1 98 ^llbyal Intrigue ; ' or, [A i; . 



pages of the Duchess of A- a, the name assumed by his patroness, 



stole beside him, and pressed into his hand a scrap of paper, on which he 

 read 



" Prove yourself deserving a QUEEN'S affections, 



<e BE FIRM OR PERISH !" 



concealing the paper in 'his bosom, he almost blindly followed in the 

 Prince's cortege, bewildered in conjectures ; and when at last led into 

 the royal presence, his heart almost burst its mortal bounds when he 

 beheld in the person of the queen, his loved, his honoured, his adored 

 protector ! Tlje words '_' _Be Jirm, or perish!" recalled that undaunted 

 courage, of which no man possessed more ; and with respectful dignity, 

 and self-possession, he knelt before his Majesty to kiss his extended 

 hand. But when he turned towards the Queen, the exquisite grace and 

 deep-blushing humility with which he pressed his lips upon her 

 snowy fingers;* and the unequalled elegance with which he made his 

 retiring obeisance, raised a murmur of approbation throughout the 

 crowded and gorgeous apartment. 



His future discretion was equal to his good fortune ; he never lost a 

 particle of the royal favour by any act of levity; while his policy (must 

 it be added servility?) towards the haughty Godoy, gained his powerful 

 friendship, and he was considered as one of the most devoted creatures 

 of his patronage. It was not until the occasion of the grand bull feast 

 at Cadiz that the jealousy of the prince was roused ; not as regarded any 

 remains of passion which the queen might be supposed still to entertain 

 or to inspire, but from the growing favour of the king. 



On the third and last day of the festival an event occurred which 

 accelerated Don Manoel's fall, although for the moment it placed hint 

 on a dazzling elevation. 



Towards the close of the sports, a bull, whose fierceness and activity 

 had spread terror in the arena, had for some time reigned undisputed 

 monarch of the circus ! The daring Pepe de Xeres, commonly called 

 " El Coxo" (from his lameness), one of the most desperate of picadors,' 

 had been borne insensible from the ring, having been overthrown, and: 

 only saved by the skilful manoeuvres of the footmen ; the next in succes- 

 sion for the attack, the veteran Pedro Ortiz, of equal boldness and cele- 

 brity, shared a similar fate ! But one picador remained to sustain the 

 honour of the circus, the undaunted Jose Colchado, the boast of the 

 mafiolos of Madrid ; after performing prodigies of valour, an unlucky 

 slip of his horse threw him on the body of the bull, but providentially 

 so close to the partition as to enable the anxious spectators of his peril, 

 on the front rows, to grasp him in their arms, but not without serious : 

 injury, having had several of his ribs broken, and his coarse but manly 

 face disfigured by the loss of the whole of his front teeth. 



The furious animal now trampled about the circus unopposed, bel- 

 lowing a horrid defiance : it was yet too vigorous to allow of the attack 

 of the banderalleros. The manager was in despair -the spectators impa- 

 tient that peculiar clap of the hand, which is the signal of disapproba- 

 tion, thundered round the vast circle ; at this instant the Cavalier who 

 stood on the left of the queen was seen to stoop to his royal mistress's 

 ear, whose nod appeared to give assent to his request. He suddenly 



* The hand and arm of the Queen Maria Louisa were of such exquisite beauty and' 

 syratoietry, that she constantly kept one OT other arm uncovered to display it. 



