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His clerk, with the indifference which characterizes these legal folks, had taken his seat at the end of the table, his pen behind his ear, ready to record the questions and answers. Joam Dacosta was introduced into the room, and at a sign from the judge the guards who had brought him withdrew. Judge Jarriquez looked at the accused for some time.
It was only necessary then to establish his identity, and as soon as the order arrived from Rio Janeiro justice would have to take its course. But in the nature of things Joam Dacosta would protest his innocence; he would say he had been unjustly condemned. The magistrate's duty, notwithstanding the opinions he held, would be to listen to him.
The news of the arrest of Joam Dacosta had soon spread about, but the curiosity of the Manaens did not outrun their discretion, and they were very quiet. Benito's intention had been to land that evening, but Manoel dissuaded him. "Wait till to-morrow," he said; "night is approaching, and there is no necessity for us to leave the raft." "So be it! To-morrow!" answered Benito.
Neither by horse not pirogue could he be got out of danger quickly enough, and the fazenda was no longer a safe retreat. He would not return to it as the fazender, Joam Garral, but as the convict, Joam Dacosta, continually in fear of his extradition. He could never dream of resuming his former life.
The cheers redoubled when the worthy magistrate, in a loud voice, and for the edification of all, read from the document this terrible history. And from that moment Judge Jarriquez, who possessed this indubitable proof, arranged with the chief of the police, and declined to allow Joam Dacosta, while waiting new instructions from Rio Janeiro, to stay in any prison but his own house.
"And when he learned from us that my father and his whole family were about to pass the frontier, he suddenly changed his line of conduct?" "Yes. Because Joam Dacosta once in Brazilian territory became more at his mercy than while within the frontiers of Peru. That is why we found Torres at Tabatinga, where he was waiting in expectation of our arrival."
"We might have done so," answered Judge Jarriquez, "if the lines of the document had been divided into words." "And why?" "For this reason, young man. I think we can assume that in the last paragraph all that is written in these earlier paragraphs is summed up. Now I am convinced that in it will be found the name of Joam Dacosta.
He held up his hands to him; he begged him: "But this order, father," he repeated, "this order which is due to-day even now it will contain your sentence of death." "The order may come, but my determination will not change. No, my son! Joam Dacosta, guilty, might fly! Joam Dacosta, innocent, will not fly!" The scene which followed these words was heart-rending. Benito struggled with his father.
There Joam Dacosta would be comparatively safe, and there for several months he could wait for an opportunity of reaching the Pacific coast and taking passage in some vessel leaving one of its ports; and if the ship were bound for one of the States of North America he would be free.
However, he wished, perhaps through curiosity, to drive Joam Dacosta behind his last entrenchments. "And so," he said, "all your hope now rests on the declaration which has been made to you by Torres." "Yes, sir, if my whole life does not plead for me." "Where do you think Torres really is?" "I think in Manaos."
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