Leaves from a Madeira Garden 



and Paganism. But though something of an 

 idealist, Manoel was not wanting in a certain 

 practical wisdom. I inquired why he was having 

 his little bright-eyed son taught French rather 

 than English, He replied, " Not many people 

 here know French ; my cousin Jos^, he can 

 speak French very well. One winter, many 

 years ago, a rich Russian gentleman come to 

 Madeira, and take the Quinta Vigia. None 

 of his servants speak any Portuguese or any 

 English, only French. The rich Russian 

 gentleman take my cousin Jose into his house 

 to arrange everything for him, and to buy 

 everything he want. When the Russian gentle- 

 man go away, my cousin Jos6, he very rich man, 

 he go to Calheta and buy a property, and never 

 do any more work. Perhaps some day another 

 Russian gentleman come here ; so I will have 

 my little boy learn French." This custom of 

 regarding the foreign visitor as a milch cow is 

 deeply ingrained in the servant class here. It 

 is a consideration ever present to us in our 

 dealings with our otherwise excellent cook, 

 whose pleasant and profitable business it is to 

 market for us. We hear dark rumours that 

 he is buying house property in the town, and 



70 



