human
Good day, Senhor Joze, said the Cobbler, as he saw him approach;
gpt
You are right, Senhor Antonio, you are right, answered Joze, as he leaned, with his hands in his pockets, a toothpick in his mouth, and his legs crossed, against the wall;
human
Ah! the duke is a good master, and blessed with good servants,
gpt
Why, as to his servants, I must not speak, as I am one of them, answered Joze, pulling out his ruffles;
human
You are right, Senhor Joze, there is no use quarrelling with one's lot. What would be the advantage to him of being a duke, if he might not do what pleases him? said the Cobbler, plying his awl as if he thought much more of mending the old shoe on his lap, than of the words he was speaking.
gpt
He appears to be fonder of taking carriage exercise than he was?
human
Oh! he is driving about all day, said Joze,
gpt
Oh, it must have been, returned Antonio;
human
Oh yes, there was the Count d'Atouquia, who had never spoken to him since he ran his brother through the body one night in a street brawl, and now they are hand and glove: then he has written to the Count d'Almeida, before whom he used to carry himself so haughtily, though the count thought himself just as great a man as our lord. Then he paid a visit of ceremony to the Senhor Silva, whom he has constantly passed in the streets as if he was some commoner or plebeian; and he dined yesterday with the Marquis d'Alorna, with whom he was on bad terms formerly. We do not know what to make of it; and I should not think of speaking on the subject to any one but a friend like you; but, to tell you the truth, our opinion is, that there is some marriage about to take place between the young viscount, our lord's nephew, and some lady of one of these noble families, or perhaps his son is to be betrothed to one of them.
gpt
I have no doubt you have exactly hit off the truth, said the Cobbler, nodding his head sagaciously;
human
Ah! I know you are, or I should not be so great a fool as to talk to you as I do, said Joze, sagaciously.
gpt
By-the-bye, have you heard of the marriage about to take place between the young Marquis of Tavora, who is a great friend of our young viscount, and the daughter of the Count d'Alorna?
human
Not I, answered Antonio;
gpt
I hear nothing except what my friends like to tell me as I sit at my work,
human
Wait here a few minutes, senhor, and my master will speak with you,
gpt
I have information that may be of great value, thought Antonio to himself, as he paced up and down the ill-furnished room;