"Go on ahead, pícaro, and announce our arrival." The Indian did not wait for a repetition of the order. "These Indians are singular characters," said don Zeno, looking after him "you can only subdue them by threatening them with harshness; but, on the whole, they are not bad." "You except without doubt," I answered, smiling, "those who wished to do you so bad a turn when I had the pleasure of meeting you." "Why should I do that? The poor devils acted with good intentions, from the point of view produced by their narrow ideas." "Do you not fear to become one day the victim of their perfidy?" "It will be as it shall please God; as to me, I shall accomplish the mission that I have imposed upon myself; but never mind that, you will remain some time with us, will you not, Don Gustavio?" "Two or three days only," I answered. "You are in a great hurry," said my host. "By no means; I am absolutely master of my time." "Then, why do you wish to leave us so quickly?" "Why," I replied, not knowing exactly what to say, "I am afraid of discommoding you." "Don Gustavio," said don Zeno Cabral, "abandon once for all those European fashions, which are out of place here; you cannot discommode a man like me, whose fortune amounts to millions of piastres, who is master, under God, of a territory of more than thirty square leagues, and who commands more than two thousand white, red, and black people. In accepting frankly the hospitality that such a man freely offers you, as to a friend and a brother, you do him honour." "Upon my word," I answered, "my dear host, you have a style of doing things which makes a refusal absolutely impossible, so do with me as you like." "Well and good, that's speaking plainly, without circumlocution or reticence. But make yourself easy; perhaps even if your vagabond notions still possess your heart, I shall make, some days hence, a proposition which will make you smile." "What?" I eagerly exclaimed. "I will tell you, but hush! Here we are arrived." Five minutes later, indeed, we entered the fazenda, between a double row of servants. I shall not dilate on the style in which hospitality was offered me in this truly princely abode. Some days passed, during which my host endeavoured in every way to amuse me. However, notwithstanding all his efforts to appear cheerful, I remarked that something weighed on his mind. I did not dare to ask him about it, fearing to appear impertinent, but I waited with impatience till he afforded me an opportunity to satisfy my curiosity, by asking him some questions which I had continually on my lips, and which I with great difficulty repressed. At last, one evening, he entered my room. A servant, who accompanied him, carried several bundles of papers. After telling the servant to put these papers on the table, and sending him away, don Zeno seated himself near me, and after a moment of reflection--