"And he is deceased"
"You are sure?" said the tall, burly guard in a rather brutal way
"As sure as I can be. Rare instances may permit for these cases to deceive even the best-trained of us..."
As the Captain of the Guard drew his pistol the guard grabbed the physician by the chest, locking his arms in place. At a distance of but 12 feet even a pistol had some accuracy. "If he should rise it will be at the cost of your life".
"Very well, my life it is", said the man. He showed no fear, which startled the Captain somewhat. For a man without military experience to be showing no visible fear when threatened with his life..."I see people die all the time and it is not the first time I have been threatened, monsieur. Treating the higher society patients means that often I am blamed when things turn out anywhere less than they expect. You may put away the pistol, I accept your terms".
The Captain nodded respectfully and put away the pistol. There was a reason a French doctor from Europe was on the staff after all, and if one of the best in Europe said so..."Lay the body in state waiting for three days. Afterwards have fragrant flowers ready with a glass display. A shame, really, he showed such promise. Doctor, what will you say is the cause of death?"
"For Emperor Pedro II of the House of Braganza, consumption took his life at the tender age of 8 in the Year of Our Lord 1834 on the seventeenth day in the month of July. What should we do now, Captain?"
Indeed the question haunted the Captain deeply. Without the younger Pedro it meant that his brother Manuel would technically inherit the kingdom. His arch-conservatism and failure to abide by the wishes of the people or the army combined with his hell-bent desire to reunite Brazil to Portugal might make his rule short, but who could say.
"We do as we are honor-bound to do and notify Manuel. Whether we like it or not that is the law, yes? Long live the Emperor!"
"Long live the Emperor" was the response in soft though audible chorus.
"You are sure?" said the tall, burly guard in a rather brutal way
"As sure as I can be. Rare instances may permit for these cases to deceive even the best-trained of us..."
As the Captain of the Guard drew his pistol the guard grabbed the physician by the chest, locking his arms in place. At a distance of but 12 feet even a pistol had some accuracy. "If he should rise it will be at the cost of your life".
"Very well, my life it is", said the man. He showed no fear, which startled the Captain somewhat. For a man without military experience to be showing no visible fear when threatened with his life..."I see people die all the time and it is not the first time I have been threatened, monsieur. Treating the higher society patients means that often I am blamed when things turn out anywhere less than they expect. You may put away the pistol, I accept your terms".
The Captain nodded respectfully and put away the pistol. There was a reason a French doctor from Europe was on the staff after all, and if one of the best in Europe said so..."Lay the body in state waiting for three days. Afterwards have fragrant flowers ready with a glass display. A shame, really, he showed such promise. Doctor, what will you say is the cause of death?"
"For Emperor Pedro II of the House of Braganza, consumption took his life at the tender age of 8 in the Year of Our Lord 1834 on the seventeenth day in the month of July. What should we do now, Captain?"
Indeed the question haunted the Captain deeply. Without the younger Pedro it meant that his brother Manuel would technically inherit the kingdom. His arch-conservatism and failure to abide by the wishes of the people or the army combined with his hell-bent desire to reunite Brazil to Portugal might make his rule short, but who could say.
"We do as we are honor-bound to do and notify Manuel. Whether we like it or not that is the law, yes? Long live the Emperor!"
"Long live the Emperor" was the response in soft though audible chorus.