"Your lordship," said the captain, "the time has come to instruct Gueyma in what he ought to know. This is the only reason which has induced me to ask for this interview."
"Oh, señor," cried Gueyma, with all the impulsiveness of youth, "I entreat you, in the name of the friendship that you appear to have for me, speak, that I may at last know who I am."
"My boy," sadly replied Zeno Cabral, "are you not happy as you are? Of what use is it to bring trouble to your heart, and open a gulf in which all your happiness will disappear? Alas! Knowledge kills. Keep your careless ignorance; you are young."
The young chief had listened to these words with an impatience.
"You knew my family, did you not? Who was my father?"
"A Portuguese nobleman, belonging to one of the principal families of the kingdom."
"And my mother?"
"A Portuguese, as noble as she was beautiful."
"So I belong to the white race?"
"Yes."