[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
unpleasant impression.
Manoel felt this, and wishing to destroy its effect, "Look here, padre," said
he, "while we are on this subject, are there not any more couples to betroth
on the raft?"
"I do not know," answered Padre Passanha, "unless Torresyou are not married, I
believe?"
"No; I am, and always shall be, a bachelor."
Benito and Manoel thought that while thus speaking Torres looked toward Minha.
"And what should prevent you marrying?" replied Padre Passanha; "at Belem you
could find a wife whose age would suit yours, and it would be possible perhaps
for you to settle in that town. That would be better than this wandering life,
of which, up to the present, you have not made so very much."
Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon
CHAPTER XVIII. THE ARRIVAL DINNER
86
"You are right, padre," answered Torres; "I do not say no. Besides the example
is contagious. Seeing all these young couples gives me rather a longing for
marriage. But I am quite a stranger in Belem, and, for certain reasons, that
would make my settlement more difficult."
"Where do you come from, then?" asked Fragoso, who always had the idea that he
had already met Torres somewhere.
"From the province of Minas Geraes."
Page 82
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"And you were born"
"In the capital of the diamond district, Tijuco."
Those who had seen Joam Garral at this moment would have been surprised at the
fixity of his look which met that of Torres.
CHAPTER XIX. ANCIENT HISTORY
BUT THE CONVERSATION was continued by Fragoso, who immediately rejoined:
"What! you come from Tijuco, from the very capital of the diamond district?"
"Yes," said Torres. "Do you hail from that province?"
"No! I come from the Atlantic seaboard in the north of Brazil," replied
Fragoso.
"You do not know this diamond country, Mr. Manoel?" asked Torres.
A negative shake of the head from the young man was the only reply.
"And you, Mr. Benito," continued Torres, addressing the younger Garral, whom
he evidently wished to join in the conversation; "you have never had curiosity
enough to visit the diamond arraval?"
"Never," dryly replied Benito.
"Ah! I should like to see that country," said Fragoso, who unconsciously
played Torres' game. "It seems to me I should finish by picking up a diamond
worth something considerable."
"And what would you do with this diamond worth something considerable,
Fragoso?" queried Lina.
"Sell it!"
"Then you would get rich all of a sudden!"
"Very rich!"
"Well, if you had been rich three months ago you would never have had the idea
ofthat liana!"
"And if I had not had that," exclaimed Fragoso, "I should not have found a
charming little wife whowell, assuredly, all is for the best!"
Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon
CHAPTER XIX. ANCIENT HISTORY
87
"You see, Fragoso," said Minha, "when you marry Lina, diamond takes the place
of diamond, and you do not lose by the change!"
"To be sure, Miss Minha," gallantly replied Fragoso; "rather I gain!"
There could be no doubt that Torres did not want the subject to drop, for he
went on with:
"It is a fact that at Tijuco sudden fortunes are realized enough to turn any
man's head! Have you heard tell of the famous diamond of Abaete, which was
valued at more than two million contos of reis? Well, this stone, which
weighed an ounce, came from the Brazilian mines! And they were three
convictsyes! three men sentenced to transportation for lifewho found it by
chance in the River Abaete, at ninety leagues from
Terro de Frio."
"At a stroke their fortune was made?" asked Fragoso.
"No," replied Torres; "the diamond was handed over to the governorgeneral of
the mines. The value of the stone was recognized, and King John VI., of
Portugal, had it cut, and wore it on his neck on great occasions.
As for the convicts, they got their pardon, but that was all, and the
cleverest could not get much of an income out of that!"
"You, doubtless?" said Benito very dryly.
"YesI? Why not?" answered Torres. "Have you ever been to the diamond
district?" added he, this time addressing Joam Garral.
"Never!" said Joam, looking straight at him.
"That is a pity!" replied he. "You should go there one day. It is a very
curious place, I assure you. The diamond valley is an isolated spot in the
vast empire of Brazil, something like a park of a dozen leagues in
circumference, which in the nature of its soil, its vegetation, and its sandy
rocks surrounded by a circle of high mountains, differs considerably from the
Page 83
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
neighboring provinces. But, as I have told you, it is one of the richest
places in the world, for from 1807 to 1817 the annual return was about
eighteen thousand carats. Ah!
there have been some rare finds there, not only for the climbers who seek the
precious stone up to the very tops of the mountains, but also for the
smugglers who fraudulently export it. But the work in the mines is not so
pleasant, and the two thousand negroes employed in that work by the government
are obliged even to divert the watercourses to get at the diamantiferous sand.
Formerly it was easier work."
"In short," said Fragoso, "the good time has gone!"
"But what is still easy is to get the diamonds in scoundrelfashionthat is, by
theft; andstop! in 1826, when I was about eight years old, a terrible drama
happened at Tijuco, which showed that criminal would recoil from nothing if
they could gain a fortune by one bold stroke. But perhaps you are not
interested?"
"On the contrary, Torres; go on," replied Joam Garral, in a singularly calm
voice.
"So be it," answered Torres. "Well, the story is about stealing diamonds, and
a handful of those pretty stones is worth a million, sometimes two!"
And Torres, whose face expressed the vilest sentiments of cupidity, almost
unconsciously made a gesture of opening and shutting his hand.
Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon
CHAPTER XIX. ANCIENT HISTORY
88
"This is what happened," he continued. "At Tijuco it is customary to send off
in one delivery the diamonds collected during the year. They are divided into
two lots, according to their size, after being sorted in a dozen sieves with
holes of different dimensions. These lots are put into sacks and forwarded to
Rio de Janeiro; but as they are worth many millions you may imagine they are
heavily escorted. A workman chosen by the superintendent, four cavalrymen from
the district regiment, and ten men on foot, complete the convoy. They first
make for Villa Rica, where the commandant puts his seal on the sacks, and then
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]