoughts oppress your bosom, and I will pour balm into it."
"Father, you cannot aid me," said the Duke; "it is beyond yourprovince."
"There is nothing beyond my province, there is nothing I cannotforesee," exclaimed the Jesuit, in a deep tone. "Think you I see withthe mortal eyes men see with, or judge with the judgment of the vulgar?No, my son, my spirit is elevated above the world. The vision ofprophecy illumines my mind, and where men of common souls, unenlightenedby Divine grace, grope on in the dark, like blind moles, all before meis clear and light. Speak not, then. I know your thoughts, and youneed not fear to indulge in them; for they are righteous and sanctified.You would seek to inflict a just punishment on the evil doer--you wouldchastise him who has elevated himself, by aid of the spirit of darkness,to a post of power, in order that he may heap damnation on his own headby afflicting with cruelties and insults those chosen of the Lord as hisservants."
"Father, you have divined my thoughts," exclaimed the Duke. "I was, atthe moment you arrived, considering by what means I could bring downpunishment on the head of that man, Sebastiao Joze de Carvalho, equallythe foe of the fidalgos and of religion."
"All means are allowable when the end proposed is holy," answered theJesuit. "And what more righteous object than the punishment of thewicked? Be assured, my son, that Heaven will avenge itself in due timeon the destroyer of its servants, and blessed will those be who arechosen as the instruments to work out its inscrutable ends. Hear me,Duke of Aveiro! The Lord of Heaven has chosen me, as he did the mostholy prophet Balaam of olden time, whose deep learning taught him tounderstand the language of the beasts of the field; and to me he hasgiven in charge to deliver his messages to the kings and potentates whorule the world. Thus does he declare that he who is exalted shall bebrought low, and that he who will protect his servants shall be exaltedeven to sit on the regal throne."
The Duke started. "Is such the message Heaven deigns to send to me?" heexclaimed, as he gazed with a look of doubt and astonishment at thespeaker.
"Ah, thou confidest not in my sayings," exclaimed Malagrida; "thoudoubtest that I speak the words of inspiration. Beware, Duke of Aveiro,beware of the temptations of Satan!"
"Holy Father, I believe your words," answered the Duke, trembling.
"Rememberest thou not, then, that in thy veins flows the royal blood ofPortugal? then why not mount that throne when he who now reigns hasdeparted? Say! ought he to rule a Catholic people, who cherishes thepersecutor of our holy religion, who confides in one who would destroythe bulwarks of the Church, who has driven its most devoted servantsfrom his presence? No, my son, I will answer for you, no. Such a manought not to live, and blessed is he who does the work of Heaven indestroying him."
The Duke stood gazing on the Jesuit as one whose senses are bewilderedby the sudden communication either of joyful or disastrous intelligence.Had he ever before indulged in thoughts such as these words conjuredup? Yes, he had; but, as he thought, he trembled; but now all his fearswere banished, and those imaginings which he had before fancied were theinstigations of the evil one, he was now told, were the inspirations ofthe Divine will. Neither the Duke nor Malagrida had moved since theyfirst met; the tall gaunt figure of the priest appearing of stillgreater height from a bright gleam of sunshine, which, piercing throughthe foliage, fell upon his head, as he waved his arms wildly round whilehe spoke; the former now standing in the deep shade beneath the thicklygrowing orange-trees, which extended in a long avenue, the groundbeneath being striped with lines of the brightest gold and black. Now,some may suppose that Malagrida was an impersonification of the evilone, come to tempt the unfortunate Duke to his destruction; but such wasnot the case. He had from his earliest day's been an enthusiast, withan eager mind, weakened by the exercises of superstition, and nowinsanity was making rapid progress over it, though he still retained aconsiderable spice of that species of cunning which often accompaniesmadness, pointing out the best means of attaining what was mostadvantageous to him. He thus, while he fancied that he was givingutterance to the inspirations of Heaven, was perfectly well aware thathe was making a tool of the weak and bigoted Duke, not discovering thathe was himself influe
He stood gazing down on his noble dupe for several minutes. "Come," hesaid, "my son, whose brow I may some day see graced by a regal diadem,let us walk beneath this shady grove, and talk further on this subject.Should Heaven not alter its intention of placing you on the throne ofthese realms, you will not forget the interests of the Church, and ofone of its most devoted servants, who has been the privileged and trueprophet of your elevation."
"No, holy Father, trust to my gratitude," answered the Duke. "TheChurch, under my protection, shall flourish in full power; and you shallever remain the guardian of my conscience, and my spiritual