“They are wanting, not only here,” said L’Isle, “but on other parts of the frontier.  The great rivers, the Duoro, the Tagus and the Guadiana, and the mountain chains separating their valleys, instead of dividing the two kingdoms, run into Portugal from Spain.  The division of these countries is not natural, but accidental; and in spite of some points of contrast, the Portuguese are almost as much like the Spaniards, as these last are like each other—­for Spain is in truth a variety of countries, the Spaniards a variety of nations.”

“At length, however,” said she, “Spain and Portugal are united in one cause.”

“Yet the Portuguese still hates the Spaniards,” said L’Isle, “and the Spaniard contemns the Portuguese.”

“And we despise both,” said Lady Mabel.

“Perhaps unjustly,” said he.

“Why, to look no further into their short-comings and back-slidings, to use Moodie’s terms, have they not signally failed in the first duty of a nation, defending itself?”

“Remember the combination of fatalities that beset them,” said L’Isle, “and the atrocious perfidy that aggravated their misfortunes.  Both countries were left suddenly without rulers, distracted by a score of contending juntas, to resist a great nation, under a government of matchless energy, the most perfectly organized for the attainment of its object, which is not the good of its subjects, but solely the developement, to the uttermost, of its military power.  They at once sunk before it, showing us how completely the vices of governments, and yet more, the sudden absence of all government, can paralyze a nation.  But they have since somewhat redeemed their reputation, by many an example of heroism.”

“Why did not the nation, as one man, imitate the heroes of Zaragoza and Gerona, and wage, like them, war to the knife’s point against the infidel and murderous horde of invaders?” exclaimed Lady Mabel, with a flushed cheek and flashing eye, that would have become Augustina Zaragoza herself.

“Because every man is not a hero, nor in a position to play a hero’s part.  Spain was betrayed and surprised.  The invaders came in the guise of friends, under the faith of treaties, by which the flower of the Spanish army had been marched into remote parts of Europe as allies to the French; nor was the mask thrown off until long after it was useless to wear it.”

“Did the world ever before witness such complicated perfidy?”

“Perhaps not.  But I trust it is about to witness its failure and punishment.”

“We and the Czar will have to administer it,” said Lady Mabel, with the air of an arbitress of nations.  “We cannot look for much help from our besotted allies here.”

“It must be confessed,” said L’Isle, “that an unhappy fatality in council and in action, has beset the Portuguese and Spaniards, throughout the war.  They have too often shown their patriotism by murdering their generals, underrating their enemies and slighting their friends.  They have, too, attained the very acme of blundering; doing the wrong thing at the wrong time, and choosing the wrong man to do it.”