The attitude of this guilty man, whose life he held in his hands, was enough to astonish him. He had expected a stormy discussion and prayers and tears. He had before him a man convicted of the most heinous of crimes, and the man never flinched.
At length, crossing his arms, he said:
“You have a daughter!—I like her—and I want to marry her!”
Apparently Joam Garral expected anything from such a man, and was as quiet as before.
“And so,” he said, “the worthy Torres is anxious to enter the family of a murderer and a thief?”
“I am the sole judge of what it suits me to do,” said Torres. “I wish to be the son-in-law of Joam Garral, and I will.”
“You ignore, then, that my daughter is going to marry Manoel Valdez?”
“You will break it off with Manoel Valdez!”
“And if my daughter declines?”
“If you tell her all, I have no doubt she would consent,” was the impudent answer.