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foncoBotelho
NotverymanyyearsagothejourneyfromOortotoRegoahadtobemadeartlybystagecoachandartlybyrail,asthecountryermitted.
Thestagecoach,drawnbysixowerfulhorses,stoodattheointofdearturefromtheofficesoftheCoachingComanyinOorto,awaitingthefinalarrivals.Inthewildcrowdaroundthecoach,someassengersdeclaredthattheycouldnotgetthelacestheyhadbookedandotherscouldnotfindtheirluggage.Thegeneraldisturbancewasenetratedfromtimetotimebytheroughlanguageoftheorters.
Ayoungmansatinoneofthelacesnearthedoor.Hehadtakenhisseatearly,andhisluggagewasallinorder.Theotherlaceswereallfilledwiththeexcetionoftheoneoositehim;andthisoneaearedtobereservedforsomeassengerwhohadnotbeenabletoarriveintime.Thedrivergathereduthereins,andtheguardbegantosoundthesignalfordearture.
Suddenlyastrangesightcameroundthecomer-afatmanwalkinglikeaduck,breathinghard,andwavinganenormousumbrellainthedirectionofthecoach.Afterhimcametwoorterswithaloadofluggage.
Theguardusedsomestronglanguage,theluggagewasliftedu,andthefatassengerclimbedintotheemtylace.Withsomedifficultyhefoundroomforhisumbrellaandabigraincloak.
ThehorsessetoffalongthestonystreetsofOortointhedirectionoftheroadleadingtotherailwaystationoftheMinho-Douroline.Thefatassengerseemedannoyedaboutsomething,forhemutteredimatientlytohimself,andcouldnotsitstill.Atlasthecaughttheeyeoftheyoungmanoosite,JoaodeSousa.
"Itistoobad,sir,
"heexclaimed,
"Justthink:Icouldnotgetmycuoftea!
"
JoaodeSousadidnotanswer,butlookedquestioninglyatthefatman,whowenton:
"Yousee,ithasalwaysbeenmycustomtotakeacuofteaaftermylunch;justacuofstrongblacktea.IwasinsuchahurrytocatchthecoachthatIdidnotwaitforteajustnow.IcannottellyouhowImissit.Yousee,sir,whenamancomestomyage,habitsareeverything,anditisreallydreadfultohavetobreakyourhabits.NowIknowIshallbemiserablethroughoutthejourneybecauseIcouldnothavemycuoftea.Youareyoung,sir,buttaketheadviceofamanwhoisofregularhabits.Whenyouonceformasteadyhabit,letnothingutyouoffit.
"
JoaodeSousawasamused.
"Butwhenwegettotherailwaystation,
"hesaid,
"youwillbeabletogetteaintherefreshmentroom.
"
"Ofcourse!Ihadnotthoughtofthat!Itwillbealittlebitlateaftermylunch,butatleastitwillbesomething.
"
Whentheygottothestation,thetrainwasalreadyatthelatform.Everyonerushedintotherefreshmentroomtoreareforthetrainjourney,somebydrinkingaglassofwineandeatingsomebreadandfruit,othersbyurchasingfoodtoeatinthetrain.
Thefatmansatdownatoneofthetablesandlookedroundforawaiter.Buttherewerefewofthem,anditwassometimebeforeheattractedtheattentionofoneandorderedacuoftea.Hewasabouttogivedetailsoftheteathathewanted,butthebusywaiterhadtoattendtootherorders.AtlastJoaodeSousa,whengoingofftotakehislaceinthetrain,sawthefatmanrearingtoenjoyhisfavouritedrink.
Presentlyhecamerushingoutandclimbedintothetrainjustasthewhistlesounded,hesatdownoositeJoaodeSousa,andwiedhisfacewithabrilliantsilkhandkerchief.
"Well?
"JoaodeSousasmiled.
"Mydearboy,itwasgreenteathatthewaiterbroughtme.Icanneverdrinkgreentea!
"
Thetrainassedthroughthemagnificentmountains,astlittlefarm-housesandstreams.Nightwascomingonandthesettingsunhadgonedownbelowthehills.Thefatassengersawnobeautyinthescene.Heyawnedandutteredimatientexclamationsunderhisbreath.DeSousaheardamoanendingwiththeword
"tea
".
"Youcansoonhaveyourcuoftea,
"hesaid.
"Where?
"
"WeleavethetrainatCahideandtakeanotherstagecoach.
"
"Ah,sowedo!Ihadnotthoughtofit.Manythanksforremindingme.Icangetteaintheinnwherethecoachstarts.
"
Thefatassengerthenbegantosingcontentedlytohimselfuntilhefellintoaheavyslee,lulledbythemotionofthetrain.HedidnotoenhiseyesuntilJoaodeSousagavehimalittleshake.
"Whatisit?Wherearewe?
"
"WeareatCahide.Wemustgetoffhereandtakethecoach.
"
"Youareverykind,sir.
"Thefatmanbegantogatheruhisluggage.
Twostagecoacheswerestandingoutsidetheinn,oneonthewaytoVillaRealandtheothertoRegoa.Passingtherestaurantonhiswaytothecoaches,JoaodeSousafoundthefatassengerarguingviolentlywithawaiter.HestoedtoaskifhewasgoingtoRegoaortoVillaReal.
