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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.
"