418 SKETCHES IN PORTUGAL. 



which I do not remember ever once to have thought of since. It is, 

 therefore, not a little remarkable that I should recollect it at this 

 moment, and under such circumstances as the present, for the first 

 time. At all events, I look upon it to be a good omen. It was neither 

 more nor less than this that before I died I should lose one king- 

 dom and win another ; and I remember that my brother and I 

 laughed outright at such a ridiculous attempt at fortune-telling; for 

 at that time it was daily expected we should (as we subsequently 

 were) be compelled to emigrate ; and I gave her no credit whatever 

 for her foresight, as it did not require a prophet to presage that I 

 should lose one kingdom (or my right of succession to it, which was 

 the same thing), when the enemy were already in possession of it: 

 and as regarded the winning another, I could only presume that she 

 simply alluded to our residing in the Brazils." 



The observations excited by this avowal, from every one x in the 

 room, who all sp*bke at once, and the servants retiring and requesting 

 me to accompany them, prevented me from hearing what the emperor 

 continued to say ; but I was not in any haste to leave my position, 

 and while I yet lingered I heard Almeida say 



" It was rather singular that you should have met the woman in 

 Oporto, whom your were so bountiful to when she presented herself 

 to your majesty in the opera-house at Rio." 



" Yes, it was," returned the emperor; "but how grateful the poor 

 creature has shewn herself for that involuntary act of liberality on 

 my part ! God grant she may not have to mourn her sons' death as 

 well as her husband's they are fine fellows." 



Although I was well acquainted with the incident in question, as 

 far as it related to the woman's conduct in Oporto, I was not aVare, un- 

 til informed a day or two afterwards, that she was the same individual 

 whose good fortune, on the occasion alluded to, at Rio, I remembered 

 to have heard the President of Malta, Groso, who was in attendance 

 on his majesty at the time, speak of more than once. I may here 

 premise that the meanest subjects of Portugal are not debarred access 

 to the sovereign whenever he appears in public ; arid if they want to 



Eetition his majesty either verbally or otherwise, they are sure of 

 eing patiently heard, or of having their written requirements re- 

 ceived. I have often seen Don Pedro, when about to enter his car- 

 riage, or mount the box to drive four fiery bays, stand for many minutes 

 listening patiently and attentively to numerous applications from the 

 humblest Brazilians ; and a very striking feature in his character is 

 the benevolent consideration with which he almost invariably in- 

 quires into their pecuniary circumstances. If they were deserving, 

 and their case appeared one of much suffering, he seldom failed to 

 confer some trifle to supply their pressing exigencies, until their con- 

 dition could be more minutely inquired into, when perhaps they 

 would be placed on his eleemosynary list. To one of the gentlemen 

 in waiting he would say, " give her or him so much," specifying the 

 sum perhaps a couple of potacars ; sometimes more, sometimes less ; 

 but on the following pccasion he was not so explicit, and the conse- 

 quences were that his purse was invaded, and his generosity abused 

 in a manner which he had been far from contemplating, and rendered 

 him more circumspect for the future: he was leaving his box one 



