`Not long after Dom Joao had returned to Lisbon his Government began to restore the old restrictions on Brazilian commerce and advancement. Then a despatch arrived, ordering Dom Pedro to come to Europe to complete his education. He received the despatch on the bank of the Ipiranza river. Having read it, he rebelled, drew his sabre and cried, “ Independence or Death! ” This became known as the Grito, or “Cry of Ipiranza”, and led, in this strange way, to Brazil becoming independent of her mother country.
'Dom Pedro was proclaimed Emperor, but he reigned for only nine years. On his father's death, he became the titular King of Portugal. Being averse to leaving Brazil, he ceded the crown to his daughter, Maria da Gloria; but his younger brother, Miguel, contested his right to do so and civil war broke out. Pedro sailed for Europe to champion his daughter's cause, leaving behind, as Regent of Brazil, a son of only five years, who became Pedro ll.'
`He became a most unusual monarch, didn't he?' Gregory put in.
`He did indeed. Physically, he was imposing.' Ratu James paused to smile. `He was six foot four, nearly as tall as myself. But mentally, for Royalty, he was outstanding far in advance of his times and capable of speaking many languages. He held liberal views and gave his people a generous Constitution. After thirty years of rule he felt free to travel. Leaving his heir apparent, the Princess Isobel, as Regent, he went incognito as Dom Pedro da Alcantara to Europe, the United States, Egypt and the Holy Land, mixing with their people as a modern Haroun el Raschid. But, of course, wherever he went his real identity was known. He sought out and talked with every great literary celebrity of his time, visited synagogues and held learned discussions in Hebrew with their Rabbis. Everywhere he was admired and respected for his good humour, boundless energy and as the most learned monarch of his day.
`Back in Brazil, with the aid of Maui, he established banks, started railways and encouraged the investment of foreign capital; but his one failing was that, although he had given Brazil a Constitution, he continued to rule as virtually an autocratic monarch.
`The prosperity that he had hoped to bring to Brazil was thwarted by two wars: the first in 1851-2 against the Argentine in an attempt to destroy the brutal regime there; the second against Paraguay. It dragged on from 1865 to 1870.
But the real cause of Dom Pedro's downfall was his attitude to slavery. He had freed his own inherited slaves as early as 1840. Then, in 1871, he decreed that all children born of slaves after that date should be free. Finally, in 1888, he forced through a law for complete abolition of slavery.
`That spelled ruin for the owners of the great estates and a hundred million pounds' worth of property was rendered valueless. At the time, the Emperor was again in Europe. On his return, he received a great ovation. But in his absence the ruined landowners, the industrialists and the Army had combined against him. Without warning, there occurred a bloodless coup d'etat. With great dignity he accepted it, refused a large sum of money that was offered to him, and returned to Europe to spend the remainder of his life continuing his studies of Asiatic languages and Comparative Religions. That is how the monarchy ended and on May 13th, 1888, Brazil became a Republic.'
As the Ratu fell silent, Gregory said, `As a visitor, you are remarkably well up in the history of this country.'
James shrugged a shade self consciously. `I hope I haven't bored you, but it was the Senhora de Carvalho who aroused my interest in Brazil and told me all this. She is a most knowledgeable girl and has a special interest in the history of her country because she has the Royal Braganza blood in her own veins.'
Some miles further on they left the highway for a side road that was ill kept and extremely bumpy. Eventually it brought them to the de Carvalho fazenda. On either side of the approach to the house there were many barns and outhouses. Crossing a bridge over a shallow ravine, they drove round to the entrance of the house, which was on its far side. From there, across a lovely sloping garden, there was a magnificent view of rolling pastures with grazing cattle and patches of woodland.
As they drove up, their host came out and gave them a smiling welcome. He was a short but sturdy man in his middle forties; black haired, dark complexioned, with a square face, forceful chin and heavily lidded eyes.
The house was a one storey building containing many large, lofty rooms, At that altitude air conditioning would have been redundant, but there were gently moving fans in all the ceilings, to circulate the pleasantly warm air. The bed rooms to which de Carvalho showed them were sparsely furnished, but the living rooms displayed wealth and good taste. They contained many examples of antique Brazilian pottery, well filled book shelves and paintings that must have been worth several thousand pounds.
When Gregory and James had refreshed themselves by a wash, their host provided them with Planter's Punches and, soon afterwards, his wife joined them. Her name was Olinda da Conceigao the beautiful one of the conception and at the first glance Gregory saw that she did justice to her name.
She was an exceptionally tall girl slightly taller, he judged, than himself with broad shoulders and big hips. Her skin was golden brown, her hair copper coloured, her mouth full but not thick Tipped like Manon's, and beautifully curved. In her eyes there lay a slumberous fire and her firm, almost aggressive chin showed that she had plenty of determination. Recalling that James had said that Dom Pedro had been six foot four and that Olinda had Braganza blood, it occurred to Gregory that she had probably inherited her height from the Emperor.
Lunch proved to be one of the best meals Gregory had enjoyed since arriving in Brazil, and a pleasant change from restaurant food. It was not too heavy but suggested that the de Carvaihos had a French chef or, anyway, a French trained cook; and with the meal they drank a good Moselle.
Over lunch, no mention was made of the treasure. They talked only of the country and what the visitors had so far seen of it. Afterwards they walked round the garden, heavy with the scent of magnolia blossoms, then retired for their siestas.
When they met again they drank mate which, among the lower classes of Brazil, takes the place of tea. In this case Olinda had ordered the brew only because her visitors had not yet tried it. Gregory thought it like very strong Indian tea and rather unpleasant, but he admired the vessels in which it was served. They were cow horns, beautifully embellished with gold filigree work, and the liquid was sucked up from them through a silver `straw', called a combellq with a filter tip to prevent the leaves from getting into the drinker's mouth.
Afterwards Olinda, Gregory and James bathed in the swimming pool. Gregory had never cared for big women but, on seeing Olinda in only a bikini, he freely conceded that she was a truly magnificent creature, and he did not wonder that James was obviously attracted to her. In bathing trunks, the rippling muscles of his pale brown body now exposed to view, the young Ratu made an equally striking figure, and it crossed Gregory's mind how much better suited they would have been as a couple than Olinda and her squat, middle aged husband, who was lying in a hammock a means of taking one's ease invented by the Brazilian Indians near the pool, smoking a cigar.
A delicious iced cup made from soursops was brought out to them, then they went in to dress for dinner. The meal was a long one and again admirably chosen, but it was not until they were served with old brandy in the drawing room that de Carvalho spoke of the business his visitors had come upon.