第29章 The Cup of Tea (第2/2页)

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"IamgoingtoRegoa,sir,justthinkofit!Aterriblething!Icannotgetmycuoftea.

"

"Thatisaveryseriousmatterindeed,

"saidtheyoungmangravely.

"Serious?Ibelieveyou.Whatsortofarestaurantisthis?Thereisnotaleafofblackteainthelace!

"

"AllassengersforRegoataketheirlaces,lease,

"calledouttheguard,aninterestingfigureintheoldcoachingdressofthelace.

ThefatassengeragainsatdownoositeJoaodeSousa.

"Soyouhavebeendisaointedagain,sir?

"

"Don&aos;tseakofit.Itistooawful.Whatajourneytomakewithoutmycuoftea!

"

"ButyouwillhaveanotherchanceinAmatante,wherewechangethehorses.

"

"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.

"