John, of Austria, 1547-1578; Spain -- History -- Philip II, 1556-1598
Tassis, alarmed, answered the Prince _that all the horses were on the
road, but when they came he should be served_. And he at once informed
the King of the demand of D. Carlos, who reiterated his order again a
few hours later. The terrified post-master sent all the horses he had
out of Madrid, and hurried to the Pardo to tell the King. This happened
on the night of the 16th, and Tassis arrived at the Pardo at daybreak on
the 17th.
The same day D. Philip went to Madrid with D. John of Austria, without
displaying any hurry or anxiety, and, as he always did, went straight to
the Queen's apartments to greet her and his daughters.
Princess Juana was also waiting there for him, and, seeing him enter,
took her goddaughter, the little Infanta Doña Catalina, from her
governess, Doña Maria Chacón, and showed her to the King, that he might
admire the tiny and pretty tooth which the child had cut during his
absence. The Princess adored her godchild with all the enthusiasm and
passion of a most devoted mother.
The Queen laughed at her sister-in-law's enthusiasm, and called her the
"Portuguese," and presented the little elder Infanta, Doña Isabel Clara
Eugenia, whom the Camarera Mayor, the Duquesa de Alba, then brought. The
sad heart of D. Philip softened for a moment with that tenderness
towards his daughters which no one would have expected in the severe
monarch, and which the learned Gachard has made patent in his studies on
these two illustrious Princesses, who did so much to add lustre to the
House of Austria.
Doña Juana also made her brother D. John admire the little tooth, and at
that moment D. Carlos came into the room to welcome and kiss the hand of
the King, his father.
D. Carlos greeted him with apparent respect and pleasure, which D.
Philip received with a good grace, no less well feigned. No one would
have suspected, on seeing the royal family in such affectionate harmony,
that such a horrible affliction hovered over them.
Princess Juana spoke of the banquet and ball she thought of giving the
next day, the 19th, in honour of the birthday of her son D. Sebastian,
the King of Portugal, and wishing, as usual, to draw D. Carlos towards
the Court and its circles, and to wean him from the dark and bad ways he
frequented, she asked him to arrange with D. John a solemn masquerade
for that day, which, besides being the birthday of her son, was also his
coming of age.
With the greatest aplomb the Prince promised, and D. John did the same,
not being able to do otherwise, and the King gave his consent by nodding
his head without saying a word.
They all left the Queen's room together, and then D. Carlos, taking D.
John of Austria's arm, took him off to his rooms, which were in the
"entresol" of the Palace, looking on the side now called "el Campo del
Moro."
D. Carlos ordered the doors to be shut, and no one has ever known for
certain what passed between the nephew and the uncle during the two
hours they remained there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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