The Constant Prince Read online

though it was stilla check on his sharing in his brothers' exploits; but he led a verybusy, useful, and devout life, managing the affairs of the Order ofAvis, spending nearly all his private fortune in ransoming prisonersfrom the Moors, and in acts of charity or devotion. To the poor,wherever he went, he was a personal friend, and the young men of hishousehold regarded him with enthusiastic admiration, marvelling at thecombination of such saintly qualities with such a genuine love for allconnected with military honour and personal prowess.

  The people spoke of his almsgiving, his life of prayer and self-denial,his unfailing gentleness of word and deed, of the sufferings borne withsuch exemplary patience, and thought that he led the life of a saint onearth. And all this while the life that looked so holy and so peaceful,and was so pure from outward stain, was full of inward storm andstruggle, of longings and ambitions, but imperfectly laid at the foot ofthe Cross. There was much yet to come before Fernando's victory waswon.

  One bright winter's day he was sitting in his private room in thepalace. As Master of Avis, he possessed property and residences in morethan one part of Portugal; but in Lisbon he still lived under hisbrother's roof, chiefly that Duarte might bestow on him, in his frequentillnesses, as much as possible of his scanty intervals of leisure.Besides, Fernando's tastes were simple, and he loved the surroundings ofhis boyhood. He had been occupied all the morning, after attending massin the king's chapel, with the various affairs of his order, and with aconsultation with the Archbishop of Lisbon, over the details of a newmission to be despatched to the coast of Africa, in the wake of some ofDom Enrique's recent discoveries, and now, wearied with so muchexertion, was sitting by the hearth, on which burned a small wood fire.

  It was a pleasant room enough, long and narrow, with a high carved andpainted ceiling, and a great chimney-piece of white marble, carved withthe dragon's heads that King Joao, in honour of his English Garter,introduced on every occasion, just as he taught his soldiers to shoutSaint George.

  Harry Hartsed and a young nephew and namesake of the great minister,Alvarez de Pereira, were sitting at the farther end of the room, andtalking in a subdued voice, as they looked out between the mullions ofthe window over the palace garden.

  After some discussion between themselves, Harry glanced at the prince,and, perceiving that he was doing nothing, crossed the room and venturedto address him.

  "My Lord, Dom Alvarez and I were discussing a question. May I craveleave to ask your opinion on it?"

  Fernando started from his reverie, and looked up with the expression inhis eyes, half-wistful, half-eager, altogether unsatisfied, thatcontrasted so strangely with the kind bright smile with which he evergreeted a request.

  "You are welcome to my opinion," he said, gaily; "but I know not if itwill be of much value to _you_."

  "My Lord, Alvarez here declares that his fate has been foretold by thestars, and that certain days in the year are unfavourable to him. Thatif he went into battle on those days he would assuredly be slain. Thatbeing so, it would be well to cast one's horoscope, and learn how tokeep from such dangers."

  "But," said Fernando, "if duty called Dom Alvarez to battle on thesefateful days, he would but go in with a worse heart for thinking it surethat he would never come out again."

  "I should do my duty, my lord, I trust," said Dom Diego Alvarez, who hadfollowed Hartsed.

  "Assuredly, senor; I did but speak to show you how little, to mythinking, knowledge of the future is a help to the present performanceof duty. And you have, surely heard, since it is the common story, howa Jewish astrologer would have dissuaded the king, my brother, fromreceiving the homage of his subjects on the day appointed, declaring itto be an unfortunate one."

  "But his grace was not influenced by a rascally Jew," said Harry.

  "No," returned the prince; "against the opinions of his councillors heheld to his first intention. The king and the dukes, my brothers,having deeply studied the courses of the stars, have found great wondersamong them, for which they glorify God; but they do not read in themtheir own future."

  "Well," remarked Harry, "I must say that little knowledge came by oneattempt I know of, to read the future," and, in answer to the prince'squestion, he related his expedition to the forest with Nella.

  "Alas, poor child," said Fernando, much moved, "it needs no witch toguess at her fate. Young Mistress Nella must have a brave heart."

  "There's nothing, my lord," said Harry, "that I should enjoy more than agood blow at the Infidel, and there are many here that think with me.We listen to tales of the siege of Ceuta, and long for our turn."

  "Ay?" said Fernando, thoughtfully. "It seems as if our prayers must beweak when we withhold ourselves. But who is coming?"

  "It is the Duke of Viseo, my lord," said Alvarez.

  "Then you may leave us," said Fernando, as Dom Enrique entered, and,after an affectionate greeting, sat down beside him.

  "I think of soon returning to Sagres," he said; "my sailors will belooking for me. Since we have penetrated to the coast of Africa, I havemore business than ever."

  "I should like to go with you for a time to Sagres," said Fernando. "Icould not make observations for you like Duarte, nor work out yourmathematics like Pedro, but I long to see more of your doings there."

  "It is so cold at Sagres," said Enrique; "the winds there are too bleakand rough for you; and yet it would be well for you to spend a few idleweeks."

  "I am strong now," said Fernando hastily; "nothing will hurt me."

  Enrique smiled and shook his head.

  "Nothing ails me _now_ but idleness," repeated Fernando, as he looked upat his brother with a sort of inquiry in his face.

  Enrique was standing leaning his back against the high chimney corner,and now he turned his eyes on Fernando and said--

  "Is that thought so fresh in your mind still?"

  "Is it ever absent?" cried Fernando, rising in his eagerness. "Can Iforget my childish vow, and the longing I have ever had so to devotemyself? We have done much with Ceuta for a centre for the spread of theCross. If Tangier were ours--" he paused, laying his hand on Enrique'sshoulder. "See, my brother, I am strong enough now for a campaign. Ishould run no more risk than the rest of you. Is it not my turn? I amthe only one of us all whose sword has never been drawn. Am _I_ fit tobe head of the Order of Avis? Does such home-staying become my father'sson? Must I be the only one to do nothing for the honour of Portugal orfor Holy Church?"

  Enrique's enthusiasm was easily fired. All his life he had been readyto turn aside from his own special objects to strike a blow at the Moor.

  "If you and I could head an expedition," he said, thoughtfully; "muchtoil need not fall on you."

  "Ah!" cried Fernando. "At such a time I should feel no hardships. I amnot so full of my own conceit as to imagine myself a fit leader. Let mebut fight under your banner; profit by your experience. Is not ourprosperity a shame, while we suffer that unimaginable evil at our verygates?"

  "It would consecrate all other efforts," said Enrique, with the peculiarearnestness that always made his words weighty; "and to fight as we havealways wished, side by side, in this holy war!"

  "Yes. Alone I could do little! This hope has been my one aim, myprayer, through all the poor life that has borne so little fruit.Enrique, _you_ have known it?"

  "Yes. I know that you have never swerved from it. But you must notcall your life fruitless, my Fernando."

  "Fruitful of impatience and discontent! In truth I am not worthy ofthis task."

  "Nevertheless," said Enrique, with his grave smile, "let us togetheroffer our unworthiness to Him Who will purge our sins away. So shall wewin honour for ourselves and our brother."

  Self-devotion and personal glory were so united in the mind during thereign of chivalry, that it was not marvellous that these ardent soulsdid not quite distinguish between them. Enlightened as the princes ofAvis were, they were, even Enrique, men of their own day. Their morepersonal aims of scientific discovery, missionar
y work, organisedcharity and the like, were experimental, and they could not set themquite on a level with the recognised privilege and the duty ofdistinguishing themselves in the battle-field. First, they must besoldiers, afterwards, men of science and philanthropists, and Fernandofelt himself to have missed his vocation. The deep sense of religion,felt in especial by these two, offered them another and higher object.Perhaps the strong desire of self-devotion was the talent speciallycommitted to the "ages of faith." The evil they wished to remove wasgreat and obvious, and Fernando did not consider that he might be doingthe Church's work perhaps as effectually in another way. He