But I have no reason to doubt that, whatever his business may have been, it was concerned with the interests which are common alike to the British and the Portuguese nation." "That is a charitable assumption, Sir Terence." "Perhaps you will inform me, Dom Miguel, of the uncharitable assumption which the Principal Souza prefers," snapped O'Moy, whose temper began to simmer.
A faint colour kindled in the cheeks of the Portuguese minister, but his manner remained unruffled.
"I speak, sir, not with the voice of Principal Souza, but with that of the entire Council of Regency; and the Council has formed the opinion, which your own words confirm, that his Excellency Lord Wellington is skilled in finding excuses for the misdemeanours of the troops under his command." "That," said O'Moy, who would never have kept his temper in control but for the pleasant consciousness that he held a hand of trumps with which he would presently overwhelm this representative of the Portuguese Government, "that is an opinion for which the Council may presently like to apologise, admitting its entire falsehood." Senhor Forjas started as if he had been stung.

He uncrossed his black silk legs and made as if to rise.
"Falsehood, sir ?" he cried in a scandalised voice.
"It is as well that we should be plain, so as to be avoiding all misconceptions," said O'Moy.

"You must know, sir, and your Council must know, that wherever armies move there must be reason for complaint.
The British army does not claim in this respect to be superior to others--although I don't say, mark me, that it might not claim it with perfect justice.

But we do claim for ourselves that our laws against plunder and outrage are as strict as they well can be, and that where these things take place punishment inevitably follows.

Out of your own knowledge, sir, you must admit that what I say is true." "True, certainly, where the offenders are men from the ranks.