D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 196: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXV. THE ROYAL PROCLAMATION, A cynic asserts that the “City of Ulysses,” that is, Lisbon, requires an earthquake to animate its inhabitants. Another critic says that they are so indolent that they hire peasants to do their work and gipsies to ‘amuse themselves” for them. Be this as it may, in the year 1640, at its opening, this beautifully-located capital was furnished with over- much excitement. That forerunner of “the Forty Thieves,’ who goes before the band of War, Pestilence, Sack-and-Pillage to chalk in red on the doors, seemed to have set his awful mark on nearly every house on the rambling streets, even far out into the suburbs, outside the walls. Stores and shops were sealed up, particularly in the goldsmiths’ street, so that the usual gaudy display in the unglazed show windows was eclipsed. Still the general effect was not sober or dull, since nothing covered the fronts, frescoed and stuccoed, the Moorish-tiled arch- ways and the Dutch-tiled roofs. After taking in cur- tains and tapestry, commonly airing out of the casements, no one thought of taking in Nature’s garlands and rosettes; the hanging-gardens, for which the chief city of Portugal is noted, offered their rare attractions in end- less loops of wisteria, white and purple oleanders, holly- hocks, pepper-plants, grown for their hue, and camellias perfect trees. Ever since the Pretender landed at Oporto without op- position to mention, so that the cry of “We are be- trayed!” resounded and echoed even to Madrid, the wealthy and timorous classes had been transporting their portable valuables, after the Turkish manner, in coffers and trunks, all ready, into the country, much going into Spain, where the owners, if of the official kind, belonged. Those remaining after this exodus had either too much property or too little to lose. They hoped that their sig- CORNICE OOOKS (C() im