“The presence of Don Diego de Colon is required by the governor of the pages.”
An instant silence fell upon the shouting and cheering youths. They could see through the open door the soldierly figure of the governor, who in general permitted no noisy outbreaks; but to-night he said no word and uttered no rebuke. The door closed immediately after Diego, and the Duke said to him:
“Come with me at once, Don Diego, to the presence of her Majesty.”
Diego followed the Duke and Don Tomaso as they rapidly walked through the halls and corridors of the palace toward the wing occupied by the Queen and the King. Nothing was said except a brief inquiry made by the Duke of Don Tomaso as to when King Ferdinand might be expected to return from a hunting expedition upon which he had that day started.
“In five days the King will return,” was Don Tomaso’s reply.
When they reached the door of the Queen’s private apartments it was opened at once by Doña Christina. The Queen was alone except for her favorite lady-in-waiting and Cardinal Mendoza. For the first time in all the years that Diego had seen the Queen, she showed deep agitation. Usually of calm demeanor, she was that night extremely restless, sometimes sitting in her stately chair, again rising and walking about the small but richly furnished room lighted with silver lamps. As soon as Diego entered, the Queen spoke to him kindly, saying to the Duke:
“Tell Don Diego what we have heard.”
Then the Duke spoke.
“A Portuguese merchant has just arrived, reporting that on the third of March, the weather off the mouth of the Tagus being very wild and stormy, a caravel was seen in great distress. The tempest continued very violent all that day, and the caravel was in great danger of being dashed to pieces on the rock of Cintra. The people watched it all day, making many prayers for the mariners in such peril, but unable to be of any assistance to them. The storm continued the best part of the night, but subsided, and the next morning broke fair and sunny. The caravel had survived and was entering the mouth of the Tagus with a fair wind. It was said to be the Niña with the Admiral, your father, in command, and several men of a strange race on board with animals and objects hitherto unknown. The merchant says that a large Portuguese ship-of-war, commanded by Don Alonzo d’Acunha, one of the greatest captains in Portugal, was anchored in the Tagus, and that Don Alonzo sent a boat to the caravel commanding that her captain report on board the Portuguese ship to give an account of himself. The caravel’s commander refused to go, sending word in reply that he outranked Don Alonzo d’Acunha, being under letters patent of the King of Arragon and the Queen of Castile, Admiral of the Ocean Seas, Viceroy and Captain-General of all lands to the westward. He therefore desired that Don Alonzo d’Acunha, as his inferior in rank, should pay him a visit of ceremony.”
“That was my father!” cried Diego, forgetful of all etiquette, his soul in a tumult of pride and joy.