They stopped
that night at Rolica and the next at Leirya. This was a long march, and a
short one the next day brought them to Pombal, and the following afternoon
they arrived at Coimbra. Here they spent another pleasant evening with the
regiment stationed in the town.
"By the way, O'Connor," one of the officers said, after the dinner was
over and cigars lighted, "I suppose you don't happen to have any relations
at Oporto?"
"Well, I do happen to have some," Terence answered, in some surprise. "Why
do you ask?"
"Well, that is singular," the officer said; "I will tell you how it
happened. I was with the party that escorted the French prisoners down to
Oporto. Just as we had got into the town--it was before the row began, and
being early in the morning, there were very few people about--a head
appeared at a window on the second floor of a big convent standing on the
left side of the road. I remember the name was carved over the door-it was
the Convent of Santa Maria. I happened to catch sight of the nun, and she
at once dropped a little letter, which fell close to me. I picked it up
and stuck it into my glove, and thought no more about it for a time, for
the mob soon began to gather, to yell and threaten the prisoners, and my
hands were too full, till we had got them safely on board a ship, to think
any more of the matter.
Pages:
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300