Travels in India (Tavernier) 32.2.2

32.2.2

I remained eight or ten days longer at Goa, during which it was impossible for me to induce M. du Belloy to put on the new clothes. But he would never tell me why, whilst from day to day he promised me to put them on. Being on the point of departure I told him I was about to take leave of the Viceroy, and he besought me earnestly to try to obtain permission for him to go too. I did so willingly and successfully. We left the same evening in the vessel in which I had come, and immediately M. du Belloy began taking off his old clothes and putting on the new ones, threw his old ones into the sea, and continued swearing against the Inquisition without my knowing the reason, for I was still unaware of what had passed. In my amazement at hearing him swear in this manner, I told him that he was not yet out of the hands of the Portuguese, and that he and I, with my five or six servants, would never be able to defend ourselves against the forty men who rowed our boat. I asked him why he swore in this way against the Inquisition, and he replied that he would tell me the whole story from beginning to end; this he did when we reached Vengurla, where we arrived at eight o’clock in the morning. Having landed, we found some Dutchmen with the Commander, who had come to the seashore to eat oysters and drink Spanish wine. They asked me at once who it was whom I had with me.