, devoted to '_Nossa senhora dos
Remedios_,' and containing her miraculous image. They had submitted to
robbery, insult, and outrage without stint. They had seen Portuguese
soldiers seized on by regiments, and marched off to serve under French
eagles. They had heard Junot's insolent order to their priests,
commanding them to preach submission. They had witnessed the utter
degradation of their country. They had just seen the plate of the
churches, and the plunder of individuals, collected throughout the
neighboring _comarcas_, escorted through the town, and, though
groaning in spirit, they stood by with folded arms. But when the
godless French soldiers went so far as to offer insults and
indignities to _Nossa Senhora dos Remedios_ on her own holy day, on
which she yearly displays her miraculous powers, it was more than
Portuguese nature could bear. They broke out into open resistance, at
first successful--but which here and elsewhere led to woful slaughter
of the patriotic but half-armed mob."

"Heretic as you are," said Lady Mabel, "you must admit, that as 'Our
Lady of the Pillar' proved a tower of strength to the Saragossans in
their first siege, so here, either the patron saints of the
Portuguese, or their faith in them, has often done them yeoman's
service."

"And often brought disaster upon them," L'Isle replied. "For instance,
St. Antony is the patron saint of Portugal. I am not going to deny
that he may have done them good service at times. But when the
archduke, Charles of Austria, commanded the army, about 1700, the
soldiers became exceedingly unruly, and demanded a native general. The
king sent them St. Antony, in the shape of a wooden image. He was
received with all the honors due to his rank. By royal decree a
regular commission was made out, appointing him generalissimo of all
the forces of Portugal, and he continued long in command; but, though
an excellent saint, Antony proved a very bad general, and repeatedly
brought the kingdom to the brink of ruin. They have lately been
compelled to displace him. Now that Beresford does their fighting, St.
Antony has full leisure to devote himself to intercession on their
behalf, and, between the two, with some help from us, they are getting
on pretty well."

The commissary now hinted that they had before them all that was worth
seeing in "this musty old place," and the party passing out of the
opposite gate pushed on as fast as they could over a rough road,
runni