D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 285: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

268 Tapping the Volcano. subjects’ love weakens, the king’s power is no longer strong.” ‘“Vasconsellos is dead! and in as many scraps as the death warrants he signed!” said a voice, grimly. “He said, the last time he was remonstrated with about grind- ing the people, that his heart was with his king alone. Now, I am going to send his heart on to the Escurial to be with King Philip!” Margerita turned pale, for this Ben Hamet de Lastries was a Moor anda Portuguese who hated the Spanish and all foreigners, with double cause. But her voice was as steadfast as ever. “Chevalier, having slain him, your animosity ought to be assuaged. If you do not at once retire you will be held guilty of high treason, and | shall be out of power to absolve you of the crime before our dread sovereign, the king.” “You are out of power already,” said one Menezez, who had been a secretary of hers, “so many gentlemen and: the highest of the old nobility of Portugal have not risen in a body to take the life of one spoiler, for revenge, but to place on the head rightfully entailed the crown of our dear land! Long live Don Juan IV., our Sefior of Por- tugal !” The Savoyard understood before this defiance that she had no sway over these lawless ones. But she was not disconcerted. She harbored a belief that her presence and apt speech might control the populace. She proposed going out on the plaza. Several nobles, not all Spanish, threw themselves across her path. Her maids locked hands to stay her. “What can the people do to me?” she cried, passion- ately and without abatement of her insolent contempt. There was a silence. Plainness was exacted to con- vince this proud princess who had never heard it, per- haps. Portuguese or Spanish nobles and gentry, all shrank from this step. “What will they do? They will cut off your head, ma donna!” said a voice, in Italian, wholly strange to her, as to all else. She looked, like the rest, that way. A man in showy attire, impaired by the shocks of combat, towered a head Eomichooks, co