The Earthly Paradise Revisited - 6
In the royal comments written against the document one seems to trace the hand of
Isabella rather than of Ferdinand. Their tone is matter-of-fact, cool, and comforting, like
the coolness of a woman's hand placed on a feverish brow. Isabella believed in him;
perhaps she read between the lines of this document, and saw, as we can see, how much
anxiety and distress were written there; and her comments are steadying and encouraging.
He has done well; what he asks is being attended to; their Highnesses are well informed
in regard to this and that matter; suitable provision will be made for everything; but let
him endeavour that the amount of this gold may be known as precisely as possible. There
is no escaping from that. The Admiral (no one knows it better than himself) must make
good his dazzling promises, and coin every boastful word into a golden excelente of
Spain. Alas! he must no longer write about the lush grasses, the shining rivers, the
brightly coloured parrots, the gaudy flies and insects, the little singing birds, and the
nights that are like May in Cordova. He must find out about the gold; for it has come to
grim business in the Earthly Paradise.
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