SKETCHES IN PORTUGAL. 419 



night at the opera, during the war with the Argentine Republic, 

 when a woman in deep mourning threw herself at his feet, and told 

 him that from a state of comparative affluence she was reduced 

 nearly, at one blow, to the most complete destitution ; in addition 

 to which she had just lost her favourite son, who had been killed in 

 /a recent battle in the Banda Oriental. With the news of his death 

 ij|f she was also informed that a brig, in which her husband, who was^ 

 at Oporto, had risked all he was worth, had been taken by one of 

 the enemy's privateers ; and by an almost incomprehensible fatality, 

 on the very night she received this disastrous intelligence, her house, 

 which was not insured, was burnt to the ground, her youngest 

 child perished in the flames, and not a single article of her pro- 

 perty was saved. Her heart, she added, was almost broken. The 

 emperor, in the course of his reply, said, " we have allj our trials 

 and tribulations in this world none are exempt but the sun 

 sometimes shines out from behind the darkest clouds ;" then tell- 

 ing her he would see what could be done, desired a gentleman 



of the bed-chamber, Senor P , and, if the truth must be told, the 



principal agent of his private pleasures, to give her immediately 

 such relief as her accumulated misfortunes entitled her to; adding 

 in the same breath " Hand her whatever money you have about 



you." Now it so happened that P had been gambling in the 



course of the evening, and had then not less than 600 milreis in 

 notes in his pocket; and by way of a joke, which he knew he could 

 play off on his Majesty with impunity, he determined to obey him 

 to the very letter, and when the emperor retired, said ee My good 

 dame, I am very sorry for your sake that all the money I have with 

 me is but 600 milreis, nevertheless I hope it will suffice for your 

 present necessities ;" and placing the notes in her hands, he walked 

 away, leaving her speechless with wonder at Don Pedro's muni- 

 ficence. When, however, the emperor was duly informed of the 

 sum which had been thus disbursed on his account, he flew into a 



great passion, and after reproaching P with indifference to his 



interests, told him with great displeasure that he would not have 

 been so lavish of his own money. Here the matter rested. Among 

 the first who flocked to congratulate Don Pedro on his entering 

 Oporto was this very woman, who it appeared left the Brazils to 

 join her husband soon after the event related above ; since when she 

 had succeeded, through the death of a relation, to very considerable 

 property, which her husband had preserved from Miguel's rapacity 

 by effectually concealing his real principles. On the day we landed, 

 however, he could contain himself no longer, but mixing with a body 

 of the Constitutionalists, attacked a party of the retreating enemy, and, 

 miserabile dictu ! lost his life in the conflict. Having presented her 

 only surviving sons to the emperor (prior to their joining a regiment 

 as volunteers), and expressing her heartfelt gratitude for his former 

 goodness, the widow returned to her house, and the same day trans- 

 mitted to him betwixt ten and twelve thousand dollars for the public 

 service. That this sum had been lent to the government by a rich 

 widow, was currently reported at the time ; but the facts I have men- 

 tioned were only known to a few in his Majesty's suite. 



