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Updated: June 14, 2025
He was silent for a moment, and then said, gravely, "There were strange men at the fonda that night, and my father was supposed to carry money with him. My own life was attempted at the Mision the same evening for the sake of some paltry gold pieces that I had imprudently shown. I was saved solely by the interference of one man. That man was Pereo, your mayordomo!"
Pereo waited until the last had vanished, and then, cramming his stiff sombrero over his eyes with an ejaculation, brushed his way through the shrubbery in the direction of the stables.
Carroll stepped towards him. He was alone and in the presence of an undoubted madman one strong enough, in spite of his years, to inflict a deadly injury, and one whom he now began to realize might have done so once before. Nevertheless, he laid his hand on the old man's arm, and, looking him calmly in the eye, said, quietly, "Come? Where, Pereo? I have only just arrived."
"Ah, yes! you, the first-born, the heiress of a verity, yes! You were ever a Guitierrez. But the others? Eh, where are they now? And it was always: 'Eh, Pereo, what shall we do to-day? Pereo, good Pereo, we are asked to ride here and there; we are expected to visit the new people in the valley what say you, Pereo?
Sanchez cast a meaning glance upon the others, as if to indicate this coaffirmation of his diagnosis. "Ay, terrible news! The Doctor West was found this morning dead two miles from the casa." "Dr. West dead!" repeated Pereo, slowly, as if endeavoring to master the real meaning of the words.
He stopped, and passed his trembling hands across his eyes. "Pardon, Senor," he continued, recalling himself with a humility that was almost ironical in its extravagance. "Pardon, pardon! Yet, perhaps it is not too much to have wanted to know who was the man one has saved." "Saved!" repeated Guest, with incredulous contempt. "Ay!" said Pereo, haughtily, drawing his figure erect; "ay, saved!
It was even said that Dona Maria's aversion to Pereo since the accident arose from a belief that some assistance might have been rendered by him. But it was pointed out by Sanchez that Pereo had, a few moments before, fallen under one of those singular, epileptic-like strokes to which he was subject, and not only was unfit, but even required the entire care of Sanchez at the time.
This is too much for the distracted brother, who poignards the Prince. Hamlet expires with Nero's cry on his lips: "Ah! Ah! Qualis ... artifex ... pereo!" And, as the author remarks: "He rendered to immutable nature his Hamletic soul." William enters and, discovering his Kate, gives her a sound beating; not the first or the last, as she apprises us.
How I used to swear at that boy for not coming quick enough to fetch my copy! I knew the young scoundrel's step I knew the step of every man and boy in that office. I knew the way each of them went up and down the stairs, and coughed or whistled or spat. What knowledge dies with me now that I am gone! Qualis artifex pereo! But that boy how I should love to be swearing at him now!
He was striving to shake off the feeling, when his attention was attracted to stealthy footsteps in the passage. Could it be Maruja? He rose to his feet, with his eye upon the door. The footsteps ceased it remained closed. But another door, which had escaped his attention in the darkened corner, slowly swung on its hinges, and, with a stealthy step, Pereo, the mayordomo, entered the room.
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