202 CASTILIAN DAYS
coarsest and most furious abuse, and, unable to confine her victorious rage and hate to words alone, she slapped the astounded minister in the face. Calomarde, trembling with rage, bowed and said, "A white hand cannot offend."
There is nothing stronger than a woman's weakness, or weaker than a woman's strength.
A few years later, when Ferdinand was in his grave, and the baby Isabel reigned under the regency of Christine, a movement in favor of the constitution of 1812 burst out, where revolutions generally do, in the south, and spread rapidly over the contiguous provinces. The infection gained the troops of the royal guard at La Granja, and they surrounded the palace bawling for the constitution. The regentess, with a proud reliance upon her own power, ordered them to send a deputation to her apartment. A dozen of the mutineers came in, and demanded the constitution.
"What is that?" asked the queen.
They looked at each other and cudgelled their brains. They had never thought of that before.
"Caramba!" said they. "We don't know. They say it is a good thing, and will raise our pay and make salt cheaper."
A CASTLE IN THE AIR 203
Their political economy was somewhat flimsy, but they had the bayonets, and the queen was compelled to give way and proclaim the constitution.