“Do you know that I pardoned her at last, Cousin Jorge?” he said. “I pardoned the unfaithful wife.”
“Like Christ,” responded Jorge.
“Like Christ,” assented Ernesto, with satisfaction. Donna Felicidade approved of this.
“You did very well; it is more moral,” she said.
“It was Jorge who wanted me to kill her,” said Ernesto, with a fatuous laugh. “Do you remember that night?”
“Yes, yes,” returned Jorge, laughing nervously.
“Our dear Jorge,” said the counsellor gravely, “could not persist in such extreme opinions; and doubtless reflection, and a wider experience of life—”
“Let us change the subject, Counsellor,” interrupted Jorge. And he went into his study abruptly.
Sebastião followed, filled with anxiety. The room was in darkness.
“Will those idiots never be silent? Will they never go away?” Jorge said hoarsely, catching Sebastião by the arm.