"Oh,Iamglad。Youareverygood,sir。
"
Thecoachrolledonthroughthecountryroads,andinsiteofthemotionandthenoisetheassengersslet。JoaodeSousaremainedawake,watchingthecountryassunderthelightofthemoon:thetrees,thehedges,thelightsfromthehousesofavillageonthehillside。PresentlytheycametotheancientbridgeofAmarante,theoriginofwhichislostinthemistsoftheast。Thecoachassedintothenarrowstonystreet,andstoedoutsidethefamousoldinnoftheCaadera。Thedining-roomoftheinnwasfulloftobaccosmokeandthesmellofchocolate。Thewaiteradvancedtoshowthetravelerstotheirseats,andresentlyareallyexcellentsuerwasserved。ThisJoaodeSousathoroughlyenjoyed,drinkingthegoodwineofValdeenas。Helookedroundandsawthefatassengersittingatacornerofthetable,waitinganxiouslytoseaktothewaiter。
"Waiter,Iwantacuoftea,strongandblack,remember。Nootherwilldo。
"
"Sir,inaninstant。Imustjustservethesuer,andthenIwillordertheteaforyou。Whatwillyouhaveforsuer,sir?
"
"IcannoteatanythinguntilIhavehadmytea。
"
Thewaitercontinuedservingthegreatdishesofchickenandallkindsofexcellentfood;andbottlesofgoodwinewereassedmerrilyroundthetable。Thefatassengerwaitedatiently。Presentlyitwasannouncedthatthecoachwouldstartinfiveminutes,andtherewasgreatexcitementandconfusion。Everyonerushedtofindalaceinthecoach,andJoaodeSousaheardtheunhayvoiceofthefatassengersaying,
"Andmytea?Waiter,whataboutthattea?
"
"Inoneminute,sir。
"
Allhadtakentheirlacesexcetthefatman,whostoodatthedooroftheinnimatiently。Asthecoachhadtoclimbthemountainforsomedistance,astrongteamoftwelveoxenhadbeenfastenedtoit,gaywithredcasandbrassbells。Theguardcalledtothefatassenger,
"Takeyourlace,sir,ifyoulease。Icanwaitnolonger。
"
Suddenlythewaitercamerunningwithasteamingcuofteaonatray。Thefatassengerhadonefootonthesteofthecoach,butheutteredacryofjoy,seizedthecu,andraisedittohislis。Butthenextinstanthecriedoutindistress,andutthecubackonthetray。
"Imossibletodrinkthistea,waiter。Itisboilinghot。Whydoyoubringitlikethat,whenthecoachisjuststarting?
"AndheclimbedintohislaceoositeJoaodeSousa,tearsofainandannoyanceinhiseyes。
Thestagecoachclimbedthehillslowlyforfivehours,draggedbytheslowbutowerfuloxen。Afinerainfellontheenormousoldtreesbesidethemountainroad,andthewindwhisfiedthroughtheirbranches。HereandtherelittlestreamsrandownfromthemountainsnowstowardsthemightyRiverDouro。
Thedriverwalkedbesidetheleaderoftheteam,encouragingtheoxen。AlltheassengersexcetJoaodeSousaslet。Theyassedastone-builthouseneartheroad,andthemoonthrewstrangereflectionsonitsroof。Higherutheyassedalittlecottageabovewhichhungamassiveblockofstonewhichlookedasifitmightfallatanymoment。Theroadgrewnarrowerastheyaroachedtheto,andthesunrose,bathingthemountaininmanycolours-urle,inkandyellow。ThecoachstoedataninnnearthevillageofQuintella,andthoseassengerswhowereawakedescendedtostretchtheirlegsintheuremorningair。
JoaodeSousawalkedalongadmiringtheslendourofthescenery。Peakaftereakextendedasfarastheeyecouldsee,andlowerdownshoneawidestretchofwater。Thewholelovelyicturewasframedinthegreattrees,andastheyoungmanausedtodrawabreathofdelight,heheardaslowstearoaching。Alongyawnofwearinesssoundedclosetohisear,andJoaodeSousasmiledatthesightofthefatassenger,stillhalfaslee,andsodifferentfromtheglowofthenewmorning。
"Well,sir,howareyou?Whataboutyourteanow?
"
"Oh,mydearyoungfriend,Ihavereallylostallhoes。Thereisnoteainthatmiserableinn;theysaynooneeverasksforsuchathing。
"
Thehorseswereready,andtheguardgavethesignalforthestart。Theywentfastdownthemountain-sideandweresoonamongdarktreesandthenfruit。PresentlytheassengerswereamongthegraesthatgrowbytheDouro。Bythesideofthegreatrivertheydroveformanymilesuntilthehousesgrewthickerandgardensaeared。AtlasttheyenteredthewhitestreetsofRegoa。Itwasjusthalfasteightinthemorning,therighthourforbreakfast。
Asthecoachstoedatthehotel,afinebuildingwithgreenshutters,thefatassengerturnedtoJoaodeSousawithasmile。
"Ithankyou,sir,forallyourcourtesy。Ishouldhavehadadreadfuljourneyindeedwithoutyouragreeablecomany。IcannottellyouhowIhavesufferedfromthelossofmycuoftea。Itiswrongtogiveuhabitsatmyage。Takemyadvice,sir,anddonotallowanythingtointerferewithahabityouhaveformed,ifitisagoodone。NowIcangetmycuofteaatlast。Itislate,itistrue,butbetterlatethannever。Permitmetointroducemyself,sir。MynameisBarnadedosAnjos;IamanativeofthetownofFreixo-de-Esada-a-Cinta,andIamtravelingtoDouroonbusiness。Ihoetomeetyouagain,sir,andinanycaseIamalwaysatyourservice。Iwishyougoodluckandasafejourney;andnowIamgoing,mydearyoungfriend,todrinkyourhealthinacuoftea。
"
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