In November 1889, the old emperor held a ball for the visiting Chilean navy. But when Pedro arrived, he tripped. ‘The monarchy stumbles,’ he joked. ‘But doesn’t fall.’ Marshal Fonseca discouraged republican officers – ‘I want to accompany the emperor’s coffin. He’s old; I respect him’ – but they went ahead anyway. A provincial government declared a republic. At the palace, Pedro waited for the marshal, who was too embarrassed to come. The empress panicked. ‘Nonsense, my lady,’ said Pedro. ‘It’s a tempest in a teapot – I know my fellow Brazilians. Monarchies don’t fall that easily.’ But they
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