The Prime Minister by William Henry Giles Kingston
from Luis,hurrying off on a visit of charity to the stranger Senhor Mendez. Hefound him, contrary to his expectations, considerably recovered; theslight attack he had suffered on the previous night, which had alarmedhis attendant, having passed off, though he was still unable to leavehis couch. Seating himself by his side, the gallant sailor detailed tohim various circumstances which had happened in the world since he hadlast seen him, when their conversation turned upon matters of yetgreater interest, and so engrossed were they in their subject, that theydid not attend to the first dread signals of approaching confusion.Soon again, the noise grew louder, the house shook, and the upper story,with a loud crash, fell in, destroying several unfortunate beings whowere residing there.
"'Tis an earthquake!" exclaimed Captain Pinto. "I thought something wasabout to happen, though it passed my power of calculation to tell what."
"Then fly, my friend, and save yourself," cried Senhor Mendez; "for thewhole house must inevitably fall, and will crush you in the ruins."
"I will see what chance there is first of carrying you on my back,"answered the sailor, coolly walking to the window, and looking into thestreet, from whence the most piercing shrieks proceeded. "'Twill bewiser to stay where we are; for 'tis raining rather large stones fromthe house-tops, and numbers of poor wretches, who have fled thither, hecrushed beneath them."
"'Tis a great hazard, but much greater is incurred by remaining here;so, I beseech you, fly, and leave me," reiterated Senhor Mendez.
"This is no time for jesting," said the Captain, "or I might suppose youwere inclined to be merry. What! do you ask me to leave a brother indanger, when I might save him? No, my friend, I will perish with you,if such is to be our lot,--we are neither of us children to feardeath,--or I will preserve your life."
Saying which, the captain returned to the side of his friend's couch,and drew the head of it within an alcove formed in the wall. "We shallhere be far safer than in the street; for the greater part of the housemay fall around without injuring us."
In vain Senhor Mendez urged his friend to fly: he persisted in remainingby his side, till he found that words were of no avail. "I will go withyou, then," he said. "I have yet strength sufficient to walk to someopen space, where the danger will be less." But the captain wasresolute; for he well knew that the sick man could not hurry along atthe speed which was requisite, nor climb over the impediments they werecertain to encounter.
Three or four minutes passed away in a state of dreadful uncertainty,the gallant sailor sitting calmly down, firmly resolved to await theresult. Then came the second and most violent shock: the back part ofthe house was heard to fall, the shrieks and cries were redoubled, crashafter crash succeeded; but still the friends were safe, and the captainfirmly kept his post. The third shock, which followed some minutesafterwards, was less violent, though a greater number of buildings,shaken by the former ones, were overturned by it.
The front wall of the house was seen to bulge outward. "Farewell, myfriend," ejaculated Senhor Mendez, seeing what was about to occur. Downfell the wall into the street, while clouds of dust obscured theirsight; but the upper rafters of the ceiling still bound the sides of thebuilding together. Both the friends expected instant destruction;minute after minute passed away, but the wall beneath which they werestood firm; till at length, the air becoming more clear, and the shocksscarcely perceptible, they had the satisfaction of wringing each other'shands as a mark of joy at their mutual preservation, and returningthanks to the great Being who had saved them.
It was in the same way the elegant and beautiful wife of the Minister,the Countess Daun, was preserved. She had not yet risen from her bedwhen the first shock was felt; but, springing up, she rushed to whereher youngest child was sleeping, and with admirable presence of mind andresolution, stood the whole time that the work of destruction wasproceeding, within a broad doorway, the front wall of the house beingprecipitated outward, and the roof falling in and crushing the bed onwhich she had been sleeping. The rest of the building stood, and shehad the happiness, when the convulsions had subsided, of finding herother children unharmed, though she knew not the fate of their father,who had, at an early hour, left his home.
But to return to Captain Pinto. After remaining for a considerable timewith his friend in their perilous situation, and perceiving no furthershocks, he determined to endeavour to carry him to a place of greatersafety. Wrapping him up, therefore, in some clothes which hadfortunately escaped, he bore him to the door, standing open, and fromthence down the broken steps, and over heaps of ruins, by the back ofthe house, (for the front was completely blocked up,) and across a smallcourtyard, where he was obliged to set him down to rest. The wall hadbeen thrown down, exhibiting a street, in a less ruinous state, leadingup a steep hill, at the top of which was an open space, surrounded bybuildings, which, being only of one story, had resisted the shocks.Thither the captain now led his friend, who insisted on walking, which,with some difficulty, he was able to do, although he sunk down exhaustedwhen he reached the place, where were now assembled a vast concourse ofaffrighted wretches, with tears and cries mourning the loss of relationsand friends,--mothers in tones of misery inquiring for their children,husbands for their wives, sons for their parents and sisters. Here allranks and conditions were indiscriminately mingled; the proud noble andthe loathsome beggar; high dignitaries of the Church in their purplerobes; priests who had fled from the altars in their sacerdotalvestments, while celebrating mass; officers and soldiers with their armsthrown aside; nuns and friars in their monastic habits; ladieshalf-dressed, many without even shoes to protect their feet. Some wererushing to the square, others were flying away, in hopes of findinggreater security elsewhere. The greater number were on their knees,offering up broken prayers and cries to Heaven, beating their breasts,with terror in their countenances, and ejaculating, "Mercy! mercy!"Some held clasped in their hands before them crucifixes and images ofthe saints, which they ever and anon kissed with the most ferventdevotion. Some had crawled thither with their limbs broken and theirbodies bruised, and were lying, writhing with pain, on the ground,crying out in vain for a drop of water to quench their thirst, many onlyhalf clothed, their only consolation, when some of the pious would bringthem a cross or an image to kiss, which, with their last gasp, theywould press to their lips.
An aged priest was moving among the crowd, with crucifix in hand,exhorting the people to repentance, and endeavouring to offer them everyconsolation in his power. "Repent, my children; for the wrath of Heavenhas descended on you for your sins!" he cried, with tears in his eyes."You have given yourselves up to every description of wickedness andfolly, when you thought none from heaven could see you, and now beholdthe consequence! Repent, ere it is too late; repent, ere completedestruction comes on you, and your name is erased from the face of theearth! Call loudly on the blessed Virgin; beseech her to intercede foryou, and she will hear you; for she loves you as her own children; herheart is tender and compassionate, and she, with sighs and tears, willpetition her Son to spare you."
The people flocked around the venerable man, earnestly entreating hisbenediction; and happy did those deem themselves who could touch eventhe hem of his garment.
While Captain Pinto was kneeling by the side of his friend, andsupporting his head, a person dripping with water rushed by, gazinganxiously into the faces of all he passed. He turned again, and seeingthe captain, came up to him. "Oh, senhor, I am wretched and miserable;for I can nowhere find my young master, and know not what has become ofhim," exclaimed Pedro, for he was the speaker. "I have been hurryingall over the city in search of him, and fear much he must have beendestroyed. Alas, alas! I am the only one saved out of the house, whichhas fallen to the ground. Poor Anna and Lucas are both gone. When werushed out together, I was a little before them, when the front wallfell and crushed them both--alas, alas!"
"Stay for me," said the Captain. "Assist me to support Senhor Mendez tosome place of security, and I will then accompany you to search f
or yourmaster."
"Care not for me, my friend; but go at once, and search for the youth,"said Senhor Mendez. "Perhaps even now he is yet alive, beneath somestone, and you may be in time to save him."
"I will not quit you till you are placed in safety," answered CaptainPinto; and with the aid of Pedro supporting his friend, they conveyedhim through the less ruinous parts of the city towards the house of anacquaintance who possessed a large garden in the outskirts. Their roadwas beset with danger, from the blocks of stone which continued fallingevery instant from the tottering walls of the buildings; sometimes theywere obliged to climb over the ruins, from whence they could hear thegroans of the dying and mangled beings who lay buried beneath, but whomit was impossible to attempt to rescue;
"'Tis an earthquake!" exclaimed Captain Pinto. "I thought something wasabout to happen, though it passed my power of calculation to tell what."
"Then fly, my friend, and save yourself," cried Senhor Mendez; "for thewhole house must inevitably fall, and will crush you in the ruins."
"I will see what chance there is first of carrying you on my back,"answered the sailor, coolly walking to the window, and looking into thestreet, from whence the most piercing shrieks proceeded. "'Twill bewiser to stay where we are; for 'tis raining rather large stones fromthe house-tops, and numbers of poor wretches, who have fled thither, hecrushed beneath them."
"'Tis a great hazard, but much greater is incurred by remaining here;so, I beseech you, fly, and leave me," reiterated Senhor Mendez.
"This is no time for jesting," said the Captain, "or I might suppose youwere inclined to be merry. What! do you ask me to leave a brother indanger, when I might save him? No, my friend, I will perish with you,if such is to be our lot,--we are neither of us children to feardeath,--or I will preserve your life."
Saying which, the captain returned to the side of his friend's couch,and drew the head of it within an alcove formed in the wall. "We shallhere be far safer than in the street; for the greater part of the housemay fall around without injuring us."
In vain Senhor Mendez urged his friend to fly: he persisted in remainingby his side, till he found that words were of no avail. "I will go withyou, then," he said. "I have yet strength sufficient to walk to someopen space, where the danger will be less." But the captain wasresolute; for he well knew that the sick man could not hurry along atthe speed which was requisite, nor climb over the impediments they werecertain to encounter.
Three or four minutes passed away in a state of dreadful uncertainty,the gallant sailor sitting calmly down, firmly resolved to await theresult. Then came the second and most violent shock: the back part ofthe house was heard to fall, the shrieks and cries were redoubled, crashafter crash succeeded; but still the friends were safe, and the captainfirmly kept his post. The third shock, which followed some minutesafterwards, was less violent, though a greater number of buildings,shaken by the former ones, were overturned by it.
The front wall of the house was seen to bulge outward. "Farewell, myfriend," ejaculated Senhor Mendez, seeing what was about to occur. Downfell the wall into the street, while clouds of dust obscured theirsight; but the upper rafters of the ceiling still bound the sides of thebuilding together. Both the friends expected instant destruction;minute after minute passed away, but the wall beneath which they werestood firm; till at length, the air becoming more clear, and the shocksscarcely perceptible, they had the satisfaction of wringing each other'shands as a mark of joy at their mutual preservation, and returningthanks to the great Being who had saved them.
It was in the same way the elegant and beautiful wife of the Minister,the Countess Daun, was preserved. She had not yet risen from her bedwhen the first shock was felt; but, springing up, she rushed to whereher youngest child was sleeping, and with admirable presence of mind andresolution, stood the whole time that the work of destruction wasproceeding, within a broad doorway, the front wall of the house beingprecipitated outward, and the roof falling in and crushing the bed onwhich she had been sleeping. The rest of the building stood, and shehad the happiness, when the convulsions had subsided, of finding herother children unharmed, though she knew not the fate of their father,who had, at an early hour, left his home.
But to return to Captain Pinto. After remaining for a considerable timewith his friend in their perilous situation, and perceiving no furthershocks, he determined to endeavour to carry him to a place of greatersafety. Wrapping him up, therefore, in some clothes which hadfortunately escaped, he bore him to the door, standing open, and fromthence down the broken steps, and over heaps of ruins, by the back ofthe house, (for the front was completely blocked up,) and across a smallcourtyard, where he was obliged to set him down to rest. The wall hadbeen thrown down, exhibiting a street, in a less ruinous state, leadingup a steep hill, at the top of which was an open space, surrounded bybuildings, which, being only of one story, had resisted the shocks.Thither the captain now led his friend, who insisted on walking, which,with some difficulty, he was able to do, although he sunk down exhaustedwhen he reached the place, where were now assembled a vast concourse ofaffrighted wretches, with tears and cries mourning the loss of relationsand friends,--mothers in tones of misery inquiring for their children,husbands for their wives, sons for their parents and sisters. Here allranks and conditions were indiscriminately mingled; the proud noble andthe loathsome beggar; high dignitaries of the Church in their purplerobes; priests who had fled from the altars in their sacerdotalvestments, while celebrating mass; officers and soldiers with their armsthrown aside; nuns and friars in their monastic habits; ladieshalf-dressed, many without even shoes to protect their feet. Some wererushing to the square, others were flying away, in hopes of findinggreater security elsewhere. The greater number were on their knees,offering up broken prayers and cries to Heaven, beating their breasts,with terror in their countenances, and ejaculating, "Mercy! mercy!"Some held clasped in their hands before them crucifixes and images ofthe saints, which they ever and anon kissed with the most ferventdevotion. Some had crawled thither with their limbs broken and theirbodies bruised, and were lying, writhing with pain, on the ground,crying out in vain for a drop of water to quench their thirst, many onlyhalf clothed, their only consolation, when some of the pious would bringthem a cross or an image to kiss, which, with their last gasp, theywould press to their lips.
An aged priest was moving among the crowd, with crucifix in hand,exhorting the people to repentance, and endeavouring to offer them everyconsolation in his power. "Repent, my children; for the wrath of Heavenhas descended on you for your sins!" he cried, with tears in his eyes."You have given yourselves up to every description of wickedness andfolly, when you thought none from heaven could see you, and now beholdthe consequence! Repent, ere it is too late; repent, ere completedestruction comes on you, and your name is erased from the face of theearth! Call loudly on the blessed Virgin; beseech her to intercede foryou, and she will hear you; for she loves you as her own children; herheart is tender and compassionate, and she, with sighs and tears, willpetition her Son to spare you."
The people flocked around the venerable man, earnestly entreating hisbenediction; and happy did those deem themselves who could touch eventhe hem of his garment.
While Captain Pinto was kneeling by the side of his friend, andsupporting his head, a person dripping with water rushed by, gazinganxiously into the faces of all he passed. He turned again, and seeingthe captain, came up to him. "Oh, senhor, I am wretched and miserable;for I can nowhere find my young master, and know not what has become ofhim," exclaimed Pedro, for he was the speaker. "I have been hurryingall over the city in search of him, and fear much he must have beendestroyed. Alas, alas! I am the only one saved out of the house, whichhas fallen to the ground. Poor Anna and Lucas are both gone. When werushed out together, I was a little before them, when the front wallfell and crushed them both--alas, alas!"
"Stay for me," said the Captain. "Assist me to support Senhor Mendez tosome place of security, and I will then accompany you to search f
"Care not for me, my friend; but go at once, and search for the youth,"said Senhor Mendez. "Perhaps even now he is yet alive, beneath somestone, and you may be in time to save him."
"I will not quit you till you are placed in safety," answered CaptainPinto; and with the aid of Pedro supporting his friend, they conveyedhim through the less ruinous parts of the city towards the house of anacquaintance who possessed a large garden in the outskirts. Their roadwas beset with danger, from the blocks of stone which continued fallingevery instant from the tottering walls of the buildings; sometimes theywere obliged to climb over the ruins, from whence they could hear thegroans of the dying and mangled beings who lay buried beneath, but whomit was impossible to attempt to rescue;