“For these first few days—I shall get that for you; don’t be afraid.”
Juliana interrupted her.
“Ah, Senhora! there shall be no trouble as far as I am concerned; all I want is a crust of bread for my old age. I will keep my mouth shut. The only thing is, if the senhora could help me a little from time to time.”
“Of course! as much as you like—”
“Well, you may rest assured that from my lips—” and she placed her finger on her lips, shutting them tightly.
What joy for Luiza! She would have a few days, a few weeks, perhaps, free from torture, with her Jorge. She surrendered herself to her delightful impatience to see him once again. It was strange, but she thought she loved him now more than she had ever done. By-and-by she would consider what course she should pursue; she would give other presents to Juliana; she might prepare Sebastião little by little for her request. She almost felt happy!
In the afternoon Juliana entered her room with a smile on her face, and said,—
“Joanna has gone out; it was her turn; but I wanted to go out too, if the senhora does not mind remaining alone.”
“No, I do not mind; you may go.”
Shortly afterwards she heard the noise of Juliana’s high-heeled boots in the hall, and then the sound of the outer door closing. Then a thought presented itself to her mind that dazzled her as a flash of lightning might have done,—to go to Juliana’s room, search her trunk, and rob her of the letters in her turn. She watched her turn the corner, and then went upstairs slowly, and with her heart beating, listening for every sound. The door of Juliana’s room was open; there came from it an odor of unaired garments that sickened her; a melancholy light entered through the window, and on the floor, placed close to the wall, she saw the trunk. It was locked. She went back to her own room quickly for her bunch of keys. She felt a sense of shame; but what of that if she found the letters! She began to try the keys, one by one, with trembling hand; the lock yielded suddenly, with a creaking sound. She raised the lid; perhaps she should find them here. She proceeded to take out the contents carefully, placing them on the bed,—Juliana’s merino gown, a gilded fan wrapped in tissue-paper; some red and blue ribbons; a rose-colored satin scapulary; some unopened bottles of perfume, with bouquets of roses, cut out of paper, pasted on the glass; three pairs of boots wrapped in newspapers; white garments that diffused a mixed odor of wood and leaves of Indian corn. Placed between two of these latter was a package of letters tied with a thread; but neither hers nor Bazilio’s were among them! They were in a scrawling handwriting, yellow and illegible. What a disappointment! She remained standing by the empty trunk, her arms hanging helplessly by her sides.