"Well?" asked he. "It appears to me--" answered the marquis. "Wait!" interrupted Diogo; "My friend," said he, addressing the scout, "go and lie down; you must want to recruit your strength." The Brazilian bowed, and immediately withdrew. "It is not advisable," pursued Diogo, "that this man should hear what we have to say." "I think that if this news is true, it is excellent." "Understand well, your Excellency, and be assured that I possess too thorough a knowledge of the Indians and their manners to deceive myself." "I admit it, my friend. Speak, then, I beg." "I should think, your Excellency, that I failed in my duty if at the crisis at which we are arrived I did not speak to you with the greatest freedom. The Guaycurus have honourably warned you to withdraw from them--they have given you liberty to do so; wrong or right, you have scorned their warning, I do not dispute with you, understand, your Excellency, the wisdom of this decision." "Continue, my friend." "They have so little intention of withdrawing, that they have dispatched me to ask the aid of their allies, the Payagoas. Then they have attacked you with fury, not with the design of seizing on your camp--they knew beforehand that they would not succeed--but to reduce you to your present position; that is to say, to the last gasp." "Conclude, conclude!" interrupted the marquis. "The conclusion is easy enough," pursued the captain; "the Guaycurus have pretended to withdraw in order to bring you out into the plain, and to overcome you the more easily." "Are you then afraid, Diogo?" "Certainly, my lord: very much afraid." "You!" "Pardon; this needs an explanation. I am afraid--not to die, for from the moment you announced to me your formal intention, I reckoned on the sacrifice of my life." "Then, what is it you mean?" "I mean, my lord, that I do not fear to die, but that I am dreadfully afraid of being killed like a beast." Notwithstanding the gravity of the situation, the marquis burst out laughing. "Bah, bah!" said he; "Things, I am convinced, will turn out better than you suppose." "I wish so, without hoping it, your Excellency." "Let us see; you believe you are in a position to guide us to the spot where the Paulistas are at this moment." "Nothing is more easy than to proceed on the journey, my lord, but I cannot guarantee it." "How is that?" "Why, because we shall all be massacred before reaching it." "Hum, Diogo; you become monotonous, my friend." "The end will prove me right, my lord." "Be silent, prophet of bad omen. At what distance do you think we are from the Paulistas?" "Thirty leagues at the most." "What! Thirty leagues; no more? Come, you are becoming foolish, with your puerile fears." "You will see, your Excellency, you will see." "Well, let it be so; the die is cast, I will try, whatever happens. At break of day we will leave."