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Page 61
The arrival of the commander caused a little uneasiness among the
peaceably inclined, for he bore the character, in the island, of being
fiery, arrogant, and quarrelsome. He had already been three times at
Malta, and on each visit had signalized himself by some rash and deadly
affray.
As he was now thirty-five years of age, however, it was hoped that time
might have taken off the fiery edge of his spirit, and that he might
prove more quiet and sedate than formerly. The commander set up an
establishment befitting his rank and pretensions; for he arrogated to
himself an importance greater even than that of the Grand Master. His
house immediately became the rallying place of all the young French
chevaliers. They informed him of all the slights they had experienced or
imagined, and indulged their petulant and satirical vein at the expense
of the honorate and their admirers. The chevaliers of other nations soon
found the topics and tone of conversation at the commander's irksome and
offensive, and gradually ceased to visit there. The commander remained
the head of a national _clique_, who looked up to him as their model.
If he was not as boisterous and quarrelsome as formerly, he had become
haughty and overbearing. He was fond of talking over his past affairs of
punctilio and bloody duel. When walking the streets, he was generally
attended by a ruffling train of young French cavaliers, who caught his
own air of assumption and bravado. These he would conduct to the scenes
of his deadly encounters, point out the very spot where each fatal lunge
had been given, and dwell vaingloriously on every particular.
Under his tuition, the young French chevaliers began to add bluster and
arrogance to their former petulance and levity; they fired up on the
most trivial occasions, particularly with those who had been most
successful with the fair; and would put on the most intolerable
drawcansir airs. The other chevaliers conducted themselves with all
possible forbearance and reserve; but they saw it would be impossible to
keep on long, in this manner, without coming to an open rupture.
Among the Spanish cavaliers was one named Don Luis de Lima Vasconcellos.
He was distantly related to the Grand Master; and had been enrolled at
an early age among his pages, but had been rapidly promoted by him,
until, at the age of twenty-six, he had been given the richest Spanish
commandery in the order. He had, moreover, been fortunate with the fair,
with one of whom, the most beautiful honorata of Malta, he had long
maintained the most tender correspondence.
The character, rank, and connexions of Don Luis put him on a par with
the imperious Commander de Foulquerre, and pointed him out as a leader
and champion to his countrymen. The Spanish chevaliers repaired to him,
therefore, in a body; represented all the grievances they had sustained,
and the evils they apprehended, and urged him to use his influence with
the commander and his adherents to put a stop to the growing abuses.
Don Luis was gratified by this mark of confidence and esteem on the part
of his countrymen, and promised to have an interview with the Commander
de Foulquerre on the subject. He resolved to conduct himself with
the utmost caution and delicacy on the occasion; to represent to
the commander the evil consequences which might result from the
inconsiderate conduct of the young French chevaliers, and to entreat him
to exert the great influence he so deservedly possessed over them, to
restrain their excesses. Don Luis was aware, however, of the peril that
attended any interview of the kind with this imperious and fractious
man, and apprehended, however it might commence, that it would terminate
in a duel. Still, it was an affair of honor, in which Castilian dignity
was concerned; beside, he had a lurking disgust at the overbearing
manners of De Foulquerre, and perhaps had been somewhat offended by
certain intrusive attentions which he had presumed to pay to the
beautiful honorata.
It was now Holy Week; a time too sacred for worldly feuds and passions,
especially in a community under the dominion of a religious order; it
was agreed, therefore, that the dangerous interview in question should
not take place until after the Easter holidays. It is probable, from
subsequent circumstances, that the Commander de Foulquerre had some
information of this arrangement among the Spanish chevaliers, and was
determined to be beforehand, and to mortify the pride of their champion,
who was thus preparing to read him a lecture. He chose Good Friday for
his purpose. On this sacred day, it is customary in Catholic countries
to make a tour of all the churches, offering up prayers in each. In
every Catholic church, as is well known, there is a vessel of holy water
near the door. In this, every one, on entering, dips his fingers, and
makes therewith the sign of the cross on his forehead and breast. An
office of gallantry, among the young Spaniards, is to stand near the
door, dip their hands in the holy vessel, and extend them courteously
and respectfully to any lady of their acquaintance who may enter; who
thus receives the sacred water at second hand, on the tips of her
fingers, and proceeds to cross herself, with all due decorum. The
Spaniards, who are the most jealous of lovers, are impatient when this
piece of devotional gallantry is proffered to the object of their
affections by any other hand: on Good Friday, therefore, when a lady
makes a tour of the churches, it is the usage among them for the
inamorato to follow her from church to church, so as to present her the
holy water at the door of each; thus testifying his own devotion, and at
the same time preventing the officious services of a rival.
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